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