PUBLISHED: JUNE 12TH 2019, WORD COUNT: 2,170 | CHAPTER SONG: TIMELESS BY REECE MASTIN
(Adrian.)
SHE SLEPT SOUNDLY under the cover, stirring only when she subconsciously decided to role onto her back, her hand rested beside her head as she slept. The moonlight shone in from the open French doors, highlighting her beauty with it's light. I could stare at her forever. Allison moved again, the covers slipping off of her. I reached for the cover to put them back on her, with her being human she'd feel the slight night breeze and probably wake up.
I could feel a change in seasons coming, it wasn't too far off and winter would be here soon. Vampires like to refer to winter as 'The Season of the Turning'. It got that name because my great, great, great, great grandfather - the first vampire to rule over both the vampire and the human world - had turned his human beloved into a vampire during the winter 1157, she was the first Queen of Caledonia. It would also be the month that Allison and I would be crowned King and Queen of Caledonia.
My mother and father, after a 116 years of ruling as King and Queen, were finally stepping down so Allison and I could rule together. And this was all happening in one; a coronation wedding and then the crowning of the new Reign. But it was Allison I was worried about, she'd only just got used to being around vampires of the first class. I wasn't doubting her ability to slide right in and take the position with dignity and ease. I feared that she wasn't ready for responsibilities that the title of Queen entailed. But then again, Allison had successfully taken on her new found title of Princess. But was she ready to become Queen so soon after accepting the Princess title?
Sighing as softly as I could, I stood to my feet and went to lay beside Allison. I would at least try to get some sleep now and find a way to break this news to Allison in the morning.
**************
My footsteps echoed across the lobby as I walked towards the dining hall for breakfast. I'd woken this morning to find that Allison wasn't beside me and had figured that she must've already gotten dressed for the day and had gone down for breakfast herself. With my hearing, I could hear Allison's laughter and had come to the conclusion that I had been right.
Entering the dining hall, I spot Allison sitting at the table eating a bowl of strawberries. I had come to realize that Allison loved her fruit, she was always eating an apple or blueberries or whatever she managed to find. I sat down beside her and was immediately given a bowl of strawberries for myself to enjoy. From the corner of my eye, I saw Allison pick up her tea cup. She also loved her tea.
In the month that she had been at the palace, Allison had gone from a skinny abused girl to woman of healthy weight. Although she still had, on rare occasions, nightmares from way back when her father had 'cared' for her she was doing a lot better. Everyone could see, even me, and we were all so very proud of her. Me more so than everyone else, I would always be proud of her.
Stabbing a fork into a strawberry, I put into my mouth and chewed. I listened in on the conversation going on at the table. They were discussing Allison's first official solo royal engagement, and by the looks of things, my mother seemed to be very proud of her. Silently, I continued to listen to their conversation as I ate my bow of sliced strawberries. Allison was telling us how this one child, I think her name was Grace, had been so shy to play with the other children but after Allison had asked to be her friend she seemed to change and had gone off to happily play with the other children. I think that by visiting this shelter for abused children has really helped Allison find closure of her own. I think that with her first official royal engagement having been this facility has helped Allison realize that there are other's out there in the same unloving environment as she had been in and that there was people out there who cared for people like those little children. That, I think, has really opened her eyes to the bigger picture. I, for sure, know that it's opened my eyes to how evil parents really treat their children.
When we had all finished our bowl of sliced strawberries, maids came to replace the empty bowls with plates of steaming food and as they did, Michael, the royal adviser entered the dining room with his book of agendas in his hand.
"Your Highness', I am sorry for the intrusion but I must insist that after breakfast we must get on the road. We have a children's hospital to visit before Adrian and Allison are to fly to the other side of Caledonia." Michael informs us, my mother gives him a nod of her head and he leaves the room.
We eat the plate of steaming hot food, and go up to brush our teeth and fangs before leaving. Allison was the first one back downstairs. Today she wore a pale pink dress with black around the waist of the dress, her shoes and her clutch purse matched the black on the dress. Smiling, I came to a stop beside her as we waited for the rest of my family to come down from upstairs.
It all happened as it was supposed to, we visited the hospital and saw many children, most of them were delight to see Allison, their faces lighting up almost immediately. But it was the highlight of the day for all the children when Allison sat down and read them three stories, one of which she made up herself. Before long we were back in the car, heading for the palace's private runaway where we would board the jet that would take us to the other side of Caledonia to overlook the whatever it was that needed to be witnessed by the royal family.
(Allison.)
