Masked Princess ✓

6: Who owns her heart

Chapter Six.

Who owns her heart?

“Should you be awake by now, Aeui?”

    To respond to the voice who utters nothing but disruption to her sleep, she could only sigh before covering her body with the blanket. As it was nothing but thick, she then knows that it would block out the sound of whoever was planning to keep her out of her bed.

    She had been wanting to do nothing but sleep for what seems like months and she was more than glad to adhere to what her body wishes. Even still, she still hasn’t forgotten to learn new things about what is the prophecy is to adhere to what she needed to do—and why the wolves wanted her. Even now, there was still nothing that says anything about her relation to Zahir and why he wanted her.

    Nothing.

    Nada.

    All she is right now is tired of all the allegations that are wrapped around the idea as to why wolves are hunting her down. Even if they don’t go to the obvious kill, it was already important to know those good things aren’t what they wanted from her.

    Maybe it was her blood?

    She scoffed, of course, it was her blood.

    But what was so important to her blood?

    While she couldn’t stop herself by thinking things about what she needed to do, Thaddeus stood not that far from her bed, amused to how the female was acting. He was sure that she wasn’t even aware that he was in the same room as her—for she never went and grabbed her mask to conceal her mark. Even then, if someone was to enter your room and whipped you out of your sleep, one should be irritated.

    However, that wasn’t the case with Aeui.

    Still, he wasn’t sure if he liked the idea that his bride was so used to people waking her up that she disregards to cover her mark or be this dismissive of people who are already in her room. If this was a situation where someone was out to get her, they wouldn’t have to put that much effort before dragging her off of her bed.

    Walking to her direction, he all did nothing but patted the sheets, “Aeui.”

    He stilled, hearing nothing but growls on the other side of the sheets. 

    Was that her, he asked through his mind? 

    In order to be sure that she was alright and not at all being manipulated, he did the same action and chuckled upon hearing the same response. He didn't know that his demure little bride was able to act like she was annoyed by anything that bothered her sleep.

    This woman must have loved her sleep.

    “Aeui,” he called, tapping onto the sheets again, “Wake up, my bride.”

    Upon the sheets being dragged out of her face, reveals nothing but an expression that connotes nothing but anger and annoyance. He all did nothing but laugh, seeing her expression nothing but amusing. Even if she wanted to look like she was nothing but dangerous, her innocent face connotes otherwise.

    She was really nothing but adorable.

    “Aeui, you—” his words cut, having to dodge the kick that she intends to give him.

    Now thinking that’s he was clear to the space that she wanted, the woman did nothing but catch onto her sleep. That action, alone, made him chuckle in disbelief. He had heard about humans loving to sleep and hogging their beds—but it was pass morning and she had already missed breakfast. Why does she intend to keep on sleeping?

    “Aeui,” he called again.

    No response.

    “I can do this all day,” he says, now grabbing a seat to take while he resides near her bed.

    As she again, offered no response to the man did he continue on poking on the sheets. The very action was enough to wake her enough, annoying her to the point where nothing made sense to her anymore. It was only when she had enough when she whipped her face back to the man who continued to pester her sleep.

    “Good morning, my bride,” he all but says, eyes twinkling in nothing but mirth.

    She glared at him, pissed at his entrance, “Get out.”

    “You’re ordering me out of my palace? I find that amusing,” he says, amused.

    “Get out,” she all but repeated.

    He smiled, “Should my bride greet me a good morning first?”

    There was no response from her, only the eyes that were judging him from what was being presented from her when she just did nothing but woke up. Thaddeus couldn’t help but see the mark on her face, glistening along with her emotions.

    He all but wondered what that means.

    “Aeui,” he calls, moving forward to her direction before closing in on her face, “Isn’t it about time you’re about to wake up?”

    She blinked, surprised to suddenly have him that close to her, “Uhm, you—”

    “That’s it, you’re snapping out of it.”

    The woman just blinked, not telling him anything but true to his words, he knows that the woman was snapping out into her trance of sleep. He waited for a second, maybe a minute before she squeaked, hiding behind the duvet with nothing but an embarrassing state. That was when she realized what she had done and how her words were now nothing but dismissive to his words.

