- 18 minutes ago
Blood and Pea
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Short filmTranscript
00:02Human soldiers tossed my sister Nerissa's body into a golded chest full of spoils.
00:07They scraped at her with daggers.
00:10Ague scales scattered everywhere.
00:12They didn't stop until they split Nerissa open, rumbled inside her, and tore out a glowing tide pearl.
00:18Queen Isoleth had heard that deep within the luminous deep lived the sirens,
00:22and that their queen bore a flawless tide pearl within her.
00:26Whoever possessed it would gain eternal beauty and youth.
00:30To please her, King Aldrich sent his men and mages to cut Nerissa open and take her tide pearl.
00:37That day, the sea ran red.
00:41My people floated everywhere, their bellies split open.
00:45Live, Serena! Whatever it takes, live!
00:50They knew the Siren Queen carried a legendary tide pearl.
00:54They had no idea there were two of us.
00:56Twin-born queens.
00:58The other queen was born with the Siren's allure.
01:00Her blood could sustain a thousand shadow famillions.
01:03That queen was me.
01:06I dragged myself onto the shore.
01:09The pain ate at my bones.
01:11I grit my teeth and sang the old Siren curse.
01:14My tail turned into two human legs with a sickening crunch.
01:19I mastered blood sorcery in three months, a magic most humans never master in a lifetime.
01:23I clawed my way to the capital, Orillia.
01:26I slipped into the ivory palace disguised as a court dancer.
01:30I handed a greedy servant a bag of my Siren's grieved pearls.
01:34Soon, I had eyes on King Aldrich's every move.
01:37At night, moonlight spread across the shore.
01:41On Mirror Lake, I danced upon the water, my hair dipping into the lake and rippling the shallow moonlit glow.
01:47Siren's allure emanated with every move I made.
01:49Night moths and fireflies, drawn to the light, gathered around me and would not disperse.
01:55Aldrich stood motionless in the shadows of the trees by the lakeshore.
01:57As the dance ended, I turned my head and my gaze happened to meet his.
02:01I lowered my eyes, bent down, and reached for the soft-soled shoes I had left by the shore.
02:05It's like no one I've ever seen.
02:06Who are you?
02:06It's a dance from my homeland.
02:08Few ever get to see it.
02:09When the night breeze brushed past, I hugged my arms tighter, my shoulders humping slightly.
02:13He noticed.
02:14His silver-gray cloak was unfastened from his shoulders and gently prepped over mine, still warm with his body heat.
02:19I looked up at him, smiling brightly.
02:21My cheeks flushed.
02:22The delicate fragrance of Siren's allure drifted through the air, quietly tightening the ambiguous space between them.
02:26Aldrich's pupils dilated slightly.
02:28The queen loves to dance, too.
02:29The midsummer court is coming up.
02:30Perhaps you shall dance for her at the feast.
02:32Your majesty, I didn't realize who you were.
02:35Please forgive me.
02:36No need to apologize, my lady.
02:38Just don't disappoint me, or the queen.
02:40I accepted.
02:41Watching Aldrich turn and leave, I flexed my fingers, and a tiny shadow fallible silently burrowed into his skin.
02:45By noon the next day, all of Ivory Palace was talking about the king meeting a beautiful dancer by the
02:50lake.
02:50By sunset, even the stable boys had their own version of the story.
02:53A sharp knock came at my door.
02:55It was Queen Isleth's mistress of the household.
02:58They marched me right to Queen Isleth.
03:00That was her.
03:01The woman who slaughtered my people and killed Nerissa, all for a single tide.
03:04She didn't even blink at me.
03:06This is what my husband sends me?
03:08A scarred little creature from the gutter?
03:10Before stepping inside, I used a glamour weaver to hide my face under a grotesque mask of fake whip stars
03:16and pokloans.
03:18Isleth was deadly jealous.
03:20If she saw my real face, I'd never survive the night.
03:22I dropped to my knees, digging my nails into my palms and choked down the boiling hate in my blood.
03:28Rest assured your grace, I shall wear a veil.
03:31You won't have to endure my face for long.
03:32Very well.
03:33Looking like that, you couldn't cause a ripple in a bathtub.
03:35I'll accept Aldrich's gift.
03:36Isleth waved her hand.
