The Obsidian Pillar

Chapter Forty-three - The Beast

'Brackien! Wait!'

He was flying high above the castle, surveying the mud, the shadows and the rocks. The silhouettes of a man and a woman traipsed under the dim light that spilled out from the castle's many windows.

'Brackien, please stop!' Her voice grated on him as it travelled through the icy night air. 'You shouldn't leave,' she called.

The beast heard the defeat in the voice of the young Queen of Kralken. He watched her hungrily, his heckles rising in anticipation.

She stood shivering a few feet behind the man in the castle grounds, her rosy lips parted as she gasped for breath, wisps of her blonde hair falling from her braid. She really is beautiful, he thought; a shame that she must die tonight.

'Brackien, I should be the one leaving, not you. You served Balfour better than any other person could. I know that he is sending you away because of me.'

'I'm happy to leave,' the old man's voice cut sharply through the chill air, 'I will not remain at court as long as you are by his side.' Neither of them noticed him, perched upon the unguarded castle ramparts.

'Brackien,' She tried to grasp his arm, but he pulled it away angrily. 'I will talk to him. He is not himself at this moment, but he will change his mind.'

The man named Brackien stepped back as though she were a viper waiting to bite. 'My queen,' he coughed in the cold air as it caught in his chest. 'I dearly hope that you cease your contact with King Edrik. Stop spying for him - it is a dangerous game to play. Balfour will kill you once he learns the truth about your pregnancy. For the child is not his, is it?' Her forehead creased when she frowned sadly. He backed away from her when she reached out to him once more. 'Brackien, I know that we have never seen eye to eye, but please, don't leave him. He needs you. We both know that he can't do this alone.'

The beast shook his wings and caught their attention, his black shape in the sky forming a shadow against the moon.

'What aren't you understanding, Glorain? I can't do this. I can't stand by whilst he sends this country to war for no good reason.'

He moved again in the air, stretching his wings, feeling the warmth of his blood flow to his hindquarters.

'Then don't leave. Encourage him to do what's right! You're the only person that he will listen to.'

'He didn't listen tonight.'

'Give him time to calm down, Brackien. I promise that I will end my correspondence and I will leave you both to your work. I won't interfere. I will have his child and raise it sensibly. I promise.' Tears glistened in her eyes as she spoke.

'You are playing a dangerous game, Glorain, by lending your ear to both kings, if that is, indeed, all that you are lending,' he retorted.

The beast flew closer to them.

'My correspondence does not involve the king, or any man from Vakaaria, for that matter,' she said quietly.

Brackien squinted up into the darkness as the beast descended. He aimed for Glorain, who stood with her guard down, watching Brackien intently, prepared to grovel for his return for the sake of their king and country. She was distracted.

'Glorain, I'm sorry...' Brackien lunged at her, her eyes widening with fear, and pushed her far aside. She fell, inches from the beast's grasp as he landed upon Brackien instead, missing his targeted prey.

He heard her scream wildly as he dug his sharp claws into the man's shoulders and slashed at his throat. Blood spurted onto the beast's fur, landing in his maw, igniting his bloodlust.

Brackien turned his mangled neck towards Glorain, watching as she ran as fast as she could from them. He smiled and avoided looking up at the beast while he took his last breath. The beast fed upon the man while they both watched her blonde braid swing as she ran, with Kralken's future growing inside her belly.