The Vampire Queen #2 in series

Chapter Two: The Ball

I wake up and notice Asa still sleeping. I crawl out of bed and get dressed in a lilac strapless dress. It goes just past my knees and for shoes I am wearing tan wedges. I walk into a parlor and one of my maids weaves my dark hair in a beautiful French braid. She places the crown on my head. I really need to get to know my staff better. After she's done I thank her. "This is truly beautiful. And what is your name?" I ask. "It's nothing your majesty. And my name is Elizabeth." She says gently. I smile warmly at her. She has straight, light brown hair that just reaches her shoulders, and big green eyes. What's your class?" I ask. "Oh I'm human." She answers shyly. "Can you be one of my personal head maids?" I ask. Her eyes light up. "Oh it would be an honor!" She exclaims happily. "Now I must go see the decorations on the ballroom for the big party coming up. Walk with me?" She nods and we walk to the ballroom together, chatting all the way. Turns out she has a mother who's a vampire, and since they live here in the kingdom, she works as a maid in my palace. She is very sweet and kind. When I walk into the ballroom my mouth drops open in shock. There's cream banners everywhere that says "long live the queen" and theres white tables with pink napkins on them folded into swans. There's a table with a matching cream lace tablecloth. It has food piled high on it. There's food that I don't even recognize, and a cake that looks magnificent. A butler tells me it is a cheesecake. He also informs me that waiters will be walking around with foods and drinks. There's even room for dancing, even with everything in there. My black marble throne with my family crest is on a raised platform. "Wow!" I finally say, and Elizabeth laughs. "Are parties always this fancy at the palace?" She nods, smiling. As we walk back to the parlor we bump into Asa in the hall. "Oh hey Sara! There you are, I was wondering where you went. Who's this?" He asks, pointing to Elizabeth. "This is my personal head maid, Elizabeth." I inform him. "Oh you can just call me Lizzie." She says quietly. Asa nods and smiles at her. "So Sara, do you want to watch a movie in the theater?" He asks, taking my hand. I check the time. It's lunchtime. I have enough time before my lesson with that jerkface Vincent. "Ok, but after lunch." I tell him. We all walk into the dining room. Bryer, Snow, and Akili are there, but Beth is missing. "Bryer do you know where your sister is?" I ask him. He shakes his hand at me, ignoring me since he's too busy kissing Snow. I glance at Asa and make a throwing up gesture. Him and Lizze laugh. Beth finally strolls in. "Hey you're late." I say. "Yeah I was doing something." Like Vincent? They're always flirting. I sit down, and after our feast me and Asa watch a horror movie in the theater. I missed my lesson, but whatever, I don't want to learn blood bending anyway and Vincent is probably too caught up with Beth to notice I didn't show up.

       I walk into my room so I can get ready for the ball. Lizzie chooses a beautiful Dark purple dress that is snug at the top, but at the waist blossoms down to the floor. I put on my matching heels and Lizzie weaves my crown into my hair, setting it up in a bun. She puts on my makeup, and that's how I learn that she is really good at making me look fabulous. She's awesome! I walk into the ballroom, guards opening the doors to reveal me in a dramatic entrance. I walk delicately to my throne and sit, perfectly poised. I know I have to look perfect for the people. After waiters serve glasses of the finest blood to all the tables a guard escorts me to my table. I hear a obnoxious voice. "You forgot your lesson. You can't just blow it off! You are required to go. No matter what, don't miss the next lesson!" Vincent hisses in my ear. Ugh. I forgot he was a guard. "I had a date!" I whisper shout at him. "Well too bad! Make out with your conceited boyfriend on your own time!" And he storms away. I can't believe he just said that about Asa! Jerk. Someone clicks their glass, and everyone makes a toast to me. That means I'm going to have to drink the blood. I hate drinking it, but I have to. I raise my glass, smiling gently, but as I drink the blood I can't help but wrinkle my nose at the thought of the human whose blood I'm drinking. Before anyone notices, the feast starts, and everyone digs in.

      After the feast people start dancing. Many people want to dance with me, and my feet are aching. "I think I'm done." I tell my partner with a smile, but before I can go someone sweeps me into their arms in a dance. I expect Asa, but it's Vincent. "What do you want? I'm only supposed to be dancing with guests, not guards!" I say sharply while smiling at people in a fake attempt to make myself look happy. "I'm not a guard now. I am in a suit, not armor, aren't I?" He says, amused. "I don't want to dance with you." I turn to leave as the last dance ends, but he grabs my wrist before I can step away. I want to punch him in his stupid eyepatch. He looks like a pirate. The minute everyone leaves, he pulls me close to him, pretending we're dancing. "Never miss another lesson again, or you'll be sorry." He says darkly, and leaves.