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IT TOOK UNTIL MIDNIGHT to round up any remaining silvers in the capital, the few who fled, fled into the cursed forest. The Druids were beside Rena in moments after their arrival, Anjou was in the middle of the crowd assisting in any way she could to calm the situation. Sebastian and Drake soon followed, leaving behind a drunken king. Beside Rena, Alexander stood tall, greeting the Druids and Zenopias as they arrived with water and bandages.
The midnight sky was warm, the air smelled of stale iron with sulfur and musk. Rena spotted in the distance the orphans, bruised, in an instant she was beside them, wrapping them up in her arms. Noticing it was their teacher, they embraced her tight. Their tears staining her dress. She held them close, humming them her lullaby, and soothing their spirits. One gazed up at her, taking notice of her Druids behind her.
“Your majesty, we must escort you to safety. Orders of the queen.” The Druid announced, placing a metal gloved hand upon her shoulder.
“I will be here making sure these children are safe, she will understand.” She snapped, taking the hand of a boy, who was gawking at the Druid.
“Tell the queen, I am protecting the princess, she has nothing to fear.” It was Alexander who spoke up, picking up a girl and placing her on his shoulders. “The princess here, obviously has a close connection with these children, it would be cruel to tear them apart, given the circumstances.” He continued. The Druid bowed and vanished from sight, leaving the princess in the care of the King of Kindred.
“Thank you, your majesty, I don’t think I can part with the children right now, I believe the headmistress may have been—”
“Do not fret, you’ll only worry the children more, princess.” His words were kind, kinder still were his eyes as he gazed upon the Princess of Arisite. “You are brave, standing against all of those Silvers.” He chuckled. The people of Casai started gathering around them, tears and smiles blending together.
“I could not let them die, nor could I allow them to harm any more people.” She replied, still holding the children, their cries soon stopped and smiles returned even for a moment, her heartfelt relief, the children had hardly any injury. “Children, please tell me, do you know where mistress Sarah is?” She finally asked, waiting for an answer, the children shook their heads.
“No, she told us to hide and she would return, but she never returned and we all were scared, so we came to find you, since you said once that you stay here some nights.” The oldest girl explained, her eye bruised, with a small bundle wrapped in her arms. Rena stood up, kissing the girl on the head, and taking the infant from her. Alexander watched, intrigued by the girl. The children and the people of Casai surrounded her, mothers holding their children close as they hold out their hands to her, husband’s weeping over the death of their wives and children. The girl did not notice her impact on these citizens. She had barely stood to her feet and looked around to see her people, praising and blessing her.
“May the Guardians watch over you princess.” They cheered, still wary of the dangers that lurked, the children at her feet held tightly to her skirts, walking in step with her as she started walking towards the palace, Alexander was besotted and entranced, a light came from within her soul, she was strong, stronger than he had originally thought.
“Princess, are you hurt?” Drake approached, covering her ripped dress beneath his black silk cape. His eyes wandered onto the children at her side. “Whose children are these?” He asked, still leading her towards the palace, the children never leaving her side.
“They are orphans, I will be watching them for now. Tell my father that I am safe and he needn’t worry.” Rena replied, still soothing the children, the palace gates opened, the Druids marching at each side of the nobles.
The children were entranced at the beauty of the nobles within the palace, and the glittering gold ceiling and paintings of ancient beast and serpents. Following the grand staircase, their little eyes wondered at the pearl colored walls, with the dark blue curtains that were tied together letting the moonlight in. Rena had ordered some extra beds to be delivered into her room, and a crib for the newborn, along with a wet nurse; the children all crowded around her, each one waiting to be tucked into bed. Drake stood at the side of her room, watching the princess, tell the children bedtime stories as she bundled them in the sheets.
‘Hush little ones, go now to sleep. Wake in the morning, with the peace. Hush little ones, dream of peace. Let the world go gracefully.’ Rena hummed, kissing each orphan on the forehead. Drake smiled.
“Majesty, your father is expecting us in the council chamber, may I escort you?” He bowed, his hair tied neatly with a red silk ribbon.
