[Toki]

“Princess?”
Adrienne glanced up from her music and quieted the strings of her harp.
“Come in,” she called. A young boy pulled back the heavy velvet curtain hanging in the doorway and stepped through; a small box wrapped in glittering blue paper was in his hands, trailing with shimmering gold ribbons.
“Sorry to interrupt your lesson, Princess, but you’ve received another parcel from Prince Darius.”
She lowered her harp slowly and heaved a heavy sigh, then turned around to face her messenger. As soon as her green eyes caught sight of the ludicrously ornate gift her delicate lips twisted into a grimace and she made an audible gagging noise.
Hermes sighed as well and his expression softened. “Shall I have it sent back?”
“Ugh, no, Father keeps saying I should keep whatever he sends; it’s apparently the polite thing to do.” She glowered, her tone defeated. Adrienne stood, took the blue box, and carelessly shredded the paper, tossing it and the ribbons to the side. Inside the box were an admittedly impressive jewelry set and a crisp black envelope. She set the jewelry aside and opened the letter.

“Looking forward to your party tonight, dearest. I hope you enjoy the small token of affection I’ve included. Maybe you can find something to go with it? Yours forever, Darius.”

“Oh, I’m going to vomit.” Adrienne grumbled, crumpling up the letter and discarding it over her shoulder. “I swear, he doesn’t understand the meaning of ‘no,’ does he?”
“I’m sorry that you’re not pleased, Princess.” Hermes frowned.
“It’s not your fault, but I really wish he would stop this nonsense and leave me alone.”
“I can stop accepting parcels from him if you wish.”
“Wouldn’t that be nice? No, he would just send one of his messengers, and I certainly don’t want any Shades running about in the city unsupervised.”
“Of course, Princess. Would you like help with the necklace?”
“I suppose.” She slumped back down onto her stool. Hermes opened the jewelry box once more and unclipped the necklace.
And then he stopped.
“Hermes?” Adrienne uttered. His mouth opened slightly, but no sound came out.
“Are you all right?” He looked shocked, like he’d just been struck. Slowly, his head swiveled in her direction and his mouth curved into a wicked, broken grin. Something thick and black dribbled from his lips and she caught sight of a horrifically familiar toxic green glow in his eyes.
“Hello… dearest…” His voice was flat and mechanical. “I just… couldn’t… wait… to see you…”

Adrienne wanted to shriek as loud as she possibly could, but her voice froze in her throat. Hermes dropped the necklace and wobbled towards her.
“I apologize… for my appearance… but they wouldn’t let me… in… any other way…” He leaned down to eye-level. His grin faltered and he coughed, splattering black onto her face.
“Heh… You’d make… such a beautiful… Shade…” Hermes smeared some of the black on her pale cheek with his thumb. “It would be… so easy… Besides… you’re already half… way… there…”
A tidal wave of rage swelled in her chest and she shoved him away with all her strength, knocking her harp over in the process. It clattered to the ground with a great racket and several of the strings snapped.
“Don’t you dare speak to me like that! And get out of my messenger, you twit, or I’ll kill you myself!”
Hermes chuckled, struggling to his feet. “This hurts me… a lot more… than him… you know…”
“Good!” Adrienne screamed, her cheeks turning bright red with fury. He collapsed again, more of the thick pitch pouring from his mouth as he coughed on his hands and knees.
She strode over to the doorway and hollered for guards as Hermes retched onto the floor. Her heart wrenched at the noise, hoping silently that he wasn’t in pain, and that Darius was in a lot of pain. Three armed men were sprinting down the hallway, followed by her Father. Someone grabbed her from behind, a sleek obsidian hand slapping over her mouth.
“Why can’t you just come with me, Princess?” A smooth, even voice uttered in her ear. “Don’t you realize our marriage would bring peace between our nations?”
Adrienne flailed, but Darius was a lot stronger on his own.
“And besides…” She felt something stroke her neck and shivered in disgust. “I do love you, very much…”

