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The Vampire Lord's Arranged Bride New .🔝
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00:11after graduation i followed my mentor a seasoned blood healer and spent two years interning in the
00:16vampire neutral territory there were no formal healing halls there no fresh blood supply and
00:23more often than not i found myself tending wounded in the middle of battlefields littered
00:27with silver blades and flying blood curses
00:41my adoptive father kieran valerius the supreme ruler of the vampire realm was so furious over it
00:47that he nearly overturned the entire royal capital he was terrified i would fall for some newly turned
00:53vampire or lowly blood thrall then choose love over scents and stay in that dangerous place forever
00:58dragged into the endless infighting of lesser women
01:05so he personally chose a fiance for me samuel hecate he came from the oldest vampire family
01:11in the north and was a well-known vampire prince famous as much for his looks as for his name
01:17father ordered me to return to the royal capital at once and attend the engagement ceremony
01:21if i refused he threatened to use a forbidden vampire right to force me back i had no choice
01:27but to agree he told me to visit the jewelry boutique and choose a ring i like to serve
01:31as my engagement token the moment i stepped inside my eyes landed on a pigeon blood ruby ring set in
01:36gold
01:38the stone was a rich saturated red almost like blood frozen in crystal with a deep gleam that
01:43reminded me of a vampire's eyes in the dead of night it was beautiful in a way that felt untouchable
01:51i like the ring in her hand
01:58i want it give it to me before i could react the boutique manager snatched the ring right out of
02:04my
02:04fingers nearly scraping my skin in the process i straightened and forced myself to stay calm
02:09have you ever heard the phrase first come first served is this really how you treat your guests
02:15the richly dressed noble woman turned toward me at last and shot me a look full of contempt
02:22that ring costs 20 million blood crystal coins can you even afford it commoner around here
02:30what i say goes i stared at her and nearly laughed how ironic samuel just happened to be my fiancee
02:37i took out my vampire communicator and placed the call
02:42samuel your beloved childhood friend just stole the ruby ring i was supposed to wear at our engagement
02:46ceremony what exactly do you think i should do about that if prince samuel intended to ignore
02:52something like this then maybe i really did need to reconsider whether this engagement was worth
02:56going through with what i didn't expect was for his voice to come through cold and unfamiliar
03:00who is this then he added irritation edging into his tone you know nothing about us what right do
03:08you have to interfere in serena's business i didn't even get the chance to remind him who i was
03:12his fiancee is all de valerius only daughter of the vampire king before the line anger surged through
03:18me in an instant wonderful absolutely perfect my own fiancee hadn't even saved my number
03:24serena rosen let out a shrill laugh oh that is just pathetic
03:32i don't know how you got prince samuel's communicator number but did you really think
03:37one little call would make him come running to defend you her smile was mocking and almost cruel
03:43her gaze slid over me slowly before settling on what i was wearing honestly even the bloodthrokes
03:49kept at his estate dress better than you do i glanced down at myself i wasn't wearing noble
03:54attire just a set of fitted soft armor simple durable and comfortable enough to move in at a
04:00moment's notice if someone needed treatment lavish clothes had never meant much to me i cared far more
04:05about whether i could work in them than whether they looked expensive what i hadn't expected was that
04:09practicality would one day become something other people used to look down on me sorry but i don't
04:14measure my worth by jewels and clothes that's usually what vain and insecure vampires do i said
04:21coolly and judging by how close samuel is to you i doubt he's much better and judging by how close
04:26samuel
04:27is to you i doubt he's much better at that point i had completely lost interest in the ruby ring
04:32i reached
04:32into the display instead and picked up a royal sapphire ring that was decent enough then turned to the
04:37manager wrap this one i'm buying it
04:46i'm sorry miss but we give priority to pureblood members of the nobility you heard him didn't you
04:52i'm a pureblood and you some common nobody who probably doesn't even know when she received her
04:58first turning you're not fit to compete with me normally i wouldn't waste my time with this kind of
05:03argument today though serena had pushed me too far i folded my arms and let the power inside me rise
05:08the force of my royal bloodline spread through the boutique like a silent storm
05:17the pressure in the air became so thick it was almost physical the temperature dropped
05:22the light splittered the smoke satisfaction of his face vanished in an instant i kept my voice level
05:28even though anger was boiling underneath it well is that enough to prove i'm pureblood she recovered
05:35quickly though not quickly enough to hide the flash of fear in her eyes so what i've never heard of
05:43you she turned sharply toward the manager you must be new so listen carefully this is hector family
05:50territory if you dare sell that ring to her house hector will make sure you don't live to see
05:58morning the manager's hand shook so badly that the tray in his grip looked as if it had suddenly doubled
06:02in weight miss i'm just trying to make a living i can't afford to offend prince samuel please please
06:08don't make this harder for me by then the other vampires in the boutique had already started whispering
06:12among themselves i've seen lady rosen around before prince samuel spoils her far too much
06:20once she sets her eyes on something nobody dares fight her for there was even a duke once who made
06:27her uncomfortable just by looking at her prince samuel stripped him of his title the very next day
06:32miss maybe you really are some important noble but compared to prince samuel what does that matter
06:39you should apologize to lady rosen serena's smile only grew brighter as the crowd bowed to her mood
