The Last Offering

Poppy field

10 years later...

Ultima

I was bowing in front of the King of Adanford, in the same throne room where we first met ten years ago. His lovely daughter was standing next to his glorious throne in the finest, pink, silk dress, adorned with pearls and gems that's worth would feed a whole city at least for five years. I truly despised the royal family and the whole kingdom. For ten years, I'd been meticulously trained to be sent as a sacrifice instead of the fine lady of Adanford. The king clapped his hands together.

- Lift your head. - he ordered and I could see on his face, that these past years left their marks on it. His piercing blue eyes kept staring into mine. With a word of his, my life can end here. Although, I'd rather die by a painful and terrifying death by the hands of monsters than to lose my life and let this ground swallow me.

- What name did they give you? - he asked. Obviously, the king wasn't interested in the name my late parents gave me, but the one the priests calles me for a decade.

- Ultima, your Highness.

- Ultima... I like it, it represents this situation perfectly. Ultima, you'll depart tonight to the kingdom of Estermond to fulfill your duty and be the last sacrifice for them. Just like all of your predecessors 'name, yours will also be mentioned in our history books. - I couldn't help but smile. The priests called all of us "Ultima" as only one remained from the fifty girls they started their special training with. Also, I was the last sacrifice, as his highness said, it fit the situation. I bowed and heard the Princess nagging her father.

- Dad! Let's give her at least a nice dress or something! If she dies for our kingdom this should be the least. - she looked at me with disgust in her gorgeous eyes. Princess Alma, his Highness's pride and joy, her brothers adored her as well. With golden locks, gorgeous figure and rosy cheeks, she was the most beautiful woman in the kingdom. The king looked at me, they dressed me in a simple white dress as usual, but he couldn't say no to his little girl. Soon servants took me and gave me a pure white dress, it was the most beautiful one I've ever seen. Decorated with lace and pearls. They also put a pearl necklace in my neck and lead me back to the king. He smiled happily and the princess grinned.

- This looks so much better Daddy!

- You were right sweetheart, not to mention that this time is special as your children won't have to send more sacrifices. - servants came and took me away again. They put me in a carriage and chained my neck, wrists and ankles all together with a long chain, in case I'd try to run away. We were heading out to board of the Kingdom where it meets the Estermond kingdom. As I heard there was a portal, which opened only once every hundred years to teleport the sacrifice to the royal castle of Estermond. The carriage ride took three days to complete and the day before we arrived, we passed through a gorgeous open field, full of different colored poppy flowers and other wild flowers. I leaned gently to the window and inhaled the sweet flower scent. I haven't been out of the basement of the palace for the past decade, to see such wilde open fields and the blue sky before I die was more than I could ever ask for. There were many things I wanted to do and see before the king's men captured me, but I had to gave these desires up. I wanted to have a family for my own, in a little home, somewhere hidden behind the mountains. I wanted to see the sea at least once, to have my first kiss... Everyday dreams of a girl of the age of ten. Now with twenty years behind me I could only smile at my own silliness. My fate was destined the moment they caught me. The carriage suddenly stopped and the guards pulled me out of it. They lead me through the field to the portal in the middle of it. I kicked my shoes off and enjoyed the gentle caress of the grass under my feet. I inhaled the scent again and closing my eyes I smiled sweetly. The portal opened with a vibrating bluish color, I could see the ancient language runes and some on monster languages as well.

- Come sacrifice, your journey ends here. -the priest who accompanied us said and pushed me towards the portal. I glanced back at them and smiled happily.

- What are you talking about? My journey just began! - I stepped through the portal and after a ticklish feeling I was standing in a throne room. On contrary of the one in the palace of king Bartholomew, the walls here were black instead of the bright white. The curtains were heavy and blood red, while the Adanford castle had golden ones. The ceiling didn't have the exquisite frescos, but instead it had a chandelier made out of human skulls. Stylish... That's all that came to my mind. In front of me there was a really good looking man, sitting on a throne that looked like the hand of a dragon that turned into stone. Around him there were six men, in black robes and the younger version of the guy on the throne looked at me with boredom.

- They really outdo themselves this year! - the king, I suppose, said and grinned at me. His long, black hair fall from his shoulder as he leaned closer. He had red eyes and really white skin.

- Your Highness, if I may speak. - one of the robe man said and he nodded.

- I think this is wasting of their treasury, dressing up someone who'll die soon. - the king looked into my eyes after his subordinate talked and I saw a slight surprise crossing his face.

- Interesting. - he said and the Prince scoffed.

- What is so interesting father? She is just like all other humans. - The king grinned at his son and said.

- Is that so? Take a closer look at her. - the Prince looked at me again and shrugged.

- Still can't see anything peculiar. - he answered and the king laughed. His son's attitude seemed to humor him.

- Really? In this case, keep this little woman next to you until you notice what I've been talking about!-he said and the subordinates gasped and started to disagree until the king roared at them and that's when I saw his sharp canines.

- It's an order. My son most notice what I did when I looked at this young woman. After that, it is up to you what you do with her. - he said patting his son's shoulder and before leaving the throne room he said.

- You have a week and consider this as a challenge to see if you are fit for the throne. - he took a last glance at me and with a childish smile he said.

-Fascinating... - the king left with his subordinates in his heels and the Prince walked to me. He had short black hair, red eyes and incredibly sharp features. He took a round around me as if he was trying to figure out what his father saw. He stopped in front of me and grabbed the chain lifting me up. He was only a head taller than me but his strength was inhuman. I've read in the priests books what kind of monsters the royalty of Estermond are. The Prince snarled at me showing his fangs and put me back down. He snapped his fingers in front of my face and waited, after a few minutes he sighed.

- What's wrong with you?

- Excuse me? - his eyes opened wide and he leaned closer as if I was a weird animal in exhibition.

- Did you just talk to me?

- You made a question to me. It's only logical to answer. - he shook his head in disbelief and laughed.

- You are probably too shocked to comprehend what's happening. You are being sacrificed for us! - he said and I shrugged.

- Nothing new under the sun, but in your case I should say Moon.

- What do you mean in our case?

- Isn't it obvious? You are vampires.

- What the actual f**k?!