Chapter 11. Angel of Death
I tried to open my eyes but they were so heavy. As heavy as my chest felt, as it heaved attempting to, simply, get air into my lungs; just breathing each breath was accompanied by a piercing, stabbing, pain in my side and back
My body was too heavy to move. I had been certain that I had heard footsteps, and then heard talking. It was a bell-like voice which I had heard. I was so sure I heard it.Once something began shaking my shoulder lightly, with all the strength which remained in my body I willed my eyes to open.
They had truly felt, like lifting concrete shutters. My body was fighting against all of my movments. The scent of blood whafted strongly all around... it was my blood. Unmistakeably. I was aware of just how injured I was. How much Lorcan had layed into me with each claw and each of his biteNote my readers: This is the last chapter I'll attempt to write in this style, where we get the story from Nikolas' POV, unless you guys are enjoying it? I'm not actually keen on the 1st person style this way. What do you think of the characters and backgrounds that have just been introduced in the last chapter? Samuel, Swifty, Nikolas and his father. Are the Dark Ones' cruel and terrifying enough? I'm not sure I'm keen on this and will do back to the 3rd person narrative from here on. I've also cut my hands at work, so stay with me as I try get these chapter proofed and out with bad hands.
Chapter 12. It is your kingdom At the same time, as Sephora taking a flight out of the Raven Kingdom, and over to the Ancient Forest, to calm her mind and straighten out her thoughts, Lyla the young servant harpy was helping Seraphina finish her hair and make-up before the late lunch, where the twin princesses were supposed to have their formal introductions with the suitable male bachelors who had already arrived so far. Really, Seraphina had used the exercise of finishing getting dressed and ready for the occasion, as an excuse to talk to Lyla honestly and frankly. Among all the servants, Lyla had remained in the castle a short while now. With their mother’s cruel and cold disposition, alongside her temper many servants often quit, died or went missing after several months. Being of similar ages with Seraphina and Sephora, the twins always entrusted her and spoke
Chapter 13. Where IS she? Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale. The eldest of the, Raven Harpy twins, princesses thought. With each step Seraphina took down the hallway, to the right and then left at the opening at the end of the hallway, headed towards the formal dining room. She was steeling herself against her own warring thoughts, which were whirling in her head. With tidal wave, after tidal wave of differing emotions slamming from her heart into her stomach. This is my kingdom. She echoed the words Lyla had quite passionately uttered. Seraphina was playing them back to herself in a loop. Not the entire conversation, just the stark realisation and the emotion that accompanied that… the feeling and realisation that today also marked the beginning of the twin sisters becoming one step closer to one day being a Queen themselves. Ser
Chapter 14. Belle of The Room An eery silence set upon the room at Lady Nox’s tense words. That the Raven Queen would have to ask where her daughter is; more so, her least favourite between the two Raven Harpy Princesses. Despite the fact she was smiling, there was a tension in her jaw which made it a lopsided smile – more befitting an esteemed general than a Queen. It was while Lord Fielder, Lord Easton and Lady Cassandra were looking over at her, at this point, where they all simultaneously recalled her position and holding in Raven Harpy society before she had been mated to the Raven King. She had been his most esteemed and decorated war general. They had fought side by side on the battlefield with each other, which is the only reason that she was allowed as a commoner to be considered eligible to as a mate for the Raven King. This is s
Chapter 15. Broken & Bloody Deserts Despite being the youngest of the twins, there wasn’t much difference separating the physical capabilities of Sephora and Seraphina. They were both strong, intelligent, and well trained young ladies. Lady Nox herself undertook their combat and sparring training and no less would be expected, than the ruler of the Raven Kingdom herself training her own daughter – who would one day take her place as the Harpy Clan leader. The additional weight of a fully grown male human cause a delay in Sephora’s flying by at least one-third of her usual capabilities. This caused the younger, twin princess more time than she had anticipated the return journey would have taken. Then again, Sephora hadn’t expected there to be swathes of the ancient forest demolished; either by some incident or by some unspeakable act, possibly an act of aggression or a declaration of war if it was not natural… and the younger twin had the sense that it was no natural disaster. H
Chapter 16. Evasive Action Just as Maven had expected of her, within mere moments of her own shriek and Donivan brief outburst, Lady Nox had made her way into the kitchen with a haste. “Do pray tell…” Her words were low with base. While they she was, by all accounts testing the those staff in the kitchen, “…just what is going on in this kitchen…” a blatant and daring threat was laced within them, “…to warrant such an outburst from, not one but both of you, so loudly that our guests could hear and began asking questions?” Combined with the pitch-black vehemence that could only glower from the Raven Queen’s pure black iris’. While Seraphina shared a very close resemblance to her mother, thus being dubbed the, “black diamond,” or “dark gem,” of the Raven Harpy Clan; the elder twin princess
