"You've grown soft."
Slyn looks up at Hexe, who paces him. Despite her short stature, she still somehow towers over him as he kneels.
"My dear-"
"Queen."
"... my queen, I know not what you speak of, I am just tired...."
"You have nothing to be tired of. Or if you do, I implore you... tell me what you are tired of."
Slyn doesn't have an answer. Hexe continues to pace.
"Tea... with Odette and Yume. And blaming it on a tiny snake sat to replace your finger, when we know the snakes only act in accordance to you," she whispers, as if each word offends her.
"......."
"You're sympathizing with them. Growing soft. Weak."
"I am NOT weak..." He shoots her a glare, only to cower under her gaze sharply directing to him.
"This is not like you. You could have responded in a multitude of ways. Confiscated the tea. Broke the dishes. Broke Odette. That would have been very satisfying.
"But you didn't. You ASKED for tea. How special must you feel, that Odette poured you a cup. That someone who fears you so much was kind to you. I hope you don't seriously believe she served it to you out of kindness.... she served you out of fear. And while I would commend you for using your power to force those to obey, only for some miserable tea..... what a waste of authority," Hexe mumbles, snapping her fingers.
Slyn suddenly gags and lurches over.
He opens his eyes to the sight of tea splattered on the ground in front of him, mixed with small bits of his breakfast. He looks up so he doesn't get sick again from the sight.
Hexe continues to circle Slyn. "Ever since that girl has arrived, I've watched your edge slowly grow dull. You are no longer the sword you once were.... you are growing sympathetic. Your value in our goals has decreased, and your empathy has grown. A true king does not let his empathy get in his way of the greater good."
"My queen, nonsense!" Slyn suddenly blurts. "I have NOT forgotten or abandoned our goals, my views are resolute."
"Your snake seems otherwise."
Slyn looks at Hebi-kun.... the snake is shaking, terrified.
"I.... I cannot control him..."
"Of course you can't. It's you. It's the true you. It acts how you want to act. You've grown into a curious man, you care about others. It is curious, exploring what you know you should not due to your duties. It is admirable of the work your residents have 'accomplished', despite it all being mediocre at best. And when Yume praises it for being 'nice and sweet', it denies it. As if it feels it is not enough. As if you feel you are not enough."
".... Hexe, my love, my dear-"
"QUEEN."
Slyn flinches back, words escaping him.
"This is purely unacceptable, you are no longer the man I married. And your damned curse is proving that, not just to me but to everyone around you. Yume most certainly knows that snake is just an outlet for you, who you have become, who you wish to be. How humiliating that must be for you."
Slyn's heart drops.
"No... no, I'm still the man you married- I'm still the man who loves you, don't you EVER imply I don't love you, I am forever yours and loyal only to you.... my queen, please. I just..... I just need to have control over him. If I can control him, then I can continue to be the king you desire."
"I highly doubt such foolish claims."
"My queen.." Slyn looks up at Hexe now in front of him, begging on his knees. "I would not lie to you, I would not say it if I did not believe it...... please, you're the only one who can help me with this. I didn't ask to be like this."
"No one did."
"Yes but this is serious, he is impeding my ability to properly rule as you wish!! Perhaps, just once.... you could make an exception and....." he trails off into incoherent mumbles.
Hexe's demand is like a snarl. "SPEAK UP."
Slyn flinches once again, his request hardly audible. "Perhaps you could.... revoke my curse? Just this once...? For Hebi-kun? Without it in the way, I can rule correctly, just as you want me to...! Please.... I've been so good to you.... please, may I?"
Hexe stares at him, frozen like a statue. For a moment Slyn wonders if she's about to smite him right then and there, and he squeezes his eyes shut in anticipation, head down.
A sudden hand brushes against his neck, sharp fingernails tilting his chin up. A welcome shiver runs down Slyn's back. It had been so long since she touched him like this.
Hexe is mere inches from his face, smile sick and sweet as always. Only a blind man would be unable to see how fake it is, yet he chooses to believe it's genuine. He's making her smile.... and seeing it again reminds him why everything is the way it is; all for that horrifically fake smile.
"You remember our agreement. Our vows. No one may be free of their curse, no ones curse is revoked until it no longer is a curse. You know this, my dear."
Slyns heart leaps as he nods frantically.
"Therefore I cannot revoke your curse, even just for this one snake."
He's disappointed, but nods again. Whatever makes her happy.
"However."
..... wait what?
"You are so kind to me Slyn. You're the only one who truly likes me. The only one who is truly loyal. And, because I am a generous queen, I offer you another solution"
Slyn can hardly breathe as his face lights up. Hexe, offering a genuine solution? It feels like his efforts have finally paid off. This is what he's been looking for.
"Yes, my queen?"
*clank*
Slyn pries his eyes away from his beloved just long enough to see something silvery and shiny on the ground..... his blood runs cold once he recognizes the shape. A cleaver.
