Blood and Doves.

Alenos sit’s within a large high backed chair with one leg hanging carelessly over the arm, his knight’s and retainer’s sit along the table, intersperesed with Queen Chaos ladies in waiting. Several of the new Amazonian soldier’s sit amongst the crowd as Alenos lean’s forward slightly and clap’s his hands. Entering from the side of the hall, led by Queen Chaos ladies in waiting come a dozen virgin’s dressed in white gown’s, wrist’s, thigh’s and neck’s exposed as they are guided up onto the table to lay astride it each one staggered so that they are able to serve each of the dinner guests. One catches Alenos eye and he raises a hand to point at her before she gains the table.

“You...I want you...” Alenos speaks as she nod’s and moves towards him and kneels before him. “As you wish...my lord...” She says in a shaking voice from beneath a mop of curly raven hair, her skin pale and breast’s straining at the small gown she has been forced to wear for the pleasure of the vampire diners.

"What Scare you so Chaos? Hmm..Is it the death..of these mortal's? "Alenos ask's softly as he sit's the girl in his lap and run's a finger down her throat, and across her breast's and she subconciously pressed herself to him. Alenos tilt's the girl's head aside to expose the beating and pulsing vein in her neck as she gasp's in anticipation.

"Do you want to share her with me Chaos? Do you want to taste her life's blood? " Alenos laugh's and look's into Chaos eye's. "Do not deny yourself my queen.."

Alenos guides the girl from his lap as she sigh's and walk's with a measured step for the side of the hall, and through a small door. Alenos sigh's infrustration but manages to keep his temper in check, turning softly to Chaos he look's at her and nod's softly. " It seem's my Queen has spoken, I shall go into the town and hunt, and leave youe "Ladies" In peace.." Alenos bowed before her as he slipped from the chair, Guy and Matthias rising to follow but he waves them back with a black gloved hand.

"I don't need you two tonight.." Alenos spoke as he passed them, and it was true..of late his temper had become easier to keep in check and to control the beast within him. All he need do is feed deeply and well for an hour or so each day and he found that he managed to keep himself in check. Chaos authority brooked no argument this time and Alenos knew it. If she wished to keep her pet mortal's then so be it, however he would find one from which to feed.

Alenos made his way back to his quarter's and deep within them to his own private study, sitting down in the chair next to a well banked fire he thought to himself. "Why does Chaos have such a compulsion against drinking blood from a mortal?" as he reclined in the chair and rested his leg's over the hearth, taking a goblet of blood from the side table, mercifully still warm and pure he drink's it slowly while deep in thought.

His own eye's flashing from hazel to a violent purple.

Alenos was in a mood to be insolent, ignoring her call though he heard it clearly. Taking up a book from the side table Alenos opened it to a marked page and started to read the diaries of the last Red Duke. The title had been passed down through the legend and each had written a diary depicting his deed's and trial's, the existance of these was known only to the Current Duke, and the diaries were well hidden within the quarter's of the palace.

Sipping from the Goblet Alenos read further and for a long time, ignoring her call's to the point he was certain her patience would wear thin and she would attempt to order him to stand before her, or seek him out herself.

Alenos set the book down and awaited the armoured footstep'she had heard coming through his quarter's. She she had finally lost her patience.

"Lord Alenos..My Pardon Sir..Her Majesty..Queen Chaos..Ask's that you let us Escort you to the dungeon" a young guard spoke in a high voice as he stepped into Alenos library having politely knocked the door. Alenos was certain the man shook and the smell of fresh sweat that had filled the small room betrated at least one sign of his fear.

"I don't know your name Solider..However would you kindly tell Chaos, that should she wish me to the dungeon's she can appear before me and order me their her damn self." Alenos finished his sentence with a growl as the young soldier quaked and fled the room.

Alenos rose from the chair, and stood before her, the air between them crackling with power and barely bestowed hostility. "Chaos..Get down from your damned high horse..I am Duke of Obsidian..If i do not wish to be in your presence i will not..If you think i am talking down to you..Stand bloody straigher..and stop throwing a temper tantrum like a spoilt child."

Alenos spoke dangerous word's but still did not flinch or waver, a soft and steady laugh slipt through his lip's. He was actually laughing at her..

Alenos stood stunned for several moment's, watching as she left the room.

That was it..He followed her with a purposefull stride, his anger rising for the first time since he had successfully caged the beast. "So you kiss me and then flee from me Chaos! Be damned to you..You curse me for playing mind games..and yet play them yourself in equal measure..Damn it Woman..I am sick of it..Tell me what you want from me..or i will ride out of this court tonight.." Alenos is but half a dozen paces behind her as he shout's down the corridor.

"How have i treated you like a damned whore..and If i loved you..What would it solve Chaos? I am your guard..your protector..that is all that i am now..If i loved you how would it seem? Like i had used my being close to you to seduce you and take you to my bed? Honestly you can not tell me you have not thought about it!"

Alenos face is filled with emotion as he shout's back at her, not caring now who hear's their exchange." Do you want a new protector..do you wish me to leave? would it make your feeling's easier should i do so?"

Alenos stood and lok at her for several long and he knew for her irritating moment's. Slowly he reached up and grasped th top of his shirt and with a soft grunt ripped the silken material to exose the silver skinned crescent moon branded onto his chest.

The mark of the Goddess....

Stepping past her slowly he walk's down the corridor. "Sign the warrant Chaos and then I won't be able to love you...by the will of the goddess or not.."

"Order me to love you..and I will Chaos..Order me to do so and i will put aside everything and love you..but know if you do that..that i will never truely be complete..you ask me to stop acting like a spoilt child, and start answering my Queen.."

Alenos pauses as she stop's walking away, the tone and betrayal of emotion in his voice evident in the way he is speaking to her now. " Then my queen need's to know that i do love her, but she need's to stop acting like a spoilt child herself, ordering your guard's to take me to the dungeon's, slapping me..crying into your blood at breakfast when i do not smile at you after coming in from a three day patrol.."

Alenos is letting all this out in one unstopable rush. "You assumed i did not know anyof the thing's you do when i do not show you attention Chaos..Well..The Goddess sometimes show's me more than i would ever care to see.." Alenos say's even softer as a tear of blood fall's down his cheek.

Alenos followed behind Chaos at a slow and measured step, though he door was locked he twisted the handle violently and forced it open in one swift movement.Pressing it into the frame behind himself he walked slowly into the room and slid onto the bed, wrapping an arm over Chaos and starting to talk before she can object.

"Chaos..you are my queen..and I love you, the part's of me above the beast loves you..and the part of me that I the beast loves your blood. I am scared to love you..because I am afraid that if I let myself get too close, the beast will thirst more for your blood..even now it call's to me.."

Alenos forces her around to look at him, taking her hand's firmly.

" Chaos...when I said I could never love you completely, it was because I would alway's be doubtng that fear of myself..I would never relax as I would alway's be guarding you aginst other's and myself"

Alenos fell silent after a time and just simply looked at her before he started speaking again.

"how would it lok to he court..Your guard is also your bed mate..and is also making you his thrall by feeding from you..."

"Chaos the moment you looked at me..the moment i proffessed my love and you looked at me before them each and every one in that room would know..I am a court pariah and yet..a paramour at the same time Chaos..Each of the court women fear's me..yet to become my Thrall they would each williingly take me to their bed's husband or not..you know this..they would know the change in me as soon as i stepped intot he room, they are predator's and they would smell it."

Alenos whispered in hushed tones, before her word's caught him off guard, and he spoke swiftly.." I love you too..even though i should not.."