Masked Princess ✓

4: Breakfast with Vampire Royals

Chapter Four:

Breakfast with Vampire Royals

Aeui wasn't sure what happened. 

    For a second there, she was sure that she had made Prince V to seal a promise to her, one that says that he is not to partake in anything that will endanger his life. If ever that he needed to fight, as he was a Prince who serves as a warrior to the people, he needed to face the danger while thinking that he needed to come back to his wife. He promises that he will marry the princess only by not risking his life whenever a danger arises.

    She wasn't even sure as to who the promise was for.

    Was it for her? As she needed all she could get to make sure that she wouldn't lose yet another person in her life? 

    or was it for him? To not sacrifice his precious life for her? 

    She was unsure.

    Then again, all she could remember was talking to him before having nothing of a memory other than black. Almost as if the night just passes and she wasn't sure what had happened, she woke up. Everything seemed too real that she was unsure as to why she was waking up now It was only in the brisk of the morning when she grew aware. 

    Her body was visibly shaken by her brothers who wanted nothing more than to wake her up. Aeui wasn't even sure when she walked to her chambers and when she bid goodbye to the Prince. All she remembered was making a promise to him.

    That was it. 

    She only wishes that she didn't press anything more damage to the man by having him bring her to her room. 

    "Aeui, you need to wake up," Crowde called as he continued on shaking her body like a maniac. 

    She groaned, annoyed at how they were in her room so early in the morning to have her prepare. They know more than ever that she needed not to have breakfast with everyone on the damn table. To say that she was pissed now wasn't really enough to call it. There was a huge part of her that was sleepy, enough to have her not get up from her bed as she sees no point into it. For there was no reason for her to bother herself getting ready with breakfast as the table was filled with nothing but vampires. 

    "Get out," she called, dismissing both of them, "I need some sleep." 

    Sleep, she thoughts.

    Was she dreaming of the Prince? For that was the only reason that she could think that the Prince would agree to something like that. Who was she to demand something before marriage and why does the Prince need to settle in what she wanted? He didn't need her approval for marriage or does he have any loss to this marriage. 

    She wonders if what she had was nothing but a dissenting dream—one that was meant to be in her mind and there alone, for who could she be to make such demands to a Prince? Not just a prince but someone who will have a huge impact in this realm.

    That should be the only explanation as to why she remembered something so impossible.

    Maybe she was only thinking of ways that she could have talked to him and address what she wanted. However, wasn't in a Prince's duty to serve his life for the people? Does she need to see him die before her eyes too? Was that what needed to happen?

    “You need to wake up, our dear sister.”

    Confused, she could only look to the direction of her brothers with an expression void of anything that they could sense, “To why should I need to be awoken at this hour? Do I need to remind you two that I am not to eat in the same table with vampires or have that loss in your thoughts, too?”

    “Aeui,” they both could only utter her name, surprised to how she was acting.

    She snaps, “Well? What is it that you two badly needed me to wake up?”

    It was only when they threatened to come near her did she unwillingly stood up, never wanting to be quite near them. As if she needed nothing more reason than to act upon what they direct to her - which noticed that she had been doing for quite some time now. Instead of fighting for reasons, she was doing nothing but idly following suit. 

    For instance - this marriage. 

    They had her believe that they now trust her powers and her capability to be able to save the realm, all she thought was they she needed to study to able to know why they needed to manipulate her and why, of all humans, was she the key to all that everyone needed to save or destroy this realm.

    She had tried hard and well, thinking that her parents depended on her. 

    However, she was blind to think that they would entrust something so fatal to her - a human. 

    Who does she think she was to save the realm? She was nothing but a piece, needed to be kept safe by someone who was powers and that was it. All she needed to do was sit there and wait for everyone to say that it was safe for her to live in peace now. 

    For whatever reason that she needed to think that they needed her powers?

    They were nothing but disturbance. 

    What she needed is to follow their rules blindly, that was it. 