06:46kneel
06:49she said kneel down and beg me to let you go
06:54she planted her hands on her hips and strode toward me in her blood red heels
06:58each click against the floor full of swagger i want you to say it three times
07:06loud enough for everyone here to hear say i'm nothing but a lowly commoner
07:13if you do i might be kind enough to let you leave with a little dignity
07:19after thousands of years spent watching every shade of life unfold i had finally met a vampire
07:26foolish enough to throw her weight around in front of me a faint almost puzzled smile touched my lips
07:32what was it you wanted me to say just now
07:37i didn't quite catch that her face twisted with sarcasm so you're deaf too
07:44fine listen carefully i'm a lowly commoner got that now
07:54the moment the words left her mouth i burst out laughing
07:57good i heard that perfectly you're a lowly commoner the instant serena realized i had made a fool of
08:04her her face darkened with rage she let out a sharp scream and lunged at me with her claws out
08:10how ridiculous i had trained with warriors in the vampire neutral territories i didn't even bother
08:16striking back i merely stepped aside and she honestly thought she could catch me off guard she missed me
08:21completely carried forward by her own momentum she pitched straight ahead and slammed face first into the floor
08:27oh my god how could she do that to lady rosen if princess samuel finds out he'll tear her as
08:37finished
08:37no one can save her now the entire room was in an uproar but none of it stirred me in
08:44the slightest
08:44fear was not something i had ever truly understood my father kieran the vampire king himself ruled over
08:51all vampire kind there was no creature alive that could make me afraid with practiced ease i pulled
08:57out the unlimited royal charge card he had given me and slapped it onto the counter i'll take it
09:05the manager's hands shook as he hurried to wrap the ring
09:16i took the box and turned to leave but serena staggered back to her feet and threw herself in front
09:22of me
09:25you're not going anywhere she snapped though i caught the flicker of uncertainty in her eyes
09:32my gaze dropped to the dust smeared across her clothes and the corner of my mouth lifted
09:37what is it want to kiss the floor again i raised my fist just enough to make my point she
09:42flinched
09:43instantly at that moment the door burst open with a heavy bang drawing every eye in the room
09:48a tall figure stepped inside and the atmosphere changed at once the boutique fell silent the instant
09:53he entered an overwhelming pure blood aura swept through the room like dense fog pressing over everyone
09:59present i followed the line of his polished shoes upward and thought
10:04damn he had to be at least six foot three strikingly handsome with the effortless presence of someone
10:10born to command broad shoulders long legs precise movements everything about him felt controlled sharp
10:17and powerful
10:21the moment serena saw him she transformed she rushed to him tears streaming down her face as she cried
10:28samuel she stole the ring i wanted and then she attacked me
10:34so this was prince samuel in person i had to admit he was exactly my type no wonder father had
10:40been so
10:40certain i would be pleased with the fiance he had chosen for me
10:47i looked him over for a moment then let a slow satisfied smile curve across my lips
10:52it's nice to finally meet you i'm isolde your fiance
11:00a sharp intake of breath swept through the room
11:04what she's prince samuel's fiance no wonder she dared go against serena you're naive it all depends on
11:13which one he cares about more amid the murmurs samuel's gaze settled on me at last there was only
11:19disdain in it don't flatter yourself that absurd marriage alliance was my mother's decision not mine
11:26i never agreed to it serena immediately seized his arm her voice rising with triumph you heard him
11:34didn't you someone like you will never be worthy of standing beside a prince
11:40the surrounding voices quickly joined in exactly prince samuel's future wife should be a noble one
11:46like lady rosen not some nobody from an obscure vampire family she isn't even worthy of being in the
11:51same room as lady rosane i had never considered myself breathtakingly beautiful but i certainly
11:59wasn't ugly listening to them though you would have thought my face alone was enough to send people
12:03fleeing some things never changed people worshipped the powerful and trampled the weak i shook my head
12:09then walked straight past samuel without another glance do me a favor tell your mother the engagement is
12:15off i paused then looked at him over my shoulder you're the one who isn't good enough for me
12:25father had mentioned before that samuel's mother had paid an unimaginable price to secure this
12:29engagement if she ever found out that the marriage alliance she had fought so hard for had been ruined
12:33by her own son i could only imagine what a spectacular scene that would be the noise around me gradually
12:38faded and i prepared to leave that ridiculous place behind where do you think you're going you
12:44bitch you stole my ring shoved me and now you think this is over i turned back slowly already annoyed
12:51and what exactly do you want
12:55i'm going to ruin your face then we'll see what male vampire would ever look at you again
13:01the moment she said it i moved i caught her wrist in one swift motion my grip firm and precise
13:07and drove a hard punch into her chest just enough to send her stumbling backward
13:11the shock on her face was almost laughable you bitch how dare you i was still holding her wrist
13:17satisfied now samuel you have to protect me serena staggered back several steps tears
13:23springing into her eyes as she ducked behind samuel samuel pulled her into his arms and when
13:28he spoke his voice turned cold enough to freeze the room anyone who dares lay a hand on my people
13:34won't live to see tomorrow with a slight flick of his wrist he signaled the vampire soldiers at his
13:38sides to seize me i saw them move and struck first driving a kick into one of them before they
13:43could
13:44close in but there were too many they rushed me all at once overpowering me and forcing me to the
13:49ground before dragging me to my knees at samuel's feet samuel turned to serena and the harshness in
