@hereign
/ y’all better read today’s news https://www.wattpad.com/1281247712?utm_source=ios&utm_medium=link&utm_content=share_reading&wp_page=reading_part_end&wp_uname=hereign&wp_originator=BhEE3OpgbPtFjLkFPMTPOfQ1tChLn%2FGByi3s443bmZ9RjSD9DyexKWYVfMSApTya75bHt4cHjUbkQ%2FmJcm036Y5AydGrI4UlKOzPV4UhRqW0UVVTHWH0tulsuMRWsA5K
“Y’AVE BEEN TASKED T’ CARRY THIS BURDEN WIT’ YOU SINCE Y’ TOOK YOUR FIRST BREATH. A /GIFT/ THEY SAID IT WAS, ONE TOO HEAVY T’ CARRY THEMSELVES AN’ NOW HERE YOU ARE, STANDIN’ AS TALL AS YOUR BACK CAN ALLOW IT SO Y’ WON’T FEEL ITS WEIGHT.” the calm before the storm takes form in her voice, coming from behind the ears as she approaches like the wind. rage is held behind the teeth at the truth she speaks of, but the one before her is not the subject of its cruelty nor of any that exists within her. as she moves past her left, her hand curls around the other side of her waist and slides inward towards the lower spine. the pads of her fingers trace its rigidity before slowly moving upward.
“WHEN IT BREAKS…” half of her face begins to come into view as her lips ghost the ear. “WILL Y’ STILL CALL IT A BLESSING?” she is there for a moment all too short, leaving to turn her face once more, hand abandoning its position as she moves towards the wide opening of the window. there, she stills, her fingers tracing the edges of its frame. eyes looking onward into the distant reflection of the same shade, as alluring as it is deadly.
“YOU ARE EXPECTED T’ ACQUAINT YOURSELF WIT’ THE WORL’ IN ALL OF ITS VASTNESS YET NOT DIP A SINGLE FOOT IN ITS WATERS. PURSUE NEW LANDS WHEN Y’ KNOW NOT OF ITS PEOPLE AND RETURN T’ YOUR COURT OF FOOLS TO DEVISE A PROPOSITION TO THEIR LIKING. IS IT A BLESSIN’ WHEN EXPLORATION IS DENIED, WHEN EXPERIENCE ONLY EXISTS TO BE IMAGINED?” it is not gentle, it is not kind. the words leave her mouth in a sudden hurry, pulling her features in at the nose. her hand curls into a half fist against the frame, before unraveling as she turns to face her for the first time. DON’T YOU WISH TO EXPERIENCE ME IN ALL OF MY FULLNESS, IN ALL OF MY VASTNESS?
“THOSE WHO ‘AVE EVERYTHING ARE IN THE MOST DEBT. TELL ME, ‘OW MUCH LONGER ARE Y’ GOIN’ T’PAY FOR WHAT THEY’VE ALREADY STOLEN FROM YOU?”
/ i’m thinking
/ I SEE WHO YOU ARE. YOU ARE MY ENEMY.
A CALL SENT ACROSS THE SEA FINDS RESIDENCE IN THE HANDS OF WOMAN. AN INVITATION OF SORTS, ADORNED IN GOLD AND VELVET. A LIE ELOQUENTLY DISGUISED IN THE FACADE OF CELEBRATION. . . AND PERHAPS THERE MIGHT BE A NEED. DECEPTION RUNS WILD, SWEET UNTIL IT ROTS YOU FROM THE INSIDE OUT.
| THE HIGH CLIFFS OF REGALIA |
UPON ARRIVAL THE SENSE THAT THE INVITATION WAS A LIE WOULD BECOME EVIDENT, THERE WAS NO LIVELY CROWD, NO WARMTH OF INVITING CREATURES. BUT RATHER THE OPPOSITE; A QUIETNESS RESTED WITHIN THE WALLS, THE SMALLEST OF NOISES WOULD ECHO THROUGH ITS SKELETON. THE CASTLE SEEMS HOLLOW WITH THE LACK OF HUMAN CONTACT, WITH THE LACK OF LIFE ITSELF. BUT CLOSER TO THE MAIN HALL, VOICES FILTERED THROUGH THE LARGE DOORS, A VARIETY OF SORTS, ALL MERGING INTO A COLLABORATIVE BUZZ UP UNTIL A LOW LAUGH RUMBLED THROUGH THE SPACE. . .
. . . ALL WORDS CEASE WHEN THE GRAND DOORS OPEN, ATTENTION NOW DIRECTED TOWARDS THEM. GILDED MASKS DISTORTING THE FEATURES OF EVERYONE BUT THE CORPSE OF A WOMAN. THE QUEENS STARE IS ALARMING ENOUGH, UNWAVERING AND COLD, SHARP EVEN AGAINST THE DISTANCE. IT FINDS THE WOMAN AND DARES NOT LEAVE, ADORNED WITH A GRIN OF TEMPTATION AND DEVIANCE. WITH A DISMISSIVE WAVE OF HAND THE GROUP OF WOMEN DISPERSE, LEAVING THE TWO TO PRIVACY. [ THERE IS A PURPOSE AT PLAY, YOU MUST PLAY THE GAME WELL. ]
IN CERTAINTY OF BEING ALONE THE QUEEN STANDS, OFFERING NO WORDS OF WELCOME, NO VOCAL ACKNOWLEDGMENT—ONLY A SIMPLE DROP OF SMILE, TWISTING INTO AN ABSENT EXPRESSION. IT PLAYS WELL AGAINST THE SHARPNESS OF HER LOOKS, IN THE DEEP SURROUNDING HER EYES. CREATURE OPENS ITS MOUTH AS IF TO SPEAK, AND YET NO SOUND ESCAPES FROM THE BLOOD RED LIPS . . . A PAUSE, A MOMENT OF CALCULATED THOUGHT. . .
