The Darkened Queen

Past Wounds Reopened

He watched as the woman with the night as her hair slipped beneath the waves, as her pale skin disappeared, and his heart nearly stopped. He was near frozen with fear for the woman, though he did not know her.

He fought through his fear and dove into the water that surrounded his kingdom, he acted without fear for his own well being. The woman was easy to find for her spirit called to his and all he had to do was follow her call.

He reached her as her eyes closed and he pulled her against his chest. She was so tiny. How could a being so small instill such fear in him? He beat against the water and broke surface, the beach she had come from was far but his island was closer. He laid her against the sand and took his first true look at her.

She was beautiful.

He reached out and brushed her hair to the side in order to better look upon her. She seemed to be touched by moonlight and night, yet an inner fire burned out of her, and he longed to have her look upon him.

Almost as if she heard his thoughts, her eyelids fluttered open and he was entranced by the green orbs hidden beneath. She stared at him warily, as if she did not know whether he was friend or foe, and he marveled at the inner strength she possessed.

As she looked upon him she was taken with a desire to know the being. He entranced her, from his pale hair to his strange eyes, everything about him seemed right, even the fact that he was touching her, though that did not fully register.

"Who are you?" Gods! Was ever such a voice created? He was completely ensnared by her and he did not yet even know her name.

"I am Mannan." Her eyes widened at his name, she knew him. Or, rather, she had heard of his reputation. He was not a kind being and her sisters had taken great delight in frightening each other with the tales of his horrors.

"The heartless King." She muttered and he grinned in delight. He was quite fond of that title, false as it was.

"Yes, but I fear that is false. For I do have a heart and it beats only for you." He grinned down at her and her face flushed as she realized that his body was nearly draped over hers.

"Perhaps, but it is still a cold and loveless lump." She accused as she gathered a handful of sand and readied to throw it in his face. She would first blind him, then she would make a run for...where would she run? She could not make a dash for the water and she knew not where she was. She hated being at a disadvantage.

"Maybe, but maybe it is only so because it has not been with your light for long." He answered as he caught sight of her movements and his grin widened. She had a fiery spirit to match the light that she carried, he was not ashamed to say that he was smitten.

"Or perhaps you are just a flatterer." She scoffed as she tried to look at her surroundings but found it difficult. For she soon learned that the King Mannan was not a being one could easily ignore.

"I have never claimed to be otherwise. What are you called?" Mannan demanded as his curiosity finally won the war he had been waging against it. He had hoped that she would offer such information freely, but he would soon find that she was stubborn to a fault.

"I am called many things." Came her answer as she placed her hands on his broad shoulders for she hoped to push him away. However, when her hands came into contact with his skin, she had no desire to move them.

"What shall I call you?" Mannan questioned as a vast smugness settled over him. He knew the affect he had upon her and he prayed that she would not realize the affect she had upon him.