Blood on my hands [Sebastian]

[Mordrena of Medria]

Throw the nightsade flower inside the cauldron and mix for two minutes.

Mordrena did as the instructions commanded, her face gleaming with that malicious pride of hers, as the liquid inside the cauldron started to burst in blue flames, bubbles coming out of the cauldron and filling the room with a delightful smell. The smell of death. She started to mix the ingredients, making sure to count the minutes, her eyes occassionally drifting away from the cauldron to the book and then outside the window. It was raining, perhaps one of the last rainy days of autumn. Winter was coming. She continued to mix, apparently uninterested in the weather.

Throw in the sacred lotus seeds and stir.

The color of the liquid changed to pure black, and the flames turned as well. The liquid started to steam, as Mordrena tried to remember the last time she had brewed that certain poison. It wasn't hard, she would never forget the day she had killed her beloved husband in order to get the throne all for herself. She could still remember his eyes as his lifeless body hit the ground, asking her why after writhing for a few seconds. "Because I get what I want, dear one." she had said, as she looked at the poison with that same malicious smile she had said farewell to her useless husband.

Apply the Harranda root and the Scamp skin gently and mix for three minutes.

She was quite certain that she didn't need that book anymore. She had memorized each and every potion, from effects to brewing, but she had decided not to challenge her luck. She didn't believe in luck, to be honest. The only thing she believed in was that somehow, no matter what, she would become the next ruler of Sioure. A person that everyone would come to fear and respect.

The poison was ready. It would cause the victim to writhe for a couple of seconds before death, its primary effect being that it would stop the heart from beating. Deadly and elegant just like her, this poison couldn't be traced, with or without magic. That was exactly why she loved it. There was no way someone could tell whether or not they were going to be poisoned by the Sacred Lotus poison, and even better, they couldn't tell whether they had been poisoned at all.

She grabbed a small vial who resembled a pendant and filled it with enough poison to kill a dragon. She hang it around her neck and called for her son. The boy rushed inside, to his mother's open arms. She laughed, and kissed the boy's forehead. "Fetch me the maid. Don't go outside the castle, it's cold. Wouldn't want my little prince to catch a cold now, right?" she said, as the boy nodded and left.

The young woman came inside the room and started to empty the liquid that was inside the cauldron in a chamber pot. Mordrena was pleased, finally, the girl had learned. "Arya, brush my hair. I want to look spectacular today." she said, as she took a seat in front of a mirror. "And bring me Sebastian, I have certain things to talk with him."

It took the girl fifteen minutes to finish brushing Mordrena's hair, and as she left, Mordrena looked herself in the mirror. Black elegant dress, as dark as night, her hair nicely brushed, her tiara on top of her hair, the pendant with the poison still around her neck. She made her way to the window to look outside.

[Sebastian Murdoch]

Relieved from duty for a brief span of time Sebastian had wandered into the gardens. His black armor glinted in the beams of sunlight. A cold draft billowed down through the neck and he shivered once, exhaling a silver puff of breath. Winter approached and lingered upon the horizon with frost-bitten wrath. Forlornly Sebastian peered down towards the wilting roses that had once reached his waist in bright bursts of red. He reached out allowing the tips of his fingers to graze against the weakened petals. The ripened scent still lingered like a cloud above the bush but held a more sinister edge that reeked of decay. Sebastian stooped wrapping his gloved fingers about the weakened stems. Bitterly he pulled up, uprooting half of the flowers and threw them aside without as much as a second glance. Clods of dirt flew up into air raining flakes of dust upon the blades of grass at his feet.

The soft padding of feet caught his attention and he turned, icy eyes narrowed in touchiness. A young maid scuttled towards him wringing her hands yet her gaze held steady and Sebastian gave the girl a curt nod. She curtsied at his attention and informed him of Queen’s Mordrena’s request of his company. She had barely finished her sentence when Sebastian had shoved her briskly aside in a gust of speed. He would not delay, not when the very queen herself was waiting for his presence. Stepping upon the marble flooring Sebastian turned left and entered a broad corridor lit by torches. He strode with a hurried pace paying little attention to the surroundings. At the end of the hall opened a dome-shaped chamber, its ceiling was made constructed of glass to allow natural light to pour in during the warm months. With the approach of snow he assumed the servants were busy at work crafting a new cover to help insulate the area.

