Vampire King's Second Chance

/CHAPTER ONE/

*A few weeks Before Bonding Ceremony.*

"Davina! Hurry! We cannot miss the last day of sales!" Father yelled from the backyard behind our small brick house.

I hurriedly packed the rest of the vegetables in the bamboo baskets and sprinkled water on them to protect them from dying in the scorching sun.

"Thomson, help me carry them outside please." I asked the helper who had been working for us for years. And one by one we placed all the baskets in the carriage wating outside.

I wiped the sheer layer of sweat from my forehead and dusted my work clothes of the dust, this was one downside of working in the farm, my clothes were never completely clean of dust and dirt. Thomson offered me a small nod and left me with the carriage while he went to help father at the back.

Once I was sure the carriage was properly locked with our products, I went inside to get ready to leave. I quickly dressed into a light green dress and pulled my golden hair into a bun at the base of my neck. My light green eyes stood out brightly because of the dress. A few loose strands hung on the sides of my face and there was nothing I could do about them.

Today was the last day of the summer and also the end of the annual famers market. A special three day market that was held at the town square at the end of summer where a special sale was held, rich and poor alike would shop together for fresh condiments and what not. Farmers from all over the surrounding towns gathered to have good earnings.

Father was a farmer and took this chance every year to increase sales. He loved money and wanted lot of it, even if he had to work equally as hard, although he prefered easy ways.

"Father, I am done. Are you ready to leave?" I asked peeking my head out of the small window that opened to the backyard. Father wiped his muddy hands on the rag hanging from one of the wooden logs kept on the side and looked back at me. His aged face and greyed hair did no justice to his age. At merely fourty four, he appeared to be more than fifty.

"Yes yes! Let us not waste time and go!"

In the next fifteen minutes we had locked the doors of our home and were riding in the carriage towards the market. The town square was a common place for special events and was quiet far from our Town. Four towns surrounded the Town square and had the best use of it during festivals, however it was open for anyone who wanted to hold events and festivals of their own.

In the farmers market we all had our spots assigned when registrations are done earlier in the month, so there was no hurry to get our own space to sell the fresh vegetables, but there was still a competitive environment among all the sellers.

There were about twenty more fruit and vegetable vendors in the village and they fought tooth and nail to sell as much as they they produced. The prize was worth all of it the effort in the end.

Aside the amount of money they make, the farmer who sold the most products would be supplying a year round to the King's palace with heavy wages on every fresh produce. Father wasn't able to win before but he tried every year just to get the golden opportunity and this year was no different.

He had worked extremely hard to grow good products that were now being carried over to be sold.

I sat in the carriage next to the window watching the road run in the opposite direction to us. I found it fascinating when I was little, when my mother was alive.

"Why is the road running away?" I asked her one day when we were riding on a carriage to her hometown to the east.

"Have you seen a race my dear?"

"Yes! Lot's of them!" I had answered excitedly jumping on the leather seat.

"Then you must know that when one of the racers run ahead the rest appear to be left behind when in reality they are running too. Similarly when we move forward the ground appears to be running behind." Mother explained nicely.

That was the same day she left us. The carriage had turned over because of a boulder and the carelessness of the driver and she died before anyone could come over for help. I had barely survived because she had cushioned me with her own body. Sometimes I still thought back on that day and wondered how life would be if she was here.

I still remember all the lessons she had thought me before leaving us. They prove to be very useful in day to day life and I missed her even more everyday because of that.

The carriage came to a halt right before the large ground where the market was setup. Various sellers were already starting to set up their stalls so we had to hurry with our own.

One by one Thomson and father carried everything towards the stall we had prepared at the beginning of the three days. We had taken a prime spot for selling. Our last year's sales were down and father had blamed it on the corner we had chosen where no one took notice on his fresh and quality vegetables.

This year we were in the open with a wide space. It was hard to look over our stall with the way it was spread out.

After paying the driver of the carriage I joined them at the stall and sat on one of the tree trunks laid down for sitting while Thomson and father started attracting customers and bargaining.

I wasn not supposed to sell anything so father put me in charge of keeping record of the money he received. I was more than happy for getting that job because in that way my education came to good use.

Soon the place was filled with sellers and buyers and the market came to life. The last day was especially lively simply because it was the last day. Our business was very good all day, just like the two other days. Evening fell when we wrapped up our stall and left the town square.

After a hectic day of bargaining and scorching heat we were able to sell off everything we had brought. Father was grinning all the way back home and that made me happy as well.

"I heard the autumn ball is around the corner. Davina has to make an appearance soon as she is of age now. Buy a nice dress for yourself as soon as you have time." He addressed the last sentence to me and handed me a small pouch of coins. Without waiting for a response from me he started conversing with Thomson about another farmer acquaintance of his who did poorly this year.

Father was lovely when mother was alive. He loved her more than anything as I had witnessed it myself. Her death changed him from the core, his love for her changed into love for money and work.

After she died, he stopped displaying as much emotion as he previously did when mother was alive, but these little moments proved that he was still the same caring person and that was enough for me.

"Yes father." I whispered to no one in particular like I always did, pretending he heard me and welcomed my response.

That night I couldn't sleep well.

Mainly because I was to go shop for a dress for my first ball and that too in the king's presence. Seeing him in reality was like a dream.

King Zavian was a role model for me all my childhood and even now.

He was no human but was liked and admired by humans and vampires alike. He never discriminated on the basis of power. In his kingdom called Tarnan we lived in harmony; humans and vampires.

A comfortable atmosphere was created by the King for his citizens to live in peace without the feeling of any race superior to the other.

Tarnan was a big kingdom, bigger than any other to exist and more powerful than the rest because of the power our king held. For the past three centuries he has lead the kingdom to greatness and he will continue to do so in the future as well.

Meeting a great personality like him in reality is something I imagined and dreamt of.

My nerves were in a bundle as my mind kept repeating the numer of days left until the spring ball.

Mere days.

They don't compare to the years I've waited for this day to come.

............

Morning came and father had left for work before I woke. With a heavy heart I cooked breakfast and called for Thomson to take some food for them to the farm.

"He already had breakfast Davina."

"What? I just made breakfast."

"Lady Harrington dropped by earlier and ate with him." He replied.

I nodded in understanding and gave him the bag of food to eat, "You must be hungry, take a break and eat." He smiled and nodded then left with the bag.

Lady Harrington had visited? Father didn't mention that she would.

Lady Harrington was father's younger sister which makes her my aunt. At a young age she was married off to a lord which made her of a high status and her visits became limited.

She never liked me much simply because I was a female child and my mother died before bearing a male child.

I did not take her words to heart most of the times but it became overbearing more than a few times and we had minor arguments about that, so after that we decided to steer clear of each other's paths.

Her visits were peaceful after that agreement.

I went back inside and started cleaning the house before father came back for lunch break. Our house was small so it was easier to sweep and dust, it took me an hour to complete the work and I quickly started preparing lunch for father.

That was mostly what I did, work and sometimes write diaries and poems to amuse myself.

Father came home later and took some rest after eating. I left a small note saying I was going to the market and that I will be back soon.

It was time to get the dress for the ball.

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Hello Beautiful Readers!

I will be popping up quiet often at the end of chapters to ask your opinion on them so do let me know what you think of them!

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P.S - The story will switch between the two main lead point of views and may also include other character point of views in necessary. I will mention the name of the character of the point of view changes, but if it's not mentioned then assume that it is Davina's point of view.

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from, Skylar

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