As the Vampire Realm prepares for battle against a mysterious enemy, the city's captiol is thrown into mayhem once the lost Princess returns to reclaim her throne. There's just one small problem, the Princess is human.
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"And that, dear Empress, is why I cannot consume anything without knowing its exact ingredient." Elias wiped his clean fingers over the napkin. The son of Switzerland's Prime Minister.
He had barely touched the exquisite platter of breakfast foods. He had glanced at its presentation and mouthed something about too much oil usage.
The Empress, sat across from the young man. She watched as he pushed away the plate of untouched food.
The Chef who stood by the rectangular dining table, gaped in astonishment. How wasteful! If looks could kill, then Elias would truly be dead right now.
"Chef," The Empress barked, "you understand what the nuisance acquires?" Elias hadn't even been here a full day, and she already wanted to wring his neck.
"Nuisance?" Elias cried incredulously. "Empress, I will have you know, foods infused with oil make my skin distressed." He pinched his cheeks, "and trust me, I'm not pleasant when my skin is distressed."
"Pleasant," she hissed, "you're not pleasant now."
"Exactly," he smiled, "which means I can be worse." Elias tossed his napkin on the table. "Clearly, you don't understand my troubles."
"Clearly!" She shouted before looking at her personal chef. "Please Chef, see to it that Josef's boy gets his preferred meals."
Chef crossed his arms, glaring at the curly haired boy, who was busy staring at his reflection in a spoon.
The chef smiled at The Empress, "Of course, your grace." Then he heaved the plate of discarded food. "It seems the people of Switzerland, have lost all sense in the culinary arts." He muttered something under his breath about chewing cardboard, as he walked into the kitchen.
"I shall take a tour of the tower, where is that old man, Chief?" Elias questioned while rising to his feet. "He has such thick hair, I'll need to know his secret."
She waved her hands out in exasperation, "yes, I'm sure my Chief of Commands has nothing better to do, then to entertain you with a tour and give you hair care tips."
"You see," he nodded in agreement, "great minds really do think alike." Elias bowed to her. Then he was off, ready to explore the thirty floors of the mysterious kingdom.
The Empress, brought a full cup of her breakfast, to her lips and sipped slowly.
As Elias departed through the open doors of the dining hall, he passed an incoming Octavius. Elias shuddered with revulsion as his eyes passed over the man's face.
Octavius, turned to watch Elias stalk out of the hall.
"Who was that?" The deep baritone of his voice echoed through the room.
The Empress put down her cup and shook her head. "An abomination."
Octavius walked around the table and seated himself at her left.
Just as she was about to ask him about the Undead Army, The Empress lost her train of thought. "What happened to your face?" Her eyes followed the path of the fresh stitches barely holding his cheek together. "It looks like your face has been gutted open."
"I was following a lead to a nest of humans, when a group of Rebels attacked me." Octavius paired together a truth and lie to give her a short summary. Of course, he left the part out where he was secretly selling humans on the black market.
The Empress didn't take her eyes off him as she mulled over his words. "Thats where you've been for the last two days? Hunting human nests?" She questioned him.
Octavius held her gaze even though he was sure she could read through his agitation. He had thought she would tear open his stitches, with demands for the truth. But, as the woman brought the cup to her lips Octavius confirmed his theory, she was slipping. Slowly but surely, The Empress was succumbing to her paranoia.
"How many Knights are stationed at the Blood Bank, this very moment?" She asked.
He didn't hesitate to answer, "123, My Empress. Did something occur in my absence?"
She chuckled at him darkly, "you're gone two days and you think I can't handle my empire in that time frame?"
"No," he assured her, "that wasn't what I-"
She held up her hand, her green eyes cut through him. "As of now I want the Blood Bank, to be protected by the Undead Army. Have them circle the base perimeter. About fifty of them should do."
"But the citizens aren't accustomed-"
"You think I give a fuck about what the citizens are accustomed to? I don't employ you to suggest ideas, but to enact what I say, when I say." She narrowed her eyes at him. "Did that injury go to your head and loosen the bolts in your brain? Are you no longer fit to be a Lord of Paris?"
He shook his head, "No your majesty, I'll see to it within the hour."
"Grand" she stood up and pointed at the door, "make sure two Knights accompany that boy wherever he goes."
Octavius stood up and confirmed that he would do so right away. He watched as The Empress left the room. At her departure his face contorted with a sneer. He truly hated the woman. That look was quickly wiped off when she backtracked to the hall.
"Before I forget," she cooed, "if you ever leave without consulting me first, I'll mark that as treason." She didn't say what would happen if he disobeyed her.
Octavius bowed to her once more and knew that if she caught him, she'd carve more then just his face.
