The bass hissed while a sharp hook was dragged slowly across the strings. The drums kicked in on a steady foot thump, as the rest of the band of cannibals took up their fiddles, keys, and a resonator guitar on the 12th bar joining in. The smoky ballroom air filled to capacity with their sinister sound.

“Too deep into my mind to realize I'm so ill. Try to stop us, we do whatever the feel, flying high and living like animals, ain't never coming back from the death-trips baby, baby, okay,” Edward crooned with additional feedback screeching out the microphone.

His bass had no paint remaining and most of the wood body had been cut up from strumming a deadly boogie jam. The rest of the band rocked out on stage without taking the spotlight. Soldiers kept the ever thirsty harem from rushing in too close for comfort looking for autographed body parts. The server poured free refills of schlock in the rear. The others in the crowd clapped along sometimes on time but helped the music flow all the same.

Behind a curtain Yasham peeked her head out of the royal box. She was watching the action in the club from a safe distance sitting up high. She nervously stroked her hair hunting the crowd below for any problems.

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

“Ah Terra you made it how are you?” said Yasham, turning and climbing from the thick theater chair.

She went to hug what looked like a pale and frail older woman covered in a robe several sizes too large. The loose fabric had rolled sleeves, and a capped hook pinning the back tightly closed.

“As wicked as ever, and you look very beautiful dear, although at the same time I fear much too innocent to survive the trials, tribulations, and rituals of marriage.” said Terra, frowning.

She had wrinkles on wrinkles, her eyes were dull like dolls, but her long silver hair was the fountain of youth.

“Do you think my new husband will like my dress, is it enough for him?” asked Yasham, looking at the floor.

“Why it’s perfect, and don't beat yourself up, that's what partners are for,” she said, reaching into her robe and searching around for something important.

"I've got something important for you young lady. The chances are great that my expiration date will be drawn, and the curtain of life is closing soon..” She hesitated to take something out and her arms trembled until they got the courage to proceed. “So here you are just like the one who gave it to me before," said Terra, presenting a small wrapped package pressed into the young's hands.

“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,” said Terra.

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 had Edward married somebody so old? He must have pity for the hag. He had such a big heart of crystal buried under his many layers of hardened emotional protection. The 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 schlock 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 needed to guzzle down the foaming brown liquid that burned at the throat before he was pulled off for another turn.

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“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 fist bumping.

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.

“Love how are you tonight?” 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 was 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 schlock 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 ladies 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. A few in attendance were Bootlickers, and they reeked of fish.

"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" that he was most famous for. It was depicting everyday items around the kingdom such as hay bales, 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.

"Hey you.. 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! Do you guys hear me" yelled Minco, flapping his arms.

Prince Edward's 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.

"What's 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 haww let's burn this place to the ground" Edward growled striking a match.

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 bride's 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. The ballroom building formerly owned by Minco burned away in flames. An old witch stood arms outstretched to heat her old bones from the cold.

“If I don’t receive some meat this time there’s going to be trouble” she cackled before being overtaken by a fit of coughing.

"Kings shouldn't have to worry about unfair contracts. You know 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 hook to pop the cork off fancy bubbling schlock.

"Oh Edward, this wicked world doesn't deserve somebody without false pretenses like you," said Yasham, kissing his cheek.

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

"That everybody king?" asked the conductor.

"yeah, let's 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.