Back in Aspheri - Open - (Gabriel)

Be'lakor smiled as he warped with shadow to Merthras. The area was very cold, but temperature did not bother the Daemon Prince. Be'lakor simply shugged off the cold, his skin heating up to accomodate the change. Be'lakor stepped towards the entrance of the building, assuming it to be a palace. Be'lakor pushed on the door ever so slightly. It was heavy, so he pushed harder, and watched as the door silently slid open. He stepped in first, looking around for any threats, before signalling for Shadow to follow him.

Shadow discreetly pulled her cloak further around her shoulders as she stepped through the doors into a second entrance chamber. Here, guards lined the walls, thier faces hidden by helmets. Wings remained nestled neatly behind their backs, their clawed hands curled around glowing weapons. The demonic princess was soon greeted formally by one of the guards, who bowed in the traditional Aspherin way, saying something to her. Shadow nodded once, acknowledging what he had said.

Be'lakor was atching all of the gaurds closely, he saw one of them greet Shadow. As the two walked down the entrance hall, Be'lakor whispered to Shadow. "What did he say?" Be'lakor had to lower himself in order to whisper into her ear, but he quickly stood back up to his full height. Upon arriving at the door on the other end of the hall, Be'lakor stood aside, motioning for Shadow to open the door and enter.

"He said that the Prince will see us presently," Shadow said, having understood the language easily. Being the ruler of a dimension meant that you had to learn a lot of languages. The demoness' expression was troubled behind her mask as she paced slowly, her dress lightly brushing the ground. She could sense the guards watching her for any possible hostility, but their gazes were more focused on Be'lakor, sensing him as the more potent threat.

The other door burst open to reveal the other prince, the one who had seen fit to threaten Aspheri. He wore no helm, although his armour looked strong enough to deflect any attack. Dark brown wings rustled on his back, his long hair matching its colour. He could have been almost humanoid, but his legs were shaped akwardly, like those of a horse or a dog.
"Princess Shadow," He said, bowing formally to the demoness, who returned the gesture. The Prince's eyes then turned to brush over Be'lakor, seemingly unimpressed with what he saw. "And who may this be?"

"My name is of no importance." Be'lakor answered, as he eyed the princess up and down, looking for a threat in the creature. Be'lakor took no notice of the gaurds, if they posed a threat to him or Shadow, he had many tricks up his sleeve, suitable for disposing of them.
"Shall we start, mistress?" Be'lakor asked Shadow, not taking his eyes away from the prince of merthras. Pathetic that he had to threaten another dimension in order to find love. Just pathetic.

The Prince of Merthras lead Shadow and Be'lakor into the audience chamber. The room, like the rest of the palace, seemed to be made of ice, and Shadow could feel the increasing chill around her as she discreetly pulled her cloak further around herself. The Prince seated himself on the ice-carved throne, gesturing for Shadow to sit on another seat beside him. The Princess took the seat, although warily.
"One would have thought that the ruler of such a warrior's dimension would have brought a batallion of guards," The Prince said casually, glancing at Be'lakor, "Not just one..." He paused to try and find the correct word, "being..."
"He is perfectly able to perform the duties of a protector," Shadow said quietly, her violet gaze casting a quick glance at the Daemon Prince to check his reaction.

Be'lakor didn't react to the prince's words. He simply walked over and stood beside Shadow, who was sitting on a throne. "I can fill my role well." was all that Be'lakor said. His face was expressionless, as he watched the Prince's every move. If the prince so much as blinked, Be'lakor noticed, and recorded it within his mind. "Shall we begin the negotiations?" Be'lakor asked, looking at the princess respectfully, and not even sparing a glance for the prince.