13:55his expression immediately softened serena do whatever you want no matter what happens i'll stand by you
14:01at once she smiled then she stepped forward and slapped me twice across the face pain flared hot
14:07across both cheeks where did all that attitude go weren't you acting awfully bold a second ago
14:14as if that weren't enough she drove the sharp heel of her shoe hard into my stomach i doubled over
14:19one
14:20hand clutching my abdomen as i lifted my eyes and glared at both of them remember this i won't let
14:27either of you get away with this serena only laughed harder this is prince samuel's territory and you're
14:35nothing more than some outsider vampire what exactly do you think you can do to me and she spoke she
14:42stepped closer and looked me over from head to toe then her gaze locked onto the bracelet on my right
14:46wrist every vampire from the moment they come into existence is given an enchanted relic by their sire
14:51or by an elder of the family only by caring it can they walk in daylight the instant serena reached
14:56for my wrist i understood exactly what she meant to do panic surged through me like poison i knew i
15:01had to
15:01beg i was wrong i shouldn't have fought you over the ring please don't do this the fingers clamped around
15:11my bracelet and with one brutal yank she tore the daylight bracelet from my wrist and clenched it tightly in
15:15her hand now do you understand too late i'm gonna drag you straight into the sunlight and let everyone
15:24watch what happens when you burn the second the bracelet left my skin sunlight spilling through
15:29the boutique window touched the back of my hand a sharp searing pain shot through me thin
15:34whisks of smoke began to curl for my skin humiliation and terror crashed over me at once i let out
15:40a scream
15:41and tried desperately to shrink away samuel stood beside her with his arms folded watching everything
15:46with chilling indifference that coldness was more horrifying than the pain i clenched my teeth and
15:52fought with everything i have left shouting at him you have no idea who am samuel you're going to
15:58regret letting her do this to me he only shrugged a careless mocking smile tugging at his mouth who do
16:03you
16:03think you are you're nothing but a tool your family threw into a marriage alliance maybe i should burn your
16:09face too let's see whether you still marry samuel after that no i had barely spoken when the phone
16:16in my pocket started buzzing i stumbled for it but serena snatched it away before i could answer and
16:20picked up the call herself hey honey did you choose your ring father save me someone took my daylight
16:25bracelet they're trying to kill me what who dared do that to you your daughter was being unbelievably rude
16:32i'm just teaching her a little lesson for you i don't care who you think you are let my daughter
16:36go
16:37now come and try maybe i'll even help your whole family reunite
16:44then turned back and kept dragging me farther into the sunlight the burning only grew worse every inch
16:50of my skin felt as if it were being set on fire and every breath was like a blade driven
16:54into my lungs
16:55i curled in on myself and fought as hard as i could trying to shield my body from the pain
17:00but every
17:01second stretched into forever and just when i thought the sun was about to reduce me to ash the
17:06roar of engines erupted outside the convoy of luxury cars blocked off the street and nearly a
17:11hundred elite vampire guard warriors lined up outside in formation their presence alone enough to make
17:16the air feel heavy then the door of the lead armored vehicle swung open my father stepped out he radiated
17:22the kind of supreme royal majesty that made every vampire nearby tremble where they stood now then
17:27where is the idiot who dare lay a hand on my daughter father the moment my eyes met my father's
17:33every
17:34feeling i had been holding back fear humiliation anger helplessness broke loose all at once he was
17:40beside me almost immediately his face tightening with concern without hesitation he stripped off his
17:45coat and wrapped it around me before pulling me firmly into his arms shielding me completely from the
17:50sunlight the instant i was enclosed in that familiar warmth a fragile sense of safety returned and for
17:56the first time since this nightmare had begun i felt like i could breathe again but my father never
18:01entered a room alone he brought his power with him and power like his was never gentle in a matter
18:07of
18:07seconds the atmosphere inside the jewelry boutique changed completely a vicious chill spread through the
18:12air and the crystal ornaments began to fracture one after another under the weight of the pressure
18:16their sharp cracking sounds echoing like warning bells the bystanders began trembling outright and
18:22several lower ranking vampires collapsed to their knees crushed by a fear so heavy it seemed to seep
18:27into their bones my god that's the elite vampire guard and the man at the front is that really him
18:33it has to be that aura alone is enough to make my soul shake wait is he really her father
18:39if that's true
18:40then samuel is finished he's dragged all of house hecate straight into ruin samuel's face had already
18:46gone pale and he felt the force of my father's bloodline suppression whatever pride he had once
18:50taken now looked pitiful like a firefly trying to compete with the sun and yet there were always
18:55fools too blind to recognize the danger standing in front of them serena perhaps emboldened by samuel's
19:01earlier protection actually found the nerve to step forward i don't care who you are your daughter stole the
19:06ring i wanted and she attacked me so tell me how are you planning to settle this my father barely
19:12acknowledged her his gaze passed over serena as though she were beneath notice and came to rest
19:17directly on samuel instead more humiliating than any insult serena clearly felt it too for all her
19:22bluster fear had already begun to leak into her voice stop acting like this means anything samuel is
19:28a vampire prince who do you think you are she pointed toward the display with a trembling hand that ring
19:34was supposed to be mine your daughter touched it which means it's ruined now i want an apology
