"Mother?"
She sat in her bed. The blinds were closed. No light was streaming in from outside. It was so dark.
"Mother," I said again. I was nervous. Father said she had lost the baby. I had only ever heard of that once with a maid. I had not seen her in three days. Three days without my mother. I knew she did not want to see me. Father said it as just because she was sad.
"Come here, Esmeralda."
I gulped, as I slowly approached her bed. Her voice sounded like a frog. Groggy and crackled.
I crawled into her bed.
I felt her arms wrap around me. "Mother, do not cry," I said nervously. She was always happy and bright. Always jesting with my father and giving him a hard time. "I am sorry," I said as I felt her tears fall into my hair. I did not know what to do. Or say.
"You can have my children," I blurted out. I felt her stiffen.
"Esmeralda you are only twelve years of age," she said. It sounded like a sob and a laugh. "You cannot say things like that...dear."
I had gotten her to stop crying. "Yes I can. You are my mother and I love you. If babies makes you happy...I will have some and you can have them. I will name her Elizabeth too!" I exclaimed. "I will even have a boy too...and name him Elijah."
Her hold on me tightened. "Esmeralda when you have children you get to keep them. You cannot give them away to anyone," she explained to me as she kissed my forehead softly.
I found my hand traveling over her stomach. It was no longer round. My eyes watered. The baby really was gone... it made no sense. "I am sorry, mother," u said as tears began to flow from my eyes. I hugged her tightly as I cried. "I will give you all the babies you want!"
"It is okay. You are all I need. I have you and your father," she said softly. "You two are all I need. And when you have children, I will love them like my own, but I will not keep them," she added at the end with a small laugh.
I could not understand how she could be laughing! I was so sad! And so was she!
"Wake up, Esmeralda," she said while kissing my forehead. "Wake up."
******
"Wake up, Esmeralda."
I awoke confused.
My eyes wildly searched my surroundings. I was in a carriage. Sirus was next to me. My heart clenched. I do not know why I thought I would awake in my mothers bed. Cuddled up next to her.
The realization hit me like a bucket of water. I wiped at my tears as they began to uncontrollably flow.
"Esmeralda, why are you crying?" Sirus asked, as his hand attempted to snake around my shoulder. I pushed him away, scooting to the end of the carriage. Where he was no where near me. "Esmerelda, why are you crying?" He asked again. His voice not as harsh as before.
I was so upset, I could not even get the words out. All that came out was "mother" and "babies." The rest of the ride was silent. It was full of my silent sobs and Sirus's confused stares.
"Esmeralda what will your people think when they see you crying? They will think I caused it. You do not want them to think that you are not happy do you?" I could feel his hand on my shoulder. His body was now sandwiching me between himself and the carriage.
I sighed. "Right," I murmured, as I could feel his lips on my temple, then my forehead while his hand gently splayed over my stomach. "Sirus stop," I told him as I felt his hand tighten around me.
His lips reached for my own, and I turned my head. He growled, but did not force me to kiss him. Like he has done many times before...
I could not see outside. The two openings were covered with cloth. It made me sad. I wanted to see what had become of the villages in my kingdom. What if they were burnt down to crisps? Or what if lycans took my people's homes and had my people on the streets? So many questions that I could not ask...for fear that Sirus would get upset with me.
Fear was a disgusting disease and I wish I did not have it.
The carriage halted abruptly. Sirus grabbed me before I was flung across the carriage. I could hear a man yelling at the coach.
"You will all perish! Perish for your sins! Lycans are the devil! You all are of the-" his voice was cut off with a loud shrill.
I could hear snarling. And sickening snaps...before there was silence. "They killed him," I said gently, watching Sirus nod his head slowly. "They could not have put him in the jails? Death is the only option?"
Sirus nodded. "Yes. It is. It is the only way to get your people to listen at times." My people. I sat silently seething. My people were only violent when being pushed to do so. They were not out for blood like his people.
