Day 39-2 Blackjack
DAY 39-2: BLACKJACK
The dim light of dawn trickles in from the large window at the opposite end of the room, her eyelids are closed, hands folded over her chest. In the king-sized bed of pink silk, all the muscles in her face and body are still.
Not a twitch, not a spasm—barely any movement besides her breasts rising and falling with each subtle intake of air.
As if she's dead. Or an immortal vampire, but Leda can't be too sure.
It's hard to comprehend why or how she can see and hear all this, but somehow she does. Somehow, she's alive.
When she first came to, it was the middle of the night.
She was surrounded by nothing but darkness, and the iciness of the room brought chills to her exposed neck.
With every blink she can still see flashes of that Heart.
The sword gliding across her neck and slicing both bone and flesh.
Soaring through the air, her body detached and crumpling before darkness swallowed her whole.
Even now, she's assured she's hallucinating. Because even now, she's just a head.
In the large mirror a foot away, she's reflected inside of it. But it's only her head. More faces than she can begin to count envelope her sight, each grotesque and hung by a nail in the wall. Spades, Hearts. She recognizes Monds in this array as well.
It's a wall entirely dedicated to heads. From old, half-decayed ones with crooked eyeball sockets and missing ears or lips to newer, fresher ones like her.
Leda would honestly throw up, but then again she doesn't exactly have a stomach to really expunge anything from.
How is it possible to be alive as a head? She believed this can only be done if you were some zombie. How about Orian? What exactly happened with that Heart? Is he fine?
Her mind races with insurmountable questions. She tries to swallow, but can't. She doesn't have a throat to. If she could feel the rest of her extremities she would definitely be shaking.
She had a boatload of questions for Rhett!
Leda's internal monologue is brought to a halt with a gentle hoot ahead.
She aims her gaze onto the large snowy owl positioned nearby.
It's nearly the height of the room—like a giant of some sort.
Head tilted to the side, it rakes her over with its beady eyes.
Then, without warning, it shoots its head forward, beak stabbing into the wall.
Leda feels her imaginary heart stop in her chest as it retreats, gobbling up the Spade head that was once residing beside her.
Its wings ruffle, as if getting ready to take off. Leda shuts her eyes, helpless to another attack. She might've lived through a beheading but there's no ways she'd survive after being digested.
"Now, now, Grimm." A listless yawn rips through the air. "Don't go eating my heads."
'Grimm' backs off at the last second. Its neck returns to its place, eyes shifting toward the bed where Estelle Hestia rises. Her eyelids part, and her turquoise irises are just as stunning as Leda remembers.
When Estelle shifts her gaze to the tall wall, her lips twist high, a soft crinkle appearing at the corner of her eye.
The same look an artist would have when completing their favourite piece.
Still, it's that smile alone that leaves Leda stiff.
It bears the innocence of a regular mother, not an evil Queen.
The expression is a mirror of Straeh itself. That it's those who are the most looney who are capable of putting on the best facades.
"Fine," she relents. Her duvets are carried off her body and a nice robe falls to her shoulders.
She's on her toes, in front of the large window and blinding sunlight before long.
"I'll let you have two or three more," she goes on, her grin stretching to her ears.
"Today is a very gracious day, after all. "
With a happy hoot, Grimm nestles its wings once more. It opens its mouth to swallow Leda's head.
"But no touching my human head," Estelle adds, quickly. Grimm stops, beak halting before it can dare crush Leda's head in between. "She's the only one in my possession."
Grimm goes for three heads beside Leda's, tossing them into the air before gobbling them whole. Leda emits a breath of relief but even that's caught in her throat the moment Estelle spins around.
Her eyelids narrow for a moment. Leda steels herself, eyes growing wider subconsciously. As Estelle reaches her vicinity in large strides, she aims her attention onto her. She parts her lips.
A loud screech consumes the air.
"Your Majesty! Your Majesty!"
