When Blood Runs Cold - Chapter 235

“And what if we don’t want to stay?” she spits bitterly, which earns her a few surprising, but not unwanted, hisses from the crowd. “What if we don’t want to end this war, or live with the angels in some fabricated peace?”

Upon finishing her statement, outrage ensues. Never in my life did I hope to see such a similarly attuned reaction than the one which seeps like a black mist from the hordes of angels and vampires. Red eyes turn to glare at the lone vampire like crystal rubies, separating her from the crowd. With the intoxicating feeling of euphoria still swirling around the room and intensified emotions continuing to swell amongst the crowds, at last everything seems to come together.

It is as I hoped it would be. Although it is unlikely that from the first experience of Ithuriel manipulating their emotions their viewpoint would be entirely changed, it is enough to make them doubt. And in situations such as these, doubt is the strongest weapon a king can wield.  Doubt.  It is evident in the darting look of their eyes, they way they fumble absently with their clothing at the mention of disloyalty, and that chasm of noise that opens up in response to the vampires question. The vampires and angels alike have tasted nothing but bitter loathing and hatred for the past three thousand years. They are worn, and tired, and the prospect of war is shortly becoming stale. That is, stale to all those but the few that are self serving and greedy- councillor Igor included. Now, finally, presented with a promise, a notion, that they have never had, they suddenly don’t want to let it go.

I can feel it: the cries for peace lingering in their hearts, their spirits, and instilling them with a feeling they never thought they would have. Hope.

Shouts continue rise up in protest at the woman, cries of her despair, her ignorance to my plea. So loud is this noise that is becomes almost unbearable, until at last, as Ithuriel backs down beside me, I raise my voice and shout:

“Silence!”

With the boom of sound that rocks through the court room, it is of no surprise to me that the chittering and screeching around the room falls promptly to its death. Eyes, wide and fearful, stare back up to me. Others await more eagerly, a vibrant new spring in their step as they gaze upon their king and Queen with a newfound respect.

“Ithuriel,” I whisper beside me. “Your verdict?”

“Their emotions are confused,” he admits, splaying his fingers apologetically. “But most are not against you. A few of them are unsettled by these new feelings and perhaps need keeping an eye on, but for the most part, their emotions speak of hopefulness. The majority are aligned with yours, I think it is safe for you to continue. But you are welcome to make your own assessment.”

Nodding to myself, I scan my eyes across the crowds. It does not take a person to read emotions to understand that. Confusion sweeps through the masses like a bat without wings, bringing with it flustered blushes and all manner of expression darting through the faces of every member of the crowd. It isn’t hard to figure out that the vibrant array of emotions has somewhat overwhelmed them, but judging by the way they reacted to the scorn of my rule, I would say it’s safe to assume it was only for the better.

But it is far safer yet to address those who cause the problems first.

“Young lady,” I address her, my voice sinking down into a bone chilling cold. Through the crowd, her eyes make contact with mine. For a vampire, she looks particularly frail, as though she has given away too much of her blood and not drunk enough in return. Considering she is likely one of Azrael’s playthings, it is not unlikely that this is the case either. She could very well be enchanted not to drink any blood but his. A shame that my brother has simply up and left her now.

I narrow my eyes.

“You are very welcome to leave if you detest this idea of a union between angels and vampires. I am sure there are a fair few of you- likely the followers of my traitorous brother- who would like nothing more than to see this whole ordeal burnt to the ground,” I remark, scanning my eyes once more over the crowd. A few people shift uncomfortably, fiddling with their collars as though the whole room had suddenly become as hot as a sauna.

Even if it weren’t for their sheer incompetence to hide their intentions, I think to myself a little smugly.  Their hearts certainly boast their intentions clearly enough. They have nowhere to hide.

“I simply think peace would ruin us- make us soft. We had a goal, but now you wish to douse that flame all for some petty love of yours?” the vampire snickers, placing a hand on her hips.

All at once the room becomes very, very dark.

“Petty love,” I growl clenching my fingers by my side to reign in any further magic that snaps out from my being. Goodness, if I didn’t have an audience, I might have beheaded her for that. But fortunately, Serena is there, her hand on my shoulder, pulling me away from any drastic action. I puff out a breath.

“Your ignorance is not something to boast about,” I say coldly, taking a few steps down the dais towards her. “I too was once like you. Bitter, lonely. I pushed aside emotions, thinking that they made me weak, and severed the bonds of friendship and love under the illusion they made me  soft.  But,” I add, pressing Serena closer to me now. “I have since discovered that my initial assumption was warped, twisted by hatred and the expectations of what my kind should be. I was cruel, and lusted for blood and vengeance for a war that was never mine to fight. But my loneliness and my hatred never once made me strong- it only gave the illusion of power. In truth, it was the feelings I confided in Serena that made me strong, our union not as enemies, but as people. This peace will not soften us, it will only make us  stronger.”

“Here, here,” Fangorn calls behind me, raising his hand in an imaginary toast, catching the attention of the crowd. With a small smile, I turn my attention back to the vampire.

“If you choose to remain planted in your ways, then I shall not stand around to convince you. But peace through our kingdoms will be established, and word against it shall be classed as no less than high treason. We need peace now, more than ever, and I encourage every one of you to oblige. As I have said before, you will no longer be welcome in my kingdom, nor the angels. You will live a life without the luxuries I have provided for you, and hence exiled from this place, the same way we treated those who tried to put a stop to the war before us. So in the spirit of this, I suggest that anyone who does not wish to accept the treaty will leave now. By the sunrise of the next morning, you will be living in exile.”

Nobody moves a muscle.

Not a single squeak arises from the crowd, or a whisper, or a breath. Seconds of silence pass uninterrupted and still, nobody moves.

Then besides me, Serena glances up to the eaves where her people lie in wait, their faces streaked with that same red flush that has befallen all of the room.

“Council of the angels, and my people,” she says slowly, careful in the manner in which she talks to them. “As your Queen I would have accepted these terms on your behalf, for that is the power of a Queen, and should very well be respected,” she says, giving a pointed look to Igor. “However, you are still welcome to make a decision for yourself, though I am sure by now you know the consequences of declining. Do you accept the truce between our kind and the terms of its conditions?”

For a moment, there is silence, then:

“I do,” comes a voice from the crowd- not from the angels, but the vampires. The figure is shrouded in a dark amber cloak as she makes her way to the empty space beneath where the angels perch, lingering under their shadows. Throwing back her hood, the woman looks me in the eyes, once and only once, before her gaze returns to the ragged man on the dais beside me, and the little dragon who beams from ear to ear.

“This war has been going on for far too long,” she sighs languorously. “Its about time Faey learnt the meaning of peace again. I think King Soren has made the right choice, I stand with him.”