The king's Mark

poisoned

In a dark room, Darren stood near the window, one hand pressed against his chest. The veins beneath his skin had darkened. He was trying so hard not to scream, but he couldn't hold it any longer. A low growl escaped his throat. The pain was too much for him to bear.

Kael stood a few feet away, watching helplessly, not knowing what to do.

“I’m calling the royal physician.” Kael said preparing to leave,but Darren's voice stopped him.

“No! Call James.” Darren commanded amist the pains. Without further instructions Kael left the room.

A few minutes later, He came back with a short, bald-headed old man carrying a leather bag. James immediately approached Darren.

“Sit down, my king.”

Darren ignored him.

James quickly prepared a dark mixture and handed it to him.

“Drink this.”

Darren stared at the cup before finally taking it. He swallowed the mixture.

James examined the veins around his wrist before making a small cut in one of them. He then poured another mixture into the wound.

The wound closed almost immediately.

Darren's breathing gradually slowed.

The pain began to fade. For several moments, the only sound in the room was his heavy breathing.

James watched him carefully.

“How do you feel, my king?” James asked, but Darren gave no response. He simply stood up and gradually walked to his seat. Then finally spoke.

“Have you found the antidote?” James lowered his head

“Not yet, but i have some new herbs

I'd like to try. I discovered a combination of herbs that may neutralize dangerous poisons.” the old man said, Darren stared at him

Do I look like a test subject for your theories?” Darren asked in a dangerous voice. The temperature in the room seemed to drop.

James immediately fell to his knees.

“I'm sorry, my king.”

Darren moved toward him with frightening speed. His hand pressing hard on James's throat. The old physician struggled for breath.

“Darren let him go.” Kael held his hand and looked at him with pleading eyes.

Darren's eyes shifted toward him.

“He's trying to help you.” For few seconds, Darren didn't move, then he slowly let him go. Kael was the only one he listened to sometimes.

The old man fell to his knees, coughing.

Darren returned to his chair.

“You may begin.”

James quickly gathered his supplies.

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Minutes later….

Darren stood there in the room, looking unnerving as ever. His shadow stretched across the wall, making him look even more terrifying.

But staring at his face directly, it contrasted with what the shadow depicted in the dim light.

Dressed in his favorite red robe, which swept across the floor behind him, Darren stood in silence while James worked at a small table. He fixed his eyes on the short bald-headed man in front of him who seemed to be wasting his time. They had been that way for a long time.The physician mixed different herbs together, occasionally flipping through pages of a thick, ancient book for the umpteenth time.

Kael stood nearby with his arms crossed.

He must've realized he was wasting Darren’s time as he kept stealing glances at his face from time to time.

"I'm almost done, my lord." He finally spoke in a shaky voice his eyes glancing through an opened page of the big book in front of him. Kael glanced at the old man, wondering how he could read in such poor lighting. He shook his head. James was clearly terrified.

Calmly and without saying a word, Darren stood watching the man, already running out of patience.

After what seemed like forever, the old man stood and approached Darren, a red liquid dripping from the knife in his hand.

The room had gotten darker and his hands were shaking, and getting close to the intimidating young man, he stopped right in front of him.

Darren didn't even move an inch, his eyes blinked once in every five seconds as he stared blankly at the man, waiting for him to proceed, but he noticed how difficult that was for him.

James hesitated, his trembling hands tightening around the knife.. What if the process fails and the poison became worse? Surely, he wouldn't want to prickle the king's anger.

"Get on with it, James, and stop chickening out." Darren suddenly said with a cold voice and that alone made the old man’s heart skip a beat. He swallowed then brought the knife forward and pierced it into the chest of the man in front of him - right below his heart.

His lids didn't blink, but when a vein showed up on his forehead, the old man could tell it hurt.

"Do you still.... feel any pain?" He looked up at him and asked, his hands still holding onto the scales as half of the knife was buried in his chest

And when Darren nodded his head,

“yes.” Disappointment flashed across the old man's face as he withdrew the knife from his skin immediately. It was now covered with his blood. But the wound closed up almost immediately.

"It didn't work, did it?" Darren asked, walking towards the window which welcomed him with a heavy force of wind.

"I'm sorry, my king" the old man bowed his head afraid, but feeling thankful the king was now backing him.

James kept glancing at Darren's back, his nervousness becoming more obvious with every passing second.

Darren stared at the sky, the stars reflected in his blue eyes, which were flecked with gold. But whenever he became angry, they turned red and consume both the guilty and innocent. Nobody ever wants to see that side of Darren. No one at all, at least not when they still valued their lives.

Darren said nothing, and the old man took a step closer.

"B... But you know I had to mix some special ingredients on the knife but poison was too strong is unlike anything I have encountered." He sounded careful.

"If it had been just an ordinary poison, your body would have destroyed it years ago” He defended his work

“Then find something that can destroy it” Darren demanded.

“If you could give me some time to look for stronger anti poison herbs--”he couldn't finish what he was saying when the king's voice interrupted him.

"Stop wishing for what we don't have, James. Get to work." The words were sharp, his head c*****g to the side as he gave the old man a backward glance.

"Oh! Y...Yes, my king. I'll multiply my efforts and please you." The old man bowed in deference, Darren returned his full gaze to the window. Now he understood why the room had gotten darker. The sky was covered by thick cloud, indicating the rain was about to pour.

He stared blankly into it for a long time, thinking of the positives and negatives. And the whole time, the old man just stood behind him like a loyal servant.

Finally, and without saying a word, Darren turned from the window and started towards his chair.

“Take him back to his quarters, Kael, and bring me someone.” Kael nodded his head and motioned for the old man to leave the room. The old man bowed one last time before leaving.

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His name was Darren Virek- the most feared ruler in the kingdom and its king. Years ago, several vampire clans had united against him, believing they could force him into submission.

They had failed.

He had conquered them one by one and brought their territories under his control. Although some still plotted against him behind his back, he trusts no one except for Kael.

Kael had been beside him for years.

He was the only one who could speak freely around the king and sometimes prank him without fearing for his life.

Darren had been living with the poison for ten years, the poison couldn't possibly kill someone as powerful as him but the pain always hit differently every time.

Every lady would want him, but the few that had gotten the opportunity to stay close to him all couldn't help but shrink with fear and carefulness, as the cold aura around him was just extreme. Like they say, standing close to him was enough to steal your breath and make you feel like you were standing next to death itself.

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By the time Kael returned, he had already been drenched in the rain which had begun pouring a while back.

The lady Kael brought was half dressed.

Without being told, Kael left, leaving the decision to Darren to either send the lady away, or retain her. But the lady was determined to make sure she was retained.

Setting her eyes on Darren sent some shivers down her spine and quickly, she went on her knees in front of him.

“My king." Her head was bowed.

"It's my utmost pleasure to be in your room tonight. Please, tell me how I can serve you and make you feel better. I'm at your humble service, my king."

There was so much passion in her voice as she spoke, one that showed how desperate she looked in her red coloured undies.

He walked round her, observing her body status and confirming she was worthy of his bed. Of course, Kael knew better than to bring anything lower.

He ignored her as he walked over to his study table, pouring himself some blood. And the whole time he drank, the lady patiently stayed on her knees and awaited his response.