❝ how LOVELY of you to make MY acquaintance. ❞
QUEEN AND QUEEN, WOMAN AND CREATURE. . . HOW WILL THEY END ?
THE SLOW DESCENT OF THE SUN HAS ALWAYS BEEN HER CALLING, FOR ONCE THAT BALL OF FLAME FELL PAST THE HORIZON LINE HER OWN WOULD RISE LIKE THE TIDE. SHE COULD FEEL HOT TEMPTATION BURN HOLES IN THE BACK OF HER SKULL, AND THAT WHICH SPARKS DESIRE MAY OVERRIDE OR ENHANCE THOUGHT. AS OF LATE, HER THOUGHTS HAVE MANIFESTED INTO THE GREATEST ATROCITIES. EVERY ATTACK THAT HAS BEEN EXECUTED BY HER THUS FAR REMAINS WITHOUT FLAW, HOWEVER, THERE IS BOUND TO BE A TIME WHEN ONE MANAGES TO STEP ON THE DEVIL’S TAIL.
[ ABOARD THE FLAMING SERPENT, ENTER NAUNET AND SANTOS ]
❝︎ WE HAVE COMPANY. ❞︎ when the first mate hands over the brass spyglass, it is interlocked within the fingers of a furious grip. she peers through its lens, wide eye narrowing to focus in on what lies before them. to her utmost displeasure, the sight of WHITE SAILS emblazoned with the RED CROSS is the one that sinks underneath her skin. she has spit upon that symbol more times than she is able to count, yet here it is again, existing as a taunt, an INSULT ( TELL ME, HOW MUCH VENOM MUST I SPIT INTO YOUR EYE TO MAKE YOU GO BLIND ? )
WOMAN TURNS SERPENT WITH THE FLINCH OF HER UPPER LIP AND THE FLARE OF HER NOSTRILS. she snaps the telescope back into place and returns it to her first mate. through gritted teeth, a command is relayed. ❝︎ WAIT FOR MY SIGNAL. ❞︎ the railing glows crimson with the scorching heat of her palms, and the RAGE that boils beneath serpentine flesh begins its overflow. ❝︎ WE’LL NOT BE THE ONLY ONES TO RECIEVE AN UNWELCOME VISIT. ❞︎
IF SHE COULD NOT MASSACRE, THEN SHE COULD CERTAINLY FIND A WAY TO TORTURE.
( III )
[ SANTOS BOARDS THE NEIGHBORING GALLEON, ATTRACTING THE ATTENTION OF A FEW CREWMEN. SHE CAN ALMOST SMELL THEIR FEAR ]
THE WHINE OF WOOD BENEATH SOLES SIGNALS THE ARRIVAL OF A FOREIGN PRESENCE. A HAND SLOWLY DRAGS ITSELF ALONG THE GALLEON’S RAILING, LEAVING IT SPLINTERED AND CHARRED AS SHE NEARS NOBILITY.
SHADOWS CAST BY A WIDE BRIMMED HAT OBSCURE HER FACE, but it is clear to see a pipe raise to the ghost of a mouth. she disregards the spaniards at the queen’s side, AFTER ALL WHAT COULD THEY DO? SHE’S ON FIRE. HER COAT AND SLEEVES, THE EXTERIOR OF HER FRAME. ENGULFED.
❝︎ THE QUEEN ABANDONS HER HIGH THRONE TO STEP DOWN INTO A WORLD SHE VOWED TO DESTROY. FOR WHAT REASON, I HAVE YET TO KNOW. ❞︎ the creaking comes to a sudden halt, and LA SERPIENTE invades the gap that separates QUEEN from PIRATE with her head still directed towards the floor. ❝︎ BUT I ASSURE YOU, YOUR MAJESTY, ❞︎ another draw of her pipe, then the rise of HER chin. OUT FROM HER MOUTH, EXITS THE SMOKE.
❝︎ I’LL NOT BE FACING THE GALLOWS BEFORE I WATCH YOU BURN. ❞︎ WHEN THE BILLOWING GREY EVAPORATES, THE FACE OF A WOMAN BURNING STARES BACK, WITH EYES THAT COULD SET THE WORLD ON FIRE.
( II )
[ CUE THE ARRIVAL OF THE SPANISH. THREE GALLEONS NOW SURROUND THE FLAMING SERPENT, TWO FLANKING ON THE FARTHEST SIDE, ONE CLOSEST TO THE OTHER, PRESUMABLY THE ONE IN COMMAND ]
DESPITE HER BEING OUTNUMBERED, THE SIGNAL HAD GRANTED HER THE LEVERAGE SHE SO DESIRED. NAUNET held valuable members of the spanish crew captive aboard the fiery vessel, in an effort to prevent any premature attacks. for now, the outcome presented itself as a success, but only for the time being.
THE SERPENT SLITHERS WITH THE INTENT TO STRIKE, BESTIAL EYES SCANNING FOR THE ONE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS UNEXPECTED ENCOUNTER. suspicion whispers in her ear, and she stops in the middle of a steady pace ( SHE WOULD NOT BE SUCH THE FOOL AS TO-). LO AND BEHOLD, there, upon the neighboring deck, stands THE QUEEN HERSELF. instinctively, the devil’s hand caresses the hilt of the blade that sits in its scabbard, begging to be stained with the blood of SHE : SANCTIFIED. however, DESIRE fails to obstruct THOUGHT. now is not the time for BLOOD to be spilled without CALCULATION, and if she had learned ANYTHING from her past, it was that ROYALTY never liked to be kept waiting.