The Dragon's Kiss

With a sigh, the emperor closed his fingers around the air just before reaching Kel's skin. He pulled his hand back slowly and then angrily smashed it into a nearby bedpost.

"W-what's wrong?" Kel squeaked, peering at the dangerous man through a tiny gap in her raised arms.

The emperor ignored her, instead placing his forehead against his flattened palm on the wooden post.

Bravely lowering her hands to get a closer look, Kel took note of just how ragged the emperor's appearance was. He was wearing the same blood-stained clothes from earlier with traces of dried blood lingering on his face from a half-hearted attempt at washing. His hair was messy, and his face looked gaunt.

Was this really the same man who presided so fiercely over the trial earlier?

"Your Majesty'¦" Kel hesitated, feeling that the person in front of her wasn't a great dragon, but a pitiful small animal.

Gradually, she scooted closer to the hunched man, laying a delicate hand on his back.

"Are you alright, Sire?" she asked quietly, patting his shoulder.

In response, she received a series of incoherent muffles.

Who was this giant manchild? And what had he done with the Dragon Emperor?

This won't do, Kel huffed. She needed to get the antidote, but here she was patting the emperor like a sad dog.

Wait.

Maybe this was the perfect opportunity to ask. After all, he'd probably be more willing to give in now that his guard was down.

"Your Majesty," Kel called out in a sing-song tone, gently stroking his back. "I have something I'd like to ask you."

"I know," the emperor grunted, this time clear enough for Kel to understand.

"Oh, y-you know?" Kel froze.

Of course, the emperor already knew what she wanted. How could she have been foolish enough to think this man-no, this monster would ever leave an opening.

"I always know," the emperor muttered, shifting against the bedpost until one crimson eye was visible above his hand.

"Is it your fault?" he murmured, gaze locked with Kel's. "Or is it mine?"

"I'm not sure what you mean.." Kel trailed off.

In a flash, the emperor caught her wrist, just as she was pulling her hand back.

"Even the lies and secrets," he continued. "There was nothing I didn't know."

Kel gulped.

Was he giving her a warning? That he already knew her secret?

Would her head be the next to roll across the throne room's white marble floor?

"Until you." The emperor breathed, barely audibly.

Dropping Kel's hand, he straightened up and turned his back to her. He seemed to be focused on something across the room, but Kel was too anxious to notice.

This is really it for us, Barclay, she sobbed to herself. Never mind the antidote, she wouldn't even be able to save her own skin.

"He never moved sporadically before," the emperor muttered to himself, clenching his fists at his side. "I should have predicted this. How could I have not expected.."

He? Kel wondered as she followed the emperor's gaze toward the far wall of her bedroom where her vanity sat.

Was he, perhaps, not talking about her at all?

Gathering her courage, Kel slid off the bed and approached the emperor again.

"I heard that there was a cure for amatoxin," she began nervously. "That it's used in special circumstances."

"Special circumstances? Ha!" the emperor snorted, whirling around. "You've been misinformed."

Kel's heart dropped.

"There's no antidote?" she faltered, latching onto the bedpost to support her trembling knees.

"..There is one," the emperor sighed. "But-"

"Please, Sire!" Kel pleaded, clasping her hands together. "I'll do anything you want! Just please let Barclay have the antidote."

The emperor's mouth twitched with a hint of humor at Kel's begging.

"And here I was thinking you actually liked him," he smirked.

The man's apparent enjoyment of the situation made Kel's stomach churn, but she had no choice. Even if it meant licking the dust off his feet, she had to try everything in her power to save her comrade.

"P-please save him," she begged.

"Have you not been listening?" the emperor scoffed. "I can't!"

"But the antidote.." Kel whimpered.

The emperor closed his eyes and let out a slow breath before responding. "I won't give such a thing to that man."

Kel sank to the ground, feeling the last bit of hope drain out of her body. "Is there no way?"

"It seems you don't understand, so I'll tell you clearly," the emperor said, bending down so that his face was level with Kel's. "There is no way to save your comrade. He will die."

"Then why-"

"The antidote, if it even deserves to be called such," he continued, "was concocted specially for men who deserve a fate far worse than death."

"W-what do you mean?" Kel stuttered.

"Your friend.. Is in a lot of pain right now," emperor explained. "His organs are shutting down, and there's no way to reverse it."

Kel's bottom lip began to quiver as she listened to the emperor explain the effects of the poison on Barclay's body.

"However, with the so-called antidote, I could keep him alive in such a state," he finished. "In constant, unfathomable anguish."

Kel didn't respond. She could feel the numbness of shock spreading through her body once again.

After several moments of silence between the two as Kel fought to get ahold of her spinning mind, she finally whispered, "Barclay.. He's in a lot of pain, then?"

The emperor nodded solemnly. "And he won't die just yet. If he's found innocent tomorrow, which he will be, he'll be suffering for another three days at least."

"He'll have to suffer," Kel echoed emptily.

Digging her fingernails into her palms, she forced herself to take slow breaths.

"That is'¦" The emperor glanced toward Kel's vanity again, "unless someone takes pity on him."

Squinting in the same direction, Kel finally discovered what had caught the emperor's eye.

Two pearl necklaces, red and blue, hung from a small metal stand, shimmering in the moonlight.