    “There you are,” he all but says, sitting back to the chair with nothing but formal, “Now why don’t you whip that cover out of your face to let me see that face of yours, my dear bride?”

    Aeui could only shudder from inside the duvet, clearly embarrassed that he had seen her from her state of which her sleep was way too thick for her too even notice what is important. There had been a silver lining for her to know whatever she needed to do in order to seem nothing but a vampire to them. Even if they have seemed to know that she was now, a human, she wanted nothing more than to act more like a vampire.

    “Aeui,” he calls, a voice seemed like a King now.

    Surprised to his tone, Aeui seemed to pull the sheets away from her to look at the man who calls before her. He seemed really serious, a face that was void of what she was used to it. That was when she realized that something was terribly wrong to the situation. Turning serious, she was about to grab her mask out of the side table when he shook his head.

    “You don’t have to,” he says, dismissing her idea.

    She looked at him, worried, “Aren’t you here to tell me something?”

    “I am,” he says, the words seemed nothing but breathe in his mouth.

    Thaddeus was only here to pass an announcement for her. It had been hours since he had spends along with both his parents and hers, talking about what he needed to do and the dangers that follow upon marrying her. He doesn’t see it as necessary as bad, but he was worried about how she would react to what she will hear.

    “I have some news from our parents,” he says, worried for her.

    She all but frown, now realizing that he was wearing his formal attire. Not that she was used to seeing the man in his casual clothes, but she seemed to remember that the last time that he had visited her - he was wearing anything but casual. 

    Besides, this realm has a very specific rules for royals. With his clothes alone, she already knows that it would mean that he was in an official business before he even visits her, one that he must have rushed here for her to know. Worried about what news he was to utter, she all did nothing but nodded.  

    “Okay, what is it?” She asked.

    “I talked to your parents and mine,” he says.

    Something was wrong.

    She now realized more than ever that Thaddeus was distraught. His expression seemed to be very stressed to what he talked about with his parents—and she couldn’t think of any reason why. Maybe it was because of what had happened before? Not that she was even thinking that her father was to hide things from Thaddeus now.

    They are all worried.

    Sooner or later, anyway, she will perish.

    “He wanted to move the marriage later than what was expected, Aeui. It was for your father was becoming to form some issues. He is double guessing if you are to marry me. He seemed to have another vampire in mind.”

    Surprised, she all but screamed, “What?! Why!”

    “I am not sure, your father says that he will need to talk more to that vampire before illustrating anything.”

    She nodded, patting his hands, “I’ll fix everything.”

    Rushing to her bathroom, Aeui did nothing but brisk with her bath and wanted nothing more than to put little to no attention to her clothes to talk about her parents. She did want nothing more than that—however, she caught her skin glistening along with the light. Walking close to the reflection, she bites her lips to choke up her sobs.

    She’s getting consumed.

    Maybe this was the reason as to why her father was getting anxious—for being near Prince Thaddeus wasn’t healing her in any kind of way. Her skin was still frozen, the mark in her eyes was getting consumed and sooner of later—her powers will get unleashed.

    By then, everyone should be ready for what her value is. 

    For she was the chaos that the realm was to face, they needed all the power and strength they could get to kill her. And still, she was sure—that if that was the case, her family will have to fight every vampire in this realm just to keep her alive.

    “Aeui,” Prince Thaddeus called on the other side of the door, “I can feel your emotions. Are you okay, my bride?”

    She shook her head, feeling her skin, “I…”

    “Open the door for me,” he asks with a soft voice.

    Listening to her groom, she whipped the door open and for the first time… he was able to see what she was trying to conceal from her gowns. Her skin, one that he always thought was too pale for a human skin, was now giving him an explanation. Carefully manipulating the temperature in his hands, he touched the side of her neck and sighed upon feeling what he thought was right.

    “Your skin is frozen, my bride,” he frowned, grabbing into her arms and seeing the blisters forming from what seemed like everywhere from her skin. Distraught, he all but asked, “Where did you get these blisters?”

    She frowned, “Touch of a vampire, it burns my skin.”

    “That isn’t normal,” he concludes.

