I Am Torn By Two Sides of Myself [Private/Inami]

Within the magnificent throne room of chaya, a woman sat atop an obsidian throne. Her heterochromia luminous in the darkness, veritable lamplights in the inky blackness that spanned the entirety of the room. Her appearance was mostly hidden by the black fog-like demon energy that pulsated from her being, and the room was so very empty of servants and diplomats. The braziers that had illuminated the darkness had long since burnt down to cinder, the once roaring flames having been reduced to mere ember, faintly luminous, and quickly fading. The throne that once housed the whispers of the damned, and the instability of her power was… quiet. The throne room had always been a source of noise, be it merriment or screams, but now, the room was pervaded by a sullen silence.

Upon the walls, lay the tapestries and crests of notable demons within the nation of chaya, and at her back, the banner of their nation. Cast in noble obsidian, and framed by stalwart iron. Usually it lay gleaming in the flames, a beacon of sovereignty for their queen. A symbol of a nation that had weathered many Aeons-- and undoubtedly would continue to do so.

The chandelier in the antechamber was covered in a faint film of dust, and the doors screeched as they were pushed open by Inami’s sister. It was clear they had not been oiled in some time. It was however, that noise that drew the gaze of the being that sat upon the throne. A finger moving up to wipe away the tears that glistened upon her moon-kissed face. Her dull voice boomed across the room, echoing across obsidian tiles, and marble pillars.

”I think I already said I would not be seeing anyone today. Why have you di-”

Inami’s voice faded as she saw the one who had come in; Kuanastha. One of her many sisters, and one who she had a particularly… close, albeit complicated bond with. Despite the redness that faintly puffed up Inami’s eyes, and the exhaustion evident on her face, a weathered smile soon played upon her lips as her mouth parted to say.

”It’s good to see you-”

Before she could even utter the name of her sister, those words were interrupted. Kuanastha had come here with a reason, and it was one that once it left her sister’s fair lips, caused the final word sister to die upon her lips, choked back unbidden. Inami parted her lips once more as if to speak, as if to say something to refute such a request, and yet, her lips closed once more.

It would’ve been an interesting thing, to see the normally whimsical and confident face of the queen shift faintly between surprise, confusion, weariness, and inevitably, pain, sorrow, and grief. It would be oh so apparently that her heart was close to breaking, or maybe, it had already broken, for when the queen closed her eyes and bit her lip, she would not speak for a few moments.

”Is this what you truly want?”
Inami’s voice came out soft, a measured slowness barely quashing the many emotions she did not wish to burden her sister with. When her eyes opened, the whimsical gleam that usually shimmered within was gone, making the queen seem far older than she truly was. Studying her kin that stood before her, she couldn’t help but think to herself ”My love, my friends, my family.. It’s all crumbling down now. Maybe.. This is truly for the best.”

”This will change you, irreversibly so. It may even affect your personality, or even your memories. So I will ask again, Sister, are you sure you wish to do this?”

Despite herself, she didn’t let the words she truly wished to say aloud be uttered. She failed to say in her fear. ”Please don’t make me do this. I don’t wish to lose more than I already have. Sister dearest.”