Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ Shattered Illusions ❯ Order of the Blue Rose ( Chapter 33 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
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Shattered Illusions
Chapter 33: Order of the Blue Rose
By: Revamp/Melissa Norvell
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"Order of the Blue Rose?" Horatio questioned. Where exactly did
that name come from?
"I'd love to be in your order but, what's your goal?" Millie placed
a finger to her chin in thought. Yale obviously had a plan, but
what was it exactly?
"To protect the prince, the hidden king, and to stop Hide from
getting further in his conquests," Copernicus knew very well what
the meaning and mission of the order was. They would continue to
carry out their rebellion against the enemy forces and to put a
stop to the Time of Ending.
"I agree. I'll be your knight, Prince Yale," Tsubomi was in,
especially if Copernicus planned on sticking to the order. She
wanted to find out who the king was, and more importantly, who
Copernicus was as well.
Teru glanced towards the mute vampire, perplexion written on his
face. "Well, what's our first order, your highness?"
"For now, we should be ready for whomever they will be throwing
at us next." Now that Estella Nu had been out of the way, who
knew what or who they would find themselves facing. From this point
on out, the enemy forces would only be getting stronger.
"Well, Hide has known me since I was born, so I know a good amount
of information regarding him. However, he kept many secrets to
himself regarding his technology." Even though the two vampires had
worked together on many things, there was still a vast amount of
things Copernicus didn't know about his enemy, especially when it
came to his technology, and those loopholes were the very things
that uneased him.
"You know as well as I do that he won't simply let us sit
around." Even if they were dormant now, they wouldn't be for
long. Hide was simply restructuring for an even bigger attack. Yale
knew this all too well.
"He has always despised me for that," Copernicus could recall early
moments in time when he was a child. Hide would always push him to
be more active and keep moving, versus sitting around. One incident
in particular stuck out in his mind.
As a boy, Copernicus liked to read. He would often sit in his
room with a book, indulging in studies. The brunette liked to
absorb knowledge and often read scientific books or those that
contained interesting facts versus those that held purely fictional
content. Hide walked into the room, glaring down on him with a gaze
of strong disapproval and a stern frown, amplifying his
anger.
"Why are you doing? You should be setting an example for the
people of Ramada. You're a superb symbol of leadership but you sit
back like a parasite, feeding from the people," Hide was disgusted
by his actions as a vampire, much less one who was meant to be a
harbringer to his people.
"The people want to be assured of smart figureheads. I'm
studying this so I can have full knowledge of what to do whenever a
war-like situation arrives," Copernicus put his book down,
carefully marking his page. He didn't think it was a waste of time,
nor did he find it parasitic. He was simply gathering knowledge
that he could utilize later on.
"You're supposed to lead, not follow," Hide reprimanded. Did
this boy really have to be so clueless? He could possess all of the
knowledge in the world, but it would mean nothing if he didn't act
like he had common sense.
"Prince Yale might be influenced by your beliefs but I envision
a different Ramada," Copernicus frowned. He didn't want to continue
in the footsteps of the previous rulers, he wanted to pave his own
road.
Hide arched an eyebrow. What did he mean by that? "You seek to
change the country? That's very generic of you. It's only the wish
of every well-bred individual to make a profound change in their
society but few are capable of such a thing." Truly, this boy was
asking to achieve the impossible. There was no way in hell he'd
pave his own road in Ramada's history.
"Just because it seems impossible, doesn't mean that it is.
I will make a revolution and I can promise you
before I die, a significant change will be made. Just wait and
see." Determination etched itself across the vampire's face. Hide's
pessimism just fueled his wish to accomplish his dreams. Now, more
than ever, he wanted to make a change and forge the path of a
rightful leader and go down in the history books.
"Just remember, my little scholar, when the game is over all of
the pieces go back into the same box," Hide turned away and left
the boy with those words.
"Yes, I did believe his words are a part of me and I still do.
If a prince doesn't lead, his subordinates can't follow." If
Hide had anything right, it was that. Maybe it had just been
pounded into his brain over the eons of his existence but Yale
found great truth in those words.
"A prince's place is on the throne as figurehead, he represents all
that the country stands for," Copernicus argued his point. Hide was
wrong. A ruler that sat on the throne was every bit as legitimate
as one that had been active and among the people.
"That's a bit old-fashioned," figureheads had been ruling from the
throne since the dawn of time. Horatio liked the fact that his
prince was more active in society rather than sitting around on a
throne all day.
