King Manuzi watched with narrowed eyes as his witch wife was led onto the wooden platform. The guard accompanying her had roped her hands behind her back. Manuzi's face showed and expression of distaste, but not for the reasons the kingdom thought. Manuzi knew the kingdom thought he was ashamed of his wife's magic, but the truth was he had given his wife those powers in the first place, and he knew that tying her hands behind her back would make no difference - magic came from the head, not the hands. The hands were only one of the ways magic could be channelled.
To be honest, magic wasn't even the reason Queen Liluri was to die today. Unbeknownst to the kingdom, Liluri had given birth to twin girls only a few days ago - children that Manuzi knew he could never have. While he was away on palace business, Liluri had been having an affair with Thaddeus, one of Manuzi's best warriors, and most trusted guards.
Manuzi spotted the guard in question standing in the crowd, watching Liluri with intense eyes. Manuzi looked over at Liluri and saw her eyes fill with joy as she met the guard's eyes. Although his expression stay stony, Manuzi was smirking on the inside. Liluri and the guard thought they were the only ones who knew the truth, but they were wrong. Since Liluri became imprisoned, Manuzi had been drinking a special concoction that made him immune to magic for a short period of time. He knew his wife better than either of them cared to admit, and he knew that she would attempt to cast a spell to keep her daughters safe.
"It's such a shame," the man sitting next to Manuzi said. "I thought your wife was from far better stock."
King Typhon, oh how Manuzi wished they weren't brothers. King Typhon was his father's son with his first wife, making him Manuzi's elder half-brother. Typhon and his wife, Queen Echidna, had come over from their cosy palace on the Central Island to 'support Manuzi' through this tough time.
"I thought so too," Echidna agreed.
Manuzi thought how ironic Typhon and Echidna's comments were, when Echidna was holding one of Liluri's spawn in her arms. When Liluri had cast the spell, she made the entire country - all five islands! - think that the girls belonged to different mothers. King Typhon and Queen Echidna had ended up with the younger twin and named her Selene. Everyone thought Echidna had given birth to Selene. Manuzi had no idea where the other twin had ended up.
"Liluri's mother died when she was young," Manuzi lied to his brother. "I suspect for the same reason Liluri must die today."
"Possibly," Typhon said. "But let us not speak ill of the dead. We shall focus on the monumentous task at hand - getting through today."
If you enjoyed this cut scene and would like to read the published short story, simply search for 'The First Vampire' wherever eBooks are sold.
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