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