Wind rustled through the dry grass surrounding me as I knelt over my brother’s grave. My knees sunk a few centimeters into the freshly dug earth as I leaned forward to touch the newly erected granite headstone.

“Selvyn, my brother,” I choked on the words. In an effort to keep from crying, I pushed myself back; but the other graves came into view as I did so. Three of them, standing in a row. My parents, sharing the same grave, sharing the same marker. They had shared everything in life, my brother and I had only thought it proper that they should share everything in death. On the other side of them lay my sister, the first to fall. She had been out riding, what she loved to do the most, when the arrow had struck her heart. Three deaths, three graves, and room for one more.

“My Lady, Elka, it’s not safe here. We should leave as soon as possible; get away from this place.” My guard rested his heavy hand on my shoulder and squeezed it slightly.

“Daren, Selvyn was-we were supposed to escape together. But he-he’s dead now.” I tried hard to suppress the sobs that wanted to come.

“I know, My Lady.” Daren pulled me up and embraced me. I sunk into his warmth, rubbing my cheek against his leather jerkin, ignoring the jab in my side from the dagger that hung on his belt. “I know your family never asked to become heirs to the throne, and I know you never wanted to be murdered one by one.”

I began to laugh bitterly, “It’s Damocles’ fault isn’t it. He’s the one who wants the throne, to be king. So he killed the only obstacles in his way, and soon he’s going to kill me. I’m not going to let him.” In one swift movement I grabbed hold of Daren’s dagger and pulled it out of the sheath.

“My Lady!” Daren shouted in alarm, reaching out to take the blade from me. I quickly used it to slice open my palm on my left hand, before dropping the dagger to the ground.

“I swear that no matter what happens, no matter what Damocles tries to do to me,” I stepped back and held my bleeding hand over Selvyn’s grave, “I will live. I will live until the day I avenge my family by killing Damocles. This I swear by my blood and my brother’s grave.”

Daren started at me in horror. “My Lady,” he whispered softly, “surely you don’t mean–?” He shook himself, and took my left hand in his own strong hands. Pulling out his handkerchief, he wrapped it around my cut with surprising gentleness. “Elka, please, let’s just leave this place and try to live a normal life. Killing Damocles won’t bring your family back.”

“I know that!” I shrieked, pounding my fists against his chest. Tears sprang up in my eyes and spilled out over my cheeks. Sobs racked my body as Daren held me tightly against him, his face twisted into a pained expression.

“My Lady, please reconsider,” Daren sighed, watching me sit on the soft cream colored carpet of my bedroom, carefully sharpening a knife with a worn whetstone. “You don’t need to kill him.”

“I want to,” I answered stubbornly, pointedly staring at the weapon to avoid Daren’s gaze.

“You’ll just be stooping down to his level by doing so.”

My body tensed as he said those words. They had pierced my heart, but I refused to acknowledge that they had done so. I remained silent as I sheathed the knife and fastened it to my belt, then stood up. My cotton black skirt hung loosely down to just above my knees, and my soft black leather boots rose up to just before my knees. The silver buckle of my belt was the only item I wore that wasn’t black. I was dressed for the occasion, I had told myself as reconciliation as I put them on.

Daren wordlessly picked up a dark cloak from off the back of an oak chair and draped it about my shoulders; he kept his hands resting there. “At least let me come with you.”

“Of course, Daren, of course.”

He moved away from me, collecting his own things. My shoulders felt empty where his hands had been resting a moment before.

When he was ready, Daren turned to me and smiled, fingering a few strands of my pale yellow hair that hung down to just above my shoulders. “After this, promise me we’ll leave and live out the life we planned?”

“I promise.” I reached up and playfully tugged at some of Daren’s own dark hair, causing his brown eyes to sparkle. “Let’s go.” Those eyes darkened as I spoke those words.

I walked openly through the streets, my eyes steadfast on one thing: Damocles’ house. If he was there, I would kill him. If he wasn’t, I would wait for him. Daren kept close to my side, his eyes darting around and his body tense, his hand on the hilt of his sword. I trembled slightly, it had been a really long time since I had gone out like this, with only one guard to protect me. Daren brushed my arm in a reassuring manner, but I knew he was more high strung than me, I could tell by his set jaw.

It was by chance I glanced to my right, by chance I saw him standing there, with his bow and arrow drawn. Daren roughly grabbed me and pulled me down, as an arrow rushed through the air, right where my heart had been.

I pushed Daren away and stood up, taking off running after the man. He darted into a darkened alleyway to the right, and I followed.

