The White & the Black Kings

Milena could feel the thick and warm blood running down her temple, but her eyes hadn't been harmed enough to explain what she was seeing right now. She blinked a couple of times, but the vision of the young Queen, standing all the way across the hall, wasn't going away. The Queen had never looked so disheveled, so ragged and tired. There was blood on the end of her skirt, and her long blonde braid was coming undone. Not only that, but she had a faint bruise on her cheek, no makeup, and looked out of breath. So she really had left the safety of the De Boreal Manor to come and help... Milena wished she hadn't. From so far, she couldn't tell for sure, but it seemed that Philomenie's usual white gloves had turned a mud, blood and ashes color. The Queen glanced around the scene, horrified by the bodies, and, further away, her eyes finally met Milena's. Both women stared at each other with shocked expressions, horrified by the other's state.

However, this time, it only fueled anger and despair in the young Queen's eyes. Tears appearing on her cheeks, she turned to her husband and his twin, looking determined.

"Enough!" She repeated. "Ellias, please, for the Love of God, let's put an end to this madness! ...Do you have any idea what our people are going through? This is sheer madness!"

"...There she comes," scoffed her husband. "The precious saintess. Where the hell did you come from, my Queen, after you abandoned me like the weak coward you are!"

Philomenie stepped back, visibly shocked and scared by the anger in his words; Subtly, Rayan positioned himself between the furious King and his wife, but as Ellias stepped towards her, he could only raise his sword without stopping him.

"Of all people, I didn't think you'd dare betray me! Did you flee with your bastard lover?"

"You're not in a position to lecture me about having lovers," she retorted.

The venom in her voice seemed to take her husband aback, calming him down for a second. Even Milena was shocked. The anger in Philomenie's voice matched her own tone when she was mad... Visibly gathering all of her willpower to step forward again, the young woman didn't avert her teary blue eyes.

"All this time, I tried to hold on," she cried. "I tried to act like it was fine, I tried to believe you knew what to do. I was hoping to match your expectations', my parents and Queen Lyriana's, telling myself God had a plan for us and you'd eventually find the right way. I did everything I could to be a better Queen, but it never mattered, did it Ellias? All along, none of you ever took me seriously. I was just to be your pretty-looking, popularity-token Queen. I tried to convince myself we were fighting some evil, that you were my knight in shining armor, but in the end, that was just my empty self dreaming of something you'd never, ever become!"

"I don't need any lectures from you," Ellias hissed. "I don't need a lecture from a woman who betrayed me!"

"I NEVER BETRAYED YOU!" She shouted back. "I tried, every way I could, to protect the idiot I was so desperately in love with! I did everything you wanted, Ellias, I kept up the act all the way! I let my beloved brother go to war for you! I even risked my life and gave you a daughter!"

"You sided with her!" He yelled. "You sided with Milena and my brother instead of me!"

"I tried to protect our family, you selfish, blind and pathetic man! They are your family, the only one you have left, and even I know they cared about you, Ellias! You're just too blind to see, your mother blinded you to it all along, and now you-"

"NOT A WORD ABOUT MY MOTHER!"

He tried to jump towards her, but Rayan stepped forward to meet his sword with his. Both brothers' blades clashed while the Queen was still safely away, although she was an absolutely tragic wreck, sobbing and heartbroken. Milena didn't want her to witness this, the madness of her own husband, his fall. Never would she have thought Ellias would actually ever dare to harm his own wife, yet now, Rayan was the only one holding him back.

"Stop fighting!" Philomenie begged again.

The absolute tragedy of the situation was heart-wrenching for all but one. Milena heard Silvius chuckle next to her ear.

"That boy is pathetic beyond repair indeed... Him and his mommy issues. He sure was the easiest one to manipulate. And I never needed his body for that."

Milena was fed up with his words, she was fed up with this horrible situation. She glanced to the side. Raelius, still down on one knee and bleeding from his injury, had his eyes on the scene too. The only one who hadn't moved was Blanche. Milena tried to breathe in, to calm her furious heartbeat. Blanche's golden eyes weren't leaving her a single second, she was determined to save her. Her growl at the barrel held against Milena's temple was just non-stop, warning the man.

Milena's eyes moved to the scene inside the hall. The twins' fight had resumed, even more violent than before. Ellias had been made even madder by the arrival of his wife. Philomenie's cries and pleas for the twins to stop fighting were filling the hall, along with the sounds of their fight. One of them was going to lose soon, and it was hard to predict which. Rayan wasn't trying to kill his brother, out of concern for his life, but most importantly, for Milena's; Meanwhile, Ellias was in a frenzied state, not holding back his strikes, but somewhat impaired by his abnormal sensations, too. She saw him stumble a couple of times over nothing, and he was breathing hard, blinking too many times. She knew that state all too well, and he was in an even worse state than she had been in.

Suddenly, a faint light caught her eye. It was far, on the opposite side of the Hall, but the moonlight happened to touch it at the right moment; The silver, metallic end of a g*n, in the Queen's hand. Milena shivered, her blood went cold. Philomenie. She had never seen her hold such a weapon before, she had never seen the Queen capable of harming anyone! Yet, this explained her tears, and the absolute despair in her voice.