Venturing on Sebastian brushed back a lock of dark hair that fell upon hid-brow. The tips tucked the edge of his lashes causing him to cringe lightly. Brushing the pest aside he froze in front of a door. Drawing back his shoulders Sebastian lifted a chin and knocked upon the wooden surface straining his ears for any sound of permission. She had demanded he be found and brought to her and after a polite moment’s notice he grasped the handle and tugged. The door shut slowly behind him with a muted click. The air was heavy with herbs. Undoubtedly her majesty had been brewing a potion, presumably a poison of some sort. She was quite clever with them. His queen bested all within the land. But that was only natural and was hardly a surprise to him. There was not much she was not capable of. Of course those of thoughtless hearts had deemed her cruel but Sebastian knew better. Queen Mordrena was strong; she was no gull but firmly dealt opportunity to those of worth. It was why he was now before her; it was why he was still alive.

Kneeling Sebastian tucked his head in a respected gesture. “Your grace,” the all familiar title slipped softly from his lips. “How may I be of service?” He kept his eyes humbly lowered to her feet until ordered otherwise. Sebastian exhaled through his nose; his right arm’s elbow rested upon a knee. The sword hummed at his hip with an unquenchable thirst for blood. It was a melody he had long grown accustomed to and often found himself singing along. He could feel the warm rays of sunlight heating the skin of his neck.

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[Mordrena of Medria]

Slowly stepping forward, Mordrena made her way from the window towards the balcony, and towards the end of the balcony, and upon nearing it she remained there. Closing her eyes, the woman took in a deep breath of the fresh air, her nose taking in the amplified scents of the flowers planted throughout the castle garden. Listening to the sounds of the trees and plants, as well as the wind and the faint rain above, the Queen for a moment almost believed herself to be in a fantasy of her childhood. She was riding a dragon during a storm. She had always imagined how it would be to ride a dragon, to watch everything from above. It was for this reason that Mordrena had decided, of all places, to come to her own balcony, and why she found herself here frequently when she was given such moments.

When she heard the knocking on the door, she snapped out of her dreamy state and shook her head. Heading back inside her room, she said "Come in." loud enough to be heard from outside the door. Pleased by the person who came in (she was in no mood to be dealing with certain lords and ladies today, or even Kings and Queens), Mordrena smiled, probably not a happy smile but a cruel one. Then again, almost no one had seen Mordrena smile happily enough as long as she had been Queen, apart from the women who helped her give birth to her son and the ones who had caught a few glimpses of her moments with him.

She watched as Sebastian, the captain of her guard that many called the Black Hand, bowed before her as a gesture of respect. She savoured the pleasure of being respected for a few seconds, and then said "At ease, Captain." She pointed to a few comfortable chairs next to her. "Have a seat, Sebastian." she added, and without waiting for him, she made her way to one purple and golden chair. "Would you care for a drink? Consider yourself off duty for today." she said, grabbed a bottle of wine and poured in two silver goblets. Leaving the wine on the table, she focused her attention on Sebastian.

"I want to talk to you about something. As you probably know, a band of Rajegh made their way into our lands last week. I met with their leader and made an alliance." she said, and gave him a cruel smirk. "Needless to say, I care not for them. I want to use them to assassinate the High King and then wage war on them, once I have become the High Queen of Sioure."

She cleared her throat. Trusting someone didn't come easy to her, though she trusted Sebastian with her life. "I want your opinion on that certain matter."

[Sebastian Murdoch]

“At ease, Captain. Have a seat, Sebastian. Would you care for a drink? Consider yourself off duty for today."

