Shadows on the moon (Lamenting_Quill and Ruu)

[Lamenting_Quill]

The clouds above were dark and dismal, foreboding almost in a cold and ominous way; They cast an eerie shadow over the small moon worshiping village, Vessaid.
The workers in the fields carried a nervousness in their hearts shared by their wives and children left behind in the homes, all they could do was pray to the Moon Goddess that this was not an omen that the dreaded Black Lord was not going to visit their village again.
There was nothing else to call this man whom left devastation each time he came, this man whom owned their village, fields and their very lives. No one knew his true name, most believed he liked it that way; No one can curse your name if no one knows it.


Inside the Moon Temple, the young lone priestess prayed to the Moon Goddess for prosperity for the village and protection from the Black Lord, never in Lunaria's mind could she ever understand how one person could harbor so much cruelty and hatred for the world around them.
To her it seemed that the Black Lord did not single out any one particular people as the source of his rage, but he simply wanted to punish the entire world for an unknown reason.
“Moon Goddess Luna, please I beg your blessing upon this village and your protection” Lunaria pleaded as she knelt before the sacred altar baring the statue of her namesake, the Moon Goddess Luna “Our village cannot withstand another devastating attack from the Black Lord, our fields are suffering terribly and our people are hungry from the lack of produce. Please help us, Goddess”

“No Goddess is going to help you, little priestess” A cold voice chuckled, echoing through the stone walls of the Moon Temple.
The owner of the voice waited at the entrance of the temple, a cold fear gripped Lunaria's heart as she registered recognition of the voice. It belonged to one the Black Lord's men, one whom held a particular liking for setting fire to houses; A sport the Black Lord had not yet allowed.
“Be gone!” Lunaria called back “We have paid our tribute to your master, we plow the fields and do as we are expected! Leave us be!”

No reply.

Lunaria's heart pounded fiercely in her chest, she almost feared it might burst out from the sheer force of it's pounding.
This could not be happening, why were the Black Lord's men here? The tribute demanded each season had been delivered as usual, so why where they here?
Forcing her feet to move, Lunaria made her way out of the temple and into the cold early evening air.
As she emerged with the chilled wind blowing straight through her robes to chill her skin, she took notice of all the Black Lord's favorite soldiers. This was no ordinary visit, some was not right here.

Lunaria was about to demand explantion when one particular man coming closer upon a black horse caught her eyes. Her throat dried up and she could only manage one horrified whisper “The Black Lord”
One look from her was all the villagers needed to scurry away and lock themselves in their homes.
“Why...” Lunaria began reluctantly, trying to keep fear from entering her voice “Why have you come, my lord? Tribute was paid, was it not?”

[Ruu]

Hours earlier, the Black Lord had sat deep in thought upon his throne. Raven-colored hair contrasted greatly with his pale features, causing him to look as brittle as a porcelain doll. And yet there was no brittleness in his angry expression, black brows drawn over burgundy eyes, a rich, almost red colour. He was swathed in dark robes, covered by a cloak that fell past his knees.

His thoughts were on a small village, and it troubled him greatly that the village was so much on his mind as of late. So inconsequential, and yet his attention was brought to it...to her...daily...He knew why...His wife...his dear beautiful wife who had been taken from him. They had told him it would be for her own good. They said she would be cleansed and healed of her wasting sickness...And they had lied. He had lost her, and his with that his sanity as well. Dabbling in dark artes, searching for power and conquest to ease his aching soul. Even a deal with the darkest of powers had not healed the rift he felt without her. But now...perhaps it could be filled. No longer would he bide his time. The time was now. Standing gracefully, he motioned and a dark creature hobbled towards.

"Go...ready men. We ride for Vessaid tonight," he said in a short, clipped voice.

Soon...very soon...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hours later, he sat on his dark stallion, his eyes on the young girl, so beautiful, and so carefully trying to conceal the fear he felt emanating from her body. Did they not know the dark artes gave him the power to sense all fear and anger...no matter how deeply hidden?

“Why...Why have you come, my lord? Tribute was paid, was it not?”

The Dark Lord smiled a thin, half-hearted smile.

"Yes, tribute was paid. But not enough...There is something else..." his voice was dark and deep, "Something else I desire. And if I do not get one I want..."

