♔
"He was her warmth, she was his peace."
♔
"Why does this always happen to me?" I groaned into my palms, sitting on my bed all alone in the chill-misty wind, as I heard shuffling downstairs followed by some yelling.
Guess my father didn't take my decision really well about quitting.
"Can I come in dear?" I heard my nana whisper from the door, and I immediately wiped the threatening tears away from my lids.
"Of course nana, you don't have to ask." I mumbled, folded my legs and hugging my pillow to the brim, not believing that my father would go to that extent that he would put money before me.
I shouldn't be surprised, but at the same time it hurts.
Can he be a good parent for once?
No?
Okay.
Nana softly closed the door behind her and walked towards me with her lanky yet striding legs, sitting beside me on the bed sheet and frowning at me with a weak pat on the shoulder.
"I'm so sorry sweetie, I tried to stop your father, but he wouldn't listen." She explained, as I nodded my head in understanding and looked at her with glossy eyes.
She kept eyeing the imprint on my neck with curiosity, as immediately my hand went to it to touch it whenever I'm nervous, as it makes me feel better, and she formed her lips into a thin line.
"Diana?"
"Hmm?"
"Do you remember what had happened with you during the blood moon?" She asked while changing the topic, and I nodded.
"Of course, I left the shop early due the orders of the royal family, and I followed Elliot home. I don't really recall much about that day, it was almost two years ago." I muttered with a shrug.
"Are you sure you left with him? Because ever since then, you've had this imprint on your neck." She said skeptically, cocking her eyebrow upwards, as I looked away.
"I don't know how it came on to me nana, I'm trying to figure that out myself, no matter how hard I try it does not wash away, and scratching it is useless." I groaned, still caressing it softly, as it made soft tingles tickle my core.
"Hmm, tell me this, do you have any weird dreams when you go to sleep?"
"Are you hiding something from me?" I asked suddenly, immediately knowing she has some kind of knowledge about how I got this, or else she wouldn't have known about the dreams at all.
"Answer my question first dear." She pleaded.
"No, I don't have any weird dreams." I deadpanned, not wanting to talk about the man torturing me with his kisses and love every night in my sleep, and she narrowed her eyes at me.
"If you say so," She mumbled, still eyeing me suspiciously, as I did that same to her.
My nana was smart, she could easily tell if someone was lying or not. She could read me like a book, so lying to her was impossible. But she also knew that I'm as smart as her, and that I figured out she's not telling me something, so I glared at her, stopping her from prying any further, and she got the message.
"Do you find this life entertaining dear?" She asked in a soft voice while looking out the window.
"What life?"
"This life. Waking up to handle the jewellery shop, coming back to create masterpieces before giving your father the payments of your work."
"Absolutely not." I snorted.
"Then why don't you find something new? Like someone to love?"
Why is everyone asking me this all of a sudden?
"Because I don't think I should find him. If something is supposed to happen which is destined for me in love, he will find me. If not, I will be alone."
Mainly I'm saying this because whenever I try to get closer to the opposite sex, his voice torments me.
'Say it, tell me you're mine.'
'Louder.'
'You only belong to me.'
'I'm the only one who can touch you and pleasure you.'
'I treasure you, my love.'
"I see," She whispered before taking a deep breath, lost in thought, still looking outside the window to witness the nightfall occurring Ina few minutes.
"Run away." She muttered casually, making me lift my head from my pillow to stare at her eye-wide.
"W-What?"
"Run away Diana, go out there and find something that will satisfy you to live. I've been in your place, and no one was there to comfort me, I'm letting you go through the same history, so go. Live your life, do whatever you want with it," She said with a weak smile, and I choked on my own saliva to her words.
"You might even find the reason why you have been imprinted by someone."
Okay yeah, she's definitely hiding something.
"I-I can't do that. I can't just leave everything behind, what about you? What about Elliot? I don't have enough money, I don't know where to go, I don't know who to trust. I don't know nana." I exclaimed, in frustration, before she rolled her eyes and got up from the bed, immediately taking out a mystery box from under it and took out her locket.
She opened her locket, to reveal a small key, and opened the mystery box with ease, despite witnessing the newly rust formed on the metal, before trashing a stash of gold coins in my face.
"You go straight in the woods, up the hills, and then take a huge sharp right, and don't stop. Don't worry about me, Elliot will take care of me. And now you have enough money. Trust your gut, and you would know who to trust, and never look back." She instructed with determination in her voice, as I rubbed my cheek in anger because of the harsh impact of the golden stash.
"You can't be serious, why all of a sudden do you want me to do this?" I asked with curiosity.
She stayed silent for a few seconds, not answering as she stared into space, before finally looking at me with a cold expression, as I was taken aback by her eyes.
"Because your life is much more to this. And trust me, there is someone out there who's made for you. You always read romance novels with me, just this time, you are the protagonist. You've had enough of this oppression, so break free from this torture. Go on, be strong, and never give up."
