The Darkest Price (Open/Accepting/M)

King Henry sighed at the formal tone of his daughter. He supposed he should have expected this from her. He supposed he wouldn't want to be sent away to be married without knowing why, but it was for the best. As long as Nia and her siblings were safe, he could endure her hate, "There's no need to be so formal, Nia. We are father and daughter."

He did his best to smile at her, "I will miss you all... Just look out for your siblings."

Selphie

Standing outside the door of her father's throne room, she already had an idea of what was being said...Father had said as much to her, as he had everyone else; a fact that was gathered having spoken with her other siblings.

She also knew just how displeased Nia was; she was always a bit of a begrudging sort, but this had to do it for her. She shook her head, this was going to be rough for all of them, maybe especially Enma and Miero. The best she could hope for at this point, was that her youngest siblings weren't married off to some depraved old man.

Marriage or not, she'd have their heads.

((Warboss...I'm sorry but it's been bugging me. Her name's Enma. Not Enme.))

Legis

"I do not approve of this plan, but I will respect your wishes, Father." Legis said softly. "Goodbye. I....will miss you."

"As will I." Miero said with a sigh.

((So, shall we get the royals over to Ty'Scia then?))

((So sorry! I swear, my eyes must be starting to go if I'm missing little details like that; even worse, is that I've been making the mistake since my first post...and no one told me till now! Oh the embarrassment! @.@ ))

(I am all for the time skip to Ty'Scia and it's ok Warboss)

Things were checked, double checked and triple-checked. There was nothing else to do. Amras was physically and mentally prepared for what was to come as soon as he, his comrades and the royal members of Terra got out of the city and later then at their destination, Ty’scia. This would be a new life for the King’s sons and daughters, but also for those who swore with their lives to protect these children. Amras stepped out of his room, all suited up and ready to go. With a deep sigh, he closed the door behind him and walked away.

Next stop… Ty’scia.

Toan opened the door to the room and looked around. Then he looked back at his sister.

"You really shouldn't have," he said. He just wanted her to go away.

(Question? Do we have any gay guys? I know we have one or two lesbians and a couple bis and straights. If not, I'm willing to make Toan gay)

Miridia

Miridia smiled, "I didn't," she said as the mouth closed behind them, shutting them into the enclosed room as the floor shifted, revealing an onyx metal door engraved with twisted and gruesome scenes of violence and sodomy. Miridia walked over to the door, "Oooh! This is new! Well? Go in!" she said shoving her brother towards the now opening door in the stone floor.

The room on the other side, if it could be called that, was pitch black, seemingly drawing in the light around it.
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Miridia? Again?

Miridia loomed over her latest clockwork creation, using an odd elongated gilded tool to push pieces into place and wind up springs, "Hm, not quite, but maybe?" she inquired, the silent form standing behind her holding a silver tray filled with various tools of their own whimsical or grisly nature.

The servant himself, said nothing, his mouth sewn shut, thin strands of thread faintly superimposed over his gaping, empty eye sockets. Miridia looked back at him, "Well, only one thing left...."

Toan spun on his heel and faced his sister. Why did he have to be her victim today? He wondered if he could get out of here unscathed. It didn't seem likely.

"Hey sister, what do you honestly think of this marriage thing?"

Miridia

Her eyes brightened literally, "My, I didn't expect you to be a mind reader! I'll have to keep a close watch on my mind from now on, but any ways, that what I wanted to talk about!" she said, petting his head as she spun on her heel, spinning a staff that seemingly appeared out of thin air, "I suppose I'm not too keen on the idea...I'll have to peruse the selection myself so I know which ones I want..."

She then pulled the staff to her, glancing at the purple eye embedded as she breathed on it, cleaning it off, "I rather like the idea of having my own slave...though I told father once before, he needs to burn the cat before the Ides of March..." she said glancing back at Toan, before reaching up to caress his cheek, "And what of you dear brother? Was there a tasty little morsel you were thinking about taking as your own?"

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Miridia?

"Sereda! Come out, Witch!" she called, tapping on the door with her staff, it's green eye shining in the dim torch light. "Knock, knock, I'm coming in!" she yelled as she reared back her head, slamming it into the heavy wooden door. She then pulled back again, cracking the door with the force of the collision; black ichor spilling from a gash on her forehead.

"Oh my, I split my stitching..."

(K, just let me finish up Nia's reply to the King.)

"By blood," Nia replied to her Father's point before allowing her brother to speak. He was more forgiving then she, in this matter. Nia didn't say farewell along with her Brothers, instead turning around and making her way down the long hall of the throne room towards the exit. She didn't look back to see her Father's expression.

((I'm fine with time-skipping the Terra royalty.))

Sereda

The door to Sereda's room opened a crack. A yellow eye stared at Miridia, and glared.

"What?"

Toan frowned as Miridia touched him. He had bad memories about her touching him too much. But he did not flinch or move away. That would only fuel the fire. Toan instead looked back into the room they were in. Dead bodies of servants, commoners and animals littered the floor and the walls were painted red. There was some furniture and some bodies were placed on them in a creepy funeral sort of way. Toan looked back at her.

"Father has already chosen which one we will wed. Though I am upset he gave me a bride. I guess he wants me to bear children or is being an ass. Either way, I might have to pick a more...suitable person to wed. Maybe I'll steal Kirei's husband?"

(Ok)

Miridia

"Ah, yes...dear father..." She said, her smile twitching slightly, "You have a schemer's mind, my brother...who'd you get it from? I was sure I killed the last one..." she said airily as she lead her brother away from the door and towards a chair, draped with a commoner's corpse, "Sorry for the mess...I haven't had a chance to skin them yet," she said as she pushed the corpse out of the chair.