He held up his hand and an orb of flames appeared. One of his men snickered cruelly, holding a branch aloft to light it.

[Lamenting_Quill]

Lunaria's silvery blue eyes widened with horror as she took in the branches carrying flickering flames from the orb produced by the Black Lord.
She calmed her breathing and took a few steady steps forward, it was her duty as the Moon priestess of her village to ensure the people were happy and protected. She was the right hand of the Goddess Luna, she would not show fear before this great bully sitting atop his grand black steed.

"Whatever has upset you, my lord" Lunaria began "I am certain we can make it right, we have never been a great problem in the past and do not intend to be now"
Not indeed, there was too much risk in being a problem to the Black Lord, it often resulted in death.
"What can we do to please you, my lord?"

The way he stared at her most certainly made Lunaria nervous, her skin crawled with dread. Sure, he was very handsome, but his soul was rotten and soiled.
If the Black Lord's men moved to light the houses on fire, there was little she could do to stop them and they damn well knew it too. The bullies!
The cold air bit at her skin through her priestess robes as if to warn her to turn and flee back inside the safety of the temple and she was half tempted.
All she could do now was wait for the Black Lord to tell her what he wanted from them and send him on his wicked way.

[Ruu]

"What can you do to please me?" he asked slowly, as if considering the question.

As he looked at the girl, a sudden sense of dread filled his soul. What would she have thought of him as he was now? Threatening villages...causing fear and sorrow wherever his footsteps fell...How could he now hurt someone...someone so much like her?

"Forgive me..." he said in a voice so soft, it could be likened to the wind.

Another moment and his eyes were filled with a strange blackness, a blackness that had been dispelled for but a moment at the thought of his departed wife.

"I would have you return with me to my castle, nothing more. Follow my commands and your village will be spared. If you do not...I will still have what I want...and you will have the death of your loved ones on your conscience."

[Lamenting_Quill]

Lunaria was completely taken aback by his request and threat, how dare he come to this village and demand it's priestess! He couldn't just come here and do that!
"I will remain here with these people whom need me, I am their Moon priestess. I bring them wisdom from the Moon Goddess Luna. I know well that by law, you are not permitted to remove a lone priestess from a village and you should know that there are no others to replace me... unless of course, you will be returning me back to my village. I am however curious to know why exactly my presence is necessary in your castle"

Beneath her robes, her legs were shaking like twigs in a fierce wind; The Black Lord wanted her, but why?
His cold reddish eyes seemed to pierce right through her robes to see her quivering limbs along with taking to time admire her form, which made her all the more nervous "I ask for an explanation, surely I deserve that"
Just keep strong, she told herself firmly, do not let him see your fear. Do not give him that kind of satisfaction.

Right now, Lunaria wished her mentor was still alive; Ulula would surely know what to do about this, that is if the Black Lord had a liking for withered old priestesses. Still, it would have been nice to have her old mentor's wisdom.
Fear gripped Lunaria's heart at the possibilities of things that could befall her in the hands on the Black Lord, he could torture her, rape her or both if he saw fit to do so. Worse yet... it was not unheard of for Lords to raid villages under their control for a potential bride...
His silence made the air seem to grow even colder if possible, the very atmosphere around them responding to him.

[Ruu]

The Black Lord half smiled as his eyes narrowed to slits. Did she dare refuse him? Did she believe that she had the power to stop him? Now that old fool...her name escaped him...she had caused some problems, but he had put a stop to that. This girl was young and much less experienced. She had not the power the old one had.

"And what law, pray tell, has ever held me back before? I make the laws, but I am also exempt from them. You should already know this very well. I will not be returning you to your village, make no mistake of that. Your presence is required in my castle for reasons that are my own. That should be good enough for you," his words were heavy and dark, saturated with an air of finality.

He knew the young woman was still shaking, and her fear had become almost palpable to him. It spread around him, even as the air was frigid around him as he grew silent and pensive once again. He seemed almost lost in his own thoughts. His wife had looked at him the way the young priestess was looking at him now...He had nearly made a terrible mistake once, but she had stopped him with that look. Had she been there when the deal with the dark power was made, perhaps he would not have been so weak...