A servant dashes into the bedroom. Estelle's eyes snap towards the little boy racing around in wide circles, bumbling with nerves.
Leda can feel all the muscles in her face relax the moment Estelle straightens herself and faces him.
As soon as she does, Leda sourly sticks out her tongue.
Estelle swivels back around. Leda's breath hitches in her throat, but she sucks her tongue back, stilling herself from movement in time.
Estelle's brows crease together, scrutinizing her from confusion. Leda's mind runs a rampant circle. Why oh why did she let herself do that?!
"Your Majesty!" the stumbling servant screeches once more.
This time, Estelle pops a nerve. She swivels around so fast even the servant loses his footing.
"You sure have a lot of audacity barging into my room and screaming," she hisses. "Shall I roll your head for this?"
The servant teeters over, a star appearing in his eye. He claps his hands together. "Do you really mean that, Your Majesty?"
"I'd suggest you hear us out first."
Attention is directed towards the wide open doorway. He adjusts his top hat, but the grimness in his features don't suit the ironed maroon suit he's donned in.
"Mavix?" Estelle asks, lips flattening. In the silence that follows, she can now hear the rowdiness that is going on outside. Her astonishment falls short, replacing with a beautiful sense of unease. She smirks from the pleasure. "Are we ready for this afternoon?"
"Yes. Everything has been prepared in advance, Your Majesty," Mavix replies, slipping off his hat and performing a mannerly bow.
"The hall is ready, the chefs have prepared today's menu—the delicious blood cake you've requested as well.
All guests have officially arrived and the citizens of Straeh are beginning to gather in front of the palace, offering flowers and words of congratulations to His Highness Avelious. "
Mavix's oddly stiff jargon makes Leda sick to her stomach (or, head?). He's nothing like the man she'd initially encountered. All Hearts are good at putting on facades—the words and kindness he showed her wasn't different.
As he rises, Estelle titters, placing a hand to her cheek.
"That's wonderful news," she says. "Then, what is all the fuss this morning? Is everyone too excited to greet our new couple?"
"On the contrary," Mavix replies. "I'm afraid the engagement party has to be cancelled."
Leda can feel the room turn to ice, the chill that goes through. Proof to that, the floor beneath Estelle's feet begins to crackle.
The sweetness of her smile gains a dangerous edge as she titters, "What did you say, Mavix? I could've sworn I heard you say we cancel this?"
"It'd be in our best interest. The Dia princess, Remi Mercer, has gone missing," Mavix responds, as flippantly as before. "She snuck off in the middle of the night, with some of our gold and treasure to boot. We've issued a search party but I fear she's already long tucked away in Dia by now—"
Before Mavix can finish, Estelle stamps her foot.
Shards of ice shoot out from the quake, primarily beneath the younger servant.
The shards of ice meet flesh; in one end and out the other.
He falls over, coughing up a pool of his blood along with it.
Neither the Jack of Hearts nor Queen spare the now dead boy a second glance.
"You're telling me that pathetic grain of trash has escaped?" Estelle cries.
Mavix bobs his head. "I apologize for our incompetence. We were so sure we had her on a good leash, but—"
"That fox!" Estelle fumes with anger. "No. No! I am not letting that grimy creature leave like this!"
"I understand your frustration, Your Majesty, but announcements of this event have gathered quite a crowd, and our very important guests have arrived as well.
" Mavix steals her focus with only a sentence.
As if accustomed to these kinds of outbursts.
"Causing a ruckus, much less storming into Dia territory at a time like this isn't in our best interest at the moment. "
"Then what are you proposing we do?" she screeches. "My plan was perfect! The domination of Annadia was right under my fingertips—"
"And it still is," Mavix responds, silencing her at once. "Though Remi has escaped, we still have your children. And at the end of the day what His Highness Avelious can do for the future of Straeh is much more vital than an alliance with Dia."
Estelle's mouth parts.
