Valentine.

Break Me.

🎵!

I stare for a long moment in confusion, my boldness slowly dissipating as he lets out an exasperated sigh. His face is a pure mask of a calmness so unnerving; it causes faint tingles to climb their way up my spine. We both remain still and unmoving like this for a prolonged moment silently exchanging undecipherable glares before he finally pierces the balloon, his expression still far from readable.

"I'm not used to being disrespected in my own kingdom" he states blankly. Now it's my turn to keep my lips fastened, preferring the cold empty silence to whatever confrontation lay ahead. Despite this, he continues to peer at me expectantly, like he's waiting for some sort of answer.

For some sort of...apology.

If nothing else, this man was the true definition of a DaVinci code. I throw him a bewildered look in realization, and it's all I can do not to break out into a fit of laughter. Feeling his demeanor shift and his temper rise, I continue to silently mock him with my eyes, barely able to contain the smile tugging away at my lips. Here stood this all-powerful Lord, silently beckoning me for an apology for an interaction in which he was completely at fault. If this isn't unreal, I don't know what is.

He no doubt catches my reaction, and it awakens something deep in him. His icy glare gives glimpse into yet another hidden layer of rage, ready to materialize and blaze everything in its path- beginning with me. Though haunting, something about this mounting rage of his spurs me on even more and I finally give in to the clutches of amusement gasping me in its firm chokehold. Faint chuckles slowly spill from my lips as my exterior collapses.

He ushers one final look at my now-giggling form before cranking his neck, his jaw ticking furiously in the process. "Very well, then."

With a snap of his fingers the doors suddenly burst open. Two heavily armored guards march in dragging along with them, a frail woman by her lankly arms. Her thin knees scrape harshly against the dark floors, leaving behind a vivid trail of scarlet in their tracks.

A hand rushes to my mouth as I am doused in the most abhorrent feeling of shock and horror. Though her loud sobs echo between my ears, they seem to fall deftly on Hades' as he continues to sport his blank expression. Almost as if he couldn't be bothered by the scene unfolding before him. Almost as if he were simply watching paint dry.

"Please, my lord. I beg your royal majesty. Please spare me!" cries the sickly woman in pain as the sentinels continue to drag her heaving figure all the way across the room, dropping her to the ground only a few feet in front of him.

His only acknowledgement of her presence is a slightly raised brow, as she proceeds to crawl the rest of the way over to his seated figure. Unexpectedly, the woman sprawls herself on the ground at his feet, kissing and sobbing over his dark boots like her life depended on it. In this moment, it was apparent that it most certainly did.

An overwhelming stone of pity settles into the hollows of my gut as I take in the sight of the broken woman, begging on the floor in her rags. Her skin bares a thin layer of soot and grease, and she looks as if she hasn't seen a meal in days. Continuing to sob at his feet, she hiccups pleadingly: "Please, your highness, I-I was only trying to feed my children. I beg your f-forgiveness. I am a c-c-coward and I beg of you to sp-spare me this once, p-please". She is a stuttering mess, and so am I as I fumble for words. I think I'm going to be sick.

Hades remains calmly in place as his unwavering gaze shifts up to me. Though he's quiet, his eyes speak a thousand words. A thousand threats. He-he wouldn't. He couldn't.

As if reading my thought, he slowly rises from the bed, gently nudging her weak figure aside. Crossing over to me, he gestures back towards the woman still sulking for her life on the ground.

"This damsel that you see here was caught stealing from our palace earlier this morning" he says carefully stooping his head down so that we're eye-level. I bring my hands down to my sides and return his stare, my eyes silently pleading. "You don't have to do this" I whisper shakily.

"I don't take very kindly to thievery...nor backtalk." Each and every word from his mouth is slow and meticulously calculated. Too many unspoken threats hang in the air as his steel gaze continues to burn into mine, his shoulders still hunched so that his largely towering height remains level with my mine.

Though I haven't the faintest idea of who this woman is, seeing her on the floor begging for her life sends my stomach into wild loops as I fight the urge to run to her. To comfort her. To tell her she will be okay. Hades had found a way to prey at my empathy...and it was working. Terribly, terribly well.

"Sh-She was only trying to feed her children, she says" I stammer, somehow already knowing that won't be enough to get through to him. Instead, he grants me an unexpected nod, rising back to his full height. A dissatisfied look spreads across his features as he continues. "Ah, very well. You are ever so right." He turns back to the guards. "Bring in the children as well then" he orders.

My stomach lurches and my hands fly up to him in a desperate grasp. "Please don't do this. I'm sorry, Hades. Please." He pauses and glances down at my hands clutching to his chest. The hooded expression from earlier returns to his gaze as they meet mine. The next thing I hear catches me completely off guard.

"Kneel." he breathes sternly. Color rushes to my cheeks and I shoot him a dumbfounded and bewildered look. "Wh-Wait-" I begin but he brusquely cuts me off, the silent threat so effervescently visible on his face once again. "On your knees." he warns once more, a vicious hint of finality to his tone as he cocks his head to the right. The air grows frigid around us as he narrows his ashen irises at me.

I look on at the chained woman still on the ground, now watching me sheepishly. "It's going to be okay" I whisper to her sadly as I slowly grab onto the sides of my robe. Lifting the hem of the silken fabric from the shinnied marble beneath me, I carefully do as I am told.

Peering up at him, I notice swirls of wine-red maroon slowly invading the usual steel hues of his pupils. A sick satisfaction, mixed with hints of something else cloud his now predatorial expression as he watches me get down onto my knees.

The newfound silence reverberating through the chamber causes a trail of shivers to make their way down my spine. "I'm sorry" I whisper again from my compromised position on the floor, my gaze tightly fastened to his. "That's better" he rasps, his color-changing pupils flaring as if in agreement.

After a few moments of silently watching, he finally flexes his hand. At this signal, a guard immediately approaches the prisoner and removes the manacles around her thin, frail wrists. I watch on as his men proceed to tug her up to her feet. Though they remove the chains, their tight grip around her arm remains. As if in insurance. She looks down at me as she heaves in relief, tears flooding her eyes once more. I offer up a small smile to reassure her.

Shifting my attention back to an unmoving Hades who still has his now bright scarlet gaze trained on me, something stirs in my core at the sight of his eyes' newfound color. It causes me to break out into a light sweat.

"Leave." He orders coldly aloud. This time, knowing it's not directed at me, I keep my mouth shut as the guards shuffle their way out with the woman in tow.

"She will be released?" I test wearily into the quiet air, trembling. His only response is a stiff, silent nod. I sigh in relief and bury my face into my hands. Taking notice of the knots that had formed in my stomach, I let out a long shaky cry of relief, tears springing to the brim of my eyes. That was traumatizing.

After a few more moments he finally speaks again. "You see, my dear queen. I need not any physical means to reprimand you. There are plenty of other effective ways to keep you in line." I look up at him, sniffling. "Do not ever, test my patience again" he finishes firmly, a hint of a glint in his eye as he watches my broken figure heaving on the floor. His fiery red gaze travels its way down, then back up my hunched form as his expression becomes even more hooded.

"You have no idea, do you?" he rasps faintly- his voice hearse.

No idea what? I watch him as he throws me one last frustrated glance before turning away and exiting through the heavy doors.

The once grandiose room is now beginning to feel more and more like a stifling cage, as he leaves me behind with a wildly beating heart, a spinning head, and trembling wet hands.