BLEEDING HEART.

already did he bring up the subject of WAR? his gaze snapped up and tight to shell’s, for he had seen his soft heart. while he did not know how deep such unwarranted humanity ran, caution was required here.  whilst he knew pain overlord to be a man not shy of the terms of conquest, he knew even less of what his son may desire.

or what his son may try to prevent.

‘ i made no such implications, and i ask that you do not read so deeply into my words that you derive falsehoods from them. the land of the gerudo remains the land of MAN, and here, the vampires may find us hospitable hosts. it is this definition alone that i express – i spoke nothing of conquest. ‘ but shell was not wrong for reading his desires. ‘ a sharing of resources, knowledge, a power in uniting – if your kingdom requires protection, we shall heed the call, and serve as your brothers in arms, and if our own need the same, i expect the favor returned. we lay ignorant to the happenings of the north, and you, our allies from the frozen north, shall aid us as our eyes where we are blind. ‘

      inwardly  cursing  his  quick  assumptions,  Shell  calmly  moved  a  hand  to  take  his  glass  of  blood,  swirling  the  dark  liquid  around  in  the  clear  cylinder  in  contemplative  quiet.  he  could  not  let  his  concern  take  hold  of  him  and  push  him  to  act  or  speak  rashly.  to  jump  to  conclusions  could  ruin  anything  before  it  even  began.

           ❛  I  meant  no  disrespect.  it  is  just  you  are  not  the  first  to  seek  alliance  with  us;  many  have  come  desiring  our  power,  to  know  what  secrets  we  hide  in  the  dark  and  frozen  north.  we  were  sought  for  many  reasons  and  ambitions  --  war  being  chief  among  them.  we’re  not  averse  to  conflict ...  but  we  are  cautious  about  it.  ❜

      it  was  very  unlikely  that  the  vampire  kingdom  would  ever  require  outside  assistance  for  protection.  surrounded  by  icy  mountains  and  vicious  snowstorms  to  the  south,  and  a  half-frozen  ocean  in  the  north ...  only  suicidal  fools  would  try  to  invade  it.  its  only  threat  came  from  the  inside,  such  as  a  revolt ...  but  even  that  would  accomplish  little.  after  all,  vampires  were  near-indestructible  in  combat.  the  more  blood  they  spilled,  the  stronger  they  became  --  feasting  on  the  fallen  while  tearing  apart  those  that  remained  standing.  it  was  obvious  why  anyone  would  want  them  on  their  side ...  but  unlike  most  of  his  kin,  Shell  wanted  nothing  but  peace.

did he expect his facade to hold beneath his scrutiny? the mask that he wore, the polished exterior of a prince, one ganondorf knew to be as false as false came. he had seen the humanity that vampires were not meant to have beneath his pale skin, persona cracking away with every encounter, the lies he had woven falling apart. even a prince of an esteemed vampire household could not hide beneath the discerning eye of the king of demons.

but he would humor shell, and play his games. what was he actually probing for?

‘ i desire an alliance to allow the both of our kingdoms to flourish. i grant the house of the overlords an opportunity to delve further into the land of man unhindered, and you grant me a powerful ally and partnership. my kingdom sits stagnant – i wish to push us into a golden era of prosperity, and in turn, allow your people the same. ‘

      Shell  knew  very  well  that  he’d  unintentionally  exposed  a  side  of  himself  that  no  one  was  supposed  to  see,  least  of  all  a  potential  ally ...  but  that  would  not  stop  or  hinder  him  from  doing  his  duty.  he  was  a  PRINCE,  the  heir  to  the  Overlord  name,  and  he  commanded  no  less  respect  now  than  before.  as  the  king  was  not  aware  of  vampire  society’s  stigma  against  Abnormals,  or  even  what  they  were,  there  was  no  threat  of  his  status  being  revealed ...  and  he  had  to  keep  it  that  way.

      ‘delve  further  into  the  land  of  man’ ...  the  phrase  sounded  innocent,  but  coming  from  Ganondorf,  it  was  likely  anything  but.  the  Gerudo  desired  expansion ... ?

           ❛  it  sounds  to  me ...  that  you’re  proposing  conquest.  a  war.  ❜

      to  Shell,  they  were  little  more  than  flowery  words  for  BLOODSHED  and  VIOLENCE ;  DEATH,  and  PAIN.  this  was  what  he  had  feared.

           ❛  so,  let’s  get  down  to  business.  ❜

      it’s  late,  as  the  night  is  the  only  time  cool  enough  in  this  desert  for  Shell  to  function  comfortably.  the  table  has  been  set  as  he  requested,  with  two  chairs  facing  each  other  and  a  glass  of  blood  on  the  vampire’s  side,  from  his  own  stock.

      despite  his  fooling  around  with  the  king,  Shell  looked  nothing  but  serious,  calm  and  composed  in  his  seat,  leaning  slightly  forward  with  elbows  resting  on  the  table  and  hands  folded  together.  it  was  difficult  to  believe  this  was  the  same  playfully  lewd  and  submissive  prince  from  before.

           ❛  ---  you  desire  the  cooperation  of  the  Overlord  house.  why ?  ❜

stop sulking and act like a prince.

      STOP  ACTING  LIKE  MY  DAD.