Dedicated to @breannaisabellahill.
What do you mean?" Taylor asked, darting confused glances between the amused girls and Emese.
"Exactly what I said Samantha. Starting from now, you have 72 hours with your groom, confined to a place traditionally meant for it. It is Ardeleanian culture to protect and nurture royal dhampir brides the first three days to the ways of the Nosferatu before they start life as the potential Queen of Ardelean."
Taylor couldn't be more horrified. Confined?
Three days?
Queen?!
She, Taylor Mc'leory, the awkward, weak, socially inept 18 year old didn't only just dupe a vampire into marriage but she was to be Queen too?!
"You Dont have to look like you're visiting the gallows Samantha. I haven't even told you the half of it"
"That's not all?!" Taylor yelled, finally finding her voice. Was today ever going to end, she thought in dejection.
"No. The Izolare is for Anghel to teach you the ways of the Nosferatu and Ardeleanian norms. You both would be cut off from the outside world. You're allowed to take only a maidservant and you are not allowed to step out for those 72 hours. For one thing, Its breeds bonds between the newly weds but its mainly kick start things into action" The last part she said suggestively.
When Taylor failed to get the hint, Emese sighed and deadpanned "you're expected to be with child by the time its over"
Taylor had heard enough. She burst into hysterical laughter. She didn't know how she was to survive three days with Blue eyes now there was talk of a baby?!
She laughed till her belly ached not minding the looks she got from her audience. It was either this or brawling like a lost child
"You're taking this surprisingly well" Emese remarked, an eyebrow raised in suspicion.
***********
Taylor felt like she had been duped while asleep. Nothing else could account for why she had woken up to being wedded and dressed like a Queen about to be confined with a vampire husband for three days. How did her life change so drastically in one day?!
"We will stop here" Emese's voice brought Taylor out of her reverie. They had been following a path in the castle grounds that seemed to lead nowhere. It was a quiet train led by Emese with Olivia and Taylor in tow. They had stopped at a secluded brick building,
"Your life as a dhampir bride begins the moment you cross that threshold and my duty as your aide ends. You've proven to be a great adaptor and a resilient child, so I have no doubt you'd survive this Izolare"
Emese said, And was about to turn away.
"Wait! What do you mean survive?" Taylor asked sharply
"The Izolare is notorious for breaking mortals, Samantha. Not all brides that goes in comes out....well"
The words scared her like nothing had. Emese was keeping the important part of this confusing deal from her, and she was terrified of asking her to elaborate
"Go in Samantha. Anghel is waiting" Emese prompted gently. Taylor looked at Olivia's expressionless face, the other girl held the parcel containing her things quite tightly. She was not the object of this Izolare, yet she looked just as uncomfortable as Taylor felt. Even the girl knew something she didn't here, Taylor was sure
She stilled herself for the inevitable and walked towards the open door, Olivia closely at her heels.
It was times like this Taylor knew she'd always miss her best friend. If Carrie were here, she'd know what to say to lighten her mood, perhaps they'd both have a laugh at the bad fairytale she found herself in, call it the Fake Queen That Is About To Die or something.
She caught a last glimpse of Emese before the concrete door closed. It was one of the very few times her face showed emotion, this time she looked sad.
Taylor didn't have the time to contemplate long on the woman's choice of emotion, for just after the archway some feet away from her, an array of candle lights revealed the figure of Anghel. His blue eyes piercing sharp in the dim yellow light pinned her in it's intensity. He was staring straight at her, his expression dark and unreadable. She quickly lowered her gaze and head, her heart pumping in her throat threatened to make her sick. She had never been more afraid in her life. Would he kill her without a second thought when he found out she wasn't Samantha?!
"How long do you plan to stand there?" He sounded exactly as she remembered; mesmerizing.
Taylor hesitated a second then walked towards him, her head not raising a fraction. She felt like a time bomb, as she got closer. Olivia curtsied behind her but Taylor wasn't in the right frame of mind to replicate. She felt light headed and hungry. As if on Cue with her thoughts, her stomach gave a very loud and embarrassing grumble. She felt her face heat up.
"Has she not eaten anything today?" Anghel asked after a moment of awkward silence.
"Not yet my lord. If you show me the kitchen, I'll have something ready for My lady as soon as possible"
"The first turning to your left if you follow that passage. Make it quick"
"Yes my lord" Olivia replied smartly and with another curtsey, disappeared down the direction given.
"As Emese treated you well?"