The guards poured into the room in time to see the Shade prince melting into the cracks between the floorboards.
“Adrienne!” Her father shoved past the two armed men and gathered her up in a hug. “Are you all right? You aren’t hurt, are you?”
That was it. She broke down.
“Get Hermes to a healer, right now!” She sobbed, pointing at the blonde boy on the ground. One of the guards picked him up and carried him out of the room.
“Adrienne, what happened?” Her father brushed her bright red hair out of her face.
“Hermes came in and he was bringing me a gift from Darius and then when he touched that necklace Darius overshadowed him and he attacked me and he made me break my harp and Hermes might be injured.”
“Harps can be replaced, darling, and we’ll get Hermes to a healer as quickly as we can; you’re not hurt, though?”
“No…” Adrienne sniffled.
“That’s what’s important, then. I’ll certainly be having a long correspondence with Queen Helena about Darius’ behaviour. Let’s go get you washed up and some fresh clothes.”
She nodded and followed him out. He mentioned to one of the guards to have someone clean the room in the meantime, and to take the harp in for repairs.

Adrienne huffed, sitting neck-deep in a tub of hot water and luxurious bubbles. She had long cleaned off the black sludge that had splattered on her but she still felt tainted. Darius had been just as creepy in the past, but he had never gone so far as to possess one of her servants to get close to her.
“Princess, Hermes is awake. He would like to speak with you, when you are decent.”
“Thank you,” she called back, attempting to sound calm. She yanked the plug on the drain and then poured clean water over herself to rinse the bubbles off. It had long gone cold and she shivered, snatching her towel off the rack and patting dry as quickly as possible. She pulled on her robe and tied it at the waist, hurrying out of the bathroom in the direction of the castle hospital.
“Princess, shouldn’t you get dressed first?” Her handmaid called after her.
“I’m decent enough!” Adrienne answered, stepping into a pair of slippers so she wouldn’t fall.

“Hermes!” She wrenched open the curtains. Hermes was certainly awake, but he looked exhausted; his blue eyes were red and puffy and dark semicircular bruises were forming under them.
“Princess? Um—” His words were cut short by her hug.
“I’m so glad you’re awake! I was afraid you were hurt.”
“Princess, this isn’t proper…”
“I don’t care about proper right now, Hermes.”
“Yes, Princess. Of course.”
When she finally let him go she was in tears. “I’m so sorry, Hermes, this is my fault. If you don’t want to be my messenger anymore, I understand.”
“Of course not!” He cried. “Princess, I would never abandon you.”
“Are you all right? Did he hurt you at all?”
“I’m fine, just tired, but—”
“Oh, sorry, I can leave you to rest if you like.”
“No! Don’t leave. I—”
“Fine, I’ll sit right here and watch over you.”
“Princess—”
“Do you need anything at all? I can get you some water or some hot chocolate or—“
Hermes huffed. Adrienne paused.
“What is it?”
“I need to warn you.”
Her eyebrows knit. “Of what?”
“Princess, when Prince Darius was in my mind, I saw his plans for you. He thinks that if you won’t marry him willingly that…” He couldn’t meet her eyes, and didn’t finish the thought. “He’s obsessed, Princess. He’s disturbed. He thinks the Fates divined you two together, and he wants more than just your hand in marriage, in the worst way.” He finally looked at her. “Some of the things I saw… I can only hope they’re not true. You must be careful.”
Adrienne stared at him, searching his face for any hint that he might be lying, and found none. She slumped down in the chair next to his bed.
“Princess…”
“Yes?”
“Prince Darius believes he has the ability to overshadow you permanently.”
Her stomach dropped. She thought she might be sick.
“I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news, Princess, but I couldn’t keep this from you.”
“No, no… Thank you for telling me, Hermes. I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you. I feel as though I’ve failed as your Princess.”
“Don’t think that! The country adores you. I adore you. I couldn’t ask for a better person to become my Queen one day.”
“Oh, Hermes, you flatter me.” She got to her feet and embraced him again.
“I want you to speak with the king about this, Princess. I don’t believe it should be taken lightly.”
“Of course. You should get some rest.”
"Goodbye, Princess." Hermes shot her one last half-smile.
"Goodbye, Hermes." With that, she pushed aside the curtains and left him alone.