Dark Melody pt5

For a brief instant neither of them moved, both seemingly frozen in time. This didn't last long though because the next instant a sharp pain shot through the male carapace's shoulders and down his spine.

Spades Slick cried out and roughly jerked away from Snowman. "What do you think you're doing?" he demanded, spinning around to face the female.

Snowman, unfazed, took a drag on her cigarette before saying. "I was trying to get your arms back into place or would you rather they hang at your sides like limp spaghetti?"

He frowned, looking down at his arms hanging uselessly at his sides. In truth he wanted to have full use of them again but he wasn't willing to risk it by having Snowman touch him. But he couldn't exactly get out with his arms like that nor could he even get his arms back into place by himself so he knew he didn't have a choice in the matter.

She knew this too which which might explain why she was smiling the infuriating smile.

Spades drew to the obvious conclusion that he was basically at her mercy, like always. He either let her put them back into their sockets or he stay the way he was, completely helpless. As well as looking like a complete idiot.

"Well?" she demanded.

He glared at her. "Fine!"

She beckoned with a finger. "Then obey your Queen, Jack."

He cursed her out even as he walked over to her.

Snowman smiled. "That's better," she said, reaching out to grab his arms.

Spades glared at her "Just watch yours-OOOWWW!" he cried out as she roughly grabbed him and forcefully yanked his arms back into their sockets with a loud SNAP. He jerked away from her, cursing. "What's is wrong with you?"

"You're welcome."

He grumbled something as he rubbed his sore arms which tingled as they regained circulation.

She took another drag of her cigarette, smirking at him. "Now that that's out of the way I think we should continue where we left off."

"I'm afraid not." he smirked.

She rose a brow. "Oh, and why not?"

He grinned. "Because now you don't have the upper hand." he rushed at her fully intend on pummeling that smug look off her ugly black face.

Snowman waited until he was nearly on top of her before she suddenly moved swiftly to the side and thrust out her leg, easily tripping him.

Startled, he put out his hands to break his fall but couldn't prevent himself to landing on his face. The female, seeing her chance, jumped on top of him and pinned him down with her knee, reaching down and grabbing his hands which she pinned behind his back. "You were saying?"

He struggled in her grip, trying to break free. "Get off of me!"

"No, I don't think I will." she chuckled. "Not until you stop trying to escape and do what I say."

Like heck he would! Spades squirmed under her, growling angrily. He'd been under her rule once and he wasn't going to relive that hell of a life again. History wasn't going to repeat itself, not if he could help it. "Don't count on it."

"If you leave this room you will be out of my hands," she went out, digging the sharp end of his cigarette holder into the palm of his hand. "and the rest of the Felt will be left to do with you as they please, and believe me, they won't be as merciful as I am."

"I think I'll take my chances." Slick snarled, confident he could take care of himself, with or without a weapon. The Felt weren't exactly the smartest gangsters around.

"How far do you think you'll get without a weapon?" she questioned him. "You can't do much with those teeth of yours... except make a sexual encounter more pleasurable." she chuckled.

Snowman's little statement made him briefly flash back to the kingdom of Derse and some rather not so pleasant encounters with the Queen. He gagged at the memory, feeling like he would vomit. Why did she have to bring those things up? He managed to yank his hands free from her hold and placed them on the floor and started to push himself up, hoping to get her to take the hint and get off his back. Snowman, however, had no intention of anywhere and stayed where she was, actually amused by what he was doing. She made horse sounds which made him drop back onto his stomach.

Now she was just being stupid.

"Aww, don't want to take me for a ride, Slick?" she taunted.

"That's the last thing I'd want to do!" he retorted hotly.

"Are you afraid?" she asked him suddenly.

This question totally derailed his thoughts. "What?" What was this blasted woman going on about now?

Snowman reached down with her free hand and placed a finger on the back of his head, running it down and over the back of his neck. "You know what I mean," she responded when he shuddered. "Don't tell me after all this time you've forgotten."

Spades turned his head, looking over his shoulder at her the best he could without hurting himself. Their eyes met and held each other and for a moment it felt like her's were burning into his, drilling right into his mind and reading all of his thoughts, knowing all the little things he'd even done and every secret desire he held. Maybe he really was afraid, but not for the reasons she was thinking about.

"I'm not afraid of you," he finally growled.

Not anymore.

