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LORD SELECT

A title given to a lord qualified and endorsed by members of the Royal Court/ Upper Elite or Royal Family to run the race of the King's Hand.

Archives of History

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[GRAYDON COLLINS]

PERHAPS OFFERING a tour to the human was a burden I chose to bear without truly understanding the consequences of human curiosity.

The girl had questions about absolutely everything.

Indeed, Fang Court was a mystery to even high Fang, but surely I had not asked mother this many questions when I first arrived here.

If it were true, I must apologize to her for being insufferable.

More times than often, the human would stop behind a random painting, or a random room, and question what it was for. In a place as vast as Fang court, stopping so many times had stretched the previously two-hour tour to a tiresome four.

"If you touch the Queen's swords, I do hope you're ready to lose your hands," I grunted, gaze trailing the portrait of the Queen's cat.

My side eye caught Silver's itching fingers stretched towards the large golden swords mounted in the Queen's Hall.

A hall adorned with her most precious remnants.

She frowned withdrawing her hands and stepping down from the stool she had drawn for a mount. I rolled my eyes at this, turning to face her as she pushed her glasses back up her nose.

I marveled at this action. She wore those because she couldn't see quite well. Her eyesight was not precise. Humans were weak creatures, but fascinating in some strange way.

I watched as She studied the ancient symbols adorned on their sides from afar with a look of deep interest, her eyebrows arched deeply, lips sparsely open as if she was trying to read them.

I found myself trailing down her features, noticing she had a faint beauty spot right below her lip...

"Those symbols are-"

"Not for you to read."

She shot me a look, one I was hardly affected by, but I was however amused. Never had I pondered a moment I would tolerate such a look from a mere human from one of the smallest towns I was to rule one day.

She baffled me in ways I couldn't describe. Her look turned into a pout and I sighed, taking a stand behind her.

"These are Fang symbols that tell the tales of our beginnings- of our forming. The ruby handle, tells of the Vampire origin, the emerald, the wolf."

Her eyebrows arched, "and what is your origin?"

I chuckled at this, glancing back at the swords, " it is not for humans to hear, you would consider it a nightmare."

"So, it's that horrible," she concluded.

"It is that uncommon," I corrected.

Her eyes met mine, and I could tell she was itching to say something, but to my surprise, she leisurely turned away, walking down the hallway.

I watched her for a few seconds, a small smile grazing my face, before catching after her.

For a human who could be sent to the maid's quarters at any moment, she was certainly free.

I answered a few more of her pending questions, admittedly curious myself at her curiosity.

I had never paid much attention to humans. Even the maids at home were too afraid to say anything but what they were expected to do and speak.

It was rare, but in some instances, I would catch them whispering around the hallways. However, they would immediately stop upon spotting me.

Silver was a different case altogether.

She spoke her mind, and even if she was afraid, the sound of her heart ramming a million times per minute, somehow- her courage would guide each word.

She was a curiosity I studied as I toured her around Fang Court.

"Where does this door lead to?" She suddenly asked, turning to meet my eyes.

I was caught unaware for a moment, clearing my thought as I looked away from her, my eyes trailing upward to the large double doors that towered before us.

"Ah, the Grand Hall," I stated, looking down from it to her gaze, "this is where the royal ball will be conducted tonight."

Her eyes lit up, but I stopped that stupid ray of curiosity in them.

"Do not even think about it. Humans are not allowed to attend. Only Vampire, Wolf, and Sworn scents are allowed at the ball," I explained, "perhaps after, I can give you a tour, for now- they are preparing for tonight."

"I see," she nodded, stepping back from the doors. Relief flooded me for a second as I turned down the hallway, "come along, we have the courtyards left."

I watched as she studied the door for a few seconds, a certain determination in her eyes, like a wanting puppy.

I was so sure she was going to dart to open it, but I registered the fact that the doors were much too heavy to be opened by one human female.

Perhaps she registered this too because, instead, upon catching my gaze, her determination was covered, a small smile on her face as she marched by me.

"What are you waiting for? No time to waste Vampire!" She called out.

I watched as she passed me, unable to contain both my curiosity and confusion at the human female, shaking my head as I followed after her.

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"So, this is Fang Court," the human sighed as we came to the end of our tour. She leaned over the balcony looking out, a small smile grazing her full lips.

I watched her in curiosity, her loose wild curls blowing in the wind beside me, her ever-attentive gaze latched on the courtyard sprawled beneath us graced by the evening sky.

"Is it as beautiful as you've heard?"

She chuckled at this, turning slightly as she glanced at me.

"I've heard many, many things about Fang court, my Lord," she sighed turning around as she leaned against the balcony folding her arms, "but sadly its beauty is not one of them."

I nodded, our eyes meeting, relishing the evening breeze that crossed my skin.

