- 2 days ago
Blood Pearl Of The Mer
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Short filmTranscript
00:00they threw my sister into a great basin filled with pearls her massive tail glowed blue in the
00:04dark the soldiers potted her body with filthy hands blue scales scattered everywhere they did
00:10not stop not until they cut open her belly not until they reached inside her not until they
00:15tore out the glowing tide pearl hidden within her only then were they satisfied because high
00:19consort celine had heard a rumor that in the southern sea lived the tide born and that every
00:24tide saint carried a legendary tide pearl inside her body a pearl that if embedded within one's
00:29own flesh would grant a beauty that never fades after hearing that celine could think of nothing
00:34else so emperor lucian sent soldiers to slaughter my people just to make her smile they dragged my
00:39sister out cut her open and stole her pearl that day the sea turned red everywhere i looked my people
00:46were floating in the water their bodies split open i hid beneath a reef shaking in silence blood stung
00:53my eyes my tears fell as pearls each one red with hatred and in my ear i could still hear
00:59my sister's
00:59last words mira live the world was told a lie they thought the sea only birthed one heart for my
01:05people they didn't know about me the shadow the spare but they were wrong this generation had two
01:12and one of them was me the one born with a body made to ruin men the one whose flesh
01:17and blood could
01:18raise a thousand brood curses i crawled onto the shore enduring pain so savage it felt like my bones
01:23were being torn apart then i used forbidden blood craft to split my tail into legs i offered my own
01:29flesh and blood as tribute and raised brood curse after brood curse venomous things worms spiders serpents
01:36all feeding on me until one black snake slithered over my wrist its tongue bright red it devoured every
01:43other creature i had raised thousands of them and became the brood king its name was shade from that
01:49moment on i trained without mercy three months later my broodcraft was complete then i made my way to the
01:56capital alone half starved still alive i disguised myself as a court dancer and entered the palace
02:03and with a pouch of blood-stained pearls made from my own tears i bought the one thing i needed
02:09most
02:09information on emperor lucian's whereabouts that night moonlight spilled across the lake like silver
02:15i stepped onto the water and danced each touch of my toes sent ripples of pale light across the surface
02:21my scent drifted into the night air sweet soft impossible to ignore soon butterflies came in swarms
02:29drawn to me as if enchanted they circled my body fluttering around me refusing to leave
02:35and emperor lucian stood there watching watching for so long he forgot to hide it when the dance
02:41ended i turned by chance and met his eyes i froze then quickly bent down to put on my shoes
02:47pretending
02:48i had only just noticed him i was about to leave when his voice stopped me you're one of the
02:54palace
02:54dancers that dance was remarkable and yet i've never seen it before i lowered my eyes and answered as if
03:00i did
03:01not know who he was it is a dance from my homeland very few have ever seen it it was
03:07early spring the
03:08wind off the lake was cold my body trembled lightly in the night air he noticed of course he noticed
03:14so
03:15he removed his pale silver robe and draped it over my shoulders himself gently for a moment i looked up
03:21at him in surprise heat rose to my face a blush where he could see it my scent deepened between
03:27us turning
03:28the silence softer warmer more dangerous and i saw it then that flash in his eyes wonder desire he
03:36steadied himself before speaking again selena loves dance her birthday is approaching you will perform
03:42this dance for her i dropped my knees at once letting fear flood my face i did not know it
03:48was your
03:48majesty please forgive me he waved the apology aside rise you are forgiven just do not disappoint me
03:56i bowed my head and accepted the command but as i watched him walk away i moved one finger just
04:02once
04:03a tiny broodling slipped through the air landed against his skin and burrowed inside by the next
04:09morning the whole inner court had heard the story the emperor had encountered a dancer by the lake
04:13and he had not forgotten her then came a knock at my door when i opened it an older palace
04:19matron stood
04:20outside a stranger and i knew at once someone had already come for me they brought me before high
04:26consort selene inside her palace hall she sat alone on a raised dais draped in silk and jewels shining like
04:33a woman who believed the world belonged to her it was her the woman who had destroyed my people for
04:38a
04:38single tied pearl the woman who had my sister cut open the moment she saw me disgust twisted across her
04:45face
04:45she let out a soft mocking laugh and covered her mouth with lacquered fingers this ugly thing and
04:51you expect her to dance for me before coming here i had covered my face in dark blotches spots
04:59imperfections a mask made of ugliness selene was viciously jealous if she had seen my real face now
05:05i would not have walked out alive so i knelt in the center of the hall my fingers digging into
05:10my palms
05:10forcing down the hatred clawing up my throat your grace i will dance with a veil over my face
05:16i will not offend your eyes she gave me a lazy wave oh enough with a face like that i
