5. Morel

FIVE

MOREL

"Morel!" Her terror-filled screams surrounded me as I fought the sunlight, reaching for her through the chaos, desperately searching for my love. Dread filled my bones as I heard the bloodcurdling scream, so close yet so far, vibrating in my chest. My eyes struggled to grasp what was occurring, the fog of war clouding my vision as the light disoriented me. We had been separated, Agaric and his men forcing us apart in battle. Fear soaked my heart as I scanned the many blurry faces around me, pulling at the faint thread of her existence, searching for any sign of her amongst the violence. My soul ached for her.

"Hesper!" I screamed into the blinding light, my hands shielding the beams as I swung through the battle, my sword striking down all who stood before me, fighting against the endless golden rays. "Hesper!"

Hesper's screams guided me, my vision clearing as I watched him rip his sword from her abdomen, fresh blood soaking her armor. My sword fell from my hand, watching as my love fell to her knees, those metallic eyes bloodshot, filled with fear as they searched, meeting mine. Tears rolled down her bloodied face, leaving streaks that only enhanced my queen's beauty. "Morel." My name fell from Hesper's bloodied lips as her body fell back.

"Hesper!" I screamed, immediately rushing to her aid. Agaric's men gathered around as they tried to stop me, but they were no match. Even without my sword, I was more powerful than all of them combined. My rage was hatred fueled, red filling my eyes as I tore through the soldiers, brutally beating the life from their weak bodies, inching closer to her. As much as I wanted to take my time, breaking every bone in their pathetic, putrid bodies while I breathed in their last breaths, I needed to keep moving. I needed to reach her. My heart cracked as I could feel her life fading away with each second and nothing in this world would keep me from her, my wolfsbane.

My path was almost clear, only one of Agaric's soldiers standing in my way. The young boy was barely old enough to hold a weapon, shaking as he stared up at me. His face was absent of color, trembling as I stepped closer. "He's just a child, brother." His voice made me stop as I glanced past the young soldier to see Agaric watching me. "Would you really kill someone so naive and innocent?" My breathing was rapid, my nostrils flaring with a taste for blood as I kept my eyes on him, glaring as I moved swiftly, removing the boy's sword as it twirled in my hands, meeting its mark. I glanced at the foul blood pouring down his chin, the blade deep inside his mouth as he gagged on the sharpness, his eyes wide with tears. I yanked the weapon back, the boy's tongue dangling from his shredded jaw as his body hit the ground. "No man is innocent." My eyes moved from him to Hesper, burning with rage. "Hesper!" I screamed, rushing to her side.

My love lay sprawled across the ground, her body bloodied and slain before me. The sky had emptied from her open eyes, leaving them glossy as she remained lifeless, an empty shell of my heart. No! I fell to her side, lifting her weightless body into my arms, cradling her close. "Wolfsbane," I cried, brushing her hair from her wounded face, pressing my hand against the deep wound on her abdomen in a failed attempt to save her. "Hesper." I shook her body, her head wobbling as I continued, "Hesper. Hesper, please. Wake up." She remained empty. "Hesper!" My heart completely shattered, ripping apart piece by piece and leaving only hatred as the last ounce of my soul faded away with her. My head shot to the sky, the sun burning my face as I screamed, holding her corpse close while my throat burned. Without my queen, I was nothing.

I squeezed her body close to mine, the excruciating pain of my loss drowning me as I cried into her hair, inhaling her fading scent, her blood smearing across my skin.

"What a pity." My eyes glared through the strands of her hair, staring up at my brother, smiling only inches away. My heartbreak mixed with my hatred, burning in the absence of my soul.

"You want a monster," I growled, carefully placing my love's body at my feet and rising, the sword firmly in my hand, "but instead, I shall show you the devil himself." I lunged at Agaric with my sword, screaming as he blocked my strike, our blades clashing together as we pushed against the other with all our strength.

