Chapter 4 - Expected
Alana glanced up at the sound of approaching feet and closed the book in her lap; hiding it behind the cushions of the lounge she was sat on.
"Alana?" she heard Ville call out to her. "Are you here?" Hesitantly, Alana stood and stepped around the rows of shelves concealing her from his view...then immediately wished she'd remained hidden as she saw he was with two others. But Ville gave her an encouraging smile as she made herself walk towards the trio at the other end of the vast room. "My love, I wish to introduce you to my parents..." he turned to face the older looking vampires as Alana reached him, and he put an arm about her shoulders as he bowed his head slightly. "Your majesties... this is my mate...Alana..."
"I appreciate the effort, my son," the king, his father, smiled. "But you needn't be so formal."
"She's a delicate flower, isn't she?" the queen murmured gently as she looked Alana over. "There is most definitely a grace to how she walks that will serve her well as a Royal..." she trailed off as Alana held her head a little higher, nothing but displeased with being scrutinised so openly. "And defiant..."
"Sometimes." Ville agreed with a slight smirk at Alana, but she held her tongue as he spoke again. "But I believe it to be one of her finer qualities... she'll never take anything at face value, and always look for the truth of a situation before passing judgement on what merely feels right."
"Not exactly fighting the bond..." his father observed with a chuckle. "But not exactly allowing it to blossom into what it could be either." He looked from Ville to Alana. "No wonder you two are tense."
"Oh hush, Vladimir!"
"Are you forgetting the trouble you gave me, Elizabetta, when we were first courting?" the king smirked down at his wife.
"I simply refused to see you until I was sure of myself." The queen shrugged unceremoniously. "I didn't want to find out that what I felt was merely whim." She paused for a breath. "No matter if it were mine... or yours."
"That I understand..." Alana murmured quietly, freezing in place when all three vampires turned to look at her. "Sorry..."
"No, no my dear, don't be." The queen smiled before gesturing to both Ville and Alana. "See? Exactly the same. Like father, like son."
"Like mother, like daughter-in-law." The king smirked and raised a brow at both women.
"I should hope so!" the queen chuckled. "Never be afraid to question the events around you, my dear. It always pays to know what's going on... and to be certain in your choices before you make them."
"Um..." Alana looked at each of the royals.
Ville chuckled and leant down to kiss the top of her head. "It means they like you, precious."
Alana frowned slightly as she turned to smile up at Ville. "Precious?"
"You are..." the queen nodded to her. "More than you realise..." she paused then clapped her hands together. "Well, father and son have something to discuss, and I'd like to take a turn around the gardens." She looked to Alana with a warm smile, extending a hand to her. "Would you join me?"
Alana nodded and took the queens hand, letting her guide her out of the library. "I'll need to get a long coat..."
"Taken care of." The queen smile benevolently. "Gustav?" she called in a sing-song voice and a man baring a long dark coat appeared instantly, helping Alana to slip into it. "Thankyou, Gustav."
"Your Majesty." Gustav bowed and then vanished again.
Alana and the Queen walked in silence for some time; all the way through the castle and into the gardens in fact. But, as the Queen inspected her blood-red roses, she finally spoke.
"I see Ville has been keeping his distance from you, my dear..." the Queen glanced up at Alana from smelling a rose.
"I think he's thinks I'm frightened of him..." Alana replied quietly, looking away.
"Are you?" The Queen asked, standing right behind Alana when she finally turned back to answer.
"I..." Alana trailed off, thinking for a minute and taking a moment to step back from the Queen. "Not of him... more of..." she frowned, trying to find the right words...then it hit her. "I'm afraid of what this life holds... of what I'll be giving up if I... if I..."
"If you let yourself love in this life?" The Queen suggested, a small, knowing smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. "A love that, perhaps, you do not feel you deserve?"
Alana looked away again. "Maybe? I don't know. I-"
The Queen hushed her and turned her head around to face her again. "It's alright, uncertainty is a trait that adheres to all sentient creatures, including us." She smiled. "You are more than worthy of my son's love... and he should be so lucky as to have yours." She nodded, her knowing smile slightly smug. "I know a girl lost in love when I see one, Alana... and, soon you'll see that too." She turned and, taking Alana's arm, began to walk through the gardens again.
Alana remained quiet for a moment before sighing. "I really don't know what I'm doing... I feel like I should be running, screaming... but... I want to stay..."
"I was the same... and my husband's mother gave me a similar talk before Vladimir and I were married." The Queen replied with a chuckle. "Now... to the important things..." she sighed. "There will be certain things expected of you once you and Ville are married and he's properly 'claimed' you as his."
Alana nodded then frowned. "What things?"