    No questions asked as they would offer only one thing she couldn't say no to. 

    It was for her own protection, anyways. 

    Even though it was true that she had no other choice but to follow with what her father had planned, she should have known that her reason of study in this Kingdom wasn’t the only terrain that she would take. Why does she keep thinking that she has what it takes to defend for herself?

    Besides, she was nothing but a tainted soul. 

    Her brothers, for one, should have warned her so she didn't think that she was holding that big responsibility now. They didn't need her to think so fully of herself. 

    As her brothers take a good look at their sister, they could only do nothing but sigh. For they know that she was angry with the whole ordeal that she was to marry for nothing but her sense of protection. They would know that she hated nothing more than to have someone to sacrifice their life for her.

    It had been quite frequently since she had seen nothing but her loved ones dying before her very eyes. Anyone who utters that they will be there to protect her had died before her, making her witness every death and accept them with nothing but horror.

    That is why now, she lives in the fear that everyone whom she deems important will die.

    Just because of who she was.

    However, she has no choice.

    A human is fragile—especially one that is wrapped in the skin of someone like her. It wouldn’t take too long before the powers that were suppressed of her will take full control of her and when that happens, even her brothers weren’t sure as to what will happen to their dear sister.

    The realm was affecting her and soon enough, she will be anguished.

    “Will she ever be okay with this?” Prince Kingsley couldn’t help but ask his brother.

    Prince Crowde could only look at the closed bathroom door with a nod, trusting not only the little prince but his sister whom he had seen to struggle more than everyone else in this realm, “She will be, brother. For the man was meant to be his, that makes her the prince’s beloved.”

    “Then just means that he will be the only one who can protect her to the best of his ability. Do you think the little Prince can do it?” Prince Kingsley asked.

    “He is the only vampire who was built for that,” he answered, looking at his little brother with nothing but a sad frown, knowing full well that they were both nothing but worried to what was bound to happen, “You know your sister well enough to know that she will be a great warrior beside him. Not only does he has what it takes, but together—they will f*****g end him.”

    This was true, it was the prophecy that the Prince will bear such responsibility—it was the reason why he was always training and trying his best to control his power to the best of his ability. Even with his young age, he managed to tame everything and soon enough, he will be powerful enough to handle everything that will be thrown in their way.

    All they could pray for is that if everything was too sideways, they hope that their sister wouldn’t have to lose someone so precious to her life—her beloved.

    For if she was to face the loss of the one man who was meant for her, they wouldn’t know how to handle that mess. If their little sister thought that losing one little person who meant little in her life hurts—what more if the man of her life died for her?

    She will grow crazy.

 .

 .

Aeui sighed upon seeing her reflection.

    It was one thing she needed not to hide as the mirrors in this realm do show vampires, holding different magic than ones in the human world. She only needed to take her gown off to see that she wasn’t doing any good. Her skin was getting pale as the days continue and there is nothing she could do about it.

    Touching her skin wasn’t even comfortable enough.

    As the days go on and forth, she could see them already frosting. Her lips grew paler by the time and her shade of lipstick was getting darker than she ever wanted them to be. Her body was looking terrible, looking nothing of what her human body used to look like.

    If she was to fight, she needed a body that was fit for a fighter.

    Her eyes slipped a tear and the mark that she had been trying to hide glistened before the tear, making her shudder in nothing but fear. If it wasn’t because of this mark, she would have been free and out of this misery.

    “It would be too long,” she speaks, touching her skin that seems to be showing shimmer now, “I don’t have a lot of time now, we have to act fast. I am losing time.”

    Taking a thorough bath, she was finished in less than thirty minutes. Grabbing the gown that was prepared by her lady in waiting, all she do was sigh upon seeing her in nothing but formal gowns and a mask to finish her look. She remembered when she was young when all she could do was wish to have a gown of her own.

    Now that she owns a hundred of them, she wasn’t sure that she wanted them anymore.

    For no matter how beautiful they were, they signify a different time in her life.

