THE GENERAL'S DISGRACED HEIR

The heavy doors groaned shut behind them, plunging David and Luna into a muted world bathed in moonlight. It poured through the high, curtained windows, painting the room in an ethereal glow. Grey chandeliers, now dimmed to embers, cast intricate shadows that danced across the ornate ceiling, weaving a mesmerizing tapestry of light and darkness.

Furniture, its once vibrant floral patterns softened by the night, stood like silent sentinels. Rich fabrics and detailed carvings seemed almost antiquated in this silvery ambiance, yet exuded a timeless elegance.

Beneath their feet, a thick carpet, its intricate designs muted by the moonlight, offered a luxurious cushion. It swallowed the echoes of their steps, leaving the room suspended in a hush broken only by the faintest rustle.

Heavy drapes, billowing ever so slightly in a whisper of a breeze, brushed against the stillness, adding to the room's otherworldly air. It was a scene both captivating and unsettling, a space where a grand performance had just concluded, leaving only the hushed whispers of forgotten secrets.A solitary figure occupied the heart of the room, bathed in the cool embrace of moonlight.

Clothed in a gown of raven black, she seemed to absorb the very essence of the night. Flowing fabric cascaded around her like a shadowed waterfall, its edges whispering secrets in the faintest breeze. A wide-brimmed hat, adorned with a macabre dance of skeletal flowers, cast a deep shadow across her face.

Beneath it, only the glint of her enigmatic eyes peeked out, hinting at depths that held untold stories.Her gloved hand, a stark contrast of ivory lace against the dark wood of the table, rested atop it. From this hand, slender fingers cradled a steaming cup that sent wisps of swirling vapor skyward.

The delicate lace seemed impossibly fragile against such a stark backdrop. A single, glittering pendant hung from her neck, catching the moonlight and adding an unsettling punctuation to the scene. It pulsed with a faint inner light, as if harbouring a tiny, vibrant soul at its core.

The entire tableau felt charged with an otherworldly energy, leaving David and Luna unsure of whether they had stumbled into a grand performance or the lair of a forgotten goddess."Ah, there you are! Come in, come in, do take a seat," the woman chirped, her voice a saccharine symphony.

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A graceful sweep of her hand gestured towards the plush chairs across from her. David's brow arched in scepticism, while Luna maintained an emotionless mask." Please, do," the woman pressed, a beatific smile blooming on her flawless face. "The tea is losing its warmth, wouldn't want it to go to waste," she added, the words dripping with a sugary sweetness that sent shivers down Luna's spine.

"And I assure you," she continued, her voice taking on a playful lilt, "there'll be no need for any... biting."David, momentarily thrown off guard, approached with measured steps. His eyes, however, held a burning intensity, boring into her very soul.

With a swift, fluid motion, he sent his dagger singing through the air, embedding it with a sharp thud into the table's surface. The blade stood sentinel, a chilling testament to his purpose."Enough pleasantries," David growled, his voice a low rumble. "Let's cut to the chase."

He gestured with his remaining dagger, the glint a malevolent promise in the moonlight. "I really don't have time to waste on my prey."The woman's response was instantaneous. With a theatrical flourish, she threw her hands up, palms open in surrender. The unexpected movement surprised both David and Luna, leaving them momentarily stunned as the saccharine facade seemed to flicker.

Had they misjudged this enigmatic woman? Or was this surrender merely a prelude to a far more dangerous game?The woman's smile faltered for the first time, replaced by a flicker of vulnerability.

"I mean you no harm, please believe me," she pleaded, her voice now a melody tinged with desperation. Its sweetness, once potent enough to lull a viper, held no sway over David."Luna, stand down," David commanded, his voice a steady counterpoint to the woman's frantic pleas."But Master," Luna began, her form flickering in the room, a phantom poised to strike.

"Stand down," David repeated, his tone brooking no argument. "If she makes a move, act on my word."Luna let out a frustrated hiss, a dark orb of coalesced shadows pulsing around her. With a silent growl, she dissolved back into the shadows, leaving behind a palpable sense of unseen menace.

The woman watched the display with wide eyes, a tremor running through her previously composed demeanour. David, unfazed, sauntered towards a chair and sank into its plush depths. He leaned back, a picture of casual confidence, his icy eyes fixed on the woman. The dagger remained embedded in the table, a silent promise: "Try anything, and before Luna gets to you, I'll end you in a heartbeat."

The air crackled with a tension thicker than the moonlight filtering through the window. It was a game of cat and mouse, predator and prey, only the roles remained frustratingly unclear. A nervous chuckle escaped the woman's lips, a sound that lacked the earlier sugary sweetness. "Quite the ferocious guardian you have there," she commented, her voice laced with a hint of unease.

David mirrored her chuckle, but his was tinged with a sardonic edge. "Just a big cat with a taste for trouble," he replied. The woman adjusted herself in her seat, clearing her throat. "Right, then," she began, a touch of formality returning to her voice. "Let's get down to business. My name is Seraphi—"David's sharp interruption cut through her introduction.

"Seraphina, the Maven Witch," he stated, his tone leaving no room for argument. His celestial eyes glittered with a knowing glint. "And a cunning seer, at that."The woman's composure faltered. Her eyes widened in shock, the amusement replaced by a flicker of something colder – suspicion.

"How did you learn that?" she demanded, her voice a tight whisper that betrayed her initial nonchalance. David shrugged casually. "Your name was child's play," he remarked, a hint of amusement dancing in his eyes."Not that," Seraphina pressed, a single eyebrow arching in defiance. "The title that follows my name. How do you know about…" she trailed off, a tremor of unease evident in her voice.

David's gaze remained fixed on her, his lips curling into a knowing smirk. "Let's just say," he drawled, his voice low and dangerous, "your fallen comrades might have been less tight-lipped than you'd hoped."Seraphina's smile returned, but this time it held a hint of something dangerous, a glint of sly amusement playing in her eyes.

"A clever lie," she countered, her voice a purr. "No one, not even the likes of the Fingers, knew my true title as a seer and from the maven. It's a title whispered only in the darkest corners of my coven, a secret well-guarded."

A deceptive calm settled over David. He leaned forward, his cold eyes boring into Seraphina's like twin shards of moonlight. "What if I told you," he began, his voice dropping to a low murmur, "you weren't the only one blessed with foresight?" It was a gamble, a brazen bluff masking the truth that her name, and perhaps even her title, originated from a forgotten novel he'd devoured back on Earth.

Here, however, the lines between fiction and reality blurred, and David intended to exploit that ambiguity. He could claim to be a conduit of the future, a seer in his own right.

Seraphina's composure, momentarily fractured, threatened to shatter entirely. "Impossible," she gasped, her voice barely a whisper. "I can sense every flicker of mana, every whisper of magic in this room...

and from you, I perceive nothing." Her words hung in the air, a challenge and a puzzle in equal measure."Ah, but aren't we straying from the point, Seraphina?" David countered, a hint of amusement dancing in his eyes. "My feline companion grows restless, wouldn't you agree?" He leaned back in his chair, allowing the playful threat implicit in his words to hang heavy in the air.

Seraphina's jaw clenched for a moment, then she exhaled sharply, composing herself with a practiced grace. "Indeed," she conceded, forcing a smile. "Apologies for the digression. Now, to the matter at hand," she continued, her voice regaining its business-like tone. "So, how much?"