"Have a seat, we have things to plan...say, Dalia like girls, doesn't she?" she asked thoughtfully as the rubbed her index finger over her stitched lips, "Why not switch her not-so-sex toy to be with yours? If father has anything to say about it...leave it to me..." she said darkly as she set herself atop a mound of dead bodies.

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Miridia

"What indeed....you have a crack in your door," she said thoughtfully as she used her staff to open the Witch's door further, "I need a heart, maybe a liver too, but I need you to do something for me...and before your agree whole-heartedly; I need you to convince father to switch Toan and Dalia's marriage partners; otherwise...I'll have to..." she said.

Turning her mis-matched gaze to the witch, "And I'd rather not have to kill my dear sister, I enjoy her company and her screams. Also," she cut herself off, reaching between her bosom as she pulled out a raven, it's chest having been cut open and stitched up, eyes carved out, "As you requested; try not to use it all at once!"

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Selphie

She jumped back from the door as her sister stormed out, or did so in her opinion. She followed her sister, jogging to catch up, "Come on Nia, talk to me. It'll help you feel better." she said as she lay a hand on her sister's shoulder to slow her pace.

"I think Dalia's betrothed is a little young for me," Toan pointed out. He heard that her's was around 12. That didn't seem like a good age for him. "But maybe. I guess I'll see when they get here, won't I?"

Toan paused. "There are knights coming too, right? Maybe I'll have fun with one of them as well."

Miridia

Punching the air, she stood up, "That's the spirit! Besides, the younger the more flexible...or was it durable... And who knows? You may even get Kirei's husband...and I'll get Kirei! Oh joy, two sex slaves! Best day ever!" said Miridia as she danced, her staff tapping the ground every now and then.

As she slowed to a halt, she gave it some thought, "And don't worry about children, my dear, sweet brother! I'll be sure to make you and your darling husband something special!" she said jovial, tilting back her head with a guttural cackle.

Sereda

"Ah. Thank you." Sereda snatched the bird away and tossed it behind her. "And I am afraid I cannot. I convinced your father of the current matches. They are best left as they are. It'll be more....interesting, this way."

"I feel sorry for Kirei then," Toan said. He already slept with Miridia (against his will), so he was uneffected by his sister's comment about having Kirei as a sex slave. "Though I can't see standing someone as bitter as she is."

Toan thought that sounded bad and he looked at the door. "As nice as that sounds, it's unnecessary. I want no heirs."

Miridia

Tilting her head she merely looked at Sereda, "So you say...so you say. But it'll be in you best interest to change your mind, before my mind changes me..." she said, pulling out her clockwork watch, "I'll give you till noon tomorrow before I take things into my own hands..." she said, fading into mist, "Don't disappoint me!"

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Miridia

Miridia laughed wickedly, "I don't know, I think she'd taste rather sweet, maybe salty...I'll taste her later, but more to the point, if you didn't want an heir, you should have said so! I'll put an heir on the throne for you! What do you think of that?" asked Miridia with a bright smile on her face. She also noted his glance towards the door on the floor, "Oh, that reminds me! I was going to show you something!"

Toan just wanted to go, but he didn't feel like fighting Miridia or listening to her either. So he waited for her to go on.

"What is it this time?"

Miridia

Miridia outright laughed, black ichor leaking from the stitching in her lips, "What fun is it to tell you about your wedding present? The greatest adventure is discovery! ...Or life, if you happen to be so melodramatic...Come along!" she said, the door in the stone floor appearing before her brother, when in fact...they had moved across the room.

"Now, no time to waste! Hop on in and mind your head..."

Sereda

Sereda waited for Miridia to disappear from view before closing her door and picking up the fallen bird. She put it away for a moment, and let her gaze fall on the shaking child in the corner of her room. A palace servant, around eight, if Sereda remembered correctly. She smiled at the child, which only made her shiver more.

"You may go now. I no longer require your services. But I will call you again. Know that." the girl nodded once before quickly scampering off. Sereda laughed in response before taking a seat on her bed. If she remembered correctly, Kirei ought to be coming soon, to join her in her offer for tea. A little old for Sereda's tastes, but young enough. And perhaps a visit with Firdar was due, now. She hadn't visited the little boy since he'd been eleven. Perhaps a new visit could be arranged, now....he was still young enough, after all.

((I hope I got the name of AI's character right. Couldn't remember it at the moment. So, time-skip with Terra royals now?))

(Time-skip is okay with me)

Kirei sighed as she walked towards Sereda's room. She had forgotten to become visible and so random servants kept walking into her. Kirei growled at them and they fled the hallways, screaming sometimes. Kirei laughed at them.

Kirei entered Sereda's room without knocking, going through the wall. She made herself visible and smiled coolly at the witch.

"Hello Sereda."
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Toan sighed inwardly but he did as Miridia asked.

((I suppose we could go ahead and time skip now. Anything that happened, i.e. the door in the floor, could be referenced the next day, so to speak. If you want to do so.))

(I'm fine with a timeskip as well.)

Firdar frowned a bit as he sat cross-legged on his balcony, waiting for the sun to set. He always preferred the night, it was his nature, his strength. And it was strength he needed in order to deal with his older siblings, particularly Miridia. Her nature... eluded him. Dalia was the most like him, preferring to stick to the shadows and obtain knowledge. Kirei resented her earlier treatment and resorted to pranks and reading spellbooks. Toan longed to escape from who he was But Miridia...

She was an enigma, a being of random cruelty and rare kindness which manifested itself to few, mostly her siblings. He doubted that even she understood her motivations at times. Torture, rape, and murder were probably the least of her hobbies. He pitied her betrothed. He made a mental note to perform a mercy killing if need be.

Slowly, he raised his hand, shadows engulfing his door at his unspoken spell. The night was going to be beautiful when the sun set and he did not wish to be disturbed.