Chapter VIII: Serpent's fangs

Under that brilliant midday sky , bathed in a shower of confetti and rose petals, the carriage where the first princess and her fiancé were parading was escorted by an imposing guard of knights who led the procession on steeds.

Equinoxem , were a breed similar to land horses. Being more similar in appearance to the horse that the god Loki gave to the monarch of Asgard. With scarlet manes resembling flames of fire and black fur, with their eight legs those majestic steeds were destined exclusively for the use of the royal family.

On the occasion of the celebration of the commitment between the Albert house and the crown of Antioca , the king had ordered that no expense or resources be spared to give the celebration the greatest enhancement.

At the head of the caravan, waving a banner bearing the symbol of a dragon-like animal devouring a sun, Prince Maximilian kept his eyes straight ahead as the people cheered the valorous prince as a war hero and at his right hand, the Baron Eusebio kept his sharp eyes in the direction of the dais where the announcement would take place by the king.

- "He seems a bit nervous young prince" - With a scathing smile on his face, Eusebio rebuked Maximilian who lightly tightened the reins of his steed.

- "Are your men in position yet?"

- "Of course. All you have to do is give the signal and the princess's head will roll on the ground. Although it is a pity that the king and queen will not live long enough to see the show" – Making a gesture with his face in the direction of the stands, Eusebio pointed with his gaze to the seat where his daughter Berenice was already. Who waved his hand with a fake smile hiding his involvement in the betrayal.

- "Today is a splendid day, don't you think so my dear Aurora?" Taking the maiden's hand and digging her nails into it, Berenice seemed very confident in herself that her father's ambitions would succeed. While Aurora remained silent at her side, enduring that pain while comforting herself with the idea that soon her ordeal would come to an end and she would be able to reunite with Eunice.

Having placed her trust in Prince Maximilian, the maiden proceeded with the plan and poured the contents of the flask into the wineglass she handed over to her mistress. Contemplating her while she drank carefree drop by drop, that concoction that would take away her powers completely.

When the procession reached the limits of the dais, the prince dismounted from his steed and escorted the first princess along with her fiancé to the reserved seats in front of the public that gathered in the main square.

As the town crowd sang chants of praise for the future royal family and the glory of the kingdom, Maximilian was uneasy to see the king and queen's seats empty just before the main announcement began.

- "Brother, why do you feel so uncomfortable? Most likely, mother and father are still busy with the ambassadors of the kingdom of Melina and Sidelia " – With an awkward expression that bordered on innocent, princess Aurelia took the prince's arm by the edges of his sleeve asking him to keep composure in front of the public. Well, despite the fact that he had always been a man unperturbed by eventualities, Maximilian could not help but unconsciously show his concern in the absence of the king.

- "Father is not someone who tends to be late in important situations. Something must have happened to him" – With that thought drilling his mind, the prince was about to leave the presidium to go in search of the monarch. Right at that moment, the trumpets of the royal guards began to sound announcing the arrival of the royal family. But after that sound, only the presence of the queen went up the steps of the dais, holding a wooden box that she delivered directly into the hands of Princess Aurelia.

- "This is my wedding present for you, dear daughter. For a long time I was thinking about a perfect gift for you on an occasion like this. I hope you like it" – Enthusiastic about that gesture, the princess thanked the queen with a smile; but when he opened the box, the expression on his face changed from glee to horror. Dropping the contents of that box to the floor of the dais before the shocked looks of the assembled people.

Rolling across the carpet to fall on the stone floor of the square, the heads of a man and a woman with empty eye sockets, lay at the feet of the crowd that began to react between anger and fear.

Of the children of the royal family, Prince Maximilian was not the only descendant who ran impure blood through his veins. For many years the queen had kept silent about the origin of the first princess, announcing to the people that she had been born from her womb.

But the baby she had carried for nine months was never able to open her eyes to the world, leaving the Queen heartbroken into a deep depression. However, at the same time that she was waiting for the eldest son of the royal house, a woman of the fallen nobility had had an affair with King Alfonso giving birth to a girl who had the hereditary traits of the royal family.

With that emptiness that losing her baby had left, the queen reluctantly accepted that betrayal by the king. But in return he had asked that only a direct descendant of his blood take his place as heir to the crown.

- "Adrián was my only son, the baby that I carried in my womb and who shared my blood. He was the only one who could be worthy of becoming king. Not some bastard bitch like you."