    A life of hers, which shoulders nothing but pain.

    Carefully opening her door, she was faced with her two brothers who snapped their attention to her. They were both in despair to see her so cold, an exterior that they weren’t used to. It was one of the things that they had hated most.

    “Good morning, our princess,” Prince Crowde muttered.

    She didn’t even offer them a glance before walking out of her room. It was always a knowledgeable thing to know that it was better to let her off her steam before taking to her. Whenever Aeui was slightly angry to angry—she wouldn’t listen to reasons. A sigh escapes to their mouths, never believing that they would experience what it’s like to be ignored by their little sister.

    “Princess,” Prince Crowde called, not wanting to play her games.

    They always what they believed that she will never get the chance to be angry at them too, now isn’t the time where she should let her anger sipped through her mind and burn them. For they can't handle the fact that she's angry at them too.

    For a while, they were clueless about what their father had planned too. It was only when they addressed the prophecy did everything make sense.

    Being ignored by her is like being drowned in the sea of memories; it's painful and it's cutting your capacity to breathe.

    They looked at her; and just like before, she was looking straight and she's being graceful... but there's something about her that made them uncomfortable. It wasn’t the way she walked or how she presents herself—but the fact that she wasn’t even smiling.

    Her lips continued to stay still in that thin line, never showing what she feels.

    Aeui may be many things but her emotions are always available for them to see.

    It's not okay with them to see this side of her. That is why, even if they knew better than to act harsh, Prince Kingsley held onto her wrist which halts her step. Cold. Their hands were nothing but cold, as if her skin was close to a block of ice and she was nothing but stuck.

    Aeui tried her best not to escape from his hands or to even wince from his hold. Most of the time that her brothers would try to touch her, they would dabble in their powers to control their own temperature. It was only when she could feel a blister coming through did she break his hold, glaring at his direction with nothing but distaste.

    “Aeui, you can’t just ignore us,” Prince Kingsley muttered, completely taken aback.

    She can, and she will. 

    Look and see.

    Just as when she was about to take another step away from them, her brothers already did their best to keep her immobile but holding onto her. Now that they had managed to get their temperatures to a minimum, she did nothing but stay idle. Not that she has any choice on the matter. A part of her should have known that they would retaliate back to her ways.

    She hates what she's doing to them too, but she couldn’t help herself but act upon it.  Whenever she would think that someone will be added to the list of the people who will be willing to die for her, she couldn’t help but get angry.

    Angry at those who keep on killing those she see deer.

    Angry at the written prophecy for telling her to live like crap.

    Angry at her life for sucking all through her life.

    Angry at herself for putting people in enough danger, even causing their own life.

    If it was safe and wouldn’t put the realm into anything but chaos, she would have just killed herself from the moment that she had deemed appropriate. Back when she was in the human world, to be able to see your family slaughtered before your very eyes but a monster that wasn’t supposed to be in your world—she shouldn’t have asked for revenge.

    She should have just killed herself, there and then.

    Then maybe, they wouldn’t be in this mess.

    Maybe.

    She could only hope that it was the case.

    “Princess, why do you continue to fight back?” Prince Crowde asked, a sigh escaping through his lips, “You know well enough that we wouldn’t agree to this without knowing that this is extremely needed.”

    Prince Kingsley could only nod, “You know how precious you are to us and if it was up to us—no one is ever good enough for you. However, you needed him to be your husband. This is for your own good.”

    “But does it pose well on him?” she spoke bitterly, now facing the truth that no matter how good she will be in the world, there would be a slight chance that she would cause chaos too—and someone as valuable as Prince V wasn’t fit for her.

    “What do you mean?” Prince Crowde asked.

    “Yes, this is for my own good. However, marriage doesn't just go with a single person's reason. You're cutting away all of his freedom by tying him into me.  Using the most precious bond that vampires take seriously to keep the man to risk his life to keep me safe. Even if he was powerful, it is not a piece of surprising news to say that his life would be on the line.”

