Chapter 129: Chapter 129
"Alright, I get it. Get out now."
Waving his hand in concealed amusement the Emperor dismissed his son.
The rest of the Royal Family, who had stayed silent during their tense exchange glanced at each other in wonder, surprised at how easily the Crown Prince had avoided losing his position when no excuse was given for his actions.
Nonetheless, no word of disagreement was spouted by any of them.
Such scenes were not uncommon for the head of their family was known for his unpredictable pretentiousness, yet, this was the first time his Majesty had placed the Crown Prince’s seat on the line depending on his response.
Slightly rising his thick eyebrow in displeasure at the condescending tone his Father was permitting his withdrawal, Zeleskiaz turned his back on him and walked out of the Dining Hall holding back unbecoming responses that would lengthen his stay.
Watching him leave so quietly, Francois called for a young servant to come closer and ordered, guided by previous experience.
"Tell everyone to ensure all cages are full... And order more beasts... We ought to be prepared."
*******
Pacing his path through the wide ancient hallways of his Royal Residence, the Crown Prince pondered on his Father’s attitude.
The man who would pester him with superfluous queries had been easily satisfied with a disregarding reply and allowed him to leave his irritating presence swiftly unlike ordinary.
Regardless, his ponder was as fleeting as ever. Zeleskiaz had prior matters to attend to in his muddled notions.
The Lady had effortlessly left his sights and only the remaining sweetness of her essence could be felt on the paths she had stepped on with light strides.
Devoid of urgency, he walked... following her guiding fragrance at mellowing pace, reminiscing on the stroll he took with her dainty body in his arms.
The graze of her arms holding onto him, squeezing her seductive upper body to enhance the ridge of her mischievously hidden chest...
If not for the proximity of her visage, enabling her to easily perceive where his sights were.....
’... Bloody body she has.....’ — He thought in frustration, reminded of his struggles as he let a long waft leave his chest. — "... Yet..."
"... She’s... stiff..."
Recalling how stony her body reacted to every touch his hands managed to give her... The image of her, interacting with Duke Sylfinnier, crossed his mind.
How the Lady’s movements seemed natural and unrestrained... Almost as relaxed and elegant as the time both shared their first dance... Was invoking a complex emotion in him.
Frowning at the conflicting sentiments being revived, he pondered on the reasons, failing to get any idea that could explain the troubled sensations filling the uncomfortable void of ignorance in his chest.
Nothing came to his mind.
Blank like never before, his highly built intellect could not conceive a reason for the mysterious yearning he was being overrun with.
’I... Want that... Her silky gestures... I want them...’
The way her hands and legs drifted with weightless grace, devoid of hesitation to walk and support herself on her Father... How her body seemed to pertain to an endless dance of the winds when she levitated in their shared piece of melody at the ball... Was only enough to develop an honest and rough desire in replacement for his doubt’s real answer.
His thumb toured through the neighbouring long fingers, restless to attain that behaviour from the Lady in his presence.
"... Fuuuhhh..."
It was as he yearned for it with tired exhalation, glimpsing at the open windows illuminating the corridors with the natural sunlight... that a throbbing stab overwhelmed his heart, turning the deep red shade of his pupils intense in a chaotic invasion, nearly hiding in its entirety the beautiful hyacinths inhabiting his fierce eyes.
—..... Gorgeous blood to....—
"!"
An ominous whisper, distorted in the swirling mind of the Crown Prince, crawled into his skin with disgusting twists of his veins as the painful thirst dried his mouth brazenly.
His hands clenched with hurtful strength and his throat gasped for air fighting to appease the sudden strike from the wild instincts accompanying him from an early age.
The outburst was powerful yet thankfully brief.
The Prince’s eyes returned to normal as fast as they suddenly dilated in red, and only his heart kept beating erratically to the disruptive explosion.
Watching his surroundings, no one was near and, relieved that the disgusting phenomenon halted in a second, Zeleskiaz rolled his eyes, narrowing them to ultimately close them in annoyance.
’... Dr*tting Fenrir...’
The pulsating thirst, the one he was unfortunately very familiar with had been kept after the sudden strike, menacing to grow as it used to and forcing Zeleskiaz to leave the delightfully scented path leading to the Lady... To take care of his inner beast’s cravings.
Continuing to hope for the Lady’s good impression on him, he hastily made his way to his personal quarters, where the helpful cage filled with birds waited for him.
*******
... Splat... Splat.. splat...
The creature’s blood fell indiscriminately on the clean floor.
