The prologue! ^^ I actually have two prologues for BAHD, but this is the longer version. The other one wasn't even a page long, I'm gonna see how DA liked these long chapters, though regular chapters may be twice as long as this prologue. I'm a very abstract writer, so if you don't completely understand this, I'm okay with that XD
Tell me what you think, I'm open for criticism. The intro to BAHD can be found here
http://forgottendemonshadow.deviantart.com/gallery/?offset=24#/d3hkqnx
I am so mad because DA doesn't do Italics! >< So frustrating...
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Blood of Angels, Heart of Demon
Prologue
They were twin boys. Identical twin boys, with brown hair, born only minutes apart from one another. For months Kain had known that Alera was pregnant with twins, and after years of waiting for suitable heirs a grandson was finally born. Two of them.
Steel’s attitude towards the birth was indifferent. Even during the delivery he had stayed distant, feigning ignorance to his wife’s contractions. Steel acted the way he had with his two previous children; indifferent. He had left Kain alone with his newborn children, and Kain was content with the birth.
But the eyes. Kain had been elated until he saw their eyes. The first-born, though they were young and their eyes grayed, his eyes were red. Kain saw this, and was satisfied that his eyes were going to be crimson, like the House in which he was born. Crimson eyes were holy and exactly what Kain had wanted.
But the second twin, born only minutes later almost frightened Kain. His eyes were darker and were a dull, green color. There was no mistaking it, the child’s eyes were going to be green, the opposite of the House.
For this reason, Kain sat alone in the dark, thinking and slowly rubbing his temple with eyes shut. He had heard no word from Steel, though he was sure Steel was aware by now the circumstances they found his newborn twins in.
“What should I do, God?” Kain spoke out loud to himself. His voice was low and graven with age. “Tell me, Lord Sear, how shall I deal with the child…?”
The door opposite of Kain clacked, then slid open. Kain’s only son, Steel, entered the room. He was young in his mid-twenties, but matured beyond his age with dull brown hair that was kept brushed away from his face. Unlike his father, Steel wore plain clothes of white and grey and his dark red eyes held no interest.
“Father,” Steel said dully, shutting the door. Kain made a small sound, acknowledging him. Steel scoffed in return, seeing that Kain hadn’t even opened his eyes yet. “I saw the boy.”
“And?” Kain asked harshly. Steel clenched his teeth.
“His eyes are green. What do you want me to say?”
“He is your son. Therefore, he is your responsibility.”
“He’s your heir. Do with him what you want, I have no use for him.”
Steel’s last words drifted in the air for awhile after that. The dark room remained silent. Steel situated himself to the left of the room where there were no windows and remained there, glaring at his father. Kain still hadn’t opened his eyes.
“Well…?” Steel asked after awhile. “What is there to think about? His eyes are going to be green. Eventually he is going to grow up. Don’t take me for a fool, Father. I know what it is you wish to do with him…”
“A crass way of stating it,” Kain mused. He lifted his hand from his eyes and gazed of into the darkness of an unlit room. His eyes were a fiery red. “The boy is of no use, and is a bad omen. If his father has no objections, I think the child should die.”
“By all means…” Steel scoffed. “Kill him.”
“Then we move swiftly.” Kain stood up as he spoke. “Your wife will be shaken, Steel, but it is better if she does not know until the deed is completed.”
Steel’s reply was broken off by the entrance clanking once more. Alera pushed the door open, leaning slightly against the frame. She was still young, younger than Steel, with long silver hair and light red eyes. Her white priestess robe was messy and unkempt, with a low-cut top that displayed her bare chest, where a red jewel encased in gold was melded into her collarbone. Across her forehead was a golden circlet that parted her hair. The Prophetess’ normally tender eyes were alight as she stared at Kain, still leaning against the doorframe. Steel cringed at the vision of his wife
“Alera,” Kain said, stepping down from his throne. “You need your bed rest. You have just--”
“I know what I have done this night,” Alera’s boldness cut off the head of the House. Her voice was calm but strong. “And I know what it is you were discussing just now…”
Alera took her weight off of the frame and strode forward. Her walk was proud, but clearly labored. Steel made no more to help her. Instead he remained where he was, off to the side and ignored by the other two.