[Lamenting_Quill]

Lunaria took a step back and her silvery blue eyes move to the soldiers that accompanied the Black Lord, their torches each blazing with a ball of red and gold death.
“Please, I beg you to return to your castle and be content with the tribute we provide each month” Lunaria pleaded, hoping to find some shred of compassion in the man “I do not know why you wish to take me to your castle, but I do not wish to go with you. Please, have mercy”

Her words did not seem to faze him much at all, in fact he looked downright irritated with her defiance, she did not want to leave with him... but was defying him worth the entire village? Had she pushed him too far to convince him to spare them still?
Lunaria's mind raced to try and find a solution to this mess, she was a damned moon priestess! She was not supposed to be so shaken in the presence of a dark force!

What could she do though? The immense powers of the Black Lord were no secret, her mentor had told her all about his dark powers before the old woman died. She told Lunaria to becareful of his wrath, that there was no coming back from it.
She turned to gaze at the tightly locked homes and felt her heart throb with fear, she could not bare it if he harmed them.
So it was with a great sigh, Lunaria stepped forward and held up her arms to the Black Lord so he could pull her up onto his horse with him. May the Goddess help her.

[Ruu]

The Black Lord cursed the small, miniscule, faintly burning light still extant somewhere in the deepest reaches of his heart. When she looked at him with those eyes flecked with silver light...it was as if she was looking at him again...reproachfully...No! He was the Black Lord! He was strong! He was powerful! He had given up everything in order to obtain anything. Her words could not deter him. Not her pleas of her mercy...His mind worked for an answer, though he tried to look even colder and more intimidating if that were possible.

The girl saved him the trouble of speaking by holding up her arms to him. He nearly smirked, but placed his emotions under control as he pulled the Moon Priestess onto his horse. It was of note that he drew up carefully, however, and not in the brusque, rushed manner which was his norm.

He turned his horse slightly, away from the village. It would seem for a moment as if he was following through on his promise...

"Sir..." began the pyromaniac with a crazed smile, "Can I?"

The Black Lord paused...actually paused, before nodding his consent.

"I have what I came for. Burn it," he said simply, not daring to look into the girl's eyes.

[Lamenting_Quill]

Sheer horror filled Lunaria as the words left the Black Lord's sensual lips, tears bubbled beneath her eyes “No! You promised!”
She began to struggle in his grip furiously, screaming at the hiding villagers to flee their homes immediately, she beat her small feminine fists into his chest in a desperate attempt to make him let go of her waist.

Desperate beyond imagining now to free herself, Lunaria murmured a few quick words in the ancient language of the Moon Goddess, causing a silver moon snake to sparkle into being in front of the Black Lord's horse. The creature slithered closer to the horse intently and began to curl up the great beast's leg, spooking it as Lunaria had hoped for.
The horse gave a startled cry and threw the rider and his captive priestess, sending both of them tumbling across the dirt.

Lunaria took the opportunity this freedom from his grip provided her and fled towards the direction villagers whom heard her cries had run. Before Lunaria had been sacrificing herself for the good of the village, but now that the Black Lord had thrown his bargaining chip into the wind... there was no way in hell she was going anywhere with him willingly.
At this point Lunaria wasn't even curious anymore what he wanted her, she didn't care, she wanted to get as far from him as possible and never see his evil face again.

When Lunaria tripped over a rock nearby the village gates, a few of the villagers turned around to go and help her, but she waved them on “Go! I'm fine! Run!”
Managing to get back on her feet despite a throbbing ankle, Lunaria looked back to pursuers hot on her trail. She forced herself to ignore the blinding pain that came when she tried to run and bolted as best she could towards the gates, they may catch her... but she wasn't going to make it easy for them.

[Ruu]

The Black Lord growled as he was thrown from his horse, the first emotion he had shown during the entire encounter. He picked himself up slowly, as if the woman's magic were merely a trifle, and her escape a bump in the road. He would not allow her to escape! Not now! He closed his eyes, giving in to the anger he constantly held in check. Flames danced around his body, his fingertips, singed his hair, burned and billowed around his cloak. He held out his hands and the buildings closest to him burst into flames. Others followed, sparked by the conflagration. He opened his eyes once again, the flames disappearing, cursing himself inwardly at his lack of control. If he had burned the priestess...But at the moment she was safe, though the fire was getting dangerously close.

He walked calmly after her, the fires extinguishing as he walked; he couldn't risk her death. When he reached her, he held out a hand, swirling with dark energy.

