- 3 hours ago
Category
🎥
Short filmTranscript
00:05the shadow the spare but they were wrong this generation had two and one of them was me the
00:11one born with a body made to ruin men the one whose flesh and blood could raise a thousand
00:15brood curses i crawled onto the shore enduring pain so savage it felt like my bones were being
00:20torn apart then i used forbidden blood craft to split my tail into legs i offered my own flesh
00:26and blood as tribute and raised brood curse after brood curse venomous things worms spiders serpents
00:34all feeding on me until one black snake slithered over my wrist its tongue bright red it devoured
00:40every other creature i had raised thousands of them and became the brood king its name was shade
00:46from that moment on i trained without mercy three months later my broodcraft was complete then i
00:53made my way to the capital alone half starved still alive i disguised myself as a court dancer
01:00and entered the palace and with a pouch of blood stained pearls made from my own tears i bought
01:06the one thing i needed most information on emperor lucian's whereabouts that night moonlight spilled
01:11across the lake like silver i stepped onto the water and danced each touch of my toes sent ripples of
01:17pale
01:17across the surface my scent drifted into the night air sweet soft impossible to ignore soon butterflies
01:26came in swarms drawn to me as if enchanted they circled my body fluttering around me refusing to leave
01:33and emperor lucian stood there watching watching for so long he forgot to hide it when the dance ended
01:40i turned by chance and met his eyes i froze then quickly bent down to put on my shoes pretending
01:47i had only just
01:47noticed him i was about to leave when his voice stopped me you're one of the palace dancers that dance
01:54was
01:54remarkable and yet i've never seen it before i lowered my eyes and answered as if i did not know
02:00who he was
02:00it is a dance from my homeland very few have ever seen it it was early spring the wind off
02:07the lake was
02:08cold my body trembled lightly in the night air he noticed of course he noticed so he removed his pale
02:14silver robe and draped it over my shoulders himself gently for a moment i looked up at him in surprise
02:21heat rose to my face a blush where he could see it my scent deepened between us turning the silence
02:27softer
02:28warmer warmer more dangerous and i saw it then that flash in his eyes wonder desire he steadied
02:35himself before speaking again selena loves dance her birthday is approaching you will perform this
02:41dance for her i dropped my knees at once letting fear flood my face i did not know it was
02:47your majesty
02:48please forgive me he waved the apology aside rise you are forgiven just do not disappoint me
02:54i bowed my head and accepted the command but as i watched him walk away i moved one finger just
03:02once
03:02a tiny broodling slipped through the air landed against his skin and burrowed inside by the next
03:08morning the whole inner court had heard the story the emperor had encountered a dancer by the lake and he
03:14had not forgotten her then came a knock at my door when i opened it an older palace matron stood
03:19outside
03:20a stranger and i knew at once someone had already come for me they brought me before high consort
03:26selene inside her palace hall she sat alone on a raised dais draped in silk and jewels shining like
03:33a woman who believed the world belonged to her it was her the woman who had destroyed my people for
03:38a
03:38single tied pearl the woman who had my sister cut open the moment she saw me disgust twisted across her
03:44face she let out a soft mocking laugh and covered her mouth with lacquered fingers this ugly thing and
03:51you expect her to dance for me before coming here i had covered my face in dark blotches spots
03:59imperfections a mask made of ugliness selene was viciously jealous if she had seen my real face now
04:05i would not have walked out alive so i knelt in the center of the hall my fingers digging into
04:10my palms
04:10forcing down the hatred clawing up my throat your grace i will dance with a veil over my face
04:16i will not offend your eyes she gave me a lazy wave oh enough with a face like that i
04:23doubt you
04:23could stir trouble even if you tried but since this was his majesty's idea i'll allow it the palace
04:29matron beside her led me out at once and just as i stepped through the doors i saw emperor lucian
04:34approaching our eyes met for only a moment only a glance but the face he saw now was nothing
04:40like the one he had seen by the lake still my scent gave me away it always would he knew
04:46at
04:47once this disguise was a way to stay alive because if selene had seen my face the woman leaving this
04:52hall would have been a corpse at that thought lucian's expression darkened he frowned and for
04:58one of the few times in his life real irritation towards selene stirred in him i smiled faintly to
05:03myself that was enough a single seed of displeasure was all i needed once planted it would take
05:09root in his heart it would grow quietly slowly until it became something vast enough to swallow
05:16all this old devotion and when that day came what would all her favor matter then the higher selene