    He sighs, knowing why she was acting like she was, This woman has seen many vampires vanquished before her very eyes. It was the reason why she always cut anyone who dares to keep talking to her—as he was nothing but saving them to their upcoming death, “Princess, she is your beloved. No matter what happens—he will be the one you should marry.”

    “No, he was sent to protect me and it is being sealed to protect me. This is being selfish. You're using him just to keep me safe. It's like you're all telling me to go with this and to use him so I can live and that's not okay with me."

    “Then do you prefer to die?”

    “Yes!” she snaps, looking at them with nothing but anger, “Do you think I would prefer having the Prince to get killed instead of me? That is rubbish. You are dragging an innocent man into a mess that I should face alone.”

    “Aeui!” Crowde pressed.

    “You didn’t trust me! You choose to sacrifice yet another vampire for my own f*****g life—decided to try and lengthen my life by letting another one perish before my eyes!” She screamed, her voice doubling into intensity.

    Kingsley sighed, drawing air around them to never let her voice reach any part of the castle. No one needed to know what was inside her heart and letting anyone hear her anger and shift of voice wouldn’t help their case what so ever.

    “Aeui, listen close—”

    “How many vampires needed to die on my watch!”

    Small gasps escaped their lips upon seeing the shift in her emotion, worried that she was now getting controlled with her power. Now it was nothing but her powers getting a hold of her. They knew well that this could happen.

    Her emotions would be heightened whenever she felt threatened.

    This was her breaking point.

    They couldn’t make mistakes.

    “You couldn’t trust me! Made me into a fool thinking you were all counting on me, when all you needed was for him to keep the time running!”

    As both the prince loosens their grips, it was her chance to take those hands away from her as she walked through the dining hall. Her anger dissipating like air as if it wanted itself to be sealed before anyone else. It wasn’t okay for her to marry someone like Prince V, knowing well enough that he is someone that this kingdom depended on. He was a rising star, someone who is beloved by all.

    What he is entering isn’t a marriage but suicide.

    She stilled upon seeing the seven princes in the dining hall, eating their heart's content. The table was filled with nothing but food that would make a human water their mouths, although the sight might be able to hinder one’s mind to think that it was appetizing—her nose couldn’t be fooled. Her mouth wanted nothing more than to vomit upon smelling fresh flesh being served in the table, smelling nothing but a hint of copper. A content of blood was all around the hall, welcoming her like a dark force.

    f**k, she thoughts.

     She stilled upon seeing a familiar man who was seated on the far end of the table. Surprised to see him reading a book instead of having the proper table manners and finish his eating first. Then again, it was only him and his brothers who were present on the table so she thought that what he was doing is nothing but okay.

    Skimming to what he was reading, a confused frown etched on her lips as she remembered grabbing that specific book when she walked to the library last night. It was her dreams—right? Or was it real all along?

    History of Werewolves, Vol IV.

    She now wonders if what she dreams was nothing but real. Was it possible to have this man, a Prince who holds such extreme power, to really promise her marriage without offering his life? Was it possible that it even happened?

    Does she even wish it was real, to begin with?    

    It was only when she felt two large figures behind her did she walked inside the dining hall, graceful as she could be. All eyes were cast into her—all, but one. Thaddeus continued on reading his book with a frown etched on his face. It would have seemed like the Prince was confused about what he was reading. He was way too immersed to what he was learning to even hear that his bride had already entered the dining room.

    Besides, he was unaware that she was to set foot in here.

    For the whole that she resides in here, there was never a time as to where she had step foot in the dining hall. He heard from the staff that her lady in waiting was always the only one in charge of her food, as advised by the King of Zitae Kingdom.

    Things like this make her realize that maybe everything was a dream.

    It seems unlikely that the Prince would even accept her offer for marriage—it was nothing but one sided, focused on nothing but her knowledge that no one will die on her watch. Besides, the prince needed no contract for him to marry her.