19:39compensation and her engagement to house hecate has to be cancelled immediately then lifting her
19:45chin she added with a sneer if you do all of that maybe i'll let this go otherwise none of
19:50you are
19:50leaving this shop alive for a moment there was silence then my father laughed the sound rolled
19:55through the boutique low and disbelieving edge with such naked contempt that it was somehow worse than fury
20:00still holding me close he carried me farther into the shadows then gave my shoulder a reassuring pat
20:06before turning and walking towards serena with the calm stride of someone who had never needed to
20:11hurry toward victory oh i assure you the engagement between honey and house hecate will absolutely be
20:17caught off a vampire like samuel was never worthy of my daughter to begin with as for everything else with
20:24the slightest movement of his hand one of his soldiers stepped forward at once in the next instant she was
20:29forced to her knees all her earlier arrogance vanished into panic samuel moved as if to stop
20:34it but my father turned his eyes on him and that single glance changed everything the pressure inside
20:39the room intensified so violently that samuel and his men froze where they stood then my father walked
20:44straight up to samuel there was no rush in him no wasted anger he drew back his fist and drove
20:49it hard
20:50into samuel's jaw blood burst from samuel's mouth on impact my daughter has always been the most precious
20:55thing in my life and yet today you watched while she was humiliated harmed and dragged into the sun
21:01so do not speak to me of house hecate if i choose to i can turn the entire vampire realm
21:07upside down
21:08i was no saint and after what serena had done to me today there was no chance i was going
21:12to let her
21:12walk away from this unscathed go on honey let them understand this much the dignity of the royal bloodline
21:20is not something anyone may insult not today not ever my eyes settled on serena and for the first
21:26time since this had begun i saw real fear in her i was no saint and after what serena had
21:31done to me
21:31today there was no chance i was going to let her walk away from this unscathed the moment i fastened
21:37it
21:37back around my wrist the magical runes carved into its surface fled to life once more and the skin that
21:42had been seared by the sun began to heal the angry burns fading as if time itself were being pulled
21:47backward the tension in the boutique thickened serena stared at me her lips trembling if you
21:52touch me the prince will never forgive you i did not waste time arguing with her instead i reached
21:58for her hand and tore the daylight ring from her finger she let out a piercing scream at once and
22:03before she could scramble away i seized her by the hair and dragged her toward the floor to ceiling
22:08window outside the afternoon sun was still brilliant no no let me go she shrieked clawing at my arm
22:15hard enough to leave marks the instant the sunlight touched her skin white smoke began to rise from it
22:20as though acid had been poured over flesh my face she screamed the sound so full of horror that it
22:25barely sounded human i leaned close to her ear my voice dropping into something low and merciless
22:30didn't you say you wanted to ruin my face her eyes flew wide and the color drained from her features
22:35completely she tried to wrench herself backward but i gave her no room to move instead i tightened my hold
22:41and forced her entire face deeper into the brightest band of sunlight the damage spread almost instantly
22:46her cheeks began to split and blacken her lips drying until they cracked and bled and dark red
22:52veins surfaced across the whites of her eyes as she screamed and thrashed wildly none of it did her any
22:57good she could not break free of me then in the middle of her shrieking i bent down and picked
23:02up a
23:03jagged shard from a broken mirror lying on the floor i stepped in front of her and looked down at
23:07her
23:07from above then angled the shard so she could see herself clearly look take a good look isn't this
23:13exactly what you wanted the moment serena saw her own reflection the ruined skin the blackened flesh
23:18the face dissolving under the sun a terrible whale tore out of her her eyes bulged in pure despair and
23:24she looked stripped bare of every shred of arrogance she had ever worn at the same time
23:28samuel was still pinned where he had been forced down helpless to intervene as he watched everything
23:33unfold how dare you do this to us i already contacted my mother when she gets here every
23:37last one of you is dead faced with that pitiful threat my father merely laughed your mother please
23:43let's see what exactly that lady intends to do to me then right there in front of everyone he placed
23:49a
23:49call to lady heiress hecaday your majesty how may i serve you has something happened my father's tone
23:55was cold enough to frost over steel you have raised quite a sign something in his voice must have reached
24:01her instantly because even through the phone i could almost hear the tremor that went through her
24:05your majesty has my son offended you in some way please tell me what happened and i swear he will
24:11be
24:11punished exactly as he should be i beg you please show mercy my father let out a low humorless laugh
24:19my daughter the child i have treasured all her life was humiliated by your son today on territory
24:25under your family's control now tell me lady heiress what exactly do you expect mercy to look like
24:31in a moment like this there was silence on the other end a silence so complete it felt suffocating
24:36when lady eris spoke again her voice was thick with shock and despair what he dared do that to your
24:42daughter then whatever happens to him he deserves it your majesty you may deal with him however you see
24:49fit i only beg you to spare house hecate samuel heard every word and instead of remorse what filled
24:56him was outrage he could not understand why lady eris was speaking to my father with such fear such
25:01submission mother why are you afraid of him house hecate bows to no one on the other end of the
25:06line
25:06lady eris's voice came back sharp with panic shut up you idiot but samuel had already lost control
25:12he turned toward my father eyes blazing with hatred you're nothing but a usurper with tainted blood
