An extravagant courtroom is packed with elegantly dressed, powerful members of the Sanguniem Vorpal’s Conclave. The room becomes hushed as the Queen Mother dressed in fine silk clothing takes a seat on the great white ivory throne. The Queen Mother leisurely crosses her legs allowing glimpses of the untouched flesh of her inner thighs.

The Queen Mother’s long polished nails tap in a rhythmic fashion against the ivory throne’s armrest. The tapping sound is like an executioner’s drumbeat announcing an upcoming death. The room is tense as the powerful figures refrain from moving nor breathing loudly lest they catch the unwanted attention of the angry Queen.

Loud footsteps can be heard as two burly guards in black short sleeves uniform wearing execution like hoods accompany a frightened human. The guard halt with a loud stomp as they kneel and say, “Greeting’s Queen Mother, we apologize for presenting this unworthy to your majestic presence, but the human possesses what we seek.”

One of the guards forcefully nudges the human to his knees. With a painful sound, the human stumbles onto his knees in fear. “Speak Human!” A guard threating said pointing his long spear at the pathetic human.

The human stinks with fear causing many to wrinkle their nose at the filthy scent and others eyes to glisten at the succulent scent causing their mouths to water. The human stutters, “Gracious, Queen Mother, this one was a humble food slave in the house of Lady Clarise. I-, I and many other slaves can bear witness to who truly killed thy descendent.”

The Queen Mother leans forward in her throne causing her ample chest to be shown beautiful. “Human speak the truth!” The Queen Mother angrily hissed as her hands anxiously tighten their grip on the ivory throne.

“Yes, Queen Mother. The one who slew your child in a maddened fury was not the mortal governments but Lady Clarise,” the human declared. Many let out gasps of surprise and utter shock. The Queen Mother’s pupil’s dial to a pinprick size.

“Lies!” The Queen Mother hissed. “Mortal, what proof do you have of thy treacherous words? Speak with care, Human, I grow weary of this farce.”

Many of the court members blaze with righteous fury as the human says, “Nothing, but my word and that of the others. But there is one who whose words the Queen can trust. Ask thy faithful servant, Marco, to recall the events that transpired that dreadful day. Thy servant Marco was present as well and a witness to Lady Clarise’s madness.”

The court parts like the red sea as a single individual is suddenly in plain view of the Queen. The Queen Mother narrows her eyes at the pale shaken figure as her nostrils flare in anger. “Marco, are the mortal claims true?” The Queen Mother stonily asked.

The court is deadly silent as they all wait with bated breath. “Yes, Queen Mother,” Marco fearfully replied unable to lie in the presence of the Queen Mother.

The Queen Mother lets out an angry hiss as the court members appear aghast at the terrible truth unfolding before them. “Human, you are rewarded for your honesty with your life. Guards, remove him from my presence and set him free,” The Queen Mother coldly declared.

“Thank you, Queen Mother for your clemency,” The human gratefully said, before the guards dragged him away and escorted him out of the Conclave as ordered.

The Queen Mother points a finger at Marco and beckons him forward. Trembling with fear Marco has no choice but to do so. Coming to a stop before the Queen Mother, he falls onto his knees and pleads for leniency. “Queen Mother, I had no choice, I was under duress and feared for my life!” Marco begged to be believed.

The Queen Mother leans back against the cool ivory throne. “I believe you,” The Queen Mother said to the amazement of the court members and to the obvious and most grateful joy of Marco. “But my child is dead, and you did nothing. The sentence is DEATH!”

Marco lets out a howl of fear as guards pin him to the ground. A guard marches forward with a black cowl over his head and holds a sharpened glistening ax in his hands. Marco tries to speak but is unable to as a gag has been stuffed in his mouth preventing him from doing so.

The gleaming ax is raised in the air and with a loud swoosh falls forward. The sharp blade passes through the flesh and bone strong enough to cause a spray of spark as it smashes into the floor. Blood oozes from the wound as the guard’s step back from the corpse that weakly moves for a few seconds before becoming stiff and utterly still.

The Queen Mother rises off her seat and everyone bows their head. The Queen strides down the red-carpeted steps and across the floor to the body of the dead. Gently reaching down, the Queen Mother takes the deceased shocked head and places a tender kiss on the cold cheek. The Queen Mother licks her lips tasting the sweet, bitter tears of Farwell.

“You are now forgiven, my child. See to it that his body is properly buried,” The Queen Mother graciously said.

“Long live the great and merciful Queen,” the court declared with cheers. The Queen Mother hides her smile of pleasure as she returns the decapitated head back to a guard. The guard reverently takes the head from the Queen Mother and carefully takes it away. Two guards carefully remove the corpse as instructed leaving a bloody trail in their wake. The chanting dies down to a dimmer as the Queen Mother climbs the step back to her throne and majestically reseats herself in her ivory throne.

“Thank you, my children, for your faithful presence. But now, please disperse and allow me, a word with mine councilors,” the Queen Mother firmly ordered. The Conclave court members swiftly disperse leaving only the original members of the Conclave secret meetings behind. The men all warily glance at each other as the doors shut loudly behind them. The sound echoes for a moment before silence fills the air and that of their breathing.

“Chancellors, I have a question,” the Queen mother said. “How is it that the best and most nobles of the Sanguniem Vorpal bloodline failed to find the truth? Not only failing to do so but utterly failing the interests of the Conclave! Do you know, what you have done? Once, word reaches our enemies of the fault, they will see this as a mistake of weakness and not of strength! So, tell me, who was it that proposed the attack on the human government building?”

The Chancellors are silent and remain glancing downward at the floor. The Queen Mother icily smiles revealing sharp fangs. “I see. What loyalty, what friendship in the face of danger? Your bravery should be commemorated,” The Queen Mother taciturnly said.

The Queen Mother leans back in her ivory throne. “I shall fondly remember all of you, my children, I promise you,” the Queen Mother sincerely said. The Chancellors move uneasily at her words as from the shadows jaw-like tendrils emerge from the floor. The Chancellors screams fill the air as they are devoured alive until nothing is left behind.

A tall, thin bald man emerges from the shadows that swiftly form a living shroud around the pale, heavily scarred body. “You did well, my pet,” the Queen murmured as the figure came to kneel at her side. Reaching over to fondly stroke the shadowy cowl, the cowl shrouded man lets out a dog like a whine in reply. The Queen Mother coldly narrows her eyes at the empty throne room. Her enemies would soon come baying for blood, but let them all, come! For the Conclave had stood for thousands of years and would continue for a thousand more!