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Cianán sat on the edge of the bed in his chambers, “I suffer.” He reached out to pull Rossá closer, but she shrugged off his embrace, turning and walking towards the center of the room.

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She looked towards the doors where she knew Quianna had posted a double guard that night. No matter, she could do what she needed to quietly. With a sigh, she extinguished the lights in the room until the only illumination came from her skin. Now it glowed -- a deep, vivid red like the jeweled tones of a ruby on fire from within.

Shedding what little she wore, she made her way over to the king's bed and stood between his legs, “I can make the suffering go away if you’ll let me my King.” She took his head in her hands and held it so that their eyes looked directly into each other’s.

“Yes, yes – make it stop,” Cianán’s mind was clouded with the whisperings and the nearness of the Sáng Rougé even as she bent down – turning his head, she sank razor-sharp fangs into his neck.

The pain was sharp – two pricks, and then the King found release.

“What’s going on in there?”

Summoned, Quianna looked to Aneislis and then to the guards posted at Cianán’s chamber doors. Aneislis had already spoken to the guards, and he didn’t look happy.

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Quianna wasn’t happy – with her guards or Aneislis, “Why haven’t you gone in?”

“We aren’t sure.” Aneislis nodded towards the door.

“The King left word he was not to be disturbed, but the guards have heard yelling and things being thrown about. They weren’t sure whether to go in, so they summoned us.”

“Then they should not be of the Serpent Guard if they do not know when to defend their King,” And without thought, Quianna struck out with magic, and Aneislis watched as the two guards before him were struck with Quianna’s fury.

Pinned to the wall by bands of fire, they could not move as Quianna once more lashed out in fury sending the double doors to the King’s chambers off their hinges. The first thing they noticed was the King prone on his bed – blood spattered the sheets, and to their left, Rossá stood, dripping in the same.

“What the hell have you done to him?” Quianna turned to Rossá even as Aneislis ran to his King.

Rossá simply pointed towards the corner where a young girl stood, “I was attacked and only defended myself.”

“Somehow, I’m not feeling the love in this room I once did,” The young girl stood still in the corner as she had since Quianna and Aneislis had entered the King’s chamber. Aneislis looked from where Rossá had stood when he entered to the kid in the corner, “Psycho trumps pretty.”

Aneislis was wrapping silk sheets around Cianán’s many wounds while Quianna stared at ‘scary kid’ and tried to figure out who or what she was. What did she mean she didn’t feel the love in this room she once did?

“We need a healer!” Aneislis couldn’t wrap all the wounds – there were just too many, and apparently, the Sáng Rougé didn’t care that her main meal was on his last leg. Rossá had disappeared the same way she’d entered the Court earlier, in a burst of flames.

Quianna waved a hand and called for the guards from the hallway -- “Help Aneislis!” Then she turned to the young girl, “Who are you and why, are you here?”

The child was unique, silvern tresses cascaded down her back, and her skin held a warm iridescence – not of the Seelie Court, but not of the UnSeelie either – then what was she?

“Once I held his interest,” The child looked to Cianán, who was being carried from the room by Aneislis and the other guards, “Then he left me for someone younger and tossed me aside.” The child looked at herself in the mirror of the room, “But it would seem youth has found me again.”

“Why did you attack Cianán and Rossá?” Quianna didn’t advance but waited to hear what the child would say – her wait was short-lived, though, as a wind whipped through the chamber, and before her eyes stood Cyllene, High Queen of the Oreads.

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“Your Majesty,” Quianna acknowledged her status – even though she was technically a Royal herself – Cyllene was rarely seen, and for her to leave her lands did not bode well.

“Kiana why are you here?” Cyllene looked at the young girl and then at Quianna, “You’ll have to forgive her – technically she’s only a couple of days old.”