Taylor surprised at the question looked up without thought, their eyes collided for a brief second before her head went down again, mortified at her mistake.
"Y..yes she did" she answered timidly a little bit above a whisper. She berated herself for her lack of confidence. She was doing an awfully bad job at portraying her twin.
"Look at me while you speak. I don't....won't bite you" He admonished softly.
Here it was. The moment of truth. Which she was not at all ready for. Oh God, she didn't plan this well at all! She cleared her throat and said as Samanthatically as she could;
"I am really tired. Please can I rest for a bit?" Dang. She shouldn't have added "please".
In the recurring silence, Taylor felt Anghel's probing gaze from the tip of her braided hair to the sole of her cotton clad toes. She now could hear the time bomb tick faster.
"Come with me. I'll show you to our chambers"
Her relief choked when she heard 'our chambers'. Not wanting to risk another confrontation, she followed him quietly.
The house was a large one. It's major lightning were candle chandeliers. Its furniture looked beautifully Gothic. She wasn't in the right frame to admire her surroundings though. They took a wine carpeted stairways that led to a passage of closed doors. They stopped at one.
"I'll get your maidservant to administer to your needs. I'll be back in a few hours to begin our izolare properly."
Taylor was happy enough to curtsey which she immediately regretted when she did an embarrassing bad job at such a simple, elegant gesture. If Anghel noticed, he didn't show it. He simply bowed and turned away.
Taylor watched his retreating back wistfully, a sneaky wish to be really Samantha weaved into her thoughts. She immediately quelled it and opened the door with a sigh.
Their chambers was well enough. It was decked with all basic necessities. It wasn't extra or magnificent like the blue and gold room. It was exactly her taste. The wall was a muted shade of green. The floor was carpeted in the same shade as the wall. The bed was a king sized one, invitingly laid in wine satin and gold trimming. A wooden closet sat not far away, while the bed side table spotted an elegant candlestick lighted in all its glory. Simple, efficient and homely.
Taylor gave into her childish urge to jump on the cotton bed, relishing the time she had solely to herself.
She celebrated too soon.
A knock.
Taylor scrambled from the bed, straightened the bed as good as she could and patted herself to order.
"Come in" she called as lady like as she could manage.
Olivia emerged from the door, her cheeks flaming red, with a silver tray that wafted off delicious scents. She placed it on a stool and pushed it towards Taylor.
"Wow" was all she could say when she sighted its contents. There was steaming bread, cheese, scrambled eggs with juicy looking ham, something that looked like pie and a jug of hot milk. The ultimate breakfast tray, in a place she thought ancient.
"You made all of these now?" Taylor asked amazed.
"Yes my lady. I would have made more if his highness hadn't been so crossed at my tardiness" Olivia replied, wringing her hands.
"Its amazing Olivia. I won't even finish these and it would have been a pity if you had made more. Thank you Olivia."
The other girl looked surprise then showed her dimples in a pleased smile
"The kitchen is decked full. It would be my pleasure to prepare Amazing dishes for you as much as you want my lady. My grandma was a great cook and she thought me a.....ah......" She trailed off and remained mute, her head bent as if chastised by an invincible force.
Taylor tore the soft bread into half and handed the other half to Olivia.
"Tell me more" she prompted, her hand containing the bread still stretched to the girl. Olivia couldn't look anymore mortified. She took a step back like Taylor was offering her a serpent's head.
"Why? You won't eat what you cooked is that it?" Taylor meant it as a joke but it was obvious Olivia took it to heart. She fell to her knees, her right hand on her chest and her face full of terror
"I swear on my mama's grave that I wouldn't dare to poison you my lady!" The girl cried in a terrified voice.
Taylor felt like a douchebag.
"Oh! I was only teasing. You don't have to eat if you don't want to. I only thought you'd be hungry too!" Taylor rushed to assuage the girl's fear.
When Olivia saw the sincerity, she stood up and curtsied like nothing happened.
"I am a vampire my lady. These foods have lost their taste and appeal to me" she said in a tone sad to hear.
Taylor felt terrible. She couldn't imagine life without food.
"I am sorry to hear that. What do you eat then" she asked, then realized a little too late that vampires sucked blood for a living. She kept forgetting she wasn't in her own world anymore
"What vampires eat my lady. His Highness would tell you all about it. My duty here is to see to your needs"
"You're not just here for just my needs Olivia. I choose you for company" Olivia was the kind of sweet cheerfulness she felt she needed to pass the ominous three days, that why she picked her.