05:22stood the harder i would make her fall back in my chamber i watched the false splotches from my face
05:27and looked at myself in the mirror selene you wanted a beauty that would never fade you wanted a body
05:33born
05:34to seduce you wanted to possess what should never have been yours so i will make sure everything you
05:39wanted everything you stole everything you still cling to turns to nothing then shade slid soundlessly
05:46around my wrists his red tongue flicking against the air i stroked his small black head and whispered
05:51even in death i will find you
05:55i will hunt you down selene's birthday was celebrated with extravagant splendor overnight the imperial lake
06:03bloomed with lotus flowers thousands of them the court called it a blessing an omen of favor from the
06:09heavens at the lakeside lucian stood hand in hand with selene your majesty promised me a birthday gift
06:18when will you show it to me lucian gave a slight nod the music began and i stepped onto the
06:26lake onto
06:27lotus leaves as if the flowers were blooming beneath my feet my scent rose again into the air and the
06:34butterflies came back in waves they swarmed around me dancing with me beneath the moonlit sky everyone
06:42watching fell silent no one except selene her fingers digging hard into her own palm then as i turned
06:49the veil slipped from my face and my true face was revealed i looked straight at selene just once
06:56i saw it in her eyes at once jealousy so sharp by the time the dance ended no one had
07:03recovered
07:03enough to speak i walked forward and knelt before lucian my name is mira i offer my wishes to
07:11high consort selena on her birthday may your majesty and your grace remain devoted to each other until
07:16your hair turns white and may the auric empire flourish without any rise
07:24you did not disappoint me selene nearly cracked a tooth from smiling too hard your majesty's gift
07:31i like it very much i'm glad
07:37that tiny broodling i had planted in him by the lake was working now quietly twisting his moods
07:43i curled one finger ready to draw it back your majesty
07:48why not grant this beauty to me as a gift between our two kingdoms that is the crown prince of
07:55ver the
07:56man stepped forward through the crowd he carried himself like someone used to being obeyed
08:00he saluted lucian with the ease of an equal i greet your majesty i am prince cassian of ver then
08:07his
08:08gaze settled on me openly without shame if your majesty is willing to give this beauty to me
08:16i swear our two kingdoms will not see war for a hundred years the moment he said it the whole
08:22court
08:23seemed to draw in the breath a century of peace in exchange for one palace dancer one woman to everyone
08:29watching it was an impossible bargain to refuse your majesty for a girl like her to be sent to
08:36vea as a prince's consort would already be a splendid fate lucian said nothing but i could see it in
08:43his
08:43face he understood the trade sacrifice one insignificant woman and two kingdoms stay at peace any ruler
08:50should have taken it any ruler would have taken it so why i lifted my face and looked at him
08:56quietly
08:57i had painted a floral marking at the corner of my eyes it made me look softer lucian's expression
09:03shifted like something sharp had gone through him then he said it you're late prince she's already been
09:09claimed she belongs to my bed and my throne selene turned to him so fast it was almost violent your
09:16majesty she could barely believe what she had heard cash and looked at me for one long moment regret
09:22flashed across his face then he gave a faint disappointed smile and stepped back the matter
09:28was over for everyone else not for me by then my back was already damp with cold sweat too close
09:35far
09:36too close thank the sea i had not pulled the broodling out of lucian yet if i had there was
09:42every chance i
09:42would have been handed over tonight because peace bought that easily without a single soldier marching
09:47without a single blade drawn is the kind of peace no emperor refuses except this one did in broad daylight
09:54before the whole court lucian declared that i already belonged to him and that very night
10:00the imperial decree arrived i was officially raised to consort i left the small quarters where palace dancers
10:06were kept and looked back only once at the dim roof the narrow door the life i had entered under
10:13a false name
10:13and a hidden face then i swore to myself in silence that everything done to my sister and everything
10:20done to my people would be repaid a hundredfold when i reached the palace chambers that had just been
10:26assigned to me selene was already there waiting her eyes traveled over my face slowly then she smiled a
10:34poisonous smile so you dared lie to me i met her gaze if i hadn't lied to you do you
10:41really think i would
10:42have lived long enough to dance today selene let out a soft laugh she stroked the cat in her arms
10:47as if
10:48nothing in the world could disturb her so you do understand me then perhaps you also understand this
10:55even if his majesty has seen your face even if he's given you a title i can still kill you