25:17you clawed your way onto the throne through dirty tricks you were never the true ruler without that
25:22crown you're nothing but a low-born bastard despised by every pureblood noble you are nothing my father
25:27had spent his life proving that true strength came from resolve not birth he had struck the one wound my
25:32father would never permit anyone to touch my father's face darkened and in his eyes i saw something
25:38shift into place he allowed his killing intent to show the air grew so heavy it felt freezing without
25:44thinking i stepped forward and caught hold of his arm father he drew in a slow breath and forced down
25:49the fury little by little the lethal edge in his eyes receded then he lowered his gaze to my hand
25:54where it rested on his arm padded at once with quiet reassurance and in that small gesture gave me a
26:00silent promise that he would not completely lose control with the slightest flick of his wrist the
26:05soldiers at either side moved at once they seized samuel and serena and dragged them away like discarded sacks
26:10throw them into the silver coffin the mere mention of that place samuel went rigid with dread he began
26:16struggling wildly as though panic alone might somehow free him the silver coffin was the cruelest punishment
26:22forged from pure silver no for the first time i saw real fear on his face once it was over
26:28my father led
26:29me out of the boutique the body heals quickly but the spirit needs healing too come with me there's
26:35somewhere i want to take you his cries meant nothing now the chaos had finally settled he brought me to
26:40the
26:40ancestors sanctuary a sacred place deeply revered among vampires where those burdened by grief fear
26:46or inner turmoil came to seek solace and spiritual healing the moment i stepped inside i was struck
26:51by its beauty the entire sanctuary had been built from bloodstone crystal and every wall seemed to glow
26:57with a dim velvety red light that soft crimson radiance spilled over everything around us wrapping the space
27:03in an atmosphere that felt ancient solemn and almost holy a gentle energy moved through the air like a warm
27:09embrace and little by little the turmoil inside me began to ease before long an elder nun approached
27:15us with slow measured steps there was something deeply calming in her expression she began the
27:20purification ritual for me chanting an ancient hymn in a voice so soft and steady that it seemed to
27:25thread itself through the sanctuary like flowing water as the ritual continued i felt a gentle force
27:30gathering around me washing over the raw jagged places inside my heart and carrying away the weight of
27:35everything i had just endured under the blessing of the first ancestor the fear and fury i had been
27:40clinging to gradually loosened their hold and for the first time that day true calm returned to me
27:45when everything was over and the silence of the sanctuary had settled once more i turned to my
27:50father and asked the question that had been lingering in my mind why did you support house
27:54hecate in the first place many years ago house hecate was nothing more than a small and struggling clan in
28:00the north they were weak impoverished and barely managing to survive at the time i had only just
28:05overthrown the old dynasty and was in the middle of rebuilding order during one of my tours i happened
28:10to come across samuel's father he was being hunted by other nobles and i was the one who saved him
28:15i gave him resources i helped house hecate rebuild his territory and stand on his feet again later i named
28:23him a vampire prince and entrusted the vast northern lands to him i believed he will understand gratitude
28:28i believed he would understand loyalty but he died too early and his son grew up knowing nothing of
28:34respect restraint or gratitude so that was the truth my father was the vampire king the one who
28:39stood above all vampire kind so the engagement between samuel and me will be cancelled my daughter
28:45deserves the best this world has to offer not a fool like him a full week had passed since i
28:50completed my
28:50recuperation at the ancestor sanctuary and by then i had already returned to the familiar halls of the
28:55vampire royal capital even so the atmosphere around me had changed the air itself seemed charged with
29:03tension and the moment i stepped back into court life i could feel the weight of expectation settling
29:08onto my shoulders once again the news had spread across the vampire realm like wildfire by now nearly
29:14every vampire had heard some version of the same astonishing story samuel prince of the north had committed
29:20a grave offense by daring to humiliate the beloved daughter of the vampire king himself because of
29:25that every noble house had grown uneasy every faction was watching closely barely daring to breathe
29:31all of them waiting to see what consequences would follow your majesty princess prince augustine of the
29:37west and prince cassius of the south request an audience i turned toward father he was seated at the
29:42far end of the hall composed to the point of coldness his presence so still and controlled that it seemed
29:47to
29:47quiet the entire room around him his eyes were closed but the authority radiating from him was as
29:53unmistakable as ever let them in moment later the doors opened and two broad-shouldered figures strode
29:59into the hall surrounded by attendants carrying lavish gifts your majesty welcome then both princes
30:08lifted their eyes and looked directly at me i could feel the careful respect in their gaze and the caution
30:13beneath it every movement they made was measured every word weighed in advance augustine the older
30:19of the two was the first to speak we were deeply disturbed to learn that her highness was mistreated
30:24while in hecat territory he said his tone controlled but edged with indignation the insult was intolerable
30:32we have brought a small token of our concern and hope it may be of some comfort to the princess
30:37at his signal one of the attendants stepped forward and presented a velvet line box when it was opened
30:43a piece of blood amber rested inside rich crimson light moving through it like something alive
30:48i knew what blood amber was used for it was said to calm the heart soothe the mind and ease
30:53the lingering