03:37The mister of the household dragged me out.
03:39Right outside the doors, I ran straight into Aldrich.
03:41He took one look at me.
03:43This scarred, ruined face looked nothing like the girl from the lake.
03:46But my scent gave me away.
03:48He instantly knew I was fighting for my life.
03:50If Isleth had seen the real me, there'd be a corpse on the floor right now.
03:53Aldrich's brow slowly fronted.
03:55He didn't say anything, but when his gaze swept toward Goldenbrough's hall, the line of his mouth turned cold.
04:00I walked past him with my head down.
04:02What did it matter if she held the king's favor now?
04:04The higher they rise, the harder they fell.
04:06Back in my room, I shed the glamour weaver.
04:08The face in the mirror was flawless, luminous as moonlight.
04:12Isleth, didn't you want the siren's allure?
04:15Didn't you crave eternal youth?
04:17I was going to make sure everything you ever wanted slipped through your fingers.
04:21Nyke silently climbed onto my wrist, its serpent tongue flicking against my pulse.
04:25Soon, Nerissa. Soon.
04:27She will be the first I send screaming into the dark to answer for what she's done to you.
04:32The Midsummer Court.
04:33Three days of feasts, fights, and dancing, and no sleep.
04:36White water lilies covered Mirror Lake overnight.
04:38The lords whispered.
04:39Some called it a blessing from the stars.
04:41Others, a dark omen.
04:44Where is the gift you promised, your majesty?
04:47As the music began, I stepped barefoot onto the lily pads.
04:52The delicate fragrance of siren's allure permeated the air.
04:57A dance for her grace's honor.
04:59May the king and his queen know joy unending.
05:02Rise.
05:04You were extraordinary.
05:06How delightful.
05:08The whispering hex was working.
05:10You like it?
05:11Good.
05:12Give her to me, King Aldrich.
05:13In return, my father's armies will never cross your borders.
05:17Who speaks?
05:19Sire, Norvang Crown Prince.
05:22King Aldrich, I am Crown Prus of Norhaeg, Kasvar.
05:26A hundred years of peace.
05:28For one woman, I'd say you're getting the better deal.
05:31A crown prince offers a crown for a dancer.
05:34Any woman in this kingdom would weep with gratitude.
05:36The council of lords traded looks.
05:38Politically, it was the perfect bargain.
05:40He knew exactly what he should say.
05:42So why did his chest suddenly tighten?
05:44I looked up.
05:45I stared right at him.
05:46Tears began to well.
05:47Aldrich spoke.
05:48The words ripped out of him before he could stop them.
05:50You come too late, Prince Kasvar.
05:52She belongs to the crown.
05:54Your majesty?
05:55A slow smirk spread across his face.
05:58Then he turned and vanished into the crowd of nobles.
06:00Thankfully, I hadn't called the whispering hex back yet.
06:04Without that shadow in his mind,
06:07Aldrin would never have claimed me aloud.
06:09A sealed ret.
06:10I was officially named the crown's grace,
06:13moved to Dawnlight Hall,
06:14and placed under the king's personal protection.
06:17As I left the dancers' quarters,
06:19I stopped at the end of the hall and stared out into the dark.
06:22Nerissa, are you watching?
06:24I was going to make them pay a thousandfold for what they did to you.
06:29When I got to Moonveil Tower,
06:31Isolette was already waiting.
06:33She stared at my bare face in the moonlight.
06:35The veil was gone.
06:37You lied to me!
06:37Had I shown you this face that day,
06:39I wouldn't have lived long enough to bore you with it.
06:41You read me well.
06:43But guess what?
06:44Parade Around is the king's new favorite all you want.
06:47Crown's grace or not,
06:48I will kill you just the same.
06:50So you've already decided how I die.
06:51Is that so?
06:52A tragic palace fire.
06:54The lovely crown's grace, Soraya,
06:56reduced to ash.
06:58Aldric and I were wed before he the crown.
07:00My father and brother bleed for his kingdom.
07:02Do you truly think he'll mourn a dancer?
07:05Her guards grabbed me.
07:06They bound my hands and feet and threw me to the stone floor.
07:10They doused the room in whale oil.
07:13A spark dropped.
07:14Flames erupted.
