The Return Of The Exiled Villain

The whispers started before the vampire delegation had even reached the center of the hall.

"Why are they here?"

"The Emperor knew."

"This is treason waiting to happen."

"No, look at his face. He planned this."

"Royal blood and elves in the same night? Has he lost his mind?"

A woman from House Relane leaned toward her husband, whispering in a shaky voice.

A younger noble near the wine tables kept staring at the lead vampire’s mouth, as if expecting fangs to show the moment the politeness ended.

Everyone had a change in expression; even the elves in Prince Aerion’s escort looked unsettled, though they hid it better than the humans.

The Emperor let the noise rise just long enough for the whole court to feel it.

"Ahem..."

Then he coughed once.

In that instant, the conversations died, and the musicians, who had been waiting for a signal, never started the next piece.

Every face turned toward the dais.

The Emperor remained standing.

"I understand the surprise," he stated calmly.

"Some of you will call this sudden. Some of you will call it dangerous. I will ask you to listen before you decide what it is."

Prince Aerion stayed seated at first, one hand resting on the arm of his chair.

The lead vampire stood below the steps with his two attendants, smiling as if the court’s fear were a familiar kind of music.

The Emperor continued.

"For years this continent has spoken of stability as if stability were the same thing as strength. It is not. The Inter-Academy Exchange showed us the talent of the next generation, but it did not hide the truth. The world beyond our borders is changing. Old powers are moving again. If this realm insists on standing alone, it will not stand for long."

A few nobles whispered to each other at those words, but just as quickly, they shut their mouths, awaiting the Emperor’s next words.

’...Is he talking about the movements of the Upper Plane? Even if they reunite their strengths, just a single powerhouse from up there is able to destroy this entire planet,’ Gray scoffed inwardly.

’The only possibility they would have was to make a deal with actual gods, but even so...’ Gray’s thoughts trailed off.

"That is why, as of tonight, the Central Continent will no longer treat isolation as virtue." The Emperor lifted a hand, first toward Prince Aerion, then toward the vampires.

"We will bind ourselves to two ancient races. The Elven Kingdom. And the Crimson Court."

The hall went so quiet that the faint drip of wine from a forgotten glass could be heard near the side tables.

"This is not a temporary pact," he said.

"It is an alliance between continents. Trade. Borders. Shared enemies. Shared protection. The elves bring longevity, craft, and a kingdom that has endured longer than most of our houses. The vampires bring power that the night itself has never been able to erase. Together, we stop pretending that human courts can ignore what lives beyond them."

Prince Aerion rose at last.

"The Elven Kingdom accepts this path," he said. "On the terms already discussed with His Majesty."

The lead vampire inclined his head.

"The Crimson Court accepts as well. We did not come here to watch a banquet. We came to seal what was promised."

The Emperor nodded, pleased.

"An alliance of this scale cannot rest on signatures alone," he said.

"Paper is easy to tear. Blood and marriage are not."

Seraph went still beside Gray.

’...This fucker is finally announcing it, huh?’

The Emperor looked directly at Seraph.

"For the elves, the bond will be made in the oldest way our courts still respect. An engagement. My first daughter, Princess Seraph, will be bound to His Highness, Prince Aerion of the Elven Kingdom. Through that union, our houses will no longer stand as polite neighbors. They will stand as one line."

Once those words fell, a murmur rolled through the nobles, then died again when the Emperor raised his hand.

’...Seria, prepare yourself,’ Gray warned inwardly.

Yes, Master... and as you said, I’m going to appear in my human form.

’Please...’

"And for the vampires," he said, turning back to the crimson-coated figure below the dais,

"The price is older still. Each year, the royal house will offer a measure of royal blood to the Royal Vampire Family. Not as spoils or as tribute taken by force, but as the sealed condition of this alliance. A little each year. Enough to honor the pact, and enough to remind both sides that the agreement is alive."

The lead vampire’s smile widened instantly.

"A taste of continuity," he said softly.

"We find that acceptable."