“My Lady!” I barely heard Daren’s desperate shouts far behind me. I barely noticed the crowd that formed, preventing him from coming after me. There was only one thing on my mind, only one thing I knew of.

Some how I lost sight of the man in the maze of the alleyways. I slowed as I turned a corner, coming face to face with a cold brick wall. Angrily I kicked at the ground, and turned.

Cold, sharp steel pressed against my throat as I looked into the icy blue eyes of Damocles; my blood ran chill.

“Hello Elka.” He moved forward, pushing me back until I was up against the wall. “I never expected you to follow me, but this makes it all the more sweeter. And soon,” he brought his face very close to mine, “I will be King.”

“You just had to be the one to kill me, didn’t you.” I spat as I silently groped at my side, searching for my knife.

“Nuh uh, I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” Damocles grabbed my wrist with his free hand and forced it away from my side, slamming it against the wall. My eyes widened with fear, realizing that I was completely helpless.

Damocles chuckled, and pressed his body into mine, pinning my against the wall. He lowered his knife and slipped it back into it’s sheath. Then he grabbed my shoulders, and swung me around, causing both of us to fall to the ground. His fingers ripped at the laces that tied up the front of my blouse, his knees grinding into my thighs. I began screaming.

“No! Gods help me! No! NO!”

Daren’s fist swung fast, catching Damocles in the head and sending him flying a couple meters, where he laid in a crumpled heap.

“Oh my Gods! My Lady!” Daren bent over to help me. Damocles stirred and looked at us with hatred burning in his eyes, then sent himself hurtling into Daren.

They struggled on the ground, kicking and punching. I saw the flash of steel, soon followed by red blood staining the ground. I screamed, drawing back and huddling against the wall, watching in horror. Then it was over.

Daren stood up, breathing heavily. He turned and looked at me, staggering a couple steps. I pushed myself off the ground and ran to him; we met each other in our arms.

Tears formed in my eyes as Daren stroked my hair, holding me tightly. I sank into him, breathing for what felt like the first time. He grunted, and his hold on me relaxed. I stared, wide eyed as Daren slowly sunk to his knees, revealing Damocles standing behind him with a bloody dagger in hand, his own blood coming profusely from a wound in his stomach. He grinned victoriously, taking a step towards me. His strength failed him, and Damocles collapsed, dead.

Daren smiled weakly at me, his eyes beginning to cloud over. “I’m sorry, but I couldn’t let him do that to you, My Lady.” He started coughing up blood into his hand, breathing raggedly. “I love you too much.”

“I love you too,” I choked, unaware of the tears streaming down my face as I wrapped my arms around his neck. He took one last breath that tickled against my neck, then his body went limp.

I felt everything go out of me. Only one thing dominated my thoughts. I picked up Daren’s dagger, lying not too far from me, and ran it through my heart.

Nothing.

I looked down, confused. There was no pain, no blood. I pulled the dagger out of my chest, and saw the wound immediately close over, as if it had never been there.

“Shocking, isn’t it?”

I gave a start, then looked wildly around for the source of the voice. It was a man, leaning against the wall across from me, dressed completely in black, with black hair and dark eyes that contrasted sharply with his pale skin.

“Who are you?” My voice trembled, but I narrowed my eyes. Why hadn’t I noticed him before?

“I am Mabuz, God of Darkness and Death. Lianne and I have decided to hold you to your blood oath.”

“Mabuz gave you immortality, and I gave you eternal youth.” My head swung towards the woman who had spoken. Her hair was a beautiful rusty red, and her eyes matched in color. She was unusually tall, they both were, and there was something otherworldly about them.

“What blood oath?” I said stupidly. This was not happening.

Mabuz smiled contemptuously and stepped forward. He took my left hand and thrust it in my face. My heart sank when I saw the scabbing cut.

“But, Damocles is dead! It shouldn’t hold!”

“Ah, that is where you are wrong, my dear. You swore you would live to the day you killed him, and you obviously didn’t kill him. That fool did.” Mabuz kicked Daren’s body, keeping his amused eyes fastened on me. He fingered the edge of my shirt, hanging open in the front, “Pity he tried to rape you, otherwise things would’ve worked out perfectly for you. Goodbye Elka, we’ll meet again.” He turned, walking to Lianne, and together they faded into the air.

“Wait!” I shrieked, “I don’t want to live! Please don’t make me live!” Sobbing, I fell to the ground. Part of my leg touched Daren’s body, and I flung myself onto it. He used to comfort me before, why didn’t he now?