With a grin she turned and ran towards the balcony, vaulting over the balustrade. Garrick looked up in shock as she landed right in front of him. She grinned mischievously at him, "I hope you can keep up good king." Barefoot she spun and took off toward the grove of trees, Garrick yelping happily as he gave chase. As the night wore on the wolves eventually settled down into kind of a dog pile around Garrick and Darra. She was curled into his side, her head cradled by his massive front paws. In no time he noticed she'd fallen asleep. Garrick chuckled to himself as he became a man again. Lifting her easily in his arms he headed back to the castle.
Darra opened her eyes slightly disoriented. These were not her rooms. She sat straight up and looked around, she was in Garrick's bed. With a gasp she hopped out of bed, but Garrick was nowhere to be seen. She frowned as she heard a commotion from outside. Standing at the window she saw the procession of the vampire queen. Darra could feel the swell in power but nothing near as powerful as herself or whatever was in the Stygian Forest. The power crashed against the walls of her mind like waves against a cliff. After all this time her little sister still hadn't gained a bit of diplomacy. Darra turned to find a guard standing in the doorway, "My lady, you are requested in the throne room". She smiled, "thank you." He bowed and left, she glanced out the window one last time thinking where was little Raven.
Garrick sat on his throne, his son by his side, as he looked around, he noticed a cloaked figure stalking the back of the crowd. It seemed no one noticed her but him that's how he knew it was Darra, he could barely take his eyes from her. He frowned, where was Raven? The doors swept open to reveal a dais carried by four vampires and atop it reclined like an Egyptian princess of old was the vampire queen. Surrounding her was a contingent of fifty men one of which had pure silver hair standing at attention in front and slightly to the left of the queen as not to block her view, or perhaps the rooms view of her. Garrick sat forward on the edge of his seat and spoke, "What brings the queen of the vampires to my court?" She smiled a saccharine sweet smile, "I believe you have something that belongs to me." He arched one elegant brow, "and what would that be?" She giggled this high-pitched squeal that made everyone cringe. "Oh, King Garrick don't be coy, you're holding one of my people prisoner. I want him back," she said ending on a snarl. He stood and walked mid-way between his throne and her dais, Aiden stood and waited arms folded over his chest. "I'm afraid I do not have a vampire prisoner however last evening my son and I were attacked by a lone vampire, I'm sure that is not who you're referring to," he asked folding his arms over his chest, "if so, I regret to inform you that he is dead." He saw the quick change in her demeanor, her eyes turning a bright blood red, her nails extending to claws. Just as quickly it vanished leaving a placid expression. "No, I believe it is a female," she said blankly. He frowned, "As I've told you, we have no prisoners of your kind here." She rolled her eyes and plopped down on the edge of her dais, "This is so boring," she pouted waving her hand about. Suddenly Raven appeared next to her bound and terrified. The silence that filled the hall was so absolute you could hear the beat of an insects' wings. Suddenly there was movement, Aiden running towards the group of vampires. Just as she thought she might have to intervene Garrick caught him, holding him fast. She noticed he leaned over and whispered in his ear and that seemed to calm him a bit. "Well now King Garrick, I believe we both know how this is going to go. Hand over the female vampire, prisoner or not, and I will not bleed this little mutt dry," she said in a sing song voice. Darra had heard enough, with a burst of speed she placed herself between the wolf king and the vampire queen. "ENOUGH," she said sternly. The silver haired vampire drew his weapon in stance and barked, " who dares speak to a..." "SILENCE," her voice cut his off. The shout echoed and reverberated around the keep, it forced every person into a frozen wariness. The queen had sunk back away from the sound in a cringe. Realizing what she had done she shot to her feet and snarled aloud, "I am queen, I fear no one!" With a rustle of clothing Darra snatched the cloak that hid her face and tossed it to the ground, "Oh aren't you, Marra?" There was a surprised gasp followed by a whispered, "Impossible, it can't be." Suddenly the silver haired man moved, sheathing his sword almost angrily. He stopped just outside of arm's length, he looked as if he'd seen a ghost. Suddenly the queen hysterically shrieked, "KILL HER!" Before the army could take one step forward the silver haired man roared, "Stay where you are! This is your true queen!" The woman on the dais shrieked, "Gregori!" He stepped closer shakily reaching out to touch her face. She allowed it, standing perfectly still as if she were in the presence of a cornered dog. He touched her face slowly as if he believed his eyes deceived him. Once he touched every shape and hollow of her features, he fell to his knees his body trembling. The small vampire contingent dropped to a knee as well. "I was told you were dead. I believed you were dead." He sat up on his haunches and looked up at her with an almost sad amazement on his face. He reached behind him and pulled a knife from a back holster, holding up his hand he pressed the blade to his palm and sliced in a quick motion. He slammed his bleeding palm over his heart, "my allegiance to the one true Vampire Queen Darra Eldritch." The men behind him did exactly the same. There was a heavy silence before Darra gently ruffled the man's silver hair. "Please, Gregori stand, all of you please stand. I haven't been your queen in quite some time. I'm flattered but that's not me anymore," she said calmly. The woman on the dais finally came alive, "That's right, she abandoned you. She never wanted to be queen. Why is that Darra?" Since she was looking Darra straight in the face, she saw her eyes swirl to a complete gold. "I don't know Marra, why don't you explain it to them? Or perhaps you would like me to show them the extent of your damage," she snarled hands turning to fists. Marra blanched realizing that she was losing control of the situation. "King Garrick, kill her and we can live in continued peace. Side with this heretic and I will bring my entire army down upon you, "she hissed. "The only heretic here is you, Marra Eldritch. Our mother would be ashamed and saddened by what you've become," Darra said stoically. "It's what made her weak," she screamed, "which is why I am queen now." "You are a brat as you've always been," she told her firmly. Garrick and Aiden stepped up to stand beside her and the silver haired soldier, Gregori. "I'm afraid, Marra, that I am already in diplomatic dealings with your queen, any other dealings are unofficial and therefore not worth my time," Garrick said almost smugly. The scream that rent the air rattled the windows in their very frames. "You will regret this decision," she hissed reaching for Raven. Darra wasted no time, literally moving faster than a blinking eye, inserting herself between Marra and Raven. In the same fluid motion, she grabbed the other woman's wrist and twisted, the would-be queen's wrist snapped. Marra shouted in pain before back peddling away from them both. She turned eyes burning with hatred towards Darra, "I will destroy you and everything you care for!" With that she disappeared in a spray of sparks. Waiting one moment more to make sure she was truly gone Darra turned and kneeled down by Raven undoing her bonds before pulling her into an almost bruising hug. After a few minutes the little girl patted her back and said softly, "I am alright my lady. Truly I am unharmed." Slowly she pulled herself away from the girl before she crushed her with a hug. Taking a deep breath, she stood and stepped away. Darra was very cognizant of the eyes on her, everyone was watching her quietly. "Darra," Aiden hugged her around the waist, "why didn't you ever tell me you are a queen?" "Why does he touch you with such familiarity my lady," Gregori asked quite puzzled. "Where have you been all this time?" She sighed a long-pained sigh before extracting herself from Aiden's crushing hug and ruffled his hair. "If you'll meet me in the dining hall, I'll explain everything," turning to Garrick she said, "I'm afraid I must ask you for yet another favor good king. Would you perhaps be able to extend lodging to these fine men until such a time as we can move on from this place, I'll happily pay whatever you wish." Garrick gritted his teeth but nodded none the less. "Raven," she whispered, "please show them to the dining hall I'll come right after." Raven nodded and watched as Darra turned on her heel and fled the growing curiosity.
