His Dark Majesty

Rain was pattering on the dust strewn cobblestones. Now and then, lightning would part the darkness and two figures could be seen with a horse softly neighing between them. "Please Rhoe, don't go there, I beg you", one of the two figures, a woman , standing in the doorway of the spacious cottage , was crying and pleading to the man, who was now climbing the horse. “Don’t be ridiculous Courtney, you know we need this”, the man said in a voice that carried arrogance. He kicked the horse and it trudged forward. "Please! We would not be able to pay the price, Rhoe, you know how it works", the woman pleaded once again, her voice thick with tears that were streaming down her face, mixing with the rain. The sky lightened again. The rider kicked his horse into the night leaving the pleading woman behind. “Please", the woman whispered, one hand shot forward as if to summon him back but the rider went on, her sobs were blanketed by the rain and lightening. The man went through the empty streets of the town and soon entered the forest. His figure, a silhouette against the dark. Howling of wolves could be heard from afar. The forest looked haunted. Its trees are tall and ancient. But the man seemed to know his way and he went deeper and deeper still. The horse easily made its way through the fallen branches and crunching, dried leaves. On and on they went in the dark which hides all the sins, until they reached the end of the forest, in front of them stood a tall building. From the looks of it, it seemed dark and ancient. The tall spires penetrate the sky. It was a huge castle-like thing, made of black marbles. None of the rooms seemed to have occupants. No fire flickered in the boarded windows. It looked abandoned. The trees were dead around it. No life dwelled here. It was beautiful. And dangerous. The man got off the horse, tied it to the dying tree. The horse made a snorting noise as if protesting to be left alone in this haunted place. The man smoothed its mane and produced a sugar cube from the pocket of his heavy cloak and gave it to the horse. He made his way towards the giant metal gates of the castle, the gates flung open with a creaking, metallic sound. The man gulped down saliva, his eyes frantically darting around, and started forward. There was no grass on the front lawn. A large marble statue stood in between the lawn. He couldn't decipher it's shape but it had wings. Huge wings. He made his way to the side of the house as he was directed to do. There was a large white stone jutting out from the ground. The earth around the stone was dead as well. No voices could be heard. Not even crickets. In the centre of the stone was a large circle imprinted on it. There were mountains and stars branded inside the circle in some dark colors. The man made his way to the stone. Knelt in front of it and touched it with two fingers. "WHO DARE SUMMON ME?", a voice boomed from everywhere and nowhere. The voice was velvety yet powerful and commanding. The man flinched but kept his footing. " My lord, I dare", the man said in a weak voice. All hints of arrogance gone from it. "WHAT DO YOU WANT, MORTAL", came the booming voice. " I need to make a wish, my lord", the man said, staring at the stone. The voice scoffed. "ARE YOU AWARE OF THE COST OF YOUR WISHES, MORTAL?", the voice once again penetrated the deadly silence. Even the rain didn't dare fall in this place. "Yes my lord, two costs it shall be, one told and one untold", the man said to the stone. The voice snorted, " YOU CAME PREPARED ", then after a pause, "WHAT IS YOUR WISH?", the voice demanded. " I wish for children my lord, I wish fertility for my wife", said the man in a week voice. "YOU SHALL BE GRANTED FERTILITY, BUT", after a dramatic pause, "TO GAIN FERTILITY, YOU WILL HAVE TO LOSE FERTILITY TOO", the voice boomed. The words were far too cryptic for him to decipher. The man frowned from his crouching position, not understanding what losing fertility means. They never had fertility to begin with. "Yes my lord", the man leaned towards the stone. " THAT IS NOT ALL", the voice boomed again, and the man halted, "YOU SHALL HAVE SIX CHILDRENS", the man opened his mouth to protest that it was too much, but, " THREE SHALL BE STILBORN AMONG THEM, THE REST THREE PERFECTLY HEALTHY", the man sighed in relief, Three is not that bad! The voice boomed again, "FOR YOUR FIRSTBORN, YOU SHALL HAVE A DAUGHTER, WHOSE BEAUTY WILL BE UNMATCHED, ON HER EIGHTEENTH BIRTHDAY, YOU SHALL MARRY HER TO ME, THAT IS THE TOLD PRICE", the voice finished. The man sat frozen in place. The howling of wolves was the only sound here. Marry her to him? Does he even exist? But two children would still be his. The man immediately weighed the pros and cons. Two were better than none at all. " I accept , my Lord", he finally said. "KISS THE EMBLEM TO SEAL THE BARGAIN", said the voice. The man leaned down and kissed the cool marble. A current trailed down his spine. The man stood up from the ground, the place once again deadly silent, as if nothing happened a moment ago. He drunkenly walked back to the horse, untying and mounting it in a trance. He made his way back to the cottage. Rain soaking him once again. He went through the empty streets of the small town. Everyone was inside their house, warm and cozy. The woman was still slumped on the doorway, soaked to the core. The man quickly dropped the horse in its pen and made his way to the woman. He gently picked her up and carried her inside to the warm hearth. The fire was crackling dull-ly in the fireplace. He laid her down on the ottoman and sat himself in the chair opposite to it. He told her everything that happened, excluding the three stillborn children part. The woman started sobbing once again. " What have you done, Rhoe?” the woman wailed, "How could we marry our precious daughter to a monster?", the woman distressed. The man flicked his hand, annoyed at the woman, " Shut it, Courtney", the man raged, the arrogance back in his voice. "We should be celebrating, but it seems you are not up for it so I shall celebrate alone", he stood up and made his way out of the room. To the kitchen he went, picking a wine bottle to celebrate. The woman stared at the weak flames. Flickering to life then dying again and again and again. The woman's eyes drooped shut and a last whisper escaped her lips before she traveled to Morpheus's realm. "What have you done?"