Ichor : Blood & Secrets

Chapter 21

"That's.. frightening." said Ayame.

"Sadistic bitches! all of you! you're nothing more than scums! flattering yourself in luxury while leaving out the ones who worked hard for this city, to suffer!" screamed Prince Drucen. "Mind your tongue, Prince Drucen.. it would be unwise to speak against the will of the Queens." said Queen Malika.

"Enough of this! you can all keep your debacle later, right now, I want the location of my sister, where are u keeping her?" shouted Klaus, interrupting everyone.

"He doesn't know! none of us ever knew she went missing! what could my brother possibly have to gain from this?" asked Prince Drucen to which Klaus gets enraged and frustrated yet again, then sprints off towards Prince Drucen to beat him next, but he gets himself interrupted by Lucien who steps in front of him to which Klaus pauses.

"What are you doing?" asked Klaus.

"Preventing you from doing something stupid." said Lucien as they continue confiding while Rupert leans close to his brother's ears and whispers.

"Brother.. please.. you must leave, leave before they kill you." said Rupert as he starts coughing up blood to which Prince Drucen gets up, stiff with rage, then draws out the sword of the Covenant for the first time in years.

"Enough of this! as the Covenant Of Victoria and Prince, I demand, the Azriel Brothers, and their accomplice to leave this place and never return, in fact, I command it." said Prince Drucen to which Rupert's face frowns, knowing how he did the exact opposite of what he asked him to do.

"His accomplice? me?" asked Ayame as Lucien turns towards Prince Drucen in complete frustration. "You're not helping this, mate." said Lucien.

"I'm afraid you can't do that." said Queen Jaina who interferes. "I can, and I will." said Prince Drucen. "What Queen Jaina is trying to mean, is that, you're not allowed to.. you haven't been given rights to exclude a member of the Azriel Family without the permission of one, covenant or not." said Klaus.

"What?" asked Ayame.

"Though, it pains me to say it, he's right.. even if you are a covenant, or even a king, you still can't do anything against the Azriel Family without Mikeala's approval, in which, I'm afraid, this commandment could be taken as a accusation against the crown." said Queen Malika.

"Against the crown? what? what does any of this have to do with that?" asked Prince Drucen.

"Listen to me, young prince.. no matter what happens in this town, blood, gore, you can do whatever the hell you want, but cross the Azriel Family in any of our territory, then you'll face the real consequences of our family's dark side." said Klaus as Lucien interrupts while Prince Drucen continues his argument with the Queens.

"I'm telling you man, he didn't do it.. neither did his brother." said Lucien. "Then why the hell, did I see the signature of his family's symbol on that crate, Aya sensed it, it was where Mikeala was shipped off to." said Klaus.

"Yes, exactly, don't you think that's a little bit obvious?" asked Lucien. "What do you mean?" asked Klaus. "You know what I mean, this isn't a confrontation, it's a accusation.. someone wanted this to happen, to make him get caught, minutes before his coronation." said Lucien.

"He was framed? but.. it doesn't make sense at all, only person that stood in the way of her rule was him." said Klaus.

"Yes, he was.. and if this coronation had happened, it will turn out to be a advantage for him, his brother on the throne, I mean, who wouldn't want it?." asked Lucien as Klaus gives a minute to think and realises what this could mean.

"He would want it, he should have, but his brother was interrupted.. by someone more powerful than him, brought from all the way from the part of the galaxy for a crucial reason.. and since that was executed perfectly, which means" said Klaus as Lucien finishes it.

"He, or his brother, was never the kidnapper, someone else did this, wanted you to come bursting in the great hall, based on facts, that very person could be in this room if you know what I mean?" asked Lucien as Klaus starts to take a thinking for it while their attention is diverted shortly as Ayame approaches to inform them.

"Guys, look." said Ayame as they turn, only to find the coronated covenant in chains, given order by none other than the Queens themselves.

"This is outrageous, I didn't do anything!" shouted Prince Drucen as he is being apprehend by the guards.

"Prince Drucen of Victoria, you are charged with treason against the crown, and against the ancient blood of the Azirel Family, until the court decides your fate on trial, you must remain in chains, take him away." commanded Queen Jaina as Prince Drucen screams and demands over his frustration as he is dragged into the dungeon while Klaus and Lucien look upon the Queen giving the order with a minor smile on her face as she departs away from view.