“Yes, you may, now hush before you wake the children,” Rena replied, leaving the room and closing her chamber door quietly.
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Amelia ran fast through the forest with Lucille on her back, the weight of him slowing her down at each frantic turn. The branches beneath her feet snapped, she continued forward, her breathing sharp as the air around her tightened around her lungs. Behind them, the monsters emerged from the ground, and the trees, their screams echoing through the winding road ahead, the claws of each beast reaching out for the weakest, lusting for his soul and flesh.
Give, give, give. The creatures continued to screech.
Their teeth biting at her heels from the shadows, she narrowed her eyes, kicking off the smaller of the beasts. Her heart was pounding against her chest as she dodged the grips of a group of Devils their skeletal hands outstretched and covered in soil and blood. Their four teeth dull, and dripping with poison, their eyes the size of a needle watching their prey run.
Eat. Blood. Flesh. The voices cried.
Amelia shielded Lucille, her angelic eyes glowing, she pushed through the tangled webs of the forest, controlling her breathing, and clutching onto Lucille. She felt a sudden rush of energy burst through the trees, her eyes widened with terror. The creature stood before her, its limbs stretching out towards them, his presence manipulating the landscape around them, she was surrounded by boulders and stones, and decaying sticks and small dead trees. The fog circling around them as the beast approached. She took a deep breath, calming her nerves and focusing her energy away from the illusion. A light dripped down gently upon her cheeks, the moonlight, leading a path to safety. A woman’s voice echoed through her head, it was gentle, filled with love and care.
Go. Taking the warning, Amelia jolted towards the open path, escaping the grips of the large beast behind them, its roar trembled the ground, and the smaller creatures hid behind one another.
“Cursed child, you will not make it out of this forest alive.” He hissed, his voice slamming against the air around Lucille and Amelia. She continued to run, her legs straining and burning, she pushed herself, following the light ahead of her. Glancing back, she caught sight of the monster’s grey eyes in the shadows, it had opened its jaws, displaying razor-sharp teeth. In had begun to screech, awakening a beast that had been thought to have died thousands of years ago.
The corrupted elemental of earth; it emerged from its slumber shaking and breaking the ground beneath her feet. Its eyes pierced right through her soul, its skull was large, behind the skull was melted flesh, with hollow black bug like eyes, the creatures back hunched, disfigured as it lumbered against the trees, its jaw held no teeth just sharpened bone that could slice through flesh. It raised one large brown hand high above its head and slammed it down, causing the earth to shake. Amelia fell into a crack in the land, reacting quickly to catch Lucille before he fell to his death.
“Gods be damned, come on Lucille, we must make it back to our mistress.” Amelia shouted, lifting his limp body back onto the solid earth. Feeling the sting of the corrupted elementals soul cry out, the pain shot through Amelia. She clutched tightly onto her heart as she crawled over to Lucille, biting back her screams. Her eyes frantically searched for the light, ahead she placed her hand on him, sending a light of life through him, waking him from his unconscious state. His wounds still not healed, she began to lose consciousness. Lucille stood above her, his grey eyes intense, lifting her up he sprinted away from the beast.
Stopping suddenly, holding tight onto the girl, looking below the cliffs edge, beneath was water so black the cursed lands were growing.
“Amelia, can you swim?” His voice was low, she nodded slowly. “Hold your breath,” Lucille demanded, jumping off the cliff and diving into the rapid below of Ai’w sea. The waves swallowed the two, pulling them out to the ocean, trying to hold on, the water had pulled the two apart, sending Lucille to the Ai’w shores on the cost of Casai, and Amelia brought to the cursed black beach of Isadora.
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Month: Trais-18th—Year: 1511
It had been three days since Victoria had left the capital, it was just before the riots began. Luckily, she had brought her closest friend and cousin, Liliana to accompany her on her journey. At the gates of Isadora, the fog was thick, the smell of the Ai’w sea was beside them—the sand black and smooth at the edge, the ocean itself was lifeless. The air suffocated the life around the abandoned city. No birds or insects enter this deserted place. Liliana clutched her cousin’s arm, her sea-green eyes moving rapidly searching for movements beneath the surface. The air was colder here, the sun barely escaped above the dark black clouds. The gate was rusted, brittle, the castle beyond was crumbling, the stone covered in black vines, the glass shattered around the town’s roads. The grand wooden doors shattered at the hinges. The stained blood covering the embedded claw marks from the massacre that happened many thousand years ago. The ghosts of the past roamed these lands, wondering unable to find peace in the heavens.
