ANASTASIA

II

All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players.

— William Shakespeare

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“I beg your pardon?”

Swallowing his anger by taking his seething rage out in a form of a calm question, Helios Fritz, the King Vesper’s right hand, looked at the royalty he swore his life into. Did I hear it right? As soon as dusk appeared and they were back in their quarters, he was met with a shocking news.

Sitting down the couch with a glass of red wine in his hand, a smirk is on his lips as he looked at the right hand who quickly adjusted his furrowed brows and kept a straight face in front of him. “This will be the first and last time I will repeat it again, Helios.” Swirling the wine, he spoke without batting an eye.

“I will bring a woman from Capri back to Mariana.”

Just by hearing it for the second time, Helios felt like his heart is about to stop. Closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, he tried his very best to not lash out to the man who used to be his classmate, but is now steps above him. A woman. “I have nothing against you bringing someone…but a woman? A nameless woman at that?”

“She has a name.” Drinking his wine, he lowered the glass after finishing it and stared down at the empty glass. “Her being named after a mere street is not what bothers me.” It’s what I’ve seen earlier.

Not knowing what to say, Helios kept quiet in his seat. After he was personally appointed by the newly crowned king, he vowed to never allow his term to be stained with any history that might drag his name in the future. But, right on the first country they visited for strengthening the foundation of the new reigning officials, he just has to face an issue he never even read in books.

“Your highness, forgive me for overstepping my bounds, but asking for a human test subject as a condition in a peace treaty is morally wrong.” Wording it as subtle as he can, he waited for a response. Upon hearing none, he continued. “They might’ve agreed to seal their lips about it, but you will never know when will-”

“Helios.” With his name being called, he quickly stopped and quietly waited.

“I never asked for a human subject.” He clarified, earning him a confused look from his right hand. “I myself am not aware of what she really is. But for now,” without moving from his seat, the temperature lowered at his will, making it feel as if they were inside a frozen lake—the sudden change sent chills of warning to Helios.

“I want you to never question me. The day that I understand why I am highly invested, will be the day I’ll tell you about it.” Hearing that, Helios knew he have no choice but to comply. As he nodded, he swallowed his intrigue, along with his sense of frustration, as he tried to not back away in front of the king’s eyes as red as bl*od. If his highness is going out of his way to check into that woman, then…there must be something more into it.

But…why does it feel like we are heading south?

***

It was faint, but the heat that touches Anastasia’s hand is surprisingly gentle. Confused upon the realization that the sun is shining on her, she slowly opened her eyes—but before she could even gain complete consciousness, the sudden jolt from the movement of where she was lying down made her sit up in a hurry.

Where…? Holding the side of her head after the pounding ache due to the sudden movement, she bit her inner cheek and closed her eyes while trying to regulate the pain.

“I know, carriages are indeed uncomfortable.”

Surprised by the sound of a man’s voice, she quickly opened her eyes and gasped as she saw a man sitting across her. There, she saw a man whose face is covered by a large newspaper, yet the clothes adorned with obviously expensive gems sewn in a luxury fabric tells her that the man in front of her is danger—people with money are always danger.

Keeping her silence, she observed the man as she fixed the way she sat, leaning against the carriage’s corner. Why is a noble riding the same carriage as me? Not knowing any possible answer, she gulped and roamed her eyes around—the mattress where she sits is soft, the interior is well-built, and it feels generally much more appealing than normal nobles’ ride onto.

“That’s rude.” With the voice and the sound of the newspaper being folded surprising her once more, she looked at the man whose face is finally shown—his skin is as white as snow, his eyes are sharp as if he does no wrong, and his features scream royalty. Just the sight of his face made her feel unexplainable fear.

A vampire.

“I kept you from falling as you lay there unconscious, yet the first thing you do is not to thank me.” He said, and after that, Anastasia became aware of the soft breeze that wraps all over her. “Are all commoners like that?” while he speaks, the gentle wind she feels slowly fade, leaving her with the cold ambiance with a stranger vampire.

The more that she looked at him, the more questions piled up in her already troubled mind. Should I talk? Insecure with how she was being treated every day, decision making is not her strongest suit.

This woman, really. “You will keep me talking by myself, is that it?” offended, yet somehow amused by her choice of response, Vesper kept his eyes on her.

Anastasia’s cape is tattered, making it unfit for a glorious carriage. Her hair is unruly, and her skin is covered in hint of dirt. But even so, her beggar-like image is overruled by her eyes who never left his, almost as if she was born with no sense of fear—just pure naivety with how to actually live.