"B-But I will miss you." I whispered in a broken voice, as she tsked and chuckled at me.
"This isn't a goodbye sweetie, I will for sure reunite with you if the universe wants us to collide. Right now, put yourself first, you've taken good care of me, and now I need you to do that for yourself." She firmly deadpanned, as I just sat there with a million scenarios in my mind, completely blank on what to say next.
I just got up from the bed hesitantly, and engulfed her into a tight hug, secretly thanking her for giving me the opportunity to find the thrill I've always wanted, as she rubbed my back.
"I love you so much nana." I cried into her shoulder, as she sighed at me, making me feel a smile growing on her beautiful face.
"I love you too dear."
♔
"Ouch!" I hissed, jumping out of my one story house, landing on my knees as my feet left the silhouette of my window, following my packed bag with some supplies for survival for the next 3-4 days or so.
I can't believe I'm doing this.
Nana promised me that we were going to meet again, before going downstairs to distract the rest of the messy household, as I quickly glanced at my apparent home one last time, before glancing towards the inviting forest in front of me.
I don't know what's about to head my way as a surprise, while I kept telling myself to not be afraid of anything.
Even if it would mean I will have to suffer alone to fend for myself, I would gladly do it without having to wake up to dysfunctional family every morning and do what society tell me to do.
It's not like some monsters are going to come and attack me.
I started my trail of freedom as soon as I glanced at the thick nature, leaving my footsteps away from this judgmental hole once and for all, feeling blessed as the chilly wind greeted me with a hug instead of a slap, and I happily made my way to the instructions my nana told me.
On the way, I would find beautiful butterflies flying around the branches, or some owls sleeping. Many of the flowers were already covered in snow, as it was already the morning after the white storm.
Nothing made me feel more joyful than knowing I am not under the same roof with someone like my father of Patrick. Trust me, getting stared at by them, one with a scowl, and one with a lustful smug, I felt pretty uncomfortable.
I don't know why Patrick married my sister in the first place, as he even refused to conceive a child with her for some reason, while I paid no attention into their relationship as it was not my business.
Although, it was pretty shocking to admit that I will miss my mother, as she was also a beautiful lady but trapped into the spider's web like patriarchy, and I felt bad for women everywhere.
Stormania was mostly known for its flourished grounds, with the success brought by the village and the royal family, it was no doubt one of the best places to have a home.
But then people happen, ruining the short lived peace you would ever have in your life.
I finally reached the location where it looked like the forest was about to end after walking for about an hour, getting chills as for some reason, the imprint on my neck started to make me feel things, sending shivers everywhere around me body.
I took a right turn as instructed, gripping my bag properly this time, as my thoughts wandered off to the shivers my body was receiving.
The mark would always remind me...of my guardian angel, I don't know why, but normally if it gives me shudders, it would mean he's nearby.
But looking back at the fact that I left the village of Stormania a an hour ago, I doubt that he's ever going to find me ever again. And knowing that, it made my heart drop a thousand feet.
Of course, I didn't have any...specific feelings towards him, but I guess his existence takes a toll onto my life, which I don't know whether it's for the best or it is for the worst.
But I do know for a fact that I will miss him.
"Yes, everything is loaded and ready." I heard a raspy voice snarl on the other side of the trees, as my eyes widened to the thought of people being so far away from civilisation, and I quickly concealed my body near the first thing I could spot.
"Good, you think we have enough supplies for the coronation?" A new feminine voice spoke firmly, while I heard footsteps form on the snow covered soil, making me realise I need to be quiet about my movements.
"Of course we have enough, but God knows what's going on with the Prince. He's rarely in the castle anyways." The same raspy voice spoke with a huff, as I decided to end my curiosity with a knife while peeking my head a little bit to the scene which sources the voices and sounds.
The Prince?
Were they talking about the royal family?
I glanced at the sight in front of me, seeing almost five horse carriages, flooded with unknown boxes, as a few men and women surrounded the transport, while wearing odd clothing.
Wait.
Are they...the people from the castle grounds?
"Some people say he lingers around the village to watch someone, it even means he misses his duties for the sake of playing I spy." A new manly voice spoke with a chuckle, as I heard some snickers around his figure.
I finally was able to see the talking people, finally as they started walking into my view, and they all were...oddly pale.
Okay.
"I mean, it's better than just sitting on the throne right? At least he has some kind of entertainment." The source of the feminine voice rolled her eyes, as her red hair, which oddly matched her eyes glistened in the sunlight.
Woah...she's really pretty.
And..does she have scarlet eyes?
"But he needs to also understand that we are not going to rule ourselves and that he has a job for becoming the King of Vampires." The tough looking guy with a crew cut, who had the raspy voice finally muttered, revealing his deep red eyes, just like the ones my guardian angel possessed.
Wait.