- "Mother?" – Even with the bitter regret of Queen Andrea's words on her heart, the innocent princess looked up looking for her eyes to hear that all that was a lie, but instead of receiving a gesture of affection from who she considered her mother, the Cold from the edge of a dagger pierced his chest through his heart.

- "Your mother was the trash whose head I cut off along with your impious father. That is my last gift to you before you leave this world" – With eyes full of tears as blood flowed from her lips, the princess closed her eyes while her body fell on the wooden floor of the dais.

- "Queen mother. This is high treason" – Raising his right arm to give the signal to his men to attack Eusebio's guard, Maximiliano felt how his body stopped responding at that moment that he turned his face to a smiling Baron who cut off his right arm .

- "Both your father and you were imbeciles who never knew their place, my dear prince" - Eusebio gave the signal to his men and the prince's soldiers fell one by one until the sword of betrayal arrived to decapitate the firstborn from the Albert house. While Maximiliano turned his gaze to Aurora, who couldn't believe what was happening.

She was completely sure that she had placed the elixir in Berenice's cup, making it impossible for the lady of the Rivera house to be able to use her blood lineage ability.

- "Oh my sweet little Aurora, I have always liked you. You know why? It's because you're such a fucking bitch that I find it amusing the way you have those hopeful eyes.

Did you think that I would drink something you gave me without being prepared for it? By the time you gave me that wine, a certain handsome silver-haired man had given me an antidote to counteract any restraining curse" – Climbing up the steps of the dais, Viscount Demetrius walked to stand behind Aurora, who experienced again the coldness of that claw on his neck.

With the fire of the insurrection burning red hot, the queen announced to the people that the kingdom of Antioca was about to become a vassal state of the kingdom of Melina. Thus creating the first hegemonic empire of the continent, under the banner of the religion of the goddess Astaroth .

The commoners who were still congregated in the square were surrounded by sorcerers sent by the second prince of Melina, Romulos. Melina's Astaroth . Falling one by one under the brand of slavery that turned them into mere objects at the mercy of the tradition of the corrupt Aspirteno kingdom .

" Nooo . Why queen mother? – Resisting the effects of Berenice's magic, Prince Maximilian turned his face towards Queen Andrea. Who walked up to him to slap his face with an expression full of fury.

- "A mere bastard like you should never call me mother! For all these years I had to suffer in silence the humiliation of raising you and your sister, but only because my son Adrian was in the direct line of succession.

But your bloody father could not respect the memory of my beloved son; As soon as he died protecting an impure trash like you, I bend his will with those unfortunate Alberts.

Distant relatives of the crown? Just because of that shit I don't even mourn a year for our son!

If the kingdom would fall into someone's hands, better than mine" – Having secretly met with Prince Romulos , Queen Andrea accepted the young prince's offer to take him as queen consort. Both Eusebio and the queen had the Albert house in their eyes and with this, the conspiracy was forged in such a way that that day the fire of gunpowder and blood perfumed the air of the territory of Antioca .

- "Miss Berenice, can I break the neck of this annoying field rat?" – Pressing his fingers a little on Aurora's neck, Demetrio could not restrain his thirst for blood at the fresh memory of the shame of being threatened by Prince Maximilian.

- "No honey, not yet. I need to give my farewell gift to my dear childhood friend" – Snapping their fingers to the servants who remained under the stage, they brought a rustic coffin from which muddy water was seen dripping from the cracks in the wood.

- "You know Aurora, I am going to tell you a secret. Something that has been bothering me since the first day I met you. I was always jealous of you.

I was jealous that no matter how many horrors I made you experience, you kept that damn light of hope in your eyes. I felt curious as to where that determination came from, that strength to resist adversity so steadfastly.

And I spied on you, I spied on you for a long time and I realized that relationship you had with that maiden. Oh what was it called? Oh yes, Eunice.

That pathetic maiden hungry to be a mother. The stupid one tried to be a mother figure to me long before I took you in.

Did she think that if she loved me I would grow up without hate or malice? Poor fool" – Laughing as she remembered that story, Berenice stuck those memories like thorns in Aurora's heart, until she saw that tears did not stop flowing from her eyes.

- "Please. Tell me no…"

- "What tell you what? Oh, haven't you figured it out yet, you stupid bitch? I never had the intention of releasing your dear Eunice from her prison... oh well, not in the way you would expect" - As the coffin lid opened, Aurora's eyes widened in horror as she contemplated the skeleton of a woman resting on the bed of the coffin. coffin.

