𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐖𝐚𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐑𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐬

𝐒𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐧

Soren lived up to his name. Well, his moral code did. His life motto was no mercy. Until it came to his only weakness, children.

He already technically had around four children, none of his by blood. So when his general, an ogre with flaming red hair named Zirog, came pounding into the Dark Lord's cambers, he knew that number would to rise on this wonderful winter's afternoon.

"My Lord!" Zirog exclaimed, cracking the door open only enough to show one of his red eyes.

"Come in," He said, admiring his dark brown hair in the mirror. The sharp, eagle-like grey eyes that he hated so dearly. Razor sharp jawline, that he had gotten from his mother.

"There's a young girl in the gardens." The ogers eyes held a fear as raw as it got. The smirk on Soren's face was like salt on the wound. Fear for the child's safety? No, actually quite the opposite. Fear for his own safety.

"Which section?" Soren ran through a mental map often extensive garden. It had been built in honor of his other, Queen Mary the third, who was killed by an eastern rebel during the civil war. The roses had been the queen's favorite.

"The forbidden grove." The creature said and Soren cursed, scowling as he swept through the corridor. The forbidden grove had been insisted on due to the fact that army was so far from home, on the other side of the continent at that. It was the army's little sliver of home, something they didn't have to hide or be ashamed of. Somewhere the war couldn't get to them, or so that was their hope. The grove featured fruit trees, a huge grove of them, and a swimming hole with water lilies, lotus flowers and water spirits. Soren never visited, in fact he avoided it like the plague. It was too much of a reminder of how close he had come to being king before his oaf of a brother, Khaos, had stolen it away from him.

The smell of apple pie and peaches grew stronger, along with the giggles of a little girl's pure joy as they neared the grove, shoving through bushes.

They emerged into a clearing. The little girl was approaching the young manticore, he had joined around five years ago after his parents were poached, Eagle, with an open palm as the monster coward back. The Dark Lord spied several other monsters from his army hidden behind the trees and bushes at the edge of the clearing. He thought he was going to need to pick the girl up himself before a dark elf stepped forward, carefully masking the fear in his eyes.

"Hello little one." Lucious said, crouching in front of the young girl with a soft smile. "Where are your parents?"

"At home," Her voice was bubbly and sweet, offly familiar too. "They sent me out here."

"Alone?" Lucious asked in disbelief, exchanging a glance with Soren, who sighed.

"Yep!" She giggled, quite proud she had made it this far. "They said to find Uncle Soren."

"Who are your parents, sweetheart?" The man asked, stepping out of the shadows as the girl whirled towards Soren. He fought down a gasp, knowing perfectly well who the girl's parents were. Her long hazel hair rolled down her back in loose curls, with rubies and sapphires wove into them. Those grey eyes, so like his yet softer, more delicate. Fit for a princess. "I see your father finally settled, huh?"

Her eyebrows furrowed and her mouth twisted in confusion. "Can you bring me back to daddy?"

"No sweetheart. He sent you to come live with me for a while." Soren chuckled cruelly at the young girl's fate, scooping the little princess off her feet.

"Does Daddy not love me anymore?" Tears shone in her eyes and she buried her face in the Dark Lord's shoulder.

"No." The man said simply. Her wretched sobs echoed through the grove, almost making Soren regret not sugar-coating the truth. Almost. "So you're going to stay with Uncle Soren for a while, okay?"

"We'll make daddy pay." The young girl decided swiftly, swiping at her tears with small, untouched hands.

"Yes we will."