The Prince's Eye

Marcus' hand gripped the Shifter's hair tightly, yanking it back so his throat was exposed.

"There are only two people allowed to touch my throat and you are neither. You want to be fed from?" A wicked smirk curled his lips as he leaned down. "All right." Six fangs pierced the boy's neck brutally.

Faolan pushed himself to his feet and stepped towards Cierra.

"Any gift from you is welcome at any time, Lady Cierra."

The shifter tensed as he was yanked back, looking up at Marcus in fear as the man smirked at him, he had seen that look on Cierra's face many times, he didn't like it.

The boy cried out as his neck was pierced, tears welling in his eyes at the brutality of the act, he was accustomed to Cierra's more delicate fangs over these. He gave a sob as he struggled in the man's grip, he knew better than to offer himself to Marcus now.

Cierra stood slowly and took a step toward Faolan, smiling up at him before her fist collided with his face, smacking him in the jaw roughly.

It was a general rule in the castle; if you cannot deal with Cierra at her most violent, don't go for Marcus at his least. Marcus was a brutal creature.

But as soon as the boy started struggling, he let go of him, nudging the boy out of his lap.

"I'm not a fan of shifter blood." The taste of animals just wasn't something he enjoyed. if he wanted to drink something that tasted like a dog, he'd drink directly from a dog.

The Elf returned the woman's smile before grunting loudly, his hand coming up to press against his sore cheek.

She had quite a good punch on her.

A little grin curled his lips as he titled his head up to offer his throat to her silently. "Nails. Make it look like you were trying to hold me still as you fed."

The boy gave a whimper as he scampered away from Marcus, clutching onto his neck tenderly as he backed away looking ashamed, turning and walking hurriedly back toward the pantry where he could rest this off in peace.

Her nails bit into the flesh of his throat, dragging them a little to make it look like he pulled away from her, she pressed her fangs roughly into his throat before pulling them out again, ripping the holes to show more of a struggle.

Her arm wrapped around him, her nails dragging down his back and carving it open, he really did look like he had resisted her.

For his credit, Faolan didn't resist her.

He gasped and groaned as her nails and fangs bit into his teeth, though those noises weren't quite as pained as was probably deemed socially acceptable. Especially with her son in the room.

Faolan gave a shaky breath as his eyes flickered open.

He licked his lower lip slowly, eyes dropping down to meet hers. His lids were dropped slightly, his eyes smouldering.

A smirk curled at her lips as he looked down at her with those eyes.

She reached up and grasped his chin, guiding him down until her lips brushed against his. However, instead of gracing them with a kiss, she bit into them sharply until they split and spilled blood down his chin.

"There."

She purred, pulling away from him, looking over his wounds, admiring them as she licked his blood from her lips.

"Looks like you're ready to go."

Faolan's lips parted slightly as her lips barely brushed against his own.

A soft hiss sounded as her teeth sank into his lip.

He looked ready to go. But right now Faolan had some rather vivid thoughts of taking the woman up to an empty room and showing her what such rough acts did to his body.

But, that would have to wait.

They'd had a conversation just a few hours ago about why that would never do when courting.

"I will return by tomorrow evening." And then he swept out of the room.

_____________________________________________________
It was easier than he thought. Not ten minutes after he had entered the castle, the King had turned his back and gestured grandly as he insulted Cierra.

That was when he had struck.

Really, people needed to keep their guard up more often.
_____________________________________________________
He had returned as he had promised in the evening the day after his departure, riding a horse with a bag hanging from his belt alongside his sword. The bottom of the bag was stained a dark red.

Faolan walked through the castle halls behind a servant as he was led towards the Queen's throne room.

Her usual servant had gone into hiding for the day, apparently spooked by Marcus, though the boy had been right, the shifter's blood was getting less and less satisfying as the taste of dog became more apparent.

The woman sat in her throne, a long black gown gracing her body as two slaves sat on the ground either side of her, her heads resting against her legs as they fawned over her.

Her gaze flickered up as the throne room door opened, she hadn't expected this, honestly she had doubted Faolan's ability.