07:16Isolette's vicious laugh echoed off the stone walls.
07:20Aldric is insensible with drink tonight.
07:23No one is coming to save you.
07:25I didn't even flinch.
07:27I walked through the flames with nicks.
07:29A shadow swimmer spider scuttied across the floor,
07:32leading the way.
07:34I sprinted after it.
07:36Thick smoke burned my lungs.
07:40Suddenly, I slammed into a solid chest.
07:43I jerked my head up, wide-eyed.
07:46Tears pooled in my eyes,
07:47but I bit my lip hard to hold them back.
07:49Aldric drew me against his chest.
07:50He glared out at the roaring flames.
07:52Who dared set fire inside my palace?
07:53Find them.
07:54Now!
07:54I pressed my face into his chest.
07:56I didn't say a word.
07:58He knew exactly who did it.
07:59That was pure theater for the court.
08:01He and Isolette had a history
08:03that went back to their childhood.
08:05Those roots ran deep.
08:07Aldric, I'm frightened.
08:09The sweet scent of my allure coiled around him.
08:12Deep inside him,
08:13my shadow falive tugged at his darkest desires.
08:15His eyes quickly clouded over.
08:17They burned dangerously hot.
08:19He scooped me up in his arms
08:20and carried me straight to the king's chamber.
08:22Word would reach Isolene fast.
08:24She wasn't going to take this lying down.
08:27Sure enough,
08:28I hadn't been in the chamber long
08:29before a guard called out from the door.
08:31Your majesty,
08:32the queen is unwell.
08:34She requests your presence at once.
08:36Shall I release you to your queen?
08:37I would hate to keep you from your duties.
08:40When you're beside me,
08:41I forget there is anyone else in this castle.
08:43I let out a soft laugh.
08:45We were the only two left in the chamber.
08:46He leaned in close,
08:47his hot breath brushing my neck.
08:49Then he went limp.
08:50A fleshy pink dream spire
08:51burrowed slowly into his forehead.
08:53I shoved him back onto the four-poster bed
08:55and pulled the covers up.
08:56I wove you a beautiful dream.
08:58Enjoy it.
08:59I bit my lip until blood welled up,
09:01then leaned over as if to kiss him.
09:02Instead,
09:03I let exactly three drops of cursed blood
09:05fall past his parted lips.
09:06Three drops tonight.
09:08Three tomorrow.
09:09Three the night after.
09:10Soon,
09:11the poison would seep into his bones so deeply
09:13that no healer could purge it.
09:14No one except him.
09:16I wiped the blood off my mouth
09:17with the back of my hand.
09:18I stared at the dark red scene on my skin.
09:20This is what your mercy left you with,
09:22can I drink?
09:23A monster,
09:24my god.
09:25Midnight had passed,
09:26and moonlight streamed faintly
09:27through the window into the room.
09:29A shadow-spurred spider,
09:30no bigger than a fingernail.
09:31One of my many eyes inside the palace.
09:35Issa Leslie was coming.
09:37I straightened my robe and walked out.
09:40Issa Litt was standing right outside the chamber doors.
09:43It was a siege.
09:49The king is asleep, your grace.
09:51Perhaps come back tomorrow.
09:53You gutter-born nobody!
09:54I will kill you!
09:56Careful, your grace.
09:57All that fury,
09:58it'll aid you faster than time.
10:00And from what I hear,
10:01time has not been kind to your effort.
10:04Five years of marriage.
10:06Still no heir.
10:07Her father's letters were getting shorter.
10:11Even the servants looked at her differently now.
10:14She had begged every street healer in the kingdom.
10:17Still no heir.
10:19Guards!
10:20Seize her!
10:21I want her flogged until there's nothing left to flog!
10:24I had just struck at the rawest wound she had.
10:27If I'm harmed, your grace,
10:30say goodbye to the child growing in your belly.
10:37Well, am I with child or not?
10:41Your grace,
10:42there is a life force.
10:44You are undoubtedly carrying a child.
10:47Truly?
10:49The child, is it stable?
10:51Your grace,
10:52the life force is strong and steady.
10:54Everything is perfect.
10:55I finally have an heir.
10:57We should be celebrating.
10:59But you are a stain on this room.
11:01The very sight of you makes me sick.
