The Vampire's Chosen Bride

Chapter 3

The royalties then left The Throne Room. However, the Jaspers and the Therons still stayed. As the highest elites of the kingdom, they had to support and communicate with the king and the crown prince. Meanwhile, General Freddie’s position as the king’s opposition didn’t place him as the king’s enemy. On the contrary, it established that way to maintain no dictatorship of the kingdom. At least, that was the kingdom founder’s intention. 

“Congratulations, Your Majesty,” General Freddie said. “With revelation and commandment from the Highest One about our future king and the chosen bride for your son as our future queen, all will strengthen our kingdom.”

King Jordan smiled. “Thank you, General Freddie. It is a great surprise for me since the Highest One has never chosen the kings’ brides before. It is truly a tremendous blessing for Joshua and our kingdom. She must be an exceptional one.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. But how to find her? I mean, where should we search her?” Lady Leona asked. She withdrew a fan from her bag and started fanning herself. “The biggest human population is in Dream City, but to find our future queen, we should do a massive search of the entire Dream Country.”

“You are right, Lady Leona,” Prime Minister Xavier replied. “I think it will be better if we create a list of searches. It will help us find the future queen faster and easier.”

“So, how is your suggestion, prime minister?” King Jordan asked. 

Prime Minister Xavier walked to a map hanging on the right wall of The Throne Room. “As we know, the Dream Country comprises eight other cities, with Dream City as the capital city. Those eight cities are Lucid City, Loop City, Realism City, Non-Realism City, Awakening City, Recurring City, Healing City, and Vivid City. So, we should split our searching by the city.”

“Agree!” General Freddie said. “All royalty families can each take a city. While the capital is the largest area, I think three of us should handle it, Your Majesty, prime minister.”

“Let us, the youngsters, who search, Your Majesty,” Commander Donnie replied. 

“I cannot agree more,” Prince Joshua also said. “Father, Prime Minister Xavier, General Freddie, please arrange assignment for each noble family, while the Dream City, let me, Commander Donnie, and Lord Clark work.”

Lord Clark, the prime minister’s son, nodded. “I don’t have any objection with that.”

“Splendid!” King Joshua beamed. “We have settled this matter. So, prime minister and general, what is your suggestion on whose family should be in charge to search the eight cities?”

“My king, I think we should assign each family according to their city of influence. It will make the assignment easier since they have already known the city and the people there,” Prime Minister Xavier said.

“Great idea. General Freddie, what do you think?” King Jordan asked.

“I have no objection, sir. It is a practical way to assign each family,” General Freddie replied. 

King Jordan then nodded. “Wonderful! So we will have Crow family for Loop City, Windgate family for Realism City, Cole family for Non-Realism City, Stoker family for Awakening City, Graves family for Recurring City, Havelock family for Healing City, Winterwood family for Vivid City, and last but not least, Morgan family for Lucid City.” 

King Jordan created a parchment with his magical power as he mentioned each family name and the city. Then, as he said about the Morgan family and Lucid City, he made the eight parchments. Now, all of those eight parchments flew in the air, waiting for the following command. 

“Yes, sir,” the prime minister said

“Correct, Your Majesty.” The general nodded. 

King Jordan was clapping, and those eight parchments flew to each of the noble family’s residents. Then he smiled at everyone. “Thank you very much for your help and cooperation. I request the same support and cooperation for my son, Prince Crown Joshua.”

Prince Joshua then stood and bowed to his father. “Thank you, father.” Then he nodded a little to the prime minister, the general, and the rest of the people who still stayed there. “I wish for your support too, my beloved prime minister, general, and family.”

All of them nodded. “No worries, dear prince,” Prime Minister Xavier said. “My loyalty is to the kingdom. Since my great-great-grandfather’s time, the Jaspers have pledged our honor to serve the kingdom. So, undoubtedly we will support you too when the time comes.”

Prince Joshua nodded deeper. “Thank you, prime minister.”

“For me, I will stay as the opposition, my prince. Yet, I assure you, the Therons will never waiver in our job for the kingdom,” General Freddie said, then nodded.

Prince Joshua also nodded deeper. “Thank you, general.”

“I believe I have taken all of our time this morning. Thank you very much, and enjoy your day,” King Jordan greeted them.

Then, one by one left The Throne Room. Finally, only King Jordan, Prince Joshua, and Princess Emilia left.

