To Steal a Princess

Mard Geer was not a fan of the Planar Conferences, three days of unending talks, wine and too much time being spent amongst a sea of egos. This year it was held in the Celestial Plane, a bright fanciful little plane that often hurt his eyes and assaulted his nose in too many sweet scents. Though he appreciated their hospitality, usually rolling out the red carpet even for one such as he.

He had heard the rumor that this year was special for the Celestial Spirit King had chosen a princess, a mage plucked from Earth Land to rule beside him. The timing was off for him, he had several days before he would leave the Underworld to begin his most cunning of plans. The destruction of magic and then he would finally complete the long-standing order to kill his own creator.

Outside of that Mard Geer had almost no interest in that plane, finding humans annoying on the best of days and an excuse to test out new torture devices on a normal day. Though in the interests of fulfilling his duties to his throne, he would deal with this interruption. After all, should something go wrong with his plans, at least he still had his kingdom.

He placed his precious book in the vault and checked his pocket watch, Merlin would be here soon to give him his talisman and then take him to the conference. A strange mage, Merlin had befriended him after he took the Underworld in along and vicious war. She supported his monarchy merely shrugging it off as, what good bad demons did. It was at his coronation she gave him the finest gift he ever received, coffee.

Mard stopped in front of a large gold framed mirror and checked his appearance. He wore a black suit lightly patterned with swirls and accented in heavy silver buttons. The only source of color was the dark blood tie around his neck and the rose in his lapel. He would at least bring one of his own children with, a rose was easily smarter than half the spirits he would need to deal with.

A wayward lock of hair spiked up from his pony tail and he smoothed it back as familiar power filled the space. He refrained from smiling as he turned to greet his guest.

"Merlin, right on time," he said as she smiled at him. She was dressed in white leather pants and a dark purple corset showing off a svelte figure marked with ancient tattoos and sigils. Merlin smiled at him before she forced him into a hug.

"Oi, ya look rather dapper, old friend," she said, and he nodded. Merlin reached into a pocket and handed him the small silver necklace, the pendant dripping in magic and in the shape of a rose. He put on the item feeling the aura of its protection wrap around him.

"You look pleasant," he replied as she laughed and shook her head.

"Right, off we go then?" she asked, and he took her hand, waiting for the familiar pull of her magic. It was stopped suddenly, and he tilted his head to the side, wondering what Merlin was up to. She let go of his hand and put her back against the far wall of the hallway and pinched her forehead.

"Mard, she's actually lovely and not a brat. Bright, funny and purely forgiving, you'll like her," she said and Mard almost groaned. Of course, she was reading his thoughts, he did it to her often. Both being telepaths they could just as easily read each other as they could talk.

"She was a human or still is," he said.

"Right, so was I, ya have a point there?" asked Merlin her voice wavering on annoyed.

"Yes, but you outgrew that, and it was before my time," he added as he stepped closer to the immortal mage.

"Ya gotta stop hating on humans, they are a little touched in the head but still, good people."

"I have no more hatred for humans, than I have for my steak at dinner. Humans are cattle. This one the King happened to fancy and made her a Princess, it is not a big deal," he said, and she let out an exasperated sigh.