Chapter Thirty Four: I Am The Rebel King

Cinder moved with haste, throwing outfit after outfit behind her as she looked desperately for her red dress, the one she liked to wear when she was expecting violence. Determination apparent as she moved with a reckless abandon, throwing aside garments that had cost as much as a family in her country makes in a year.

The royal quarters of the Red Citadel were extravagant and massive in size, taking up three huge rooms, one of which was dedicated entirely to clothes.

Cinder herself was not one to stand on ceremony and she hated wearing the extravagant and uncomfortable dresses that Palite insisted she wear for any state visits of dignitaries. She had never realised that as a Queen she was expected to impress those that came to see her. Shouldn't it be the other way around? Shouldn't the idiotic nobles be the ones impressing her? She snorted as she continued her search, clothes flying in every direction.

“Why are you looking for the red dress, Cin? You know that his majesty won't let you hurt the boy.” asked Bell who was standing in the doorway leading into the massive wardrobe, a cynical look etched into her pretty face as she examined the woman she called sister.

“You don't know that! Perhaps Father will change his mind. In which case, I would like to be prepared.... and comfortable.” muttered the Queen of the Vampires as she yanked another dress from a large pile, causing a huge landslide of garments to fall over, adding to the mess of the room.

“I know he's not going to let you kill a child in the middle of the Red Citadel. He's barely become a man and you want to drink from him?”

“Yes” came Cinder's simple answer.

It can be said that the Vampire Queen very rarely showed restraint when it came to personal matters. When it came to her Father she was a different animal all together. Marwenna and Valant had killed him and deprived her of centuries of Corus in her life, something she would never forgive, nor forget. She felt worry begin to gnaw at her, turning her inside out. A worry that had been there since her Father had made their deal. What if he changed his mind? What if she wasn't allowed to hurt Marwenna?

She nearly sobbed at the thought but managed to keep it contained. He wouldn't do that to her. He loved her and she knew that.

“I don't really understand why... You won't tell me anything, please Cinder, talk to me. It's not good for you to keep things bottled up inside like this. Remember what happened after the incident with Kel? You wouldn't talk to anyone for nearly a month.” Bell replied with her own worry, this one evident in her voice.

Cinder rolled her eyes “That was different, that was my fault... well, mostly my fault. I'm sorry Bell, but I won't let any of Father's secrets loose. You'll just have to ask him yourself.”

For some unknown reason Bell suddenly blushed and her face struggled to keep a straight face. Cin noticed this, she noticed everything, and her eyes narrowed as she came to a conclusion.

“You can't make a move on my Father, Bell.” Cin almost growled, her eyes beginning to glow with a dim red light.

“What!? What are you talking about, I would never- I mean I- what are you talking about?” Bell stuttered, her face growing redder by the second, her cheeks the same colour as Cinder's eyes.

“I know that look. It's the same one you gave to Ula on your one hundredth birthday... I know what you're thinking.”

“Cinder, you're acting insane. I would never, ever make a move on your fucking Father. That's just weird! Is he attractive? Yes. Is he strong and powerful and handsome...” Bell's sentence drifted off at the end as her eyes looked off into her space, her face almost glowing now with the thoughts inside her head.

“Fuck! Stop that Bell, you're slobbering.” Cin hissed as she turned away, trying to push the image of her sister's almost hungry expression from her mind.

Bell let out a laugh and hugged Cin from behind “I'm just teasing you, sister. You should know by now that I'm not the type to go after older men and The King is.. well, besides your Father, he's The King. I wouldn't do that. It's not like he'd reciprocate anyway. Doesn't matter, really.” She sounded almost disappointed as she finished her sentence.

Cinder grumbled in reply as she searched for her dress. The thought of Bell being with Corus kept appearing in her thoughts and she felt herself begin to feel slightly ill.

“Ah! I found it.”

Cin turned to find Bell holding up a tattered red dress.

“Shit! I totally forgot, that was the dress I was wearing during the hunt! It's ruined!” cried Cin as she pulled the blood covered dress from Bell's hands, rips and tears covered the soft fabric, results of her battle with Corus when he had first arrived.

