I changed into a beautiful green gown with puff sleeves. As I walked out of the bathroom, there was a knock on my door.
"My lady, it's me Seraphina, may I come in?" a voice came from behind the door.
"Sure, come in," I said
"Seraphina, I must go talk to his majesty, do you have any idea of his whereabouts?" I asked
"I am sorry m' lady, but maybe I can take you to his study, that is where he spends most of his time" She stated
"Thank you so much, let's go," I said, in order to avoid wasting my time, I wanted to end this misunderstanding as soon as possible.
Seraphina asked me to go into his study, and I did.
Kraven's study was like a cosy room filled with lots of books. The shelves were packed with old books, and a big wooden desk stood in the middle. The desk had carvings that looked like stories from a long time ago.
The air smelled like old books, and there was a fancy chair behind the desk. The room had a globe in one corner, showing that Kraven knew a lot about the world. It felt like a place where secrets and stories hid in the shadows, waiting to be discovered.
I started walking around, to look for Kraven, when I reached the third shelf, there was a man with his back facing me and I instantly recognized that it was him.
Kraven looked deeply lost in whatever he was reading. I quietly walked towards him and took a peek at what he was reading, while asking
"What are you reading?"
He spun around, shocked by my sudden appearance and abruptly closed the book he was reading.
" What are you doing here? Who allowed you to come in" He said in a loud demanding tone that suggested that he wasn't happy.
"Seraphina told me I could go in, so I came to speak with you about what happened some while back" I stated while pouting so that he would believe me.
"Who is Seraphina, to let you in? You should've asked me, and whatever happened back then is not up for discussion so leave. " He is still angry, it seems.
"Listen, I don't know what I did, but Your Majesty, I am really sorry for the crime I may have committed unknowingly, can we please move past it, and start again afresh?" I hope he says yes.
"Unknowingly, wow, what an excuse, if you are not going to leave, then I will," He said sarcastically before leaving.
I was left there alone thinking about what I knowingly did wrong when Kraven called out from the Library door.
"I won't be back for two weeks" With that he left. Wait a minute, did he say 2 weeks!? Where is he going?
I ran after him to ask the same question, but I tripped and fell and when I got up again he was long gone.
I walked up to my room and sat on my bed, thinking about what happened.
Why does this keep happening to me? It is unclear why my father abused me, and now my husband is mad at me, the reason is also unclear.
I started crying as the memories of the only happy time in my life came back to me. The time when my mother was alive and everyone loved me.
I am called by Seraphina to have my dinner, even at the dinner table I keep thinking about everything yet nothing.
I don't even understand when I finish my dinner. I decided to go for a walk to clear my mind.
"Seraphina, come on we will take a walk in the garden" I call out
"Yes m'lady" She replies
"Kraven is not here anymore, you can call me by my name, and it's not a request it's an order" I declare.
"Lori, you left me with no option, but let me tell you if the king somehow finds out, I will push all the blame on you" she states
"Ok ok, now don't get mad," I say while giggling.
We reach the garden and it's quite dark, it looks intimidating it almost sets a chill down my spine.
"Why is it dark out here?" I question no one in particular.
"We vampires, thrive in the dark, it provides us energy" Seraphina stated
"I see" I wasn't really paying attention to what Seraphina was saying because as we walked, I spotted something that had an eerie glow to it.
I kept walking closer and closer to the object and when I reached it I saw a statue of a beautiful woman. It was a white marble statue and the details of the face were intricately carved.
"Who is this?" I asked Seraphina
"She is the late queen, Lord Kraven's sister, she died 15 years ago" she replied
"Oh,I see, you know, even my mom died that very same year, I really miss my mom, everything was so good when she was there" I whisper starting to get teary but I hold it back.
"Let's go in" I declare. Walking in the garden surely did clear my mind, and now I feel really tired.
I quickly walk up to my room, bid Seraphina a good night, change and jump on the bed. Within minutes I am out.
It has been a year since my mother left us. My dad never really talks to me, since my mother died, he has kept himself locked in his room.
I really miss my mom, but I also miss my dad. Today on her first death anniversary I would like to stay in her room. It was my favourite room in the palace but I don't go there anymore, as it only brings back the memories. But I decided today I will.
As I went inside her room, I walked to her closet and saw a beautiful white dress hung on the handle. I really wanted to try it, to feel my mom and also because it looked so pretty.
I changed into the dress and walked in front of the mirror. As I looked at myself, I couldn't help giggling, the dress was too big for my short frame.
I kept twirling and twirling till I was dizzy and when I stopped, I spotted my dad's angry face.
"How dare you wear this dress? Who gave you the right to do so, you worthless piece of shit" He spat at me, painfully gripping my wrist.
"D-Daddy, what's wrong if I wear this? Also, could you please take off your hand it's hurting, also Mom said you shouldn't use the s-word" I whispered innocently looking down as tears brimmed at the edges of my eyes.
I did not like it when my dad called me a worthless piece of shit, it was heartbreaking to hear something like this from your own father.
"Shut up, you bitch!! And get rid of this dress, you don't get to call me dad, call me father, because you do not mean anything to me, you murderer!!"
He shouted
"D-D-Dad p-please, don't do this," I said, between my sobs and started hiccupping that's when I received a painful slap on my cheeks, then there was another, and yet another. It went on for a while, and till my father stopped, I was a crying mess with numb cheeks.
"You are no daughter to me, you never were, I only acted nice to you because she wanted me to, get rid of this dress and no food will be served to you tonight" He spat at me and left.
I took off the dress and ran to my room, curling myself into a ball and crying, that was the first night I slept hungry.
I woke up gasping, looking around, there were sweat beads on my forehead.
As, I thought about the dream, or rather a flashback. That was the first time, my father ever raised his hand at me. After that, it just got worse to the point, that I was a malnourished child with various scars on my body.
I look at the time, it's still early in the morning, I take a sip of water, and am about to go to sleep again when I hear a knock on my door.