    She nodded, her hands touching the mark which was placed just below her eyes, “This is consuming me, my power. I still need to know if I am to be the chaos of this world or the savior. Up until now, I have no answers.”

    “You have your answer,” he says, wiping his fingers on the blisters in her skin.

    Her lips utter a small gasp upon seeing that it seemed to vanish before her eyes, healing it before her very eyes. Thaddeus continued to do the same action, healing every bruise that was blushed upon her skin. Is there a way that he could heal her too? All his powers are nothing but four forces—so how is he doing this?

    How did he spark up a flash of lightning?

    “You are a good woman, my bride,” he says.

    She nodded, looking at his fingers that were still lingering on her skin. It’s warm, thankful that he has the power to never left a blister on her skin. As Thaddeus looked at the skin of his bride, he was worried. When he saw the uncertainty in the eyes of the father of his bride—he thought that he was double guessing what he could do.

    Now, he realized what was really happening.

    Her skin was tainted in nothing but ice, close to being frozen. Her skin is full of nothing but blisters in the countless touch from vampires who didn't know better that she was just a human. The mark in her eyes was consuming her as the times goes on—her father wasn’t double guessing him but he wanted to see more choices if he could.

    He was worried his daughter would be consumed.

    “I will fix this, Aeui,” he promised, slightly beckoning the woman inside the bathroom, “Now, please get ready so we could try and mend the worries in your father’s mind.”

    She nodded, “Okay. I will, thank you.”

 .

 .

She was more than nervous while walking.

    Even if she was close to Prince Thaddeus, one who is now nothing but formal while his sword was swaying on the side of his waist. The man seemed serious, wanting nothing more than to talk about the task at hand. There are what he needed to talk about his marriage and he was more than sure now than ever that this woman was his beloved.

    There will be no other vampire who is fit for his role.

    Not one.

    “Thaddeus is set to marry a mortal? That is preposterous!”

    Aeui stilled in her tracks, along with the person who was getting involved with the talk. Swirling back to the place where the talk was going, she faced a room where all the princes seemed to have gathered around and talked about the news of the upcoming marriage. Anger was consuming Thaddeus, finding it nothing but aggravating to hear his brothers spill out nonsense that he didn’t ask from them.

    “What so wrong about that?” Prince Sylvester asked, offended at how his brother, Prince Nikhil, seemed to belittle the woman that he loved, “I am opposed to V marrying her too, but it wasn’t because she is human. Don't mutter out nonsense.”

    Prince Jovani nodded, siding with Sylvester, “What if she is human?”

    “She is useless, better know that now,” Prince Harrison muttered while flipping on the books presented before them, “She is nothing but someone who needed our brother’s protection, another woman who wanted nothing more than our brother's powers.”

    Prince Johannes did nothing but sigh, “You are all getting out of line. She is still of royal blood, and the King’s orders are absolute.”

    “She doesn’t deserve Thaddeus, end of judgment. His powers are absolute. One that father protected all his life. Now, he is deemed to marry and protect someone who is nothing but a mortal.”

    Prince Thaddeus was nothing but angry to what he was hearing, his left arm clenched around the handle of his sword. They are getting out of the line to what words are spilling out of their mouths. Who needed their verses of ideas, anyway?

    It was certainly not him.

    He was more than annoyed as his bride was hearing everything that they were saying, marking what worries her more. Thaddeus knew that she was worried for she will render useless, for vampires would be risking their own lives for her. He already knows that she seemed distraught by the idea that countless vampires are ready to risk their lives for her - especially her brothers, last thing that she needed are his brothers speaking nothing but her worries.

    “Princess Aeui is—”

    “Is what, Nikhil?” Thaddeus could only growl, snapping into him.

    Surprised, all six brothers whipped to the direction of their brother and was more than surprised to see him along with the Princess. Aeui is right there, trying to get their brother’s grip off of hers. She was terrified and possibly broken into what she had heard around.

    They all did nothing but froze.

    Scared at nothing but their brother who can kill them if he wanted it too. His eyes were blazing in nothing but hot, angry at how they had managed to grab any insecurity that they managed to put into his bride.

    They don’t know why, but a part of them suddenly crave the urge to hurt themselves. 

