There was no doubt in Isabela's mind that Elena wouldn't be pissed about the tattoo.

But, to make matters worse, it was the day of the wedding.

Isabela sighed.

Elena glanced into the room. "It's time," she said.

Isabela sighed once again, stood up, and headed toward the doorway. She felt herself starting to panic. It's okay. Calm down. It's just a wedding. I mean, what's a wedding to an immortal being like you?, Her mind commented.

Elena glanced at her daughter's neck. "Is that a tattoo?"

Isabela nodded. "Yes." She laughed a little. "Do you have a problem with that?"

Elena sighed, rolling her eyes shortly after. "Let's go."

─┉─¡! • !¡─┉─

Isabela's heartbeat roared loudly in her ears. Her hands shook.

"We are here to cement the union between Samuilu Mihai Vladiscu Vaduva and Acco Alianora Friseal."

Isabela briefly zoned out.

"Samuilu, do you take Acco to-'' The sentence was cut short.

A horde of warriors from Zaeriatis burst in.

Isabela watched in horror as the Zaeriatis men cut through several Acrianian people.

In the midst of the chaos, one of the soldiers smiled and lurched toward Acco. He swung his blade forward with all of his might, connecting with Acco's neck, cutting Acco's head off.

One of the Zaeriatis soldiers dove toward Elena, swinging his sword.

Elena screamed.

Bartusz ripped his blade repeatedly through the knights—-cutting them down left and right. Finally, as he neared Isabela, he looked at her. "There you are!" He grinned, showing his fangs. "Where is my daughter?" He swung at Isabela.

Isabela ducked underneath the blade before grabbing Mierla's hand and Axiothea's in her other hand.

Then, the group ran out of the palace, Soare, Berewol, and Langiva not too far behind--they knew that the Zaeriatis soldiers would be following.

The sound of war horses trampling over the ground echoed behind them.

The group ran swiftly through the forest.

"Did you see that? Acco's head just got chopped off!" Mierla yelled, horrified.

Isabela nodded. "Yeah. I did."

The sounds behind them only made them run faster.

And out of nowhere, an arrow shot through the air.

Mierla glanced over her shoulder, noting where it was going. She pushed Axiothea out of the way. "Watch out!" She shouted.

The arrow pierced Mierla through the stomach. Mierla collapsed to the ground.

Isabela stayed wide eyed, with horror. "Mierla?"

Axiothea stopped dead in her tracks too. "Uh-" She inhaled, her lip trembling. "Y-you saved me," she stammered to Mierla. "Why? I thought you didn't like me?"

Mierla smiled ever so slightly at the siren. "Isabela loves you… That means… I've gotta at least tolerate you…" She adjusted herself, groaning in pain. "Maybe even be friends with-" She inhaled.

Isabela looked to Axiothea. "You and your child need to get out of here."

Axiothea looked like she wanted to protest.

"We'll be behind you," Isabela tried to reassure the siren. "Just get out of here."

Axiothea bowed her head to Mierla. "Thank you. I owe you my life." She exhaled before giving Isabela one last glance and running off.

Isabela turned to face the human. She kneeled down before picking Mierla up in her arms and running with her.

Once they had lost the soldiers, Isabela had tripped over a tree root, injuring her ankle. She had to place Mierla on the ground.

Mierla looked up at Isabela from her laying position in the vampire's lap.

Isabela clutched Mierla tight. "We're gonna get help. I promise."

Mierla shook her head. "I'm a goner, Izzy." Mierla coughed up blood.

"You can't say that!" Isabela yelled. "There's gotta be something I can do." She inhaled, rapidly. "I-I can turn you into a vampire. You'll be immortal…. Live with me forever."

Mierla shook her head once again. "No."

"Why not? Why don't you want me to save you?" Isabela exclaimed, tears welling in her eyes.

"Vampirism… It's not the life I want for myself…" Mierla's breath rattled.

Isabela began to stroke Mierla's hair.

"I love you." Mierla was just barely hanging on.

Isabela sniffed. "I love you too, Mier."

Mierla smiled, weakly. "Thought so. Can you take me to see the sun set? It's always so pretty…"

"Yeah. I can." Isabela picked Mierla up once again and staggered on her injured ankle to a more open field like area where Mierla could watch the sun set.

The sunlight gave Isabela a massive migraine.

Mierla smiled. "Thank you."

Isabela leaned down, placing a kiss on Mierla's forehead.

Once Isabela's lips pulled away from Mierla's forehead, she fell still.

Finally, Isabela couldn't contain herself anymore. She clutched Mierla tighter than she had before, buried her head in the human's chest, and started sobbing.

When Isabela finally lifted her head, the sun had fallen.

With one last heart-wrenching sob, Isabela stood, still carrying Mierla's body in her arms. She would have to find a peaceful last resting place for Mierla.

Some place with a lot of flowers.

Mierla loved flowers.

Once Isabela committed Mierla to the earth, she turned into a bat, and flew off in search for anew.

─┉─¡! • !¡─┉─

Years had passed now and Isabela still found herself thinking about Mierla every day. She always had the same thought and regret on her mind, every single day: if only I had turned Mierla into a vampire.

Though she didn't know her very well, Isabela still felt a little sorrow for Acco as well.

She was just a human. She didn't deserve to be wrapped up in that…, Isabela thought to herself, her heart heavy with sadness—-so heavy that she thought it would just sink away into nothing.

A couple of years back, Isabela had aided the knights in taking back Acriania from Voit Seoboek Stragas.

Isabela headed through Calerikon—-a Greek seaside kingdom with her so-called 'vampire lackey's' behind her.

Since the misfortunate sad ending of Mierla's story had happened, Isabela vowed to never let someone else who was close to her go like that.

Isabela had promptly talked to Soare about her fears—-and with his permission, she converted him into a vampire.

Berewol, Langiva, and Soare now trailed behind Isabela, awaiting her word.

"So…" Berewol began to ask Isabela, whilst still trailing behind her. "You're gonna see Axiothea? You plan convincing her to come back Acriania with you? Wed her and make her a queen? Make your child the heir?"

Isabela nodded. "Precisely."

Ever since Zaeriatis' invasion and massacre of Acriania, Isabela had been ruling as the queen—-and she was just that to the public. With her parents gone, Isabela never had to worry about being closeted again.

Isabela and her group continued on a little farther until they stopped in front of a small cottage. "This should be it," Isabela said to her followers.

Isabela had called in a favor prior and Ferrantino had scouted out for Axiothea to obtain her whereabouts.

Isabela took a deep breath before knocking on the door.

The door opened to reveal a young child probably about four years old—-she had dark, midnight hair. She had heterochromia—-one eye light pink, the other… golden, just like Isabela's.

The little girl tensed. She looked like she was panicking internally.

"What's your name?" Isabela asked, a smile on her face.

The little girl shouted, upset, "Mítera!"

Isabela kneeled in front of the young girl—-her eyes meeting hers. "There's no need to be afraid of me." She held her hand out. "I won't hurt you. I promise."

The girl looked like she was thinking for a second before she said, "My name is Mierla."

Isabela smiled softly at the little girl—-hearing that name again made Isabela happy. "Hello, Mierla. Your name is lovely."

Mierla giggled at that.

Isabela continued to gaze lovingly upon her daughter. "I'm Isabela… and I'm an old friend of your mother's."