Shuriki x Esteban Requests

Night Terrors Part #2

Shuriki ordered everyone be woken up and brought down into the throne room so they would witness her return to power. Esteban was cradling Isa to his chest whenever the doors flew open and the evil witch sashayed in.

Her signature silk gown was gone, replaced by a bodysuit of black linen, a long sleeved chainmail shirt with leggings and boiled leather beneath a full suit of black steel armor. It looked as if each piece had been forged specifically to fit only her, melted and molded by dragon fire, blended with an impurity free graphite to make the steel stronger than diamond. Esteban knew this because he saw the pale grey veins and fractals shining all throughout the armor.

No one spoke out against her as she stepped up on the dais and lowered herself onto the gaudy diamond throne she'd forced them to create nearly two decades earlier. Esteban was ready to jump out of his skin when she demanded he come stand beside her.

He would've rather gargled with broken glass, but what choice did he truly have? If he displeased the sorceress in any way, she might harm Isa, so he did as she ordered moving closer to the throne.

Please don't touch me, he thought. Please don't-

It took every ounce of self control he possessed not to cringe and recoil when she stood and placed a hand on his arm. She either failed to notice his reaction or simply ignored it. Her attention was on the crowd.

"All of Avalor can rejoice. I, your one true queen, have returned," she declared.

People clapped and cheered, but their smiles didn't reach their eyes. Whether Shuriki again failed to notice or just didn't care was irrelevant.

Esteban tried not to squirm as she motioned for silence. "Avalor has another reason to celebrate. I have decided to marry, and who better to serve as royal husband and consort than our chancellor, Esteban Iglesias Flores!"

Applause rang out from the crowd echoing off the walls and vaulted ceiling. Esteban saw Doña Hortensia Paloma at the front of the assembly. She met his gaze and held it for several moments before looking away. The magister seemed to be among the few people in the room refusing to clap. Armando hovered in a corner with a worried look on his face. Esteban's ex best friend and partner in crime, Victor Delgado, glared at him from where he was standing to the left of Shuriki's throne. Apparently he was jealous of the fact that Esteban was still Shuriki's favorite and would thus be retaining his position as her right hand.

They weren't the only ones opposed to the union. Don Diego Montoya and Prince Tomás of Fortaleza voiced their displeasure not long after she'd announced the engagement. This wasn't a surprise as both men were Shuriki's lovers before her dethroning at the hands of Esteban's cousin Elena.

"This man has no right to be your consort," Tomás argued, "He isn't even of noble birth. His mother was a part of the gentry and his father a filthy, scheming pirate. He is not fit to shine your shoes let alone sire the future heirs to your kingdom."

Shuriki narrowed her eyes. "And I suppose you believe you are?"

"I am," Diego cut in. "My own claim to the Avaloran throne is stronger than Esteban's. Mi own abuela was a Castillo by blood and King Raul Castillo was mi padrino. He intended for me to marry his daughter when we both came of age to wed, but I never got a chance to tell Elena of our betrothal. She became ill and passed on before I had the opportunity to speak to her about it."

Esteban gave a mirthless laugh. "As if Elena would have ever married you. I know-knew-her well. Mi prima would have never allowed a snake like you anywhere near Tio Raul's throne. He and Tia Lucia may have been fooled by your false charm, but we were not. Elena would've never consented to marry you, Montoya, even if you had somehow managed to get an audience with her."

"You know nothing," Diego hissed bowing up just like a Napurnan Cobra displaying its hood before a fight.

Esteban took a step forward.

If the nobleman was looking for a confrontation, he'd give him one. Montoya and all his friends had gone out of their way to intimidate him when they were children, taunted, teased, bullied and ridiculed him as teens. Esteban would not stand for it as an adult.

"Enough," Shuriki snapped.

Esteban froze when her nails bit into his shoulder keeping him in place. Tomás realized the danger and immediately backed off. Diego wasn't that intelligent. He thought being Shuriki's lover meant he was immune to her wrath.

Like a cabrón he approached the queen believing he could change her mind either with seduction or intimidation. In the end, it didn't matter what he intended, because Shuriki stepped forward and lifted a hand as if to stroke his cheek only to snap his neck as soon as he let down his guard.

Esteban's back was to them, but while he didn't see what happened, he'd heard it. The abrupt, sickening snap of the bones followed by the ripple of gasps, cries, and murmurs from the horrified crowd as the nobleman's lifeless body crumpled to the floor.

Shuriki nudged the corpse with her foot to make sure Montoya was indeed dead before she returned to her throne. The witch's lack of empathy and disinterested expression made Esteban's skin crawl. Unaffected and unamused. Those were the only words Esteban could think of to describe her in that moment.

His stomach was in knots as he stepped over the cadaver to take his place to the right of the throne.

No one else dared object to her marriage. The wedding itself would take place in a fortnight and all Avalorans were expected to attend on pain of death.

Esteban left the throne room as soon as Shuriki dismissed the crowd. He carried Isabel to his room where he tucked her into his bed before going to stare out the window.

Shuriki's sleep spell would wear off by morning. Or at least that's what she'd told Esteban when he'd asked if Isabel would recover. He'd learned long ago not to put much faith in the woman's promises. She'd rarely kept her word and only when it suited her.

Esteban started to pace back and forth. He needed to rest, but even the thought of sleep made him nauseous. What if Shuriki decided she'd rather kill them in their asleep? No lock could keep her out. Not for long anyway. She'd torn the balcony doors to Isabel's room right of the hinges. He shivered at the memory and shook his head. He couldn't-wouldn't-let his guard down.

Esteban couldn't have slept even if he'd wanted to. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw Diego's face. It was as if the dead man was warning him from beyond the grave.

Exhaustion eventually got the better of the chancellor, however, and he fell asleep in the chair beside the bed while watching over Isa.

Slumped over and snoring softly, Esteban flitted from one fitful dream into next, and remained unaware of Shuriki's presence despite the fact she was standing right beside him.

The sorceress' crimson lips curved upward into a smirk as she tucked a stray strand of hair behind Esteban's ear. A part of her wanted to sink her fangs into him. The little princess' blood had been so sweet, but Esteban's...his would be ecstasy.

Shuriki licked her lips. She ached to taste him. Not just his blood. She'd partake of him in other ways as well, but for the time being, she forced herself to refrain.

Now was neither the time nor the place. She'd make Esteban hers again. Soon. Only this time it would be for eternity.