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