"Today is not only his engagement party, but His Highness's coming-of-age celebration," Mavix goes on.
"He's old enough to receive the Divine Right."
Mavix nods but Estelle prods further, a newfound grin slipping onto her face as she does.
"That's right. I birthed and raised Avelious for this day. This very day I can use him as the weapon that will lead Straeh to the top." Her mind unravels its strings. "My brother and Saga were too weak. But Avelious can take his predecessors' powers and make my dream a reality."
Mavix positions a hand at his abdomen. "Shall I notify Her Highness Valentina?"
"At once," Estelle confirms. "Forget an engagement party—we'll have them wed. Straeh must become an impregnable fortress. No matter what."
Mavix bows at that, allowing Estelle to smirk to herself, giddier than before she heard the news.
Leda churns, unable to stomach the horrifying view beneath her (not that she has a stomach to begin with). But just before Mavix can leave, another enters, gently rapping their knuckles against the doorway.
"Mother, sweet."
Leda's mind runs a blank. Her head is stiff, but her eyes move anyway.
No. It can't be... Her denial is answered in a single look.
It's him. As tall as she remembers; hair slicked back and a purple suit donning him in the air of charm he's had since the beginning.
He carries a bouquet in hand that he offers for Estelle to receive.
His lips are full: the kind that ends in a cute little smirk at the corners.
The rays of the sun even highlight the dimples in his cheeks as he leans forward to plant a kiss to his mother's cheek.
"How are you this morning?"
"Just swell, my dear," Estelle replies. Bouquet in one hand, her smile is just as wide as his. She laughs, reaching for his cheek with the other hand. "My, you've become so much more handsome, Avelious. You must've had the most enjoyment killing all one hundred of our people."
Avel chuckles, nervously squeezing the back of his neck. "Was it one hundred? I lost count after fifty."
The idea surges much awe through her. "Aww, my son. You're just so adorable when you kill brutally."
He smiles through her affectionate ruffling of his hair. They're interacting like a regular mother and child would, excluding the morbidity of their conversation.
"So, what brings you here so early?" Estelle asks, retreating her hand from him.
Avel's eyes gain a sparkle and he holds up a fist. "Actually, I came here to ask a favour of you."
"A favour?" Estelle echoes. "What kind? Would you like more people to slaughter?"
"Not today," Avel responds, his beam broadening.
"You see, I found the cutest treasure!
She's a rare species in Annadia and—" Leda doesn't even have to blink to know he's talking about her.
"—she's not too strong but she's simply so surprising it can make you laugh.
If it's okay with you, I'd really, really, really like to keep her! "
"Hmm," Estelle hums.
Avel wavers but doesn't give up. "I promise I'll watch over her the way Zaire does for me! And if she ever gets in the way I'll kill her without hesitation and give her head to your wall to hang!"
Avel's hand which darts to the wall for emphasis, shakes.
But it isn't only his limb. Rather, the moment his vision settles on the wall, primarily Leda, his features morph to one of shock.
He notices her. He sees her. But he can't say anything, or rather, can't get anything to come out. Like a crushed puppy, it hits him hard.
Leda wants to scream for him to get her out of there, but she can't. More so, when Estelle's attention glides over to her as well.
Out of everyone in Straeh, Avel is definitely the most fragile seeming, but Estelle is still in the room, too.
She should be grateful she's still alive after having her head severed, but if they find out she's a living head she has a feeling neither would take the news in a manner that will end well for her.
Estelle smirks as she apprises Leda for the umpteenth time. "How do you like my new addition? She's a human head; one of the criminals that snuck into Straeh."
Avel's mouth moves, wordless for a while. Then, his features harden as he turns his gaze away. With a single blink, all previous emotions are buried, into a single grin he's put on too many times to count. "She fits right in, Mother."
Estelle returns a smile of her own. But as soon as it's there, it's gone. "Remi Mercer is apparently missing."
"I've heard," Avel replies, no longer focused on Leda. "The engagement party is off."