“You have not yet recovered,” Kain said slowly, ignoring Alera’s previous statement. “You should go now and rest. Steel, help her…”
“Do not ignore me,” Alera’s voice shifted as she fell to her knees before Kain. The action commanded silence as she lowered her forehead to the matted floor. “Great Father, you have shown me kindness…”
“Alera,” Kain tried to interrupt, but the Prophetess continued.
“Even though I was not your own, and there were many others capable of becoming your son’s wife, you choose me and gave me this luxurious life I did not deserve. You have housed me, fed me, and given my children a good home. Since then, I have given you premonitions, and been a faithful wife to your son, and a good daughter to you. And yet, Great Father, you would contemplate my son’s murder with my back turned, if only because of his eye color! You would plot such a scheme, as if you expected my Sight to be directed elsewhere, negligent to his wellbeing!”
“Everyone in our line is born with red eyes, it has always been so,” Kain spoke up. His voice was no longer as kind as it had been. “You were a priestess, Alera. You should know the omen his green eyes would mean for this sacred House.”
“My Gods would not condemn an infant to death!” Alera shot back, raising her head from its submissive position against the floor. Still in the shadows, Steel watched motionless, his eyes shifting between Alera and Kain.
“Do not mock the Gods, Alera! He is an infant now, but someday he will be a man. His eyes betray his loyalties and his position in Heaven. Be reasonable, you were a priestess, and have retained your premonitions even after marriage. You must know what his eyes mean. You still have the other child. His eyes are red and his heart is strong. He will be a good son. May and Nayota need not know of the lost twin if that concerns you.”
“I will not allow my son to be killed because of superstitions!” Alera’s voice had risen. “And do not mention my position, Kain, for I am aware of my past. My son has not even seen his first sunrise, how can you look upon him and see any sin? He is just as innocent as his brother. If you were to close their eyes you would be unable to tell them apart. Regardless of his eyes, he is my son! I cannot condemn him when I have just given him life!”
“Infants grow, Alera--”
“Then I will raise him! I will protect him from any scourge that wishes to claim him, and prevent any curse that may befall him. He will bring no ill to this House.”
Kain paused, letting Alera’s last words ferment within him. He will bring no ill to this House.
“Have you foreseen it…?” Kain asked quietly. Alera’s eyebrows narrowed, but her gaze did not break.
“I have…” she finally said. “His life will be lonely and conflicted, but his heart is good. Both twins are so…neither can bring harm to the other. Hark to me, Kain. My green-eyed child will bring this House no ill, for he is without a cruel heart.”
With a heavy sigh Kain again covered his eyes with one hand and turned his back to the Prophetess still kneeled before him. In his shadows, Steel intently watched with fists clenched. His dark red eyes focused solely on his wife, wishing for her to disappear, along with her ability to sway Kain to her bidding.
“Alera…” Kain said, bringing attention back to him. “…what is it that you wish…?”
Alera’s eyes brightened, and one hand went to her chest, clenching over her embedded jewel. “I wish for my son to live.” Her words were clear. Kain sighed again, removing his hand from his face.
“…then it will be so. He will receive his name when I give a name to the red-eyed child…”
“Thank you, Great Father…”
“Now leave me.”
“My Husband.” For the first time, Alera turned her gaze to Steel. “Please, help me back to my room.”
Hesitant, Steel slowly stepped forward, but did not raise his hand to Alera. The Prophetess displayed no surprise, and lifted herself up by his arm, eventually standing while clinging to him.
“You knew my intentions,” Steel said when the door was shut behind them. “You saw through to Kain, but you saw to me as well. Why don‘t you turn your spite on me as well?”
“I understand, my Husband,” Alera assured him and began to lean her head against Steel’s arm. “You were only stating what you believed would please your father. I hold no grudge against you.”
She’s lying…Steel thought bitterly. It pained him to walk slowly with her on his arm.
