The queen had sensed his dark mood.

She had been watching him over her specs. Signing over important documents, she had silently gauged her son, the future of her country.

Slowly, she took off her glasses and cleared her throat delicately to get his attention but . . .

Elias kept staring in the space.

"Elias? Darling , what is it?" She asked him softly.

His caramel eyes turned on to the woman in front. The only thing separating them was the mahogany table. Queen Alma had been widowed after twenty years of marriage. Her husband died at the hands of a vampire hunter. If she wanted, she could have ordered the capture and execution of the hunter but she pardoned him for she could see a great war on her doors between humans and vampires. The leaders definitely didn't approve of the queen's decision but they kept their mouths sealed, their eyes on Elias for retribution.

The great queen had always kept her son sane by pitching forward a few words.

Kindness.

Empathy.

Graciousness.

And young Elias had followed them up until now. . .

"Mother, why can't we touch humans?" He asked , frowning slightly.

She leaned back against the leather bound chair, her intelligent eyes watching him with care.

"I thought you knew the answer to that," she mused.

Elias nodded grimly.

"We can't touch them because our touch might kill them. Sometimes I take my power as a curse." He muttered darkly.

"No power is a curse, my dear. It's always a responsibility. The power with you is too pure to be touched by a human." She stated in a her most no nonsense voice.

The one Elias called as the Queen's voice. Rigid and strict.

"But the half bloods can touch them by choice . Even mate with them." Elias argued.

Alma looked at her only son closely. He seemed agitated and on edge. Something or someone must have disturbed him.

"Indeed. And what comes out of such mating ," her voice tinged with disgust ," is a hybrid. In our world , the nobles will never accept a hybrid. Let us not dwell on our nature , my love. There are far too many things to concentrate on. I want you to take a tour of Fell." Her voice held authority.

The name fell filled his mouth with distaste.

"What would I do there? At the wretched place." He didn't like fell. It reeked of poverty and malnourished people of his kind. He had only been there once and that had been enough. The aristocrat living in him had turned up his nose at the beggars and half clothed people. Naked children played in the mud like pigs and old people looked forward to a noble's visit.

"You're the next in line to the throne of the southern countries. You need to address people on ground level. Give them food. That's all they need. I'll send Fritz with you." She continued, now wearing her specs back.

Her hand moved in blurring speed while Elias watched in a helpless manner.

Life as a prince didn't seem so charming.

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The second the limousine parked outside the valley, vampire children burst forth from all directions.  Shrieking with joy, chanting slogans for the jarlan.

"Jarlan Elias! Queen Alma!" Tiny fists were pumped up in the air while Elias rubbed his forehead at the sight before him.

Seeing vampires with protruding skulls because they couldn't afford classy blood like the nobles made him uncomfortable. Instead they feasted on the blood of drug addicts, blood junkies who injected themselves with blood by discarded injections. In turn , the children were growing up with dirty blood running in their veins.

Some had STDS.

"Where are those authors who claims to paint vampires as people of riches and glamour? Where are they so I can make them visit Fell . .make them see the reality glaring at us." Elias said out loud and Fritz, the bodyguard, eyed him dubiously.

"I'll distribute the blood bags , my lord. You should stay in the car." Severe looking Fritz grunted.

Elias didn't answer and Fritz took it as a yes.

He got out of the car and grabbed the container of blood bags while the children gathered at the mouth of valley bellowing at the sight of the container tucked under his beefy arm.

Elias leaned back against the comfy seat as he watched Fritz disappear along with the kids.

Some prince he was, he thought bitterly. Half the time he didn't even remember of the role he had to play. Act as a vicious and ruthless vampire lord and in reality he couldn't be that.

The Lords of the vampire court expected him to step up and be a beast but he had disappointed them with his uncanny kindness to humans and slaves. .to every creature.

Held by dark thoughts and his war with himself , he got tired. Looking out at the dingy area , his mouth set in a determined line as he opened the door and a blast of hot air hit his face, he instantly regretted his decision but he kept firm and shut the brassy door behind.

It didn't matter if he did not feel like one but. . .

It was time to play a prince.

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If he thought he would be welcomed with big flashy banners with welcome , Jarlan Elias! written in big bold letters, he was in for a rude surprise.

The weather at fell was dingy and humid. The ground held no grass nor did it have the power to bear trees that hung it's branches with heavy fruits. The barren land made Elias want to turn back to the the car .

As he walked in, the hot humid air blew around. Swirling dust and sand with itself . .

Thank God , for being a vampire . He didn't sweat under the sunny weather as he walked towards the valley. Mother had told him about Fell, the valley of . . nothing. The queen had done her best to bring prosperity to the black area but so far they couldn't reap the results they wanted to.

"They love being poor." Alma had noted.

"It isn't a valley. Why even call it one?" Elias had asked.

Alma had chuckled. "They did it to spite the nobles. Smear the name of valley with their own meaning of it. A valley represents greenery , healthy children. Happy faces and Fell? It had nothing of it. So they named it the fell valley. I find their humor quite appalling."

As Elias blurred in a second to the mouth of the valley, he couldn't help but hear the distinct buzz of bees.

The pungent smell of blood filled his nostrils and his eyes flashed red in response. He let the scent take him to the scene. Shutting his eyes and moving like a wind . . .he stopped right where the smell overtook everything.

The second he opened his eyes, nausea rose up to his throat.

Bees had covered a body!

Hastily, he went on his knees . .swishing away the bees , they buzzed angrily at him but couldn't get near him for his blood seemed too pure for their taste.

As the bees wiped off the body and buzzed away to another location, Elias could see the body of a giant man, he was sprawled onto his stomach , his upper body naked.  . .his back marked with red dots that were healing rapidly.

Elias placed his hand under his nose and found him breathing. However shallow they were.

Judging by the criss cross marks on his wrist and upper arm. .he recognized his lot ; the man was a blood junkie. He must have overdosed and lost consciousness. Elias could locate the dirty syringe still filled with blood in his grip.

And he was whispering. . begging. .

"Water. . .water. .,"

"I'll give it you ,once you reveal your name." Elias said in a commanding voice.

"D-Dougmous."

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