"Stop it," she cried again.

Milena slowly saw her raise the weapon, with her trembling fingers, so much she had to lift it with both hands. A cold, icy voice whispered next to her ear.

"This is it," he chuckled. "The final act..."

She suddenly understood. 

It hit her like thunder. This was Silvius’ Plan. He didn't want to capture her, it didn't even make sense that he'd be personally there to witness it all! No, he could have simply hid in the shadows longer, let the twins fight to the death. 

...But their death was exactly his goal. He wanted Ellias to die to take over his body, and he wanted Rayan to die by the hand of his twin to cut short the vampires' hopes; It didn't matter which killed the other. All he wanted was both twins dead, close enough that he'd confirm Rayan's death, and take over Ellias' body. Perhaps he even planned to impersonate the young King, pretend he had bested his brother and take over the Kingdom once again. This was all his plan. An orchestrated act only he could come out victorious from. He had gathered all here to die, to witness them all kill each other! He had put them all up against each over, while he pulled all the strings, again. They had all been nothing but pawns, gathered here for this purpose. Philomenie's arrival didn't even matter, no, it was only going to quicken the end! Milena took a deep breath, trying to calm down, and to prepare herself. Nobody else was there to realize this. Rayan was too busy trying to contain his brother's madness, Philomenie was overwhelmed by grief. 

Her purple eyes slowly went down on the Chessboard. She let another tear run down her cheek. This was it. Her final move to end the game. Her Queen was already gone, but she had to finish it, she had to get that checkmate. She tried to think quickly of her final strategy, the final piece of her plan. She had to trust them all, or this would all be over. She had to use those she had left at hand. Her chess pieces. Her people. Her purple eyes went to Raelius first, hoping he'd look at her, hoping she could tell him the one thing he needed to know. Everything was going to happen fast, like destiny, devious, relentless and foolish. She had to be sure...

"Stop fighting!" She screamed.

Her voice took everyone by surprise, except the Princes. They glanced her way, for a second, but their duel was so violent, the faintest second of distraction could be fatal. They didn't stop; In her ear, Silvius chuckled.

"Too bad, Princess. You're wasting your time too..."

No, she wasn't. Milena's shout wasn't meant for the Princes, it was meant to get Raelius and Philomenie's attention. Her ancestor looked at her, finally, and she mimicked the words, very carefully, with her lips. His red eyes opened a bit wider, in surprise, but Silvius didn't notice. Blanche growled even louder too, which might have helped to distract him for those precious seconds Milena needed. Either way, he couldn't have known what Milena had said. She followed with a very faint nod, l*****g her bloody-tasting lips before turning her eyes back to Philomenie. 

The young Queen was standing, across the Hall, looking completely at a loss what to do, the g*n hanging in her hand. The tears on her cheeks were like two continuous streams, her lips trembling. Milena knew she was too far, but it didn't matter. She trusted her.

"...The Queen always wins with her King," she said.

"What?" Groaned Silvius, annoyed.

"The... The Queen is the strongest piece," Milena continued, a bit louder. "Even if she's sacrificed early in the game, as long as her King survives, the Queen will win too."

"What nonsense are you talking about now!" He hissed.

She looked up, making sure Rayan was hearing her. Not just him, but Raelius was frowning too.

"Our Kings are still standing," she said, her voice breaking a bit. "Both of them. The White King and the Black King. ...The Black Rook will be sacrificed."

"What nonsense are you saying now! Shut up!"

Milena closed her eyes for a second, the pain against her temple getting worse. Just like the Queen, she couldn't repress her cries, but it didn't matter anymore.

"The Black Rook will be sacrificed," she said, louder. "To take down your Queen."

"Enough!"

He pulled her back even further, visibly worried about her words. His eyes kept going to the Chessboard, to Blanche and to Raelius and, further away, to the red eyes of the Prince. Rayan was listening too, and Milena smiled when their eyes met. The two brothers' swords clashed again, violently. This time, they were pushing against each other. Each twin's blood was soaking the other's sword. Their injuries couldn't be numbered, they were both bleeding, out of breath, desperate to overpower the other. However, Milena's screams, and Silvius pushing her back to the balcony, was a more pressing issue for one of them. He saw her weak, broken smile, on her trembling red lips. Her King shook his head, slowly.

"The Black Knight is the one to take down the King," she muttered, a cry in her voice. "But the Queen has to go."

"Stop talking, you foolish woman!" Silvius shouted. "Enough talking! One more word and that bullet goes through your head!"

It didn't need to. Milena's lips carried her words again, in silence, with her heartbroken smile.

"...It's going to be alright."

Rayan kept shaking his head, the anger in his red eyes. He was too far, and blocked by Ellias. She could almost see the panic in his eyes, but, unlike him, she was incredibly calm. She was afraid too, but she just knew it didn't matter. Her plan was going to work. The last pieces were going to move according to her plan, and everything was going to be alright. 

