Chapter 10

A soft knocking on the door wakes me up, and I stir on the bed, frustrated. I swear to myself that whoever who woke me up from my deep sleep is going to die, but the feel of a familiar warm presence makes me forget that thought. I pull the covers up over my head, trying to pretend that I’m not there but it’s obvious to anyone that there’s someone hiding under the covers.

“Princess, you should wake up and prepare for your day. The King is expecting visitors.” He says softly, but the only reply he gets is a lousy grunt from me as I turn my body away from where I feel he is.

“Princess, please. You should prepare for the visitors. They are the royal family from Europe, loyal under the Lucifer throne.” His voice is more begging and insistent now that I’ve made it clear that my interests are closer to the bed and the unconsciousness of sleep.

But the problem was: I am, no matter what, Seraphina Lucifer. No matter my interest, if the kingdom and my father expected it of me, I had to be there.

“Go tell my maidservants to get my breakfast. I will not be having it with Father today. I have to dress up.” I groaned as I finally threw back the covers, splitting painful eyes open to the fluorescent light overhead. He scrambled out before more could be said, and I trusted him to get on to his job well. It had become a daily routine for him to come be my alarm clock, before he rushed away for my first orders for the day.

I smiled secretly to myself to find how close and how servile I’ve trained him out to be. We are in the perfect position; me as his mistress, and he as my escort. He is allowed close to me, and he has seen a side of me that the rest of the kingdom has not seen. Still, he is unallowed to come close, and I, at the same time, show him the blackness of the kingdom, tainting his pure, innocent heart little by little.

I make quick work of showering and brushing up, then chose a dress that perfectly showed off my curves. Of course, I have to dress to impress, for I was nothing if not the crown princess of the Lucifer kingdom. I embraced that role, but sometimes it was just too much for me. Those are the days where I let him hold me as I cry and weep.

He is the only one who has seen me, the infallible Seraphina, cry.

My maidservants make their way into my room just as I step out of the bathroom. They begin flustering about my hair and makeup, and it takes two of them to help me decide which pair of shoes I will wear outside. My breakfast comes to me quickly, and I finish it hungrily in one gulp.

No one says a single word as the maidservants style my hair, and I watch their work. He stands at the corner of the room, watching with a careful eye with his strong arms crossed across his hard chest. I try not to remember how soothing and warm that chest feels when I cuddle him up, but watch him quietly through the mirror.

A maidservant knocks the door and comes in at my invite, holding a vase of brilliant flowers. He watches her with suspicious eyes, but she makes towards me quickly, bowing reverently.

“This is flower as gifted from the Marchand family from Europe. Young Master Marchand sends his greetings and expresses his excitement to see you for the first time.” The maidservant reported, and I had her place the vase of flowers on the dresser before me. Flowers were not a rare thing around my quarters, considering the amount of courters and suitors I had, but such pretty ones are hard to come by. Most of the flowers here are unfamiliar –must be from another land –and I study them with soft interest while my hair is getting done.

“Tell the Young Master of Marchand that I appreciate his beautiful gift, and if he stands up to my standards on our first meeting later, he may come visit me in my quarters.” I reply to the still-bowing maidservant.

“E-Excuse me?” She stutters a little. This maidservant isn’t from my quarters; she must be a mere servant responsible for delivering messages, for she has not been used to my way of dealing with such greetings yet. All vampires who send me flowers tend to want to have a second chance of talking to me, but I will not waste time on anyone I do not take an interest to on first meeting. I give all potential suitors such a warning beforehand, but none of them truly listens to my warning, and usually come begging on my doors –until I send Kain out to deal with them.

I watch Kain gently take the maidservant aside, explaining things to her before sending her off quickly. I hold eye contact with him through the mirror for a brief moment, then he returns to his corner, not betraying the feelings that we both have underneath our only-professional exterior.

I pluck one of the bright flowers out and hand it over to the servants doing my hair, telling them to find a way to slot it in my hair. They praise my idea of color-coding (as they are taught to do), and efficiently angle it right over my left ear, bringing the attention to my black eyes. They fix my crown on my head, and then I am ready to go; to entertain visiting families which I know nothing of.

“How do I look?” I asked, merely a bored question, for I know the answer. The maids give me their usual answer, but I stood in the middle of my room, meeting his eyes.