"Are you saying my methods are ineffective?" Yale put a hand
to his chest, irritated that Copernicus would question something
like that, especially with him assuming leadership of the Order of
the Blue Rose.
"You like hiding behind your military, eh Copernicus?" Teru shifted
his eyes slyly to the brunette.
Copernicus closed his eyes, folding his arms over his broad chest,"
if need there be."
"Most people would feel guilty about that," Teru pressed. Surely
the current ruler of Ramada must have felt some degree of guilt,
hiding behind vampires who sacrificed themselves in war. If he
didn't feel at least a little remorse, he was truly a cold-hearted
person even by his race's standards.
"They know the risks. It is their position to defend the regal
people of this country. They should be aware of the risks. It's
written in their code that they may die, just as it is written in
the royal code that we may be assassinated." Every aspect of the
royal court came with their own risks and trials. Copernicus knew
the risks of his own position, just as a vampuric soldier knew the
risk of their own. To try and place the blame on the ruler of
Ramada was bullshit, pure and simple.
"Damn, you're literal and by the book," all of that studying
definitely did something for Copernicus, though Teru didn't know if
it was a good or a bad thing.
"Hanging onto the old ways and being systematic is a very good way
to lead." If it wasn't broken, Copernicus refused to fix it. There
was no sense in such things, and he was sure that the king felt the
same way.
"So, you don't fancy my leadership skills and method of
rule?" Was Copernicus trying to say that Yale was
incompetent?
"You are an impeccable leader, Prince Yale. Your father is right;
you do remind me of your late uncle Axis. He was my role model as
well but I believe that a ruler should be firm and iron-fisted. If
things get hectic then you can control the situation better."
Different methods defined different styles, and Copernicus held no
ill will towards the blonde for ruling how he saw fit, he just
preferred the methods of the king to his friend's methods.
"Control by means of intimidation makes you seem too
tyrannical," Yale couldn't agree with him. He didn't feel that
controlling people was the answer, nor was ruling with an iron
fist. The people would do as he wanted without a threat present. It
was far better to rule with kindness than it was to feel as if he
had to be some type of evil overlord.
"I would not be a tyrant. I'm quite lenient. You should know that."
Dark blue eyes narrowed at the blonde as Copernicus shot him a
glare.
"Of course, we should enjoy the rest of the party. Our first
meeting will be in a couple of days from now. I'll also provide you
all with a method of uniform - with our combined minds, we'll be a
formidable force," Yale decided to avert the subject. The two
were never going to agree on what a proper method of rule was, and
he knew that the brunette was far too stuck in his ways to come to
any kind of compromise.
Copernicus nodded in agreement, "of course." Some subjects were
better to dismiss. This was one of them.
"We'll resume this in our first meeting. I'm sure Earl
Prizemarter would like us to enjoy ourselves at the party."
After all, that was the first reason that they had attended the
party, to enjoy themselves and partake in the festivities. It would
probably ease their spirits to do so.
"I wish to speak to you in private, Prince Yale," Copernicus placed
his hand on the other vampire's shoulder as the group dispersed,
walking to different areas of the ball room as they retreated to
areas of their interest.
Yale glanced at him and nodded. "Of course. We need to discuss
our recent alliance as advisor and prince."
The brunette agreed and Yale announced that they would return soon.
Millie waved, telling them to have fun in a tone that was
inappropriate. Tsubomi sighed, crossing her arms over her chest as
a visage of exasperation bled into her expression. Millie never
knew when to stop with the boy love jokes, did she?
"You're such a perv. I swear, you have the mind of a dirty, old
man," Tsubomi's voice intoned, making the girl jolt a little before
she turned around to have her with a smile plastered to her
face.
"Women have fantasies, too," She teased.
Tsubomi shook her head, "hopeless."
"Aren't you nervous about being a knight?" Millie was a little
interested to know what Tsubomi's opinion was on her new position.
She had always admired the boy for being able to handle pressure
with a fair amount of grace.
"Not really, with all of the crap I've been through, I can't say
that I have. What about you?" She had already felt as if she were a
knight, so actually being called one wasn't much of a graduating
step. It more or less solidified her position at Copernicus' side
more than anything.
Millie looked down, holding one hand with the other. "A little, I
hope that I'll be able to protect Prince Yale like you all can."
After all, even with her superior gun skills, she was still only a
school girl. Millie didn't possess special powers or abnormal
strength like Yale, Copernicus, Shiva and Teru did. It made her
feel a little subpar.
"You'll be alright," Tsubomi chided her with a small smile. Millie
often underestimated herself. The tomboy was certain that she did
in this case as well.