Victoria entered the gates, ignoring the whispers of pain from the city. The stench of death and despair strangled the atmosphere, holding tightly onto each other, the women quietly walked through the decaying town. The bones of victims never buried. They continued through, making their way to the cathedral. That is where she was to deliver the letter, after a few moments, they found the cathedral. It still held its majestic beauty, the stone glistening against the moonlight, the vines circling perfectly around the building, the stained-glass window gleamed red, yellow and green, it was as if this specific building was untouched, undamaged. Stepping onto the steps, Victoria searched the chapel, the chairs lined perfectly, the marble floor smooth like silk. At the front of the chapel, sat a man. Playing the organ, the melody shifting the mood, the melancholy of the land, the music filled the chapel with a heaviness, their hearts racing as the organ flowed into a soft, sad symphonic sound, whispers all-around of ancient Guardians, and the humans who resided within these walls. The girls could not move, the melody held them captive as it increased with a deep resonance, their hearts sinking to their stomachs as the man turned to them.
His ash blonde hair greying at the sides, his eyes changing color as he looked at the two vampyres. He held no emotion towards them, he stepped down the steps, dressed in all black, as if in mourning. The chapel began to dissipate before their eyes, the once grand beautiful room was now broken, decayed, covered in mold and dried blood. The chairs turned over broken, claw markings along the walls followed by broken rusted swords. Victoria could feel death, the devastation that had transpired here before her birth. Her pale hands were shaking, uncontrollably. Her skin felt warm, hollow and cold all in one as the man approached her. Standing above her, his lips closed, his eyes changing from red, to yellow and white.
“My husband sent me, to deliver this letter.” Victoria stuttered, pulling the sealed letter out of her pocket. The man raised an eyebrow, taking the letter from the frightened vampyre.
“You may leave.” His voice was hoarse, his face never showing any sign of emotions except that his eyes had changed from white to orange. Something that Victoria and Liliana were both too terrified to ask. There was a sudden howl in the distance, shaking them to the core, the hairs on their necks standing. The man looked up from the letter, staring between the vampyres.
“You better leave before the wolves pick up your scent. These walls will not protect you.”
“Are you Simon? The man my husband told me to bring this letter to?” she asked, hearing the nervousness of her voice. The man smiled, his teeth smooth except for two long canines. his eyes shifted, they resembled that of the moon and sun, night and day. Purple and white, circling each other never touching.
“I am, now, as I have said before, these walls will not protect you from the beasts to come. Leave.” Simon answered, no lies in the depths of his eyes, in an instant he was gone, two single feathers left behind, white and black.
“Come cousin, we must leave now.” Liliana pulled Victoria towards the shattered door, sprinting out of the city itself. The fog was thickening as they left the city gates, at the edge of the gate near the sea, a girl lay unconscious. Victoria cautiously approached her, Amelia? Her eyes widened, confused on how a simple servant girl had gotten here. She must have known this was a cursed place. Liliana lifted the girl in her arms, checking her vitals, quickly her fear rising as the howls echoed in the distant, closing in.
“She is alive, but we must get her to my medical station quickly,” Liliana assured, holding the young girl tightly as they vanished from the lands, their speed undetected by the human eye, they had run fast, faster than they had ever before. The full moon above them, setting down into the seabed as the twilight approached.
