The Sword Of The Cursed Prince
Originally published at jaredaxelrod.com. You can comment here or there.
“This sword was made long before either us, generations ago. I imagine it will last for generations still. Perhaps it will outlast me.” The Cursed Prince raised his head and fixed The Darkness with an unwavering gaze. “I am confident it will outlast you.”
The many undulating robes The Darkness wore shifted uncomfortably. “Do you seek to frighten me, beast? Has your time in The Wild taught you nothing but bluster?”
The Cursed Prince bared his fangs in a smile. “Oh, I have l learned much in The Wild. I have learned why the hawks take to the sky when the wolf approaches, and why the wolf tucks his tail and runs when faced with the lion. I can recognize when the predator finds themselves in the role of prey. I see it now. You will not harm her.”
“More bluster.” The Darkness spoke with a low, resonant voice, normally smooth and even like a pond at midnight. But The Cursed Prince had skipped a stone on that pond, and the voice of The Darkness had ripples and quavers it did not intend. “Let us battle, so I can cease to listen to your boasts.”
The Cursed Prince threw back his head in a laugh. “I give you no boasts, Foul Thing. I merely state facts. It is conceivable that I have underestimated you, and despite my might and skill, you will stand over my broken body triumphant. But if you defeat me, you will then face HER.”
The Darkness drew its robes in tight. “As ever has been my goal.”
“You misunderstand. This battle is a kindness. A courtesy, from one monster to another. ” The Cursed Prince raised his sword. The afternoon sunlight ran down the edge like water. Like blood. “She is no longer the young girl you hounded through the forest. If you face her, you will find yourself screaming to whatever god will listen that you met your end on this blade.”
Photo by J.R. Blackwell
Costume by Jared Axelrod
Make-up by Sara Gates
Models: Jared Axelrod
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