30:53wounds left behind by fear and emotional trauma beside him the younger prince cassius made no attempt to conceal his
30:59anger
31:00for samuel a vampire prince to treat the princess in such a way is beyond disgraceful your majesty give
31:06the order and i will march on the north myself house hecate can be wiped out before the sun sets
31:13again
31:13i remain seated listening calmly as the two of them offered outrage loyalty and polished devotion in
31:19different forms yet only a week earlier i had still been nothing more than an object of ridicule
31:24now these same people were falling over themselves to please me their motives were not difficult to
31:29understand i closed the book in my lap set it aside and gave them a polite smile thank you for
31:35your concern i said my voice calm and even but loyalty is not measured by gifts nor is sincerity
31:43proven through flattery the word settled over the hall like a sudden frost for a moment no one spoke
31:48both princes stared at me caught between surprise and uncertainty as if neither of them had expected that
31:54answer only then did father open his eyes when his gaze turned toward me i caught the faintest trace
32:00of approval there he said nothing to me directly but the look alone was enough then he shifted his
32:05attention back to the two princes and said in a voice so composed it allowed no room for argument
32:10my daughter has already spoken for me leave the gifts you may go relief flashed across both their faces so
32:17quickly they likely hoped no one would notice they bowed deeply at once left the gifts behind and
32:23withdrew from the hall without another word after they were gone father turned to me with the slightest
32:27hint of amusement at the corner of his mouth well do you feel any better now i shook my head
32:33though i
32:33smiled a little too i feel better when i'm with you father but the truth is they aren't afraid of
32:38me
32:38what those men feared was not me at all what they feared was what would happen if they offended the
32:43royal house after the two vampire princes were finally dismissed peace at last returned to the
32:48great hall i was just about to pick up my book again when a vampire soldier entered his expression
32:53uneasy enough to catch my attention at once your highness the manager from the jewelry boutique is
32:58outside he says he has come to confess and begs for an audience with you no matter the cost i
33:03blinked
33:03momentarily surprised and then remembered the jeweler's manager from that day the arrogance he had
33:09shown in the boutique had been impossible to miss which only made his sudden humility all the more
33:13curious father who had been leaning lazily against the wall glanced over at me with a sly smile let
33:19him in i'd very much like to hear what sort of confession he has prepared a moment later the
33:23manager stumbled into the hall he looked so shaken so stripped of all dignity that for a second he
33:29barely resembled the man i remembered by the time he made it to my feet he collapsed to his knees
33:34and
33:35broke into sobs his whole body trembling with desperation please forgive me your highness i was blind i
33:40was a fool i failed to recognize who you were please show mercy spare my worthless life as he
33:45spoke he fumbled frantically inside his coat and pulled out a heavy coin pouch lifting it in both
33:50shaking hands this is everything i've saved over the years every last coin i offer it all to you
33:56please your highness forgive me father said nothing he simply sat there in composed silence leaving the
34:01matter entirely in my hands i looked down at the manager and asked evenly do you truly believe i need
34:07your money at once he flinched so hard it was almost as if i had struck him his shoulders shook
34:12even more violently and his voice broke as he cried no no of course not i was wrong i deserve
34:19punishment
34:19whatever your highness decides i deserve it a faint trace of irony passed through my mind as i remembered
34:24our previous encounter you were not nearly this humble when you stood at serena's side a few days ago
34:30the man immediately tried to defend himself his words tumbling out faster driven by panic
34:35i had no choice your highness serena had a prince behind her she could do anything she wanted if i
34:41had refused her i would never have lived to see the next day i truly didn't dare oppose her
34:45the fear in him was real and i could not pretend not to see it for someone in his position
34:50standing
34:50against a noble woman would have felt no different from stepping into his own grave and yet one thought
34:55still lingered in my mind what if the person they had chosen to humiliate that day had not been me
35:00what if it had been some powerless outsider with no family no title and no one to protect her
35:05after a pause i said take your money back the manager looked up so quickly that hope flashed across
35:11his face before he could hide it for one brief moment he clearly thought i meant to forgive him outright
35:16then i continued but you should understand this much what you did cannot simply go unpunished
35:21i rose from my seat and walked toward him my voice calm and steady carrying clearly through the hall
35:27from this day forward your shop will serve as a sanctuary under royal protection
35:32any outsider who is being bullied abused or otherwise left without help may go there and
35:37seek refuge you will provide whatever aid they need without questioning them and you will report
35:42their circumstances to the royal court at once he stared at me blinking in stunned confusion this
35:48was so far from the punishment he had imagined that he seemed unable to process it i let the silence
35:53stretch for a moment before adding of course you are free to refuse if that is your choice then you
35:59may close your doors today and lose your shop forever or you may join samuel in the silver coffin
36:03for a few days and reflect on your decision there the moment he heard the word silver coffin the last
36:08trace of blood vanished from his face he nodded so violently it seemed he might collapse again
36:14i'll do it i swear it i'll do everything exactly as you say father gave a small nod of approval
36:19then turned to the guards go place the royal crest on his shop from this day on anyone who dares
36:25cause
36:25trouble there will be treated as an enemy of mine the gods bowed and moved at once only after that
