No I don't own HellBoy. Just any Oc characters and plots that don't belong to the movies or comics! Please review and of course Enjoy!

Chapter 11: Nuada's Past And The Crown

Cassandra was the first to wake. She looked up at the sleeping prince and smiled. She hadn't slept this good in ages. His body was so warm and surprisingly so comfortable even with the scars, muscles, and slightly rough large hands he received from training. He was fun to torture and his reaction where adorable. Yep she thought he was adorable alright. She might be a bit nuts for thinking that, but that was the way her thoughts went on the subject. Cassandra would have to be careful when she showed her attention to Nuada. She knew her friends and family would keep it quiet, but Manning or Johann... God forbid the headache. Those two would try to get something done about it, but he was her's dammit.

She rolled away with an annoyed sigh. Does everything had to be so freaking complicated?! Her mind yelled as she dressed and then brushed her teeth before leaving to do research, but stopped half way when she spotted the book Hellboy was reading. "Nice... thanks Red." she whispered as she took the book and left for the library the book tucked under her arm humming her way down the hall. She didn't need to watch him all the time. After all only she could find those two crown pieces and they weren't in that room... well at least not at the moment.

Cassandra was the only one in the room luckily enough. She placed the throw pillows on the love seat so she could lean against the arm chair more comfortably. Their was a sudden tightness in her chest as she leaned forward to place the pillows on the couch. Pain followed like something was crushing her insides. "Damn..." she whispered to herself. "I need to find a better place to put that..."

She quickly sat down and the pain slowly eased as she become comfortable. "Now... lets see what all the fuss is about." Cassandra said softly that HellBoy had graciously marked for her.

She opened the book and began to read something she wished she hadn't...

Many years before the war began and the Golden Army was forged, Prince Nuada loved another of the name Ailis (Irish form of Alice), a woman as fair as moonlight and as beautiful as the stars in the sky. She was said to be a gentle being and know to be kind to all beings that crossed her path. She was a woman impossible not to love and the young experienced prince fell for her more than any other at first sight alone.

"How very foolish," Cassandra whispered to herself a bit bitter. "Love doesn't happen at first sight and that only happens in fairytales."

She however was not a Fae, but human instead. There had been no rarer beauty in the land with hair the color of golden wheat, eyes as blue as a clear summer sky, and her scent of honey sickles smoothed the soul. Ailis was a princess of the human king that shared the lands. Somewhere his father had declare he was to never venture into.

Loving her and to even look upon her was a crime Prince Nuada couldn't help, but to commit. Like a moth to a flame he watched her and protected her in shadows of the forest for she sometimes wandered there. However the young prince, who lack all experience in love, could not see what lied beneath such a delicately carved face or what would come.

One day Prince Nuada had enough. He gathered his courage and picked the best flowers from the gardens of the palace. His sister had warned him not to. She did not want her brother to be hurt from being rejected and perhaps some of her fear was that she might loss him to the mysterious girl he had been hiding from even her. Nuala felt dread enter her heart as he left to find his love.

Her robes where silver in color as she kneeled over a small pounded with the moonlight just over head. She seemed more than a human in that moment. More like an angel that had came to Earth. Nuada found his heart pounded nervously in his chest as he approached. Swallowing his nerves he cleared his throat not sure if his presence would scare her or not.

"After all this time you let yourself be known to me? What changed?" asked a bell like voice that come from Ailis. She gave a soft curt laugh as she turned to him. Her eyes where unreadable as she smiled at him. "Well that is surprising, elf. Are those flowers for me?"

"Yes, I..." he said muster himself, "I, Prince Nuada have... fallen for you, my lady. Your kindness and beauty ever out shines the most beautiful of any gem or flowers could ever be given."

She gasped in a false surprise, "Your the elvish prince in the land which is forbidden to enter? I recognize the royal emblem! I knew you where an elf, but never a... prince!" Ailis said as she stood to approach him. Her eyes fluttered beautifully in such a practiced manner it was graceful as her eyes sparkled in the moonlight.

"I am," he said a bit surprised by her closeness.

She took his hand, "To be with you would be like in the fairytales. Two people from different worlds over coming all odds to be together. I'd love that if were our happy ever after."

His hand held hers a bit more tightly, "It can be," he told her with all his heart.

Behind her so unreadable eyes she new just what to do next. So much preparation had been done for this moment. The setting before them was perfect... a bit to perfect even for her taste. She looked away, "I... wish that could be so, but" she became tearful as she returned her gaze, "father wishes for me to wed another. I'm sorry."

Nuada could not see the act behind her tears, "Is there nothing we can do?" he asked her softly.

"Only if my fiance where gone would I be free to marry who I chose," she whispered as tears fell down her face.

He could not stand to see the lovely creature cry like this so her pull her close and whispered in her ear. "You will be. Here take this a token of my love." Prince Nuada had handed her his favorite dagger as a sign of his love, his trust, and his protection as was tradition. He had no idea the darkness in mortal hearts and even some in fae, but he would learn. It would be a lesson he would never forget and it would change him... forever.

….

