(Round Two)

I promised, didn't I? (;

For you, Manorita.

(Author's Note at the end)

__________________________________________________________________

Stars could set the skies alight in smouldering flames. Heavens could kindle the inferno within itself like two passionate souls coming alive together and reduce to ashes in the aftermath. Hell could come crashing over and the world could cease to exist in an everlasting oblivion for all I cared.

Because the minute I looked into those blue eyes, I knew I was a goner.

__________________________________________________________________

Surprisingly, he wasn't pale as the death he was adjudged to equate to. Like I'd thought he'd be.

Oh no.

He was fair-skinned, free of any scars, blemishes or freckles. Quite tall and built compared to an average, twenty-year-old guy with hair of an entrancing shade of platinum, being as silver as the moonlight and falling charmingly right above a pair of hypnotic eyes as piercingly deep and azure as the Caribbean waters. Then again, it wasn't like he was average. He was a royal. A pure-blooded heir to the throne of the Great Vampyre Dynasty.

And I was the lucky one to witness his beauty first-hand.

Yes, lucky.

Because if some other human -though, I doubt any vampire would have any different of a reaction either- had seen what I'd been able to, he'd kiss his feet and cry on them. Not that the humans already didn't do that for all the vampires. They were the ruling kind, now.

It was the year 3012, almost nearing a millennium since the vampires took over. Humans were now only alive to slave and feed. Life was -for the lack of a better word- hard, for us. And the worst part of it all was -there was no where to run, and no where to hide. No escape in any corner of the world at all.

Unlike other humans, I didn't despise the vampires, only to fall down shaking on both knees when they so much as looked at you. I had accepted my life, and had grown to like the peaceful, mindless routine.

Planning to try and overthrow vampires was not only just like walking into the lion's den, but also borderline insanity. Plus the stress, sadness, hopeless and defenceless feeling and depression that came with it wasn't worth it.

It wasn't like they hurt us, though. Only the disobedient ones got the punishment. You do their bidding once in a while, and they leave you be after that. Keep paying your wages, donate about five litre of fresh blood each month and you can breathe in peace.

I was from an average peasant household -well, if you could call the mud and hay-made cottage a house- doing all there was to support my family of five -with two, five-year-old, twin brothers, my parents and me- and avoided any and all sorts of things that could possibly relate to the ruling species.

But seeing as I was on my knees, covered with all sorts of nicks and gashes -no bruises, mind you- in a puddle of my own blood in one of the grand hallways of the Royal Castle with a chaotic mess surrounding me and a magnificent, rightful heirloom of the vampires only three feet away, I was quick to realize that I must've been horrible in evading.

How I ended up in the Royal Castle wasn't very complicated. It was announced about a month ago that His Royal Highness was coming of age in five months time. So they needed humans to help prepare for the celebratory ball in His Highness' honour. They offered to ignore the wages worth of six months for the peasants' families who would volunteer to help.

As reluctant as my family was, I was more than willing to do anything to ease off my parents' burdens and earn some savings for the youngsters and themselves. So I travelled miles away from my home to the castle a month ago and spent each waking moment labouring until the last of my strength waned.

In return of pleasing the staff, I was rewarded with a meal three times a day, a shower each day with proper gowns to wear and keep -unlike the tatters I came in- and an hour or two of leisure. Others worked hard, but I worked harder and with knowing a lot of things both mom and dad taught me, I was especially skilled, hence the reason of the special treatment.

But because of the favours, no human talked to me. They had secretly started hating me -at least that's what I had began to assume with them eluding me like the plague.

I didn't need them anyway, I'd made friends with all the little ones around the castle -sons and daughters of the vampires who lived there- and spent my leisure with them, playing different games or in the grand library, reading all sorts of books I found. Exactly how I used to play with kids back at home in our little village or got books from our neighbour who were one of the families that delivered bounded book copies of originals to libraries all around the continent in vans and trucks.

