Hero of Light, Princess of Darkness

"Huh," Liara responded curtly. Go away...

"So... I saw you with Lou'roso tonight. Quite the prestigious bloodline he comes from. Must be daunting for the Red Duke's son to work hard and keep up with the expectations of living up to his father's legacy, unable to escape his shadow. One can't help but feel pity for the boy."

Liara sighed. Another awkward silence fell between them.

"Do you remember, Liara, when we were young, how we and your brothers, Krosimar and Numos would play together?" Lord Suuro chuckled. "I remember the mischief and trouble we'd cause with Krosimar leading the group. I remember how you'd sometimes play along with our misdeeds and pranks, yet you'd try to be the voice of reason in our little misadventures. But to no avail as your brothers and I always seemed to find ourselves in all kinds of trouble regardless of your attempts to sway us. How things change."

"Of course, I remember. I remember how you always followed Krosimar like a good little lapdog eager to please his master," Liara scoffed. "And I remember how you followed all his commands so loyally like one too."

"I guess, I... may have played the follower a little more than the leader when we were young, I'll accept that. But I own my own land and I have status and fame in the empire, though it pales in comparison to your family and the Shadow Palace, of course," Lord Suuro finished his point as he gestured around him, before he continued. "And I do command the esteemed White Wolves Raiders chapter under the banner of Nu'rath's royal Black Sun army with great success serving directly under Prince Krosimar himself."

"How things stay the same," answered Liara.

"Ah.... Do you remember how we snuck here once, just the two of us? It was a night like this when we were young," Lord Suuro smiled. "We watched the marvels of the city lights here, just like we are doing now. That night we shared our first kiss years ago."

The uncomfortable tension in the air which met Lord Suuro was painfully thick as Princess Liara had her head turned away and ignored him. Suuro, not discouraged, pulled out a white and black flower with a ruby red center and a dark violet stem, a moonflower. He held it out as he smiled at the princess. "You told me that night that it was your late mother who gave you your name. Remember how I told you how you truly are like your namesake? Rare, delicate, beautiful, mysterious, and perfect? When I promised I would one day make you my wife? I still feel that way for you, you know. Whatever happened to us? Why did we become so distant?"

Liara hissed as she struck Lord Suuro's hand away and knocked the flower out of his hand. "Some of us move on and prefer to leave the past where it should stay. And you, of all people, do not have any right to mention my mother to me, you bastard!"

The dark elf nobleman froze as the flower fell to the floor. "Why... Why must you always act so coldly to me? With such hostility, my love? How can you so easily claim that it's just the past?" Suuro gazed at Liara as he reached for her dainty hand. "Can you truly look me in the eyes and say you have moved on?"

Liara slapped Lord Suuro's hands again. The princess glared at him as she took a step back. "Yes, I can. It's irrelevant. And I suggest you stop being stuck in the past." She bared her teeth. "And I'm not your love..."

Lord Suuro rubbed his hand and scowled, "why do you always treat me like this!? I treat you always, always with nothing but kindness and reverence! I shower you with nothing, nothing but gifts and praise! Yet you insist on holding some petty grudge even after all this time!? That was years ago, when we were--"

"When we were children? Please," Liara answered with a sly tilt of her head and a cold smile. She placed one hand against the rails and clenched it. "Well, Lord Suuro, it was a pleasure, but I think I will be retiring for the night."

"Wait," Lord Suuro seized Liara's wrist suddenly as she tried to walk away. She let out a startled cry as he aggressively yanked her arm and pulled her in against him.

Liara tensed up as she pushed Lord Suuro, but she found herself struggling to break free from the animal that was restraining her. "What are you doing!?"

"You know exactly what I am doing here," Suuro chuckled as he leaned in towards Liara and greedily took in her intricate, fragrant, flowery scent. She frantically fought and squirmed against Suuro's overpowering hold as he smirked. "How long will you continue to resist me? Resist us?"

"You arrogant, uncouth bastard!" Liara struck at and pushed against Suuro's face hard. She desperately tried to pry herself free from the madman as she cried out in protest. "Let go of me!"

"I tire of this game." Suuro bared his teeth. "You know that no one else in this empire deserves you like I do! Do you really think a weakling like Lou'roso, or a fool like Silaam is worthy of your beauty? They don't have the grace, or honor, or intelligence that I do! Or that worthless old coward, Runeles? That poor excuse for a noble? For a man!? Or do you fancy one of the inferior animal races? A barbarian human beast, perhaps? Or one of those ungraceful, stout dwarf creatures? Or are you a traitor for our light elf cousins in love with their own weakness and cowardice!?"