“Why not wear it anyway? You can't eat Mahalis, but you can scare the shit out of him. Wearing a dress covered in blood is sure to do the job.” Bell said as she leaned against a cabinet, shifting her ever present axe and knife to allow herself to get more comfortable.

Cinder giggled “you know what, Bell? That's a great idea. Let's go with the blood splattered and battle tested war dress. It'll be fun to fuck with them a little bit.”

Bell smiled and left the room to give Cin some privacy as she changed. When she returned Cinder was a picture of horror.

Red had always been her colour but now she just looked like someone who had just committed a massacre, the dried bloody stains stood out against the softer red of the dress while the rips and tears revealed more than would normally be appropriate for a Queen. She looked like death herself.

“So? How do I look?” Cin said with a smile, exposing her enlarged canines as she spun in place for Bell's benefit.

“Horrific. I think that's what you were going for?”

“You are absolutely right, Bell. Thank you.”

Bell nodded but without smiling. Her eyes lost in thought. Cinder could clearly see the anxiousness that lay within.

“So, how was the training with Father? I only caught the end but you were exhausted. I'm assuming he just had you try to fight him?” Cin said, giving Bell a sideways glance as she looked in the mirror, liking how the dress complimented her eyes.

Bell suddenly snapped out of her trance and looked at Cinder, taking a moment to remember what had been asked.

“Yeah, he had us fight him continuously. I can't remember how many times. He beat us so easily. By the end of it I was beginning to wonder what the point is in practising when there are mages as strong as him out there.” Bell said almost bitterly. She truly did appreciate the training that Corus had decided to give them. But after seeing him move the way he did, without using magic, it was quite depressing that Black Tusk weren't even good enough to scratch him.

Cinder suddenly turned to face Bell and looked into her eyes, forcing Bell to stare back at her sister.

“You listen to me, Bell. I never want you to think like that. You can't compare yourself to Father. He's different. You and your group are perhaps some of the strongest mages on the continent. Never forget that.” Cin said intensely.

Bell nodded and gave her sister a smile “Thanks Cin. It's just so strange. Some of the things he can do-”

“Are unbelievable, I know.” Cin finished, giving Bell a smile and moving into the greeting room, the commander following behind her.

“He made me go through the exact same training, did you know that?”

“I think you mentioned it before, but you never really went into detail. Mother and I just assumed it was because you were still grieving.”

Cinder sighed “Yeah, it was hard to talk about. He did so much for me. You have no idea what it was like, Bell. I was alone and afraid. Surrounded on all sides by people that wanted to hurt me. Hunted like an animal. Then this quiet man walks into my life. He was kind to me. He was the first person who ever treated me like more than a monster.”

“I realised that. You were always so protective of him, even when we thought he was gone. Remember that time that the Elven Ambassador came and said that their were plans to make Valant the new Rebel King? Your reaction was horrific at the time, but later it was kind of funny.” Bell giggled slightly at the memory.

It had been just over two hundred and fifty years ago. Relations between countries were not the best and the Elves, or Marwenna, wanted there to be a new Rebel King to rally Vita. Valant was the top contender for the job. Because he 'saved' the Rebel Court during the battle of Ellai. Cinder did not have a good reaction to the news. She had sent the Ambassador's head back to Callai in a box with a polite note requesting that the matter of a new Rebel King be dropped immediately. Marwen was intelligent and powerful but even she would not risk the ire of The Red Lady, especially when she knew that the other Knight's would support her. So the issue never came up again. They later reconciled, but Cin had never forgiven her for even suggesting such a thing.

Cinder laughed along with her closest friend “ Yeah, that was funny. Elves don't taste very good though, their blood has always seemed far too thin.”

Cinder and Bell made their way into the entrance room and took a seat on some of the finely made furniture that was placed elegantly around the room, the window offering a sweeping view of the city below.

“But just because he was kind to me wasn't the reason I feel about him the way I do. Would you like to hear the story of the first time I called him Father?” Cin asked quietly as she stared out the window, her hands twisting nervously in her lap. She had never told the story to anyone who wasn't a Knight and although it was Bell and she was like a sister to her, it was still a very personal topic, something she often liked to steer clear of.