Behind Shadow's mask, the demoness had paled. The only thoughts going through her head were I don't want to be here, I don't want to be here..., but she got a grip on herself, trying to tell herself that once she got through this meeting, then she and her dimension should be free to live without the threat of Merthras. She looked up at the Prince, about to open her mouth when he spoke.
"Yes, let us begin our negociations," He said in a smooth voice. "As I remember, I proposed that you choose between uniting our dimensions or angering Merthras, which would, I'm afraid to say, end up in Aspheri's blood being shed." The tone of the Prince's voice suggested that he wasn't actually sorry to say those words. Shadow's fists clenched.
"Yes, I remember your proposal," The demoness began, but she couldn't bring herself to say anything else. She couldn't phrase it in a way that wouldn't offend the Prince. Curses on this diplomacy, She thought to herself, I would love to tell him to get lost and leave Aspheri alone, but I can't.

Be'lakor smiled, looking at the prince now. His mouth moved in an almost rhythmic pattern, and his voice had a soothing tone to it. "Are there no other options?" Be'lakor asked, his eyes watching the prince carefully, Be'lakor would rather he not have to defend the princess from attack, and show her what he could do.

OOC: Sorry for the shortness, couldn't think of anything else.

- S'ok, don't worry about it =) -

The Prince of Merthras ignored Be'lakor, judgling him to be insignificant as he moved down to sit next to Shadow. The demoness tensed, flinching away.
"Now, I'm sure that you don't wish war on your dimension, so I shall assume that you would prefer the union of our dimensions..." He said softly. A muscle jumped in Shadow's jaw as she desperately tried to think of a way out. She glanced at Be'lakor, hoping that he would help.

Be'lakor moved so quickly that if not for the fact that Shadow had watched him, she wouldn't not have seen him move. He grabbed the prince by the arm, and dragged him back, pulling him away from the princess. "Do not touch the princess..." was all that Be'lakor said, as he let go of the prince. Be'lakor stood in front of Shadow protectively, turning to look at her and wink to let her know he had responded to her plee.

Shadow sent the Daemon Prince a grateful look, knowing that he could see through her mask. The other Prince fumed silently for a moment before carefully rearranging a few feathers on his wings.
"I see that your guard is certainly not all that he seems to be..." He remarked, keeping a careful eye on Be'lakor before turning his gaze back to Shadow. "But, to return to our previous negociations Princess Shadow, you have not given me an answer."
Shadow took a deep breath before answering.
"I will not consent to marry you." She said clearly. Rage flashed in the Prince's eyes as he drew his sword, pointing it towards the demoness. Shadow jumped to her feet, moving to back away, but a wall of ice formed behind her, stopping her retreat.

Be'lakor's daemon blade unsheathed itself as he moved with an impossible speed to protect Shadow. His eyes changed to a violent dark blue, and he watched the prince. Noises could be heard outside of the gates, as well as screams. The door flung off its hinges as 12 bloodletters charged into the room, their axes soaked in blood. They roared, as furies (Bloodletters with wings) swarmed into the room and flew around the top of the hall.
"You sure you wish to do this? Your gaurds are dead, boy." Be'lakor called, stepping towards the prince, his daemon blade glowing, sensing the demon before him.

Shadow struggled to control her demonic side, her eyes flickering between red and violet, her magic called up into a protective shield around her. She breathed deeply, trying to calm herself. The Prince of Merthras watched Be'lakor, the tip of his sword still aimed towards Shadow's jugular. He slowly sheathed the blade, his eyes not leaving Be'lakor's.
"You will not meddle in affairs between rulers, boy," He growled.

"Try me!" Be'lakor yelled, asserting his authority. He stood in front of Shadow, watching the prince. "You do not attempt to harm the princess. I have sworn to protect her, and that is something I will do!" Be'lakor yelled again, the daemons he had summoned started to shriek and get restless at his words, Be'lakor was not playing around. Be'lakor stepped through the ring of bloodletters surrounding the prince, and raised his daemon blade up to the prince. The blade was making a light sound, almost as if it was singing its desire to cut through the demon.

Shadow had regained her composure, stepping lightly through the circle of bloodletters, the only sound she made being the light sound of her dress brushing against the icy floor. She gently laid a hand on Be'lakor's arm, trying to stop him before he did anything that either of them may come to regret. She stepped away again, her violet gaze directed at the Prince of Merthras. She drew herself up to her full height.
"We will stop this useless skirmish and try to talk things out like sensible, intelligent beings that we are supposed to be," The demoness was trying to sound determined, but her voice was shaking slightly, as if she was afraid.