"So what is it you've heard in your little human conspiracy groups?"

I had always wondered what kind of stories humans weaved of us now. When I was younger, I read a few books from their lore before the war, when they thought of us only as myths.

"Shapeshifting lairs? Torture chambers? Halls adorned with human bones?" I chuckled.

"Not far off actually, " she replied, "Balls of blood are the most common," she continued, "that's of-course courtesy of your kind of Fang-"

My eyes flashed to her, unable to contain my amusement, chuckling.

"Balls of blood?" I scoffed, "Humans believe we just go around dancing in puddles of human blood?" I grinned.

She gave me a sly side-eye, scoffing shortly, "what do you expect us to think, especially when humans aren't even allowed to enter your balls? Who knows what happens behind those large double doors," she whined, "if only I-"

"You are not going to the ball." I stated, "let your curiosity eat you alive for all I care," I grunted.

The truth is, not all Fanged would be pleased with a human attending our most prestigious events. Not all Fang accepted the way we ruled over humans so casually.

She rolled her eyes, "it probably will."

I chuckled at this, looking up at her, "blood balls? - humans are not as creative as I thought."

"What did you want us to think?" She asked gingerly shifting positions, "That the monsters that need to drink our blood to survive, have super-speed and strength that could shatter our bones in mere seconds are just what- just like us?" She mocked.

The humor drained from me, jaw tightening as my eyes trailed out to the vastness of the Fang Courtyard laid acres upon acres in front of us.

Monsters?

I certainly thought her brave to even step on these grounds, perhaps found her loyalty for her half-sister refreshing, but speaking to her high lord in such a manner was either a power play or plain stupid- that I could not quite decide, but I wanted to see the extent of her courage.

"Monsters?" I scoffed, glancing at her, "and that is the problem with you humans Everything you can't understand, that is deemed illogical, everything that is evolved better is monstrous to your kind. It is why you chose war instead of acceptance- the war was your blood ball."

I could feel her fiery eyes on the side of my face, and I returned it with a smirk adorned on mine.

"What? Do you find it fair to perceive my kind as monstrous and expect me to think of yours as anything different?"

"No," she paused, her gaze hardening on me, "I simply find it bizarre that you would try to defend your kind as anything but what it is. I mean hell, your kind can shift into frickin wolves the size of horses! Teeth that could rip a lion's throat apart! You can live without breathing, heal from wounds in seconds and you need to feed on OUR BLOOD to survive," her breathing hardened, "you are the frickin predators of humanity...: fear was all we could feel."

My jaw tightened as I studied her face which was riddled with both anger and sadness as her large hyped eyes met mine, she moved toward me, standing a foot apart, her eyes brave but sad.

"We lost the war, even before it ever began."

We held each other's stare for a second, a feeling I couldn't quite grasp growing heavier in my chest, the longer we held eye contact, her pretty brown eyes searching mine.

"We ...lost lives too," I replied breathlessly.

"Said the immortal to the human," she scoffed, rolling her eyes, before walking passed me.

I watched as she disappeared down the hallway, and out of sight. Gritting my teeth, I stared back down below.

"Her stubbornness will be the end of her," I muttered, glancing once again in the direction she had disappeared to.

I chased after her, wondering where she had disappeared to.

I tried to find her with my senses, but they're were too many human and vampire guards going about because of the ball that would be starting in I glanced at my watch cursing-

An hour.

"Graydon!"

My body stiffened at the sound, cursing yet again beneath my breath. I had been too occupied to find the human I had not sensed the scent of any other than- I turned around, a wide smile on my face as the woman approached,

"Mother!" I grinned.

She walked to me engulfing me in a warm hug and littering my face with kisses.

"Mother, mother- please," I whined, pulling away from her, but my jaw remained stuck in her clutch as her emotional eyes trailed my face.

"I missed you so much! My dear boy, I can't believe my eyes -And where are my flowers?"

A smile grew on my face, chuckling, "Father plucked them fresh for you," I grinned.

"And you?"

I nodded to nothing in particular, "I brought something better," I grinned as she sashayed me down the hallway.

She filled my ears with stories whilst I glanced behind me searching

She was smart, I reassured myself. She would certainly find her way back to her room.

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"The Queen is rooting for you, my dear," Mother called, as she brought my attire out, laying it on the bed, "she had to stand by her Selects side- you know the blood rules, but she assures me, she knows the Kingdom can only prosper with you by the New Kings side as his hand."

I nodded at this, as I stood shirtless in the center of the room, loose pants around my waist.

Her eyes suddenly widened moving toward me quickly, her hand tracing the faint but large scar across my chest.

I calmly stopped her shaky hand, as her eyes met mine, "w-what happened?"

"Calm down mother," I sighed, "lt healed well."

"It left a scar-" she gasped, realization hitting her as her eyes flashed to mine, "a bloody damned did this," she concluded.