11:02whenever i
11:02please i just looked at her so have you already chosen how i die yes a fire in the palace
11:11consort mirror
11:12trapped inside a tragic accident she tilted her head i have been with the emperor since we were young
11:19my father and brother have shed blood for his throne for a single life like yours
11:26you will not blame me her people moved before i could answer they seized my arms bound my wrists
11:32bound my ankles then threw me to the floor oil was splashed all around me across the walls across
11:39the drapes across the threshold i could smell it instantly selene stood over me watching waiting
11:46then the first spark fell as the flames caught she laughed his majesty is drunk tonight there is no one
11:54in
11:54this palace who can save you then she turned and walked away i watched her go without a flicker on
11:59my face no fear no pleading nothing only stillness then the fire rose and the guards outside began
12:07clawing at their throats one by one they dropped blood pouring from their mouths their eyes their noses
12:15dead before they hit the ground i stepped out through the flames with shade coiled in my arms
12:20at my feet the insects on the ground shifted and swarmed guiding me so i ran through the smoke
12:27through the heat following their path until i slammed straight into someone's chest i looked up
12:33at the man i had crashed into it was lucian there was still fear in my eyes real enough to
12:38be seen
12:38my lashes were wet my tears trembled there but i would not let them fall lucian pulled me into his
12:45arms
12:45at once held me tight then he looked past me toward the blaze raging in the distance
12:51who dared set a fire inside my palace find out now i stayed curled against his chest and said nothing
12:59because he was not a fool he knew exactly who had done it this outrage this fury this order to
13:06investigate it was a performance nothing more selene had been with him since youth
13:11their bond ran deep and behind her stood house varin with soldiers power and years of service
13:18to the throne why would an emperor truly punish a woman like that for the sake of a dancer he
13:22had
13:23only just taken notice of he wouldn't not yet so i leaned into him harder and made myself small in
13:29his
13:29arms your majesty i'm frightened lucian really had been drinking his face was faintly flushed his breath
13:39carried the warmth of wine and i was exactly the kind of woman a drunken man should never hold too
13:44close i had been born with a body that unraveled restraint and with the broodling still working
13:49inside him the desire in his eyes began to change slowly then all at once it caught fire without
13:56another word he swept me up into his arms and carried me back to his private chambers i rested against
14:02him
14:02and said nothing but in my mind i was already waiting for the next move because once word
14:08reached selene that i had escaped the fire and been carried into lucian's bedchamber she would never let
14:14it pass quietly i knew her too well and i was right i had not been in his chambers long
14:19before selene's
14:20chief eunuch dropped to his knees outside your majesty high consort selena is unwell she's in distress
14:28she says she wants to see you at once by then i was dressed in gauze so sheer it had
14:34almost nothing
14:34i looked at lucian through half-lidded eyes and asked in a soft voice your majesty are you going to
14:42high consort selena tonight his gaze was no longer clear no longer steady he stared at me like a man
14:47already half lost with you here beside me why would i think of anyone else i covered my mouth
14:53and let out a quiet laugh there were only two of us in the chamber just him and me lucian
14:59kept
14:59staring at me spellbound his breath was hot against my throat damp and heavy with wine then without
15:06warning his body gave in and he sank in to sleep on his forehead a small fleshy pink broodling was
15:13still wriggling deeper beneath the skin i pushed him gently back onto the bed and pulled the covers
15:18over him careful almost tender i've woven you a beautiful dream enjoy it then i slid the hairpin
15:27from my hair and drove the tip into my fingertip a bright bead of blood welled up at once i
15:32let some
15:32of it stain a handkerchief every drop that remained i fed to lucian none of this poisoned blood should go
15:38to
15:38waste not when i made it with my own body not when even a harmless dose taken once could become
15:44a
15:44death sentence over time a little tonight would do nothing a little tomorrow would do nothing but
15:49enough of it day after day and it would kill him slowly quietly perfectly and the cure there was only
15:58one person in this world who could give it me the moon had crossed high overhead by then silver
16:03light spilled through the window and spread across the floor i sat there and counted the time waiting
16:09for selene to make her move then i heard it a faint skittering at the window i turned a spider
16:15no bigger
16:16than a fingernail crouched on the ledge one of many one of the countless little eyes i had scattered
16:21throughout the palace so she was coming i rose at once smoothed out my robe and walked toward the door
