- Yvere and Gwyn -
(Past)
Before Yvere left for Hell with Lucifer she was informed by a castle guard that Gwyn wished to speak with her. Yvere met with Gwyn at the top of one of the castle's turrets. Gwyn was leaning over the side slightly, grinning. Yvere waited for Gwyn to speak first.
"I appreciate the risk you're taking on by joining Lucifer's team. I wanted you to know that no matter what happens you will always have the backing of the vampire kingdom."
"You make it sound more dangerous than it is, your majesty," Yvere's tone was respectful.
"It is dangerous," Gwyn sighed. "I care for every vampire I can. Our kind is our family, never forget that."
"I won't," Yvere nodded. "Family is the most important thing to me."
'Then why join Lucifer?' Gwyn kept her thoughts to herself.
- Lucifer and Yvere -
(Past)
Lucifer and Yvere were standing on the top of one of Hell's walls looking out at the wide landscape that stretched before them. Lucifer had a stern look as his eyes stayed focused on the horizon while Yvere was grinning. Yvere leaned back over the wall and tried making eye contact with Lucifer.
"Why did we need to come all the way up here to talk? You were silent the whole ride here, Peter seemed upset with you. I know my father is furious with you. Is that why you were so quiet?"
Lucifer grumbled and shifted his eyes to meet Yvere's. "Yvere, what I'm going to tell you is severe information. The type of information that if it gets out that you know, you and your family will never be allowed back in Sangmara. If you don't want to hear it-"
"Out with it," Yvere leaned back further. "Hell is the world's capital of forbidden information. I asked to join with the full expectation that I would have to learn some forbidden knowledge."
"You're going to fall," Lucifer warned.
"You'd catch me," Yvere leaned a little further.
Lucifer clenched his fists and closed his eyes. He released a large exhale through his nose and opened his eyes.
"There's a reason I finally accepted your request to join."
Yvere didn't interrupt. Something told her that if she did, Lucifer would fly her back to Sangmara.
"There's an ancient prophecy that your kind used to worship. The prophecy has had many interpretations but the main idea that your kind has fought civil wars over is something known as the "bloodrite"."
"What?" Yvere started to lose her balance.
Lucifer conjured a wing for Yvere grab onto. Yvere held onto the wing as Lucifer placed her back on level footing. Lucifer sighed as he released his wing.
"The "bloodrite" is the idea that as vampires consume blood and/or mana they grow stronger. This has led vampiric leaders in the past to wage wars with the intention of making vampire kind stronger."
"I know about the bloodrite," Yvere admitted.
"WHAT?!" Lucifer shouted.
Yvere looked down at the ground by the walls. "Heard about it during an argument between my mother and father. Apparently my father was always wary of having me raised in Sangmara and one day him and my mother were shouting at each other."
Yvere lowered her posture and rested her chin on the back of her hands.
"My father learned from a certain someone that information is strength, so he had spent a lot of time researching Sangmara. During that research he discovered stories of the bloodrite. After corroborating what he had learned with...various beings," She shifted her eyes slightly towards Lucifer.
"he found out my kind's dark secret. I probably don't know as much as you do but I do know about it."
Lucifer relaxed his eyes and spoke softly. "The king and queen want you on my team because they want to find out whether or not the bloodrite is real. You're not the only test subject but you are the one they have the highest hopes for."
"Why?" Yvere asked.
"Because of me," Lucifer scowled.
Yvere raised an eyebrow. "What about you?"
Lucifer sighed. "Well the prophecy goes "The cracked sky, the howling woods; by shattered horns and torn wings; to drink and consume for many lifetimes. All will rise to match the gods.""
Lucifer conjured a wing and gripped it with his hand. ""Cracked sky" is a term among angels for fallen. More specifically that angels who fall represent a cracked sky. Angel culture despises vampires, which makes it so most angels are completely unwilling to work with them."
"Except for you," Yvere chuckled.
"Except for me," Lucifer released his wing. "Maybe if I was just an angel the king and queen wouldn't be so insistent on having you join the team. Unfortunately, my archangel status makes the proposition too enticing for them to leave me alone about it."
Demons started flying up to the wall, prompting Lucifer to finish the conversation.
"Never mention any of this to anyone. Peter already knows about this situation, everyone else, however, is unaware. When whatever happens or is supposed to happen with this whole thing starts, keep it to yourself as best you can."
"Right," Yvere gave a quick nod.
Lucifer took the two of them off the wall and back down below. He and Yvere parted, with Yvere saying she wanted to look around and get to know the residents of Hell better.
As Lucifer waved goodbye he had a thought. 'Why of all beings do the vampires have that prophecy?'
- Yvere and Gwyn -
While Lucius was entertaining Lucifer and the others, Gwyn had pulled Yvere off to the side to discuss about the future. The two were inside a room filled with paintings. Gwyn stood by a large painting that depicted her and Lucius ascending the throne, while Yvere leaned against the wall next to a piece that showed two triumphant-looking beings, a woman with long scarlet-red hair and a scruffy man with purple irises.
Gwyn spoke first, "I'm going to speak as if you know everything already because I assume Lucifer didn't keep it a secret."
"Mmm," Yvere hummed in agreement while tapping her fingers against the wall.
Gwyn continued, "I just want to make sure you fully understand the importance of your place in all this?"
"I do," Yvere responded casually, continuing to tap on the wall as she did.
There was a visible irritation forming on Gwyn's face. She didn't understand why Yvere wasn't showing more care for the situation. She decided to continue on with her original point, except now there was a slight irritation to her tone.
"I just hope that you never forget what this all means for vampiric kind, your kind."
"I'm aware of what it means for our kind," Yvere stopped tapping.
Gwyn's frustration now enveloped her body language. She moved about the room with her hand on the back of her neck, almost stomping with each footstep. Any other vampire would have been shouted at to leave or show respect but she knew she couldn't treat this situation the same.
"Look, I understand there's a lot of frustrations that come with holding this type of information and that you've clearly been through a lot in the last few years but can you PLEASE take this seriously!"
Gwyn lost herself halfway through her words. She realized the mistake but didn't apologize. Now that she had let anger slip, it was flowing out.
"I didn't live to see Mara rise and fall, to see my entire family slowly killed off through all the civil wars, to see god after GOD disrespect our kind just to have some angel, a fallen no less-"
"You done?" Yvere interrupted.
Gwyn glared at Yvere and opened her mouth slightly before closing it. She took a deep breath and brushed away the strands of hair that had fallen in front of her face.
"Sorry...that had nothing to do with you and Lucifer. It was just a thousand years of pent up frustrations."
"I believe you," Yvere responded. "I know how difficult it must be trying to keep things stable as a ruler, especially a vampiric one."
Yvere didn't wait for Gwyn to speak for moving towards the door to walk out. As she was crossing the doorframe she turned her head back slightly.
"I know you care more about our kind than all the previous rulers, more than even Lucius--the king, does, but don't confuse your place in my life. I want what's good for our kind but not more than I do for my family."
"Your kind are your family," Gwyn said, confused.
Yvere sighed. "I don't see it that way anymore. Family is a right that has to be earned."