InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The dance of a vampire ❯ A Flower ( Chapter 3 )

A Flower

 

Pain. It was all he felt. Two weeks and yet still he had not fully recovered. Thus he was trapped in this room. The room alone looked like it was meant for the queen herself with all the draperies and tapestries that hung about the walls and ceiling and the plush furniture that littered the room and furs that covered the floor. Yet not once during his stay in the horrid castle of the vampires had he seen hid nor hair of her majesty except in the paintings that littered the hall ways for those few times he had been allowed to venture past the doorway of his room. Though never once had he seen her with out her mask not even the portraits dare reveal the true face of the queen. His thoughts turned dark about the true horror he knew must lay behind that mask. So deep in thought he became that he did not even notice the soft knock on his door nor when his young caretaker stepped into the room with fresh bandages in her arms.

 

“I see you are think terrible things about the queen again. I suggest that you stop now for you know how that upsets me. For she truly is not as horrid a person as you have come to believe,” the maiden said with exasperation.

 

A frown marred his face as he turned to look at her, “And how is it that you know she is not what I believe her to be? A monster that hungers for the destruction of the human race!”

 

A sigh passed her lips. “My lord surely your imagination is getting the better of you. For if she was such a horrid beast why would she allow you to stay in such a lavish room and recover? Or for that matter why would she allow me a simple human to live in her palace,” the maiden pointed out.

 

The man grumbled and turned his head away to stare out the window.

 

“I see well than I guess that you would rather stay in here thinking your dark thoughts rather than join me for a walk in the gardens?” the maiden stated softly as she busied herself removing his bandages.

 

Quickly he turned his head and stared at her in shock, “You are allowing me to venture out of the castle?” A smile played across her lips as she nodded. “How do you know that once out I will not simple run away?” he asked with slanted eyes.

 

A frown then marred the girls face, “Because if you do any such thing you know that I will surely be punished. And besides you still are not fully recovered and it would not be very good for your health should you try any such stunt.”

 

The man looked away and grumbled knowing that she had won the case, “Then when shall we leave?”

 

A smile once again shown on the girls face as she replied, “At twilight of course. The gardens are ever so lovely in the setting sun and then I shall be able to show you the most beautiful sight in all the world. I am sure that you shall truly love it.” Quickly the girl finished with the new bandages and left smiling to the man before she closed the door. He returned the smile once the door was shut and then turned to once again look out the window and ponder on what truly lay behind the mask.

 

After a few hours the girl once again appeared in the door way and quickly pulled the man to his feet seemingly impatient to get to the gardens. “My lord you must hurry or surely we will miss it. And oh it is so lovely it would be so dreadful to miss. Please hurry. It would be horrid if we missed it. Please make haste. It is almost time,” the servant mumbled as she pulled him through the winding halls and staircases. “It is simply amazing I am sure you will love it. Simple breath taking. I can hardly believe it myself sometimes. It is so astonishingly lovely,” the maiden rambled pulling him ever more swiftly towards their destination.

 

Finally two large doors came into view and the girl hurriedly opened them and ran outside still pulling the poor boy behind her. Yet even when they seemingly reached the garden she dragged him farther and farther along. Then once it seemed like that they were in the very heart of the garden the girl sudden stopped and dragged him behind a large shrub, “She almost saw us! That was surely a close one. If she had seen us than this whole trip would have been in vain. But I know that you will truly love what it is you are about to see,” the girl hurriedly whispered, her cheeks flushed with anticipation.

 

The man slowly peered around the bush to see what the girl was rambling about and froze at the sight. It was her, her of all people, the queen of the vampires herself stood before him in all her glory. Yet… something was amiss. She did not seem the all powerful and terrifying creature he had pictured her so often remembering her stony eyes in the dungeon. No she looked… small… and fragile?

 

His eyes softened slightly as he stood transfixed watching. She looked… She looked amazing. Her hair blowing gently in the wind as she stood beside an ancient tree that over looked a lake. The water reflected reds and oranges all around her though her mask seemed only to pick up the purple and blue hues, making her seem even more heartbreakingly fragile. Time seemed to stand still as he watched her. Than ever so slowly he noticed that another vampire had appeared behind her. He left himself stiffen as he saw the vampire reach out to touch her. `Who was he to disturb her peace?' He started forward so as the forcible remove the other vampire but was stopped when he felt a gentle tug on his sleeve. He turned to see the servant girl furiously shaking her head and signaling for him to remain quite. He grudgingly nodded and turned back to watch what was to ensue. He than noticed that more had appeared and all seem to be with in deep urgent conversation though the queen remained looking over the water never once truly acknowledging the vampires behind her.

 

Finally it seemed that the other had reached some sort of conclusion as they all turned to the queen seemingly awaiting her reply. He watched intently as she nodded her head and the other vampires disappeared. Yet still the queen remain ever vigilant over the water slowly her head tilted down sorrowfully and he noticed a speck falling slowly from her chin as she lifted her head high and turned to leave. But still even after she left he stared at where the object had fallen and noticed that a flower had grown where the object had fallen. Ever so slowly he crept forward intent on discovering what had occurred. Upon his closer inspection he discovered that the flower that had bloomed was covered in water droplets that seemingly glowed on the soft blue petals.

 

“Her tears cover that flower,” the maiden whispered softly as she stood behind his crouched form. “Just as her very soul created that flower it cries out as she can not,” she mumbled as one of the water droplets slipped off a petal. Gently he reached out and touched one of the petals only to have the petal fall and wither from his simple touch. “It is as fragile as she is even though she can not show it. That is the true queen. The queen hidden behind the mask. Now do you understand?” the maiden whispered as she plucked the stem of the flower and handed it to him and than walked back into the castle.