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Drusilla was fed up with her father's mood swings and she wanted nothing more than to leave Zharas! The only reason she endured her father's mood swings, was her sister Odette! Odette was Drusilla's one and only, her heart and soul and the most important person in her life!

They were both 180 years old and they've been together their whole life! Living in Zharas and in the shadows of her father and his allies, made Drusilla cold-hearted, mean and deadly!

A few years ago she was a joyful, funny, friendly and helpful young Vampire/immortal creature, but now she was nothing more than an even more cruel version of her father! She felt sorry for Odette, but even she became mean, cold-hearted and deadly!

Seeing her little sister become cold-hearted and mean, hurt her and she wanted nothing more than for her to be happy again! Azrael kept his daughters in the castle, because he didn't trust them! After their mother's death, the sisters didn't talk much and their father didn't even care!

They didn't know what it was, that made him so cruel and heartless, but they were scared, that they would end up the same way and with how things looked right now, Drusilla and Odette were on the best way, to become exactly like their father!

One day Drusilla decided to move out from home and travel around! Odette wasn't sure, whether she wanted to move out yet or not, so she quickly decided, that she wanted to stay in the castle a little while longer! Drusilla didn't wait until her sister made up her mind and just moved out...

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Sometimes Drusilla wished, that her mother had lived a little while longer, just to protect her and Odette from Azrael! Lacrima was the only one who had ever dared to do something about Azrael's whims! The people in the castle despised her for this, as they were firmly convinced that Azrael was the only true and rightful ruler of Zharas!

Yet all Lacrima ever wanted was to protect her two daughters! But no one seemed to care...and that made Lacrima angry! As a vampire of 340 years, Lacrima was stronger than Azrael who was only 250 years old! Only it didn't matter as he always found a way to outwit his wife!

And even though vampires are immortal, Azrael found a way to kill his wife! He put a spell on her that drained all life from her veins and destroyed everything good in her! Now Lacrima was locked inside the castle walls and will probably never get the chance to get out of there again!

Drusilla and Odette were no longer little girls when their mother died, but her death always remained in their memories! Not to mention their father's cruelty...which they still do not understand til this day!

On the way to the stables, Drusilla kept thinking how Odette must be feeling now that she was gone! And Drusilla fervently hoped that Odette would follow one day...

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When Drusilla reached the stables, she crossed Alucard's way! Alucard was one of Azrael's most trusted men and even though Drusilla and Alucard didn't interact much, they hated each other!

Drusilla knew for a fact, that Alucard would tell her father, what she was up to but honestly: Drusilla didn't care! She was determined to leave Zharas and nothing and no one could stop her...not even Azrael or Alucard!

He raised an eyebrow, as she walked past him and he even turned around when she mounted her horse! Surprisingly he didn't even try to stop her and she actually got out of Zharas!

A few days later: Drusilla reached England and thus Wessex! Now she searched for a town to rest and let her horse have some water! She quickly found a town called: Winchester!

As she rode through the gates, she felt people stare at her...immediately she felt uncomfortable! Actually she didn't care about the opinion of people she didn't know, but their stares made her shiver!

After a little while of searching, she finally found the stables and she instantly gave her horse, Montano something to drink! After that she left the stables and walked around the town...

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Drusilla quickly decided that Winchester and its inhabitants were weird and boring and that she would probably never make friends here!

That was before she met Uhtred and his men! The boys were just on their way to the palace when Drusilla ran into one of them! Sihtric scratched his head as he looked down at Drusilla, who fell to the floor after the impact!

Uhtred, Finan and Osferth looked at each other before they also looked at Drusilla! She was seething inside and wanted nothing more than to shout at Sihtric, but she didn't get the chance after he held out his hand for her to stand up!