"Oh no?" she smiled and leaned toward him, grinning a grin that showed off her sharp white teeth which cause a black rage to suddenly flare into his chest as he wished he could put his fist into that wretched smile and knock it out of existence. "Why don't we just test the validity of that statement?"

"Just get off me."

"Remember the piano?"

How could he ever forget?

0000

Past Derse

Jack Noir banged on the piano keys, not even thinking of a tune, he was just venting, trying to just get it all out of his system. That queen! That woman! How he hated that female! How he wanted to wrap hs hands around that slender, black neck and squeeze the life out of her!

"I am not going black for you," he muttered. "I would never go black for someone such as yourself!" Jack slammed his fists onto the piano keys as if he was making a point. "No! Never!"

"If you break that piano her Highness will break you." spoke up a voice behind him.

"I don't care, Dignitary," he grumbled, glancing angrily over his shoulder at his 'friend". who stood calm, cool, and collected in the doorway to the ballroom. "and what does it matter to you anyway? It's not like you'd make her stop, just like you didn't help me the other day."

The other Dersite said nothing as he calmly took out a cigarette and lit it. He seemed to be giving Jack a moment to cool down before he answered him. "What could I have done?" he finally asked him after he took a long drag. "She is the Queen and you know it's against the law to harm her, or insult her for that matter, though that hasn't stopped you. If I had even laid a finger on her I would have been risking my own life."

Jack fell silent, realizing that was true, he really couldn't have done anything. Mentally he cursed the Queen and everything she stood for. "You could have at least said something." he grumbled, pouting as he back at the piano keys.

"You're still alive so that has to count for something."

"She wouldn't kill me," he grumbled. "She enjoys torturing me too much."

"Yes..."

His tone made Jack defensive. "Shut up!"

The other shrugged. "You're the one who said it."

"I know what I said!" he snapped. "You don't need to remind me!"

The taller carapace didn't answer, focusing on finishing up his cigarette instead of responding. "You might want to calm down."

"Can't you smoke that awful thing somewhere else?" Noir demanded angrily, ignoring the suggestion.

"Can't you stop banging on the piano?" the Dignitary shot back in an even tone.

Jack answered that question by slamming his fists so hard down on the keys that they cracked and the sound echoed through the room. Realizing what he'd done, the Dersite's eyes widened and he lifted his hands to stare down at the broken piano.

"Oh boy," his buddy said, taking another drag. "You're really in for it now."

Jack got up and backed away from the piano. He hadn't meant to break it! It had been an accident! How was he going to hide this from the Queen? The moment she saw those broken keys she'd know exactly who was to blame.

Jack cursed, clenching his fists. "This is your fault!"

"Actually it's not, Noir," The Dignitary sighed, lighting another cigarette. "I told you you should calm down, you as always decided not to listen. Why are we moirails again if you can't even let me do my job?"

"If you want to help me do something about this piano!"

"I'm not a magician, Jack," he told him, taking another drag. "I can't snap my fingers and fix your problem. You're going to have to deal with this yourself."

Jack was about to respond but his words were cut off when he heard the familiar sound of footsteps coming down the hall. He cursed, gritting his teeth as his mind began to race. What was he going to do now? If the Black Queen saw what he'd done to the royal piano he was dead.

The Archagent looked almost pleadingly looked at his 'friend".

"Well, Jack," he said, cocking a brow. "What are you going to do?"

He looked toward the piano then back at him. "Distract her while I find some place to hide this thing."

The taller Dersite sighed. "Very well." he dropped the cigarette and put it out with the heel of his boot before heading to the door. "I'll see what I can do."

After the Dignitary exited the room and Jack heard him strike up a conversation, rather politely, with the Queen, Noir turned his attention back to the piano. He walked over and placed his hands on the black varnished lid, giving it a push. Luckily for him the whole thing was on wheels so he didn't have to give it too hard a shove to get it rolling.

The wheels made a rather loud rumbling noise on the floor as he pushed which made him freeze, afraid the Queen had heard it.

"What was that?" he heard her ask, verifying his fears.

"Some of the servants are moving the furniture in the ballroom, my lady," the Dignitary told her. "it would be best for you not to go in there until they're done."

"I wasn't aware of this," she said. "why didn't anyone discuss with this me?"

"Its was going to be a surprise."

Jack pushed the piano again, trying to ignore their conversation. If he kept listening he'd risk getting caught and punished again. The last thing he needed right now was that.