Wait wait wait.
King of Vampires-
Vampires are real?!
There was no way that this was real.
I've only heard the myth of the blood sucking creatures from my nana since I was a baby, and how they are true monsters to the humankind as they drained them with their fangs with no mercy.
If they have the the same eyes...does that mean the man in my dreams...is a v-vampire?
A b-blood sucker?
"Don't worry Caesar, Lazarus knows what's his job as the king to be. He never fails to astonish us, and he won't let this coronation slip." The manly voice with golden hair and the trippy red eyes spike firmly.
Lazarus...
Woah.
Okay.
Not gonna lie, that was quite an attractive and appealing name.
But wait, if vampires are real, and my guardian angel was one of them..
N-No.
H-He isn't a monster.
He can't be.
I couldn't label a man like him to be a monster in my life, he saved me countless times in my years of living. He wasn't at all like what people described vampires to be.
He was honestly the complete opposite. He would always save me and watch over me protectively, he wasn't a beast.
And to think of it, I'm actually coming to know the name of the future King for the first time in my life.
Talk about general knowledge.
"He better, so many people have challenged over the decades for the throne, and he defeated all of them with a single bite. He's one of a kind." The red head laughed.
He..ended people with a single bite?
Just a bite?
H-How in the world is that possible..
My chest started hammering from the imagination of someone killing off a dozen men with just his teeth, as my heart was desperately in need for calming down, as I even started to hear the beats in my drums.
All of this was difficult to digest, as I never imagined to be in a world of blood sucking killers.
P-Please tell me my guardian angel is not like the Prince...
"Wait. Uncover your true forms, a human is here." The raspy voice snarled, as everyone stopped dead at their tracks, making their red eyes harden in anger, as my heart raced even more because of the adrenaline.
"I can hear the heartbeat." The blond man whispered.
"Wherever you are here human, show yourself right now, before it gets deadly." The red head growled.
Is this supposed to be frightening?
"Oh I'm sorry! The Human world is closed today!"
I yelled sarcastically, as the ground thundered from the snarls and growls coming from the other side of trees. I instantly regretted my impulsive mouth, covering my lips in shock, as feet started to stomp towards my direction.
Just great Diana.
"Okay okay! Geez, no need to make a fuss. I'm coming out. Just don't-OH MY GOD!" I yelled in fright as I came out of the shadows to see almost three dozens of people with matching red eyes near the horse carriages stare at me with fury, and my legs felt like jelly after watching their glares.
"O-Okay, I know what you all are, but is looking at me like a prey really necessary?!" I gushed at them, as they bared their fangs to my display, making me go pale more and more.
I finally noticed another shared item among all of them on their attire, which looked like a very familiar symbol, which shined from the light above our heads.
"A-And you're wearing the..castle crest. Y-You work in the castle..and you are blood sucking creatures!?" I panicked while almost loosing my balance, and they started to near me.
"Woah woah woah! Stay right there!" I deadpanned at them angrily, as they ignored my request and came even closer.
"I said stop! I have garlic on me, I reek garlic! I will make sure you rot with this scent! Do you hear me!? Don't you dare!" I threatened, as they seemed unfazed by my words.
"I SAID STOP!" I roared with everything I had in my lungs, as all of them gasped at my voice, looking taken aback, as I heavily breathed the oxygen back into my system, before clearing my throat.
"Finally, what a warm welcome." I muttered sarcastically while rubbing my temples, as the three people who were talking eyed me up and down.
"What's on your neck mutt?" The red head asked me while glaring at my mark, and I gulped.
"Uh...first of all, don't you dare call me names, and secondly, I don't know, an imprint possibly? I don't know how it is-"
"How did you get it?" The tough looking guy, Caesar whispered in shock, as almost everyone saw the mark on my bare skin at this point and I felt uncomfortable.
"I-I don't know?" I mumbled softly, unsure of how to answer that, as the vampires started to murmur to themselves.
"That's a literal royal bite, that's no ordinary vampire's work." The blond man muttered with wide eyes.
"A royal what!? A WHAT!? See there blondie, I've never encountered a beast like any of you, maybe this is a..misunderstanding? I was just passing through?"
"It's..his initial." Caesar growled, as his fangs grew even bigger, making me walk backwards in fright.
"Now there, stay where you are-"
"Get her." The redhead ordered.
"Please don't hurt me-"
"Capture her!" All the people shouted in the background, as Caesar stepped awfully closer to me, almost two feet away.
"OH MY GOD!" I screamed while closing my eyes, as I bumped into a wall behind me, almost loosing my balance again, as the footsteps in front of me stopped, with a bunch of gasps rolling shortly after.
I peeked me eyes open to see Caesar looking behind me in fear, as an arm engulfed around my figure in surprise, before I was pulled closer to a chest which I had mistaken for a wall.
"Is this how you welcome your guests Caesar?"
♔