"Well, for starters, there's the ball at which you shall be introduced to the Court and the Nobles," the Queen began slowly, earnestly. "And it is important to know which of these individuals you must keep in favour with you."
"Alright..." Alana nodded and turned her head towards the Queen. "How?"
***
Alana had been in the Queen's tutelage for a little under two months now, and each night grew steadily colder for the still living young woman. Curled up by the fire in the castle library, warmer there than in her quarters, she was surprised to hear soft footfall approaching as she drifted on the edge of sleep, gazing into the now dying flames of the fire...
"Alana!" Ville's soft voice spoke with alarm. "What are you doing here, my love?!"
She shivered violently. "C-c-cold..."
"Oh, sweetheart..." Ville's rich voice purred as he knelt beside her. "You'll get no rest like this..." he found her hands within the blankets and hissed at how cold she was.
Alana's eyes opened more as she recognised his warmth and shifted towards him, gripping his hands as he rested her head on his shoulder. "Y-you're w-warm..."
He chuckled softly. "Yes..." he replied quietly, his hands freeing themselves of hers so his arms might snake beneath her, ignoring her quiet protests against being carried anywhere die away as his warmth slowly sunk into her clothes as he walked. "Hush... my chambers are far warmer than anywhere else in the castle..."
Alana felt cool air rush past her and knew he was moving faster than she would be able to see, only knowing they had reached his chambers when she heard a door closed softly and felt the air was warmer than before.
She smiled slightly. "Warm..."
"Yes precious." Ville chuckled softly as he set her down on one of the lounges by the fire in his room; leaving only for a moment to turn the bed down for her before returning and lifting her free of the blankets she'd clung to for goodness knows how long. "Shh... it's alright..." Ville murmured softly as he bent to ley her down and tug the feather duvet up over her, pausing when she caught his hand as he made to turn away.
"Ville..." she murmured in her half asleep state as he sat beside her again.
"Yes precious?" Ville asked with a smile as he brushed hair away from her face gently.
"Please..." she whispered, tugging lightly on his sleeve. "Stay..."
Ville smiled and, removing his long shirt, sipped into the bed beside her and kissed her forehead as she snuggled against him for warmth. "Of course..."
***
Alana woke the next morning to the warmth of silk sheets and comforters... and the feeling of strong arms wrapped around her protectively; gentle breathing from someone behind her tickling the nape of her neck in a not entirely unpleasant way... and then she remembered the night before. The cold, the dying fire, being carried quickly and gently to Ville's room... and asking his to stay.
Gently as she could, Alana turned her head and smiled when she saw Ville still there, eyes closed peacefully in sleep...until a boyish, smug smile tugged at his features.
"Do you often stare at people when they're sleeping?" Ville chuckled as he opened his eyes and she rolled around to face him; snuggling closer.
"Only when I'm surprised they're there." Alana smirked, happily nestled in his arms under the blankets.
"Pleasantly surprised, I'd hope." Ville murmured as he kissed her hair gently.
"Very much so." Alana mumbled sleepily, shifting as she felt Ville move, then froze as he tilted her head up and pressed a kiss to her lips, his hand scrunching the fabric at the hip of her nightie.
Ville pulled back when she remained tense. "Sorry..."
"No, no... it's... it was nice..." Alana admitted sheepishly. "I just wasn't expecting it is all..."
"Well...in that case..." Ville trailed off quietly. "Might I kiss you again?"
Alana nodded timidly. "Y-yes..."
Ville began slowly, kissing her tenderly, his hand trailing slowly up her thigh towards the hem of her nightie. She gasped as he moved to trail kisses along her neck; his own moan turning into a soft growl as his hand slipped beneath the nightie's fabric to cup her arse and she whimpered...
And then there was a knock at the door.
Ville growled quietly in frustration and Alana smiled and laughed softly at his quiet cursing before he called out for whoever had knocked to enter.
"Apologies, my Prince," a young manservant averted his gaze from the young mated couple still in bed. "But the King and Queen wished me to advise you that the Nobles have begun to arrive in advance of tomorrow night's ball.
"Thankyou, Aziz," Ville nodded. "Do tell my parents we'll be there shortly to greet the castle's guests with them."
"Very good, my Lord." The servant, Aziz, bowed his head before departing.
"Well, now," Ville sighed before laying down again with Alana. "The real fun begins..."
"Not looking forward to the aforementioned evening, my Prince?" Alana smirked as Ville rolled his eyes. "I'll take that as a 'no' then..." she sighed and made to sit up, looking back when Ville stopped her. "Shouldn't we-"
"Soon..." Ville smiled and cuddled her close again. "But not yet..."