Maelstrom

Chapter 40

Unknown POV

A gathering for the seven warlords, the shibaku, was to be commenced in little less than a month, three and a half weeks? Ah, who cares, you were far too busy to be bothered by something so trivial, so mundane, so boring.

Laughter rang out from the room, ah yes, you were the one laughing, you had forgotten for a moment, what were you laughing about? Ah, right, the conjoined meeting for the seven warlords, how fun, how exciting! You couldn't wait, grinning as you picked up a chess piece from the board that was once resting atop your large mahogany desk. It was in the far right corner, all the way in the back of the board, if you weren't paying attention you would've forgotten about her.

The chess piece in your hand was a rather intriguing object, the queen? What a lovely piece.

She was cold, white marble with a large 'x' across her eyes, the face nondescript, only a red slash marking her any different than the rest of the pawns on your board of puppets, err, pieces? They were the same really, nothing noteworthy, except, this piece in your hand, it seemed a tad different than the rest. Had you mentioned that already? Perhaps, but she was simply so intriguing! You wanted her somewhere, but where?

The queen of the board, lonely and forgotten in a corner, not befitting for a queen was that? No, you muse, a cruel grin etching itself across your face.

A queen, a queen without her subjects... how clever.

"Fufufu, how clever indeed. I have to say, you truly are amusing, I have high hopes for you."

You laugh again as you twirl the white marble chess piece in your hand, iridescent strings wrapping around it, dangling the queen piece above the rest, eyes narrowing as you study the layout of the board. Keeping the queen in her hidden spot would change the game, leaving both sides to inevitably fall, no winner in this game it would seem. But the queen, removing her from the equation, that was rather amusing. If the board was to fall to ruin, and removing the queen would add an unknown variable...ah this was going to be rather fun.

You snicker childishly, twirling the marble piece in your strings before marking the board for its proper adjustments.

Perfect.

"I see...I see...then if you were to damage both sides, we should put this pawn here, this rook there...." You continue on, your grin growing bigger by the minute.

A few more adjustments, another pawn there, moving the knights over towards this spot...ah, then the king would be placed here to be defeated by the bishop..."

You pause, eyes narrowing briefly before you step back to your original spot. An overseer of the board, helping the pawns place their lives for something valuable, far greater than themselves. You were superior in this among other things, and yet your kindness was endless, a benevolence, offering lost causes one last ray of hope. You snicker once more, your hands weaving to and fro, pieces being moved around to their rightful spots. Another moment passes, your analyzing gaze darting around, fixing any errors.

Everything was in place, the map was perfect, all you were missing... The white marble queen still hovered over the board, but there was no place on this board for her. You frown, a bit of your joyful mood dampening slightly, before your easy-going grin slides back on your face. Ah, you knew exactly what to do with her.

Your iridescent strings glimmered, wrapping the piece tightly in your grasp, before you position the white marble a few feet away from the board.

"A queen without her loyalty is not a queen at all, in fact, she's no better than a pawn. And if the queen is not useful...then..." You pause for a dramatic effect, teeth gnashing as you smile viciously. "You should... just...disappear."

You laugh as you release the strings attached to the queen, watching with rapt interest as the marble shatters to the floor, crumbling on impact, leaving only a red 'x' in its wake.

The marble had crumbled, leaving behind that one piece of the queen, the crimson was a rather beautiful color, you thought as you bent down to study the remains. You cock your head to the side, before deciding the best course of action. Ah, yes, that would be the most appropriate thing to do you suppose, nodding your head in agreement. After internally musing to yourself, you scoop her up, holding the stained marble in your hands lovingly, you were the only one that had shown her kindness, shown her mercy. You had given her the only proof she needed, that she really ever existed at all...and now, she could be rebuilt into a better queen, one that would fit into a proper place on your board once more.

You laugh as you start to plan out how to rebuild such a broken pawn, perhaps, she could benefit from some of your kindness, after all, the best way to raise a loyal subject, was to make them completely dependent on you.

Humming to yourself you notice that a familiar ringing has started to chime from your desk, a few feet from your now perfect board, oh how boring. You sigh as you click the den-den mushi, answering with a lazy greeting.

"Fufufu, and how may I be of service to you on this fine day?" You ask the receiver, well aware of the person sitting on the other side of the line.

A rustling of papers, some grumbling, a clearing of the throat before you hear a reply.

"Ah, yes. I want to let you know that the meeting has been moved up, it will be happening next week instead of in a month. That is all." You hear the gruff voice grit out those words as you chuckle.

Oh how fun, now you could play with real-life pawns for a bit, how fun indeed. You hang up the call, not interested in anything else he had to say to you, gleefully making your way back to the remainders of your queen.

Hmm...you stroke your chin in thoughtfulness, studying the red stained marble.

Now however should you rebuild her?

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