5
2394 Words
“You heard it right my lady, Nikolai is a tyrant, arrogant, quick to anger, and above all else, annoying”
“I am completely lost, aren’t you supposed to have good things to say about your friend?”
“I would if there was anything good to say”
He was actually being serious, not a chuckle or smile, this was Nikolai’s closest friend telling me this, then it must have been true
“You’re not inspiring confidence, Darias”
“I apologize”
“Is he really like that?”
“Yes, but that is why we love and appreciate him”
“How could you respect a tyrant lord?”
“If you think about it, that makes him more realistic, could you imagine being with someone so picture perfect?”
“I think that would be a good life, isn’t that the kind of partner we should all strive for?”
“If that is your cup of tea it certainly isn’t mine”
“Why not?”
“Don’t give me perfect, give me honest, Nikolai is all the things I have mentioned because he is brutally honest and doesn’t sugar coat, while others would be more patient, he takes what he wants and is forward about it”
“A little brutal, don’t you think?”
“Yes, but would you rather play tag your whole life or finally get caught?”
“I’m not too sure on how to answer that”
“Thing is my lady, looks can always be deceiving, I’d rather face the devil I know than the angel I don’t, once you get used to him you will gradually learn to understand him, it took me until a century ago to finally accept him for who he is”
It felt like Darias was trying to excuse Nikola’s terrible behavior, since he had known him for centuries it is understandable that he would excuse his friends behavior the way he did but from the way, he described him I am now even more reluctant to meet the dark lord
“My lady?”
One of the maidens was looking for me
“I’m in the garden”
A few moments later Micaela appeared
“Forgive me for interrupting your talk my lady but madam Odette requests for your presence”
“What for?”
“Your fitting, she would like to choose with you the gown you will wear for the ball”
“I see”
“I hope I haven’t scared you too much with my honesty, I will take my leave now, please enjoy the rest of your day”
Darias took my hand and gently placed a kiss on it, satisfied with his gesture he left Micaela and me. He was a genuine man; my heart could sense it but I couldn’t say much for his friend the dark lord.
***
In the fitting room, madam Odette, Priscilla, Micaela, and Brigitte all helped in picking my gown, several were spread out over all the chairs and some still on their mannequins. I put on every gown I was given and waited for an evaluation, I didn’t care much for it, they were all beautiful gowns, but my mind was still on Darias’ words and how true they might be
“Has any gown tickled your fancy, Astrid?”
“Hmm? Oh, I’m still looking”
“Still looking? It doesn’t even look like you’re interested”
“I am…it’s just hard to concentrate when I have other things on my mind”
“What has your mind occupied other than the upcoming ball?”
“Pardon me, my ladies, would you like us to leave you alone to discuss?”
Odette asked
“No, no, everything is fine, if I still feel uneasy by the end of this fitting then I will surely discuss it but for now, let us focus on the activity at hand”
“As you wish, my lady”
Priscilla wasn’t pleased with my dismissal but let it go eventually, as for my thoughts on what Darias had just told me I had to set them aside for later.
Now, with my full attention on the gowns I began to personally evaluate them based on style and comfort, as it would be a long night, I needed to make sure I was in something warm, easy to walk in, and stylish, I did not have an eye for such fancy dresses but I wanted to, the seamstress went through all the trouble to make them for me.
A few more gowns had been brought out and among all of them a lovely floral black and white gown with lace and flounce sleeves caught my eye, it was the very embodiment of everything I was looking for. Once it was on my body, I confirmed it was the one I wanted to wear, much to Priscilla’s delight.
“This is the one, I adore everything about it”
“I’m glad my lady, we’ll inform Atlas right away”
Odette and Micaela left us and as expected of Priscilla, she brought up the issue from earlier
“Are you ready to talk now?”
“When will you ever leave matters that I don’t want to talk about alone?”
“Since you have known me for so long, I am surprised you can ask me such a question”
I sighed
“It really isn’t anything important”
“Yet it took your attention away from these lovely gowns”
“Yes, that is true…I met Nikolai’s right-hand men”
“You did? Sit down and tell me how it went”
Doing as I was told; I sat next to her and began relating the events
“I was frightened by them at first, they appeared in the sky out of the blue”
“So, they are vampires as well?”
“Naturally, they are three, Adan, Darias, and Mykel”
“Very interesting names”
“Indeed, they sound very old”
“Since they are vampires, I can imagine they must be five hundred years old, perhaps even older”
“Yet they look as young as they do, moving on, they are all interesting characters, Adan looks like the serious one of the group, Mykel looks mild and timid and as for Darias he is very forward and charismatic”
“The dark lord has quite the company”
“Yes, I had spoken to Darias before my fitting”
“Is that why you were distant, what did he say to you?”
“I believe he tried his best to help ease my nerves but he only made it worse, rather than singing praises of the dark lord to give him a softer image he told me nothing but nasty things”
“Why would he do that?”