16:28selene was already waiting outside the hall not alone behind her stood a wall of eunuchs and palace
16:34mates packed so tightly it barely looked like a midnight visit at all this was not a jealous woman
16:39coming to reclaim a drunken emperor this looked like a siege i stepped out to meet her and deliberately
16:45swept my hair to one side bearing the fresh red marks along my neck moonlight washed over the stone
16:50steps i stood above her looked down and smiled softly his majesty is asleep
16:58you should come back tomorrow the look she gave me was pure venom her face twisted
17:03whore i'll kill you i let my gaze drop to her stomach then i spoke very gently your grace
17:13careful you might upset the baby that stopped her cold for one full second selene forgot how to breathe
17:21lucian had once promised her this bear him the first prince and he would give her the empress's crown
17:27but five years had passed five years of marriage five years of waiting and her womb had stayed empty
17:33every remedy had been tried every physician every secret healer dragged in from the streets and still
17:40nothing no child no heir no crown if she could not produce the emperor's first son soon the throne
17:47beside him would never be hers seize her drag this bitch away and beat her to death because i had
17:56done the one thing no one else dare do i had named the wound she lived with named it in
18:00front of everyone
18:01and a woman like selene could forgive almost anything except humiliation the eunuchs lunged for me i shook them
18:09off before they could get a proper hold then i looked straight at her and said your grace don't
18:14be so hasty why not summon the imperial physicians i let the silence stretch then i gave her the knife
18:20one more thing if there really is a child to protect i'm the only one who can keep it alive
18:26selene was reclining in a side chamber half draped across a cushioned chaise while several imperial
18:31physicians knelt before her she rested her head against one hand her eyes were heavy with exhaustion
18:36when she spoke impatience sharpened every word well am i pregnant or not the physicians lowered
18:43themselves even further your grace your pulse clearly indicates pregnancy
18:49for a moment selene did not move then she rose too quickly from the chaise all disbelief gone from her
18:56face there were tears in her eyes actual tears truly her voice trembled when she said it careful
19:03fragile as if she were afraid even hope might hear her and disappear i watched her quietly and
19:09thought so this is what she looks like this woman who always stood above everyone else who moved through
19:15the palace as if the world owed her obedience even she could become this cautious this desperate then
19:21she looked at me remembering what i had said outside and asked the question she wanted answered most
19:27is the child stable one physician bowed low and replied at once from the pulse alone there is no sign
19:34of
19:34danger that made her smile but the moment her eyes shifted back to me the smile turned murderous i'm
19:41carrying an air now i should avoid bloodshed but you offend my eyes and i would sleep better if you
19:48were dead
19:50with one command the eunuchs at her side rushed forward and seized my arms hard enough to bruise
19:56they started dragging me away i moved one fingertip that was all and selene suddenly clutched her stomach
20:02and cried out in pain the room froze the physicians lunged forward at once and took her pulse again this
20:09time their faces changed one after another their brows nodded then all of them dropped to their knees
20:16your grace spare us these are signs of miscarriage that was when panic finally broke through selene's
20:23face drained white she had waited years for this child years and she had only just heard the words
20:28she wanted most pregnant how could she be losing it already how at last she looked at me and through
20:36clenched teeth she said two words you come here if you cannot save this child i will wipe out
20:45your entire bloodline i looked at her twisted vicious face and dug my nails hard into my palm
20:52my entire bloodline she really had no idea my people were already dead slaughtered every last one of
21:00them i was the only one who crawled back out of that hell alive the only one left to come
21:05for her i
21:06stepped forward and inserted a few needles into her body carefully one point then another selene's
21:13breathing began to slow the strain in her face eased little by little when the physicians checked
21:17her pulse again they found it calm steady the child was safe at least that was what they believed the
21:25truth i knew nothing about medicine and selene was not pregnant not at all that night she came to burn
21:32me
21:32alive i had planted a brood curse inside her quietly without her noticing that broodling could mimic
21:38the pulse of pregnancy perfectly it could fool physicians full the court full even the mother
21:44carrying it in the later stages it would do even more make her swear she could feel a child turning
21:49inside her while she smiled and dreamed of an air the thing inside her would be feeding
21:54draining her taking what it needed from her body day and night
Comments