"I wish I were brave, like you," Millie's voice softened up as she
gazed back at the young man before her. Tsubomi had faced danger
and the threat of her own life on multiple occasions and she had
always braved through like a soldier. The gun slinger only wished
that she had that type of resilience and mental fortitude.
"I'm not brave. I'm actually quite a coward," Tsubomi didn't want
Millie to see her as too much of a hero. That just wasn't her. Even
now, she couldn't confront Copernicus with her true identity. Even
now she had continued to deceive him. She was no brave soul; she
was a cowardly idiot who was unable to face reality.
"You? No way! You're the crazy psycho who shot themself.
That takes guts. You've taken a lot of abuse and you still
remain loyal, no matter what!" Those were the qualities that made
her so admirable. Surely Tsubomi saw that the things she did took
guts: sneaking into Hide's place alone, shooting herself, how she
dealt with Coscatta...all of those were great acts of bravery.
"Yes, but my actions are cowardly in other aspects," the tomboy
replied, tearing her eyes away from her friend.
Millie crossed her arms beneath her breasts, her eyebrows knitted
in concern. "You really berate yourself, don't you?"
"If you must know, yes. I'll only tell you that Copernicus would be
angry if I told him." No one could have gone this long being
deceived and not be angry. His wrath was something that she
feared.
"Why do you hate yourself?" Millie couldn't understand her psyche
behind that. There were so many good aspects about the boy, and she
couldn't see why someone who was blessed with such good looks and
talent would be driven to dislike every aspect about
themselves.
Tsubomi's visage hardened and her voice lowered. "I hate myself for
the things I have not said, for the secrets I bear, even now." She
placed a hand to her chest. Her heart was slamming against her
sternum in a painful manner and she felt ill.
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Yale and Copernicus were seated in blue chairs with stylized backs
and legs with paws for feet. The blue velvet was crushed beneath
their weight as they looked at each other from across the white and
black marble table. To their right, a large window provided the
small amount of light that graced the room, creating a dusky
atmosphere. Yale closed his eyes with a small smile and Copernicus
simply stared at the prince wordlessly.
The darkened atmosphere set a serious tone for the two vampires and
the air was thick with tension. A moment of silence passed between
the two of them before Yale spoke.
"I'm afraid you can't hide forever."
"You seem to be doing a good job," Copernicus had a feeling that he
knew exactly what this was all about.
"Your donor is intimidating. He's caught onto me," Tsubomi
was going to catch onto him soon. Before he did, he wanted
Copernicus to tell the boy the truth.
The brunette looked amused by that comment. "Really? But you've
hidden it so well. In fact, you've hidden it better than I have."
If Tsubomi hadn't figured him out, then she'd have no reason to
figure Yale out so quickly. Surely he overestimated her.
Yale rested his laced hands beneath his pointed chin. "He's
perceptive. He might already know about us."
"Then I suppose I'll have to tell him about us." It was as simple
as that.
"Do you think he'll be angry at you? You're just as deceiving as
I am. You even have Horatio playing into your corrupt game." By
having his knight refer to him so commonly, Copernicus attempted to
erase all whereabouts and blur more lines. Playing that game was
very dangerous, and soon it would catch up to him and bite him in
the ass.
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"Can you tell me? I mean, you're probably hiding it from Copernicus
for a good reason, but-" Millie tried to coax the secret from the
boy, but Tsubomi wasn't going to give her what she asked for.
"No, I do not want it slipping out. Just know that it's big.
Trust me, you'd never think of me the same way again." When she had
come to the point that she felt like telling the girl of her true
identity, her whole world would change. Her relationships with
Millie and the vampires would change. Everything would change, and
she wasn't prepared for that, not right now.
"I'm sure it's not that bad. You'll always be sexy, serious
and handsome, Tsubomi." Honestly, there was no secret too big for
her. Millie was positive that her friend was simply over thinking
the severity of the situation.
Tsubomi's features hardened. 'That's why I cannot tell you. Oh
Millie, what would you do or say if you knew I was really a
woman?'
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"I'm not doing it to keep your reputation clean," Yale
placed his hands on the table, glancing out of the window.
"Redirecting my problems onto you is quite selfless. I only wish I
could repay you," Yale was his scapegoat. The other vampire
provided another direction for the situations that should have been
directed at him, and as such it helped him manage to keep his
position a secret. He owed the other vampire far beyond anything he
could produce by hand.