    She heard them.

    “Princess,” Sylvester mumbled silently, terrified, “It’s not what it looks like, please-”

    “No, I am sorry for eavesdropping, your highness,” she all but said, but her eyes were glossy like tears were about to fall from her eyes. Looking back to his prince, he all but says, “V, let me go. Please.”

    He shook his head, “No, stay here.”

    “Thaddeus, please.”

    Looking back at the female who calls him in such a tender manner, he was more than sad to see that she was in the midst of crying. She was devastated to hear everything, thinking like this was a call of reality. Thaddeus has always hated his powers at times like this—for he always does his best to be the man who can protect his wife. No matter the status, kind of power… he is someone who can protect them at any cost.

    He nodded, but before she was to dash back, he grabbed to her back before whispering to her ears, “I’ll head back and catch up with you, okay? Calm down and take a breather for me, Aeui.”

    “Okay,” she agreed, nodding at him.

    As soon as she walked out of the room, the other six could feel the fire in the room. When Thaddeus all but grabbed the door close and shut, everyone already backed away from him. While it was true that he never was the one who let his power stand out—they know for sure that he is a man who is capable of killing them if he wanted to.

    Remembering how easy it was for him to eliminate the number of wolves before their eyes, they grew more knowledgable in knowing in just how powerful their brother is. 

    “Now,” he says, looking back at them with nothing but anger in his eyes, “What the f**k was that all about? I have no care if you wanted to talk to my back about my bride, but never let her f*****g hear it.”

    Sylvester all but sighed, taking his seat, “Nikhil, Harrison, and Jaylen, explain yourselves. I am not going to accept our brother’s wrath for your stupidities.”

    “You know that I speak nothing but the truth—oof!”

    Prince Nikhil stopped whatever he has to say when Thaddeus was quick to catch his neck, pinning him into the wall as his eyes grew into nothing but slits. He trashed in his hold, having no other means of escapes, as his powers are nothing but connote to healing.

    “And who the f****d asked you for your own verse of these so-called truths, brother?” He all but asked, dropping him down to the floor where he all but trashed, backing away from his little brother who is now furious as he would be, “When did I need your assessment in anything that involves my personal matter?”

    Prince Jaylen, who focuses on analysis sighed, “Brother, your bride is weak—”

    He then stilled, words were set into a halt upon seeing blocks of ice that missed him with such a small distance. The walls that were behind him impaled by the spikes of ice that was thrown, marking just how dangerous it was if it was aimed into him. His brother, Thaddeus, looked at him with nothing but a danger in his eyes.

    “I didn’t need your false analysis who is corrupted nothing but your own flawed data,” he all but says.

    Prince Jaylen grinned, “Have you forgotten once which you needed my analysis?”

    “Yes, I did. When I was nothing but 18 years old,” he answered with his eyes nonchalant as ever, “and your data was flawed, almost caused a number of men to die before my watch. Never had you enhanced your powers even then, so why should I listen to your analysis now?”

    Prince Jaylen all but stilled, surprised to hear his brother’s words. It was one thing that he was always so boastful about his skills—knowing that his little brother, one who is powerful than then has the strength to ask for his analysis. Since his brother never talked to him about it, he thought that everything went smoothly.

    Now hearing that his analysis was nothing but wrong did he seemed so weak, bothered by the idea that he never really helped his brother in any single way.

. 

 .

Princess Aeui continued to walk out of the room.

    She was way too indulged with the idea of running away from the place where she was being washed down with reality that she didn’t realize that she was already outside of the palace. It never really went inside her head when she traveled all the way into the woods. Instead of actually being scared to where she was, a part of her was visibly troubled enough to care.

    Slowly sitting on the floor, she all did nothing but cry her eyes out.

    Whatever is happening now is something that she wasn’t really fond of.

    Just like everyone, she never wanted to be a piece of baggage—someone who people continued on risking their lives to save her. She didn’t want her parents dying just because of her and frankly, whenever she would have anyone in her inner circle dying for her sake, she all did nothing but feel bad.