Chapter 17. The Dining Room Echoes of a sharp and shrieking scream had pierced through the chatter in the dining room. Both that of the adults and that of the young harpies this had been intended for; for them to be able to meet and get to know one another before possibly being mated for life. “…Is…everything okay?” It was young Master Lucas who broke the silence to ask the question. Lady Nox looked extremely embarrassed and mortified with a stabbing twist of anger that contorted her features. It looked very unbecoming for a lady of her stature but no one dared say anything else. Yet, everyone in the room wondered what was going on. Young Master Fenn of the Tawny Harpies had looked inquiring and inquisitively at Seraphina for an answer. She had just shrugged in response to the question which had been
Chapter 18. He Is Not Human. He Is Not Dead. Meanwhile, back in the Noble District of the Raven Kingdom, Sephora had just finished her shower and stepped out of the basin. Grabbing one of the Doctor’s fresh towels from the cupboard inside the shower room. This was very unlike the large baths that the castle had. A lovely steaming soak in the bathing chamber would have went perfectly to help relax after such a scary fright, seeing the ancient forest have a whole section of it destroyed! Then being covered in blood and wrecking her favourite, normal looking velvet black dress and worse, causing Maven and Donivan a fright seeing her appear in a very worrying looking state. It had been Maven’s quick thinking that sent Sephora down to the Nobles District to find the Doctor, known as Ingram. He sometimes worked on medical calls to the castle, so the youn
Chapter 19. Old Raven Tales Struck with shock at the Doctors words, Sephora gasped as she narrowed her icy blue eyes at him. Her pale, almost white skin, furrowing at her brow. How on earth can the Doctor just stand there and presume that this man… isn’t a human? If he wasn’t a human then what else was he?! This irritated Sephora somewhat. She might be the more nieve and easy going of the twin princesses but by no means was she dumb. Anyone would be a fool to think otherwise of her. “Explain yourself quickly, Ingram...” Restraining her impulses, the princess directed the harpy Doctor to continue. “ The princess, felt very much, insulted. “If that man is not human,” further emphasising her intellect she pointed with her index finger to the cleaned up body on the operating table and extended one of her p
Chapter 49: The Green Dress Servant.{{The following events happened prior to the Peacock's finally leaving the Ravens Kingdom. Chapters released in the wrong order.}} The Peacock Harpy Prince named at 23, has encouraged and covered the younger Eurasian harpy princes at 19 to help him commit an unspeakable act. Raping one of the Raven Servants at the castle. The Raven servant who ends up getting this, is not a servant at all. It is Sephora the youngest Raven princess and heir, dressed in a green noble robe and brassy body plate. As she is not wearing her usual black royal garments, he doesn't recognise her fully due to his fetishism for a Raven mate. Caruso begins by stroking the Raven Harpy Servants Hair and Feathers, as she is reasting on a large food storage box. He begins taking off her breastplate, moving thr hem of her dresses breastline to reveal and fondling her petite breasts with his long boney hands. "Oh, how I have waited for this." He says as he moves his other hand
Chapter 48: The Unravelling The sun hung high over the rolling meadows of the Peacock Kingdom, casting a golden hue that shimmered like jewels across the landscape. Caruso, the second prince, stood on the balcony of his opulent chamber, gazing out at the vast expanse of greens and golds, his mind swirling with thoughts darker than the shadows cast by the fluttering peacocks below. For too long, he had been a mere pawn in the grand game of royalty, but today, he felt the stirrings of true ambition. “Solomon,” he called, his voice dripping with a mixture of excitement and unease. The advisor entered swiftly, his broad build filling the doorway. Solomon was a Eurasian Eagle Owl harpy, tall and mountainous in stature, with feathers that glinted like polished wood under the sunlight. His presence was commanding, a stark contrast to Caruso’s more delicate frame, yet it was the wiry strength of the advisor that had often proven invaluable. “Your Highness,” Solomon bowed slightly, his e
Chapter 47: A Blood Debt Slave The werewolf lay unconscious in his human form, restrained by shimmering unicorn shackles that bound him to the wall and floor. He was strikingly handsome, with olive skin and dark hair that framed his face, while his stubble was evolving into a full beard. Sephora, the youngest princess and the daughter of the Raven Queen, approached this hidden prisoner, a secret unknown to her family. As Sephora settled into the ornate chair nearby, a wave of drowsiness washed over her. The effects of the enchanted atmosphere began to take hold swiftly. Suddenly, a shadowy figure emerged before her, drawing her attention. "What do you desire?" she asked, her curiosity mingling with a hint of authority. "I am Nikolas, and I demand my freedom from these binds," the figure replied in a deep, strained voice. "And I am not your toy. You can not control me." She smirked, undeterred by his resistance. "I have come to offer you ecstasy in your shackles. Whether you li