"Looks like we found our prime suspect brother.. better book that room in the hotel, our stay just got a bit longer." said Lucien when Queen Malika, who was below all along, watching closely, soon comes to meet them and pays her respect.

"Greetings, Originals, as Queen, you have my humblest apologies for the inconveniences caused, I assure you, nothing like this would happen ever again." said Queen Malika.

"Well, I'm counting on the opposite." said Lucien. "Your other queen, Jaina, is it not?" asked Klaus. "Yes, our eldest, and the most kind hearted of us all." said Queen Malika.

"Didn't seem like it." said Ayame.

"That is because of its weigh, young prince Drucen spoke in heresy against the will of the mighty originals, Queen Mikeala taught us to worship her, and her blood like gods, and if anyone do speak against our gods, we will act." said Queen Malika.

"That's really lovely, love.. but assure you, we're not gods, more like the slayers of one." said Lucien as Klaus interrupts them in between after thinking on a certain decision.

"Your Queen Jaina, I want to meet her, in private, set up a audience." said Klaus.

"Seriously? with her?" asked Lucien. "Not what you think, you i***t, I want that audience approved and set within today, a invitation should be sent to my doorstep, wherever I may live." said Klaus.

"Of course, I shall make all arrangements, meanwhile, if you wouldn't mind, you can stay in Scarlett Villa on the upper districts, it's not comfy enough like your home, but it is meant for guests who come from outer worlds, standing in privileged classes." said Queen Malika.

"You Victorians and your castes, anyways, thank you, and I think me and my brother are done here." said Lucien as he begins to leave along with his brother.

"Thank you, Queen Malika." said Ayame.

"You're very welcome, child, have a good day." said Queen Malika who turns away as Ayame goes onward to join the Azriels. "So, what now?" asked Ayame.

"Each of us must ordinate separately, they can keep a eye on one of us, but not all, not everything and always." said Klaus. "Divide and conquer, easy enough, Lucien, what will you do?" asked Ayame.

"When one trial ends in, another begins, or we'll find one, I'll check this city around, gather on what's going around this town, what about you?" asked Lucien. "I'll join you, I guess." said Ayame. "No." replied Klaus.

"Mate, you said private audience, it's best if Aya doesn't remain there." said Lucien. "Not with me, with Darren, At Spring Tavern, go there and see what you can dig up from the local humans while he checks on the vampires." said Klaus. "Yeah, I.. I can do that." said Ayame.

"Hope Darren will be delighted to see you soon." said Lucien as he sprints away.

Meanwhile, in Springs Tavern in the undercroft, the city below paradise. Darren is seen going on a drinking contest, mushing up a entire barrel of ale against a brute who seems to be in race with him.

"Chug! Chug! Chug! Chug! Chug!" shouted the crowd repeatedly until Darren eventually gives out, spitting away the ale in his mouth as he drops while the brute continues going in to which the people cheer until he finishes the barrel and celebrates in success.

"Yeaahh! yes! Korg wins again!" shouted the brute as everyone celebrates in success until Darren, in his drunken state, goes off to punch him in the face to which the people boo.

"Quiet! Quiet all of you.. I said shut the hell up!" shouted Darren to which the people falls silent as Darren moves in closer.

Just as he sees him eye to eye, korg the brute, confirms for a minute that he will get killed by Darren for beating him at competition as the crowd remains silent, but when Darren offers his hand to help him get him, then announces him as the winner, the people not only support Korg's victory, but also the defeat and honour of Darren which he finds himself in privileged for as the crowd goes wild.

Soon, as moments pass, Darren finds themselves seated within a table as a lovely attractive waitress approaches him slowly.

"May I take your order, lovely sir?" asked the waitress. "Sorry ma'am, I'm not Korg, that one is." said Darren, pointing out to Korg, having fun with the people gathered around him as he speaks out his victory. "I know, and I didn't come here to ask him." said the waitress.

"Why not?" asked Darren. "Korg may have won the game, but you on the other hand, managed to win the hearts of all people.. even the ones that didn't root for korg and the ones that did." said the waitress.

"You speak like it was my strategy, it wasn't, it's just a game." said Darren.