After she was back on her feet, she dared to look at Sihtric...he was beautiful and his mismatched eyes sparkled enchantingly in the sunlight

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Sihtric:"Did you hurt yourself?...(*Drusilla shook her head*)...sorry you landed on the floor, it was not my intention to run into you!"
Drusilla:(*she scratched her head*)"Wasn't it actually the other way round?...(*Sihtric thought briefly*)...anyway, I'm sorry if I hurt you! By the way, I'm Drusilla!"
Sihtric:"It's nice to meet you, Drusilla! I am Sihtric Kjartansson!...(*Drusilla slightly smiled at him*)...where are you from? I've never seen you here before!"
Drusilla:(*she sighed*)"I come from a place far away from here!...(*Sihtric tilted his head*)...the place is called Zharas!"
Uhtred:"Zharas?...(*Drusilla looked at him*)...sorry, I'm Uhtred Ragnarsson, it's nice to meet you!"
Drusilla:(*she slightly smiled at him*)"It's nice to meet you too, Uhtred!...(*he smiled back at her*)...Zharas is very far north from here and actually very difficult to reach if you are not from there!"
Finan:"And does everyone there look like you?...(*Drusilla's eyes widened*)...I mean you are beautiful, especially your eyes and your hair! And just so you know one more of us: I am Finan!"
Drusilla:(*she looked at him*)"Nice to meet you, Finan!...(*he nodded at her*)...in Zharas not everyone looks like me, no! But thank you for the compliment!"
Osferth:"To conclude the round of getting to know each other: I am Osferth!...(*Drusilla nodded at him*)...would you like to tell us more about yourself over a mug of ale?"

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Drusilla nodded and so the five of them went over to the nearest ale house! Uhtred, Finan and Osferth walked at the front, whilst Sihtric and Drusilla walked at the back!

She noticed him staring at her and for the first time in long time, she blushed and even smiled a little bit! He noticed her smile and smiled back at her...he was a good man, she could feel it and she swore to herself, that she would do anything to protect him!

When they reached the ale house, Uhtred looked for a table and once they sat down, Finan ordered for each of them a mug of ale! Osferth couldn't resist and stared at Drusilla the whole time she was talking!

She didn't mind, the boys seemed to be friendly men and she started to like them, even though she didn't really like anyone! Sihtric and Uhtred listened closely and they really seemed to be interested in what she was saying!

Actually no one cared about her opinion, her stories or her presence in general! Uhtred, Finan, Osferth, Sihtric and Odette were the only people, who seemed to care about her and that felt good...

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Drusilla sighed a few times, before she continued with her story! That she was a Vampire, wasn't a secret...one could see it! Sometimes she was ashamed of who she was, but she didn't really need to be!

Uhtred noticed her purple eyes and he didn't even want to talk about her snow-white skin! She was an almost magical looking creature and Uhtred swore to protect her! Finan, Osferth and Sihtric were very taken with Drusilla's story and with every second sentence, a shiver ran down the spine of the 3 of them...

It was not Drusilla's intention to torture or bore the boys with her story, as she knew that the most boring/cruel part was yet to come! It was the part where her father killed her mother...

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Drusilla:"My sister and my father still live in Zharas!...(*Uhtred listened closely*)...my sister's name is Odette and my father's name is Azrael! In fact, my sister and I don't have the best bond with our father..."
Uhtred:(*he tilted his head*)"May I ask why, Drusilla?...(*Drusilla sighed*)...listen: if you don't want to tell us because we don't know each other well enough yet, that's fine!"
Drusilla:"It's all right, Uhtred!...(*she took a deep breath*)...the bond with our father is not good because he killed our mother many years ago!"
Sihtric:(*he sighed*)"I guess our fathers have something in common!...(*Drusilla's eyes widened*)...my father also killed my mother a few years ago! It was a night I can never forget..."
Uhtred:"And before that, he killed my whole family! Well, my adoptive family, if we want to be precise!...(*Drusilla looked at Uhtred*)...so you see: we also have our secrets!"

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Drusilla lowered her head...she didn't think she'd like the boys that fast, but somehow she did! They were too good to her and they actually listened to what she was saying!

Never did she expect them to tell her their family dramas, because they've not known each other for long! Yet she sensed, that their was more family drama to come, because Finan and Osferth weren't sure, whether to tell her about their families or not!

As the time passed, nightfall came and the boys slowly made their way over to the stables! Montano immediately lifted his head, when he heard the boys coming and his red eyes shone dangerously in the moonlight!

Osferth nearly died of an heart attack, when he saw Montano's eyes and Finan found it very amusing! Sihtric only playfully rolled his eyes and turned to Drusilla!

What was he going to say or ask? Many possibilities ran through Drusilla's mind and she needed to admit, that she didn't have answers to all possible questions! Sihtric didn't seem to care as he cleared his throat and then addressed Drusilla...

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