“Let me hear the opinion from the only male in this room.” I directed the question to him, and he relents to give me the barest of a smile.

“You look truly like the princess you are. However, you should not be wearing such heels for you wish to visit Kelsey after reception with the Marchands. As you know, Kelsey’s school is at the other side of the kingdom; you might have to walk some distance.” He offered, gesturing weakly to the shoes.

I gave his opinion a short thought, before I decided to heed his advice, switching the stilettos to a better, shorter alternative. I couldn’t entirely give way to flats, so shorter heels would have to do.

Soon, it was only the two of us in the corridor, making towards the reception hall. Unlike my siblings, I find that I rather liked walking to places in the kingdom without an army of servants following around me. Only my escort was allowed to walk with me, and even so, Kain had to walk beside me.

“Kain,” I say, stopping suddenly by a large window that showed the outside fields. Beyond that was a small forest, and after that is the pit where I first saw him. “How are you with your trainings?”

“Going well, Princess. Give me a little more time. I will be the best escort for you, like I promised.” He replies honestly, and I chuckle quietly. I have already honored my side of the deal and had decreed for the fights to stop. I had to argue for long against my father, had to present cases to make him see that having talented vampires kill themselves in the pit was a stupid and foolish tradition.

What had surprised me was that even Kain’s master, the winner of the annual competition for two years, had stepped out and spoken his same views. With such a strong case running against my father’s word, I stopped the competition. In its place, I created another similar competition, but added a rule that advocated extreme punishment to anyone who killed another vampire in the pit. It was equally violent –to suit the needs of the action-hungry vampires of the Luciferian kingdom –but I took to heart that no more deaths would occur.

“What is out there?” I asked as I leaned against the windowsill, trying to look beyond the large forest that spanned behind the pit. It was so wide that the end of the forest escaped my vampire vision. I was told that beyond that forest was a human city, but I had never been there. I had never been out of the kingdom’s borders.

I had never been allowed.

“The empty fields, princess.” Kain observed, but a hint of curiosity is in his voice.

“I meant the outside. Beyond the forest behind the pit. Beyond the kingdom’s borders.”

“The human world, princess. A bustling town.”

“I want to go there.”

“You know you can’t, princess. You’re not allowed to.”

“I know. But I want to.” I sigh as I continue my walk to the reception hall. “I have so many things you don’t have, Kain. But you have so much more that I want.”

“I don’t get what you mean, princess.”

“You have the freedom to go into that human town beyond the forest. You have the freedom to be playing with the vampires. You can chat and mingle with them, and seek their views and help –wherever they are willing to give. You can argue and fight with them. So many things you can do, that I cannot.”

“That is not true, princess. You have your maidservants.”

“Hear them, Kain! ‘Oh, princess, you are always right!’ ‘Princess, how intelligent you are!’ ‘Oh, dear me, you are right again!’” I mimicked their sweet voices, sarcasm dripping from my tone. “They are taught these lines, Kain. None of them speak as openly as you do. You were the only one there who told me that those shoes were stupid. The rest of them just wouldn’t stop complimenting me.”

“They respect you, princess.”

“But they don’t give me what I want. You don’t give me what I want either. There’s something I wish more than anything to have, but yet still, I don’t have it. I have not had it for the past four hundred and fifty years, and I don’t think I’ll ever have it.”

“What is it, princess? What is it that you want? I will do anything in my ability to get it for you.”

I stopped before I reached the doors to the reception hall.

“That’s the problem, Kain. I already have it. But I want it back.”

“I don’t understand what you mean, princess.”

I sighed and closed my eyes. No one understands, do they?

Dante and Kelsey are fine with it. They obey Father closely, and they are at ease with their lives, for they are not the crown prince or princess. Dante and Kelsey are easy-going with their lives. Maybe it is just me. Maybe I am the only one of us three who has a rebellious streak in me.

Maybe I am the only one who craves a difference.

But I am the only one who can make the difference. Well, at least when I succeeded Daddy’s throne.

I close the distance to the reception hall, and open the doors to escape answering Kain. Amiable silence fills the hall as I come in from the side and join my father on the raised dais where my seat stands, on Daddy’s right side. Dante and Kelsey’s chairs are on the other side of him.

Standing before the steps are three vampires, two significantly older.