"I didn't want to do this the hard way. One more chance, priestess. Come with me, or everything you ever held dear will be taken from you, and will not hesitate to use my dark magic to bind you," said the Black Lord, eyes smoldering.

He couldn't believe a young priestess had brought him to this. He had not been so angry since...since he had lost her...He was always in control, of everything! This was unthinkable...

[Lamenting_Quill]

Lunaria glared defiantly at him as she flattened herself against a portion of the gates where she'd been cornered by the Black Lord, damn her ankle and her stupid bad timing for a spill!
She narrowed her silvery blue eyes and spat at his feet “You are a monster and a liar! I don't know what you need me for... but I will not make this easy for you!”
“Nst'didja Oshan!” Lunaria called out loudly, her voice echoing to the nearby trees.
Out from the dark tree branches flew a large magnificent owl of a beautiful shimmering silver, it's eyes were as bright as the moon and it's claw looked as though they were made from pure silver. The grand bird swooped down fiercely as attacked at the Black Lord's head, causing the warlord to stumble backwards away from Lunaria as he would try to fend it off.

As the mystical Lunar Owl distracted the Black Lord, Lunaria bolted as best she could the rest of the distance to exit the gates, she fled into the forest to find a good place to hide.
The Lunar Owl would disappear soon once the clouds fell across the moon, it could only come out of hiding when the moonlight was abundant.
She ran until her ankle throbbed so badly she feared she may weep from the pain, she found some thick bushes she recognized and crouched down inside them. Lunaria was careful to make sure no part of her robes was showing through the bushes, she was not going to be caught!

“Luna, hear me” Lunaria whispered desperately “Please Luna, do not let these fiends discover my hiding place, these fiends whom burned down your temple! Protect me, I beg of you!”

[Ruu]

The Black Lord growled angrily as the bird swooped at him, forcing him off balance. Without a thought, an inky blackness surrounded his body and engulfed the bird, sending it spiraling from him into the night air. By that time the priestess was gone, run off into the woods to hide no doubt. She had nothing left but a thought for escaping and perhaps vengeance, but the Black Lord was not one to be denied.

Calmly, he walked into the dense forest, neither appearing to hurry nor looking as if he were enjoying the scenery. He merely walked with a single, definitive purpose, a purpose that would drive him to madness if it were not fulfilled. His gaze could not pierce the gloom of the forest, but his dark spells could. He continued to mutter the words of seeking, words that would guide him to his goal. But even without the words, the purity of the moon priestess' soul called out to him like a bright beacon. Soon, and very soon he would find her.

He stopped suddenly, sniffing the air like a hound. She was close...He could feel it. The soft light of the moon mixed with the fire of determination...Her ragged breaths, coming close to sobs...He reached down to pull back some bushes and found the girl huddled there, whispering silent prayers. A shred of pity, and ounce of compassion was almost felt, but swiftly passed. An orb of darkness floated above an outstretched hand.

"You have one more chance. Never before have I been so lenient. You should consider yourself lucky. Come with me, or I will carry you to my home myself."

The words were stern, the voice of someone who expected to be obeyed.

[Lamenting_Quill]

Lunaria looked up startled from her prayers and her heart sank deeply, once again Luna had failed to protect her from this menace.
She glared at him with sheer hatred in her eyes "Then do it, because I will not go with you willingly to an unknown fate"

Why was this happening to her? Was Luna displeased with her? No, that could not be it. If Luna was displeased, then Lunaria would not be able to wield moon magic to defend herself and the temple.
She was also horribly confused about why this powerful warlord was after her, why did he want her so desperately? What importance was she to him? There was no way she would be any help in a war effort, a priestess was no help at all in that sort of thing.

"Why are you doing this?" Lunaria pleaded, trying to slid away from him "Why won't you just leave? I am of no use to you!"
Another thought crossed her mind, with how defiant Lunaria had been to him... why hadn't he just killed her yet? If he needed her cooperation with something, she would be seen as useless now because of her refusal to come with him, let alone her two attacks on him.
There was one thing... One thing in these times that did not require a woman's cooperation...

Lunaria's eyes widened as it dawned on her why he had refused to tell her why he wanted her to come to his estate with him, why she would never be returning to her village.
The bastard wanted to marry her... He was here for a bride...
"Please" Lunaria begged, scrambling to her feet and taking steps backwards "Please tell me you are not here seeking a bride, tell me it is not me!"