The pitiful unshapen corpse, which feathers tried to scape the Crown Prince’s hold through any gap they could find, was dishevelled and dirtied by the stench of its original bearer.
The view of six other corpses, resting uselessly at his feet incited his annoyance to rise, causing his hand to crumple the one still in his fist.
"Tsk."
Crash!...
....clink..Clink. Thud.
Clicking his tongue, Zeleskiaz flicked his hand to its full extension, throwing the corpse in his hand with unbelievable speed, crashing the window further to his side.
Suddenly striding away from the dirtied spot in front of the enormous cage, he slammed its gate, shaking the rest of the birds held inside.
Displeased, he took a seat at the nearest armchair and stared at his hand with disgust as he thought of the Frail Lady he wanted to touch with them.
"...F*ck...!"
Hitting the table by his side, he broke it with that unsightly blotched fist, to then comb his unruly hair back with its moistened red, turning his golden white strands dyed on the bird’s blood.
It was a nauseating action to execute, yet, the Prince had done so with desperation for its stench would reach his nostrils with ease, avoiding the upsetting stance of his drenched hand right in front of his face to fill his lungs with the demanded smell.
Annoyed by the dreary ambience he painfully frowned, shutting his eyes for a moment to drive the smell into him.
Feeling the new hot pink strands of hair falling heavily forward, freed of the glueing moist of its dyeing fluid, reached his sights by the edges, reminding him of the one he was so desperate to attain ease on his instincts for.
Her beautiful hair was nothing like the shade he had adopted with the help of blood and so, once again, a bothersome sensation ignited on his chest.
However, unlike usual, he recognized what it was that had summoned this hazardous emotion...
Shame.
The awareness of her authentic and clean existence being desired by those foul hands... Sent to Zeleskiaz’s soul a regretful shame for wanting to lay them on her majestic figure and flesh.
Nonetheless...
"Only you..." — The Crown Prince said in a wretched whisper. — "I shall only ask forgiveness to you, My Lady..... Let these shameless hands hold your softness without learning their repulsion..."
’... Or I will fall deeper into misery...’
Leaning forward to appreciate the rough leftovers on his hand, he caught watch of the nearly uncovered cage, stained by red droplets as the insignificant creatures flapped their wings deprived of freedom.
The light sliding into his bedroom illuminated the darkness of his residing space and his eyes, flooded in its brightness, beamed as he saw the hue of the rosy light in a further sky turn sophisticated like brilliant Sapphires.
... Shift...
Drawn to the beauty, the graze of his clothing as he stood echoed through the now bleak room, and his steps sounded as they drove him closer to the broken and slightly dirtied red window.
Placing his hand on the untidy curtain, he moved it slightly aside, imprinting the dirty leftovers on it and murmured to himself as he tried to trace her existence with his whole being.
"... Lady... My Fair Lady....." — Opening his eyes after concentrating on his instincts, he looked outside in a certain direction and softened his expression, grinning and trembling with great pleasure at his findings.
"..... Marianne....."
As if it was the work of capricious fate... Once again he found himself watching her figure from the distance.
Her back, travelled by the long reddish braid, letting the milky shoulders uncovered by the leafiness of her hair... leaning on a terrace’s railings seemingly relaxed...
"... Dangerous and selfish Lady... Am I..... Sentenced to always crawl to shorten our distance...?... If so..."
Smoothly opening the window in its entirety he stepped on the edge and skillfully jumped to silently land on the end of the railing she was supporting herself in, placing his hand on the near wall to observe the ever indifferent to his presence Lady.
’Receive me like that night... And let me taste you with no restrictions...’ — The Crown Prince’s eyes fell on the tilted neck, displaying its certainly savoury skin. — ’For I’ll go mad if you don’t, my Lady. ’
Intentionally, he stepped down from the rail making a soft sound this time as his feet reached the ground. Noticeable enough for her to listen to his step and react peacefully in solemnity to what had caused it.
The Lady only turned her crown slowly, and unexpectedly, her visage was portraying a seductive grin.
Drowsy gaze and slightly lifted plump lips, looking like a passionate daydream in her deep red dress.
Meeting his line of sight, the Lady’s relaxed countenance menaced to return to its common gloom, causing the dazed Crown Prince to flinch in fright to let it completely disappear.
"... No." — Rushing to her side with a dreamy tone, only two long strides were enough to reach her and without a long pause, he continued to speak as his hands went carefully to grab hold of her lovely visage. — "Lady... My Lady... Please don’t let yourself fade in front of me....."