"It's alright; I would rather take your pain than put it onto
your shoulders. My pain will never go away and you've suffered
enough. Remember, I serve you as well, my dear brother." It was
what brothers did for each other, and Yale had no problem shielding
him from hurt, harm or speculation as a result. It was important to
him as well that Copernicus be kept alive.
Copernicus' expression softened as a smile crept to his face, "of
course, Yale Axis Wittenburg."
"I'm just glad that Horatio is letting me use his last name as a
cover up. If it gets out that I'm a Wittenburg, then you'll be in
danger as well." It was like asking the enemy to come and
annihilate the both of them.
"I wish I could tell them, especially Tsubomi. Then again, I wonder
what he would think if he knew that a king loved him?" Copernicus
could only imagine the type of burden that he would place on the
boy's shoulders if he had just told him the truth. It would clarify
many questions that Copernicus knew he had, but at the same time it
would complicate things as well.
"How long do you think you can keep telling him that the true
king is hidden out somewhere? You think they'd ask to be near him,
since he's in danger," Yale wondered why they hadn't requested
this before. Perhaps they thought that the king was already in good
hands.
"They assume he's being guarded. Besides, the king is hidden behind
a mask of deception," Copernicus made sure to chide their worries
regarding the true king of Ramada. Nothing escaped him, and he
would make sure to draw out the secret as long as he could, for the
sake of everyone.
"I hope this new organization can help you, my king." Yale
wanted to think that this would count as advancement as well as a
bonding experience with their allies in Bakasha.
"I only regret that you have suffered so much. Do forgive me,
little brother." Solemn blue eyes gazed down at the table in
remorse. If only he had known about his brother's situation, he
would have acted sooner and tried to save him. Now he had a
crippling defect that robbed him of his spoken voice. All of the
torture that Yale must have been through under Estella Nu made him
feel horrible.
Yale shook his head and smiled warmly. "There is nothing to
forgive because you did nothing wrong. I am to blame for my own
misfortunes...and for what happened to Hepesta and Carlyle."
The blonde's smile slowly morphed into a frown as his gaze went
crestfallen. Copernicus arose from the other side of the table and
walked over to his brother, embracing the other male tightly.
"This is not your fault," he chided. "You did what you thought was
right, and I don't blame you at all for my parent's deaths." He
placed a hand on top of his brother's head, running his fingers
through the silky texture of his long, shimmering tresses.
Copernicus smiled tenderly at the shorter vampire. "Little brother,
cheer up. It may be tense right now but we're doing well if we're
coming out on top." That was something he would bet his dying
breath on.
Yale couldn't help but smile as he felt the warmth of the closeness
of their bodies. "Right," he nodded, "even though it's
hard, I'll be happy for you."
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Everyone was dressed in their designated clothing as they all stood
in one of the long hallways with blue and gold carpet and high
ceilings. The occasional white archway was placed strategically in
place. The room was spacious and empty with the exception of a
single table with dishes of food and glasses with dark wines in
each of them. Soft, classical tunes played in the background and
everyone was present but Prince Yale.
Tsubomi held a wine glass to her lips, clad in her outfit, which
was a near replica of her ballroom outfit. It was a blue coat with
long tails and two rows of golden buttons, a white sash and white
frills that cascaded from the wizard sleeves and a white, three
tiered cravat. Her lower clothes consisted of white, skin-tight
pants with knee-length black boots. "I feel awkward."
Millie looked down at her new attire, a blue, lolita-inspired dress
with blue frills around the bottom and a white undershirt with
poofy, white sleeves. Her knee socks were white with e can fight in
these clothes?" She glanced around the room, seeking the approval
of anyone who knew more about the subject than she did.
Horatio turned to her in an exact replica of his ball room attire,
except with the color-scheme of blue, white and gold. His long cape
flowed around him. "We are royalty, so we must dress
accordingly. I'm sure that they are designed to fight in. They seem
pretty mobile." Checking the elasticity of the clothes, Horatio
moved his arm in wide circles. The fabric was strange and light. It
stretched with his movements. It was a good sign that they weren't
as restricting as their formal clothes.
"Mobile and stylish," the maroon-haired girl commented as she
modeled her new dress, twirling around and extending a leg behind
her with her arms held out.
Just then, Yale walked in. He too, was adorned in an exact replica
of his ball room attire. Millie couldn't help but notice that they
all had a single blue rose pinned to all of their chests or stuck
in their breast pockets of their clothes. The blonde vampire looked
at the group and cleared his throat to catch their attention.
"Greetings my knights and advisors."
