Hearts of Malice

Chapter 4: Two sides of the same coin : Tails

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"Is it really you..." Sofia hesitated, unsure if she wanted to finish her sentence, but she finally did. "... Urilesh?"

Elisa's tongue slithered on her lips, and a cold chill ran down Sofia's spine.

In the dead of night, Sofia and her twin sister Elisa were discussing in the privacy of Sofia's bedroom. Both women were wearing a modest, similar-looking nightgown that completely hid their identical bodies.

Still drowsy due to her recent wake up, Sofia's brain was overwhelmed by the sudden realization that her sister was not quite her sister, but a terrible, terrible impostor wearing Elisa's skin as a disguise. Feeling dizzy, Sofia sat down on the edge of her bed. Putting her head in her hands, she tried to calm her racing heart.

With her eyes closed, Sofia took a deep breath and mustered her usual bossy tone. Stoically, she faced her sister. "How the fuck did that happened? That was not part of the plan!"

Elisa chuckled meanly. "Oh, I'm sorry, Princess." Elisa spat that last word. "Your pathetic schemes weren't exactly on my mind when I sneaked my way in your sister's body." The voice was Elisa's, but the words were definitely Urilesh's.

"But Elisa's return put everything else in jeopardy!" Sofia cried out, slamming her fist against her bed. "We're running against a clock that can't be stopped, we have no time for your deviant games!"

Urilesh closed the distance between her and Sofia, stomping. "Careful, little girl. Don't forget who you're talking to." Urilesh snarled as she towered above the sitting Princess.

Apologetically, Sofia put her hands up in the air and lowered her eyes. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. You would be more intimidating if you didn't look exactly like me."

Shaking her head, Urilesh headed toward the window and leaned against the windowsill, gazing at the moon that was shining bright up in the night sky.

Sofia was getting irritated by how nonchalantly Urilesh acted despite the peculiar situation, but she tried her best not to let her feelings show on her face. The Princess knew that she had very little leverage on the demonic, unhinged woman, so she had to act tactfully. She rose to her feet and stood a few respectful steps behind her sister, then she cleared her throat.

"What happened that night? I only got second hand echoes as I dared not press the subject too much, and I've been quite concerned..."

Urilesh stayed silent and unmoving for a minute, much to Sofia's annoyance, then she finally spoke, still looking outside the window. "Those echoes are probably correct yet incomplete. What have you heard?"

"In substance..." Sofia carefully pondered her next words. "I've heard that the Knight of the Moon that was escorting Elisa defeated you."

Urilesh let out a demented burst of laughter that made her whole chest shake. The echoing laugh felt so familiar yet so alien that it made Sofia's skin crawl. When the demon's outburst finally ended, Urilesh turned around to face Sofia.

"Defeated I have indeed been. Yet not slain. The knightess managed to destroy my body, but when the sword fell upon my heart I was long gone."

"But how could that happen?!" Sofia let out in disbelief. "I thought you were immortal!"

Urilesh snickered as she walked toward the Princess. The demon plunged her eyes in Sofia's and playfully patted the Princess' cheek. Sofia hated how promiscuous Urilesh was with her. With the demon's hand on her cheek the Princess felt like a house pet that was given a rub.

"I have walked among your kind for longer that you can truly comprehend. Kingdoms rise and fall as I blink, but is that the definition of immortality? Will everything end one day? I do not know."

Removing her hand from Sofia's cheek, Urilesh took a step back, much to the Princess' relief. The demon sighed then began pacing around the room, barely paying attention to Sofia.

"But I understand the question behind your words. As it was not of flesh and blood, my body was impervious to almost everything. Only magic able to rival mine could damage it. And bar a handful of exceptionally gifted individuals, this kind of magic is far, far beyond your kind's ability."

Sofia's patience was running thin, Urilesh being way too verbose for the Princess' taste.

"Can we go straight to the point, please? The knightess, Loretta, she doesn't seem like a very gifted magical user to me."

Urilesh stopped dead in her tracks and faced Sofia. "Tell me, Princess Sofia, do you worship one of your kind's many gods?"

Sofia rolled her eyes and shook her head. "No, I do not."

"But the Knights of the Moon do." Urilesh added. "The Holy Moon, Mother of All, I believe they call it."

Sofia was dead tired, and she was conversing with a powerful and malevolent being through the possessed body of her sister. In her daily life the Princess wasn't fond of riddles and surprises, and in her current state of stress and tiredness, she absolutely abhorred them. Sofia couldn't help but let out a burst of nervous laughter.