11:03Her guards lunged forward,
11:05digging their fingers into my arms to drag me out.
11:09Isolade grabbed her belly and let out a blood-kitting scream.
11:12Forgive us, your grace.
11:14The child's strength is failing.
11:16The pregnancy cannot be saved.
11:18She had waited five years for a child,
11:20only to lose it seconds after finding out.
11:22You.
11:24Fix it.
11:25If I lose this child,
11:27I will burn everything you love to ash.
11:29Every person.
11:30Every place.
11:31Every single memory.
11:33I look down at her vicious, desperate face.
11:35Burn everything I love to ash?
11:37She had no idea.
11:39My people were already wiped out.
11:41I was the only one left.
11:43I crawled out of the deep sea hell for one reason only.
11:46To collect what she owed.
11:48I stepped forward and pulled out a silver ritual blade.
11:51I sliced shallow cuts into Isoleth's wrists and her belly.
11:54The healers rushed back for a scan.
11:57The gold light was steady again.
11:59The night, I quietly planted a phantom womb hex inside her.
12:04The shadow perfectly mimicked every sign of being with child.
12:08It would be eating the mother from the inside out,
12:10draining her life force to feed itself.
12:13The shadow obeyed my will.
12:15If I wished it, she'd be dead in an instant.
12:18But taking Isoleth's life wasn't going to satisfy me.
12:20The men who butchered my entire people were Isoleth's father and brother.
12:25Sir Victor Ashford, his thick, greasy hands tearing the scales from Nerissa's trail fin.
12:30Nerissa died in unimaginable pain.
12:33Are you watching, Nerissa?
12:34I'll make them pay a thousandfold.
12:38When I slipped back into the king's chamber, Aldric was still fast asleep.
12:43I dropped my robe and slid into bed beside him.
12:45I couldn't wait to see the look on his face when he woke up and heard the news.
12:49His wife was pregnant.
12:52After all, he was the one paying the crown alchemist to slip a barrenness draft into her daily tea.
12:57She was never going to have a child.
12:59House Ashford already held half the seats in the Council of Lords.
13:03They commanded the entire Southern March army.
13:05If Isoleth actually bore an heir, her family would use the child to turn Aldric into a puppet king.
13:11Sure, Aldric might have loved her once.
13:13But love is a cheap joke next to a crown.
13:16Aldric woke up and stared at me.
13:18The days of the dreamsfinger still lingered in his eyes.
13:21It looked like he enjoyed the fantasy I spun for him.
13:27Your Majesty, word has just arrived from the Queen's attendance.
13:31Her grace is with child.
13:32Did the news get out?
13:33Sire, Queen Isoleth has already sent a rider to Lord General Ashford.
13:37The air in the room snapped tight.
13:38I knew when to take my leave.
13:40You had a shock last night.
13:42Stay here and rest.
13:43I'll find you a better place to stay.
13:46Queen Isoleth was pregnant.
13:47House Ashford was smelling blood in the water.
13:49Aldric was fighting a war on two fronts.
13:51He had to crush the plotting in the Council of Lords.
13:53And he had to find a way to kill the thing growing inside his wife.
13:56Right now, no one was looking twice at a nameless crown's grace.
13:59It was the perfect blind spot for my revenge.
14:02Kasvar, Crown Prince of Norhem from the Midsummer Court would be my blade.
14:05I didn't just want a few dead royals.
14:07They butchered my people.
14:08I was going to burn their kingdom to the ground.
14:10The little snake tracked Kasvar down.
14:12Following, I settled into Dawnlight Hall and waited.
14:15A few days later, someone pounded on my door.
14:18It was one of Isoleth's servants.
14:20My lady, the queen is in agony.
14:22Please, you have to come.
14:24Inside the hall, Juniper and Sage were burning in an iron basement.
14:27But the pungent smoke could not mask the smell of blood.
14:29Aldric had made his immune.
14:30He must have ordered the crown alchemist to strengthen the dose.
14:32Too bad there was no child to lose.
14:34The deadly potion was just eating his lock alive in a month.
14:36No one had leaked a word about me saving her pregnancy blood in it.
14:39Aldric was completely in the dark.
14:41And I stand beside Isoleth, watching her face fist in pure, miserable agony.