"Shut up!" Liara cried out as she struggled to keep Suuro's vulgar hands at bay. She groaned in frustration as he salaciously groped her thighs and hips. The princess hissed through her clenched teeth; his indecent hand intruded into the slit of her dress and he forcefully reached at her rump. She pulled her face away in disgust from the uncivil animal's tongue that tasted her cheek and groaned. "I said let go! This is your final warning!" The princess snarled at the crude, arrogant bastard who chuckled at her defiance as she pulled away yet again. She managed just enough space to strike Suuro's nose who grunted in shock and pain. "Let me-- Augh!" Liara's protests were cut short as the dark elf nobleman retaliated by violently shoving her against the wall in retaliation. She gasped as the breath was knocked out of her while the mad man restrained her arms over her head.

Lord Suuro pinned Princess Liara's wrists to the wall above her and growled menacingly at the princess with his face an inch away from hers. The little woman before him squirmed, shaking her head around with a desperate cry. The dark elven nobleman froze, eyes wide with sudden hesitation, as he let out one worked up huff after the other. A chill spread across his body as it truly dawned on him the folly of what he had done and the potential consequences of his impulsive actions could unfold. He had gone too far.

The princess stopped fighting; her eyelids slowly lowered until they were partly closed. With a soft sigh, poisonous black miasma oozed out of the canines of her open mouth and the middle fingernails of both her hands. Lord Suuro quickly released his grip from Princess Liara and jumped away. The princess crouched with her head down.

"Ahh! Easy now," Lord Suuro held an arm in front defensively with a stand-offish grin. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves." He held his ring finger in his thumb, making a hand seal, as he gripped a glowing talisman by his neck. He readied a defensive mantra as he waited.

Liara slowly inhaled and the dangerous black smoke from her mouth and hands dissipated. Liara took a few moments to compose herself with deep breaths as she readjusted her attire and jewelry. The princess' eyes opened with a wild flash of fury. She puffed her chest up and stood upright and imposing with a display of her regal authority.

"Perhaps, I may have taken this a bit farther than I meant to, but it would be unwise to cause a scene," Lord Suuro lowered his brow with caution as he dropped his hands slowly. "We would not want to ruin the festivities held in honor of your brother tonight. It would not be in either of our best interests to give cause to rumors. We should both just forget this little incident happened. Wouldn't you agree for both--"

Liara stepped forward and slapped Suuro's face with all the force she could muster. The man accepted it with silence.

The princess met the arrogant man with a fierce glare as she spoke in a low, dangerous tone, "you forget your place, Suuro Mor'shira. You may do well for yourself by living your life off the table scraps of my family while kneeling at the feet of my brother like the eager little mutt that you are, but I am the princess of this empire. And you? You are nothing more than its subject... My subject!" She leaned close with a little smile as her eyes stayed sharp on him. A silky whisper laced with sweet poison fell onto the nobleman's ear. "I will never be yours... Ever. This little habit of yours...? Of overstepping your station with me...? You will not like where it ends you, little man... Or do you wish to test me right now...? Should we call the guards here?"

"There's no need, princess," Lord Suuro cleared his throat and averted his eyes from Princess Liara's dagger-like glare. He took a step back to bow in as courteous a manner as he could muster. "My apologies, my princess, I... meant no offense. I'll... show better judgment in the future."

Princess Liara's eyes softened as she narrowed them with a mischievous glint, "Hmm... Here's a thought..." Her voice was an intimate whisper as she lowered her gaze for a moment. The princess casually invaded Suuro's personal space until she stood less than an inch away from him. "Would you like the privilege of earning your place inside a filthy cage...? You may scavenge whatever deserving prize you find for yourself there... while locked away in the darkest, most vermin-filled corner of the palace dungeons... left there to rot away in the muck... all alone... disgraced... eventually forgotten... for the rest of your pitiful days... If you wish so..."

"Ah... " Chills went down Lord Suuro's body. Sweat trickled down his forehead as the princess gently pushed him back with each step she took.

A wicked little smirk appeared on the princess' face as she looked up straight at the nobleman's face. She came in with another gentle pushing step and a soft, sighing voice: "Perhaps... you'd prefer a life of slavery? Becoming the lowest caste, puru'ndu... not worthy of being called alive anymore... exiled in the deepest mines of Mount Freedom... Toiling away in back-breaking misery? The vilest criminal scum and the cracking whip of the overseer as your only company and comfort? Until your poor body eventually fails you... the sweet release of death, your only escape... Or maybe... maybe I should just offer you the mercy of a swift execution... Save us both the hassle. Thoughts? I haven't decided yet..."