"So what? A fucking god intervened and smote you down? That's what you are saying?"

"What even is a god? Humans loves to--"

"No, no, nononono! You're not giving me another of your tirades about mankind. Speak plainly!" Sofia snapped, threateningly pointing her finger at her sister.

Urilesh crossed her arms and all emotions disappeared from her face. "You call it a god, I call it one of my kind. And yes, the being you know as the Holy Moon gave the knightess the power to destroy me."

Sofia stumbled backward from Urilesh's words. Her head spinning, she sat on the edge of her bed and wrapped one of her hands against her face. Urilesh looked at the distraught Princess, smirking.

"Why did I ask..." Sofia mumbled. "Wait... You... You're in hiding?" The Princess suddenly realized. She raised her head to face Urilesh. "Inside my sister? You snatched her body to avoid annihilation?"

"Yes. Do you want more details or would that be too boring for you, Princess?"

Sofia gestured to Urilesh to go on. The Princess was already so deep in the rabbit hole, all she could do now was trying to understand if she could climb out of it.

"Currently I'm only in control when your sister is not. When she is asleep, mostly. I could probably take control forcefully, but she would fight it and I prefer not to reveal myself for now."

"Do you see what she sees during the day?"

"No, I can't really spy on her. I have to hide in the deepest part of her mind, or she would feel my presence." Urilesh explained factually.

"This is... very concerning. And that was absolutely not what our deal entailed." Sofia grumbled.

"That changes nothing to--"

"That changes everything!" Sofia shouted, jumping to her feet. "Elisa was supposed to never return from her trip to Summerhills' Estate! But now you can't exactly fulfill your part of the deal!"

Urilesh frowned angrily. "You are really testing the limits of our relationship, human! I remember the words that were pronounced, and I will fulfill my part of our deal. Elisa won't stand in your way."

Sofia took a deep breath and slowly nodded, a tentative smile on her face. "I'm sorry, Urilesh. I may have lost my temper. This situation is quite stressful, I'm sure you understand."

"There's no need to apologize, Sofia. It's my fault." Urilesh smiled menacingly. "Humans are fickle creatures. I owe you a refresher on the dynamics of our relationship. On your knees."

"What?! You're in my sister's body, you freak!" Sofia sharply declined, shaking her head.

"A sister you had no qualms trying to get rid of. On your knees."

Reluctantly, Sofia went down on her knees. This was far from the first time that Sofia found herself submissively kneeling in front of Urilesh but rarely did the Princess hate it as much as she did right now.

Urilesh chuckled as she lifted her nightgown off Elisa's body. The demon either didn't see the angry glare in Sofia's eyes or she didn't care. "You know what to do. Worship me."

"You don't even have a dick..." Sofia whined through her gritted teeth, eliciting another mean cackle from Urilesh.

Sofia took a deep breath, then leaned forward, bringing her face closer to her sister's bare crotch. The Princess stuck her tongue out and gave Elisa's pink pussy a tentative lick. A breathless moan escaped Urilesh's lips and her whole body shuddered under the touch of the Princess' tongue.

The Princess was surprised by Urilesh's sensitivity, but she didn't complain. The more eager the body-snatching demon was, the faster she would be satisfied. With well-practiced efficiency, Sofia wrapped her mouth around Elisa's pussylips and began licking and slurping on her sister's delicate entrance.

"Fuuuuuuck!" Urilesh grunted, throwing her head backward in delight and closing her eyes. "Your sister is an eager little slut, isn't she?"

Swallowing her pride, and a copious amount of Elisa's love honey, Sofia continued to slide her tongue against every inch of her sister's labia. Twisting her tongue, the Princess also played with Elisa's budding clit, and Urilesh loudly approved with a moan.

Emboldened by Urilesh's pants and her quivering legs, Sofia began to aggressively push her tongue inside her sister's tight pussy, pulling her tongue out only to nibble on Elisa's puffy lips and engorged clitoris. Sofia was not the prude and inexperienced Princess that her sister was. She very well knew how to use her mouth to pleasure both men and women.

Urilesh let out a delirious laugh and ruffled Sofia's hair. "I had almost forgotten the delight of a tongue against my skin. How much I regret all those centuries of deprivation!"

