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The guards dragged Teren into the large throne room. They hauled her to the foot of the throne and forced her to kneel. There was a small vicious laugh.
“I never thought I would see you again, Teren. After all these years.”
Teren looked up at the Queen of Madness, and was met with a sadistic grin. Her teeth were sharpened to needle-like points, and were stained brown with old blood.
“How have the centuries treated you, Teren? Hmm?”
She looked the Queen in the eye.
“I thought you were dead.”
Kazvin cackled insanely, which was a bit of a given, and then suddenly she turned serious.
“You thought that you killed me, that you finished me off. I wish you did. It was my plan.”
Teren’s brow furrowed. The Queen gave her a sad smile.
“I can’t even do the deed myself. Even if I ripped my still beating heart from my chest, it never works. I’ve tried.”
Kazvin pulled her shirt down to reveal a large cavity. Teren winced. She’d caused much of that damage, and it still hurt to see the harm she had caused her friend. But the wound was much wider now, and where Kazvin’s heart should have been, there was an empty void.
“I’m sorry.” Teren whispered.
And just like that, the lunacy was back. Kazvin grinned madly.
“Oh, don’t you like my new piercing? It even goes through the back.”
The Queen took her shirt off and turned around, showing that the hole indeed went straight through her body. Teren sucked in a shocked breath.
“Why?” She asked, wondering why Kazvin would cause herself even more pain when she must have already been in agony. Kazvin smiled bitterly.
“It helps me remember I’m at least somewhat alive.”
Teren looked at her sadly. Kazvin stared right back.
“I’m not ashamed of what I’ve become.” She said suddenly. “It was the only way for all of us to live.”
Teren’s gaze sharpened.
“How can you call this living? You live in suffering every day. Everyone else has their own problems. In fact, some of them may be on their way to your domain.” She choked out a sob. “I might follow them just so I don’t have to be alone.”
Kazvin extended a skeletal hand towards Teren’s face. She stroked her jawline, moving slowly over to her lips. When she reached them, she leaned over and placed her own over them. Teren’s eyes widened in surprise, but quickly closed, and she deepened the kiss. Eventually, Teren had to stop for air. She looked at Kazvin again.
“This is a dream, isn’t it?”
Kazvin looked at her mournfully.
“I’m sorry, Teren. You’re right. This isn’t living. But it’s the best we can get. Goodbye, love.”
Teren woke up.