Goodbye Hello

The morning had started as any other did; Marcus on his knees before the bed, his hands on his Elf's thighs as he gave said Elf his morning release. This was something that Sigil demanded of him most mornings. It was rare that he wouldn't be found in his knees soon after Sigil awoke.

What was different from their usual mornings was that, instead of their usual morning romp, the two had dressed in a tense and stony silence.

It wasn't until they were walking through the halls that Marcus decided to talk. "Hopefully we'll find someone impressive at the pantry," he hummed as he tied his long, pin-straight hair into a high ponytail. "I hadn't the need to go in near four hundred years. I hope there's something decent on offer."

Sigil glanced at Marcus and gave a short nod, even with the silence between them broken there was still a tense air around the two of them.

"Lets hope so."

The man hadn't needed to enter the pantry because he had always taken care of his needs, the slaves in there didn't know the Prince's bite, a fact he hadn't quite appreciated until this point.

"I won't accept anything but second best," he hummed softly.

He couldn't take the best. The best was standing right next to him and was being freed today.

That thought was bittersweet.

Sigil kept his eyes forward as they walked, over the years he had learned enough about the workings of the castle to know how to avoid suspicion.

"Are you going to be alright without me?"

He asked, perhaps he put too much importance on himself, or maybe he was just concerned for the Prince.

Either way, it was easy enough to feel that this whole event was a little straining for the two of them.

Marcus was silent for a long moment.

"I'll learn to be," he replied honestly.

He wouldn't be all right for a long while, but he would learn. Time would pass and he'd settle into a new routine. Until he settled down, though, it would be extraordinarily difficult for him.

He nodded slightly, his own sentiment was very much the same.

"I had my reservations about it too last night."

It had taken him a long time to be able to get to sleep, his mind was busy with thoughts of what would happen once this collar was removed.

He wanted his freedom but he didn't want to lose what he had in order to get it.

Neither of them wanted to lose the other, no matter how good the freedom they would have was.

Marcus really didn't want to lose Sigil.

"I could just be greedy and take a second slave and just take you into battle with me when I go," Marcus suggested with a little chuckle.

Sigil gave a soft chuckle and shook his head.

"I'm sure that would go down well."

The Queen wasn't likely to offer him his freedom again if he rejected it now, he would be stuck inside these walls for eternity, only being sneaked out on occasion.

"I do want my freedom, but neither of us can guarantee how often we will see one another and there is so much I am going to miss."

Sigil wasn't normally one to share his feelings, it made things messy given their situation.

"Like Lycan blood," Marcus replied dryly.

His mother usually wouldn't mind him being greedy; having more than one slave. But with Sigil in the mix? She would find every reason under the moon for it to not happen.

"It depends how messy the war will be with mothers new trinket."

If the Oracle played nice with them, they would likely spend only a little time with each other. If he fought his mother... well, they'd be seeing more of each other.

"She really does hate me."

He had a good idea why that was too, the Queen wasn't stupid, she had to know that something was going on between them and it was a threat to her notions of Marcus getting wed and carrying on her bloodline.

"Wouldn't be surprised if she has someone lined up to take me out on the battlefield."

She had tried it before, Sigil had been stopped by guards in the halls and beaten, but they had come off worse in most cases.

"And once the war is over?"

He asked, what reason would there be beyond the fighting to spend excessive time with a lowly soldier.

"I doubt I'll ever be able to get promoted beyond a foot-soldier."

He wouldn't be allowed in the higher ranks which would warrant more contact with Marcus.

"If she even tried, I would take her off the throne and give it to Rosalind just to spite her," came Marcus' cool voice.

At his current level of power he was almost a physical match for his mother. With his mind addled by grief and anger, nothing would stop him from overpowering his mother and giving the entire country to Cierra's least favourite daughter; so disliked that she wasn't even a named heir.

The Vampire quirked a perfect brow, mischief alight in his ice blue eyes.

"Remember who is not in control of the armies. I can promote and demote anyone I care to, whether it is taken well by others or not."

Marcus gave a nod to the guards stood in front of the pantry door as he stepped inside.

A hush came over everyone within the room.

Price Marcus was here!

Sigil's lips quirked into a smirk at the thought of that, Rosalind on the throne, perhaps it would be enough to finally put Cierra into the ground for good.

Sigil getting promoted definitely would no go down well, and Elf in the higher ranks of the Vampire army, people would go crazy over it, an idea he personally enjoyed.

"You would put all of your soldiers into a frenzy."

The Elf quieted down as they neared the pantry, it was best to keep their conversations between themselves.

They could use that frenzy to fight the Wolves..

It would be advantageous either way.

Marcus' ice-like gaze turned over every group in the room. He strolled forwards, his heeled boots clicking against the marble flooring. At the far end of the room were a series of thrones. This room was made to entertain the royal family. Each named heir had their throne. Marcus' had never been sat in before.

Not until now, that is.

He sat down and crossed one leg over the other, motioning for Sigil to sit in the throne to his left. Cierra's throne.

Sigil's yellow-green gaze turned over the room, he remembered his rather short stay in this place, though he hadn't been allowed on this floor.

Since then he hadn't ventured back despite the fact that Slaves were allowed to enter as they pleased.