"Off with its head."
Her fingers trail away from Slyn's chin, nails leaving just the thinnest cuts below his stubble. Every part of Slyn trembles as he stares at the cleaver. Each snake stares, some confused, some disturbed, some horrified. None of which are moreso any of those three than Hebi-kun.
"..... what?"
"You want control. I can not give you control. However, I can give you the option to remove the problem at its core."
For once, Slyn feels as if this is way too far. He can't do this. He can't cut off the head of one of his own snakes, he can't cut off one of his own fingers. Maybe if it was just a finger he could, but the head of a snake?
"..... no.... no, no I- Hexe, I.... I can't do this."
"Of course you can. There is no reason why you cannot. You simply take the cleaver and bring it down on the head of the snake."
"N-no, please, I can't- is there not another way?!" His voice squeaks.
Hexe frowns. "You're being so defiant.... I gave you a solution. I was merciful in supplying you with the means to solve your problem. You call yourself grateful, yet this is what I get in turn.... shame on you, Slyn."
For once he doesn't care. He's made up his mind. He can't cut off a part of himself, he can't do that to himself.... he can't do that to Yume.
"So. Make your choice."
"..... no."
Hexe tilts her head, as if daring to repeat it. She doesn't ask a single thing though, as Slyn stares up at her. He's trembling. He's terrified. He's never said no to her like this.
"I won't do it."
But he can't stop himself. He doesn't want to do this. This is too far. Too much. He can't kill Hebi-kun.
Hebi-kun attempts to crawl away, only to find itself stuck onto Slyn's hand. The two stare at each other, terrified..... Slyn can almost see his reflection in those small, terrified, beady eyes. All his fear, all his weakness, all his will to not commit such a cruel act, summed up in a single, tiny animal.
"I won't behead him Hexe. I'm so sorry, but I refuse. This is too far..... I'm sorry."
There's a heavy, thick silence for what feels like eternity, before Hexe slowly turns her head to the one window in the tower.
"I knew you would betray me one day as well, Slyn."
He starts to speak, before his voice suddenly disappears and he's left with nothing but an exhale. She turns back to him, lips turned into a hateful, bitter frown.
"I thought you were forever, eternally loyal. That is what you said. You would listen to anything I do without question.... I see how it is though. You do anything until it harms YOU too much."
"... n-no, my dear-"
"QUEEN, GODDAMMIT!!!!"
"QUEEN, queen...!!! ... m-my queen, please-" He's almost in tears from the fear.
"This is because of Yume, isn't it. You really have grown to care for her... and now you cannot make a simple sacrifice to torture her once more, when that is PRECISELY what I ask of you to keep everyone in li-i-i-i-ine."
Slyn starts to back away, seeing her glitch. He needs to get out of here.
"Hmph. A shame.... the idea of inflicting such pain had grown on me. It is a fantastic idea... I don't know how I manage to come up with such fantastic ideas. Now we are no longer doing this for your aid.... this is for me-e-e-e-e-e now. Your gain is only a coincidental byproduct."
"Hexe PLEASE-"
"SILENCE!!!!!!!"
All of a sudden, Slyn feels weightless.
No, not weightless..... paralyzed. His eyes dart around rapidly, as he attempts to move his arm....... it doesn't work. He can't move at all.
Hexes veil flows in accordance to an absent breeze, as if she were in a windy valley. Each time the veil flies up, Slyn is once again reminded of her void-black skin and how her doll-like smile is actually full of teeth that could rip him to shreds.
Her hand is out, as if holding a puppet by the strings. Each minor move she makes is a sudden one by Slyn, as his body moves in accordance. His right hand closes around the cleaver handle, holding on so tight its almost painful.
His body walks over to a nearby wooden table as he rapidly tries to escape Hexe's control. Maybe if he tries hard enough, he can break out of it... or if he stops resisting, maybe she'll get bored.
His left hand lays flat on the table, his other fingers deviating from Hebi-kun. The little snake tilts its head up, looking Slyn in the eyes. It's like seeing his inner self crying, begging him to not do this. He'll behave next time. Don't kill him.
"Remember Slyn," Hexe's voice suddenly rasps. "You are killing the snake, not yourself. Be grateful this is all I am making you do. Surely this will put you back into place."
Slyn feels his right arm raise the cleaver, high above his head. His eyes are wide in horror, as a few tears finally race down his cheeks and get caught on cuts and stubble, stinging the lacerations.
He's never wanted someone to stop Hexe so badly.
He's never regretted visiting Hexe this much.
He's never been so sorry for everything before.
I'm so sorry Yume, he thinks. This wasn't supposed to happen. He failed her. He failed himself. It's over.
The cleaver is suddenly brought down.
Slyn's agonized scream rings out through the castle, followed by Hexe's cackle.