Sofia raised an eyebrow, surprised by Urilesh's words. Her mouth abandoned Elisa's pussy and the Princess wiped her glistening lips with the back of her arm.

"What do you mean?" Sofia asked, sincerely curious. "It hasn't been that long since the last time we did that."

"Less talking and more worshiping, human." Urilesh strengthened her grip on Sofia's head and pushed the blonde Princess against her crotch.

Sofia resumed her tongue-fucking, hoping that her efforts would get Urilesh in a talkative mood. For a few minutes, the only sounds that left Urilesh's mouth were scalding hot moans, but finally the demon caught her breath and giggled. It was very hard for Sofia not to hear Elisa behind those cute noises.

"Long ago, we had to... yeah... we had to shed our organic bodies. We deemed our manufactured bodies perfect back then, but their senses were dull. We couldn't feel the sun... fuck... the sun on our skin anymore, or the wind in our hair, or the warmth of another body against ours. We lost so much that day, but it took me many human lives to understand it."

The Princess carefully listened to Urilegh as she munched on her sister's pussy. It was very unusual for Urilesh to open up to Sofia so much, and in the midst of her lust-filled ramblings there could possibly be relevant information.

"Peculiar is the fate that made me lose everything but gave me back what I so desperately craved, don't you think? No, don't answer, human, just keep licking."

For the next few minutes, moans and pants replaced words in Urilesh's mouth, until Sofia's experienced tongue finally sent Urilesh over the edge. Urilesh's temporary body shook entirely as she screamed, a strong climax washing over the possessed Princess.

Sofia peeled her face away from Elisa's cunt, her mouth and chin drenched with pussy juices. But as she tried to stand up, the Princess felt Urilesh's hands pulling her back against Elisa's crotch. With her nose pressed against Elisa's shaved pubis, Sofia had no choice but to start lapping at Elisa's dripping pussy again.

"It will take much more than a single orgasm to satisfy me. And until I'm thoroughly satisfied, you will stay on your knees, human."

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The light of the sun was pouring in a small room from a slanted skylight in the ceiling, shining upon a luxurious circular table. Beside the table that felt excessively massive and four chairs around it, the small room was completely devoid of any furniture. A single wooden door leading outside visually clashed with the plain, bare rock walls.

Around the table, two very dissimilar men were waiting. The first one was a tall, muscular man with short slicked-back blonde hair. He wore an immaculate, golden armor that glistened under the sunlight. A long red cape hung on his back, almost reaching his armored feet and swirling as he paced around the room, the muscles of his square jaw clenching and unclenching.

"What is she doing! Lateness is a sin I can hardly tolerate!" The armored man snarled to no one specifically.

"Complaining won't make her arrive faster, Commander Wilhelm. You should take a seat."

The other man was sitting on one of the chairs, his elbows on the table. His shoulder-long black hair matched the color of his clothes that hid his tall but lean body. A stubble shadowed the sun-tanned skin of his cheeks and chin. An amused smirk on his face, he watched the armored man drag one of the chairs a few steps away from the table and heavily sit on it.

The two men waited in silence for a minute, then Commander Wilhelm began tapping his gloved fingers on the table, before stopping as the other man insistently looked at him, slightly annoyed.

"I like you, Sir Anton." Wilhelm suddenly stated. "You're a man of action and dedication, and I respect that, even though I'm not exactly fond of your field. I look forward to our future collaborations."

The dark-haired man leaned back in his chair and smiled at his conversation partner. "Your words are pleasing to hear, Commander. But as you know I am no knight, Anton will be more than enough."

"My apologies. But surely there must be a title applicable to the skillful mastery of your arts."

"I suppose that if you would be inclined to, you could call me Archmage or Meister. But as I said, no offense would be taken if you simply called me Anton."

Wilhelm politely nodded, then silence crept back in the room. After a few minutes, Wilhelm rose to his feet and aimlessly walked around the room. Anton rolled his eyes at the knight's restlessness.

Reaching the chair at the opposite side of the table, Wilhelm stopped and looked Anton in the eyes. "What do you think of her?" He asked, putting his two hands on the table and leaning forward.

Anton folded his arms and thought for an instant before answering. "I suppose that you want to hear that she is a spoiled, arrogant little girl, who thinks the world is hers because of the blood that runs through her veins? Factually, she is. And she has the nasty habit of never being on time."

"Exactly!" Wilhelm slammed his fist on the table. "I knew we were on the same page."