05:22doubt you
05:23could stir trouble even if you tried but since this was his majesty's idea i'll allow it the palace
05:29matron beside her led me out at once and just as i stepped through the doors i saw emperor lucian
05:34approaching our eyes met for only a moment only a glance but the face he saw now was nothing like
05:40the one he had seen by the lake still my scent gave me away it always would he knew at
05:46once this
05:46disguise was a way to stay alive because if selene had seen my face the woman leaving this hall would
05:52have been a corpse at that thought lucian's expression darkened he frowned and for one of the few times
05:58in his life real irritation towards selene stirred in him i smiled faintly to myself that was enough
06:04a single seed of displeasure was all i needed once planted it would take root in his heart it would
06:10grow
06:10quietly slowly until it became something vast enough to swallow all this old devotion and when that day
06:17came what would all her favor matter then the higher selene stood the harder i would make her fall
06:22back in my chamber i watched the false blotches from my face and looked at myself in the mirror
06:28selene you wanted a beauty that would never fade you wanted a body born to seduce you wanted to possess
06:34what should never have been yours so i will make sure everything you wanted everything you stole
06:40everything you still cling to turns to nothing then shade slid soundlessly around my wrist
06:45his red tongue flicking against the air i stroked his small black head and whispered even in death i
06:51will find you i will hunt you down selene's birthday was celebrated with extravagant splendor
06:59overnight the imperial lake bloomed with lotus flowers thousands of them the court called it a
07:05blessing an omen of favor from the heavens at the lakeside lucian stood hand in hand with selene
07:13your majesty promised me a birthday gift when will you show it to me lucian gave a slight nod the
07:21music
07:21began and i stepped onto the lake onto lotus leaves as if the flowers were blooming beneath my feet
07:30my scent rose again into the air and the butterflies came back in waves they swarmed around me dancing with
07:37me beneath the moonlit sky everyone watching fell silent no one except selene her fingers digging
07:44hard into her own palm then as i turned the veil slipped from my face and my true face was
07:50revealed
07:51i looked straight at selene just once i saw it in her eyes at once jealousy so sharp by the
07:58time the
07:59dance ended no one had recovered enough to speak i walked forward and knelt before lucian my name is
08:07mira i offer my wishes to high consort selena on her birthday may your majesty and your grace remain
08:12devoted to each other until your hair turns white and may the auric empire flourish without end rise
08:21you did not disappoint me selene nearly cracked a tooth from smiling too hard your majesty's gift i like it
08:29very much i'm glad that tiny bridling i had planted in him by the lake was working now quietly twisting
08:39his moods i curled one finger ready to draw it back your majesty
08:45why not grant this beauty to me as a gift between our two kingdoms that is the crown prince of
08:52vair the
08:53man stepped forward through the crowd he carried himself like someone used to being obeyed he saluted
08:58lucian with the ease of an equal i greet your majesty i am prince cassian of vair then his gaze
09:05settled
09:05on me openly without shame if your majesty is willing to give this beauty to me
09:13i swear our two kingdoms will not see war for a hundred years the moment he said it the whole
09:19court seemed to draw in the breath a century of peace in exchange for one palace dancer one woman
09:25to everyone watching it was an impossible bargain to refuse your majesty for a girl like her to be
09:32sent to vair as a prince's consort would already be a splendid fate lucian said nothing but i could see
09:39it in his face he understood the trade sacrifice one insignificant woman and two kingdoms stay at
09:45peace any ruler should have taken it any ruler would have taken it so why i lifted my face and
09:52looked at him quietly i had painted a floral marking at the corner of my eyes it made me look
09:58softer lucian's expression shifted like something sharp had gone through him then he said it you're late
10:04prince she's already been claimed she belongs to my bed and my throne celine turned to him so fast
10:11it was almost violent your majesty she could barely believe what she had heard cash and looked at me
10:16for one long moment regret flashed across his face then he gave a faint disappointed smile and stepped
10:22back the matter was over for everyone else not for me by then my back was already damp with cold
10:29sweat
10:30too close far too close thank the sea i had not pulled the broodling out of lucian yet if i
10:36had
10:37there was every chance i would have been handed over tonight because peace bought that easily without a
10:42single soldier marching without a single blade drawn is the kind of peace no emperor refuses
10:47except this one did in broad daylight before the whole court lucian declared that i already belong to him
10:54and that very night the imperial decree arrived i was officially raised to consort i left the small
11:00quarters where palace dancers were kept and looked back only once at the dim roof the narrow door
11:06the life i had entered under a false name and a hidden face then i swore to myself in silence
11:12that
11:12everything done to my sister and everything done to my people would be repaid a hundredfold