    She didn’t need a daily reminder of those events, of people risking their lives for a mere mortal who isn’t really doing anything but a nuisance to those who would care enough for her. Through the years that incredible vampire was kind enough to understand her position and her risk to the world, she had watched each and every one of them dying before her very eyes.

    All but saying one thing:

    You will have to go through me before you can kill her.

    “You seem to have been shedding tears now than usual.”

    Her hands moved to her neck, where her necklace all did nothing but glows, signifying a wolf being near her. Even if that was what it signifies and her hearing a voice that belonged to a werewolf that was deemed to hurt and kill her—but she didn’t lift her face up or even try to get away.

    “Aeui, you will damage your clothes,” he all but says, offering his warm hands to hers.

    She could only sigh, disregarding his words, “It would seem like crying had been normal these days.”

    “I hate that,” he utters with nothing a sigh, wanting nothing more than to face her, “Change it.”

    She rolled her eyes, annoyed at his antics, “I hate you, change yourself.”

    Levi could only laugh, amused, “Touché, my Aeui.”

    “I am not yours.”

    Now that was true—especially now.

    Levi knows that more than anyone in the world, he couldn’t live a life where he could claim the woman who is before him. Even then, he didn’t stop himself by lowering himself down and grabbing the mask off of her face. A smile slipped in his lips upon seeing her face, something that he had always missed.

    Evidence of tears still dripped from her eyes, her eyes puffed from the tears that continue to shed from her eyes. Ever so carefully, his hands touched her cheeks, which was enough to have her body jolt in the warmness of his hands. Slowly, he wipes all the evidence of tears that were flowing from her cheeks.

    “What are you doing in the woods, love?”

    She sniffed, dismissing his hands, “It is a capital sin to touch the bride of a vampire prince, Levi. Have you been too lenient with this world to not remember that?”

    His hands tighten on his sides upon hearing her mouth out those words. There had been talks in the place of wolves about her being betrothed to a vampire and he all but think that it was taboo to make them leave her alone. That was all he thinks—and almost everyone.

    And now, what is this?

    Was it true?

    He shook his head, “You are nothing but holding a title of betrothed. It isn’t real.”

    “Is that what you all think?” she says, helping herself up to get up from the forest floor. Slowly grabbing her mask, she ever so gracefully put it in her face, as her eyes were nothing but stone. There was something inside of him that doesn’t sit well with the authority in her voice. She was nothing but confident to the man she claims is her groom.

    “You cannot fool me, Aeui,” he says, c*****g his head to the side.

    “I don’t have time to create things that will fool your kind. It is your choice if you are to believe what is happening. What do I know? Maybe you’ll believe one we sent out invitations.” she replied.

    As he stood there, looking nothing but idle, she did nothing else but head back in the palace while keeping her head high. Why doesn’t she think things through? Why would she head out of the castle fully knowing that she is the main person that they wanted to take? She is defenseless; sure she has charms but that is nothing when it comes to battle.

    Sooner or later, she will die in her own stupidity.

    And all those vampires who risked their lives for her will die in nothing but vain.

    She needed to think things right.

    “You’re necklace is glowing.”

    She jumped, looking to what was supposed to welcome her. Her two brothers and the seven princes who are looking at her in nothing but curiosity, one look was more curious than the last. It would seem like Prince Thaddeus is terrified enough that she was near a creature that was ought to kill her.

    Prince Crowde all but sigh, “What happened in there, Princess?”

    “I just saw him,” she replied.

    “That f*****g wolf,” Prince Kingsley growled, checking her body like an inspector, “What did he do to you?!”

    She moved back from her brother, eyes as cold as they could be, “He wipes my tears and says his congratulations, that is all.”

    Prince Kingsley was nothing but confused, seeing everything nothing but out if what she would usually do. It was true that Aeui has her forms of weakness, one that always has her create mistakes but he was wondering why she seemed like she has everything handled by here.

    It was only when she bowed, taking his chance to walk away when Prince Crowde grabbed her wrist, stopping her in any movement that she was to do, “He saw your face, didn’t he?”

    “Yes,” she replied almost immediately.

    “And you miss him?”

    There were no answers uttered from her.

