Stars, stars everywhere
A bejeweled blanket
My mother and I
Standing on the edge of nowhere
The ship behind us, sitting on the ground
No lights, no movement
The silent bodyguard, perpetual frown

Not quite old enough to be a man
Excited at first
Too young to fully understand
Watched in awe and fascinating fear
Fire leaping from her hands
Summoning the daemons, from thin air

Everything I have son
She said
I gave to you
Pay attention
This is something you will have to do

They came from a hole
Blacker than the deepest reaches of space
Fear, hate and pain
Etched on every hideous face
Snapping, snarling, foaming at the mouth
The ice queen
Unperturbed, nary a wince
On your knees, she commanded
Pay your respects to your new prince

Blessed with an incredible memory
Enhanced by my birth ring
The ability to look once, hear once
Forget absolutely nothing
Hanging on her every move,
Every inflection, her every word 
Transfixed by a ceremony and a language 
few of my kind has ever heard

Recognized the moment for what it was though
Felt the power of each sentence as it left
her lips
Felt the searing heat as it burst from her fingertips

This was not just another show and tell
The first of many
It's my introduction to hell

Apprentice

The education of a king…