24
DON'T DO IT FOR ME, I'LL DO IT FOR YOU
She was covered in fresh gashes and even though the heavy rain seemed hell-bent on washing away the blood, more and more kept spilling out. Her ears were bleeding, making it clear to me she removed her own ability to hear. Clutched in her right hand was the mask I made her. In just a few steady strides she stood within arms reach. Her cold eyes bared down on me just like the day we first met. She glanced at the ring on my hand.
“What'd you do… marry the devil?” She asked, but my reply was nothing more than a stare. I was personally too afraid of saying anything, lest I broke down… lest I broke my vow. Bending, she slowly sat down in front of me. Turning the mask over in her hand. “I finally went through the trouble to get this thing… to bring you back… but here you are… unless I’m as… crazy as Kimi…”
Was her last words when the mask slipped from her fingers and onto the grass. The thought of immortality ran through my mind. My heart sinking more and more into my stomach, the more I thought about the boundaries of her immortality.
“Alais! Don’t move, or I’ll blow your head off this time I swear!”
I heard Apple’s voice getting closer. The threat made me grip the scythe a bit more but before I could decide on using it, the scythe… Mere… finally disappeared along with the black halo over my head that was keeping away the rain. My clothing noticeably changed from a black color scheme to white making me wonder for just a moment, what interesting things I could do while I had Lucy’s black halo. When Apple came into view, he was panting with a rifle aimed at the side of Alais’s head. Behind him in the distance were guards on horseback. I assumed Apple and the guards had a hard time keeping up due to the wet grass. When he saw me, however, he did a double take, though he still had not lowered his weapon and I hadn’t stopped staring at him with hate in my heart. I’ll accept my feelings for Alais are selfish and it may be that way for the rest of my life. The Calvary had not arrived yet but I could see them in the distance, so I acted. Reaching down, I picked up the mask and pressed it to her face, and I waited. Though it was only moments, it felt like forever until finally it faded away into her skin. The wounds on her body were gone along with the many years that engraved itself into her skin, shrinking and turning younger, appearing about the same age as myself. Her hair turned white just like before and just as long. Her body jerked while taking a deep breath leading into coughing up blood-covered bullets.
“Alais?” I finally spoke, “Can you take me to Kimi, please?”
She finished up the metal before rising to her feat and stretching.
“It’s been a year since you’ve been gone, and she’s crazier than ever. Besides… can’t you see I’m a little busy enjoying the rain?”
Standing there for a bit longer, she finally sighed and stood. I felt a bit of weight lifting off my chest to see her in better spirits.
“Fine…” She said.
“I said, don’t move.”
“Pardon, but are you threatening me, Apple?”
He hesitated for a moment before finally speaking.
“Of course not, Your Highness… I…”
“Then why are you aiming at my heart?”
Apple finally lowered the rifle as the Calvary arrived. However, the guards had a look of confusion on their faces when they spotted a young Orc with white hair and the reanimated corpse of a prince. Luckily they were confused enough to not aim their rifles in our direction as Alais and I walked passed them to the palace.
“You know… if your mother or sister sees you walking around, they might just see you as an undead and have you shot.”
“Do you think they’ll recognize you?”
“Not at first unless Apple comes right out and says something. They would have to be pretty stupid to not figure it out.”
“Do you think he will?”
“Hard to say… after all he let me get to your grave without shooting me in the head. The boy doesn’t really miss. If he wanted me dead, he would of done it.”
“But you can’t die, right? Your immortal.”
“I can still be killed I’d just be spending the rest of forever in hell until your bloodline decides they want to bring me back.”
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“We can bring back the dead?”
“For the most part.”
“… Even though I’ve been dead for what felt like a few hours, I missed you Alais… As for Apple l suppose I should remember his kindness. Because at the moment… I don’t very much feel like talking to him.”
Going through the entrance where guards stood as always, I was slightly shocked by how none of them batted an eyelash when they saw me and simply opened the doors. The palace was filled with the Queen’s royal court. Posh noble women and their man servants. Luckily I was only noticed by one or two and none of them stopped us as we walked straight to the entrance of the dungeon. They did however give me a curious look but they gave Alais a disgusted stare by the fact she was a naked orc. As before it was guarded however, Mr. Bark wasn’t to be seen. I had planned to ask if they would allow me to enter however Alais took the liberty of punching one of them in the gut. Her movement was swift, giving the guard a left hook before spinning on the balls of her right foot, to send her left into the gut of the other guard. While I was censored for their health, I desperately wanted to see Kimi.
“You didn’t kill them did you?”
“Why, do you want me to?”
“I’d prefer it if you didn’t kill anyone…”
“I’ll try. I am a dumb kid after all.”
Her questionable comment felt directed towards me, but I let it go. I was far to concerned with seeing Kimi again. Finally making it down into the dungeon, and walking past one empty cell after another until Alais came to a stop in front of one. I held my breath as I looked inside to find her lying on the floor with patches of fur missing, including both her arms and legs.
“Help me open the cage, please.”
“Not a problem. I’ll just punch the iron bars and break the bones in my fist.”
“Adam?”
For a moment I thought Kimi had spoken but I turned back from where we came to see Violet, covered in armor with a few other guards at the ready. Dropping her rapier, she quickly came to kneel at my side, embracing me. She pulled away to get another look at my face before hugging me close. I could feel my feet leave the floor as she lifted me.