Bell nodded with a small smile, saying nothing. She knew Cin like the back of her hand and recognised the signs of her being uncomfortable, she didn't want to scare her into silence. Talking about these things was healthy, she would feel better afterwards.

Cin took a deep breath, her gaze drifting and unfocused as she returned to a time centuries ago when she was a scared little girl.

“I had only been with the Court for about six months. It was a really turbulent time in my life. The Knight's didn't talk to me all that much, even Faral. They were wary, I guess. They had heard the story about how I was found and knew I was feral, so they thought I was going to hurt someone, namely Father, who made a point of spending time with me every day.”

Her gaze shifted to her hands as her voice became quieter.

“I remember I was having a nightmare, it was nothing special, I had them all the time. They were of the time before I was living in the Forest proper. It was about the city I came from and the people who... did things to me. Bad things.”

She took a long stuttering breath “I remember waking up and I was crying and, suddenly, He was there. He came through the door like a storm, I'm pretty sure he had used magic to get there as fast as he did. He didn't hesitate. He wasn't afraid, he just hugged me. Held me until I stopped crying. Then he asked me what was wrong and... I told him.”

For a moment there was silence as Cinder closed her eyes, her bottom lip shaking slightly. Bell didn't move, nor did she speak. This was an old memory, filled with emotion.

“I hadn't spoken more than two words since I arrived in the tower, but for some reason, I told him everything, everything that was done to me, where I came from, everything.

“Once I was finished he just kissed me on the forehead and told me everything was going to be ok. That he would keep me safe. He stayed with me until I fell asleep. When I woke up, he was gone. He had left Ellai in the night, the others didn't know where he was.”

Cin suddenly broke out into a smile “He returned a week later, he looked exhausted but otherwise unharmed. He didn't answer the others questions, he just knelt down in front of me and said 'Don't worry, little one. Those that hurt you are gone now. They won't be able to cause you pain again.”

Cinder looked up at Bell, smiling with tears in her eyes “I somehow just knew that he was telling the truth and, for the first time, I truly felt safe, secure and... free. I held onto him and didn't let go for what seemed like forever. Then I said 'Thank you, Father.”

“Gods, Cin. I never knew that. What did he do? When he was gone, I mean?” Bell asked, speaking for the first time since the story began, she had found herself leaning in as the tale was told, anxious to hear more.

Cinder laughed “That I didn't find out till after he was gone. When I became Queen I was curious, I wanted to know what happened to that little city. It was out of the way, slaving was still legal there... amongst other things. But when I checked, the city was gone.”

Bell was confused “What do you mean the city was gone?”

“The city was destroyed. Everything was reduced to embers, nothing remained. I heard the tale from one of those who had lived in the city, a former slave. They said that a man arrived and just began killing people. The guards and the many masters all fell before him. A veritable army was thrown at him, but all turned to ash in the face of his might. He freed the slaves that were still present, but everyone else was killed. In short, Father burned the city down.”

Bell felt herself gulp. The power that it would take to destroy an entire city is monstrous.

“You see, Bell? My Father is wrath personified. He's worse than me in that regard. If someone hurts anyone he loves, he will raze this world, damn the casualties. If he was willing to do that for me, I should be willing to do that for him.”

Cinder stood and smoothed down her dress. “I will do anything to protect him, even if that means from himself.”

The Vampire Queen moved towards the door before turning and looking at a stunned Bell. “Come on, sister, escort me to the Throne Room, I wouldn't want to keep my nephews and niece waiting.”

* * *

Mahalis and the others stood in the waiting area just outside of the Throne room. They had been here for a little over three hours, each one of them getting more and more frustrated by the minute. The only one that seemed to be immune to the emotions they were feeling was Lor, who still had a massive grin on his face and couldn't sit down. He paced back and forth whispering to himself and shaking slightly with excitement. His fellow descendants could get nothing out of him despite their many attempts to do so.

Their weapons had been taken from them when they had first arrived, much to the ire of everyone, except Lor, who handed his over before they even asked to take them. Hilin and the other guards had been told to wait outside, which hadn't gone down too well for the formidable Captain. She had threatened to just go through them if they didn't let them in peacefully. However, that was when Palite, the Steward of the Red Citadel, had spoken out.