14:45And slowly, I drew my silver ritual light.
14:47The shadow from the phantom wound hex remained untouched, thriving and multiplying inside Isoleth.
14:52My child, can you save it?
14:55I can, but it's going to hurt.
14:58Soraya, if you dare deceive me, my father and brother will not let you walk away alive.
15:01I took out my silver ritual blade and cut fresh slashes into her wrists and belly.
15:05I let my own blood drip in.
15:06One cut, then another, until there were ten.
15:09The pain ripped her apart from the inside, but she was in too much agony to even scream.
15:13She just lay there, shooting pure venom at me through bloodshot eyes.
15:17I actually wondered how exactly her father and brother were planning to deal with me.
15:20They were a little busy right then.
15:22I had handed Kasvar a few of my shadow familians.
15:25I told him to slip them right into the Ashford's food.
15:27The father and son commanded the entire Southern March army.
15:30The moment a general falls, the army breaks.
15:32Without them, House Ashfield's massive military threat would vanished overnight.
15:36Once the tenth cut sealed, I drew back.
15:39Isoleth was completely drained.
15:41I waved a hand toward the heavy chamber doors.
15:43Send for the healers.
15:44Let them check.
15:45But the healers didn't arrive alone.
15:47Aldrich entered right behind them.
15:48The healer held their hand above Isoleth's abdomen and cast magic, while Aldrich and I stood by.
15:54I didn't know you had this particular talent.
15:56Just an old remedy from the deep waters, older than your kingdom.
16:00I had just ruined his perfect assassination plot.
16:03He wasn't going to let this go.
16:06The queen's child is safe, sire.
16:09He walked over to Isol and took her hand.
16:13Isoleth, you've suffered.
16:15For you and our child, it was no suffering at all.
16:18I stood in the corner, biting the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing out loud.
16:24Did the king look remotely happy to her?
16:26He looked like he couldn't even stomach the sight of her.
16:29We owe Lady Soraya our thanks.
16:31Her body was too weak.
16:32When every single crown healer hit a dead end, I was the only one who pulled it off.
16:37Lady Soraya, do you know what you've done?
16:38I understand my error.
16:40I acted recklessly.
16:41I am no trained healer.
16:42If anything had happened to the queen, the consequences would have been unthinkable.
16:46Reckless is an understatement.
16:47You are confined to your quarters for three months.
16:49You do not set one foot outside Dawnlight Hall.
16:51I bowed my head to accept the sentence.
16:54Aldrich, please.
16:55I begged her to do it.
16:57Don't punish her.
16:58She wasn't trying to help me.
17:00She was just terrified.
17:02If Aldrich tried to poison her again, she needed me out of house arrest to play her personal savior.
17:08Your Grace, I overstepped.
17:09I accept my punishment.
17:11Staying alive was my only concern right then.
17:13This is our first child, Isalad.
17:15We cannot be too careful.
17:16Do not plead for her.
17:20Deep down, she was thrilled I was getting locked away.
17:23I was escorted back to Dawnlight Hall.
17:26That very night, Aldrich showed up at my door.
17:29He sat by candlelight, his thumb tracing soft circles over my hand.
17:33The flame danced in his pupils.
17:35There was something buried in his eyes I couldn't quite read.
17:38I hadn't fed him a shadow failure tonight.
17:40My magic was completely shut off.
17:42Soraya, give me a child.
17:44Kings don't belong to anyone.
17:46That's the first lesson every queen learns.
17:48And the last one that breaks her to bed before.
17:51A shadow could mimic touch for a while, but not forever.
17:54Keep it up long enough, and he would notice.
17:57Aldrich couldn't get enough.
17:59He spent night after night in my chambers.
18:02When word reached Isalad, half the crystal in Golden Row Hall didn't survive the night.
18:08She really thought Aldrich put me under house arrest because he was sick of me.
18:11She figured she could deal with me the second she popped out her air.
18:15Instead of watching me rot in exile, she was met with very different news.
18:18I was pregnant too.
18:19When Aldrich heard Islith was pregnant, he panicked.
18:23But when he heard the news about me, the joy on his face was real.
18:26He had sat on the throne for years without a single heir.
18:30Since Isloid couldn't bear one, she quietly paid off the alchemists to spike the tea of
18:34every other mistress in the castle.