    He would suffer no loss if he didn’t marry her.

    She was nothing but a human who needed a vampire stupid enough to tie the knot between them, sealing the man to protect her through everything that was deemed dangerous for her.

    “Good morning, Princess!” greeted Prince Slyvester.

    She looked to the direction of the prince who offered her nothing but smiles. She does feel nothing to the man, having to be one of her fanatics with only the mystery of how she was dressed. Things like this make her wonder as to why would be interested in her.

    She nodded, wanting nothing more than to show respect, “Good morning, your highness.”

    Prince Thaddeus could only frown, hearing the familiar voice of his bride. Upon glancing at the table, he was surprised to see her seated before him. She was wearing the exact mask that she was wearing last night and her face was etched with nothing but confusion to what served before him. He couldn’t help but chuckle to her reaction, eliciting a small reaction to the female who looked at him with nothing but wonder.

    “Do I amuse you?” she asked.

    He could only grin, patting the empty seat beside him, “I need you to sit here, Aeui.” 

    Aeui holds onto the fabric of her gown, trying her best to control the beating of her heart. Based on the looks that her brothers had offered her—she already knows that they were aware of the sudden beat of her heart. She suffered years trying to control the beating of her heart to make sure that no one will know that she was still alive.

    Why does it make her heart flutter to hear him say his name?

    Was it because it had been quite a while since she heard someone else muttered it with such voice?

    She hopes that her cheeks weren’t flushing any type of blood or she will probably die in this very room.

    Everyone was looking at them with nothing but confusion, never knowing what had happened to their brother. Even though it was talked that he was to marry the Princess, it was in their knowing—even with the Zitae brothers—that they were now close enough to have the Prince call him into her name.

    Not one person knows how to react, especially Sylvester who was fuming with nothing but jealousy to what he was seeing before her eyes.

    “Aeui?” He couldn’t help but asked, confused about how his brother called the Princess.

    Thaddeus looked at the man and frowned, “I advise you call her in her title, brother.”

    Seeing the sour expression on the Prince’s safe, Prince Crowde meddled into the conversation to not let a fight ensue to the dining table and have the Princess nothing but traumatized to what she was to witness if there would ever be a fight in here.

    “Why does she need to sit with you, Prince?” He asked, c*****g an eyebrow.

    Instead of answering him directly, he only answered in a way that she would understand, “For I have found what he meant.”

    She frowned, confused for a second before a gasp escaped her lips and not a second later did she dashed into the seat that the Prince offered her and without questions asked, she grabbed the book that he was reading with nothing but an eye that wanted to see everything.

    It was in the fifteenth chapter, where it tells the tale of the first werewolf in the realm.

    Zahir, the werewolf king in the realm of vampires.

    What was written was that he was only to stay for no longer than a year, letting the Alpha King, Arcanus to know what the powers dwelled in the realm might affect the young prince. If something was to happen to the King and his kin was set to live here, it wouldn’t be safe. He needed a vessel that he must sacrifice to open every portal.

    The very air that he breathes in the realm if he exceeds in a year would make him nothing but crazy, out of reach and would be extremely lethal to the vampires who pose threat to what he sees fit.

    “This part is empty,” he says, flipping the next page.

    She shook her head, feeling the burned letters on the page, “No, it is not. It holds letters that seemed to be sealed so not everyone can read it. This must be important, V.”

    “V?!” Prince Slyvester couldn’t help but gasped, surprised that even the Princess was addressing his brother with nothing but his name and not his title. Confused, she faces his brother who did nothing but c***s an eyebrow to his direction, “What did you do her, V!? Why does she call you by your name?”

    Confused, he answered, “I asked her too.”

    “But,” he muttered, looking at the Princess who didn’t even spare him a single glance, “I asked her to call me in my name but never accepted it.”

    Thaddeus nodded, “Maybe it was because I am to be her husband, brother. Don’t take it into the heart.”

