Beyond Human: Queen's Shadow Series

46.) Masquerade Part II

~~~Lilith

As I get dressed, I feel myself being immersed more and more into the world of humans. I remember the nuances that humans partake in. I remember how humans evolved from tribes to villages, to kingdoms, to cities, and now to whole countries. Humans are a tribal species and everything about humans is confusing. I embrace this because I enjoy it. I enjoy being among humans as they teach me things. Each time I fell in love I got to spend a lot of my time with them. My 3rd husband showing me how they do things in the covenant. He was teaching me how to speak old English was something that I enjoyed, especially since I was freshly from Japan. It took me weeks to learn, but I appreciate each moment. I found myself enjoying how particular he was about my pronunciation of certain words. Sometimes when I wanted him to give me attention that's exactly what I would do.

Some may call it childish I call it banter, he was my partner. He didn't know this yet, but he would be mine. He always found himself visiting me more and more, and I found myself enjoying him each time he came by. At first, he would come by my cabin to see how I was doing then he would slowly begin to bring food. Food that I never ate, but I did use it to grow. Over time I had a garden and it was all thanks to him. He always wondered how I heard the time but it was a good thing that I was petite. I appreciated him and his intelligence. He noticed I wasn't normal long before we had kids, our kids were his pride and joy, especially since he drilled religion into them. I didn't care though, for me, God was an entity I had never met, and the closest I have ever gotten to meeting one was the devil.

My Queen, are you ready? I turn to see a young man with an owl mask. My senses immediately went on guard. We didn't have one here, that was one of the few animals that was not present. I didn't smile as I said "Yes," I knew I was playing a game of cat and mouse, so I might as well humor them. You look stunning, my queen. I curtsied as I turned around. I did not want to make last-minute changes, but it seemed like it was necessary. I am ready, but I want to change again I grow bored of this outfit. The man in a white and gold owl mask kneeled. He said, 'Of course, my queen you will look stunning, no matter what animal you are.'

As I walk back into the changing room, I look at a mirror I did want to go as a lion. My golden eyes would've been beautiful but this time this time it's time for something special. I looked at a costume that I had saved and reserved. The eagle was nice and to be honest I want my son and me to match. However, some species of hawks do eat crows and owls. I refuse to do that to my son though this nosy owl may be on my menu. "Would you mind accompanying me?" I say to the Owl. 'My Queen, are you sure? Yes I am that's why I want you here, owl, I could see an air fluster coming from the owl's presence. He did not expect this. I wanted this, though I was rather bored of being around bureaucrats for the time that I was around them, and I get bored, being around politicians even more quickly from all the lies they like to feed each other this night would stir up something.

My queen are you I didn't recall asking you to second-guess my question I don't recall, asking you to second-guess me as I turned and went back into my room. I dismissed all of the maids this time I would get dressed by myself, with the exception of the present company. I already knew who it was from all the commotion he made. It was my son all the way down to now, and yet here he was as prideful, as always, and as arrogant as always, but he was my son in so many ways.

'Clovis why are you here?'  'It was then that the owl mask completely vanished and that he knew I knew. 'How did you know I masked my presence so well?' I know because at the end of the day Clovis you are still one of my progenies you are also one of the first progenies that I see free. How Clovis is still alive and why he hasn't come back to me all this time? I had more questions than I'd like to say, but this time I knew he would not leave as long as he had time.  Clovis would always find a way to make it with me I don't know whether it's because of my presence or because I've been with him for at least two centuries before Lucia and Lucian were born. Clovis was the son of the noble or should I say he was the bastard son of Noble and concubine.

We never knew who it was until now you know "I really did like you and I loved you like a son so I don't understand the brutality." I said to him still upset that he had hurt Apollos. My son did not deserve that brutality, and that is the truth. 'Your son is arrogant. He has put the entire vampire world at risk just for a bloody vendetta. Someone needed to humble him.' His voice was calm and ever so convincing.  Something that I did not want to humor, he genuinely believed himself.

'look at you, you're as beautiful as the day I almost died the day I was almost ripped from this world.' I remember that day was a harsh day, so many people died. He was one of the first, but no one could confirm from the lack of blood and ash. There was almost always something left when a vampire is made ash. It may not last longer than a day, but it does tell us everything we need to know. we also can feel when our progenies die, and I never felt it though I did release him from my control we could still feel them. His presence simply just vanished. It did not fade out like a light.

"Clovis, I am truly disappointed in you," I say walking to him his eyes show shock and then sadness, as if I had stabbed him in a heart 1000 times though I wish I did. "Not only did you humiliate my son but you did it when he was at his weakest." I remember the report I read, and how Apollos had essentially committed, assisted suicide. "You attacked him when he had suffered so many traumas not just mental, but physical." I put everything together a while ago. Clovis was always grand in his ways, but I don't know why he wanted to do it. "You are also the ringleader of such things. Yet you come here and disrespect me to my son needed to be humbled." yes, Apollos may be a proud at times but he was my son. I was the only one who is supposed to discipline him. "I had so much love for you not as a partner, but as a son to the point that I saw you as my child."

The idea that I would adopt a child that was not mine was far from my thoughts at the time, but he grew on me. "Even though I already was on the verge of giving birth to Lucia and Lucian. You were to be their big brother you were to be there for them." in a perfect world Clovis would have made sure someone like Hans would not have been able to exist. "You would've been a Morten someone who would have commanded authority among their peers, and if you would've married into the family, you would've been an official aristocrat not only just in blood, but you would've been a true prince to the throne."

Not only that, but you have made yourself an enemy of the throne, myself, my family, and anyone who stands with me. The truth is you have been forgiven for this because I loved you, but from now on, you are to make yourself scarce after this event, I will not have someone disrespect my children and breathe the same air as us.

Lilith please it is not Lilith. It is queen to you and I want you to know something else it was them that I used my telekinesis to force him to Neil, but I went even further than that. I made him gravel in his blood, began to fall out of his ears. I made sure that it didn't stain his clothes, for I did not want to humiliate him outside of this room it's been that I got on my knees and asked him why did you humiliate my son?

I did it because your son killed two of my progenies unknowingly. He also has made himself an enemy of the aristocrats they're afraid of everyone and I wanted to show them that he was no threat to us. that is the worst lie I have heard in human history, I know you and I know there's another reason behind this I'm not going to ask again I'm just going to see the truth for myself.

as I pierced into his mind, I could hear him begging me to stop, begging me to stay out, but I kept going. I wanted to see the truth. as it starts, kept trying to attack me I did something that I haven't done before I bought his entire brain into submission. I turned it off. as I walk through his empty thoughts, I look at what I need. if you do this for me, I promise you your dad is clear you're asking me to be a traitor no I'm asking you to do your job. you owe the aristocrats so much, we put you in the position to be turned by the queen we put you in the position to be important boy.

tears began to fall down my eyes as I had never felt a betrayal in this violation. He was a spy. You raged, overcame me as I grabbed him by his throat please it's not what you think. It is exactly what I think. It's done that he pulled something out something that I didn't expect him to pull out a paper. I recognize it by the scent I knew who it was. It was mine. I read the letter, and I realized I gave this asshole neutrality. If he is even thought to be harmed by me or any other power, he can easily cause a war. Clovis has been helping approve vampire relationships for years. Something I did not know until I went in his mind. Clovis has been doing so many things and his loyalty is fragmented was he ever loyal to me or is he just loyal to himself?

End of Chapter 46: Masquerade Part II