"It's good to see you here. It looks like you all have attended.
I'm glad," Copernicus said from his location, beside of Tsubomi. He
too was dressed in a replica of his ball room attire. It seemed
that Yale preferred their clothing be lavish as well as
functional.
"You look nice," Tsubomi commented on her master's new threads.
"Looking good, wonderful, fabulous Prince Yale," Teru called
from the other side of the room. He was dressed in an outfit
similar to Copernicus'. He wore a blue jacket that was lined in
gold with two rows of gold buttons and a white sash. He wore long,
white pants with thigh high boots.
"Thank you, Prince Teru," Yale smiled as Millie walked up
and adjusted the rose that slightly hung from his pocket.
"These look expensive, but you deserve them, my prince," Millie
backed up, looking at the beautiful flower. It was the perfect
shade.
"I shall cherish it always, Millie," Yale smiled and
caressed the delicate blossom with one hand, as if it were a fragil
newborn.
Shiva stared at them from her position across the room. She wore a
long, blue dress with a white stripe up the middle, a white sash
that accented the split that nearly went all the way up the front.
Her dress had a single golden button on the right shoulder. It had
a high neck and was sleeveless, adorned with golden tassels on each
shoulder. She accented it with white gloves and blue heels.
Copernicus took a seat at the table as he shifted through paperwork
and sipped on a glass of tea. He preferred tea to the wine that was
already present.
"You really do love your tea, don't you?" Tsubomi swore that was
all he drank these days.
"Yes, we've been married for years," the vampire joked.
"I wonder if it knows you're cheating on it with me," Tsubomi
arched an eyebrow with a sly smile. She decided to play along with
his joke.
"Hush, it will hear you," Copernicus shielded the sides of his tea
cup, as if it had ears.
"You guys are weird," Millie noted and turned away from the two's
ridiculous conversation. They were really just being dorks, talking
about tea and other pointless things. She had another objective on
her mind, and that was sampling some of that wonderful food that
had been laid out on the table for her. She popped a cookie in her
mouth, savoring the rich, decedent taste. "Oh my god! This is
so good!"
She held up another cookie to take another bite but Tern
intercepted it, nearly taking the girl's fingers with it. "Hey, it
is!" The red-head said as he munched on the sweet.
Perturbed, Millie shoved the plate of cookies to her side of the
table. "Get your own! You have a plate in front of you."
"But I want yours!" Teru whined.
"No! You weirdo!" The girl stood up bolt straight as Teru lunged
for the plate like a football player.
"I want it!" He called out, lying on top of Millie, who struggled
and squirmed below him. Her face was marred with anger.
"Get off of me!" She screeched as the two started fighting over the
plate of cookies. Millie threw one punch after another while
holding the cookies over head, making sure that Teru couldn't get
his hands on any more of her delicious treats. Teru flailed around
trying to grab them and Millie stepped around, almost as if she
were awkwardly dancing, punching him in the top of the head, trying
to keep him from them.
Copernicus watched the two, a bead of sweat ran down the back of
his head. "At least all of the serious discussions were made before
we decided to eat."
"Of course," Yale sat beside of his brother, crossing his
legs and resting his elbows on his knees, smiling. "Now we can
relax and enjoy ourselves."
Dark blue eyes shifted to the blonde. "So, do you like my
plan?"
Yale nodded. "I do. I certainly hope that it will work."
"They have a 97 percent accuracy rate, so they should be fool
proof, considering nothing changes," he would have to hope for the
best and he couldn't simply disregard that small chance that it may
not work. Copernicus had a second plan in case things failed as
well.
"How big of a chance for change is there?" Yale asked,
shooting his brother a serious gaze.
"In general, it could be larger than I think because Hide evolves
quickly. In this situation, his progress should be slow, unless
something drastic happens or there is an unseen attack I don't know
about, and I've been spying on them extensively," the brunette had
his way of keeping in touch with his competition and learning of
their plans. However, he knew Hide all too well, enough to know
that his plans change drasically at the drop of a hat. Anything was
likely with him.
"Damn it!" Millie's shout cut through their conversation, causing
the two vampires to turn their heads.
"You can have my cake, Millie," Yale offered as he saw the
two on the floor. Millie was sitting on her butt, there was an
overturned plate and Teru was busy gobbling up cookies like he
hadn't eaten in days.
The girl's face lit up and she clasped her hands together.
"Really?"
"Here you go!" Yale took the plate of cake between two
fingers and bent down, handing the girl the plate of untouched
cake. He wasn't really planning on eating it, so he was happy to
give it up to her.