"I would take you as a friend Olivia, a sister if you let me. And for that, I would love it if you were more open and free around me"
"Yes my lady"
"No, call me Taylor" too late she realized her mistake. Olivia raised a brow in confusion
"Uh...that's my other name. You can also call me Sam. Call me Sam"
"Yes my.....Sam"
The girl looked uncomfortable enough. Taylor decided to drop the matter and eat, later she would trouble her with her curiosity.
"Hmmm!The bread is really delicious." Taylor commented after the first bite. Olivia gave a happy blush.
Taylor dug in and in a few minutes manage to devour more than half the tray contents before she sat back with a satisfied sigh.
"Your grandma must have been the best to teach you so well Olivia"
"Yes she was" Olivia answered quietly.
Taylor picked on the sad vibe, later she promised herself.
Olivia picked the tray and made for the door.
"Listen Olivia, in some hours Anghel would be back to ask of me. Tell him I am very tired and asleep. I do not want to be disturbed, okay?"
"Yes my lady"
"Sam!"
"Yes Sam!"
Taylor winked at her, and Olivia gave her trademark dimple smile.
Alone, she rummaged around the room, she was too full and restless to sleep yet.
Nothing. In the drawers, closet, under the bed, nothing. She didn't find any of Anghel's things to secretly check out. Her spy job meeting a dead end, she sighed and flopped on the bed. Taylor didn't know when she drifted off to sleep.
So it was with groggy alarm she registered the form that sat on the chair at the bedside, towering above her. Anghel's accusing gaze cut through her being. She sprang up from the bed, her clothes and sleep made her sluggish but she managed to put the bed between her and her obviously seething husband.
"You're not Samantha" his voice was low and calm, too calm for someone who just realized he'd been duped into marriage with the wrong woman. A kind of deadly calm that promised hell.
She only stared with terrified wide eyes. She didn't dare speak. She had imagined this moment a thousand times and also what she would say, but it all paled to the reality unfolding.
He stood up from the chair, even from the little distance, his height was intimidating.
"Did you think covering your face at the mating rites was enough to deceive me Taylor?" His eyes morphed to a darker hue, a muscle ticked in his jaw yet his voice managed to remain a low deadly calm. He took a step forward, towards her.
"N.no" Taylor squeaked. She felt trapped. She had no where to run and he kept coming closer! How did he find out, by just watching her sleep?!
"No? What about avoiding me? Telling your girl to keep me away with flimsy excuses? Was that also enough?"
"I am sorry!"
He gave a harsh mirthless laugh. And in a blink of an eye, he was there, in front of her! His left hand shot up and held her neck in an uncomfortable chock hold, forcing her to look straight up into his fiery eyes, his other hand held her in place against his hard body. She couldn't move, she was truly trapped
"How did I get married to the weak, puny one when I clearly gave the other one the blue flowers?" His tone demanded straight answers or quick retribution
When she delayed in answering, his hold became painful and he bared his fangs in the most menacing way that could make even the stoutest hearts shit their pants. It was a miracle she hadn't soiled herself yet.
"Samantha couldn't come. It would break my family apart! She has all she ever wanted in Canada, it would kill her if she came here. That's why I did it. It was all my idea!" Taylor realized her family could very well be in danger if he decided to have his revenge.
"Please ...let...go of me" she wheezed and clawed at the hands that was beginning to choke her. His eyes lost a fraction of its heat and his face became unreadable. He released her and she fell in a heap on the floor, wheezing and coughing. He turned his back at her, trying to contain his murderous intent no doubt.
"So you think you're stronger than Samantha and able to survive Ardelean" it was more statement than question.
"I'll survive anywhere. Its what I do best" Taylor replied with false bravado. She was shit scared.
"Ardelean is not Anywhere. You signed your death warrant by coming here Taylor. You're nothing like the woman I picked, and you would regret your decision till your dying breath.
Get dressed in more comfortable clothing. Your Izolare has just begun"
A/N;
Two questions;
What do you think of Anghel? What about how the situation unraveled?
I would love your feedbacks on these questions!!!!! It would help me know my reader's mind and also help me give you a better story.
This chapter was my hardest to write so far, I hope you enjoyed it.
In other news, few days ago, his other one hit spot #254 in vampire!!!!! I thought I was dreaming and had to pinch myself, lol. To those voting, thank you, to the silent readers, come on, give this little writer a break and vote for her stories? Pretty please?
Thank you :-)