We couldn't afford to borrow from the library, but Mr. Van was a kind man. As soon as he got the load, he gave me a copy of each book he got for a week on the condition that I returned them back as new. I never broke our pact.

Anyway, I never bothered anyone. I always minded my own business, but the other humans decided to gang up against me together.

I was busy moping and polishing the white marble floor. They circled me while I was busy scrubbing the polish. Only when I felt their eyes boring holes in my back did I really notice them.

The men sneered at me, throwing obscene insults. The women tore at my pure white gown -one of my favourites- from several places and began cutting my skin with knives as well as messed up my hair by pulling on the bun I had them in to make me stand while the other females got to work with penknives and daggers. Whatever skin was left intact was cut because of the glass shards of the expensive vases and marble plant pots broken by the men to get me further in trouble.

After they were through, they all hurried off, laughing and talking happily amongst themselves while I cried quietly with my head bowed and throbbing from the merciless tugging. It was when I heard a sharp in take of breath that I looked up from my sniffles and hiccups to see His Highness, the prince standing mere foots away, taking in the destruction and havoc those peasants had caused.

Then his cobalt blue eyes settled on me, widening for a millisecond before he all but turned into a beautifully carved mannequin that could put Adonis to shame.

And that was how I ended up being the first human to see the vampire prince.

Ignoring the tearing feeling of my skin and the bleeding from different cuts and abrasions, I shakily stood up and curtsied, murmuring, "Your Highness."

I straightened after ten seconds to see his face unreadable, though still holding a bit of awe. I put it to the fact that we were surrounded by a mess he must've never witnessed in his life to be so stupefied of it.

He began to step forward to approach me and my eyes fell to the floor decorated with pieces of broken glass that could injure his feet even through his shoes.

My eyes widened and I rushed to him, flinching inwardly as glass shards seeped deep within the soles of my bare-feet -the servants took my ballet flats from me for this sole reason- and reached him before he could move any further.

"Your Highness! Please stay where you are! You will hurt your feet with all the glass lying around!" I informed worriedly as I looked up at him with concern.

Tears burned my eyes with the amount of pain my feet were in, but other than my heavy and rather shaky breathing, I did nothing to let the pain out.

The prince stared down at me with what I could only determine as pure shock and disbelief. He looked from where I came from to where I was standing a foot away from him and I decided to see what he was looking at.

I turned my gaze behind me and my eyes nearly popped out of my sockets. There was trail of blood along with bloodied foot prints, getting darker as they came towards me until I picked up the hem of my gown a little to observe a puddle of blood surrounding my reddened feet, increasing by the minute.

I let go of the tattered fall, not wanting to see the extent of my injuries. I gazed up at the magnificent prince instead, suddenly registering with a jolt that the servants accomplished what they had planned. I was in trouble. And not just trouble -I was neck deep in disaster and murderous consequence with the great prince himself.

Terrorized by my train of thoughts, I gulped and prayed to the heavens above to save me from his wrath. Angry and vampire weren't a nice mix, but add royal bloodline to it and you have a toxic concoction with the power to blow away a continent.

His startling, cobalt eyes begin to take me in once more. His jaw suddenly clenched with a shiver-worthy snap. His eyes darken into a dark indigo colour instantly, burning with a smouldering fire and a thirst for vengeance.

Seeing him in his livid and quite lethal state, nearly had me wanting to run down the hall and never look back, but I knew I could never outrun him, especially not with my injured form and punctured feet.

His gaze met mine with sharpness, containing more than enough rage to burn the galaxies down to dust and still keep itself intact in strength. I flinched, debating to fall at his feet and beg for mercy. However, all that went out the window and the tremors raking my body stilled with his next words.

"Who did this to you?" He asked with utter calmness, his melodic voice and ruthlessly handsome features giving nothing away. But one look in his eyes, and the unheard, underlying promise of horrifying torment in his musical and innocent question could make anyone within his virulent presence pray he wasn't on the receiving end of his wrath.