However, that is not the case for Anastasia. Her eyes cannot stray off his because he is swallowed by fear. His eyes are enchantingly red, as if she was being compelled to only look ad wait to see whether she is about to be devoured, or to be miraculously kept alive.

Why is he with someone so inferior than him? As confused as she is, she can only keep quiet and wish that her ridiculously quick heartbeat is not being heard.

“I chose to ride a carriage, even when I can simply use my ability to teleport and let the non-vampire escorts to bring the gathered offerings back by foot or by flight. But here I am,” smirking, he looked at her from head to toe. “Trying to escort a woman who can’t even show gratitude.”

Feeling the guilt, she blinked and contemplated on what should she say. He must be unaware of how people thought of my voice. While lost in thought, Vesper, on the other hand, is staring at the woman whose eyes are focused on the empty space beside him.

She looks normal on the outside. But if I were to use my heightened sight on her…Subtly increasing the magnification of his eyes, he observed her further. The color of the veins near her temple is not colored blue like humans—hers is orange? What creature have orange veins?

“…thank you.”

Anastasia’s soft voice snapped him out of his thoughts, causing for him to blink and stare back in her yellow orbs that looks brighter now that the sunlight is right by her side. “I…I don’t know why you allowed me to ride in a prestigious carriage, or why are you riding in the same carriage as I. But…thank you, for allowing me to.”

Her voice sounds melodious—alluring, even. Despite the acknowledgement, he remained still. “I believe…I am not here for no reason. Will you please enlighten me, sir?” once she finally went down to business, the short-lived amusement of her speaking voice turned into a strong will of chaining her down to her role.

“Your highness.” He corrected. “I am no ‘sir’, subject 001.”

Subject? As if her mind was read, Vesper continued on speaking. “Capri ad Mariana renewed the contract of alliance. The peace treaty included in the 5-year promised civil relations involved a price I named. Are you smart enough to identify what I included?” testing out her intelligence, he spoke in a vague manner.

In deep thought, the answer occurred to her quickly. Subject 001. Price. It is as clear as day.

With a heavy heart, she braced herself and responded. “It is I, your highness.” Her heart that was beating out of confusion earlier is now beating threefold with the mix of fear. A king is accompanying me in a carriage. I am being escorted as a subject…as 001.

That sounded like a nightmarish fairytale, but with how it is happening right now, the only thing she can do is to not cry or show any weakness in front of a man as high as the king.

“I am…subject 001. My country, Capri, complied with the request of having me…as a research subject.” I am no fool. I heard about the knights talking about research facilities, and the test subjects were always called by numbers. Biting her inner cheek, she kept her eyes on him. I am not sold as a slave, but as a tool.

“So you can think.”

When Anastasia blinked, she found Vesper beside her in a span of milliseconds. Gasping, she scooted closer to the carriage wall and ensured to not touch him with her dirt-filled clothes. “Are you mad? The country you lived into for years threw you out for their sake.” Triggering her to see her reactions, Vesper’s lips curved in a smirk.

“They must’ve seen no value in you.”

If it was any other day, Anastasia would’ve paid no mind—she never received any good word from anyone anyway. But with how she was on her way to a foreign country, having a king talk to her is more than enough to shake her every nerve. Because for her, having a crowned man speak ill of her is a thousand more insulting than that of a commoner or any other noble.

“…I never had one.” In a silent, defeated voice, she responded with her head lowered down in shame.

Vesper finds satisfaction in seeing people accept his words as if he is the truth. But upon seeing her say no rebut in return, it irritated him.

“Capri is thankful of you for once.” Looking down on her, he continued on. “By the time you reach my land, you hold no ties in a nation who doesn’t even know your true name. Do you understand, 001?”

Slowly, Anastasia nodded. But her submission irritated him further. “Helios Fritz will come accompany you. I’ll see you again in the palace.” Not wanting to add fuel to his budding frustrations, he left her without proper goodbye.

Teleporting into Mariana, Kalisa Palace’s throne room, he sat on the king’s throne. “Helios.” In a single call, a man who’s black hair have streaks of blue appeared. His eyes are red, just like all vampires, and a mark of III is located underneath his left eye—a mark that only appears upon the assignment of the 3rd most valuable position in the kingdom: the king’s right hand.

“Accompany 001. On foot.” Hearing that order, Helios nearly scowled, but fortunately, he kept his expression in check. “Bring her to Gavin. Then tell them to join me in dinner.”

Prince Gavin? Dinner? With Prince Gavin AND a woman—I mean, a test subject? That odd combination nearly made him raise a concern, but knowing that he will not be heard, he only nodded and bowed. “I shall leave now, your highness.” Carrying the weight of his questions, he still complied.