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