The Queen of Darkness

Chapter One

The adjustment has been brutal, to say the least. Despite my love for Darian, I have stayed a measurable distance from him ever since he... resurrected me. It has taken me a sizeable amount of time to get over the fact that the last thing I had of my family is gone.

That my light has been overrun by Darian's darkness.

When I look in the mirror, I no longer see myself but something that looks like me but isn't me. That day was an entire blur - most likely because I have found that trying to relive those memories isn't good for anyone... especially me.

I haven't been able to sleep for over a month and my wedding being in mere days does not help with the matter. I've never looked so haggard and sleep-deprived. I've become tortured by my own reflection it seems.

Everything I once loved to do has become a chore. The books on my shelves make my eyes hurt and the colours of the flowers in the gardens seem to have faded with time.

It is as though my whole perception of life itself has changed along with me. The kingdom I once knew isn't what I had seen before. I had once seen hope and greatness to come but now... I see nothing but darkness and gloom - things you shouldn't see in the kingdom you are to rule.

It's torturous that this is what life has come to but, in a way, it is also comforting. Comforting that life knows the exact way that I feel.

Despite how much I didn't want to leave Darian, it felt like it was my time. I was scared... Gods was I scared but it felt fitting - fitting that I was dying in the arms of the person I loved most.

I know Darian was only doing what he felt was right but I can't help the resentment that I feel towards him and I don't want to feel that. I want to love him... love him the way that he deserves to be loved.

"Dinner is served, m'lady," I look up to see Manin walking through the threshold - tray in hand. I furrow my brows at the sight. "Don't look at me like that."

"Serene... forgive me if I come across as rude but you look rather male-like," I tap my chin as though I am deep in thought. "Are you a guard now too?" I press and Manin rolls his eyes, evidently done with me.

"I wanted to speak with you and I offered to take your dinner up to help out Serene. She is rather busy these days," Manin informs me and my heart sinks by a margin. Heavens, do I know that Serene is busy. I've barely seen her in the last month.

"It's nice to see a familiar face. I haven't seen enough of those recently," I give him a faint smile and he returns it before walking towards the bed and placing the tray in front of me. I immediately dig in and savour the flavour of the food.

"I understand if you don't want to talk about this but Sire..." Manin trails off and I freeze at the mention of him. We've barely exchanged any words and Darian has even gone as far as to stay in another chamber that is as far away as possible from mine.

"You're right... I don't want to talk about it," I end it before anything starts and continue to eat. I'd rather not talk about this right now or ever for that matter.

"Sire wants you to join him tonight... in the gardens," Manin continues but I ignore him. "I will escort you or he will come and get you himself. He told me to remind you that he knows how stubborn you are."

"Then stubborn I shall be if he claims to know me so well," I huff and Manin sits on the edge of the bed. It's weird how comfortable he has gotten but I suppose we have all learned to keep each other close.

When Manin and all the guards had dropped to the floor... I had really thought they were dead. But, I had this nagging at the back of my mind that knew that it wasn't true, that I hadn't really just lost another person... people.