“Daddy, I’m here.” I reported with a small bow, sensing as Kain took his place off at the side of the hall with the other escorts and guards of the King.

“Ah, my darling angel. Meet the Marchands. They come from the kingdom in Europe, and theirs is a kingdom who has pledged allegiance to us a long time ago.” Daddy gestures towards them, and I turn to them, finally getting a good look at them from the raised dais.

The King and Queen are standing at the front, their son wedged a little ways behind them. They have friendly, politically right smiles written on their faces as they meet my gaze, nodding in acknowledgement as I bowed slightly to them.

“You are truly as beautiful as they say you are, Princess. I can see your father’s eyes in you.” King Marchand’s voice is jovial and friendly, but I’m still a little suspicious. Of course, being royalty meant that we were more paranoid than normal vampires, but still.

I smile brightly in reply, having perfected the ability to do that without truly feeling the joy.

“Thank you, King Marchand. You are too kind. You look handsome yourself too, and your wife is obviously a superior in the beauty section as compared to me.” I reply sweetly, but only some people can hear my defense in those sweet words.

“What fiery character, Seraphina.” A new voice penetrates through our conversation, and my eyes widen in surprise, watching as he walks forward between his parents, to stand before us.

His features are the most distinct that I’ve seen, and his black eyes pierces through me in the sharpest gaze that I’ve ever felt.

“Lorcan! Behave yourself before the Luciferian princess!” Queen Marchand tries to take her son in hand, but he doesn’t seem to care, eyes meeting only mine.

This vampire… does he not know manners? He has spoken my name. For the first time, a vampire that is not my father or sibling, has spoken my name without my title. He has not even bothered to bow before looking into my eyes. And he is not supposed to look in my eyes at all.

“You have a fiery character, Seraphina.” He reinforces his idea with a sly little smile; a tilt at the corner of his lips. “I find I quite like it. Of course, that is with the discount of how perfect that dragon flower brings out the color of your eyes. Did I mention that those black orbs are perfectly ensnaring? I have black eyes too, but I don’t find mine as pretty as yours.”

There is a short period of silence where everyone is too shocked by his words and his apparent lack of manners to even speak. Then, since no one has regained their ability to form words with their voice yet, I speak up for my father.

“I thank you for your compliment. The dragon flower was a small gift I received just as I was dressing up. Likewise, you have eyes that could catch many women if you wanted them to. However, your lips are another case. It is only courtly customs, Prince Marchand, to bow before you speak, and not meet the eyes of royalty.”

He tilts his head, as if he is taking new information in with childish exuberance. Then he does a small bow, and looks only at my chest and my curves as he speaks, a mischievous grin hanging on his lips.

“Would you rather I put place somewhere else… inappropriate, Seraphina?” He suggests with a sly smile, and I find that despite his lack of court manners, I like him. He is relentless is proving every bit of manners wrong, and while he pretends to follow, it is obvious that he is having fun making fun of it.

What is more important about his speech, his words, is that he speaks my name. Nothing more, nothing less. He speaks only my name. No title. No ‘Princess’. Just Seraphina.

Exactly what I’ve been wanting for the past four hundred and fifty years. Exactly what I could never get from my servants, my maidservants, or even Kain. My name.

“Lorcan. Enough.” King Marchand’s voice slices through our bantering, and he finally turns to his parents, who are still standing where they were, dumbfounded at the behavior of their son.

“I am truly, truly sorry about the behavior of my son, princess. Please forgive his apparent lack of manners. We will fix him up right when we get home.” King Marchand’s strict tone turns pleading, and I give a quick nod, sliding back to familiar grounds, where the visitors greeted me with ‘princess’ instead of ‘Seraphina’.

He, Lorcan, takes that as his cue to shut up, and intelligently backed away behind his parents as King and Queen Marchand take their attention to my father, spending a little time gushing about my beauty, and how I had grown truly prettier since the last time they saw me –when I was still a crying baby.

I joined them in small conversation, eyes darting ever so occasionally to Lorcan, who seems to be entertaining himself with the guards standing stiffly at the side. I have never seen a royal vampire approach a guard at the side during a reception such as this, but I have come to realize that this Lorcan Marchand individual is not a member of the traditional society. This vampire surprises me with how open he is in defying social laws of the kingdom. Even though it might be considered treason, or disrespect, I find it interesting and amusing.