36:30did the truth fully dawn on the manager this was not punishment in the way he had feared it was
36:35the
36:35kind of opportunity most people could only dream of receiving once in a lifetime with the royal crest
36:41hanging over his door his boutique would stand under the protection of the royal house itself
36:45after he left i felt a strange lightness settle over me father crossed the room and stopped beside me
36:51satisfaction plain in his expression a true ruler must know how to balance mercy with authority then
36:57his gaze shifted sharpening slightly come it's time to deal with the last of this we're going to make
37:03sure everyone understands exactly what happens when they dare offend you father and i were seated in
37:08the council chamber of the royal capital blood wine set before us while a taut oppressive silence
37:13stretched through the room off to one side stood lady heiress hecate her posture rigid and severe
37:18as motionless as carved stone she looked composed at first glance but the tension in her body was
37:23unmistakable and beneath that stillness there was something strained enough to break time seemed to
37:28drag until it no longer felt like time at all then at last the silence was broken by the sound
37:33of hurried
37:34footsteps approaching from outside echoing sharply through the chamber two vampire guards entered with grim
37:39expressions dragging samuel and serena in behind them the sight was brutal whatever remained of
37:45their former pride had long since been stripped away and what stood before us now was little more
37:49than the wreckage left behind by their own arrogance their condition was ugly enough to make the
37:54consequences of their actions impossible to ignore the moment lady eras saw her son something in her
37:59expression shifted for a brief instant there was a flash of grief there so quick and faint that it might
38:05have been missed but it vanished almost at once buried beneath a cold rising fury that spread through
38:10her like a storm front she did not rush to comfort samuel she did not even speak to him gently
38:15instead she
38:17strode forward seized him by the back of the neck with her scarlet nails and forced his head downward
38:23until he was facing me you disgraceful fool she hissed apologize then came the crack of a slap sharp and
38:31violent enough to ring through the chamber like a shot a second followed then a third now lady
38:36eras snapped her voice cutting through the air like a lash apologize to the princess this instant
38:42whatever defiant samuel had once possessed was gone he no longer struggled he no longer argued
38:49he simply endured the blows in silence as though each strike were knocking the last of the will out of
38:53him by the time his mother released him he looked less like a man than something hollowed out and left
38:58standing by habit alone only after venting her anger on him did lady eras turn back toward us
39:03when she spoke her voice was heavy with shame and desperation your majesty princess i acknowledge my
39:10failure as a mother it is because of my negligence that my son committed a mistake this catastrophic
39:17then she rounded on samuel again her composure shattering into fury do you even understand who it
39:22is you offended do you know how house hecate rose to the position it holds today everything we have
39:29was given to us because of his majesty and you dared lay hands on the person he treasures most you
39:35are
39:35not only destroying yourself you are dragging all of house hecate down with you that landed at last the
39:42word seemed to strike samuel like lightning forcing him to face the truth he had spent all this time
39:47refusing to see the arrogance in his eyes faded little by little replaced first by confusion then
39:53by disbelief and finally by something much worse understanding his gaze shifted toward me then
39:58slowly it moved to father the man he had mocked dismissed and insulted was the reason his family
40:03still stood where it did the title samuel had worn so proudly the authority he had flaunted all of
40:09it had been granted to him by another hand in that instant i could almost see the collapse happen
40:13inside him the pride went first then whatever hollow sense of superiority he had spent centuries
40:19building around himself so that's the truth i was wrong i was truly wrong his whole body began to shake
40:25any trace of dignity he had left dissolved where he stood and he bent forward again and again in frantic
40:30apology his voice breaking beside him serena had remained stunned but at last the reality seemed to
40:36catch up with her too princess please please spare us we'll never do it again she joined him in tears
40:41filling the chamber with a miserable grief they crawled there before me pitiful and broken like insects
40:47crushed under their own desperation i felt nothing i simply lifted my cup took a slow sip of coffee
40:55and let the warmth spread through me while i said nothing at all my silence stretched between us and
41:01behind it my thoughts moved quietly other than the broken sobbing of samuel and serena the hall had fallen
41:07completely silent only after a long pause did i finally lower my cup the clear delicate sound of
41:14porcelain touching the wooden table cut through the stillness with startling sharpness and at once both
41:19of them fell quiet as if even that small noise had struck them like a command they turned to look
41:24at me
41:24and in their eyes i saw fear tangled together with a nearly hopeless kind of expectation as though even now
41:30they were clinging to the last fragile possibility that i might still show mercy
41:34i smiled faintly but there was no warmth in my voice when i spoke
41:39if my father had not arrived in time that day would either of you have spared me the question
41:44landed between us like a blow in an instant both of them went rigid their faces drained of color
41:51their mouths parted yet neither of them could force out a single word serena wasn't your greatest
41:56dream to become a prince's wife she nodded almost instinctively and even then i caught the faintest
42:02spark of that old fantasy still flickering in her eyes and you samuel i shifted my attention to
42:08him letting a trace of mockery enter my tone you cast aside your betrothal stood by while she nearly
