Silver and Gold (Part Two of the Northern Kingdom Series)

Chapter Two

                "Yeah he does."

                "How do you know?"

                "He's told me." My voice was barely a whisper; I didn't think Austin would hear me. Naturally, he did. He gave me a sympathetic look and went to hug me. To get out of the depressing mood I was in, decided to get revenge for last night. When he went to hug me, I stomped on his foot.

                "Damn it, Juliet! I was trying to be nice!"

                "Listen, Austin." I stood up in front of him and glared.  "I don't need your sympathy, I don't need your kindness, and most of all, and I do mean most of all, I don't want it. Leave. Me. Alone."

                I finished dressing and stormed out the door. This place really brought out the worst in me. There was only one place I felt safe here, and that's where I went. My mother's orchard. Nala had prevented my father from destroying it. Even though Nala wasn't my mother, she had always treated me as her daughter. She knew how much my mum's orchard meant to me. Thanks to her, my special place wouldn't be destroyed in my lifetime.

                Mum's orchard had a gazebo in it. She had built it when I was three. It was as white as my hair, with enchanted silver and gold roses creeping around it. If a human were to see it, they would think they were in a paradise. After she died, I would come here almost every night to think. I loved the smell of the fruit and flowers, the sound of the night birds singing, and the gurgling of the stream. Everything about this place relaxed and calmed me. Here, I could forget that my father had put two children, three mistresses, one wife, and countless other beings to death. Here, it was almost like I was back home. No Austin, no annoying little siblings, no Father ruining my life. Nothing but my own peace and quiet.

                I'm not quite sure how long I sat there, but when I finally to head back to the castle, my father was waiting for me, furious.

                "Where have you been, Juliet?"

                "Where do you think, Father?" I tried to push past him, but he stopped me with a powerful arm.

                "Why must you constantly disobey me?" There was a small glint of sadness in his eyes.

                "Oh, Father, I don't know. I guess it's just in my blood." I couldn't stop the words before they came out of my mouth. I knew I shouldn't have said it, and when I felt his fist on my cheek, I wasn't surprised.

                "Insolent child, remember to whom you speak." His voice was deep and saturated with anger. I just stared defiantly at him. I felt, rather than saw, the dark blood dripping down my cheek.

                "Trust me, Father, I could never forget." I knew that in his eyes, he was once again staring in the face of my mother. He was remembering their last exchange of words before her death.

                "Go..."

                "To my room, yeah, I already know. As if I hadn't been told that a thousand times." As I brushed past him, I could have sworn I saw the faintest smile on his lips.

                I knew my insolence could possibly cause my death, and my father had proved more than capable of killing of those he supposedly loved. I couldn't believe Nala had lasted so long. But then again, she did as she was told and had no opinion of her own. I loved her and all, but she was kinda annoying. And so far, the worst punishment I had received for being and individual was 'banishment.' I was never truly banished; I wouldn't have inherited the crown if he had banished me in the proper form. Nope, I was just lucky enough to move to my own house on my father's orders.

                When I got to my room, my face was burning from the cut.

                "Damn him, he was probably wearing that damned moonstone ring." Moonstone was the only material that could really harm a vampire, minus the sun. I knew my father often wore his moonstone ring, gold plated so the moonstone wouldn't harm him. Just those who pissed him off, which I managed to, do frequently.

                "What happened?" Austin was still in my room, though it looked as if he had bathed during my absence.

                "None of your damned business." I grabbed some gauze out of the supply cabinet, soaked it in water, and dabbed away the blood. It stung like hell. I winced in pain.

                "It is my business if some took a swipe at my wife with a moonstone." He was standing right behind me now, and I had to resist the urge to elbow him in the stomach.

                "I was my father, you twit. What are you going to do about it?" He seemed taken aback at my words.

                "Your dad hit you?"

                "No darling," I purred in a falsetto. "I did this to myself and decided to blame daddy dearest for it." I shot his an evil glare.

                "I'm sorry."

                "Piss off." I threw the gauze in the sink, walked over to the mini fridge, and grabbed a bag of blood. I didn't even bother putting it in a goblet, like a proper crown princess would; rather, I drank it straight from the bag. Austin looked at me and raised an eyebrow, so I threw him one, hitting him in the face.

                "Why in the hell are you so bloody sour?"

                "Long story."

                "Wanna talk about it?"

                "Once again, mind your own damned business." I slammed the bathroom door shut, trying to drown out his voice. I was not having a good time out of retirement. I had never intended on taking throne. Charlotte had a twin brother, Connor, but he tried to kill her and our father, so he was executed. Then Lottie was caught sleeping with a human, so she died, leaving me with the responsibility of uniting the Northern and Southern Kingdoms.

                After taking an entirely to long bath, I returned to my room. Austin was already asleep in my bed. Once again, I had to resist the temptation to push him off the bed, or cause some other form of harm to him. I wasn't usually so hateful, but something about him really irked me. Maybe it was the fact that his disgusting sister had planned on killing my sister and father, and then succeeded in having my sister executed. Damned bitch got what she deserved when they strapped her to the moonstone for treason.

                "Ugh."

                "Wazza matter?"

                "Go to sleep, Austin." I didn't want to talk to him; I didn't want to look at him. I wanted to go to sleep and I wanted to go home. I hoped that in a few days time, I would be able to return to my mother's old estate and live out my days in peace. Sure, I was married now, much to my dislike, but there was no way Austin could possible think.... Yuck. The mere thought of it makes me sick. I didn't want to end up like either of my parents. I knew I would be required to produce an heir, but I figured I'd get lucky, Austin would have an affair, and I would adopt the kid, putting it in line for the throne. Nala had done it, why couldn't I?

                Drifting off to sleep was harder than I thought it would be. Not only was Austin snoring, but he also talked in his sleep. He kept saying Annalee's name, talking about his home, and then the shocker.

                "Juliet... I love you..."

                What the hell?!