Agaric strained beneath my force, buckling lightly. I grinned, the young boy's dried blood crackling across my face as I glared at him, hungry for vengeance. "What's the matter, big brother? Did you not expect the black sheep to grow into a wolf?" He narrowed his eyes, pushing back as our blades parted.

"You are not a wolf," he breathed, preparing to strike. "You are an abomination. Father was right in wanting to rid this world of you." He charged me, missing as I spun, swinging my blade with one hand and cutting his lower back effortlessly. He groaned, quickly recovering, turning to face me. I raised my bloody blade, pointing it directly at him.

"You murdered my wife." I glanced down at Hesper's body, my chest rising up and down as I breathed heavily. "A grave mistake, brother." My eyes returned to him as he glanced around, uneasy. "You may want to end my life, but are you willing to die to do so?" Agaric blinked. "The difference between us, brother," I spat at the earth, preparing for the final strike, "is that you do not fight for the kingdom, but for yourself." My hand gripped the hilt, my knuckles whitening with the force with which I held the weapon. "I do not. I fight for my kingdom, my people. I fight for Hesper, my queen. And now that you have taken her from me," I breathed deeply, fighting back the heartache. "I am willing to die, for I do not fear death. Can you say the same when you look upon the grim reaper's face in the end?" He swallowed, grimacing at my words, his sword tight within his hand. "Let's find out."

I charged him, my blade aiming for his heart, fueled by an endless pit of rage. Agaric spun, my blade missing when something pushed through my heart from behind. I stumbled, the overwhelming pain shooting through my body. My sword dropped to the ground as my fingers fumbled over my chest, meeting the sharp tip of Agaric's blade, piercing my heart. Blood poured down my armor, bubbling in my mouth as I choked on the metallic taste. He ripped the weapon from me, blood gushing as I turned, my body shaking as my eyes met his.

Agaric examined my blood that drenched his sword, smiling as I fell to my knees. "When you walk upon hell's door," he glared down at me, glowing with pride and satisfaction, "do tell Mother I said hello." He raised his leg, his boot kicking me in the face as I fell over, my skull throbbing as a ringing pierced my ears. "You lost, little brother."

Agaric stepped over me, approaching Hesper's body as he raised her, flinging her over his shoulder. Her lifeless eyes stared into the abyss as I watched, my vision lagging and sound distorted. "Hesper," I strained, rolling onto my chest, raising my head as I watched Agaric turn. He grinned like a child.

"You have lost everything . You are no king." My hands clawed at the dirt as I strained to lift myself from the earth, weakened by my wound and severe loss of blood.

"Wolfsbane!" I screamed, my head spinning. My body ached, failing me as I desperately tried to rise, blood soaking the dirt beneath me. My vision blurred, my consciousness slowly drifting away as I tried to stay alert. Get the fuck up, Morel! "Wolfsbane!"

"Don't worry, little brother." Agaric's voice altered as my consciousness began to fade. I tried to hold on, grasping onto the image of my bride. "I shall see to it that your queen is disposed of properly. Her body shall burn with the rest of the traitors, their ashes scattered in the wind and forgotten."

Agaric stopped.

My eyes lifted, peeking through my pitch-black hair. "Let me take her home." The words were more of a command than a request. My jaw remained clenched, praying he would grant me this small solace.

Agaric pierced the ground with his sword. "Oh, little brother." He rubbed his eyes, "You shall never see your bride again." His arm motioned to his side, his men raising her limp body from his shoulder as they began to carry her away.

Adrenaline flowed through my veins as I forced myself to my feet, clutching my bleeding heart. "Hesper!" Nothing would keep me from her. Nothing .

I stumbled in the direction of his men, quickly fading into the battle with her body and disappearing from view. "A true king," Agaric kicked my back, forcing me to my knees, "kneels for no one." He spat on my body.

"My king!" One of my men called. "The king is injured!" My forces began to gather around, various soldiers grabbing my arms as they tried to pull me back.

"No!" I roared, shoving them from me.