As relieved as I was, I was suddenly worried as well. Because now it was not a matter of my life anymore, but of those stupid peasants who had thought they'd get away with everything. Even if they had caused me harm, I still didn't wish death upon them.

Scared out of my mind, I replied, "No one, My Lord, I am quite clumsy and therefore caused this mess. I do apologize and beg for your mercy. I will also accept whatever form of punishment you deem fit for me."

Astonishment flickered through his eyes and went away like a flame blown out. He pursed his lips for a moment and then narrowed his eyes as well.

"It will be wise of you to not try to protect your violators from me. And you will do good in remembering to never lie to me again. I give you another chance to redeem your lie -who did this to you?"

I bowed my head in defeat.

What had I been thinking, lying to a Royal like that? I should be grateful for him not punishing me for my obvious lie. Any other Royal would have killed me on the spot, not bothering to ask questions.

I looked up at him a moment later, deeming it best to tell him the truth. He stared back at me, seeming at ease in his stance though the ire remained kindling within his dark blue eyes.

"My Prince," I began as placidly and softly as I could, trying to tame his anger one last time. I saw something shift in his eyes but continued forth with my plea.

"I shall tell you who did this to me. However, I have a small request for you to consider."

I searched his face imploringly and after a small nod, I proceeded, "Please show them mercy. They only did this because they were envious of the rewards I was granted due to my services by the management staff. If we all had been treated equally, they wouldn't have hurt me the way they did."

"You mean to say the others that came along with you did this to you?" His voice barely held in his fury -I could tell- as his jaw twitched once.

"Yes, Your Highness." When I caught the eerie glow in his murky blue eyes, I hastily added, "Please My Prince, spare them! I am alive and breathing, and that matters a lot to me."

I glanced at my cuts, then back up at him beseechingly, "These wounds will heal with time. I have already forgiven them. My Lord, please forgive them as well. Show mercy, My Prince!"

I kept eye contact, desperate to reach out to him before the beastly creature within him took over. He kept his hardened gaze on me, which -I was astonished to see- softened when I ended my plea.

For a long while, neither of us uttered a word. I was becoming anxious to the point of fighting the urge to fidget.

Finally, after what felt like eternities came and went, he raised his hand and moved it slowly to my face. I remained quiet and unmoving, waiting to see what he would do.

My gaze fell to watch when I felt his warm, gentle fingers gingerly graze my cheekbone and move my stubbornly silky, dark strands towards my temple, over the shell of my ear and behind it, leaving a blush spilling through my ever-pale skin as his hand fell back to his side.

Flustered and shy, my eyes widened at the gesture and I snapped my eyes back to his to see a very small, barely noticeable smile on his dusty pink lips before watching his eyes in pure wonder and fascination as they transformed themselves back to their electric blues from the gleaming indigo.

When I realized I had been staring and caught while doing so -judging by the twinkle in his eyes and the slight broadening of his smile which was still too unnoticeable- I reddened further and bowed my head, clasping my hands behind my back tightly, before wincing out loud when I felt the tearing sensation from elbow down.

I brought my hands back in front of me and saw my torn sleeves showing me my once spotless arms lined with deep cuts. I cringed at the thought of stitches.

Hearing a resounding snap, my gaze abruptly went to the prince, his jaw locked with silent fury and his fists clenched to the point of turning bone white. I saw his eyes glaze over for a few seconds before they closed and he took in a deep breath.

His eyes opened and fixed on me. "Where is your room?"

"I don't have one. I sleep with everyone else in a large storage room turned maid quarter on the pallets."

He frowned -clearly displeased, and thought about it for a moment while staring at the floor.

"Fine, we'll head to my floor then," he suddenly stepped forward and offered a hand with a slight bow -all gentlemen-like- and asked, "Can you grant me permission to carry you?"

Colour returned to my face, making it hard for me to focus on his cobalt blue eyes.

"Your Highness, I can walk alright. You need not bother yourself." I refused with a small, timid voice -half-shy, half-scared.