42:13had me killed and indulged her every cruelty simply to gratify yourself you must have cared for her a
42:19great deal isn't that right i didn't it wasn't like that i just he stammered scrambling for excuses
42:24already trying to twist the blame towards serena as though that could still save him oh it hardly matters now
42:30i
42:30said then i rose and walked toward them every eye in the chamber fixed on me as i stopped before
42:36where
42:36they knelt since the bond between you is evidently so deep i said calmly i've decided to grant your wish
42:42the two of you may remain together forever at those words a flash of wild joy lit serena's tear-streaked
42:48face so sudden and so shameless that it almost made me laugh i gave a soft contemptuous huff before
42:53continuing but the price of that happiness will be your title samuel
42:58the effect was immediate lady heiress hecate collapsed where she stood all strength leaving
43:03her at once while samuel stared at me in stunned disbelief what right do you have to strip me of
43:08my title he demanded his voice cracking i looked at him steadily would you like me to issue a formal
43:13decree at once and announce to the entire vampire realm that samuel has been stripped of rank and
43:18reduced to a commoner he turned at once toward his mother mother say something lady eras closed her eyes
43:24she said nothing in that silence samuel finally understood his mother had abandoned him i watched
43:29the realization break over him in stages disbelief then horror then the slow collapse of everything
43:35he had once believed untouchable his body began to shake so violently that it seemed as though he
43:40might come apart everything that had once defined him was vanishing before his eyes no no no then i
43:46turned to serena who looked up at me with a kind of frozen dread didn't you always want to become
43:50samuel's wife very well i will make your dream come true from this moment on you are his wife
43:56for a heartbeat she simply stared unable to understand then the meaning of it hit her all at
44:01once no i don't want it anymore i refuse i refuse to marry a commoner at last serena had awakened
44:07from her fantasy she had spent her whole life grasping for power and now she found herself bound
44:13to a disgraced former prince to her it was worse than death what a pity that is not your decision
44:18to
44:18make then he turned to the soldiers and gave the final order exile them to the wastelands they are
44:23never to set foot in any vampire territory again everyone in the chamber knew what that meant
44:29the wastelands were a barren stretch of northern ruin where almost nothing thrived food was scarce
44:34water scarcer still and hope perhaps rarest of all only bitter winds and savage beasts ruled there
44:39and to be sent into that desolation was no different from being handed a death sentence
44:43and told to carry it out yourself the soldiers stepped forward at once samuel shattered beyond
44:49resistance barely reacted as they dragged him away while serena struggled and screamed until her voice
44:54turned ragged her body twisting wildly in their grip yet neither of them could change what had already
44:59been decided they were hauled from the chamber like discarded things stripped not only of privilege
45:05but of every illusion that had once sustained them lady heiress remained collapsed on the floor
45:09watching her son be taken away with hollow defeated eyes all the force she had carried
45:14into the room earlier had deserted her now she looked as if despair alone had aged her by decades
45:19and yet she did not beg because she understood exactly what this verdict was not mercy perhaps but
45:25the closest thing to it that the vampire king was willing to grant at the very least it meant that
45:30the rest of house hecate would survive news of the exile spread swiftly through the vampire realm
45:35prince samuel was gone cast down and cast out and with him the prestige house hecate had enjoyed for
45:40so long began to crumble before much time had passed rising vampire families moved against them
45:46stripping away influence lands and power with the ruthless efficiency of those who had only ever been
45:51waiting for weakness to show itself over the months that followed rumors of samuel and serena
45:56occasionally reached my ears some said they had seen a ruined nobleman and noblewoman wandering the
46:01wastelands in rags crouched over the carcasses of beasts and licking the dried blood from old remains
46:06others claimed the two had been spotted fighting wild boars over the fresh body of a dead antelope
46:11reduced at last to the kind of desperate struggle they once would not have allowed even their servants
46:16to witness after a while even those stories stopped mattering to me they drifted out of my thoughts the
46:22way dust disappears into barren wind and eventually they became no more than something that had once happened
46:27then passed a year later while i sat beside lake namir and watched the water under the evening sky
46:33they crossed my mind one final time the cool night mist brushed softly against my skin and the scent of
46:38moonshade blossoms drifted over from the lake shore everything around me was quiet serene and almost
46:43achingly beautiful and the peace of that moment stood in such sharp contrast to the miserable life
46:48they were likely still clawing through in the wastelands that it felt unreal what surprised me most was not
46:53satisfaction but distance by then the outcome no longer stirred much of anything in me
47:00instead i felt a strange almost weightless sense of release as though i had finally turned the last
47:05page of that chapter of my life and left it behind for good father came to stand beside me and
47:10handed me
47:10a glass of chilled blood wine then with a gentleness that still had the power to soften me no matter
47:15how
47:15much time passed he rested a hand against my hair and smiled see the moonlight is perfect tonight
47:21i took the glass from him and looked out across the lake where the silver light of the moon lay
47:25scattered over the water until mist and moonlight seemed to merge into one then i gave a small nod
47:30feeling nothing in my heart but clarity and calm he was right the moonlight was perfect the road ahead
47:36lay wide open and waiting for me beyond it was a future bright with possibility
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