Stepping onto the plane, I had to hold back how in awe I was. I've never been on a plane before so this was all going to be new to me. While we were visiting the children's hospital, maids had packed Adrian and I a suitcase of clothes to wear while we were away from the palace, some of the royal guards had been drafted to come to the other side of Caledonia for our protection.
Deciding that I would look around the plane later, I took my seat next to Adrian who took my hand in his. I strapped myself in with one hand and looked up at Adrian who was completely focused on our entwined hands. It became clear that Adrian was a nervous flyer. I've flown before but never by plane, it was always at the hand of my father. I covered Adrian's hand with my free hand, this made him look up at me and for the first time since I met Adrian I saw pure terror in his eyes.
"It'll be okay, there won't be any hiccups during the flight and if there are then I'm sure the pilots will know what to do and how to fix any issues." I say, rubbing Adrian's hand. I visibly saw him relax at my touch, I'd learned very quickly that my touch calmed him down and made him relaxed or more at ease. Adrian closed his eyes as the plane took off from the tarmac. As soon as we were in the air, Adrian opened his eyes and removed his hand from mine and up to my face.
"What would I do without you?" Adrian questions as he kisses my lips before proceeding to undo his seat belt. I watched as he walked around the length of the plane's cabin, stretching his legs.
"Probably still freaking out every time the plane took of and landed." I say, I turned to look out the window as the bright white clouds zoomed by us as we passed them. I could tell Adrian was smiling without even having to turn to face him to see that he was. He had been smiling a lot lately, I think it was because of me.
We spent the next hour or two in the air, most of that time I was seated on Adrian's lap until the pilots told us that we would be landing soon and that we had to take our seats. And when we were safely back on the tarmac, the plane taxied to the gateway where a red carpet with gold bordering had been laid out for us to walk on, a car waited to take us to where we would be staying for the duration of our visit.
Adrian and I walked off the plane hand in had, many people had come to see their future rulers. It had realized pretty quickly that every time a royal was seen out it was a public debacle and I had learned quickly to ignore the many calls from the crowd. We got into the car, out things were loaded into the car and we were all set to go.
The driver drove us to a five star hotel where we were told we would be staying. As soon as the car stopped in front of the hotel, the door was opened by a footman and Adrian was the first to exit the car, he held out his hand to me. He was always a gentleman. We walked up the carpet into the hotel itself. People ran around like headless chickens, hotel staff running here and there, making sure that everything was in order for the royals. Adrian turned to me and shook his head, he knew what they were thinking without even having to read their minds. To Adrian, the color of their auras told him everything that he needed to know.
I smiled up at Adrian and we were led by a member of the hotel's staff to an elevator where were went all the way to top to the pent houses, where I stood now. I stared at the pent house in pure awe of it's beauty, but it wasn't nearly as beautiful as the the palace. I stepped into the room and stood by Adrian who seemed to be unfazed by the size of them pent house before us. But to me this was all still so fresh, this was the first time that I had ever been to the other side of Caledonia and I was thankful that I got to experience this with Adrian.
This moment, no matter how old I got and no matter how many years went by, would always be one of my favorite moments, would forever remain timeless.
Adrian turned from me and went out to the balcony via the double doors, by now the light in the sky had faded into a beautiful sunset. I'd never seen anything like it and went out to be with Adrian as we watched the light fade completely from the sky. It was replaced by the moon and the stars, both of which shone as brightly in the sky, I loved this time of night. It always seemed to so peaceful, so quite and it made me feel relaxed.
At this time of night, I wasn't Princess Allison, who was always in the spotlight. No, I was just Allison who was enjoying some time to herself to wind down and relax before she went to bed to take on her role as Princess once more the next morning.
*************
I was woken to Adrian gently nudging me awake, and he successfully woke me. Rolling over onto my back, I opened my eyes and saw that Adrian was already dressed and ready to go, to get today's agenda over and done with so we could spend some time together. Tossing the covers off of myself, I swung my legs over the edge of the bed, my night dress dropped down around my ankles as it came off of the bed.
I went to the suitcases that were mine and picked out the first plastic cover and went into the bathroom to sort myself out. Opening the plastic over, I pulled the white dress from it's cover. I was careful not to get any wrinkles on the dress.
I washed up quickly and got dressed. I pulled on the pantyhose and slipped on my shoes. I did my hair as quickly and as neatly as possible, added some jewelry and grabbed up the hat that was in the plastic cover the dress had been in. I grabbed the silver clutch bag and left the bathroom, washed up, dressed and ready to take on my role as Princess Allison once more.
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