11:18when i reached the palace chambers that had just been assigned to me celine was already there waiting
11:24her eyes traveled over my face slowly then she smiled a poisonous smile so you dared lie to me
11:33i met her gaze if i hadn't lied to you do you really think i would have lived long enough
11:38to dance today
11:38celine let out a soft laugh she stroked the cat in her arms as if nothing in the world could
11:44disturb her
11:44so you do understand me then perhaps you also understand this even if his majesty has seen your
11:52face even if he's given you a title i can still kill you whenever i please i just looked at
11:59her
12:00so have you already chosen how i die yes a fire in the palace consort mirror trapped inside a tragic
12:09accident she tilted her head i have been with the emperor since we were young
12:13my father and brother have shed blood for his throne
12:17for a single life like yours he will not blame me her people moved before i could answer they seized
12:25my arms found my wrists found my ankles then threw me to the floor oil was splashed all around me
12:31across the walls across the drapes across the threshold i could smell it instantly celine stood over me
12:39watching waiting then the first spark fell as the flames caught she laughed his majesty is drunk tonight
12:47there is no one in this palace who can save you then she turned and walked away i watched her
12:52go
12:52without a flicker on my face no fear no pleading nothing only stillness then the fire rose and the
13:00guards outside began clawing at their throats one by one they dropped blood pouring from their mouths
13:06their eyes their noses dead before they hit the ground i stepped out through the flames with shade
13:13coiled in my arms at my feet the insects on the ground shifted and swarmed guiding me so i ran
13:19through
13:20the smoke through the heat following their path until i slammed straight into someone's chest i looked up at
13:26the man i had crashed into it it was lucian there was still fear in my eyes real enough to
13:31be seen my
13:32lashes were wet my tears trembled there but i would not let them fall lucian pulled me into his arms
13:38at
13:38once held me tight then he looked past me toward the blaze raging in the distance who dared set a
13:45fire
13:46inside my palace find out now i stayed curled against his chest and said nothing because he was not a
13:53fool he knew exactly who had done it this outrage this fury this order to investigate it was a
14:00performance nothing more celine had been with him since youth their bond ran deep and behind her
14:06stood house varon with soldiers power and years of service to the throne why would an emperor truly
14:13punish a woman like that for the sake of a dancer he had only just taken notice of he wouldn't
14:18not yet
14:18so i leaned into him harder and made myself small in his arms your majesty i'm frightened
14:27lucian really had been drinking his face was faintly flushed his breath carried the warmth of wine and i
14:33was exactly the kind of woman a drunken man should never hold too close i had been born with a
14:38body that
14:38unraveled restraint and with the broodling still working inside him the desire in his eyes began to
14:43change slowly then all at once it caught fire without another word he swept me up into his arms
14:50and carried me back to his private chambers i rested against him and said nothing but in my mind i
14:57was
14:57already waiting for the next move because once word reached celine that i had escaped the fire
15:02and been carried into lucian's bedchamber she would never let it pass quietly i knew her too well
15:08and i was right i had not been in his chambers long before celine's chief eunuch dropped to his knees
15:14outside your majesty high consort selena is unwell she's in distress she says she wants to see you at
15:22once by then i was dressed in gauze so sheer it had almost nothing i looked at lucian through half
15:28-lidded
15:28eyes and asked in a soft voice your majesty are you going to high consort selena tonight his gaze was
15:36no
15:36longer clear no longer steady he stared at me like a man already half lost with you here beside me
15:41why would i think of anyone else i covered my mouth and let out a quiet laugh there were only
15:47two of us
15:47in the chamber just him and me lucian kept staring at me spellbound his breath was hot against my throat
15:55damp and heavy with wine then without warning his body gave in and he sank into sleep on his forehead
16:02a small fleshy pink broodling was still wriggling deeper beneath the skin i pushed him gently back
16:08onto the bed and pulled the covers over him careful almost tender i've woven you a beautiful dream enjoy
16:16it then i slid the hairpin from my hair and drove the tip into my fingertip a bright bead of
16:21blood welled
16:22up at once i let some of it stain a handkerchief every drop that remained i fed to lucian none
16:28of this
16:28poisoned blood should go to waste not when i made it with my own body not when even a harmless
16:33dose
16:33taken once could become a death sentence over time a little tonight would do nothing a little tomorrow
16:39would do nothing but enough of it day after day and it would kill him slowly quietly perfectly and the
16:47cure there was only one person in this world who could give it me the moon had crossed high overhead
16:53by then silver light spilled through the window and spread across the floor i sat there and counted
16:58the time waiting for celine to make her move then i heard it a faint skittering at the window i