“I would suggest not making a scene here, Captain. While the Knight Descendants are more than welcome in the Red Citadel, I don't recall Queen Marwen asking for permission to place troops in our country. We have extended the courtesy of asking you to remain outside to avoid telling you to do so. However, I must now insist that you leave the castle immediately. If you do not, I will unleash hell upon all twenty of you. Despite your skill, you would be hard pressed to defeat the Crimson Guard with such a paltry number. Leave. Now.”

This had created a moment of intense staring between the two powerful women before Hilin grudgingly agreed, but only after Lor's constant insistence that it would be just fine.

Mahalis himself was feeling more than a little bit uncomfortable. He was a prince and had visited other countries before, but his guard had always remained with him, making him feel all the more secure. Now Hilin was gone, The Angelis as well. Mahalis had never felt so vulnerable. Especially after hearing the news about the man in the mask and Queen Cinder's possible involvement with him, willing or unwilling.

“Perhaps we should have sent a message to Knight Marwen. Just in case.” Kara said from her place sitting on a chair, her eyes distant but thoughtful as she worked through all of the possible scenarios in her head. Despite her trying to find a way to come to favourable conclusion it always ended in a fight, which they couldn't win. The man in the mask had destroyed them in combat the last time they had faced him and Queen Cinder, if she was under his control , was just as formidable. Now wasn't the time for false pride and Kara came to the bitter truth in a short space of time. They just weren't up to the task. There was no way that they could defeat either of them in combat, so what had she been thinking? She had been the one to insist that they approach Cinder in the first place. She had felt so helpless, she had to do something. Now her decision might get all four of them killed.

“Don't worry, lass. Whatever happens, we stick together. If it comes down to a fight, we try and get out. We won't win, but we might live” came the rather well thought out response from young Dran, who leaned against a wall on the other side of the room. Dran was usually quite forward and bombastic, but many forgot that he had successfully navigated the politics of Holduren for years and made a name for himself in the process. He was as cunning as Lor when he wanted to be.

“Yeah, Kara. We all agreed to come, this doesn't fall on only your shoulders. We're the Knight Descendants, eventually it was going to be our job to stop conflicts before they happened. We're just getting to it a little bit earlier than we thought we would.” Mahalis said with a crooked smile, drawing a small one from Kara in return.

There was a time when drawing such a reaction from Kara would have been the highlight of Mahalis' day, but it was not here, not now. He would celebrate later, right now he needed to get through the next twenty four hours without being killed.

“You guys really need to stop worrying. This is good for us! Really good. If I'm right... Fuck, I hope I'm right. If I'm wrong then we're dead and there won't be anything to worry about anyway.” Lor said, slightly flustered.

“Perhaps we would be more at ease if you told us, Lor?” asked Mahalis as he looked at his constantly shifting companion.

“Nope! If I told you I'd give you hope which could be false. As it stands I'm the only person to come out of this disappointed if it all goes tits up. You should be thanking me!”

“Aye, sea rat, we're all thanking you. Look at my face, it's the picture of fucking gratitude.” The angry dwarf said, his face getting redder as the half elf returned his glare with a smile.

“Sarcasm will get you nowhere, noble dwarf.” Lor replied coolly.

It was just at this moment that large door to the room opened and in stepped Palite, Steward of the Red Citadel.

Lor feared very few people. His list included his mother and father, Queen Cinder, the cook who served in the castle on the Isles and Palite. Out of all of them, none were more devious than the woman who stood behind the Queen.

Palite was absolutely devoted to Cinder, to a fault. She ran the day to day of Scarl Forest with ruthless efficiency, her status as a low born woman was something that had caused problems early on in her political career, but the constant threat of Cinder's wrath was usually more than enough for most people to tow the line. Of course, there had been those who were bolder than the common rabble, but they were taken care of quietly, without the Queen ever knowing differently. She also controlled Cinder's personal retinue, The Crimson Guard, a group of dangerous and shadowy warriors that knew how to remain hidden until the moment they strike. Little was known about them and they were rarely seen. But they were there. They were always there.