With rusted limbs Sebastian pulled from his bowed position and stood, straightening his shoulders. He tilted his chin up so as not to avoid her gaze as though uninterested in her words. With vague gawkiness Sebastian nodded in understanding and stood rooted in his spot. Though he would relax at her order to the best of his abilities Sebastian would never consider himself off duty; it was simple as that. Their enemies were always moving, always breathing, and therefore always plotting against the queen and even himself. He sniffed, staring silently. Before he could open his mouth in answer Queen Mordrena filled a silver goblet with wine, smiling coyly as befitted the royal, before handing over the drink. He blinked down not fond of drinking while present in a working environment; but she had instructed him otherwise so he would take it. “Thank you Your Grace.” It could have very well been poisoned. But Sebastian would drink it. He always would.

"I want to talk to you about something. As you probably know, a band of Rajegh made their way into our lands last week. I met with their leader and made an alliance. Needless to say, I care not for them. I want to use them to assassinate the High King and then wage war on them, once I have become the High Queen of Sioure."

Sebastian lifted the goblet to his cracked lips. He watched her movement intently over the rim as she spoke. As her mouth meshed together in formation of the word ‘Rajegh’ the wine ceased flow down through his throat. It was a natural reaction. His fingers gripped the silver surface leaving small dents beneath the tips where his nails dug in. Forgetting with whom he accompanied Sebastian felt his lips grow taut. But the conclusion of her statements slowly reeled Sebastian in so that he could break from his madness and hone in on the topic at hand. With an extended yet gentle sigh the man gave a stiff nod.

"I want your opinion on that certain matter."

“The Rajegh are callous savages who hold no place in these lands. It is of my opinion that they be exterminated so their kind can no longer slaughter the innocents that dwell in peace. If I may be so honest, it is somewhat unsettling to know you ventured into their camp without my guard. But creating a brief and temporary alliance with them to kill the High King? It is something I am unsure I’m capable of doing; but if it is what you wish…” he paused to lick his lips. A steady blush heated the fleshy pads of his cheeks. He had little choice he knew, she was merely putting up a polite front. His eyes wandered downward to his feet. There was no other option. “I will do so to the best of my ability.” There was sullen duty etched into his voice as though choking on bits of broken pride. He knew his temper would flare later that evening when recounting the information to Jay. But his Queen trusted him and Sebastian took that very seriously.

[Mordrena of Medria]

She knew that Sebastian wasn't going to react well after she had announced him the alliance with the Ajurah clan. The man had a difficult past concerning those creatures, and he had every right to want them dead in her opinion. There were many things Mordrena would do, most of the time people called her heartless, but she would never betray those she trusted and loved (namely her son and Sebastian).

She took a moment to try and remember how things had once been. She had been a beautiful woman, in love with a man that her family didn't approve of. She had felt love and she had been destroyed by it. Was it the fact that she had lost her one and only to death that made her become who she was? Mordrena herself didn't know. Perhaps it was revenge and hatred that fueled her to become an ever better evil mastermind than her mother, perhaps those reasons were why she had killed her and her stupid husband.

No, she had done that to save her son. She had done that to ensure that he would have a bright future as a King of Medria and later High King of Sioure, but she knew that she was setting him down a path of evil. She was proud of her son's ability to understand what she was teaching him and what she was trying to do to him. She wasn't proud of herself. She was probably creating a mass murderer, one that would never understand what it meant to love.

She was trying to create a new Mordrena.

She sighed and looked at Sebastian. "I know it displeases you, because it displeases me as well." she said, and shook her head. "Striking an alliance with another Siourean kingdom is as good as hanging ourselves right now. They will backstab us, because that is what we Sioureans do." she added, and drank from her wine. "The Ajurah were our best bet. They are reckless and stupid and they will do anything for more power. Of course, I offered them kingdoms that they will never get."

She rose from her seat and made her way to the balcony, looking at the soft rain outside. "I wasn't always like this you know." she said, as her fingers grasped the goblet tightly. "I was in love once. And I hated the idea of being Queen of Medria. My mother made me become who I am." she said. "My father was a coward, he had no chance against her. She killed my love and got me married to the King. I poisoned her afterwards and became who I am."

She sighed as Brandon made his way outside. She could spot him from her balcony, running in the rain. "A heartless bitch."