The wine was poisoned. Poisoned by my own mistress. She knelt before me trembling with fear knowing that these moments were to be her last. It was a shame really; she was beautiful as most vipers were. Unfortunately, her allegiance as well as her love had wavered, leaving me no choice but to dispose of her, and quickly.

Without looking at her I swirled the contents of my chalice, my mouth pressed in a tight line, as I thought about how to go about my next action. Pausing, I flicked my wrist to my guard who was dutifully standing behind the woman, his silver blade pressed against the pale flesh of her delicate neck. He paused a moment, then lowered the blade and came to stand by my side. 

Standing up from the chair I had been sitting in I gazed down at the goblet with a frown, then looked down at her with an arched brow. I moved till I was standing right in front of her and bent down, moving my face close enough to kiss her.

"You disappoint me Lemia," I whispered softly in her ear, she shuddered slightly and I smiled, "I expected more from you."

She pressed her lips into a tight line casting her gaze to the floor. I cocked my head to the side tilting her head up with my fingers, "won't you look at me?"

She said nothing. I glanced down to the wine then looked back up to her. I hesitated a moment before extending the goblet to her, "drink it," I whispered softly in her ear. 

Now she looked at me, her eyes wide. She swallowed as her gaze traveled to the goblet.

"My lord-" she began hoarsely, but I pressed a finger to her mouth to silence her.

"Drink," I repeated.

She hesitated and I scowled, "surely the snake isn't afraid of it's own poison?" I spat at her.

Grabbing her hand I forced the cup into her grasp, "drink it. I shall not extend this mercy again." 

She gazed up at me again, a single tear ran down her cheek. I wiped it away with my thumb, "no tears Lemia," I said in a hushed voice one would use with a child, "embrace death with courage." 

Clutching the cup with both hands she brought it to her lips. She swallowed then began to bring the cup down. "No love, all of it," I said tipping the cup back up to her lips with my finger.

She gulped the rest and brought the cup away from her lips, and held  in her lap. She coughed and sputtered violently, causing her body to jolt. The veins beneath her flesh began to bulge painting a grotesque picture of blue swirling lines; I did my best not to grimace at the ghastly sight.

She clawed at her throat, desperate for the air her lungs could not inhale. She reached a hand out to me, her mouth opening and closing as she uttered silent words. I moved out of her reach and stood up, my gaze still glued to her form. A strangled groan escaped her lips before her eyes rolled back into her skull and she toppled over onto the floor. 

Exhaling sharply I turned away from her body, pinching the bridge of my nose, "make sure the floor is cleaned," I told my guard.

"Yes, my lord." He answered obediently, "may I enquirer as to what you are going to do now my liege?"

"I shall be returning to the palace; it seems I need to pay my brothers a visit." 

As I materialized out of the shadows in the great hall of the palace I realized just how much I had not missed it. Its architecture was strong, but the builders managed to capture a certain elegance that lay embedded into the dark marble.

The dancers all stopped and turned their attention to me. It appeared that I had crashed a ball. Surveying the room I spoke in a low velvety tone, "good evening ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Laburnum palace." 

"Well Noirian," my brother Midyan spoke from the corner of the room where he and our thrid brother Trove had been previously conversing, "to what do we owe the pleasure of your visit?"

"I wanted to return something that you seem to have lost," I replied smoothly. 

"And what would that be?" Trove inquired. 

"It seems that a serpent managed to slither her way into my house, and," I paused, " it seems only fitting that she be returned to her handler here at the palace."

"Surely no one here knows what you're rambling about little brother," he replied with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes, "the gods know you've always been paranoid," he finished smoothly.

Liar

"Really?" I mused, "perhaps if I show you it will help jar your memory." 

Flicking my wrist Lemia's now cold body materialized on the floor in front of me as I stared icily at my brother.

Shrieks erupted from the audience as they laid sight upon the corpse. Trove's face paled as he stepped forward to examine the body, "what have you done?" He breathed in shock as he knelt by the girls body.

"And what pray tell," Midyan seethed, "prompted you to take it upon yourself to murder this woman with your own hands?"

"Nonsense," I said waving my hand in dismissal of them both, "do you really think so low of me? She brought the cup to her lips, with her own hands."

"Probably because you left her no choice," Midyan growled. 

"Oh my dear brother," I answered, "you of all people should know you always have a choice."

His brows knitted together, his mouth twisting into a frown as he continued to glare daggers at me. 

"You will answer for your crime," Midyan vowed, pointing a finger in my direction. 

"Oh," I smirked, "I have no doubt you'll do your absolute best to make me do so brother. I just hope that if the occasion presents itself you'll come to kill me yourself rather than sending one of your cronies." 

"Is that an accusation?" He growled. 

"They're facts." 

"Get out."

I cocked my head to the side as a slight smirk tugged at the edges of my mouth, "oh? And who, pray tell, died and made you king? Because in case you've forgotten, I too am the son of the king and am entitled to walking about our ancestral home." 

"This isn't your home. It stopped being your home and we your brothers the moment the queen drew he last breath." 

"Midyan," Trove said as he stood up from the corpse, "that is enough."

"You know it's true," he shot back, "as far as anyone is concerned Noirian is only a member of this family by title."

"If you say so," I said shrugging as I slipped my hands into my pockets. 

"Brothers," Trove growled, "enough." 

"Giving orders like a proper king," I replied coyly. 

Trove cocked his head in my direction, his brow raised slightly. 

"Midyan my dear brother do with the body what you will. Just one word of advice."

By now Midyan's face was red with rage, "and what would that be?" He whispered. 

"If you're going to play a game, I'd advise you make sure your pieces aren't faulty."

"I assure you Noirian," he said as his eyes narrowed to slits, "If I ever decided to try my hand, you'd find they would be anything but." 

My smirk spread further across my face as I turned my attention back to Trove, "as you know brother, in the case of my dear Lemia, she committed suicide therefore I am guiltless."

Something unrecognizable flickered within his eyes. Not willing to converse with my brothers any longer I turned to face the trembling lords and ladies of the court. I gave them all a nod and a mocking bow a smirk still plastered across my face before slipping back into the shadows leaving them all behind, and appeared instead at my father's bedside in his chambers. 

His chambers were dimly lit by the single candle placed at his bedside. His eyes were closed, deep creases in his forehead told of his troubled sleep. His appearance was frail and sallow, time had not been kind to him. 

Moving to sit on the bed beside him I ran my thumb over my chin as I watched him intently. How? I wondered is it possible for once such a mighty king to become so frail?

Slowly I began to stretch my hand out to caress his own, but something made me stop as my hand hovered above his own by a few mere inches. Lifting my hand I curled my fingers into my palm. 

I brought my head close to his and whispered in his ear, "you have no idea what it's like seeing you in pain and knowing that I am the cause. Still, I had hoped you could find it within you to forgive me, but it seems that you will take your bitterness into the next world."

As I stood up I straightened the folds of my midnight black jacket. I summoned the shadows embracing their tendrils as the wrapped around me and whisked me back home.