The bass strings hissed as a hook dragged slowly down them. The drums kicked in on a steady foot thump. The rest of the band of demons took up their fiddles, keys, and a resonator guitar on the 12th bar joining in, filling the ballroom air with the sinister sound.

“Too deep into my mind, I ain't never coming back from the death-trips baby, try to stop us we do whatever the feel, cuz I’m flying high again and living like the animal I really am” Edward crooned as the feedback hissed out the bass from the hook strumming a deadly boogie warning jam.

The band rocked out on the stage as soldiers kept the harem from rushing in for autographed body parts; others clapped along sometimes on time but helping the music flow all the same as the server poured in the rear. From behind the curtain Yasham peeked her head watching the fanaticism in the club from a safe distance.

“There you are sister” said a familiar voice from behind.

“Ah Terra you made it” said Yasham turning to hug a pale and frail older woman covered in a robe several sizes too large, the loose fabric pinned in the back with a capped hook.

“How's our husband going with his men?” asked Terra looking at the floor.

“As wicked as ever playing with the husbands” said Yasham smiling.

Terra frowned wrinkling around her lips, her eyes were dull like dolls, and silver had started to take over her hair.

“That’s good dear” she said, reaching into her robe and searching around for something important.

"I've got something important for you young lady. The chances are my expiration date drawing, and curtain closing soon so here you are just like the one who gave it to me before" said Terra.

Finally she took out a small wrapped package and pressed into the young's hands while hers lingered trembling.

“My mom said the same things about getting old, but it has to happen to us all eventually” said Yasham breaking physical contact.

“Make sure you open that before the honeymoon leaves for distant lands tonight dear” Terra sighed as she slowly bowed before heading out the emergency exit.

Yasham tucked the package away into the pocket of her dress. What a weird woman she thought, why did Edward marry somebody so old? He must have pity for the hag. He had such a big heart of crystal buried under his many layers that others couldn’t see due to their lack of empathy unlike her who had so much it caused detrimental effects. They were best friends, and shared a special connection that none of the other harem members had.

The crowd who had packed in from wall to wall roared with applause as the song faded away.

“Alright folks we are going to take five for a refreshment” Edward announced on the stage.

He adjusted his collar and walked forward scanning the room with hawk eyes. A groupie took her shirt off for an autograph that the prince quickly obliged with a charcoal marker as a crew member hauled a barrel of shlock up onto the stage before rolling it back behind the red silk curtain backstage for the band's consumption. Roger laughed as he smacked the spout off with a spare instrument. Cap was already on his hands and needs guzzling down the foaming brown liquid that burned at the throat before he was pulled off for another turn.

“Who’s ready to party!” said Edward arms outstretched.

“this will be the biggest night of the year ha ha” said Cap.

“For sure” said Roger high fiving as he grinned.

Yasham smiled while playing with her hands that she kept close to her stomach. The prince approached his eyes hungered with an overpowering lust that both frightened and entranced her.

“And how are you tonight love?” he asked drawing in close and taking her hand with his other arm hidden behind his back.

Yasham looked deeply into her wide eyed lover as the two became melted into one entity on the same wavelength. She once been a princess from a far away land locked away from the world by her evil parents wasting her life with the iron bars on her windows that they claimed had been placed with love; until he saved her.

“Mmm Are you ready for tonight?” she asked.

“Of course I'm always ready, and I hope you will have to keep your walls down” he said back.

“No force fields will ever come between us for as long as we live” promised Yasham.

“Good I love you” said the prince as he began to smooch her all over.

Behind them the rest of the band had finished with the shlock consumption standing around in a huddle.

"Hey roadie get us some crystal powder on the amplifier for the encore eh" said Roger.

"Yes prince" said the knight and guitar tech running to the backroom.

Loud screeching as the groupies entered.

"Hey laddies drink up" said Cap motioning to the intoxicant spilled on the floor in a puddle.

The groupies rushed on their hands and knees to the drink lapping it up. They were Bootlickers, genderless and fishy smelling.

"Orgy on the train after the feast tonight" whispered one band member as the others giggled.

"Alright time to go back on stage boys lets go lets go" called prince Minco rushing in.

Minco was the art, and entertainment director for the kingdom. He managed the band, but it was his signature "Rob art" depicting everyday items around the kingdom such as haybales, and the royal salt brine sold in jars that most defined him. With each stroke of Minco's whip onto his apprentice goblin slave understudies the "Rob art" was mass produced for sale to the massive Royal family.

"One second" said Roger not moving.

"C'mon no more hour long breaks or just leaving mid set anymore when i'm paying you from my crystal fortunes you are at my command you hear" yelled Minco flapping his arms.

Prince Edward head tilted sideways where he stood as one eye glared to the side. Minco's arms went limp at his sides like expired soba noodles left in the sun.

"Whats that?" said Edward smiling as he slowly approached with the hook outstretched.

"Take your time" blurted Minco studying the floor.

"That's what I thought" said Edward already walking back to his bride as he licked his lips.

The band eventually finished their set with the signature sacrifice of instruments and Cap lighting himself on fire before being sprayed with ice crystal dust. Edward took a line off the box of the amplifying crystal before tossing his bass into the flames on stage.

"Yeeeeah lets burn this place to the ground" Edward growled before he and the rest of the band slowly headed away from the smoke backstage.

Out the rear exit with Yasham into the waiting limo carriage twenty doors long. A servant opened the door to stuffed leopard upholstery inside. Edward took his brides hand as he helped her in first, before getting in and hooking the door shut. The limo headed down a dark street towards the train station as the ballroom building owned by Minco burned away in flames.

"Kings shouldn't have to worry about unfair contracts, I'll see it no band in the land ever has to deal with that scumbag again if they want to be broadcasted on air" Edward laughed his his hook to pop the cork off fancy bubbling shlock.

"Oh Edward this wicked world doesn't deserve somebody like you" said Yasham kissing his cheek.

They pulled beside the private tour train the tracks which would one day travel the circumference of the planet. The crew was already loading the Harems luggage from the hotel. The group entered in jovial spirits and headed straight to the bar for more shlock.

"That everybody king?" asked the conductor.

"yeah, lets blast off at once" as Edward grinning with his substance buzz.

The whistle blew twelve times before the magma crystals blew the tour train off into turbo speed fuzz.