18:36I stared into his eyes.
18:37They were soft with tenderness.
18:39Did he actually love me?
18:40A siren's body is built for survival.
18:42Bearing young is practically effortless compared to humans.
18:45If I wanted a child, it was easy.
18:47The tragedy was, this child was never meant to be born.
18:50Every drop of blood in my body fed my shadow for millions.
18:53Siren magic is born of the living sea.
18:54Blood sorcery feeds on death.
18:56Those two forces ripped at each other inside my veins,
18:58leaving too little life in me to carry a child.
19:03I swear I felt it move.
19:06You're imagining things.
19:08It's barely two months.
19:09How could it move?
19:10I felt it.
19:11I'm sure of it.
19:12I'm probably just hungry.
19:14We both burst into laughter, tangled up together in bed.
19:17That was the exact scene Islaid walked in on.
19:20Islaid was finally showing, but the rest of her body was wasting away.
19:23Hollow cheeks.
19:24Dark bruised circles under her eyes.
19:26Her skin looked as thin as stretched parchment.
19:28Not even three layers of heavy powder could hide the decay.
19:30Meanwhile, I was curled up perfectly in Aldrich's arms.
19:33My skin was as smooth as Alphamander.
19:35Cheeks flushed like early spring petals.
19:37I was glowing.
19:38My laughter still echoing off the walls.
19:40The second I saw Islaid, I went to pull away.
19:43But Aldrich just wrapped his arms around me tighter.
19:45Why are you here?
19:46I heard the wonderful news about Soraya.
19:48I came to offer my congratulations.
19:50I just didn't expect to find you here.
19:52Aldrich hadn't stepped foot inside Golden Rose Hall in Monks.
19:55He made every excuse in the book.
19:57He just refused to see her.
19:59Desperate, she had written to her father and brother.
20:01Still no reply.
20:03How have you been feeling, Your Grace?
20:05Islaid didn't even look at me.
20:07Her eyes were fixed on Aldrich.
20:09Tears immediately spilled over her lashes.
20:11Have you grown tired of me, Aldrich?
20:13I shared a bond forged since childhood.
20:15For a fleeting moment, Aldrich's grip on me loosened.
20:18Honestly, if Islaid's pregnancy wasn't stressing him out of his mind, I probably wouldn't have kept him in my bed
20:22this easily.
20:22Don't overthink it.
20:23I'll come see you later tonight.
20:26Your Majesty, urgent dispatch from the Southern March.
20:29The Council of Lords is already waiting in the Council Chamber.
20:33Was there anything else, my Queen?
20:35I wish to rest.
20:37I underestimated you.
20:39But in this palace, carrying the King's heir means absolutely nothing if you don't survive the birth.
20:45I could say the same, though I suspect you already know.
20:47You conizing little Rhett!
20:49Don't push your luck!
20:50I still have my bloodline!
20:52I have my father and my brother!
20:53You're just a dancer!
20:54You are nothing beside me!
20:56Is that so?
20:57If I had to guess, that urgent dispatch was all about the Ashfield men.
21:01I had learned of it days ago.
21:02My splinter finale was shadowing Kasval.
21:05The tiny shadow carried the news straight into my mind through our soul tether.
21:08It reached me a full month before the King's fastest riders could.
21:11House Ashford had always hungered for war.
21:13They had long been eager to march on Norheim.
21:15But the royal vault was bleeding dry.
21:17And Aldrich had zero interest in starting a war.
21:20So, the eldest son, Sir Victor, crossed the border and provoked them again and again.
21:25I had thought he could fight.
21:27But it only took a few clashes for Kasvar to knock him off his horse and shatter his leg.
21:32Kasvar didn't want a full-blown war.
21:34So he let the fool live.
21:36But the very next day, Lord General Ashford marched his army south.
21:40Swear to wash away the insult and avenge the humiliation of his son.
21:44The southern march was miles away.
21:46Even the fastest horse took a month to reach the capital.
21:49Aldrich had no idea the old general had already been crushed and captured.
21:56My lady, His Majesty, is in the middle of a council.
22:00Let her in.
22:03I've had these headaches for days now.
22:05But when you're near me, they ease.
22:08I don't know why.
22:09I don't know why.
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