“Aunt Emilia, I didn’t expect it at all.” Prince Joshua shook his head. “A chosen bride? A human?”

“My brother, may I have time alone with my nephew?” Princess Emilia asked.

“Sure. Joshua, ask your aunt to talk in your room. It will be more comfortable to chat there.” King Jordan said. 

King Jordan requested that not because The Throne Room was less comfortable than Prince Joshua’s room. However, since the Throne Room was a public place, someone could eavesdrop on the conversation. 

Joshua then accompanied his aunt to his room. When they were inside the room, Princess Emilia sat, then retrieved a parchment she prepared for Prince Joshua. She handed over the parchment. As Prince Joshua’s finger touched the hair tied to the parchment, somehow, it broke, and the parchment opened. 

Prince Joshua read and wrinkled his forehead. After finished reading it, he asked, “So, I should win the girl’s heart. It is easy, dear aunt. I will hypnotize her to fall in love with me.”

Princess Emilia shook her head. “No, Joshua. You cannot do that.”

“Why not?”

“Because it should not be like that. You should make your chosen bride fall in love with you without a trick. Also, it is not any sort of love, but true and strong love,” Princess Emilia continued. 

“A true and strong love. How can I measure love?” Prince Joshua asked. 

“You will know it when your bride will sacrifice the most precious thing for her.”

“What is it, aunt? Please tell me.”

Before Princess Emilia could say anything, somehow, she heard something. Princess Emilia gave the signal to Prince Joshua. He nodded, then ran toward the sound. However, when he moved, their eavesdropper moved faster so Prince Joshua couldn’t catch them. 

“Oh, no! How much do they overhear our conversation?” Prince Joshua shook his head. 

Princess Emilia only sighed. “At least they didn’t hear the most important part. Answering your question about your bride, you will know when the time has come. Also, as written in the parchment, impregnate your bride for the succession of the kingdom and her safety. However-” Princess Emilia stopped for stressing her following words, “- never impregnate her before she truly falls in love with you.”

Prince Joshua sighed. “There are too many conditions I should meet to have my bride. I hope she will be worth my struggle to find her.”

Princess Emilia grinned, and then she patted Prince Joshua’s shoulder. “My nephew, as a prince, everyone has spoiled you. Now, it is time for you to work hard to have the heart of your future wife. When a woman has given her heart to you, it means the world for her to do anything to make you happy. So, I think it will be worth your time and effort to find her.”

Prince Joshua didn’t reply. After a while, he asked again, “Has the Highest One given you any clue of my bride, aunt?”

Princess Emilia shook her head. “Other than the fragrance of her blood and a human, there is no other clue. But before I forget, I also should tell you this. Your father’s enemies will try to get her for themselves. So, you should find her fast before they capture her first.”

“I understand, Aunt Emilia.” After thinking the whole thing, Prince Joshua asked his aunt one last question, ”If my father's enemies will try so hard to capture my bride, can I change her into our kind? My bride will be safe if she is a vampire too.”

“Yes, you can, Joshua,” Princess Emilia replied calmly.

“Awesome! Then I only need to find her, make her fall in love with me, impregnate her, then change her into a vampire. Is that it?”

Princess Emilia was laughing. “When you said it like that, it sounded like a heartless mechanism of getting a wife. But yes, technically, you are right. It should be in that order.”

“Then I will find her and make her mine, aunt—no doubt about that. Also, none will take her away from me. She is my chosen bride, isn’t she?”

Princess Emilia nodded, then smiled. “Correct. One thing you must remember, you should impregnate your bride as a human. After she is pregnant, then you can change her into our kind.”

“I don’t understand.” Prince Joshua wrinkled his forehead. “Why not? To keep her safe, it will be better if I change her into a vampire first than to impregnate her. Then, as a vampire, she will be stronger to defend herself.”

“It was the will of the Highest One, Joshua.” Princess Emilia placed her hand on Prince Joshua’s shoulder. “The Highest One’s will might be strange and not make sense at all. However, when we follow His wise plan, everything will fall into place. Just believe.”

Prince Joshua sighed. “If only I had great faith like you, aunt. Hearing about the Highest One chose my bride had been too much for me. Now, the requirements are even so many.” Prince Joshua muttered, “I truly wish she is worth all of these troubles.”