Millie took the plate and cocked her head, now sitting on her knees
at the prince's feet. "You don't eat very much, do you?"
"I'm not used to eating this lavishly," he had to admit that
all of the rich foods were a little too much for him. His body was
conditioned to only receiving a small amount of food and at times,
not at all. He simply wasn't hungry as much as a vampire who
existed in a non-slavery setting.
"In other words, you were starved," Copernicus noted, taking a sip
of tea.
Yale couldn't deny it. With a sad smile he agreed that his brother
was right.
"We can eat it together!" Millie offered. If it would help get his
health back up, she was ready to try anything she could. The
vampire agreed to try and thanked her. Taking a small piece of cake
in her fork, she held it up the vampire's lips. "Then let's start
now." Taking it between his teeth, he thanked her before eating
it.
"No problem," the girl smiled, "after all, we've got to get you
back to normal...well, kind of, I know some things won't go away,
but that's okay. We can get through this together."
The girl's determination and spirit nearly rendered him speechless
with sentiment, "Millie..."
"I love you, Prince Yale," Millie said softly.
The words were like a knife, cutting into his heart. Yale closed
his eyes and frowned. He felt sick and sad. The cake sloshed around
in his stomach as anxiety washed over him. "I wished I could say
the same."
Millie looked as if she was trying to keep her composure, as if she
was desperately grasping at straws. "You love me as a friend,
right? You can still say it." She wanted so desperately to hear it,
even if it wasn't the type of love that she wanted. Millie just
wanted to know that he cared about her.
"But, I don't love you as a friend."
"Huh?" Her eyebrows creased in worry and she felt her heart pound
savagely in her chest. Just then, the feeling melted away by a
gentle touch to the side of her face. Gazing up, her eyes met those
of light blue.
"Being with you takes on a brand new meaning, Millie. You truly
make me happy," Yale reinforced the words with a gentle smile.
He didn't want her to worry about their status or their
relationship. They had a truly unique and special bond; more than
anything he wanted her to know that.
Arms wrapped around his neck as the girl rose to hug him close.
Horatio watched from his position across the room as he sipped on
wine. Yale embraced the girl back, and from behind him, Shiva
smiled pleasantly.
"It's nice to see him like this, even if he's with a human," she
commented.
"I was once a human," Horatio mentioned.
"You're right, both of us were. You and I are both Classicals,
right?" They were both turned into vampires by other Classical
Vampires. That was what distinguished their type.
Horatio turned to the dark-skinned woman, a little surprised by
what she had just said. "I thought you were an Inheritor, Princess
Shiva."
The girl shook her head. "No, I was turned by my father."
Horatio's eyes widened a little. He didn't know anything about
this. "So, you were a human?" He just couldn't believe it. This
entire time, he thought that she was born a vampire.
"Yes, there are no half-blood vampires. You either are or you
aren't but I do have vampuric blood, which means that the
conversion process was less painful. Plus, I was turned at an older
age so I could survive." Her parents knew what they were doing, and
they had planned everything just right. They wanted to preserve
their daughter and make her rightful ruler of the land she hailed
from. In many ways, she knew the same pains and tribulations as the
knight had.
"The transformation was painful for me. I almost died three times
when I was converting," Horatio's voice lowered. He had never
spoken about this incident before, unless it was with those who
were involved. Talking about it with Shiva somehow made him feel a
little more comfortable.
"How unfortunate," Shiva's eyebrows knitted together and a frown
adorned her purple lips.
"Even if this girl and his majesty got together, there would be no
heir. He's infertile, after all." That was the fate of Inheritors
of any kind.
"This king is as well," Shiva noted.
"The king loves another man," Horatio replied.
"Does it matter?" The other vampire asked.
"Not at all," the knight shook his head.
"He's a looker, quite attractive," Shiva commented, taking a drink
of wine.
"The king demands only the very best for a lover," Horatio had
always known Copernicus to be like that. As long as he knew him,
the vampire had always had beautiful men and women as his donors
and lovers. It was no surprise that he chose Tsubomi at all.
"Remember all, our next meeting will be a week from now. It will
take place at Earl Prizemarter's birthday party. Come dressed as
you are. After the meeting we'll celebrate Earl Prizemarter's
birthday." Yale announced. 'My dear, old
friend...mother...father...Your deaths shall not be in vain. With
this order, I shall set my plans into action. Perhaps, this way, I
can finally have some solstice in my heart and find some peace for
the events of the past.'
...To Be Continued