He arched an eyebrow, dropping his gaze to my feet. I followed suit and gasped unconsciously when I saw the hem of my tattered, white dress crimson and drenched with the puddle of blood my feet created.

"I'm gonna die of blood loss." I whispered to myself, forgetting I was in the presence of a supernatural being.

A hand grasped my chin, raising my face to its owner's determined one.

"Nothing will happen to you." He told me vehemently. His gaze dropped as he whispered inaudibly to himself. "Not on my watch."

Meeting my eyes once more, he inquired, "Am I granted permission?"

I nodded slowly, wanting to relieve myself of all the blood and pain.

In a blur I was in his arms and in another I was in a bathroom which screamed royalty with its modern design and crystal ware.

He placed me softly on the crystal counter right beside the washing bowl and vanished, leaving a gust of wind in his wake.

While marvelling the entirety of the bathroom, my eyes met with my reflection on the far, opposite wall from me, covered floor to length with a mirror.

My face looked drawn and pale with my lower lip cut horridly, a rivulet of red lining down to my chin while other small blood-lined, scratches adorned my cheeks. My hair could be described in one word -chaotic. Strands of all length fell all around my face and neck with a tangled mess of black mane on top of my head, which was once my bun.

The gown was far from it's once unmarred, angelic white. It had been torn down and shredded from almost everywhere -especially the sleeves and the fall- with crimson bordering the hem and splotches of all shades of burgundy and pinkish-red tainting it. From where ever my skin was revealed, all I could see was more blood and incisions.

Overall, I could be used as a metaphor of war.

Abruptly, mom appeared in my mind and without my acknowledgement, tears flooded my eyes, blurring my vision from my rancid reflection.

If she saw me like this...

I shook my head and began to cry inaudibly, my pained cries resounding in the overly modern bathroom. Bowing my still shaking head while I continued to weep and sniffle, I began to try to untie and untangle my hair.

Mom always told me to take care of myself, as I were to marry one day and any scars or marks will hinder in marriage proposals. She rushed to take care even if it was a pin prick. She had always been excited and thrilled for my wedding, often discussing her plans with her friends and my father. Even me sometimes. It was her only dream.

And now it was shattered to pieces...

I shook my head again and cried harder, now becoming soundless. I fiddled with the silky locks, but even them being slippery straight didn't help me unknot them.

Gentle hands took mine in them, taking them away from my hair. I immediately snapped my head up to see the prince standing in front of me with the utmost worried expression which turned saddened when he caught sight of my face.

He left my hands and took hold of my chin, wiping the tears with the other.

"Hush..."

The soft tone of his voice mellowed my heart, offering comfort and causing my tears to stop gradually.

"Why were you crying?" He asked tenderly with a frown marring his forehead.

I answered with utmost honesty.

"No one will want me anymore," I glanced down at myself and then back up at him. "Not with these scars. I would never get married. No man will fall in love with me. My mother's dream to wed me off will remain what it is -just a dream."

His eyes flashed slightly after I told him that, but he never lost composure. He turned nonchalant and began to work with my hair.

"Well, it's better than to get married with someone who loves you for your beauty I'd say," he mused in his melodic voice.

I looked up at him while he was concentrating on my hair and said, "I don't mind never marrying or having no one to love me, it's just how crushed my mother will be when she'll see my scars. And somehow, I know she will make the longing of marriage and love rise within me with all her rants. I just want to avoid the desire of something I do not feel the need of at the moment."

I stopped with pursed lips, looking away from the prince to the floor-to-ceiling windows on my far left, giving off the view of the evergreen forests, the bright blue sky with humongous mountains and hills acting as a backdrop.

"Longing destroys a person beyond repair. I don't want that." I found myself say in hushed tone, my eyes trained to the magnificent view.

"How would you know? You're barely eighteen," I heard the prince ask. I looked at him to see him eyeing me curiously, sitting on chair in front of me with my right foot in his hands.

My eyes widened and I exclaimed, "My Lord! What are you doing?! You are a Prince, have you forgotten that?!"

