The Kingdom of Adam - named for its reign of mortality - has become desperate. In order to stop a war from happening between them and the Kingdon of Ghoul - named for its reign of immortal vampires - they make a deal: The mortal king's daughter wil...
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The dusty library was quiet and dark with no one but Wren, Mumfrie, and a shadow pet. It was a black cat with bright red eyes, his tail nothing but a shadow, same with his claws. He curled in Wren's lap, dirting her gown, but she didn't care. Wren loved the softness of his fur and shadow parts, and the feeling comforted her while Mumfrie began the difficult task of teaching Wren about words. Writing down every letter of the alphabet with "princess perfection" handwriting was deemed the most infuriating thing Wren had ever had to do.
She couldn't complain, however. Wren felt thankful that Mumfrie was kind enough to keep Wren's secret without asking too many questions. She believed Wren's lie explaining that her "father," King Leon, thought it wasn't in a woman's place to read or write, and he didn't want Wren to know anything about the Ghoul Kingdom. Mumfrie, who pitied Wren, took her to the library, gave a brief history of the Ghoul kingdom, and politely explained the origins of shadow pets.
Mumfrie explained that shadow pets were bonded creatures to the vampire who crafted them. A shadow pet is a creature whose soul has been pulled out of its body by a vampire, who then warps the creature's soul with a piece of their shadow before placing it back inside the animal. The animal is then bound to them and lives an immortal life until their master dies.
To Wren, it seemed like a dark method to not be lonely.
"No, no," Mumfrie tsked. "It's all so sloppy. It'll never pass as royal handwriting. Not to the prince."
Wren slumped into her seat and picked the shadow cat up, snuggling him into her face. He gave a low grumble as a response but otherwise seemed unbothered by the new affection.
"The prince will expect a response, too," Mumfrie muttered, holding onto the prince's unopened letter.
Wren tilted her head to the side while the shadow cat repositioned himself on her shoulder and chest. "Mumfrie. May you read it?"
"Oh!" Mumfrie was quick to turn her head. "Why, princess, I could not. That is an invasion of two royal's privacy."
Wren batted her eyelashes smoothly. "Yes, but Mumfrie, I wish to hear what my fiance has written to me. I wish to grow close to him despite the distance." But, in reality, Wren wanted insight on who she was about to marry and worse . . . destroy.
Mumfrie sighed but caved. She put on her spectacles, opened the lady, and began to read Prince Caspian's words as Wren closed her eyes and listened.
Dear Princess Daphne Adam,
This is the first of many letters I will be writing to you.
I've found myself over the past decade crafting multiple words to send your way,
But I've failed to commit to them as I wish to commit to you.