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Month: Trais-20th—Year: 1511
It had been nearly a week since the riot, and Dymitri was more irritable at the affection the peasants were giving to his sister. Her smile made him sick, the rage boiled deep within him as he watched the children circle around her in the garden. How their grandmother, had admired her from the shadows, it all made him sick to his core. Walking through the halls, he listened carefully, gathering all gossip and scandal he could against his low born sister. There was a racket in the halls amongst the servants, Lucille had ended up at the beach, half dead and broken. Rena was the first at his bedside. Whore. his thoughts remained so, the gossip had entailed that she was sleeping in his bed, he ignored those, knowing full well his little sister would never risk her dignity in such a manner. She could be sleeping with him—like the blacksmith, but he knew otherwise. Lucille would never risk such scandal to her, especially with the blood oath, Dymitri smiled, chuckling to himself as he passed the children playing. The nobles stopped him once or twice, requesting favors and pardons of sorts.
Ignoring them, he strolled slowly down the hallway, the tapestries were plum, with the Kindred flag and symbol entwined with the Arisite crest. Alexander had made an appearance of the unorthodox kind, appearing before his sister in the middle of Casai square, dressed in commoner clothing, the cur. The sun was high in the sky, the old generation of vampyres had locked themselves away, Alexander of Kindred was also asleep, and Rena—Rena, why must it all come to her. He bit his tongue, tasting the metallic liquid slide down his throat. He had passed her chambers, opening the door silently, peering into the room.
She laid with three children holding onto her waist from her back and two cuddling into her stomach and bosom. They looked peaceful, she looked peaceful. It was a soft glow about her that the people loved and he loathed. He closed the door, walking away, ignoring the jealousy. He approached Drake’s chambers, knowing the old vampyre lord would still be awake, Dymitri knocked.
“Come in.” He heard Drake’s voice from the other side of the door. Dymitri entered the room, seeing the nobleman sitting in his room, he had looked as if he was rekindling a memory long since passed. The room was dark, the thick crimson red curtains prevented any light from entering his room, the room smelled of thick musk, wine and sex. With only a candlelight lit, beside him as Drake skimmed over documents of treaties and arranged marriages.
“Majesty, what do I owe the honor?” Drake smiled, bowing his head to the young duke.
Dymitri’s eyes focused on the drained human girl, unconscious and naked, covered in bite marks. He narrowed his blue eyes. Shifting his focus back to the most powerful man in the kingdom.
“We need to discuss a delicate matter, Trinity.” He said, crossing his arms, and standing firm. Drake watched him for a moment, taking the glass of blood to his lips, motioning for the young prince to sit.
“And what delicate matter could that be, majesty?” Drake hissed, his voice changing the mood, his eyes dilating, the air thickening as Dymitri felt his heart grow heavy, the rage he had been repressing rising to his throat.
“Gaining the kingdom’s support for me to be the king, after the riot and Rena standing for them and the silvers, they will never support me so long as she is here, and capable of ruling.” He began, his fingers trembling, Drake raised his eyebrow a crooked smile crossing his lips, his ember eyes sparkling in the candlelight.
“I see, that could be a dilemma. However, if I may be frank with your highness, perhaps, if you were to show more kindness like your sister, the people would be keener to kneel before you. Or...” He paused, placing his index finger and thumb to his pointed chin.
“Go on.” Dymitri snapped impatiently.
“Perhaps, there could be some way for us to arrange that I win the Kingstrials, and win her hand. I would be able to then take her to my home in Glaita, where she will be of no threat to you.” Drake continued, standing from his chair and circling Dymitri, placing his hands upon his shoulders.
“Are you suggesting, instead of winning honorably, you want to cheat the games, and what if my father were to betroth her to Alexander for a secure treaty?” Dymitri began to protest, feeling a sharp pain hit his stomach, an emotion he had not understood, being twisted like a knife, his mind filling with fog.
“Now, let’s not get ahead of ourselves, Sebastian will not marry his precious and only daughter to that brute of man, that thinks himself a kind king. No, he will want her close, that he can still reach out for her when he needs to. Do you understand Dymitri, you will never be as wanted as she is. But you will take the crown for yourself.” Drake’s voice rang into Dymitri’s ear like a soft melody that flowed gently with the sea breeze. Dymitri was entranced, his emotions calm, his eyes glazed over as he continued to whisper into his ear. “Now go your highness. We will be needing rest for the feast this evening.” Drake smirked, leading him out of his chambers and into the dark empty hallway.