The corners of his lips curled up as Marcus motioned to Cierra's throne, the Prince had a deathwish for them both.

He raised an eyebrow at the man but did as he was bit, just as one last 'fuck you' to the Queen before he was freed.

He sat down on the throne, much to the shock of the Slaves and Guards around them.

"Well?" Marcus asked, eyes sweeping over the slaves in the room.

"One of you has to impress us enough to in for a chance of escaping this place."

The Vampire leaned forwards with a wicked grin.

"Someone best start."

Gossip had been spreading among the Slaves that Marcus was freeing Sigil, and if he was rare to see Marcus it was even more so to see Sigil.

The nervous energy in the room was blindingly obvious and the Elf couldn't help but chuckle softly as he lay back in the throne, this was more fun than he had expected.

Slowly some of the Slaves grew more brave, a handful of men and women of different ages and species knelt at the Prince's knees, fawning over him in bids to gain his affection, it worked with the Queen, so it had to work on him, right?

Marcus merely leaned back in his chair, looking up at the ornate ceiling with an expression of pain.

Were these slaves so simple that they thought a few sweet words and bowing to him would get his attention?

"I do not understand how she stands this," he said conversationally to Sigil, not tearing his gaze from the ceiling. "No amount of ego stroking is worth the achingly boring sensation of having to listen to it all."

He couldn't stop himself from rolling his eyes at the mere sight of these Slaves, really, that was how they were going to try and woo him?

Pathetic.

"Remember when you found me? I do believe a cursed the very ground you walked on and spat at you."

He reminded the man with a chuckle before shoving a Slave out of the way and biting into the side of Marcus' neck firmly before lapping at it slowly and bringing his lips to the man's ear.

"Don't be a twat, they've been conditioned by your mother, what do you expect?"

He murmured softly before nipping his earlobe and leaning back into his seat.

"You bit a chunk of my hand off," the Vampire chuckled, a small but very real grin forming on his lips.

He remembered that day quite well.

Marcus gave a soft pleased groan as he was bitten, shivering when the Elf's tongue lapped over his pale skin.

"I expect to be impressed, not bored to death."

Sigil had hoped his little display of sexuality toward Marcus would prompt them into action, but they didn't really do all that much except look up at the two of them confused and a little concerned since they were boring the Prince.

They were all too scared to touch him let alone bite a chunk out of him.

It was at this moment that the doors to the pantry were opened again, this time it was a Slave that entered.

Miriel was rather petite for a man his age, like many Elves if you were just looking at his face it would be hard to tell he was a man, the fact that he was only dressed in a very sheer robe left no margin for error.

He had long blond hair that brushed against the base of his backside, his bright green eyes glanced over at the gathering by the throne, widening as he noticed who was sat upon the Queens.

He walked over a little faster, his moved hindered as he almost limped, his body tensing a little with each step, giving away his discomfort, the Queen had give him a parting gift when he had left her only moment before.

"A Slave shouldn't be on the Queen's throne."

He said, his bravery wavering when he saw the Prince sitting beside him, a look of shock, taking over his features.

Marcus drew his eyes from the sculpted ceiling when someone called out to Sigil.

His gaze pierced the slaves like shards of ice as he titled his head slightly.

"When the slave has more worth than the queen herself, I believe it quite all right." His voice was clear and precise, though he didn't raise it. His voice was one that naturally carried, even over whisper voices in a crowd.

Sigil chuckled as Marcus shared down the Slave, he didn't know what was more chilling the Prince's eyes or his voice.

Miriel took a hesitant step back, as if the those ice shard eyes had actually struck him, a shiver ran through his body, which made him tense in discomfort as the gift inside of him shifted.

The Slave's mouthed opened for a moment as it to retort but promptly shut again as he bowed his head, he didn't apologize though, he wouldn't let any slander toward the Queen be validated by him saying anything further.

Marcus laughed.

"You won't defend her because I scare you." With one fluid movement, Marcus stood and began striding towards the boy. "But you won't apologise because you want to defend her."

He stopped a few feet away from the boy.

"Quite a dilemma you've got here. Will you speak out against the prince to defend the queen?"

Sigil sat back with a little grin, Marcus was being cruel but it was always funny to watch, especially with these timid little mice.

A lump formed in Miriel's throat as Marcus spoke and he could feel his heart beating in his chest, more so as the clicking of boots against the floor drew closer.

He didn't lift his head, afraid of meeting the man's gaze again.

He bit the inside of his lip, trying to decide what to do, Marcus was wearing down his will to say anything further whilst egging him on to do it.

Either way he would be in trouble at this point, either for allowing a slave on the Queen's throne or for speaking out against the Prince.

It all came down to who's favor he wanted to remain in, he rarely saw the Prince, and he served the Queen, both as a source of food and a play thing.

"...no Slave has more worth than the Queen..."

He murmured, looking down at his bare feet, his body tensed a little, bracing to be struck.

The silence that followed was thick. Painfully so. Like it was trying to choke everyone in the room.

Marcus' soft chuckles sweetened the air, flowing thick like honey.

"So loyal to my mother." His hand slid over the boy's throat before gripping it firmly, lifting Miriel so he could stare into the boy's eyes.

"I'll break that out of you, I'm sure." He smirked wickedly before his face went blank. "Sigil," he ordered sharply.