Ileus: The Dark Prince

Etaya gave her a side-glance and then walked in the bathroom. Anastasia followed her. Etaya stepped in the water without creating fuss. While Jor'gas gave her a bath, Anastasia stayed away. It was gross watching her take a bath. But she helped her with her clothes. When she was about to leave, Etaya said with narrowed eyes, "Who are you?" 

For a moment Anastasia froze. She looked at Etaya with a cautious look and meekly said, "I am Natsya, m'lady." 

Etaya sized her up and without speaking a word, walked out of the bedroom to the antechamber where the court painter was waiting for them. Over the next several hours, the painter asked them to keep sitting in the same position. 

Although that day Etaya was quiet and watched Anastasia with hawk eyes, in the subsequent days, she became vociferous about her dislike for her. She would complain to Seraph about every small thing that Anastasia did. However, to Anastasia's surprise, Seraph never took an action against her. 

A week later, she could see that her skin's blueness was fading. She went to the queen who made sure that she was painted with even more tattoos. 

Anastasia would come to the sand dune whenever she found time and would repeat what she did that day. The shadows never came. Her hope began to die down. She wanted to go back to Ileus. Her desperation was showing in her work and she often became edgy. She hated Etaya as hell. The woman was pregnant and Anastasia had to cater to her mood swings. She learnt a few more things. 

One day when she had just walked in the antechamber alone because Jor'gas was called by the queen, she heard something shattering on the inside. It was as if a flower vase crashed on the wall and broke into hundreds of pieces. 

"You can't use your magic here, Etaya!" Seraph grunted. "I do not like the way you become angry on small issues. You better stay within limits." 

"Small? This is no small matter!" she yelled. "What is going to happen to my child if Dolgra becomes the queen after Kar'den? I want to see my child on that throne!" 

"Are you mad, Etaya?" Seraph growled. "Dolgra is the heir to the throne. You can't do anything to her. She is out of your reach and if you try to do anything, Kar'den will send throw you into dungeons. Do not— and I repeat, do not even try to go against the king on this issue. The queen is very popular amongst the subjects of the kingdom. If you even think of harming an inch of her child's hair, the people won't take you kindly." 

"Hmph! I don't care. I need justice for my children and for me," she scoffed. "Either you help me here or you help me in fighting against my brother!" 

"Etaya, your brother is the Crown Prince of Vilinski. He is so much older to you. It would need a lot to go against a man like that." 

"What?" She yelled. Another bric-a-brac crashed on the wall. "You promised me." 

After a long silence, Seraph said, "Okay, I will help you. But I can only use the soldiers and guards that are under my direct command. Other than that, I can't ask my brother." 

"That would be enough," she replied. 

Anastasia knocked on the door after a long time and when she went inside, she found Seraph looking out of the window as if brooding. He turned to see her and then watched her for the entire time while she cleaned the floor. Etaya feigned sleeping. When she had cleaned it all, Seraph asked, "How long have you been working here?" 

"I recently joined m'lord," she said nervously, clutching her medallion. 

Seraph walked to her and stood barely a meter away. He brought his hand to her cheek and brushed it with his grey finger. "So soft…" he murmured. "Unlike a demon's…" 

Her anxiety increased as she cringed and held onto the medallion as if it was her lifeline. Suddenly she felt as if she was caressed by shadows on the back of her neck. It was like a sliver that touched her momentarily and then vanished. Was that Ileus? Her skin lined with goose bumps, and her heartbeat raced. 

From the corner of her eye, she saw that Etaya had opened her eyes and was watching them with a tight expression on her face. 

"Who are your parents?" Seraph asked. "Why haven't I met you earlier?" His eyes bored into her as if trying to unravel a mystery. 

She gulped saliva down her throat. "I— I was f— found on the dunes outside the palace. I don't remember anything." She clutched her dress and hoped that Etaya would do something about it. 

Seraph tilted his head. "I am going to find out about your parents, but until then you are going to stay in the palace in the west wing." 

Anastasia's eyes widened with shock, with repulsion. Her mouth became dry and she froze. "B—"

Seraph curled his gray fingers below her chin and lifted her head. "Do you dare to go against my wishes?" 

Before she could speak anything, the chandelier fell down on the floor and crashed with loud noise. The glass shattered into thousands of pieces. The candles flung around burning fabric in their way. Drapes burnt as flames leapt hungrily around them. The sheets on the bed started burning in patches. Smoke rose. The closed windows blasted open. 

Seraph spun with shock. "Etaya!"

She was standing behind them with her wings flared out and eyes turned purple. "How dare you?" she said in a low dangerous voice to Seraph. "How dare you philander in front of my eyes? I am not Og'drath who will allow her husband to have a harem!" 

"I dare to do anything, Etaya!" he snarled, baring his fangs, as he walked towards her in a dangerous manner. "And don't you flare those wings at me, or I am going to pluck them out." His claws lengthened. "Don't forget that you are in my kingdom."