Song of the Scarlet Shadow
Nabirye slithered quickly toward the great hall as the horn sounded. Behind her, a shadow slipped between pillars in the great halls of the palace at Akhet, where Prince Rudjet-Ka the Golden mustered his armies in preparation to make the final push toward Il'sha-ah, to take the throne from his sister, rightful Pharoah of the Annam.
Nabirye glanced back with downcast eyes at the place the shadow had been standing, and entered the King's chamber, where his generals feasted and fornicated before the would-be ruler. "Music!" He cried out, his voice hoarse and slurred from the burn of wine in throat and belly. His eyes, not quite focusing on the serpent-girl as she made her way to the small stage where musicians began to play.
Around the pillar at it's center she climbed, coiling about it, the cool marble felt luxurous against her scales, her hip, her back, as her arms reached outward and her voice slipped forth. Wordless and sweet as honeyed wine, yet more satisfying by far.
Her eyes settled, for a moment, upon the king before turning up to the shadow above him, behind him. Quickly she swept her gaze away, across the torchlit chamber. Her voice held an ethereal quality as it came back to her from the walls of marble and stone,echoing her melody back. It sussurated and surrounded the generals, the king.
And for a moment, there was peace as mouths hung open and turned toward Nabirye upon the column. The grunts of effort ceased, and even the players, still plucking harp and beating drum, dulled and quieted behind the resonance of her voice.
None saw the Scarlet Shadow drop from the balcony behind the king. But all heard the tenor of the song change when he landed. The distraction was broken, lifted like a veil from their eyes, as words broke through her song. What began as distraction became far more sinister in it's sussuration...
The Song of Doom began and Rudjet-Ka the Golden, Prince of Il'sha-ah, exile and would be king, felt the doom clutch upon his heart. Felt the weakness in his arms as he rose from his gilt throne, the nemes cloth on his head fallen to awkward angle by the sudden lurching motion. His hand found the hilt of his khopesh from the table...
And the Scarlet Shadow, his prey at hand, struck out at Rudjet's exposed back. A shallow cut, as the prince's inebriation and the song set him off weight, he screamed at the bite, nonetheless. And spun to see the masked face of his assassin.
The musicians broke and fled, scattering across the hall in terror and fear, for their patron's demise meant their own destitution if only for a time. The generals rose from stupor, from lust, eyes growing clearer as they looked to the interloper, the assassin with the strange hooked axe.
And the spell broke. Chaos began, fighting and blood, screaming and death. And above it all the song of Nabirye, ringing and clear, strong and empowered. She gave to the Scarlet Shadow great strength in her song, and in time, short time, the Song of Doom was fulfilled. Rudjet and his number lay dead.
Nabirye sought the arms of her lover, and the mask of the Scarlet Shadow raised for their kiss in the bloody aftermath.