He reached Kain, and I watched as he tried to strike conversation with my escort. Kain, for his part, replied with humble replies, but it was quickly obvious that my escort was not amused by his previous show of manners towards me.

Kain is a wild force, and despite all that I’ve taught him, he ignores some court rules. Almost like the way this Lorcan vampire ignores the court laws, Kain ignores some social court rules in the name of protecting me. In his bid to become the best escort, Kain has broken the arm of a high-standing vampire who tried to persuade me into a kiss, beaten a member on Daddy’s council to pulp because he was trying to throw himself on me, and offended my father quite a few times due to his lack of manners in speaking up for me –without seeking permission from Daddy.

I know that Kain will do something stupid if Lorcan goads him any further. I excused myself from the adults’ conversation, maneuvering myself towards where a testosterone fight is brewing.

“Prince Marchand!” I call, grabbing his attention from Kain. He turns on his polite smile, eyes on my breast which ticks Kain off.

“Eyes on my face, Lorcan. It is one thing to flout the court rules before our parents, but it is entirely another thing to be rude to a woman.” I say crossly, folding my arms across my chest. Sheepish, he drags his eyes up to my face and meets my eyes again.

“What can I help you with, Seraphina?”

“You’re not supposed to be calling me by name.”

“Well, you did call me ‘Lorcan’ just a moment ago.”

I did a double-take on our conversation. “That was my mistake. I apologize.”

“No need. You see I like being called ‘Lorcan’, so just continue calling me that, won’t you, Fina?”

“Fina? How has that become my nickname? We are not so close as yet, Prince Marchand.”

“Please, I insist that you call me Lorcan. But if it disturbs you so, Fina,” He emphasizes my nickname, “then you can call me ‘Lor’.”

“I will not!” I say, both surprised and shocked that he would offer a nickname so quickly, and picking one for me. He truly has no idea of our social standing, does he? But it feels nice. It feels nice to have a nickname. It makes me feel closer to him, though I don’t know him well at all.

He shrugs. “Well, I guess you just have to call me Lorcan then, Fina. I’m glad you liked my flowers.”

“It was a beautiful selection. Thank you again for your gift.”

“I heard that right from your servant. So, do I deserve a second call at your room?” He asks cheekily, but there’s something written in his eyes, almost as if saying that he didn’t really care, or that he didn’t want to.

“Are you attached, Prince Marchand?” I blurt out suddenly.

“Nope. I’m a free, single swinging individual. Most girls can’t stand my lips; as you say. They wreak a big havoc.” He grins cheekily, and I wonder how is it that a prince like him is so easy with his smiles and grins. Even Dante doesn’t grin as much as he does, but I guess that’s just my little brother.

“I can see why.” You reply with a slight smile. “I have to be off at the moment, but I wish to see you again before you depart for homeland.”

“No problem. Shall I be in your room, naked and waiting?” He asks easily.

“Prince Marchand!” I exclaimed hotly. How can a prince like him suggest such things to me?

“It’s Lorcan.” He reminded with a grin. “Don’t be so bothered. I’ll find you before I go. I promise to wear some clothes, alright? You can wear as little as you want to.”

“Lorcan!” I correct, but still exclaims.

“Hey, don’t worry. I’m just teasing. Look, I can be serious when I want to, Princess, but most of the time, I choose not to. If a lady like you are truly offended, then I apologize. I am honored to have a second chance conversing with you, as I have enjoyed my first meeting. But we must leave; each to our respective roles. May we meet again; happily and cheerfully.” He says, suddenly serious.

As I stand in surprise, he walks away with a stiffer set of shoulders as before, a straight face that hadn’t been there as before. It is almost as if another man had taken over him, a serious man.

“Princess?” Kain breaks into my train of thoughts, and I scramble to collect myself. I will not be caught by the other guards admiring Prince Marchand’s back profile as he walks back to our parents.

“Let’s go, Kain. Let’s go get Kelsey back home.”

I couldn’t help it. Before we walked out the door, I turned around for a second look.

He stood there, a polite but serious face, talking to my father. He must have apologized for his previous actions, for my father is still smiling at him.

He is a strange vampire. He strikes me strange, but he leaves something warm within me.

He leaves me my name.