“I’m not sure, maybe he wanted me to have a realistic image of him so I do not get my hopes up to get hurt”
“Maybe, or maybe he wants to soil his image so he can swoop in and take you away”
“Don’t be silly Priscilla, do you have any idea how ridiculous you sound?”
“It would actually make sense, why else would he be trying to give you a negative image of him?”
“No, it wouldn’t, Darias doesn’t seem like the type to do that”
“How would you know? You’ve only just met him”
“My heart tells me he is a good person, whether I believe him or not I know he’s a good person”
“From now on, avoid any discussion that has to do with the dark lord, no matter who it’s from”
“Why would I do that?”
“Because the constant talk of Nikolai from several different mouths is making you uneasy, you know I am right”
“You are but it isn’t all that bad, it’s better than knowing nothing and being kept in the dark”
“I disagree with that”
“Do you ever agree with me on anything?”
“Yes, many times, but right now I am ordering you to stay away from anyone until you meet the dark lord”
I was infuriated by Priscilla’s sudden behavior; she was treating me like a child but I had far left that stage behind
“That’s unfair, you can’t do that to me”
“Of course, I can, as the person left in charge of you until you are given off, I can pretty do whatever I want”
“Listen to the way you’re speaking to me, what has gotten into you”
“It’s for the best child, if you hear one more story you might just run away”
“So, you are comfortable with me blindly entering this commitment regardless of the consequences?”
I felt like my trust was betrayed yet again, Priscilla was hell-bent on seeing this ceremony through till the very end, no matter the cost. She was behaving as if she didn’t care what would happen to me, like she was siding with the dark lord despite not knowing anything about him.
Her silence spoke volumes
“I see how it is, thank you for your assistance today, I will be taking my leave”
***
After my discussion with Priscilla, I headed straight to my chambers where I stayed all night till the next morning, and even when the sun had risen, I refused to leave my room until the ball, since it was exactly what Priscilla wanted. Brigitte and Talulla would check on me occasionally as they were worried, I felt bad putting them through such trouble, not only were they running around because of last-minute preparations but they also had to attend to me as well until I begged them to stop.
The time had finally come, I was in confinement until Brigitte and Micaela came to assist me, the sun was quickly setting and the man of the hour would soon be upon us. If I had even a tiny spec of enthusiasm left for the ball it completely fizzled out, leaving only a very anxious feeling, my stomach was in so many knots it threatened to cut open.
Because of my nerves, I could not properly appreciate Brigitte and Micaela’s work, they styled my hair beautifully and even picked out jewelry that matched my dress. I looked like a princess but I did not feel like one, I was a blood bride, nothing more
“You look absolutely gorgeous my lady”
“Like a real princess, no, queen”
Brigitte and Micaela beamed with happiness, I tried my best to smile genuinely, they did not deserve my sour attitude. They too looked gorgeous in matching attires, it was a different look for them, a little more mature and elegant, they must have only worn such clothing on special occasions.
“Are you ready to go, my lady?”
“I’m not sure, will I embarrass myself?”
“No, my lady, you will be amazing”
“Yes, everyone is excited to meet you”
“Then we shouldn’t keep them waiting”
With Micaela and Brigitte leading the way, I followed behind them with my head bowed, looking at my feet, it was the only way I could walk.
I could hear the music from the ballroom two corridors away, men and women rushed from left to right, no doubt attending to the guests, I wondered how many were invited. As we were getting closer to the ballroom, Atlas got a hold of us and directed us to the back where I was to use to get to the front, I could see a little sweat on his forehead, he truly wanted to impress his master.
“My lady, please wait here until I announce your name”
“Of course, you’re doing a great job”
My sudden praise threw him off guard but I could see his facial muscles relax after. I waited behind red velvet curtains as Atlas told me for my introduction, in the meantime, I took deep breathes and counted backward from twenty, Priscilla taught me these tactics to calm myself down when stressed, even when angry with her I still considered everything she told me.
My introduction was brief, I was grateful for that, I didn’t need him to add more to make me look like the vision of perfection, people have had raised standards of me all my life which is probably why I always feel it hard to breathe, I didn’t want to disappoint anyone should I fail to perform as anticipated of me.
The curtains opened and before me, was a room filled with aristocratic men and women, even though the ballroom was grand the guests were packed like a can of sardines. On the further end of the stage was Adan, Mykel, and Darias, standing side by side in the center were two different men, I had never seen them before, one was taller than the other, as I stepped forward into the light, I could see their faces properly.
One of the men left to join Darias and the others, leaving him, a tall, broad-shouldered, porcelain-skinned, man with crimson red eyes, we stood face to face, my eyes lifted to meet his. His frame was magnificent, dwarfing everyone that stood next to him, my body quivered as his eyes searched over me from top to bottom, leaving no part unlooked.
I lifted my dress and curtseyed before him;
“My lord”
- Writer