Estelle shakes her head no. "Avelious, you are officially of age to become king."
"But... I cannot become king without a proper wife," Avel responds, slowly. "It's been the requirement since ancient times."
Estelle places a hand to his chest. "And you already have one do you not?"
Avel's eyebrows raise in astonishment. He understands her implications entirely. "Mother..."
"The Hestia's have been in power since the Straeh Kingdom was founded," Estelle says, staring up into his eyes with a warm smile.
"It was my mistake to marry outside of the family and taint our blood with the Saga lineage, but the Hestia's have been pure from before that.
I married my brother, the first king, as the former king married his sister.
Valentina and you aren't entirely blood-related, but you are still family.
The powers of the Divine Right should be most powerful through familial marriage. "
Avel is speechless, likewise as Leda who gapes from where she is. No way. They did incest here? And she's telling him to...
"What?" Estelle demands, brows furrowing after his long silence. "Are you going to defy me?"
Avel softens, automatically. "Of... course not, Mother." He feigns another smile. "I'm glad to be your puppet. If it's what you desire, I shall marry Valentina."
"That's a good boy," Estelle titters. "Don't worry, I'll let you kill to your heart's content once the ceremony is over."
"Yes, Mother," Avel replies.
Though Estelle remains oblivious as she goes to set down the bouquet, the tone in Avel's voice is prevalent, even to Leda. Mavix stands off to the side, listening, but Leda can tell he heard it too. It was almost... lonely.
But how is that possible? Is it because he believes she's dead?
Avel, a Heart who carries so much insanity he doesn't think twice about murder or betrayal.
He's even become a quack, a hypocritical doctor, in order to kill to his heart's content.
He puts on masks to dupe not only his enemies, but even allies into lowering their guard.
He does everything the Queen orders, down to the last painfully cruel detail like the puppet he's been raised.
No kindness. No weakness. He was raised to be the perfect ruler.
The most heartless King of Hearts...
Leda's mouth twists into a frown. She has to be mistaken. The Avel she's become acquainted with; the kind, happy-go-lucky playboy who's an insanely talented doctor. It never really felt like a mask to her, but after learning how corrupt Straeh is, it makes sense for it to be.
Avel is a liar.
Maybe one so great he can easily dupe himself.
The hoot that envelopes the air isn't enough of a warning for Leda to skim the stabbing beak of the owl. An unwarranted yelp—her yelp—reaches her ears, and she automatically know she's sealed her fate.
Avel's head jerks toward her, Mavix tilting up his, but Leda can't stabilize herself in time.
Avel catches her moving first. His mint eyes shrink back. "Leda..."
"Grimm!" Estelle screeches in the next beat, swerving around with the fiercest scowl. Her countenance contorts the instant she sees Leda's half-scrunched face induced from fear.
She shuts her eyes to blink, and when they reopen, Leda has successfully repositioned herself to the stiff, blank-faced corpse she's originally portrayed herself to be. Estelle cocks her head, perplexed.
"Hmm? I could've sworn one of them..." She brushes it aside. "Mavix," she calls. "Cover the wall with a layer of glass. I don't want Grimm eating them whenever I turn around."
Leda can feel her nerves heighten, but even as he studies her with knowing eyes, Mavix doesn't cave. He appropriately bows. "As you wish, Your Majesty."
He's already sauntering for the exit.
"And send somebody to clean this mess," she shouts after him, referring to the dead body.
With the wave of his top hat, he disappears from the room.
"I suggest you ready yourself for the ceremony as well, Avelious," Estelle says. "In six short hours you'll officially become king."
It takes a moment for Avel to awake from his daze. He returns his attention to his mother and nods. Then, sparing Leda another discreet glance, he spins around and leaves the room.
Hovering in front of her mirror, Estelle stares at her reflection, smirking.
"That's right," she whispers. "In six short hours, Straeh will have gained an impregnable power."