[Ruu]

The Black Lord listened quietly to her protests, her pleadings, but they fell on deaf ears. His mind was far away, dwelling on the past...When finally he returned to the present, he shook his head.

"I will not tell you a lie. I have come to seek you for my wife. Any answer other than yes will not be accepted. For too long you have resisted. I am sorry, but this is how it must be. The power of your goddess will not protect you against my darkness..."

So saying, he lifted his hands into the sky. The ground around him began to trouble, and his visage changed horribly. His face was filled with a strange darkness, and when he spoke his voice was deep and terrible.

"From the depths of darkness I summon the powers of eternal night. Blot out all that is lovely and bright. Doom this world to fear and fright, drown out the beauty of endless light..."

Above the Black Lord grew a shadow, a blanket of darkness that began to spread, lifting hideous wings towards the sky. Further and further it flew until the stars were covered with an inky film. The moon tried its best to remain blinking, but its reflected light was not enough, and soon it was consumed. The forest was now pitch black, and not a living thing stirred in the sheer terror of the darkness.

"It is done..."

[Lamenting_Quill]

“Oh Goddess! No!” Lunaria murmured in sheer horror as she felt her connection to the Moon Goddess Luna waning, it felt as if the darkness was blocking her from Luna “My lord, no! I must be able to converse with the Moon Goddess!”
His face however did not appear to have even an ounce of pity for her, in fact she was certain now that it was his very intention to make sure Luna could not help her.

She was helpless now, that much was obvious. Her ability to tap into Luna's powers was blocked and the Black Lord has access to a great deal of dark power, to defy him at this point was both foolish and dangerous.
Lunaria gazed at him resentfully and stood up “You, my lord are a coward, severing my connection to Luna so you may have your way. However, at this point I have no choice but to submit. Though I warn you, Luna will find me again and when she does, she will save me. Do not think you could challenge a Goddess, one with more power than you could ever hope to have. This wedding you desire will never happen, it is Luna's will that it does not”

Her heart pounded in her chest as she prayed hard that she was correct, Lunaria prayed with all she had in her that Luna truly would find her and save her from this monster whom aspired to be her husband.
She wanted to weep at the idea that the Black Lord would wed her and most likely keep her isolated from everything she knew and loved, he would keep her isolated even from her Goddess.
'Forgive me, Luna' Lunaria thought to herself sadly 'I would never forsake you and I pray you will look for me and rescue me from this madman'

Lunaria sighed sorrowfully as she heard the footsteps of the Black Lord's men entering the forest as they searched for their lord, they would now take her away to the Black Lord castle where Lunaria would eventually become a black hearted warlord's bride... if there wasn't a clergyman waiting at the castle this very moment to marry them. If there was mercy in this world, that would not be the case...

[Ruu]

"I told you not to resist me, so you may blame yourself for your loss of communication with the goddess, as you call her. She will no longer help you, for my power is a thousand times greater than hers, if she even exists. For so long I have been told that gods and goddesses will strike me down, but never have any those threats come to pass," said the Black Lord, dismissing it without a thought.

Only a few moments later, the Black Lord's men entered the forest, finally finding the Black Lord and the priestess.

"The girl has submitted, and rightfully so. Take her to the horses. If she so much attempts to escape, I will have all of your heads."

With the ominous words, the Black Lord began to leave the forest, black cape swirling behind him. The men quickly took the girl, none too gently, and led her from the forest, placing her upon a horse. Soon they were riding far from the burning village, until they came to the Black Lord's manor. The foreboding sorcerer dismounted and went back to where Lunaria rode behind one of his men and lifted her from the horse.

"This will be your new home," he said simply.

[Lamenting_Quill]

Lunaria stood rigid and and still, her fearful eyes fixed upon the dark castle. He claimed this would be her home now and he said he did not believe in her Goddess, that simply made him all the more the fool. Lunaria would never truly submit to him, not even in one thousand years.

