Celeste's life is far from the enchanting fairy tale one might expect from a princess. Her father, a ruthless and self-absorbed king, leaves a trail of death and destruction in his wake. To seal alliances and maintain his power, he arranges for Cele...
Her remarkably light, almost too light, body hangs in my arms as all eyes fix on me. The surprise is evident in each of those gazes.
My glance shifts to the black dragon; its dark bead-like eyes look my way. The creature seems nervous, at the very least, suspicious.
'It will be alright,' I whisper to the dragon. The black in its eyes brightens slightly, and its head lowers to the ground.
'Get out of here!' my voice echoes among the trees. A small grin of amusement curls on my lips as several vampires step back in shock. The crowd parts, allowing me to walk through with the woman in my arms, past all the curious looks.
'And leave the dragon alone!' I call out after them.
With the woman in my arms, I hesitate for a moment, debating whether to head to the sick tent, but I quickly conclude that it won't offer a solution for a non-vampire.
The maids and housekeepers look bewildered as I enter the main building with the woman in my arms. Many put down their brooms, stacks of laundry, or crates of food before rushing towards me, their neat red dresses with white aprons fluttering around them.
'Warm up the guest room, get warm blankets, clean clothes, tea, and send for Lilia,' I instruct. The women nod and hurry to their tasks, leaving the other items behind.
My heavy black shoes thump on the white and black marble floor, leading me to the large white staircase in the center of the building. The thirty-centimeter wide and two-meter-long steps have a rich history. The railing of the staircase is engraved with ancient symbols, spells, and names, each with the name of one of the first thirty vampires who formed the clan.
The ground floor of the building is for my father's work and visits. Behind the staircase is a large hall for special occasions, and to the right of the stairs are several offices where administrative matters are handled.
The staircase takes me to the first and only floor of the building. The four hallways, which form a balcony above the ground floor, have exactly fifteen doors.
This used to be my home, with my room at the end of the right hallway. I haven't missed it in the past two years and have no intention of returning.
Silently, I walk to the fourth door on the left. Using my elbow, I push the door open and enter the room.
The room is decorated in black and white, neatly arranged, and cozily adorned. Black and white paintings of the forest hang on the walls. Small black figurines and candles sit on the white dressers. The bed is made with a black and white duvet, and the bed itself is made of dark-colored wood. A white woven rug lies on the floor.
After gently laying the woman on the bed, I let my eyes scan her battered body. My gaze lingers on her ankle; the skin is swollen and red. I lift her dress slightly from her legs before sitting beside her and placing my fingers on the painfully swollen skin. It feels swollen with fluid and seems to throb under my touch. It is hot, burning hot. The muscles are swollen and pulsate beneath my fingers. I can feel no broken bones, leading me to conclude that it is severely bruised. A scrape on the right side of her ankle looks unpleasant. It is completely covered in dried blood and is swollen.
The door opens, and two maids enter, their hands full of items. They make a polite bow with their heads. One carries blankets and clothing, while Lilia, the head maid, holds a tray of tea.
'Put the tea on the nightstand. Lilia, can you help me?' I ask the blonde woman, who is not much older than me. She carefully places the tea on the nightstand, straightens her red dress, and comes to stand beside me.
'Her ankle is thick and swollen. I think it's bruised,' I inform her while gently lifting the woman's skirt higher to better reveal her ankle.
'Fetch bandages and gauze,' I instruct the other maid. She nods quickly and rushes out of the room.
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