"My king, you are injured. We must retreat!"

I glared at the exhausted soldier. I could choose to stay and fight, avenging Hesper's death, or save my men, gifting them a second chance at defeating Dryade. "Listen to your men, Morel." Agaric's men gathered to him, preparing to strike. "Run back to your godforsaken kingdom in defeat, or you and your men will die here today. Choose quickly, brother. I offer this mercy to you only once."

"Please, my king." The soldier yanked my collar as I stopped resisting.

I stood, straining as my men flocked to my aid, helping me as we turned. "Out of the kindness of my heart, I shall make sure no one forgets your love. She shall always be remembered as the traitorous queen she was."

I whipped around, lunging towards Agaric. My emotions made me weak, allowing Agaric to avoid me as he raised his boot and slammed it into my face, the sound of the impact rippling through my mind followed by pain and darkness.

My body raised from the bed, panting hysterically as I glanced around the moonlight-filled room. The doors of my chambers burst open as a servant entered with a single, dim candle, rushing to my bed. "My king?" My eyes were wide, sweat soaking my bare skin as my heart ached both from my brother's sword and the memory of my love's death. My hand clutched my chest, the raised scar finally healed. "My king?" The servant persisted, his eyes examining me for any sign of alarm.

My head fell into my hands at the realization that what I had just experienced was another painful memory of the nightmare of my life, playing for me once again as it had done every night since that fateful day. Torturing me endlessly. I inhaled deeply, calming my shattered heart as I slowly regained control and composure. "I am alright, thank you." The servant waited, as if expecting me to say something more. "Leave!" I roared, startling the man as he bowed, apologizing before he rushed from my chamber.

I wiped the sweat from my forehead, brushing my dark hair aside as I stepped onto the cold floor with bare feet. I wandered around the room, reaching the large stained glass window. The moon was high, shining its pale beams into the room, casting shades of blue. I closed my eyes, my lungs inhaling deeply as the memory of my wife appeared in my mind's eye. She was standing in this exact spot, admiring the stars. She turned to look at me, smiling, her beauty unmatched by any. She always stared out into the night, bathing in the light of the moon. Her eyes would twinkle like the night sky as it reflected in her metallic irises. My cheeks hurt as I realized I had been smiling. The painful memory made my heart ache, my chest caving in on itself as I opened my eyes and stumbled back in agony, my smile completely gone. Wolfsbane .

Hatred and anger masked my pain as I grabbed a nearby chair and flung it across the room in a fit of rage, screaming. The chain slammed into the floor-length mirror, shattering it to pieces. The mirror was not mine, but Hesper's. I blinked, remaining still, realizing what I had done. Tears burned my eyes as I rushed to the shattered reflective glass, frantically gathering the pieces into my hands, ignoring the sharp edges as they sliced my skin.

"Hesper," I cried quietly to myself, "forgive me." Unlike other women, my queen did not treasure trinkets and fine things. Instead, she preferred to occupy her time with the study of the geography of our world. She read books, enjoyed music and dancing. She was enamored by specific plants, though she despised flowers, finding them childish and grotesque. She preferred hunting, fighting, having strength and drive unmatched by any man. Despite being a queen, she had the simplest taste. Truthfully, she did not care for her appearance, despite her enchanting beauty. She never saw her own beauty, purposely avoiding mirrors most of her life. This mirror, the very one I destroyed, was a gift, one that I had given her on our wedding night so that she may always see herself as I did. A queen, my goddess.

I stared into my reflection, my amber eyes glaring back into themselves as I held the shattered pieces of the mirror in my hands. "You may have murdered my queen, dear brother," I squeezed the glass as it pierced the palm of my hand, "but you made the mistake of letting me live, one I shall not grant you. I will destroy you for everything you have taken from me." The glass crumbled in my hand. "Prepare, older brother." I rose, holding the rest of the mirror in my hands, staring up at the moonlight. "Darkness is coming."