I paused at this, nodding shortly, "it was a strong one, but it did not live for long."

Her hands moved upwards, cupping my chin, "I am so happy you're back home; I did not rest well knowing you were in the lost world."

I closed my eyes, nodding, "I missed you too."

After a few seconds, when she was ready- she pulled away- regaining composure.

My mother was head of the royal household, and because of this, she spent most of her time here, at Fang Court. She was an impeccable woman who would be defined as a woman of steel, steel that only bent the moment she laid eyes on me.

Her only child, her only son.

I was her treasure- it was unfortunately no secret.

"Tonight, at the ball, mingle with the Tribe, earn loyalties," she advised as she moved to the attire, "it is very important."

I nodded, as she handed it over, "yes, the High lord and Duke advised the same."

"Lord Valcon is hard but he is certainly a wise man. He has been the King's hand for decades, it will do you good to listen."

Only a fool would not take the advice of the King's Hand.

"The new king-" she continued turning to me, "I believe Lord Valcon must have told you how he is since you are his Lord Select."

"Yes. The new king has a mind of his own. One who will not be influenced." I repeated, eyes narrowing down at nothing in particular.

Mother sighed, "do whatever it takes to win his loyalty. He only selects those he trusts with his word."

I nodded.

Her eyes trailed to the green attire in my arms, "do you need any help with the crossings?"

I chuckled, "I'm not a youngling anymore mother, I have done many crossings. Do not worry."

"Oh, my dear boy, I am a mother. All I do is worry," She smiled at this, kissing my cheek again, "I'll meet you at the ball then, hurry- we have only a half hour."

I nodded watching as she moved toward the door, grabbing her flowers but stopped at a package that had dropped to the floor. She picked it up, turning slightly, showing me the mask.

"Black swan," she commented, "You will look devastatingly handsome in this," she grinned, setting it by the table before waving goodbye, the door clicking shut after.

My smile remained glued to my face walking toward the black mask and studying it with a sigh.

Another masked ball.

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I moved down the hallway, fitted in my attire, fixing my mask on turning the corner and bumping into someone.

Wild curls blurred my vision as I steadied the figure from falling to the floor, grinning as my eyes came into contact with her widened ones. The sound of her human heart running wild within her in shock. Her face glistened in a thin sheet of sweat around her puffy cheeks.

"Silver, we simply cannot keep meeting like this."

Her eyebrows arched, as she stared into my eyes before a look of relief and recognition flooded her features.

"Is that relief, I see?" I smirked, "for a monster?"

She pushed me away, standing on her own two feet, anger written across her face as she confronted me, and composed herself, dusting off.

"What is wrong with you?! How could you just leave me out there?! I thought you were right behind me! I've been walking for a half hour dodging guards!" She screeched, "do you know how hard that is with a human scent?!"

I was honestly impressed she had made it this long.

"I thought you would find your way- perhaps I misjudged how clever you are."

Her jaw dropped, and I held in my chuckle, which faltered when a sudden victorious smirk appeared on her face, her eyes narrowing as she crossed her arms, "so my High Lord thinks  I'm clever, huh?"

A strange shiver crossed my spine at these words.

I rolled my eyes, "I thought you were clever. Content is extremely important."

She frowned at this, before looking me up and down, "what's with the chicken mask? Wouldn't have known it were you if it weren't for those hazel eyes."

So, she noticed my eyes.

I pushed the thought away, pulling off my mask, and running a hand through my hair with a sigh, "it's a black swan, and that's what one wears at a masked ball."

"Masked ball?" She echoed, eyebrows arching before realization crossed her features, "it's a masked ball?"

I nodded, "of course- when has it not been?" I grumbled.

It was quite common for Royal balls to be masked, though it should be noted that Royal balls held at Fang Court were rare in themselves.

My eyes trailed to hers, watching as a certain look of mischief crossed her face. One I somehow recognized, "do not even think of it-"

"My Lord Select."

My gaze shot up at the guard that interrupted us, he was in a different attire, one that caught my attention.

One of the Kings guards.

He bowed lowly, before looking upward, "the new King requests a word."

I paused at this, frozen in place. I did not expect to be summoned. Not this early.

"Ooo, someone's in trouble," Silver snickered softly beside me.

I shot her a look, not so amused.

Turning back to the guard, I nodded before turning to the mischievous little human girl.

"Down the hallway, a left then a right. Go straight to your room and stay there. This is an order from your high lord," I gritted out.

She didn't seem too happy about this, but my harsh stare down and serious tone prompted her to get a move on, glancing between the guard and me for a second, before walking off in the direction stated, but not before I caught her grumbling softly,

"Such a grumpy monster."

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Please leave a comment and vote! The chapter was too long so I split it. Scroll for the next part!
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Word Count -3031