Several nobles had gone pale. One older duke looked as if he wanted to speak and then thought better of it.

The Emperor spread his hands, as if the matter were already settled.

"This is the future I choose for the continent. Elves through marriage. Vampires through blood. Humans rule through alliance instead of pride. Tonight, before this court, I make it known."

His gaze returned to Seraph.

"Princess Seraph. Step forward."

Seraph trembled.

Her eyes found Gray first, not her father, not the Elven Prince. Gray met that look and nodded lightly.

Then his hand moved.

Shing...

The rapier left its sheath with a thin, clear sound.

The palace guards reacted at once.

Two men near the steps stepped in front of the Emperor. Another three turned their points toward Gray.

Gray only smirked and tilted his head.

"What? Can’t I appreciate my own weapon?"

The Emperor’s eyes narrowed.

"Put that away."

"I haven’t pointed it at anyone," Gray said.

"Yet."

A ripple of anger moved through the guards.

The Elven’s eyes sharpened from the side of the hall. Several nobles backed away from the open floor without realizing they had done it.

The Emperor lifted two fingers.

The guards held their positions, but they did not advance. He looked past Gray and toward his daughter again.

"Seraph. Come here."

She hesitated for a moment, then she walked towards him.

The silver gown that had looked beautiful beside the fountain now made her stand out like a target.

A servant came from the side of the dais carrying a dark velvet cushion.

Two rings rested on it.

One was pale gold, set with a green stone that matched the Elven Prince’s circlet.

The other was white gold, thinner, marked with the imperial crest on the inner band. The servant knelt at the proper distance and raised the cushion.

The Emperor let the hall look at the rings long enough for the meaning to settle.

"An alliance is not complete until it can be seen," he said.

"Paper can be denied. A ring cannot. Prince Aerion. You will place the elven seal on Princess Seraph’s hand before this court."

Prince Aerion inclined his head.

"It would be my honor."

He stepped down from the dais.

The servant moved with him.

Seraph stopped where she had been told to stop, close enough for the whole hall to see her face. Her fingers were stiff at her side.

The Emperor’s voice softened, though it did not lose its command.

"Seraph. This is the duty of your blood. The continent will be safer for it. You will stand as the bridge between our house and the Elven Kingdom."

Seraph’s throat moved.

"...Father."

"There is nothing more to discuss."

Prince Aerion took the pale-gold ring from the cushion. He held it between two fingers, elegant even in that small motion, and reached for Seraph’s left hand.

The crowd leaned in without meaning to.

As nobles, they obviously enjoyed a bit of drama and thought their opinions were a little different, as some waited to see her accept it while others waited to see if she would pull away.

Just then, Prince Aerion’s fingers were almost at hers.

The ring was a breath away from her skin.

Fwip!

The rapier moved first.

It crossed the space between Gray and the dais in a line so thin that most of the hall only understood it after the sound came.

SPLURT!

Prince Aerion’s hand left his wrist.

A spray of bright blood followed it into the air, the pale-gold ring still caught between lifeless fingers.

The severed hand turned once under the chandeliers.

Thud...

It hit the stone.

Roll...

The hand traveled a short distance across the floor and stopped near the first step of the dais, leaving a dark trail behind it.

For a single instant, the ballroom did not make a sound.

Then Prince Aerion screamed.

"AAAAAAAARGHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

He dropped to one knee, his remaining hand clamping over the open wrist as blood poured between his fingers and across the white-and-green of his coat.

"PRINCE AERION!!!"

The elven escorts instantly surged forward.

"PROTECT HIS MAJESTY!"

The palace guards shouted.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"

A woman in the crowd screamed after him.

Thud... clink!

The servant fell backward, and the second ring slid off the cushion, ringing against the floor like a dropped coin.

Seraph stood completely frozen as she realized that the space in front of her was suddenly empty.

Swip...

Gray lowered the rapier just enough for the blood on its edge to show under the light. He did not look at the screaming prince.

He looked at the Emperor.