The queen watched the man, or what remained of the man who sat across from her. Her deep blue eyes searched desperately for the truth in his words and in his eyes swallowed by darkness. She knew much of what he said to be true, as it had been told to her by her own mother before her death. Her ancestor had given him the immortality and power he desired, but magic always comes with a price, and this was the price he was to pay. He would, for a time, be in control of his power, but as the time went on that control would slowly slip from his grasp, just as his mind would slowly be driven mad by the darkness within him. It was a dreadful fate, to be sure.<br/><br/>Just as his fate had been sealed in this, so had he also been destined to one day face a young snow queen, Eira, who would determine his final destiny once and for all. She alone held the power to stop him, to stop the darkness that now grew and thrived within him. Just as his mind was twisted by time, so, too, were the stories of old, the prophesy the told of the confrontation between the two and what was to come. Only one knew of the original prophesy, but the fate of the original snow queen was lost to all but one, and with her was lost the true prophesy. Now the prophesy was spoken that the two would face each other in battle and only one would survive, determining the fate of the world: to fall to darkness or return to light. Nothing, however, is ever so simple, so black and white. All that is certain now is that Eira is the key to ending the threat of the looming darkness, and if she fails, the world will never be the same.<br/><br/>Neiva could see the fear in his eyes as he spoke and she listened to his words with a calm disposition, doing her best to hold true to her reputation for being unbiased and just, but also merciful and kind. When he leaned back to read her, to decide whether or not she accepted what he had to say. She had no reason not to believe him beyond her own bias because her mother had died at his hands, so she chose to accept what he had to say for the time being. After all, Eira's fate was tied to his, and her daughter needed to be prepared for whatever was to come.<br/><br/>"I will keep my daughter safe as best I can." The queen replied with all the protective instincts of a mother. "But I fear that if the darkness is to come soon, she will not be ready, and there is nothing I can do to stop the darkness, for it is not my fate, and I do not hold the power she holds." This fact was almost as difficult to admit as it was to accept, but it was true and they both knew it. "The search for the weapon will be set in motion. She will have it when the time comes. She must." The latter was spoken almost more to herself than to him.<br/><br/>When he rose she remained seated momentarily, watching as he placed his hands on either side of the table and looked down at the table rather than at her. "I dare not think that the consequences of such actions were known my my ancestors bestowed this power on you. But as my ancestors bound you to this darkness, so shall my lineage free you from it, even if it is only in death that you may find that freedom." She spoke as she rose, her eyes piercing into the darkness that swirled in his. His words offered little comfort, as she got the strange feeling that he wasn't as sure of this fact as he let on, but nevertheless she nodded an acceptance of the words. "Eira must be allowed to grow, to mature, to find and nurture the power within herself before the darkness comes, so that she can fulfill her destiny. If I must give my life to see this fulfilled, I will. Whatever must be done to protect her, I will see it done."<br/><br/>--<br/><br/>Eira heard the voice that echoed through the halls, seeming as though it were a soft voice whispering in her ear, yet as though it were everywhere around her all at once. She felt a shiver run through her spine as a strange feeling washed over her when the voice spoke her name. "How do you know my name?" the young princess whispered to the voice, not loud enough for either of the adults to hear her. The voice almost felt eerily familiar, yet all at once completely unknown. It was a strange feeling for the girl, yet she was not afraid. She knew it was not the darkness that spoke to her, nor was it the dark master who now spoke to her mother. It was something, or someone else entirely. Who or what it was, however, she did not know.<br/><br/>She listened as the man spoke to her mother, the words carrying into the hallway, clearly enough to be heard, even if they weren't loud. She almost felt bad for the man as he spoke to her mother. It must be a terrible fate to live with, to be so inclined to give yourself over if only to end the torment, yet be unable to lest the darkness take over and the whole world be destroyed. She felt as strange sensation when the eyes of the man found her, letting her know what she already suspected, that he knew she was here. It wasn't fear that struck her, she wasn't truly sure what it was. The darkness in his eyes was almost unnerving, yet she didn't fear it even as she respected the power that it held. Even more shocking to the young princess was the mention of her name.<br/><br/>She was supposed to stop the darkness? Why her? What would happen if she failed? The feelings momentarily overwhelmed the girl and she swallowed hard as she felt too many things at once. She didn't want to be responsible for the fate of the world. She didn't want to kill anyone either. Was there no other way? Was there no way to stop the darkness without having to kill the man that it possessed? Perhaps he deserved his fate for the things he had done and for seeking out such power to begin with, but she didn't think anyone deserved such a fate, and even if they did she didn't want to be the one that had to take such a life.<br/><br/>For a brief moment she almost stood and asked if there was no other way. Perhaps it was the innocence of a child, or the stubborn kindness she had inherited from her mother, but she held herself where she knelt in the shadows. If this task was to be hers, then it must be hers alone. If there was another way that was known, surely he would have suggested it. That didn't mean she wouldn't search for an alternative while preparing for the inevitable, but it was something she had to do alone.<br/><br/>She truly nearly burst from her hiding place when her mother said that she would give her life for to keep her safe if she must. It was a hypothetical statement. She wasn't saying she was going to give her life now, right? So she held her peace, forcing down the anxiety that rose at the thought, threatening to choke out all rational thoughts from the young girls mind. She fought the fear and remained where she was, watching the two, knowing that she should leave as the voice had told her to, but she couldn't, not yet.