Once the carriage stopped again, it was slower and I knew we were not stopping for a crazed old man...but because we were in front of my castle. I only wished that Eddie could see this. He is the future King but he is not even allowed to visit...
The door opened and Sirus got out. He helped me put, and I looked at the people who were standing at the steps of my castle. Not to many familiar faces. Some maids that I had recognized. None of the important councilmen that I was familiar with. Well...I most of them I saw perish before my eyes....
"Princess." I heard a man's voice say. I looked throughout the crowd. My eyes searching for the familiar voice. "Won't you all bow in the honor of your great...Princess."
I could feel Sirus's arm snake around me as my eyes met the familiar face. Dark hair, twinkling glacier like eyses, and a tall frame. Same as I remember him. Except that his eyes were twinkling with much more than usual mischief.. Duke Everton the Secomd. Also known as James.
"She is a Queen," Sirus basically barked at James as he smiled and looked me over. He had a ring on his finger. He had married? In the last six months?
"It is nice to see you well, Queen," he said as he stuck his hand out.
"You will bow. That is all," Sirus said curtly. "Where are the other two advisors? I want this meeting to begin promptly."
Was I to be included in the meeting? I much rather wander the halls. See what has become of my beautiful home.
"Sirus am I to be apart of the meeting?" He shook his head.
The anger I felt in that moment was palpable. He brought me all the way here to me what? Parade me around and make it known that I was alive and well to my people...but I actually had no say in helping my people. This was very much a Sirus plan. I would try to eavesdrop when I had the chance. "I have to relieve myself," I whispered in his ear.
"Go ahead."
I began to walk up the steps as I looked back. Sirus was speaking with some man I did not recognize. I could see James watching me walk up. "I will search for them, King Sirus."
Before I could meet James's eyes the doors were quickly opened for me. My heart lurched as I looked around my old home. I found myself gong up the steps, my fingers coated in dust by the time I had approached the top steps. The banisters were not being used. There was an old smell to the upstairs of the palace.
My heart thumped wildly in my chest as I approached my parents room. I opened it slowly.
It was as if they had gone on a trip. Everything was left as it was. I could see old memories of them. When I was a child I would sneak into their room and cuddle in between them. My father always complained about my small feet digging into his back. But they never kicked me out. My mother would wake up and open the shades, making me hide under the covers along with my father.
"Princess."
I turned around, knowing who it was already. "James," I said as I bowed my head slightly. He had the position of his father now. I should show him...some type of respect. Instead of him bowing back down, his arms reached for me. Sirus would smell him. And kill him. I stumbled back, smiling gently. His eyebrows furrowed.
"Is Edwin alive? We could not find his body. Your husband has been very secretive about who and what he has brought back with him."
Confusion overtook me. There was no jokes? No insults of my character. Just concern for my brother? This was not the womanizing pig I had grown up with. Who I despised. "He is alive," I said lightly as his eyes zeroed in on the godawful necklace I wore. The symbol of my marriage to Sirus. I remembered his ring. "You are married?" How could he get married during such chaos? And what poor girl was marrying him?!
He chuckled. "No, I was planning to talk to you today and I felt as if your husband would not get upset if he saw a ring."
"Oh...that is a smart idea." It was not. Sirus was insane.
"Good. Has he been treating you with respect?" He questioned, his eyes widening as they inspected my neck. A flare of anger crossed his features. "Esmerelda does that foul beast abuse you? I will have his head," he fumed grabbing at his sword.
I scoffed. The only person in my kingdom I was remotely close to who I did not care for was attempting at a death wish. "He is treating me fine."
"I can tell your lies, Esmerelda! Why defend the beast. I bet he has forced you to bare things that no woman should bare," he said with his hands still protectively around his sword.
"He will kill you before you even have the chance to draw your sword, James. Do not be so foolish. I am a grown woman I can handle myself," I proclaimed. "Do not let your emotions for me cloud your judgement."
