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