King of the world

Chapter Eight

PewDIE was thankfully right, Dark had not returned to the palace and he had cleaned and bandaged your cut perfectly well. He really was an amazing healer, just as he had described; meaning Anti loosing his arm must be a true story.

You all spent the rest of the evening doing your own thing. For example, you found a key to the balcony and used it to unlock the doors, spending an hour or so just taking in the sight, then finally turning in late and dozing off soon after.

You awoke to the feeling of someone shaking your shoulders, and you shoot open your eyes, afraid beyond comprehension that it was Dark, who found out that you went outside... but it was Ken, with all the other humans. All their scars have healed, and they all wore white clothes and grins. "KEN!" you jump up and hug him, "You're all okay! What happened!?"

But they simply grabbed your arm, darting down the hallway with you, bursting open the doors to the ballroom. There inside, you saw a single piano in the center of the room. A man was sat at the piano stool, engrossed in his melody. A tuft of his black hair was swinging free as he kept his eyelids shut, focusing on the tune, his large, rough fingers were delicately stroking each ivory key, creating a lovely melody. He wore white, just like the others.

The piano music soared through the air like an eagle on an up-draft, taking with it the very souls of the listening audience. They ascended together in a magical flight to the heavens, a breathtaking melody of exuberance. Like the waves filling holes in beach sand, the sound rushed in and around every one of you. It was a somber, emotional tempo.

Curiously wandering down the stairs, you approached Dark, unable to contain a touched smile... only it wasn't Darkiplier. His skin was tan and there was no...fearsome aroma surrounding him. A smile grew on his features as his eyes slowly opened... He had white scleras and dazzling chocolate brown eyes, which glued you, with even more awe, to the spot...

The song swiftly ended and you simply gawk at this... human, before you. "Your highness?" you question. His stunning pearl white teeth were hypnotizing against the caramel of his skin, as well as the dark amber swirled in his irises.

But as his mouth opened to reply, a large shadow shot up from behind him, looming over you both, casting yet another shadow on you both. It was the monster from your nightmare! With all words trapped in your throat, this human version of Dark has little time to react, as he notices the sudden dimness on you both, and moves to stand in front of you. His stance would protect you with all he has... including the shadowy beast, who used itself to dart forward and impale Human Darkiplier, like a spear shooting through his chest. The man hunches, falling to the floor as you, without hesitation, go to his side, shaking his shoulder slightly, "ARE YOU OKAY!?"

Demonic chuckles began to leak from his slightly parted lips, causing you to stand straight and take several steps back, "Dark?" The sickening laughs instantly died.

"I thought I told you," he suddenly stood and flew at you, bashing your back to the wall behind you. His eyes were burning red, ripping through all your positive emotions, and smoke clouded your vision, but not enough for you not to see Dark begin to grow into that horrid black beast, "NEVER TO USE THAT NAME!"

His clawed hand dived into your throat, sinking further and further in, causing you to begin choking. Harshly, after what felt like nails drilling through your stomach, he forcefully ripped a large, gold, glowing orb from inside of you.

With the unimaginable pain, you slowly lost contentiousness, hitting the ground with a thud.

"KITTEN!" Dark howled, shaking your shoulders. With a scream, your eyes shoot open, seeing you're squirming on the center of the bed, in a cold sweat and tears. Dark's silver eyes were melted with concern and eyebrows were creased. You darted away from him, falling off the bedside and crawl quickly under the bed, curling up into a little ball, next to your broom: shaking.

There was creaking from the mattress above you, and soon you heard a soft pair of feet get placed on the ground, then the shuffling of someone kneeling down. He must be flat on his stomach, staring at you. And you could feel it: the sense of him drilling his steel gaze into your sides. "Kitten, what's the matter?"

Just read my mind and see for yourself, you thought, then recalled all the horrors of that nightmare, excluding Ken and the other humans.

"I see..." Dark pondered. There was a pause for a moment, before there was the sound of more ruffling and a finger slowly pressed onto your back. You jerk away from the action, but eventually, he imprints his palm onto your back. He then slowly begins rubbing circles into your skin, relaxing your muscles slightly.

Dark POV

Unlike last time, I know how to handle my kitten after she received a nightmare. I'm only comforting her because I hate having to smell her fear... and she's adorable when she sleeps. 

I was slowly rubbing circles into her back, pondering my odd mixed emotions towards her. For a while, I thought I enjoyed seeing her scared, or flustered... but on the night of the ball, I realized... perhaps that wasn't as true as I wanted it to be. This nightmare has turned her back to how afraid she was of me before she moved in here, and I surprisingly didn't want that. However, she does have reason to be afraid, I'm unstable and even I know it. Certain things could make me snap, and she could get harmed in one of those moments.

Her breathing began to settle and body let down its guard even more. I could hear her thoughts, reminding herself that she's safe, it was all a nightmare... but now she's beginning to question me... wondering if all these nightmares are a sign and the monster represents me. Now she's thinking about what the gold orb means. She's searching her mind but hasn't a clue.

I confess, neither do I. I only have theories on her nightmares but no concrete answer.

Suddenly, I can hear a strange... sound... What... is that...? I concentrate and enter her mind, seeing her remember walking into the ballroom, seeing me poking a strange... machine thing. And the sound is coming from there. I can smell the scent of her happiness and... something else, wafting from my kitten. It smells sweet, like strawberries and vanilla. What is that contraption? What is this strange feeling in my chest? I remember... something. It's nagging at my mind, demanding I know!

"What am I touching in your dream?" I query,

"A... a piano," she stutters, adorably. Now she's just thinking about how I can read minds. I still don't know who told her. And I can sense she's blocking something out from her memory of the nightmare so I can't see it.

"A piano... and what is that sound it's making,"

Her thoughts silenced and she slowly turned to face me. I stared deep into her (Y/eyecolor), feeling as lost in them as ever. "Music..." she responded, as though it was obvious, "Have you never heard music before?"

"No," I reply, acting as though I didn't care she was making me feel inferior for my little knowledge in that area.

"That's what the ball was missing... dancing and music!" she exclaims, realization dawning on her, "Have you never even heard singing?"

"I know what it is, but I've never heard it," as she's about reply, I add, "Can you show me?"

"Oh... I-I don't really s-sing," a light grazing of red crept onto her face, causing the corners of my mouth to twitch and heart to melt.

"Well, we'll just have to find someone who can," I say, causing the human to make a small smile.

My kitten lets out a yawn, closing her eyelids softly. Her long black lashes perfectly natural and lush, like her sweet smelling hair. Her lips are slightly parted, letting out tiny puffs of breath. I'm tempted to read her mind, but first I cautiously move my hand to hers, eventually managing to get our fingers to intertwine. Once her eyes open to see this, she notices that I've teleported us both back onto the bed. I tried reading her mind, but it seemed just as stumped for anything to think of as me.

I love that she still wears the collar I gave her.