You never really get used to the smell of rotting flesh. 

That sweetly sick smell of your mother melting away. 

Rats approached the alleyway due to that very smell- to them the smell of a promising meal. 

Nyx shifted on the hard stone floor watching the rats in exhaustion. She heaved as a sob broke from her lips and her eyes widened in horror. 

"Get away! leave my mom alone, she's— please, leave us alone!" She whimpered trying to sound strong but failing. She tried to stand but her knees couldn't take it and she collapsed not making it an inch forward.

She hit the ground with a sickening crack as pain radiated through her body. She writhed in agony on the floor, her eyes blurred with tears as she glanced up and began trying to crawl towards her mom.

"Please— don't—" she strained trying to form coherent words, but the pain made it hard to think about anything. 

Nyx struggled to breathe as she watched them tear her beautiful mom apart. her once beautiful brown hair falling from her scalp like threads of yarn, her body slumped against the deteriorating wall. 

Pain shot through her chest, lighting up her veins and filling them with fire. 

"No— no no no no no, don't please I cant- I cant," she sniveled, begging desperately.

I'm dying, Nyx thought, her chest felt like it was splitting open, and she was struggling to breathe. 

Nyx flung back harshly, her back hitting the alley wall. she scratched her chest and throat hopelessly as scream after scream erupted from her trembling body. 

please.. no.. mommy. 

no. 

no. 

"No!" She exclaimed exploding from her bed with an outstretched hand. she winced as her chest constricted causing her to double over. 

Tears spilled from her eyes dampening the blanket she had buried her face in to suffocate her sobs. Her chest and throat burned with fresh nail marks that were littered down her skin. 

She focused on grounding herself in her surroundings as she tried to calm her shallow breath. 

"Your Majesty," Nyx's personal maid Sara called knocking on her door. "Are you awake?" 

"Run me a cold bath," she muttered lowly in response, keeping her voice even and calm. 

"At once Princess," Sara replied quietly. 

Nyx sighed and pulled at her nightgown which was now damp with sweat, it clung to her body uncomfortably making the feeling of suffocation worse. 

She took a deep breath as she stood up, making sure she had strength in her legs before standing up to her full height of six feet. Her feet sunk into the fluffy black carpet which helped immensely with tethering her to the earth. 

And not the memories that threatened to consume her. 

She moved across her large dark room to a mirror checking over the damage. 

She ran her fingers over ridges in her smooth skin lightly wincing, small beads of glittery ruby blood smearing ruining her perfect image further. She almost liked it. 

She sighed before trudging towards the bathroom door which was embossed with gold like every other white surface in her room. The door was near her bed, connecting her room to a hallway that led to her personal bathroom. Sara stood near her bathtub with her head down as she poured cold water into the tub. 

"That's enough," Nyx mumbled, watching as Sara bowed before leaving the bathroom, not raising her gaze higher than the floor. 

Nyx stared down at the water, dreading the familiar feeling of cold water on her tender skin. She stepped into the large pool-like tub before clenching her teeth and forcing herself to submerge into the water. 

She leaned back against the granite tile, closing her eyes and placing a towel over her neck. 

Goddamn, this sucks. 

After lounging in the bath until the water turned to room temperature and her fingers pruned, she stood up and wrapped herself in a silk robe that Sara had laid there beforehand.

She walked back into her room slowly, shivering at the temperature difference between the two rooms. She pulled her black blanket off the bed and wrapped herself in it with a yawn. 

Another two hours of sleep had been completed. 

She sat at her windowsill staring out into the garden while playing with the small stars in her hand. They jumped in delight as she smiled softly, they danced around her face and placed themselves lightly in her hair noting a presence by the door.

"Your Majesty, may I come in?"

"You may." Nyx yawned as a bored expression overtook her face once more.

The imperial maid bit her inner cheek as she walked in bowing deeply before speaking meekly. 

"Your Majesty, the empress has requested an audience with you,"

The maid's voice shook as she spoke, but she remained strong to her task. All while keeping her eyes glued to the ground.

"Ah —what does that hag want now— I'll be there shortly," Nyx sighed before waving her hand in the direction of the maid, signaling for her to leave.

The maid bowed quickly before turning on her heel and crashing into a desk having closed her eyes in relief at the dismissal. The vase standing tall on the desk— swayed before hitting the ground with a loud crash shaking the stars in Nyx's hair and piercing the quiet room.

"Your majesty, I'm so sorry, please— it was an accident,"

The maid cried before looking up and flinching when she met Nyx's bored eyes, eyes that were never seen, hidden beneath a white silk wrap. 

The maid tensed, she had seen the princess before, but her beauty never failed to make her speechless and without her eye wrap, the princess looked.. complete. Her face seemed almost fictitious. 

Glossy black wavy hair, that had bright streaks of white that almost shone like the finest of gold. Smooth tan skin, with freckles like constellations, scattered across her face and body.

And her eyes. Eyes that had never been revealed for fear of their power and of the consequences. Bright stars lit up her dull black eyes like salt spilled on a black tablecloth. 

The maid cried out in surprise when Nyx raised an eyebrow before returning her eyes to the ground. The princess sighed when the maid started babbling incoherent pleas and apologies.

A blade then stood awaiting orders at the maid's throat causing the desperate crying to cease. She froze in terror, tears running down her face.

Nyx yawned again before raising her hand.

"Erebus."

The shadow behind the maid nodded silently before sheathing her sword.

"We cannot let the maid leave like this," Erebus spoke her hoarse voice not helping the maid's fried nerves. Erebus took a step towards Nyx before kneeling before her.

"It is only a vase," Nyx replied before turning back to the window, bored again.

"It's not only the vase your majesty, she met your eyes."

Nyx breathed deeply while running a hand through her wavy hair letting her blanket slip down her shoulders. 

"What would you like to have done?"

"Cut her eyes out with a heated blade, and slice her hands off,"

The maid trembled so harshly that her teeth chattered together, filling the silence as Nyx contemplated. Even if she wanted to plead with Her Majesty, she couldn't— no sound would pass her lips other than whimpers.

"Mm as expected— but that would be boring, wouldn't it?" Nyx questioned no one in particular. "Give her fifty spankings on the bottom."

Erebus cringed at Nyx's choice of punishment. She was already used to her master's unique way of punishing people, but she still felt the need to do more.

"That would hardly be enough, this maid committed a grave crime, Your Majesty—"

"Erebus," Nyx said simply. 

"…Of course my master, please forgive your humble servant. I shall take my leave." Erebus bowed her head, letting her brown hair all over her piercing purple eyes, as she stood to her feet. She brought the maid up to her feet and swiftly left the room.

Nyx rolled her eyes at Erebus' words; she was obviously peeved given how formal she was. 

She sighed deeply before standing to her feet and letting the stars in her hair dance into the night sky. She whispered under her breath willing the darkness to carry the sound. Feeling it caress Sara's ear before it delivered her command. 

"Come help me get ready."