Faolan's ability wasn't something to be doubted.

He hadn't had much action over the last hundred years, but before that he had had eighteen hundred years on the battlefield.

That counted for a lot in times like this.

The Prince stepped forwards, stopping just before the steps up to her throne.

He unlaced the bag from his belt and set it down at her feet.

Cierra reached forward without a word and took the bag from the ground, pulling it open with a wide grin as she gripped the man's hair and pulled his detached head from within it.

"How lovely."

She purred as she held it so that he was facing her, his expression never-changing.

"Send my sorcerers to reclaim the land we lost and begin work on invading those lands whilst they are without a leader."

She instructed to one of her guards before handing the dripping head to the Vampire.

"Hang that from the palace door, I want everyone to see my new present."

The smile on her face was evidence enough that she was pleased.

"You spoil me, Faolan."

She purred, looking up at him.

Faolan stood silently as he watched her marvel over his gift and bark orders at the servants dotted around the room.

When she addressed him, he smiled, his split lips stretching upwards.

"I find it highly unlikely that people could not spoil a beauty such as yourself, Lady Cierra."

He was sure she'd received many such gifts from people before.

"I've warned you about flattery."

She replied with a soft chuckle, it would do him no good, still, she did find him amusing.

"I think with this gift you have earned the right to court me, Prince Faolan."

He could attempt to court her, many had gotten to this stage before and failed miserably, she was interested to see how this all turned out.

A smile curled his lips as he bowed to her, reaching for her hand to lay a gentle kiss to ker knuckles.

"Thank you kindly for such an offer, Lady Cierra."

When he pulled back he realised that he had gotten blood on her skin. Smiling had opened the split in his lip again. That had happened numerous times in the past day. The split in his lip had opened and reopened a handful of times.

His thumb rubbed gently over the droplets of blood on her skin.

Cierra chuckled softly as he rubbed the blood from her hand, her lap was covered in blood from lifting the necromancer's head, the Slaves on either side of her were speckled with it too.

"Dinner will be served soon, perhaps we should get ourselves cleaned up before then."

She replied, they were both blood splattered, Faolan more so than Cierra.

"Will you be staying in Nalithia or returning home?"

Getting cleaned up would be nice.

He had his own blood clinging to his skin and flaking off for the past two days. It wasn't a pleasant feeling.

"That is up to my fair Queen," he replied.

His eyes met hers, brow quirking upwards.

"Do you wish for me to stay or to leave?"

"We are never out of spare beds."

She replied as she rose to her feet and led him out of the throne room, back toward the room he had spent the night.

"Though I suppose we will have to make a few arrangements for your room, I suppose my castle is a little cold for your liking."

It was constantly dark and the building was made of stone, it was fairly cold in here when the fires were not lit.

He followed behind her as she led him through the halls.

"It will not become a problem any time soon."

Living in the cool castle would eventually sap his strength from him. But he wouldn't even notice the sap to his strength for a few weeks.

And even then he'd still be able to function well.

A heat conjure could be tricky to produce and he didn't want her magical resources going into his comfort rather than reclaiming her land.

"Still, I'll have the maid light the fireplace for you."

At least in the comfort of his own room he would be warm, even without the sunlight or magic.

"Be sure to ask if you need anything, I do want you to be comfortable while you're staying with us."

Cierra was a good host to those she actually wanted staying in the castle, so far Faolan had pleased her, which was more than could be said for most.

The man gave a small nod.

"Thank you, Lady Cierra."

Faolan hadn't thought he would get this far in his split decision to court the Queen. This was all such a pleasant surprise for him. He'd expected to be shot down immediately and tuck his tail between his legs as he turned to his original plan of courting one of her daughters.

It was all a truly pleasant surprise and he couldn't help but smile as they arrived at his room.

He bowed his head to press a kiss to Cierra's pale cheek, plucking up the courage to slowly lick the blood from her skin.

"I will see you when I look more like a Prince and less an urchin on the streets." he stroked a lock of her dark hair gently before tucking it behind an ear.