Trying to deny with his heart what his mind was pronouncing rampant for throwing in his face, he saw that clothing on the bones of the corpse. Screaming in despair upon seeing a glow that rested on the battered hair that still remained on the skin that remained on the skull of that woman.

The only birthday present he had received in his life, that blue ribbon that provoked the wrath of the infamous Berenice. It was the unequivocal proof that the body of that woman was that of his beloved Eunice.

Crying inconsolably, clinging to the skull of someone who at some point hugged her during the long nights in the Rivera mansion, Aurora began to lose herself in a spiral of madness before the afflicted gaze of Prince Maximiliano.

- "Miss Berenice. I would like to rip off the head of this damn commoner, please give me permission" – Eager to open his jaws and eat her head in one bite, Demetrio approached the unfortunate Aurora. Who, absorbed in the midst of her pain, could not feel the saliva spilled by the fangs of the Viscount of Engracia.

- "Go ahead, do it" - With her hand resting on her cheek and directing the tip of her fan as she laughed, Berenice felt a blunt blow that injured her forehead. Among the few commoners who had not yet fallen into the hands of the magicians, a little girl was throwing stones at the young lady of the Rivera house.

Provoking his anger, breaking his concentration on the incomplete spell of Prince Maximilian's body.

Without touching her heart, Berenice channeled all her magic over the minor's small body, turning her into a doll that destroyed all the joints, throwing the parts into the air. It was in that brief moment that the third prince regained control of his body and feeling the blood flow where his arm had been severed, he pulled a dagger from his belt and pierced Baron Eusebio's neck.

Shocked to see her dying father, Miss Rivera channeled her magic over her father's body to turn him into a doll. Completely ignoring the prince who pounced on Aurora, casting a displacement spell making their bodies disappear into thin air.

- "Whoa, whoa. I told you your mind would break sooner or later creature. And here we are, once again seeing each other's faces as if this were already so natural" - Standing in front of Aurora in an astral plane full of darkness, the goddess Astaroth gloated over the misfortune of that woman who had lost everything from the moment when he crossed his path.

Broken in spirit, arms drooping, head bowed, Aurora had dropped her arms without resistance as if she were an empty shell.

- "It doesn't matter what world you are in, it doesn't matter where you go or how much you run away. You carry hell inside and you will never be able to tear it out of your pathetic being.

- "Run away? Of you? Is that even possible for me?" – Stabbing those words like a baby that can't defend itself, Aurora's soul had fallen into boredom to the point that she wanted eternal death.

Smiling at her with an unhealthy mockery, Astaroth took her by the hair and dragged her to a mirror where the immensity of the cosmos was reflected. With his right hand he lifted her chin and with his left hand, he raised her eyelids while digging his claws into them. Crushing her face against the glass while her pupils saw a nebula forming in front of her.

In that old reflection of countless eons in the past, a tired silhouette that let its light go out, rushed to a planet of beautiful turquoise blue. That familiar scenario brought Detective Aurora out of her trance, who recognized each element that began to appear to her eyes.

- "When you fell defeated by my hand, you took our father and fled from my presence like a beast that hides its tail between its legs. You were so pathetic, so useless, that it was a delight to see you so despicable when before I was haughty.

I thought you just ran away to find a place to die, but like a pesky insect, you resisted and as a last resort split your essence in two.

Do you know how much it cost me to find you for so many millennia? Jumping from body to body until for a moment I thought about giving up my search, but perseverance is a virtue of the gods.

And I found you there, with your power sealed in the bodies of a pair of twins. My beloved sister Minerva" – With that revelation hitting her in the face, Aurora felt how Astaroth threw her to the ground while materializing a glowing black energy sword.

- "Did you want to die? Did you get tired of your futile fight? Let me be a good sister and allow me to end your suffering once and for all, like the merciful goddess that I am" – At the moment that the edge was about to deal its fateful blow on Aurora's naked neck, a small hand appeared on her I walk stopping him suddenly.

- "What the hell?" – Being taken by surprise, Astaroth saw that the original essence of Silvia's body became aware of its own. When the eyes of Aurora and the little girl who was taken away at the age of five met, a weak voice came from her lips revealing its origin.

- "We don't have much time, our sister. As our time has already passed, we can only remain for a brief moment on this plane. The myth of the creation of this world is a lie, seek the truth and defeat Astaroth . Minerva, no. Aurora, we trust you" – The small arm of Silvia's astral entity began to break until her entire body was turned into pieces by the energy of Astaroth 's sword .