The House was cold with a late winter snow falling outside. Alera smiled and pointed this out to Steel, who paid no attention. It was irritating to Steel, for Alera to be her gentle self again.
“We get to see them together…” Alera said with happiness in her voice when they reached her chamber. She waited patiently for Steel to push the door open and enter. A maid dressed in faded red was sitting on the side of Alera’s bed, watching two bundles closely. She looked up, startled to see Steel with Alera clinging to him.
“Oh Prophetess, you’ve returned. I’ll leave you then,” the maid said, getting herself up quickly.
“Thank you. And please, bring my other children when they wake. I want them to meet their new brothers,” Alera spoke kindly to the maid with a smile. The maid nodded and shuffled from the room and Steel’s presence.
“Here,” Steel said, bringing Alera to the bed and placing her there. Without pause, he turned to leave.
“Wait.” Alera turned over to the two infants on the bed and motioned for Steel to move closer next to her.
“I’m leaving,” Steel said firmly. Alera’s smile faded, but she bowed her head respectfully as Steel left, shutting the door rather loudly behind him. Alone, she turned her attention to the newborn infants with her. Alera’s smile returned, and she lifted each, holding one with each arm. Both were wrapped tightly in white blankets, asleep with small brown tuffs of hair that Alera rubbed tenderly.
“Do not hold it against him,” she cooed to them. “Both of you are precious. Both of you are loved…”
Alera gently kissed both of their heads, and began to hum.
In the hall just outside Steel stood for several minutes, contemplating the situation and his wife’s decision.
Miserable old man…Steel thought coldly, and began to walk back to where his father was. Allowing himself to be swayed by a woman…he should be dead.
Steel reached his father’s door and pulled it open without pause. Stepping inside, Steel inhaled, ready to argue about the decision, but found himself frozen.
Kain looked up, hardly startled, then looked back down again. Before him, spilled across the floor of his audience room was a pool of blood mixed with entrails. Behind him, Steel saw the corpse of a man dressed in white priest clothing, his stomach carved open and empty with blood trailing to the pile of organs.
“The future is susceptible to alterations…” Kain stated slowly, smirking at Steel’s face. “Come. Read.”
Steel moved forward slowly and knelt down opposite of Kain, staring at the blood. His trained eyes read the color of blood from dark to pale red, and the placement of the organs in accordance to where they fell and slithered across the floor. Heat radiated from the fresh blood and entrails, but it bothered Steel little. His mouth curled into a frown, and he stood up.
“It’s not good,” he stated flatly. Kain laughed softly.
“I am aware…though, your wife has her wisdom…” With one hand, Kain reached down and moved the intestines, watching carefully how the blood flowed and moved. As if it were script, Kain read the blood and shook his head. “I see only shards of hope for the green-eyed one. But the other…he will be critical.”
“Then use him,” Steel said, uninterested. Kain, head turned downward, glanced up at Steel.
“Then you approve of Alera’s request?”
“They’re your heirs.”
“But they are your sons. And she is your wife. Do you doubt her knowledge with such matters?”
“Do with them what you will,” Steel stated again. “I’ll have none of it.”
Kain laughed softly and wiped his bloodied hand on his sleeve. Taking it as permission, Steel turned on his heel and left the room without so much as a backward glance. For a minute afterwards, Kain continued to watch the blood pool on the floor and steam. Satisfied, he stood up and went to the open walkway outside that overlooked the peace garden encaged within the walls of the Razada House. The snow fell in silence and Kain watched his breath come out in slow, even pulsations.
“Lord Sear,” Kain prayed out loud. “Is this the right way to act? Is my son’s Alera correct in saying this child will bring no damnation to us? Alera testified his innocence, yet his strange eyes concern me. To hear your voice, I will be convinced, and will press the mater no further. All I seek is your divine guidance…”
With head turned skywards, Kain patiently waited, listening for the proclamation of Heaven.
Allowing the child to live is permissible…
Kain gasped slightly at the Voice, first startled, then joyous. He smiled darkly to himself and bowed his head.
“Yes, my Lord.”