"This may be my home now and no matter unholy alliances you force me into, I shall never look upon as a wife should look upon her husband. I shall never see you as such, you a merely a warden and I the prisoner yearning for freedom" Lunaria said as she turned to face him with challenging silvery blue eyes "You will never own me, not truly"

What would await her when they entered the castle, Lunaria did not know; her heart still hammered with fear.
She turned from him then after her firm rejection of him, she believed she made it clear now that in her eyes, he would never be her husband and she would never cease fighting to be free of him.
Until then however, Lunaria would have to be strong and pray that the Moon Goddess Luna would find her soon and restore their divine bond.

'Please Goddess' Lunaria pleaded silently 'please help me, my situation is more dire than ever'

[Ruu]

The Black Lord merely smiled at her challenging words, shaking his head ruefully. She must not have understood that he held her life in balance, though perhaps that meant little to her now...Maybe it had not been wise to have been so hasty in burning her village. It would have been better to spare the people and use them as leverage. But that was in the past now...

"I do not care the way you look on me. I do not care how you feel," said the dark man bluntly, "But I consider myself merciful. I will give you two months to learn to love me, before the marriage ceremony is celebrated. But that is all I will give you. No more."

Without another word, the Black Lord led her into the castle. It was a dreary place, dark and foreboding. The rooms were not well lit, and most of the furniture was covered with rust colored draperies and tapestries, almost the shade of dried blood. The Lord bypassed all these, however, leading her up a grand staircase to a small room. It was simple with very little furnishing. A bed, a dresser, a small closet, and a mirror were its only adornments.

"This will be your room, for now, until I can prepare something more suitable. The servants will come if you but ring the bell on the dresser. Is there anything else you wish?"

[Lamenting_Quill]

As the Black Lord led her into the small room within the castle that would be her prison until the wedding ceremony, Lunaria felt her heart break just a little bit more. Was there no hope left to cling to?
There may have been few items to adorn the room, but at least the colors were not all too dismal and depressing as the rest of the castle seemed to be. The walls were a pale butter color and the floor was modestly covered in rugs of a soft orange color while the meager furnishings were carve from chestnut, it all gave the room a faded sunset look.
She walked forward to touch the bed's pale orange coverings just as he began to speak to her again.

“This will be your room for now, until I can prepare something more suitable. The servants will come if you but ring the bell on the dresser. Is there anything else you wish?”

Lunaria chuckled softly without turning around “Other than to be far, far away from you for the rest of my days? Not much. Your two months will prove futile, I could never love anyone as black hearted as you have shown yourself to be. I still do not understand why you are doing this? If you were lonely, you would court a bride, not abduct one. I am not wealthy, so it could not be for money. I have no place in the Imperial courts, so it could not be for social standing either. What on earth is it that you want with me? Why on earth do you wish to wed me?”

This was indeed the grand question that troubled Lunaria's mind, what would a powerful warlord like him want with wedding a mere priestess of the Moon Goddess Luna?
Many told Lunaria she was beautiful with her long silvery blonde hair, appearing as if spun from moon beams and her eyes as silvery blue as the moon kissed ocean.
Could that be it? Had the Black Lord been watching her? Simply biding his time until the right moment to pluck her from the village?
The thought sent shivers down Lunaria's back, it was truly frightening to think that the Black Lord could have been spying on her this entire time, who knew what he could have possibly seen if this was the case?!

“I demand answers... consider it a betrothal gift to me” Lunaria implored reasonably “Tell me the truth about everything, you owe me that much if I am to be your wife... and... as much as I dislike thinking of it... the mother of your children... grant me the answers to my questions, please, I beg this of you”

[Ruu]

The Black Lord contemplated the question for what seemed like an eternity, before speaking to the woman. For a moment, it seemed as if pain was in his eyes, but it may have been just a trick of the dim light.

"You truly wish to know the reason that I would have your hand in marriage?" asked the dark man, "Then I will tell you, though you may not believe me. I once was a kind man, many years ago, though you may not believe it. I grew up with the girl of my dreams, in the same village, and we were eventually married. She looked so much like...you...Her eyes, the color of the starlit sea...Her hair, the softest shade of moonlight. We were happy, as happy as a man and woman could be, but our happiness was not to last. She grew sick...very sick...The priestess of Luna...of my village, said that she could heal my wife. That priestess promised me! But in the end, my wife was taken from me, and the priestess told me it had been Luna's will! No...she lied! She stole my wife from me! And in the end, the foolish priestess paid for it with her life. When I saw you...however...I saw my wife. And though you cannot replace her completely, perhaps you can fill the hole inside of my heart. Ironic that one who serves the goddess that took away my wife now resides under my roof..."