"No... that isn't necessary, I will strive to do better. My sincerest apologies for overstepping my boundaries, princess," Suuro shifted his gaze away. He refused to meet Liara's icy stare as she moved around to try to meet his eyes. "I will not dishonor myself again by dishonoring you, Princess Liara. My word."

The princess stayed silent and kept her dagger-like eyes on the nobleman; Lord Suuro willed himself to glance back. She grabbed his chin and forced his head down to face her. The nobleman kept a straight face as he tried to contain the trembling of his hands.

"I don't know... I'm not convinced," Princess Liara shook her head. From under her veil a cool smile spread across the princess' red lips; her ruby eyes cut deeply into his. "Try groveling a little more... That may help..." She loosened her grip on Lord Suuro's chin. The princess playfully ran her fingers across his lower jaw until they rested where the neck met the middle of his jawline. She supported his chin with the delicate push of a fingertip from underneath as she kept her unwavering gaze on him. "Well...?"

Lord Suuro shook with silent fury as he struggled to keep his composure. He tried to ignore the bubbling hatred that built in him as he met Princess Liara's cold, piercing glare. The nobleman tightened his trembling fists. Those sharp ruby eyes, red like blood, peered into him as if they were witness to the twisted contents of his soul. Those damned eyes... judging him as if he were an inferior.

The dark elf nobleman winced as he swallowed his pride and whispered, "I admit my folly, Your Highness. Forgive me for... forgetting my place..." He trailed off and bit his lower lip. He looked down after a few agonizingly quiet moments had passed. "We don't need to do this... I've learned my lesson tonight... Please show your unworthy servant mercy... Please don't do this..."

Princess Liara did not respond. The suffocating silence in the air between them hung like a noose around the dark elf noble as he waited and trembled. Without warning, the ice-cold princess whipped her hand across the dark elf nobleman's face, and she raised the back of her hand. Suuro kept his eyes on the ground as he submissively endured one stinging blow after the other. The clean slapping noise of the princess' open hand forcing his face left and right cut through the quiet ambient breeze of the cool mountain wind.

Eventually, the beating stopped. As Suuro looked back up he saw the back of Princess Liara's fist fly towards his eyes. He winced as the vision in his eye flashed white stars and black. Tears flowed freely from his stricken eye as his mask cracked. The princess coolly surveyed her handiwork as she grasped the chin of Lord Suuro who looked away defeated. Satisfied she smirked and strutted away.

Before she entered back into the inner palace she glared over her shoulder one last time. "Be thankful that I feel mercy tonight, Suuro Morshira. You will not see this kindness again."

The dark elven noble hung his head down in silent resignation as Princess Liara disappeared from his sight. In a fit of rage, he drove his fist into the wall with a dull thud. Suuro growled and snarled in impotent fury as he hit the wall over, and over until the bones of his bruising knuckles ached terribly. He grabbed and clawed at his face as he hunched over with one worked up huff after the other, before he walked back into the hallways.

He ran through a fully masked servant who flew back from the impact. Lord Suuro glanced down for a mere moment as he hardly noticed the existence of the squealing servant who scurried away from his feet like a panicking mouse. Yet his solid posture did not once break through that little incident as he continued his brisk pace past a few guests, ready to make his exit from the party.

"Lord Suuro! We were wondering where you had gone off to," A masked dark elf noblewoman called out from a small group of nobles mingling by one of the passages. They all took notice of the man who suddenly stopped in his tracks. "My lord. You're hurt! What happened?"

"Ah. I... had a bit of a fall earlier. But I am fine, so please do not worry yourself, Lady Ataani," Lord Suuro smiled as he gingerly touched his cheek. "Though I appreciate your concern. I would stay and chat, but alas, it is late, and I must retire for the night."

Lord Suuro took a drink offered on a tray by one of the servants nearby and quaffed it down before setting it back on the tray. He did his best to still the tremors of his hands as he hastily made his way through the palace halls.

He grinded his teeth as he touched the mark on his face around his cracked mask. Arrogant little bitch. I won't forget this. No one does this to me! No one!

He trembled with vindictive rage. You will regret this. Act like you are above me now if you wish, but I rise every day in influence and power. While yours only wanes. I'll bide my time... wait for the right moment... and I will remember this when I hold the dominant position and beat you little game of ours. You will plead for my mercy, and I'll thoroughly enjoy making you pay back every single indignity you've ever suffered on me when I teach you your place... When that day comes. When I claim you. Your soul, your body, everything that you are, shall be mine.

Lord Suuro's wild eyes shifted to cold determination as he walked to the entrance of the palace. You are not as untouchable as you present yourself. Little traitor's daughter...

To Be Continued...