[Sarah]

Viola squinted in the red light. It was so much different in the castle than Evelon. The council was calling upon her, again. Typically Viola ignored them, but something was telling her that she needed to be in the castle one last time. She was in the outermost part of it, as the last living royal blood had locked everything out. Viola entered the council’s room and made her disdain clear.

“We need your help Viola,” the council pleaded.

“I won’t help you,” Viola replied sharply.

“Why not? Wh-” the council’s voice was cut as another entered the room.

[Sarah]

For the first time in Viola’s long life she bowed. The council’s emotions mixed so heavily Viola felt overwhelmed. “Long live the queen,” Viola said to the newest creature. She heard a noise of mild amusement and got out of her bow.

“Go, Dawn Eater,” The woman said. “May you live in peace from now on,” she added.

Viola breathed a sigh of relief. Finally she was free.

[Sarah]

Annabelle watched the eternal fox scurry away before she brought her attention to the council members. They had the room sealed once Annabelle entered, but the Dawn Eater was never bound by such things. Annabelle on the other hand was, but this was no detriment to her. Once the room was sealed it took the force of every council member to unseal it. Unfortunately one of the council members was lying dead on the floor. His body landed with a soft thump before his energy dissipated into a black mist. Not even death could leave the room.

[Sarah]

There was a shocked gasp from one of them. Annabelle had moved so subtly the council hadn’t even realized one of their own had been hit. She smirked and took them in, such pompous and terrible creatures. They began chanting words of unsealing and Annabelle laughed. They all knew the rules imposed by the king, even locked away his will was undeniable. No one in, no one out unless either all members or no members of the council were present. The only way out was the utter annihilation of the council. Annabelle didn’t have to worry about the council ever again once she left the room. They had done poorly in making a strict no apprentice policy. The seats of the council were meant only for the beings before her.

[Sarah]

“Wha- Who are you?” one asked.

Annabelle had wondered if they might speak to her. She wasn’t a fan of games, as there was always a chance that her opponents could win. This was the only exception. “You know who I am,” Annabelle replied, her voice low.

“But-” The council began, but Annabelle cut them off.

[Sarah]

“I was deemed not a treat,” she said for them. “How much do you actually know of your brainwashing schools?” she asked. “You expect too little from your new recruits. Some are not so easily manipulated, and others are manipulated too easily,” she scoffed. Annabelle had no more to say to them. They weren’t going to live long enough for her whole life story to be worth saying. She brought another dagger into existence and let it fly. Before the council could speak again her dagger found its mark in the throat of their speaker.

[Sarah]

“Now is the time of quiet reflection,” Annabelle cooed. The council member’s mouths opened in a soundless scream. They flung themselves at her and she cut them down. Two daggers erupted from two different council members before they even reached her. Three more collapsed as they came too near her frenzy. Twin daggers poised deadly in her hands as she cut through the two remaining members of the council. They hadn’t even given her a real fight, they just accepted death as the final answer.

[Sarah]

Annabelle let out a heavy breath. There was no blood in this hell world, but she remained in the room as the council’s death dissipated into the void. She exited the room and walked from the main hallway to the grand entrance of the castle. There was a sound far behind her and Annabelle spun around. On the far end of the hall her eyes met another’s. Annabelle straightened, a playful smile appearing on her face as she spun her daggers idly. She wondered what the king might think of her actions.

[Sarah]

The king yawned and looked as if he had just woken up from a long nap. His hair was sectioned by silver rings and hung just above the floor. “Finally, some peace and quiet,” he said rubbing one of his eyes.

Annabelle snickered but didn’t relax. If there was anyone who could pose a threat to her place as queen it would be him. She would wait to see what he did before she moved from her threatening stance. To her shock he went on one knee. Annabelle narrowed her eyes at him, something wasn’t right.

“Marry me Annabelle,” Venna said, “take you place as queen.” He met her eyes and a large red ring appeared in his hands.

[Sarah]

That was… much easier than she had anticipated. “Very well,” she said offering him her hand. The king took it gently and put the ring on her finger. It was huge and ridiculous, but she accepted it without complaint. “I am Venna, last living heir to the throne,” he announced to the empty hallway. “I claim Annabelle as my wife and queen,” he continued. Before he could say more Annabelle heard words being chanted outside. Venna took her hand and led her out of the grand doors. Before the castle stood, what looked like, every demon.

“Long live the king! Long live the queen!” they chanted as they looked upon their new rulers.

[Sarah]

Annabelle didn’t think any of them expected to see the royal family again. Most knew of her and knew that her ultimate goal was to be queen. Annabelle wasn’t sure how many had thought she would accomplish her goal, but seeing Venna again was certainly more of a surprise. Annabelle smiled and looked out upon her people. They were undisciplined and awful, but she would change that. Not in the way the council tried to, not in the way that she had previously gotten obedience, but in a way that fit a queen. She looked at Venna expectantly.

“Now,” he said giving the crowd a wink. “I must tend to my kingdom,” he said before whisking her away to the inner sanctum of the castle.

[Sarah]

Annabelle found herself sat in front of a desk. The room was less blindingly red as the outer sanctum and very full bookshelves covered the walls floor to ceiling.

“Well then,” Venna said. He was sitting behind the desk taking in his wife. “Who are you to marry a king?” he asked.

Being so suddenly scrutinized caught Annabelle for only a second. “Who are you to claim me as your own?” she returned.

[Sarah]

“I am the king,” he answered simply.

“Says who? You’ve kept yourself locked away for a millennia,” Annabelle said.

“I say, the royal blood says, the council says, the whole of this realm says,” he replied. “But what makes you so special to rule this underworld?” he asked. “I’ve seen what you’ve done, what you’ve become… What you’ve always been,” he told her. “She does not make a very good queen,” he said.

[Sarah]

Annabelle tsked. “I was not a very good daughter, I was not a very good demon, and I was not a very good lover. What is it, then, that I’m good at?” she asked him.

“Mmm,” Venna said thinking. “You’ll learn,” he told her at last. “You can’t back out of it now anyways,” he added with a smirk.

[Sarah]

“Oh yeah,” Annabelle said appraising her ring. “This is a little… too much,” she told him.

“Not to worry. I think you’ll find this suits you better,” Venna said and snapped his fingers.

The ring changed from the bulky ruby to a simple golden band with rubies set into it. “And yours?” she asked seeing his hands bare. Venna laughed and showed her as he summoned a twin ring on his own finger.