"Surprise?" he heard her snap. "Why would you be planning a surprise? It's not my birthday."

"Why not?" he asked her calmly. Then he asked . "Care for a cigarette, your Highness?"

"Don't mind if I do," Jack heard her say as he managed to get the piano out of the room. Now he just had to find a place to stash it.

His office came to mind. It had those three walls that could be moved. He could push it behind one of those and hope no one noticed it when they came into his office. Since hardly anyone ever came in their anyway he could hide this thing for years without anyone spotting it.

Perfect.

He started pushing the instrument down the hall toward where his office was located. If the wall didn't work he could always bury it under that ever growing mount of paperwork he'd been putting off. but first he had to get the piano to his office before anyone saw him with it.

Luckily for him the hall was empty except for himself which really cut down on his chances of meeting other Dersites who would predictable stop him to ask stupid questions. He couldn't help smirking at his good luck.

The perfect crime.

Or it would have been if not for a staircase conveniently placed around the next corner.

Before he knew what was happening or could stop it the piano slipped out of his fingers and rolled down those stairs, making an awful racket as it did so. Jack cursed and ran after the thing, hoping to catch it before it reached the bottom and crashed. The piano, however seemed to have other plans and alluded his grip, reaching the bottom of the stairs and slamming into the wall with a loud, out of tune, crash.

Oh great. So much for the perfect crime. Surely the Queen had heard that.

Jack heard sounds of surprise and terror from below. "What was that?" he heard one terrified servant ask. Hearing footsteps coming from below and behind him from servants all over the palace coming to investigate the melodious noise, he decided to do the smart thing and took off down the hall away from the stairs. If he could get out of there before anyone saw him no one would know it had been him who murdered the royal piano.

Jack rushed to his office and shut the door behind him, leaning against it, panting. What was he going to do now? Surely this would tell her right away that it had been him who destroyed the piano. How would he be able to explain himself?

Maybe she wouldn't pin the blame on him. Maybe he could pretend he was at his desk all day and had no involvement with the destroyed instrument. Maybe she'd blame someone else, maybe the Courtyard Droll?

Yeah, why not?

That little joker was known for doing childish things anyway.

Reassured Jack quickly crossed the room and flopped down in the chair, grabbing a quill pen and some paperwork, trying to look busy lest someone come into the room and ask him about the piano. Like some lower minion or the Queen herself, though for the life of him he didn't know why the Queen would come to his office. He immersed himself in his work, trying to push the thoughts from his mind.

Hours passed and no one came by. The hall was silent as a grave and Jack began to wonder if he really had gotten away with it.

Unfortunately another awful thought came to him, one that plagued his mind no matter how hard he tried to push it away. What if she had figured it out already? What if she realized the Dignitary would only ever bother to do Jack favors like this? Dignitary wasn't always loyal, or caring and really had no big reason to cover his superior's rear. It was so hard to tell who the man was loyal to since he just didn't seem to give a darn about anything, especially if it came back to bite him in the future.

For all the Archagent knew, the man was already spilling his guts to the queen, acting like a tall raven colored stool pigeon.

Jack gritted his teeth, feeling himself getting angry. He better not!

But why not? a voice asked him. He's got nothing to loose if he tells her what you did.

He wouldn't do that, he argued back.

How do you know? He might be your moirail but that doesn't mean much in the long run. That only means he keeps you calm, it doesn't mean he'll do everything you want him to. What makes you think he would?

An image came to mind. The Dignitary calmly and smugly telling the Queen all about how Jack broken her priceless piano and why and, just to add flavor, he'd blab all the bad things Jack had said about her royal wenchiness. Jack cursed, slamming the pen onto the table, completely believing that his paranoid thoughts were true. That traitor!

Energized with rage he lunched himself out of his chair and charged toward the door, intent on going out and finding his so called moirail to give him a piece of his mind and maybe a piece of his knife as well.

He didn't make it.

Just as he reached the door it swung open, hitting him in the chest and knocking him off his feet and onto the floor. As he sat up, trying to recover from the sudden, unexpected blow, he found himself staring up at the Queen. She glared down at him, her white eyes narrow and hard as diamonds. In her hand she held what looked like a piece of wood. A black nicely varnished piece of wood...

Uh oh. His rear was toast.

"Good evening, Noir," she said in an icy tone. "Going somewhere?