Chapter 46: A Walk Through the GardenAfter the breakfast, calling on Sephora, Maven suggested they take a walk through the noble quarters gardens. As the Raven palace did not have its own, it surrounded on all sides by steep cliffs.Sephora was hesitant at first, but Maven assured her that it would be a good opportunity to clear her head and get some fresh air.Maven's once black hair was now mostly grey, with strands of salt and pepper running through it. Her hair was still long and silky, falling in cascading waves down her back, but thcolouror gave her a more mature appearance. Despite this, Maven still had a youthful glow about her, with smooth, unblemished skin and a slender figure. Her Raven wings, too, had aged, with feathers losing their glossy sheen.In contrast, Sephora's hair was jet black and perfectly straight, reaching down to her hips. Her hair was her crowning glory, and she took great care to maintain it. Her wings were also a jet black, much like her mother's, and th
Chapter 45: The Prince Peacock & PawnThe Peacock Prince, Caruso, was obsessed with the idea of having a mate that was so different from himself; not one that came from the same vibrance in colour and culture as him, or worse... dull, boring beige with personalities to match. Just like the female harpy of the Peacock Clan.Caruso had dreamed of a Raven or Dove as a mate for a long time at this point. With their sleek black oe white feathers, to complete his vision of perfection. The thought of having a partner that did not contrast his vibrant plumage was simply unacceptable to him. He had become so fixated on this idea that it had turned into a dangerous obsession.He spent his days and nights obsessing over the Raven Princess because of this. The idea of a Dove mate thrown away upon learning that the Raven Queen was accepting noble and royal bachelors for her to consider for her daughter's mates.After learning this, Caruso studdied up on any information he could get about the Rave
Chapter 44: The Tea PartySephora had been looking forward to the tea party with Prince Kavan all week. She had spent hours picking out the perfect dress and practising her small talk. As a member of the Raven Clan, Sephora had never had the opportunity to interact with the Tawny Kingdom's royals before. She was excited to learn more about their culture and traditions.When Sephora arrived at the Tawny Kingdom's palace, she was greeted by Kavan himself. He was dressed in a formal tunic that matched the colours of his Clan's coat of arms. Sephora couldn't help but notice how handsome he looked."Welcome, Sephora," Kavan said, offering her his arm. "I'm so glad you could make it.""Thank you for inviting me," Sephora replied, feeling a little nervous.As they walked through the palace's ornate halls, Kavan began to tell her about the Tawny Kingdom's history and customs. Sephora listened intently, fascinated by the differences between their two Clans. She had always known that the Tawny
Chapter 43: Reliable Allies After breakfast with Sephora, Prince Kavan seemed to be delighted to discover that she was even more gorgeous than her sister. However, the event with the cured fish that prompted her to gag forced him to remain to ever have reservations regarding her etiquette and suitability for a mate. His mate. Kavan arrived at the realisation that he ought to make the best of the prospect which had been granted to him via the Raven Queen. Boldly seeking out Queen Nox, he solemnly took on the responsibility to enlighten her about the entire incident: The music room was where he saw the criminal peacock assault the young servant harpy, and where he immediately intercede. Queen Nox, who more or less observed the inquiry and verification, eventually came to the conclusion that he was a dependable and trustworthy political ally, herself... who, conveniently, maintained values that were within accordance with the Owl Code of Conduct. This meant that limits within which sh
Chapter 42: A Bittersweet Morning Even yet, Seraphina had no idea what had taken place the previous evening when she awoke the next morning. After devouring such a lavish and extravagant supper, what Prince Caruso tried to accomplish after that was beyond the comprehension of any other royal in attendance. Other, than Lady Cassandra. Thanks to the quick and noble deeds of Prince Kavan, and response of him in informing Lady Nox; she to now knew… yet, could not understand why a guest had acted in such a way. She hadn’t liked him, or the way he spoke. Finding him rude. Yet, she had not expected that he would attempt to commit a crime like that! Here in her Kingdom. Further, right here in the Queen’s own castle! Seraphina knew and anticipated that Sephora would try to slip silently into her room because she had messed up, - big time with their mother. Pleading for Seraphina to use her position as heir and favourite to help convince her mother to go easier on her. To let her away
Chapter 41: Calling on SephoraMaven, who is in charge of the housekeeping for the Raven Royal family, and Lady Nox collaborated in planning a visit to Sephora for breakfast. Young Master Fenn was keen on attending the arrangement. It was not often, that anyone got the blessing of the Raven Queen to Call on either of her daughters. Despite the fact that Maven had informed Sephora, the younger of the Princess twins, that it had to occur before lunch, she firmly believed that she had some leeway in determining when this would actually happen. She obviously didn't. Certainly not when her mother was directly involved but Maven didn't want to ruin the surprise for the bachelorette princess.At the long, dark, ornately carved table with a glass top, Sephora sat facing the entrance to begin trying her first-ever Eurasian breakfast. The flatbread was an odd thing to her, as was each dip, but if the chef was sure the honey and date mix would be something her sweet tooth could sink into? Well