17:05turned
17:05a spider no bigger than a fingernail crouched on the ledge one of many one of the countless little eyes
17:11i had scattered throughout the palace so she was coming i rose at once smoothed out my robe and walked
17:18toward the door celine was already waiting outside the hall not alone behind her stood a wall of eunuchs
17:23and palace mates packed so tightly it barely looked like a midnight visit at all this was not a jealous
17:29woman coming to reclaim a drunken emperor this looked like a siege i stepped out to meet her and
17:35deliberately swept my hair to one side bearing the fresh red marks along my neck moonlight washed over
17:40the stone steps i stood above her looked down and smiled softly his majesty is asleep you should come
17:49back tomorrow the look she gave me was pure venom her face twisted whore i'll kill you i let my
17:57gaze
17:57drop to her stomach then i spoke very gently your grace careful you might upset the baby that stopped her
18:07cold for one full second celine forgot how to breathe lucien had once promised her this bear him
18:14the first prince and he would give her the empress's crown but five years had passed five years of
18:19marriage five years of waiting and her womb had stayed empty every remedy had been tried every physician
18:26every secret healer dragged in from the streets and still nothing no child no heir no crown if she could
18:34not produce the emperor's first son soon the throne beside him would never be hers
18:39seize her drag this bitch away and beat her to death because i had done the one thing no one
18:46else
18:46dared do i had named the wound she lived with named it in front of everyone and a woman like
18:52celine
18:52could forgive almost anything except humiliation the eunuchs lunged for me i shook them off before
18:58they could get a proper hold then i looked straight at her and said your grace don't be so hasty
19:04why not summon the imperial physicians i let the silence stretch then i gave her the knife one more
19:10thing if there really is a child to protect i'm the only one who can keep it alive celine was
19:15reclining
19:16in a side chamber half draped across a cushioned chaise while several imperial physicians knelt before
19:21her she rested her head against one hand her eyes were heavy with exhaustion when she spoke
19:26impatience sharpened every word well am i pregnant or not the physicians lowered themselves even
19:32further your grace your pulse clearly indicates pregnancy for a moment celine did not move then
19:41she rose too quickly from the chaise all disbelief gone from her face there were tears in her eyes
19:46actual tears truly her voice trembled when she said it careful fragile as if she were afraid even hope
19:54might hear her and disappear i watched her quietly and thought so this is what she looks like this
20:00woman who always stood above everyone else who moved through the palace as if the world owed her
20:05obedience even she could become this cautious this desperate then she looked at me remembering what
20:11i had said outside and asked the question she wanted answered most is the child stable one physician
20:17bowed low and replied at once from the pulse alone there is no sign of danger that made her smile
20:24but
20:25the moment her eyes shifted back to me the smile turned murderous i'm carrying an air now i should avoid
20:30bloodshed but you offend my eyes and i would sleep better if you were dead with one command the eunuchs
20:40at her
20:41side rushed forward and seized my arms hard enough to bruise they started dragging me away i moved one
20:46fingertip that was all and celine suddenly clutched her stomach and cried out in pain the room froze the
20:53physicians lunged forward at once and took her pulse again this time their faces changed one after another
21:00their brows nodded then all of them dropped to their knees your grace spare us these are signs of
21:06miscarriage that was when panic finally broke through celine's face drained white she had waited
21:12years for this child years and she had only just heard the words she wanted most pregnant how could
21:18she be losing it already how at last she looked at me and through clenched teeth she said two words
21:27you come here if you cannot save this child i will wipe out your entire bloodline
21:35i looked at her twisted vicious face and dug my nails hard into my palm my entire bloodline she
21:42really had no idea my people were already dead slaughtered every last one of them i was the only
21:48one who crawled back out of that hell alive the only one left to come for her i stepped forward
21:53and
21:54inserted a few needles into her body carefully one point then another celine's breathing began to slow
22:01the strain in her face eased little by little when the physicians checked her pulse again
22:05they found it calm steady the child was safe at least that was what they believed the truth
22:12i knew nothing about medicine and celine was not pregnant not at all that night she came to burn me
22:18alive i had planted a brood curse inside her quietly without her noticing that broodling could mimic
22:25the pulse of pregnancy perfectly it could fool physicians fool the court fool even the mother
22:30carrying it in the later stages it would do even more make her swear she could feel a child turning
22:36inside her while she smiled and dreamed of an air the thing inside her would be feeding
22:40draining her taking what it needed from her body day and night
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