He shook his head, beginning to come closer to me. "It is more than my emotions for you which have dwindled significantly since you allowed him to wed you, Esmeralda! A beast, an animal to wed you! The crown jewel of this kingdom. While your people died you lie in bed with a monster. I bet you let the same man who has murdered your parents you grant access in between your legs every night. Tell me, Esmeralda every cry of ecstasy he gives you do you not hear the yell of the fallen? Your parents? Your friends?!"
My hand striked his cheek as fast as rain drop falls from the sky. "I do not care what you think of me but you dare bring my taken virtue into this! I obviously did not fall into his arms with love and affection! And I will tell you one thing if you ever speak about what lies between my legs ever again I will end your life!" I shouted, unshed tears pooling in my eyes.
How dare he. How dare he accuse me of loving every minute of Sirus. How dare he think that I did not mourn the lives lost as he has done. How dare he think that I enjoy Sirus having his way with my body. How dare he think I actually care for him!
He was looking down. His face reddened with the sting of my palm. "I apologize...it just angers me so...that he is the one to have you. That this monster gets to have, the one thing I was promised-"
"Unbelievable! You should be upset with him for killing your father! Your King and Queen! Yet you are angered that he has me as a wife! Are you mad?! I was never going to marry you even if this atrocity did not take place!" I basically shouted at him.
"I was happy to see your letter. I was happy to think that maybe even though we had our differences we could be allies, James. But no you are still a pompous dunce!"
I tried to leave and he attempted to grab my hand. I moved quickly, shaking my head. "James, if you touch me your scent will be on me and Sirus will rip you limb from limb."
He took a deep breath, a serious look in his eyes had me surprised again. He did not usually have a care in the world. But things change. People change. "Esmeralda, I tell you this because I believe that the beasts terror will eventually cease and us humans will soon rule our lands again. Be prepared for your husband to die."
He was mad. Humans could never bring down Sirus. It was impossible. "Mere humans cannot do such a thing, James."
"Yes, but humans and vampyr can."
My eyes widened, as my hand itches to grab him by the shoulder. "James what are you planning?"
"I have an alliance with the vampyr," he explained. "You will be Queen of this nation soon, Esmeralda. You will be Queen and Edwin will be Prince."
He was mad. My stomach churned. This child made me weak at the most pressing times! "And who will be my King, James?"
"I will."
I had to stop the laughter that was bubbling up inside of me. Once he noticed my belly getting rounder, he would probably throw me in the dungeons if his crazed plan succeeded and he became King. "I am with child."
He was quiet.
I watched as his hand pounded against the brick wall. "Bastard," he murmured as he shook his head. Silently fuming. "Esmeralda, I was promised you. If that child includes you, I will take care of it."
"James, you do not want me. I am bitter," I chuckled. "I am with child who I partially hate, I am with a man who I despise. You taking me out of the environment will do nothing. You will just cause unwanted discord, James. I am past the point of saving," I told him truthfully. "Forget about me and be the leader your father always wanted you to be."
My stomach began to churn as I began to try and calm myself down. This was all impossible. It was never going to happen.
He shook his head. "Go, I hear footsteps."
*********
Hey guys, hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please vote and comment and as for Esmerelda and Sirus, they will not be all lovey dovey. Never. So if you're looking for that you should stop reading.
As for more understanding and compassion and them getting to appreciate and slowly accept one another. That's another thing.
I appreciate everyone's opinion but if the story gets to annoying or unbearable for you by all means you can take it out of your library. I've literally had people message me PRIVATELY telling me how much of a bitch Esme is and how they don't like the story because of her and I'm like 'really guys?!'
I know she's a bitch, I made her that way. Don't tell me something I already know. Don't like it, don't read it.
Like I said I don't care if you say 'I would like this to happen' I don't care. Your ideas and suggestions are great but if all you have to do is insult and berate my characters...I don't think this story is for you.
Anyway, hope you guys enjoy.
P.S For those who think I hate Sirus. I don't. I know it's hard but he's like my annoying, wayward, confused son. So....yeah.