Who felt how the resulting burst of that clash of forces threw her against the astral mirror, to be absorbed by it.

- I have not been defeated! My pathetic sisters will never be able to defeat me. I will give you a brief time of grace Minerva, just a sigh in the immense ocean of eternity. In the past or in the future, my victory is assured" – With those last words, the astral mirror dissolved in the immense darkness of the plane. Causing Aurora little by little to recover consciousness.

Feeling immense pain from the space-time displacement spell, Aurora struggled to sit up, feeling an enormous weight imprisoning her against a rough and dusty surface.

When his eyes had fully recovered, he looked around and saw the night sky bathing the barren desert land in moonlight. No matter where he turned his face, horizons of sand and sparse vegetation were all that his eyes contemplated.

- "This is the desert of Goba , just a few days' journey from the capital of the kingdom of Sidelia " - With a broken voice, a man tried to lean on a rock dragging his body with great pain.

- "The prince?"

- "Yes, or what's left of me. I am very sorry for not having kept my promise, please forgive me" – With that white jacket covered in crimson red, the face of the fallen prince was pale and drenched in sweat.

The moment Aurora saw him clearly, she flung herself up to him to try and keep him awake. She knew that a patient with hypovolemic shock had to maintain consciousness or he would go into a coma, hastily removing his jacket and proceeding to tear off part of his skirt to apply a tourniquet to stop him from losing any more blood.

- "Woman... I"

- "Don't talk, you need to maintain your energy until we reach a place with civilization" - Feeling the cold on Prince Maximilian's skin, Aurora feared that his organs would begin to fail due to the lack of circulation in the smaller blood vessels. If that happened, cell death from hypoxemia would bring about multi-organ failure.

It was at that moment that he remembered the uniqueness of the Lichen race , who could partially recover by drinking the blood of another living being.

- "Prince, please. Take my blood, I need you to stay alive" – Tearing the neck of her dress leaving the skin of her shoulders partially bare, the young maiden brought her body closer to the prince's lips, who tried to push her away with the little strength he had left.

- "Have you lost your sanity? If a Lichen drinks the blood of a Maneki , it will die after three days from the poison we have in our fangs."

- "Please prince, I can't tell you now, but you must trust me. I will not die" – Approaching him once more, Aurora placed her neck on the prince's lips, who, feeling the throbbing of the veins of that soft neck, nailed his fangs delicately. At the same time, with his only arm, he hugged Aurora around the waist. Who little by little felt how the blood circulated faster from his heart to the wound on his neck.

- "Prince please, no more. Prince, I beg you. Stop!" – Realizing that his primitive instincts had taken over him for an instant, the prince quickly withdrew his jaws from Aurora's neck. Who was panting heavily as she covered the wound on her neck with a piece of cloth.

- "Are you OK?"

- "No , damn idiot! No one would feel good if you suddenly sucked it down like a fucking energy shake."

- "Energy shake? What's that?" – Falling into a deep sleep that was not life threatening, the prince collapsed on the sand while Aurora checked his temperature and heart rate. After waiting a few minutes, he tied his feet by his waist and began to drag him unconscious through that vast desert.

With extreme weather both day and night, the Goba Desert was an inhospitable region that merchants used to transit in caravans for seasons. With scorching heat during the day and bitter cold at nightfall, this setting was a crossroads for any traveler who ventured to travel alone through its cruel sands.

With her body trembling from the cold, Aurora felt that her teeth were chattering while the wound on her neck did not stop throbbing. Just as the prince had told him, the Maneki were a race that was weak to Lichen poison . But for her that ordeal was not the first time she had experienced such pain.

When Eusebio attacked her inside the cell the first time they met, that man bit her with the intention of killing him slowly and painfully, believing her to be a Maneki . But because only his appearance had changed, the latent blood of the Lichen in his body allowed him to survive the poison. Spending five days in severe pain and fever while in Eunice's care. Who was shocked to see her survive after he noticed the bite marks on her neck.

- " Arghhh , fucking prince. If you weren't so handsome, I would throw you to the side of the road and continue walking by myself" – Turning her face to see the condition in which Maximiliano was, Aurora saw that face with its calm expression and gave a deep sigh.

- "You are not to blame for the shitty life I've had. You're like me, just an unfortunate mudblood who has no place to return to" – Outlining a smile with a hint of spite, Aurora continued walking through the sands of Goba while the night wind shook the dust storms on the horizon.