    Just as when the princes began exchanging words, that was when the food entered the room. The food was prepared with a hint of a human blood, a type of blood that was healthy for their kind. However, it was one type of blood that the two brothers in Zitae Kingdom never touched. For one single scent from their sister would cause chaos.

    Looking to their sister, who already had her eyes glimmer into the deep shade of red, due to the smell. Prince Kingsley acted fast and grabbed the attention of the female who was quick to divert her attention to him. Even with her sudden urges, one that was more dangerous than a newly turned vampire, she was able to control it.

    She was really different.

    “Do you want to view some flowers with me, my little sister?”

    She nodded, her eyes still tainted in nothing but blood. Wanting no s*******r to happen in this kingdom, Kingsley was quick to help his sister to escape the dining hall without thinking things through. That would just then leave Crowde to face the disaster.

    He sips on the blood, wanting to hear the words of the Prince who was deemed to marry his little sister. It wasn’t like they needed to hide that she was human to these princes for it was final that she was to marry their brothers.

    Even if they wanted to hunt her, they wouldn’t be able to.

    She was now a part of their family and it was now stamped into their blood.

    “How old are you, Prince Crowde?” Prince V asked, as serious as he could.

    A smile slipped his lips, realizing that her little prince already figured out everything, “197 years old, my dear prince.”

    “Then,” he asked, gulping into what he was about to ask, “How old is my bride?”

    Bingo, he thoughts. 

    He already scored with only little to no evidence. The Prince didn’t answer her while the other six princes frowned at the questioned asked by their brother. For it was known that whenever a vampire was to breed, they needed to do it in a single timeline. Someone who holds a blood of a royalty would have impossible to breed for a couple of years later.

    “Around 197 years too, V. What the f**k are you questioning about?” Prince Sylvester answered.

    Prince Jaylen, the one prince whose powers are connected to analysis, frowned upon seeing the error in the equation, “That wouldn’t be possible. The Princess seemed young. If one would to look in her skin and her eyes, one would know that she hasn’t been existing for more than 50 years.”

    “That’s impossible!” Prince Nikhil muttered.

    Prince Crowde nodded, swirling his glass of blood, “She is 21 years old.”

    “W-what?” Prince Johannes asked, confused, “No, that is not possible. Her body is built to be in the same age span as us.”

    Prince Thaddeus could only shudder in realizing, looking at Prince Crowde who was looking at him with nothing but assessment. He knows what he is saying and frankly, he couldn’t believe the possibility but now—he was more sure than he ever did, “She’s human.”

    “Splendid analysis, dear Prince,” Prince Crowde nodded, looking at the remaining prince, “My little sister isn’t my sister in blood. Not that we vampire even have blood.”

    Prince Jovani asked, confused, “That couldn’t be. Her skin couldn’t be human! Besides, we couldn’t hear her heart beating.”

    “That was nothing but an enchantment from our mother. I was surprised it was strong enough to even take Prince V to realized that she was just human,” he muttered, looking at them and reading through their minds to see if they wish to kill her.

    When he found nothing, he could only nod.

    Back to where the Princess was calming down, she was faced with her brother who was offering her a warm hand to keep her settled. It has always the scent of human blood that throws her off, which was crazy—Kingsley wasn’t still sure if it was because she wanted to avenge her kin… or if she was attracted to it.

    “Feeling good, little kid?”

    She nodded, sighing at the way her body felt like it was melting, “Thank you, Kingsley.”

    “Always my precious, little bean.”  

    Just as she was calming down, she felt her necklace glowing. It didn’t take a while before they grew aware, looking behind them to see wolves appearing on the scene. Not only do they look like different wolves, but it also seemed feral.

    Something was incredibly wrong with them.

    She just couldn’t pinpoint what.

    As the wolves inched closer, she could only shudder in fear before flames were bursting out of her brother’s hand. Looking through their eyes, she could only see red—just like what she had read in the prophecy, this would mean that the time wouldn’t be too long before they succumb into these wolves.