"I am only doing that which i have sworn to do, princess, keep you safe." Be'lakor answered, still eyeing the prince, looking for any threat he may be holding. The bloodletters held their weapons at the ready, at the slightest attack they would drop the prince to the ground before his blow would hit. "We shall negotiate." Be'lakor smiled at the princess, but still kept his eyes on the prince.

Shadow took a deep breath to steady her nerves. She felt like a coiled spring. The Prince watched her movements carefully. The demoness didn't move. The Prince unsheathed his sword, laying it on the ground. He stepped over it, towards Shadow, slowly, deliberately. The demoness didn't move, squaring her shoulders. The Prince was barely an arm's length away, but hadn't made any hostile moves. The demoness had to look slightly upwards to meet his eyes, her own violet eyes determined, but with a hint of fear.

Be'lakor kept his eye's on the prince, he had already proved he was not worthy of the princess. Be'lakor didn't step in right away, he was fast enough that if the prince tried anything he'd get him. Be'lakor started to search the prince, with his true sight, for any hidden weapons. Be'lakor had to remove all threats.

The two rulers just stood and stared at each other. Shadow held her head high, determined, but her hand was twitching, her eyes narrowing in her concentration. The Prince lifted a hand to rest it on her temple. The demoness flinched away, her concentration breaking. A triumphant smile flashed over the Prince's face as he looked at Shadow's now scared look in her eye. He reached out a hand a second time, but this time placed two fingers under her chin, lifting her head to force her to look at him.
"Are you still adamant that you won't become the ruler of Merthras as well?" He asked. The demoness didn't answer, her one visible violet eye wide in fear.

Be'lakor moved slowly, placing his blade wide end against the princes torso. "Step back, now." Be'lakor ordered in a calm voice, a bloodletter grabbed onto the princes shoulder, prepared to pull him back at an order from its Daemon Prince. The furies in the sky started to shriek, getting restless. Be'lakor looked into Shadows eyes, and tried to project a message without speaking, hoping she could pick up his thoughts. "Do not fear, Princess. I will keep you safe..."

Shadow just stood, as if she was frozen, staring at the prince. His hand strayed briefly to her neck, making the demoness gasp, breaking out of the hypnotic spell and letting her move away. She coughed, her two hands over the side of her neck which had turned a pale shade of blue. ALmost as soon as the prince had released Shadow, a battalion of guards burst into the chamber, moving to restrain Be'lakor and his bloodletters.

The Prince advanced once more on the demoness.
"And I thought the ruler of Aspheri would have been stronger," He said smoothly, moving to pick up his sword again.

Be'lakor swung his daemon blade as he dropped, slicing two of the gaurds legs off, Be'lakor stomped on one of their heads, crushing it into a pool of blood under the strength of his foot, he lunged his blade through the others neck. Be'lakor signalled for the bloodletters to go crazy. The furies swooped down, taking gaurds up with them and devouring them mid flight. The Bloodletters started to cut down the gaurds, taking bludgeons and cuts, but still fighting. Be'lakor dashed over to Shadow, standing in front of her protectively. "You stay away from her, boy. Do not try me."

The Prince of Merthras glowered at Be'lakor. Shadow had drawn her two handed sword, but it was unwieldly in her hands. Raven, Shadow's sister, had been the one to take to using the two handed blade.
"Perhaps you should stand aside and remember your place, boy. Let the rulers of two warrior dimensions fight. Then shall we end this negociation." The Prince growled, his eyes flashing in anger and his wings flared, ready to fight.

Be'lakor didn't move, he kept his stance in front of the princess. He had the daemon blade out, it sung for the princes flesh. Be'lakor shook his head. "I do not care for your rules, boy. I have sworn to protect the princess, and i shall." Be'lakor exclaimed, raising the Daemon Blade up to the prince.