Palite gave a soft bow and a smile “Descendants, the Queen will see you now. Remember to mind your manners in front of The Red Lady. That means you especially, Lor. I remember our trip to see your mother well. I will not have a repeat of such a brash action here. Is that understood?”

Lor felt himself gulp “Of course, my Lady. I would never do such a thing here.”

What Palite was referring too was a incident that happened nearly twenty years ago. Queen Cinder, Duchess Bell and Palite had visited the Isles as a surprise for Faral, Lor's mother. It was when they were first met in the throne room that Lor had entered quite suddenly, interrupting their conversation to complain to his mother about being forbidden from leaving the castle to visit the port. Lor had never met Cinder before, while he had heard the stories, he hadn't known what she had looked like and had just assumed she was a minor noble from the mainland, come to trade. He had been rather petulant back then and talked to his mother like an angry child does. Cinder was not one to mince words and didn't like the way Lor had been speaking to one of her oldest friends.

“If you don't shut your little mouth I'm going to drink every drop of your fucking blood.”

He could remember the glowing red eyes, they still haunted him. Eyes that bored into his skull and looked straight through him, as if seeing the red liquid that was inside.

After the threat was made, the guards immediately took action to move in front of him. Thankfully, Faral had managed to defuse the potentially volatile situation and calm Cinder down, explaining that Lor was off limits, that he was her nephew. The Prince of the Sea had been punished for the incident later by his mother who told him in no uncertain words that if Cinder had attacked there was little she could do to stop her before she had killed him.

Lor had taken it to heart and had strived to be better to his mother and everyone in general. It's amazing what being close to death can do to re-establish one's priorities.

He apologised profusely to the Queen of the Vampires and she had brushed it off as if it had been nothing. She had actually been very kind to him from that point on. But he had been taught a hard lesson that day and had more than a healthy respect for Cinder's power.

The others joined him as they walked, giving him the occasional glance as if wanting to ask what Palite was talking about. They knew the story about the fishermen that Cinder had killed but not that part of the story. Truthfully he was embarrassed by the ordeal.

After walking for a few minutes they arrived in front of the huge black wood doors that entered into the throne room and, with a snap of Palite's fingers, the doors opened into the vast and dark space of the centre of Scarl Forest.

The chill in the air was immediately apparent and everyone felt it as they went inside. For some reason their breath came out as fog and the cold went right down to their bones. They walked forward at a steady pace, the huge statues behind the throne imposing and strong, seemingly staring down at them as they walked, shivering.

“well, well, well. If it isn't my lovely extended family. Come in and make yourselves at home. I don't think any of you have been here before, have you?”

The words came from the throne where the Queen sat and each of the Descendants had a intake of breath as they looked upon her.

She was covered in blood.

Or her dress was. It looked to be ripped and torn in certain places, although red in colour some places were darker than others and the group knew what it was without question. It looked like the Queen had just fed on someone, or many someone's, considering the dress' state.

Standing slightly to the Queen's right was the Duchess Bell, dressed in very familiar black armour, her weapons at her hip as she stood with folded arms next to her Queen. A small smile on her face.

There was another intake of breath as they saw Bell's armour.

'Shit. I guess Cinder was involved in this the whole time.' Thought Kara, even as she went down on one knee, the others following suit.

She had questions of course. She wanted to know what the Duchess had been doing in Ellai with the man in the mask, she wanted to know where he was and she wanted to know how much Cinder knew but she needed to be careful. This was not Keltano. This was Cinder's realm and, as such, her control and will were absolute.

“Knight Cinder, it is a pleasure to see you again. We have come to give you news of Ellai, as Knight Marwen-”

“Do not say that bitch's name in my presence. To do so would cause me to be become very angry and, subsequently, rather hungry.” Her eyes glowed, illuminated even more in the darkness of the room, they never left Kara and she felt herself begin to shake under the weight of that gaze.

There was a gasp of protest from Mahalis. She had just called his mother a bitch after all and he made the mistake of raising his eyes to meet Cinder's, who had heard the slip up and turned those glowing eyes upon him.