I tried to snatch my foot away but couldn't move it a millimetre. I glanced at him to see humour dancing within his now, baby blue eyes.

"I'm sure I've been told about it..." He pretended to think while narrowing his gaze heavenwards in thought. Then he gazed at me again as if he now remembered what he had been trying to recall.

"Oh yes, about sixty-eight thousand, four hundred and ninety-seven times." He said sincerely, his eyes gleaming mischievously.

My eyes widened further, if possible.

"You counted?!"

"Of course I did, it's not like I had anything better to do while they kept droning about my future responsibilities whenever I were to make the slightest of mistakes." He answered seriously with a careless shrug, dropping his eyes back to my foot and beginning to pick out the glass from it.

I quietened, just watching the blur that his hands were as he took the glass out of my skin and placed it in the bowl on a small, wheeled table right next to him with inhuman speed.

"You never answered my question." He reminded quietly, his face blank, eyes focused and voice relaxed while he kept at removing the glass.

I smiled and gave out a loud sigh.

"Vampires really don't miss a thing," I teased vaguely, watching his lips curve a little, but he said nothing.

"Well, I wasn't there back then so I don't really know, but I have somewhat of an idea of how the humans once used to live. When super-naturals could only be seen in movies and read about in novels, both portraying them all the way humans imagined them to be. When every human had assumed you all were legends, scary stories to tuck children in bed and a bunch of make-believe."

I glanced at him to see him staring at me with utmost fascination and interest, yet his hands never stopped moving.

"Life then, was like a breath of fresh air for all humans. From rich to normal to poor, all had jobs, homes, families, responsibilities and most of all, normality in their lives. On the other hand -it's just my theory, I'm not sure." I added hastily, before carrying on.

"Anyway, the vampires, werewolves and demons, all lived in hiding. Being careful with each step they took, each move they made, trying to blend in and not let out their secrets. I think, the poor things got tired of all the criticism and myths relating to them as well as living like wanted criminals, so they took over.

"Now, the humans discuss, reminisce and imagine amongst themselves what life used to be like. Every one of them from that time must have cursed the day vampires took over. Every one of them must have made escape attempts. And eventually, everyone must have lost hope, accepting the super-naturals as the superior race.

"And finally, they would have longed freedom for the rest of their lives until their very last breath, without trying to live in the now and make peace with whatever they had." I gazed at him to see him looking at me with admiration and awe.

I shook my head and stared out the window once more.

"To this day, including my own parents, all humans long for that long lost freedom. They forget, that they still have the gift of family, a home to live, clothes to wear, food to feed themselves and most of all, the gift of life itself. Sure, we don't live in the best of conditions, but it's not like vampires are always being cruel. Most are vain and arrogant, but there are good ones too. Just like there are good humans too.

"But longing is getting in the way of logical thinking and practical approach. They all are wasting it all away. My parents included. And I want nothing more but for them all to make peace with it. And instead of hating on every supernatural being, actually try to take a course of action for the betterment of our lives. One that excludes violence. There is always an answer without blood being shed. There is always a way, and I believe in that."

A deep silence engulfed us after that, neither of us bothering to break the peace. I felt the prince's fingers trail back and forth lightly on my ankle and locked gazes with him to see his eyes asking for permission. I nodded and he tore a slit up to my knees, exposing my once creamy skin covered in more incisions and blood.

He took a moment to observe and I could see his face harden once more before he went back to cleaning my wounds monotonously.

It got a little embarrassing after that. He had to tear away the fabric from around my waist and the sleeves as well. But he never made a single inappropriate gesture except for comforting me with his eyes and stopping whenever I squirmed or felt uncomfortable. I thought that was extremely kind and considerate, seeing as he was a vampire, and a royal one at that.

Funny, how the next king in line was cleaning up a peasant's wounds.

I would often glance at his face, wondering if he will stop all human labouring and give them some facilities and equality unlike his father. If he would be a just, fair, kind and caring ruler. I wanted to hope he would be.