"Tis' how you predicted father. He fell for the charm," Ailis said to her father her eyes cold as death as she held her necklace that graced her throat. It was a silver chain with a small ruby gem held at it's end. "He will do it and then all your dreams will soon follow."

"That is good my lovely daughter," Sad a man who's features where shadowed by darkness in the dully lite room. Only his cruel black eyes could be seen in the darkness. "Soon everything will be mind. Make the preparation as soon as this fiance falls war will commence without delay. How very enticing this chaos and the rage it would cause the people." A cold evil laugh followed his words that sent a chill even down his daughter's spine.

War was coming... and they would be blood.

….

Several days later the King's soon to be son-in-law who was greatly loved by both the people and their so called fair king or so everyone thought was found dead that morning. Nuada's dagger he had given to Ailis was found near the body covered in blood and the crest of his house lay upon it. The people cried out for justice. None knew they had been tricked... none except Nuada who now dwelled in the dungeons.

He had went to see his love the night before to be met instead by guards who placed him in chains. Nuada had not slain the princess's fiance, but he was blamed for it nevertheless. He never would of if the man meant no harm to himself or to his love. Nuada had yet to confess to his father of intentions toward the human princess. So no one of his house knew where he was, but perhaps his sister would. Even so it might be to late by the time they arrived to his rescue.

They where to late.

The princess came to him a little later that day. His blood covered dagger in hand. "My poor elven prince." she said a cold smile on her face. "Being blamed for the king-to-be's death how very tragic."

"No... it... was you?" he said.

"Who else would have your favored dagger that did the deed? Yes, I know the tradition where you give your intended your most priced dagger. To love, to trust, and to protect. Is the phrase for such a thing an engagement. He didn't die well. He begged like a dog in the end. Of course those that come into my care often do. Can't blame him really. I just have a way with a blade like no other." She said her voice cheerful as she spoke.

Nuada could not believe his own ears by the truth was clear in her empty eyes. "I trusted you. How could you do this?!" he demanded.

Her smile widen enjoy the pain in those eyes of his. "Trust? Oh how silly of you. You trusted a lie and a simple charm given to me by one of your fae lords how wants your father's throne. Of course I plan to betray him as well. Father wants what he wants. My fiance's death was unavoidable. To start wars one must make sacrifices." She giggled as she ripped the charm around her throat away. It was the ruby necklace he never seen her without. Her features dulled completely. Her beauty gone and in it's place was a cruel and heartless devil. How could he not see behind such a spell? How was he fooled so harshly?

"Speechless I see," she continued. "Don't blame yourself for not seeing past it. Tis' quite normal for it was made special just for you. Yes so much had to be don't to enthrall you into loving me. It was boring. You had nothing worth to even look at. A waste of my time really, but not without benefits the drums of war have already started. Your people with fall and my father will rule it all then at he wish."

"Did... you come here... to just gloat?" Nuada demanded both angry and hurt. Hurt for his heart was breaking and angry for being so stupid that he fell for a lie. He was so blinded by beauty he did not try to look beyond that. Now his people would suffer for it. His farther was right he should of never come here. These humans where selfish and hollow creatures.

"Oh not just that," she said as she licked some of the blood off his dagger. "I'm here for one other reason. I hear you and your sister are connected through a bond." Ailis came forward with the dagger and stabbed his cheek with it.

Nuada groaned in pain in her enjoyment as she twisted the dagger. He could feel not just his own pain but his sister as well. Nuala was screaming.

"One that if one is hurt so is the other. Now let's finish starting this war shall we?" She said slicing deeply across his face from cheek to cheek. Placing this lesson upon his face permanently and he screamed. With ever mark she placed the blacker his heart turned.

….

"Fuck this book!" Cassandra yelled throwing the book across the room in anger tears. How dare that bitch hurt him! How could someone be so damn cruel?

"What did the book ever do to you?" Liz asked dodging the very book she had thrown.

"It pissed me off is what it did!" Cassandra growled.

"Really?" Liz flipped to the mark page and read what she had. "Oh... so that's why he's so..."

"Cruel? Broody? Pain in the ass? Yes! Who the hell does that to a person? To start a war for more power and land? What's that all worth in the end? Nothing!" Cass said frustrated. "She hurt him so badly.

"May I?" Liz gestured to the couch Cass had sat in.

She nodded as she twisted on the couch to let Liz sit next to her. "I hate this Ailis person and her father. I feel guilty for reading that book to. I feel as if I'm prying into something I've should of asked to do so first. It feels a bit to personal. Nuada wouldn't want me to look into something like this right? But at least I understand where some of his way of thinking comes from. Maybe the rest was from even more bad experiences with humans... I don't know. How to I heal a trust and kindness that was broken so long ago?"

"Tell him you read it. You didn't know, but keeping secrets aren't always the greatest thing to do." Liz told her. "Trust me I know. Trust goes both ways, you know?"

"Yeah your right, but I'm still not telling him were I hid the crown pieces. Nuala still has her's of course."

"Why didn't you destroy them?" Liz asked.

"Because, that would leave people like you, HellBoy, Abe, and the rest of us without something to protect us from the humans. Humans have nukes and the golden army is our nuke. Figuratively speaking, of course. Hopefully it's weapons none of use ever have to use."