"And yet here we both are, patiently waiting for her."

Wilhelm seemed disconcerted by Anton's words. The knight opened his mouth to speak, but finally said nothing, and instead scratched his chin.

"I can guess the thoughts that currently occupy the back of your mind, Commander. And I suggest you keep them for yourself for now. A time will come for them I'm sure, but today is not."

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Her recognizable features hidden behind a cloak and a large hood, Princess Sofia was quickly walking down a busy street of the city that was endlessly growing around Kaedon's castle. The sun was high in the sky, the summer's heat oppressive in the crowded streets. Sofia's whole body felt clammy under her clothes, but she hurried up, ignoring the drops of sweat that rolled down her forehead.

A tall woman was on Sofia's tail, easily keeping up with the Princess' quick pace with her long legs. She was wearing loose, beige garbs fitting for the heat that hid most of her caramel-colored skin. A curved sword hung on her hips, the blade covered in strange runes. Her short black hair was shaggy and unfeminine but her face was quite attractive, in a exotic way. Her hazel eyes methodically scanned her surroundings and the people in the street, but without letting Sofia out of her sight for long.

Sofia sharply turned, heading into a shadowy back alley. After a few more steps, she found herself in front of an unassuming wooden door in a rock wall. The Princess opened the door then took a step back, gesturing to the woman behind her to enter.

"Are you sure?" The tall woman asked, surprise painted on her face. Her foreign accent was quite pronounced.

The Princess nodded and the exotic woman entered the room, Sofia quickly following in turn. She closed the door then spun around, a warm but definitely fake smile on her face. The brooding magician known as Anton and the burly, fully armored Commander Wilhelm were sitting around the large table that filled most of the room.

"Gentlemen, my apologies. I know I'm quite late, but I had some pressing matters that had to be taken care of." Sofia explained, making eye contact with both men in turn.

"Why is she here?" Wilhelm asked dryly as he slowly rose to his feet, his eyes focused on the unexpected fourth guest and his hand wrapped around the hilt of his sword..

"Yes, of course." Sofia sighed. "Commander, this is Zahira, my bodyguard. I don't believe you had the opportunity to make her acquaintance yet." Sofia craned her neck to look at Zahira, who was leaning against the wall near the door, her arms crossed under her chest. "I've been using her services for the past few months."

"A sellsword." Wilhelm spat. "And a foreign one at that!"

"Commander Wilhelm, the world outside the castle can be dangerous and unpredictable. I deemed it pertinent to have someone taking care of my security. And I can assure you that Zahira has already proved her loyalty and usefulness."

"You should have come to me! My men are more than able to--"

"Enough!" Sofia said loud enough to make Anton jump. "If I wanted to parade around town, I would have asked for four or six of your armored clowns, Commander. But Zahira is much more suited for my needs. This discussion ends here."

Sofia could see in Wilhelm's eyes that he was not happy, but he sat down and relaxed slightly, his hand leaving his sword. Satisfied, the Princess unbuttoned her cloak and took it off, then handed it to her silent bodyguard who carefully took it. Sofia sat on the nearest chair, running her hand through her hair wet with sweat.

"I already crave a long bath but my day has barely started. Let's please make this quick. Commander, how are things on your side?"

"Before we move on to the agenda, I heard two mildly concerning news, Princess." Anton intervened before Wilhelm could open his mouth. "First, your sister has an appointment with the King today. And second, Sir Reinhold, the leader of the Order of the Moon, has apparently been summoned by the King."

Sofia sighed and leaned against her chair, briefly closing her eyes. "I will also see my Father later today. I would assume it's about his deteriorating health. And concerning Sir Reinhold, I do not know what to expect. Will he be a problem?"

Wilhelm frowned in scorn. "Reinhold is an old man and the knights of the Moon are nothing but glorified bodyguards and myth hunters. He won't be an issue, even if he brings all his knights with him."

"I think it would be a mistake to underestimate Sir Reinhold." Anton interjected. "He may not be in his prime anymore, but he was one of the most skilled knights of his time. And he's a respected leader and a close friend of the King."

"No one is underestimating him. Commander, as soon as Sir Reinhold steps foot in the castle, I want you to have eyes on him. Let's make sure his visit is as pleasant and as short as possible." Sofia said calmly. There was no reason to worry ahead of time, nor any reason to believe that Sir Reinhold could interfere with her plan. "If that's settled, let's move on."