It was going to be their victory.

"...Forgive him," she muttered. "You have to save your brother."

His stone-cold eyes told her he couldn't; He wanted to run over, to take her away from the danger she was in, to save her, but he was too far. He was trapped in a mortal duel against his twin. The one man he couldn't kill. It was the worst scenario they had imagined. No, they had never even dared to imagine such a thing. Rayan had to choose between Ellias and Milena, and it had to be his twin. He had to save Ellias, instead of Milena. A single pearl of sweat ran from the corner of his eyes, down to his trembling, clenched jaw.

"...Do you know what it smells like, Your Majesty?" Milena chuckled, her voice full of irony.

"Watch your words, De Crescent. I'm serious about that bullet!"

"It smells like ashes. The black ashes of our victory."

"What...?"

"NOW!"

She heard the gunfire first. 

Everything happened in a second, yet she saw it all, as if the whole world had suddenly slowed down for her to witness this. The bullet that left Philomenie's g*n, and the young Queen's expression, as if the trigger had been pulled by mistake. It probably had. She heard Ellias' scream, and saw Rayan's red eyes, opening wide in shock. 

The next second, Blanche and Raelius both jumped at the very same time. Her ancestor disappeared, while the wolf ran towards her with a furious growl. Her large fangs crunched the White One's wrist, while Milena pushed her head back at the exact right time, knocking his face furiously. The second gunshot exploded right next to Milena's ear, and she was deafened for a second. Then, she heard Blanche whimper in pain, and the sound of the weapon hitting the floor. There wasn't a second to lose. Milena turned around, grabbing the King's collar with her only hand still capable of moving and pushed him to the edge of the balcony, glaring at him, her face inches away from his. She pushed him back, forcing him to bend over the balcony's railing. He was bent back so hard his spine seemed about to break, his upper body over the railing.

"It's over," she hissed.

"What are you going to do, Princess?" He groaned, trying to push her off, pissed. "Even if you kill me, push me over, I won't die, Princess. I will just find another body to haunt, and I will get rid of you and your Prince. This is my victory."

"Look around."

He frowned, and glanced to the side, towards the Capital. There were fires everywhere. The smell of ashes he had been incapable to detect and identify was just everywhere in the Kingdom, filling the air, all the way to the Castle. There was one big fire happening right beneath them, far below all the way down to the ground, the wind blowing the smoke the other way. Still confused, he stared for a few seconds, until he finally identified what they had been burning all along. Bodies. Piles and piles of dead bodies, piled up and burned. His eyes opened wide in horror as he slowly understood, and he went back to Milena's purple, furious eyes lightened up by the bright fire.

"It's your loss," she hissed. "I swear, I will burn every damn body to the ground until we stop you. No more hiding, Your Majesty. I will cover this whole Kingdom in ashes and I will hunt you to my very last breath. We have burnt it all. All the bodies. As soon as we understood your nature, Raelius told all of our allies what to do. Everyone in this Kingdom will know what kind of wretched creature you are, there will be no more hiding for you."

"...You're bluffing," he muttered. "That's impossible..."

"You should know to never underestimate a woman of the House De Crescent," Milena retorted, pushing him down further. "I won't stop. Even if there's one body left in this world, I will make sure it's destroyed so the coward can't hide in it. You've killed too many people I loved for me to leave you the smallest chance, Your Highness. Right now, the very last bodies left alive are the ones left in the Hall with my husband. And I can guarantee you they are not going anywhere either."

"You're b-bluffing," he muttered. "It's impossible! The battle is still raging! There will be other deaths happening everywhere! I will find-"

"Listen," Milena said. "You can't smell but you can hear that, right?"

He stopped. They could hear the flames of the fires, the whimper of Blanche, still injured, and the screams of the injured King, but there was one sound they had heard all along that had finally stopped. The fights. There were no more gunshots, no more cannons, no more blades fighting one another. The Castle and the whole Kingdom had suddenly gone much quieter. From this balcony, they should have heard the closest fights, but there was nothing. Everything had stopped.

"Raelius is spreading the word," Milena said. "Everywhere, and to everyone. The King has lost. Cease fire. None of those men wanted to fight this war in the first place, they will all drop their weapons as soon as they hear the news. Listen to this, King Silvius. This is the silence to tell you you've lost. You've lost to the entire Kingdom."

"You... You wench!"

Milena was ready. When he tried to push back, she used her last strength to push, push further down. All she had left was her body itself. She heard something creaking, loudly, and felt something break under her feet. She hung on to the King's collar as strong as she could, keeping him there as the stones under him slowly crumbled. The railing under him broke, and they both fell down, towards the flames, a scream escaping the King's lips. 

Far behind her, she heard Rayan shout too. Her name, lost like a faraway echo. Milena watched the King's body fall to the flames first, his face distorted by horror. Her fall seemed to last a long time. Her head down, she saw the flames climb up into the night sky, like a sudden dawn. She closed her eyes, and let the heat of the flames greet her.