It was here that the unjust lord broke off, his voice trailing away, his eyes seeing something beyond the borders of the room. For just a moment, he felt as if he was alone in the room, listening for his wife's words...But nothing came, and the bitterness of reality returned.

[Lamenting_Quill]

His explanation took Lunaria completely off guard and quite honestly, filled her heart with horror and fear. He had brought her here to punish her goddess.... as for her resembling his dead wife, he obviously had idea....
Lunaria's older sister had gone away years ago to seek her own independence, it was in that journey that she had written secretly to Lunaria that she had gotten married.

Her sister had been worried that their parents would be upset that she did not mean to return after all to train as a priestess of Luna. She had been right about that too, but that never changed their love for her.
It had been a shock when her sister had been returned to them later terribly ill, Ulula had done all she could to try and save Lunaria's sister... but she had just been far too ill... they were simply just too late...

Ulula had prayed endlessly to Luna when things looked the bleakest, she begged the goddess on her knees to spare the ill young woman.
Alas, with Lunaria shedding silent tears by her bedside, her sister drifted off in eternal sleep. Though not before comforting Lunaria, telling her younger sister that she would now be with Luna and she would watch over Lunaria always.

"It was you..." Lunaria whispered, backing away from the Black Lord "You were the man my sister married on her journey away from the village... I look life your wife because I am her younger sister! I know now why she seemed afraid near the end... why she told me that there was no reason to hold on anymore... her reason to exist was tainted... I understand now what she meant..."

Lunaria shook her head fervently, tears pricking her eyes "I will not do this... I will not be my sister's replacement! She was content with Luna's decision to bring her home to the starry heavens, you should be as well!"

Her heart was thundering in her chest, she was here because she looked so much like her dear dead sister! The man was insane!
"I know you are grieving" Lunaria tried to reason "I am sorrowed too, I loved my sister. This however is not the answer, you cannot heal your pain by wedding her sister... this is madness... please, let me go!"

[Ruu]

"Tainted?" asked the Black Lord, "You think her existence was tainted because of me? No, much as you may find it hard to believe, she loved me, and I loved her. I was not like this until after her death...Her death drove me to madness, to deal in dark artes that I should've..."

Here the Black Lord left off and shook his head wearily, as if he had said too much. His dark eyes were stormy with anger, but it was a cool anger, perhaps more dangerous than white hot rage.

"I was not content with her death. I don't understand as her sister that you could be content as well. If your goddess was so powerful, why couldn't she save her?" he asked spitefully, "She helped me to believe in this goddess of yours. Had me praying to her every day. But what good did it ever do me? Now I have powers that could have saved her, only it was too late. You saw how my power even blacked out the moon itself. Luna herself could not stand in the way of complete and utter darkness, the same darkness that took my wife. I will not lose her...again..."

He looked at Lunaria quietly now, as if he were seeing his wife once again, not her sister.

[Lamenting_Quill]

Lunaria backed away from him, a look of horror etched upon her angelically beautiful face. He was insane, truly mad.
"I am not Celeste" Lunaria insisted firmly, making sure there was plenty of distance between herself and the Black Lord "I am not my sister!"
She was even more furious than she was horrified to top it off, how dare he think he could use her as a replacement for her dead sister! She was a proud priestess of Luna and would be no one's replacement wife!

Lunaria absolutely refused to marry a man whom was interested in her solely because she resembled her dead sister, she refused to embark on a wedding night while her husband envisioned another woman.
It was completely degrading and she would not allow that to be her fate, she was certain as well that her dear sister Celeste would not have wanted this for her either.

"What would Celeste say if she knew you were about to do something like this?" Lunaria implored "I sincerely doubt she would approve at all, Celeste always hated the idea of abducted brides!"
That Lunaria knew for absolute certain, Celeste would be furious for days any time a young woman went missing in their province. She would complain that those ruling over them should do something about it.
In that, Lunaria had always agreed with Celeste, but in reality there was nothing either of them could do to make their superiors get off their lazy rumps.

"I am sorry for your pain" Lunaria replied sincerely "But you cannot make it all better by replacing Celeste with her sister, it just doesn't work that way"

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