Blood Betrayal

Twenty-Four

A slow clap came from the doorway making Alistair jump.

"Bravo Assyrian I have to say, I didn't really think you had it in you. It took you long enough but better late than never."

Turning away from the corpse brought Daxus into view. Alistair watched the King's eyes sweep around the room as he sauntered up to the crumpled body.

Daxus rolled the loose head around with his foot. The dead man's face peered up at him with its slack lips and vacant unblinking eyes. Blood stained its skin. Clumped its hair together in messy locks. Its fat lolling tongue seemed more obscene than the redness that clung to it.

"So very brutal for someone who was against killing." He looked from the head to Alistair then let out a sharp disapproving cluck. "Look at you, dripping in his blood. A rather unsightly way to greet the plebs but I think it'll send the right message."

"Fuck you Daxus, just... fuck you."

He had hoped for venomous and scathing. Maybe just some of the disgust that had come so easily while speaking with Byron. The rebuke had come out sounding resigned and tired. That man needed to die but he had been mentally ill. No one deserved to be killed and have his death treated so trivially.

"Don't be so damned dramatic," he said as he bent down and picked up the dead mans head by a handful of damp strawberry blonde curls.

"You're obviously having some kind of moral dilemma so I'll let that vulgarity go," the King offered.

It was all too plausible that he couldn't possibly fathom why the situation could have caused a moral dilemma.

Kneeling with the head he turned its face to Alistair and pulled at its lips making the dead man frown at him. Revolted by the sight Alistair could no longer take it and looked away from the still dripping head in Daxus's hands.

"It is done can we go now."

"Don't you want my blessing? Or are you planning to make all the underlings bow to your superior head ripping skills and whatnot."

He heard the sound of Daxus speaking then the wet solid thunk of the head hitting the floor.

"Fine. I want this done so I can go home."

Alistair clenched his fists, his knuckles turned white. The thought of drinking Daxus's blood was repugnant but if it meant that no one else had to die he would make himself do it. If he could get out of that place he would debase himself by touching the King's vile skin with his lips. He would stain himself forever by drinking from the source of evil.

"You do know that it's nearly sunrise. You'll probably have to stay here over the day anyway but that really is your own fault for taking so damn long to do a simple head removal."

Daxus's tone was teasing and chipper. It made Alistair want to drive his bloodied fist into the haughty Kings face until too tired to continue.

"It won't be too bad, I'm sure there's a room somewhere in this wretched tomb that doesn't stink so badly."

Turning to face the smug man Alistair found him standing a few feet from Byron's crumpled body. He held the golden crown that had been on Byron's head. Alistair could only hope that he wasn't expected to actually put the thing on.

"So much unnecessary death in this place, how can you be so flippant in the face of this much tragedy?"

"Better that than having a bleeding heart about every damned dead human don't you think. They do tend to die rather often."

"I knew you were a monster but are you really that callous? Why go to so much trouble to stop Byron if you don't care what has been done here?"

"Why ask? You already think you know I'm that callous. You already think that you know my reasons. Whether your ideas about me are true or not his death was in everyone's best interest, don't look so torn. You did a good deed regardless of my reasons for wanting it done."

Daxus twirled Byron's golden crown in his hands. The overtly irreverent gesture stirred a yell in Alistair's chest. It burned in his throat needing to escape. What the hell did he mean by true or not, it was clearly true. He didn't think he knew, he did know.

Shaking his head Alistair couldn't bring himself to ask for clarity. The strain in his knuckles was becoming painful. "What now?"

Daxus looked to the roof considering his options. "Rest then first thing in the night get to the throne room. Let the people come to you for our big announcement."

"Can we not just get this over with now?"

Alistair loosened his hands enough to rub at the drying blood on his skin. He was contaminated by his own actions. Staying there for another minute was too long.

"Most already sleep." He smiled wickedly. "My, my you are eager to taste my blood aren't you? I would be flattered if I didn't think you were imagining tearing my head off and gleefully cackling as the life drained from my eyes."

The King was perceptive, that was indeed what Alistair wanted. "If I thought we could do this peacefully without you I would gladly forgo it, King. Your blood is the last thing I want."

"Well, after Ghanny I'm sure sinking your fangs into me would be passé for you. Shall we find you an agreeable room?"

"I will not be sleeping here, not in this place, not with you standing over me."

"I need you for now. I won't let anything happen to you while you slumber. Or we could always keep each other company. Stay up all day and have a good heart to heart. I wouldn't mind a day away from my bed considering the current occupant isn't the one I'd like it to be."

He pushed the body of Byron out of the way then sat in the very chair that the fat King had occupied.

"I would rather not do either."

Both options seemed to be equally horrifying. He was nearly sure that the King was making what he considered a joke. He couldn't imagine having a heart to heart.

"Sit."

That time Daxus was definitely not teasing. He was deadly serious.