Rapture

Chosen

The king rises to his feet, lifting the queen with him from the forest ground.

I can't look at them no more. I shiver and get weak in the knees, slumping to sit down against the tree, staring at the grass between my feet.

"So you've found her." The queen's voice says.

"Took me long," He answers. "She was hidden from sunlight."

My eyes lift in uncontrollable curiosity as the queen hushes her voice to a whisper, leaning up to the king's ear.

His lips twist. A sneer, then a grin. He steps back from her, and disappears from sight. Gone so quick it's like he was never there.

The queen's eyes find mine, and she strides towards me. I lower my gaze from her naked body.

I see her feet stopping in the grass before me, then her fingers curl under my chin, lifting my gaze to hers.

"What's your name?"

"Elena..." I answer. My voice a whisper compared to hers.

"Say your name with pride, Elena." Her fingers stroke up my cheeks with touch soft like silk. "You had been chosen."

"Chosen?" My lip trembles. "For what?"

"To give light to this world ruled by darkness."

"Me? How?"

"We've already started, Elena. You're overcoming pain and fear. Getting stronger. We shall guide you."

"What do you mean strong?" I look at her, possessing everything I thought women were denied in this world. Not a piece of cloth to her body, and still she stands with majesty. With the comfort of power.

"Take off your dress." She commands, taking her hand from my chin, gesturing me to rise. I stand up and do as she says.

I can't help my knees and shoulders from tightening, baring my body in front of hers.

"Strength is fear." The queen comes closer, her lips so close to mine I feel the breath of each word. "The understanding of it. The embracing of it. The unleashing of it."

Her fingertips slip up my hips, her stroking touch spreading through me in chills, erecting my spine as my skin ices with goosebumps.

"You think I can be strong?" I look in her blue eyes, willing for them to reveal my soul.

"The king and queen have chosen you of all, Elena." Her fingers stroke under my chin again, brushing slow down my neck. "Do you question our judgement?"

"No. Never." I reply, my voice echoing strong.

"Good." The queen passes her thumb across my cheek, then peers away to the yonder. "The king is back with your gift."

"My gift?" I ask.

Instead of answering, she waits another instant, and the king appears before us. Lengthy grey hair wrapped around his fist, belonging to a barely living body that dangles limp from his grasp.

His knees and elbows are twisted around, bones poking out of his flesh. His eyes are gouged out and seared shut with fresh burns. I shouldn't be able to recognize him in such a pathetic state, but I do.

It's he who haunts me in my nightmares. The monster I almost died suffering under. The Vampire Lord.