“Something to say, little prince? I promised him I wouldn't eat you, but that doesn't mean that I will except any show of defiance because you don't like me insulting your whore of a mother. Please, say something. Please, please, please” Cinder leaned forward in her throne, her eyes getting brighter as she sounded almost desperate for Mahalis to speak.

If only Mahalis knew that, if he had spoken one syllable, Cinder would already be upon him, tearing his flesh from his body and drinking the blood that flowed out as a result. Instead he made the smart decision and stayed quiet. Gritting his teeth as he returned his stare to the floor.

“Your Majesty.... may I speak?” Lor asked, his voice seeming quite small when compared to the power behind Cinder's.

The Queen turned her gaze upon him, slightly disappointed that Mahalis hadn't the balls to challenge her. “Of course you can, Lor. What would you like to know? Are you curious as to why Bell looks exactly like one of the people you fought in Ellai? I have to say, I would be rather curious myself.”

Cinder turned to the Duchess and they exchanged a smile and a knowing look.

“Actually, no your Majesty. In think I've kind of already figured it out. I would like to ask you if we could meet the man in the King's mask.”

Cinder's eyebrow raised “oh? And why would you like to do that.”

Lor shrugged and grinned at Cinder “I would like to swear fealty to him, your Majesty.”

His companions looked at each other, shocked at Lor's words. He wanted to swear fealty to a pretender? No there was something more to it than that. This was something different.

“No fucking way.” Kara said, speaking out of turn, her voice sounding bewildered.

“I know, right?” Lor said to his companion, the grin on his face getting bigger. It seems that Kara had come to the same conclusion that he had.

Cin looked at them both for a second before she began to laugh “I suppose you always were too smart for your own good, Lor. Very well done. I would expect nothing less of Faral's son.”

“Forgive me, but can someone tell me what's going on?” Dran said from his place on the floor, almost looking like he was afraid to speak.

“I too would like to know-” Mahalis never finished his sentence.

Suddenly, the Queen was standing directly in front of him, inches away from his kneeling form. Her eyes now suns, blazing with a dark red light.

“What did I just fucking say. You talk. You die” Cinder hissed as she began to draw in mana, her aura pressing down on Mahalis whose face went pale as his body refused to move in the face of such power.

“That is enough, Cinder.” The voice came from behind them, from the doors to the throne room that the Descendants hadn't realised were still open. Mahalis couldn't turn, still frozen in place, but the Queen's face filled with uncertainty.

“But why? We should punish her! We should-”

“Not like this, little one. We have already talked about this. I know you hate it, but it is not up for debate. They are children, Cinder. You are frightening them.”

The Queen glared at the figure whose silhouette could be seen in the doorway, her eyes getting ever brighter as she sneered. Finally, she released her mana and threw her arms into the air before making her way back towards the throne, her eyes returning to their normal selves.

“As you wish, Father.”

'Father!?'

Mahalis' thoughts were a whirlwind as he tried to get to the bottom of what Cinder had just said. What Father? Cinder had a Father? His mother had told him that she had referred to the Rebel King as such but... no, what was going on?

His train of thought were broken as he felt footsteps make their way forwards, each step like a hammer as the Knight Descendants all faced forwards, afraid of turning around until, finally, the figure walked in front of them.

It was the man in the mask. Of that they were certain.

The Rebel King's helm was attached to his belt and Xolumbrandir could be seen hanging from his left hip. His face was young, he didn't look any older than they were. Brown hair fell down to his shoulders and stubble covered his lower jaw, his eyes were a blazing green and stared at them with a gentle and warm light. But there was a power about him. In the way he moved, in the way he held himself. There was no doubt in any of their minds that this was the man they had faced in Ellai.

“It is a pleasure to formally meet all of you. I know your names. Dran, Descendant of Drogna. Kara, Descendant of Heilvol. Lor, son of Faral and... Mahalis, son of Marwenna.”

Marwenna? Mahalis' mother had always hated her full name, so much so that she never used it. Most assumed that her name was merely Marwen, her full name was only ever used by one man. And he was supposed to be dead.

“I am Corus, son of none. I am The Rebel King.”