“Was this Alais’s doing?” She asked but I didn’t reply. “I see…”
“Please, unlock the cell,” I said.
“I will not. She can rot in there for all I care.”
“It’s not her fault.”
“Adam, when we finally found you, your body had been mutilated. We were only able to identify you because she confessed.”
“If she killed me then why am I here now? What sounds more likely, that I died and came back to life or I ran away and faked my own death?”
While I didn’t lie to her, I still felt a tad crummy for giving her false information. Her embrace was a tad tight as she seemed to think it over. Her gaze fell on the young Orc in front of Kimi’s cell before finally taking a key out and tossing it to Alais.
“If you faked your own death… why are you wearing the same dress I buried you in?”
“Because he likes wearing dead people’s clothes. He gets off on it.” Alais said.
Violet clearly didn’t like the remark as she glared at her. She finally took a deep breath before giving a nod.
“There’s been a bit of commotion in the palace, thanks to Alais. So you will wait in my room. Is that clear?”
“Of course… thank you.”
“Why is she small, Adam?”
Her question came in the form of a whisper.
“… Alais tried to bring me back.”
She glanced in Alais’s direction for a small moment. So many questions floated around my thoughts but right now I wondered, why a year had passed when It only felt like a day for me. After a short walk, we were in Violet’s room though not much had changed.
“Go in that room if you need to pee. If you need anything, call for my chambermaid. I’ll be back soon,” she said before closing the door.
I could hear her speaking with the guards outside but I couldn’t make out anything. Alais placed Kimi on the bed and I rushed over to her, only to take a small step back. Not only were her arms and legs missing… but so were her eyes and ears. In her mouth was the crown I made her. I looked to Alais for confirmation.
“Your sister lost her mind when she saw your corpse,” said Alais.
“I can fix this, give me a pencil and paper.”
“And your excuse for how you undid all of your sister’s work?”
“I’ll tell her the truth. There’s no reason for me to hide it.”
She leaned in close.
“You came back from the dead on your own. You made two objects from nothing without using magic. And both objects can manipulate the mind and body. You could control the minds and bodies of everyone and maybe cheat death. Do you really wanna give that ability to someone that does this?”
She pointed at Kimi who was limp but refused to let go of the collar in her teeth.
“I don’t have to give it to them.”
“You’re right, they’ll just take it. Specifically the Queen and Mary.”
“We can’t leave her this way.”
“You’ll have to, lest they start asking more questions.”
“… Can she hear me?”
“A little in the right ear.”
I leaned in close next to her right ear.
“Kimi, it’s me, Adam.”
She let out a horrible whaling of my name as the crown slipped from her sharp teeth. I hugged her tight, though she wouldn’t stop convulsing. I placed the crown on her head but nothing happened.
“Let them ask questions. Please, give me something to draw.” Alais stood there for a moment before calmly searching the room. “Her crown doesn’t work anymore, I need to make a new one.”
“Yeah… so she tried to eat it. Your sister tried to take it from her but… gave up, not before taking her apart.”
Alais dropped what I needed on the bed and I quickly drew a large egg shape. We didn’t have to wait long as the familiar sound of grinding metal could be heard. Surprisingly, the crown started to dissolve as the mask formed. Confirming my idea that this method was turning nearby material into what I drew. The moment it was done, I wasted no time pressing it into Kimi’s face. It took a moment but soon it dissolved into her flesh, turning her fur white, and with it, her body parts grew back, creating a sickening sound of wet cracks and pops as flesh and bone could be heard. After a while, Kimi finally stopped thrashing and screaming.
“She’s… sleeping,” I said.
“That’s wonderful, the screaming was giving me a headache. I almost stabbed my eardrums again… So are you gonna tell me how you got back.”
“After Kimi wakes up.”
The door opening drew our attention to the chambermaid who wore a large soft smile just like Lucy’s guard, Mere. The only difference was, that the chambermaid was an elven woman.
“Your Highness, it’s wonderful to see you again.”
“Mere?”
I had to ask.
“Well, aren’t you a clever little boy?”
Though I didn’t seem ready for the truth, I had to ask about another person.
“And of Elyon?”
“She’s elven, however, her inability to prepare meals makes me question, as elven folk are normally skilled at such things. Not to be rude of course, but a friendly observation.”
She walked up to me and took my hand.
“Right this way, Your Highness.”
Guiding me to another room that had, to my surprise, a sink, toilet, and a large tub in the floor.
“Wha, but… I don’t…”
As if I couldn’t believe what I was seeing, I turned back to see Alais who was now standing next to Kimi’s bedside, staring down at her. While that was an adorable display of concern, my attention went back to the bathroom.
“Is this new?”
“Not at all. This room has been here since before you were born.”
“This is simply amazing.”
Without waiting another moment, Mere ran a bath making it nice and hot. She even filled the bath with lavender oils that started to bubble.
“If I had to pick between this or spending the day with a horse, I think I would go mad.”
A smile was glued to my face as I sat in the tub.
“Mere, how long will Her Majesty stay in this ring?”
“Well… indefinitely for the moment. She doesn’t have a body to call her own. You could take one from another or we could make one.”
“Making one would be a great idea.”
“As you wish, Your Highness. Please bear with me, for Her Majesty’s sake.”
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