Because somehow, the image of him becoming ruthless, vain and cruel was not something I even wanted to dream about.

"There, all done." He murmured, snapping me out of my thoughts. I turned around to see my reflection in the mirror I had my back previously against.

My hair, much to my astonishment, were loose and tangle free, framing my now blood-free face. I brought my hair on to my left shoulder and saw they were back to their silky-self, dangling down the counter because of their length.

My face was clear, but I could see the cuts. I, however, frowned when I saw my cheeks scratch free. My eyes found the prince's in the mirror to ask him the nagging question but when I caught his cobalt blue eyes glowing lightly, l hesitated a little before voicing out my inquiry.

"Where are the nail scratches on my cheeks? They couldn't have just disappeared..." I trailed off, tracing the skin of my cheeks and feeling for any roughness caused by the wounds.

"I cleaned your wounds with alcohol, yes, but my venom was also there mixed in it." When he saw me begin to look worried, he added, "Trust me, I know what I did. It wasn't enough to kill you, sire you or turn you, but just enough to heal all your wounds, prevent the scarring and the stinging sensation of the alcohol."

Hearing this, made my heart flutter with beaming gratefulness and joy. I was saved from seeing the broken look in my mother's eyes.

"Thank you, Your Highness. I shall be grateful for as long as I live and shall give you my li-"

"No." He cut me mid-sentence, stopping me from binding myself as his permanent slave.

When a human declares they owe their life to a supernatural being, they become their slave for as long as the creature wants, or till the human dies. I knew what I was doing, but I was true to my word. I really was filled with gratitude and I wanted to return his act of kindness.

"You are not to be my slave, ever. You came here to assist, and you must return when you're done doing so. It is my duty to protect and care for my people, be it the immortals or the mortals. Especially if they are providing me with their services."

And I knew then that for humans, the bad days are going to be over very soon.

I cracked a smile at the thought and my gaze dropped to my hands. I brought them close to my face to examine the palms and my eyebrows rose in incredulity as I watched with my very own eyes the small scratches getting covered by skin and leaving nothing in their wake as evidence of being there.

I looked up from the sight to the prince, and saw his eyes glimmering a baby blue with amusement as he watched me with his arms folded across the wide expanse of his chest.

"Um..." I began to feel my cheeks colour at the request. "C-can I take a shower? And change?" I asked meekly, watching the prince from under my lashes.

And for the first time, he smiled a real, full smile. It was such a mesmerising sight. The way his eyes twinkled and his lips curved up to both ends of his cheeks, the light smile changing all the aura of his intimidation and authority into something sweet, kind, gentle and even playful, it was all so very beautiful.

"I'll get the maids to bathe you and bring you some clothes. You're more than welcome to use everything to your heart's content here."

With a slight grin my way, he vanished, creating a rough breeze with the speed he rushed off.

And when I looked back in the mirror, the girl staring back was smiling with a rosy pallor covering her cheeks.

__________________________________________________________________

Author's Note:

Hey guys! Long time, no see? Yeah, sorry 'bout that. But blame college and exams for me, will you? Thanks.

Now, this is a pretty late addition to the competition it was originally written for but I have my reasons for not publishing it here before. Having mentioned the first one up there, the second one is this is not a 2000 worded entry and nor did I get selected after round one. And I only published this because I promised a dear friend that I would.

I ignored the word limit because there was no point in following it if I wasn't even writing it for the competition. I, however, during writing this, got an amazing idea to turn it into a story. I have it planned out, but I will only make this into a proper story if I get the votes and the comments. Meaning that if it's popular among you guys, I'm gonna start posting chapters.

And of course, if you don't, this will remain here anyway because I think it was fun writing this and you must've enjoyed reading it.

Lastly, Manorita, you're comment means a lot to me, because I mainly wrote this for you. I want to let you know that I never forgot that I had indeed promised you an entry even if I wasn't selected. And well, here it is at your disposal to read whenever you like (:

Thank you everyone. Take care and stay happy and safe.

-R