Envoy of Reprisal

Prologue - The Queen and her Son

"They're going to kill you tonight."

The boy looked up as he heard those words. They had come from the middle-aged woman sitting opposite him on the table. At first glance she looked human but upon closer inspection there was something off about her, with pitch black sclera, pale white hair and her lips navy coloured.

He stared back impassively, a strange feeling of resignation welling inside himself. For as long as the boy could remember he had known this day was coming. He'd seen numerous other people go the same way. The very prospect was causing his legs to tremble despite his best attempts to keep them still. He was twelve years old, not even a man yet. It wasn't fair.

Before the boy could reply the maid who had been lurking on the side spoke up.

"But Fern, you're the Queen. Surely you can convince the Council to spare him."

Fern shook her head.

"I only hold the largest portion of power in the Council, not the majority. They overruled me on this one. Those damn bastards."

She tapped her fingers on the marble table and gazed at the brown haired boy across from her. "So, what do you want to do?"

The boy gave a defeated laugh. "What can I do? I've seen what happens to people who tried to escape."

"Do you want to die?"

"Of course not!"

Fern sat there in deep thought for a few moments before standing up.

"Very well, come with me."

The boy blinked before standing up and following her out of the dining hall. A pair of guards dressed in white robes stood outside the room. They had the same white hair and dark sclera as Fern. Without a word they followed the two of them. Probably to make sure he didn't run away.

They were in the interior of what looked to be a palace, the red carpet, wall carvings and pillars gave the interior a sense of unparalleled grandeur. As the pair of them walked down a long hallway they strode past a couple of other people doing housework. All of them bowed to Fern as she passed by.

The group descended down a long flight of stairs into the palace main entranceway. It was an enormous hall with stone pillars in a grid spread across a glistening tile floor. Multiple hallways connected it to different parts of the palace. Fern indicated they were going through one of the hallways. At the very end was an entranceway to the palace library.

The doors to the library swung open as the group approached and a white haired man in robes strode out. A sheathed sword hung at his waist. He gave a wicked grin as soon as his eyes fell upon them.

"My Queen," he said as he bowed.

The motion was slow and exaggerated.

"Get out of here, Gifford," snapped Fern.

"Oh dear," commented Gifford. "It looks like someone is in a bad mood. Upset that your little pet is going to be put to death?"

It was so fast that the boy almost couldn't catch sight of it but he saw Fern's arm lash out. Soon after Gifford was bent over, howling in pain. His blood had splattered all over the palace wall behind him and he was clutching the stump where his arm had been just a second ago.

Fern was holding it, having torn it clean off.

She dropped the arm at his feet and leant down to talk to him. "Listen you piece of shit. I don't know what you or the rest of Council have in mind but you better stop now. And don't you ever try to talk down to me or next time it'll be your head."