    Prince V, on the other hand, tighten his hold on the handle of his sword. While it was true that everyone was still in doubt of him being the beloved of Aeui—he was more than sure that he was. He thought that they were risking nothing but her life but it would seem like a wolf would be also in a way of what was his.

    Prince Crowde knows the very reason she was hesitant to marry in terms of nothing but protection.

    Up until now, she still thinks that someone is capable of fixing Levi and she would marry him. Even if he was nothing but amused by her strength in her trust in love, it was nothing but stupid. She is destined to marry one person, and it is a vampire.

    Prince Kingsley sighed upon her wordless answer.

    “You’re missing him because you still love him.”

    She looked at him, annoyed, “Let me go.”

    “No,” Prince Crowde muttered, angry at how she was to see the idea of love, “He is not good for you. There are no traces of the old good guy that you used to know.”

    Prince Kingsley all but nodded, “Now, he is nothing but a wolf who is always sent to kill you.”

    “I know that,” she replied, her eyes shaking in what seems like a pain, “Now, if you could please excuse me.”

    Dejected, Crowde only complied with her demands and let her go. Even if he was more than worried to know what had happened there, he has no other means of putting more pain to his sister. Not a vampire in her realm knows the plan that Levi has—but one thing was for certain, even the wolf itself knows that he cannot have the girl anymore.

    He had lost his chance way before he even decided for himself. Now that he had mistakes that he cannot undo, he can’t have her now.  Not only to that reason but there is now a beast inside of him that wanted nothing more than her blood—one that he had tasted once before.

    The very reason that Levi is still alive is because of his need to kill her.

    To have her blood dribbling from his mouth.

    Looking back to the seven princes who all did nothing but to stand there, surprised to what was revealed by their very eyes. It troubled him to have seven guys to have her so confused about her life and be reminded of something that he always wanted nothing more for her to forget.

    “What was the reason as to why she decided to take a walk in the forest?”

    Prince Jovani all but frown, “It was all Nikhil, Harrison, and Jaylen.”

    As a sigh escaped his lips, Kingsley did nothing but catch up to his little sister. Leaving Crowde to explain what had happened. He watched the seven princes looking nothing but distraught to what they had to face. As they take little looks at each other, trying their best to understand each other—one had little to no input. They wanted to ask but no words were coming into their head as to what the right question was to say.

    Even Jaylen, who stood to let down his power of analysis.

    Everyone didn’t understand.

    Well, all but one.

    “She fell in love with a wolf?” Prince Thaddeus asked.

    Prince Jovani all but sighed, “Why does it feel so wrong?”

    “It is wrong!” Prince Johannes answered, “How can she even love one creature who is doing nothing but trying to kill her?”

    Prince V looked at the man who bears no answer to his question, anxious more than ever to think that he was sharing the heart of his beloved to the creature who was set to kill him, “Prince Crowde, I believed I asked you a question.”

    “It is a history which holds many things to explain but yes, that werewolf used to her boyfriend. She was loved by that werewolf, she loved that werewolf.”

    Prince Jaylen looked at the forest with a thought in his head. He was way too focus on his analysis that he didn’t notice that he let his telepathy on. All he was thinking was that why everyone was trying to do their best to protect their parents—if she was inside those woods with nothing to defend herself, why does she bear no marks from the one creature who was set to kill him?

    Why is she so calm that she met face to face to the man who was to kill her?

    Does that wolf even love her, still?

    Prince Crowde all but sigh, looking at them with nothing but distraught, “Do not try to fret about much to the wedding. If it passed your judgment, father was looking for another vampire to marry her.”

    Prince V growled, “I will marry her.”

    “Thaddeus—”

    “I didn’t ask for anyone’s input!” He all but snarled, looking at his brothers who are nothing but surprised to his tantrums, “The moment that she was to hear any single thing about what you all think, I wouldn’t think twice before drawing my sword. Don’t f*****g test me.”

    As he retreats back to the palace, his brothers all did nothing but utter a sighed. They have seen what can happen if he draws the sword that always stays in his waist. If he ever draws out of the cover and kills any single one of them—they know better that they couldn’t do anything but accept death by itself.

    “Well, I guess it is final then,” Prince Sylvester all but sighed.