The Bewitching Countess of the Villa Ersandmyne

Pg. 11

Valentina felt so hurt that because of her, her parents suffered such a terrible death. Justiniano could see the sadness on her face and although he didn't want to continue with the story of her past, he knew he had to because they needed to know it. If they were to uplift the coven again and make it stronger and if they were to be respected by all covens, they would need to know their past so that they would make a stronger present and future.

They stopped at a winery on the way to the mansion so they could rest and continue their conversation. "As soon as you were born and fed and bathed you in the waters of the royal fountain your mother dressed you in the royal dress, she had made for you. Your father wrapped you tightly and rode to the temple coven with you. Being his son, they didn't ask him why he wanted an audience with your grandfather, when they were alone behind locked doors, he set you upon your grandfather's hands and when your grandfather opened the blanket and saw your face, he instantly fell in love with you."

"He screamed for joy, thanking the lords of the night seekers that they had granted his son this wish and him the happiness to be a grandfather of such a beautiful little girl. In all the excitement he had forgotten to check if you were a full-breed vampire and he was hesitant to look for fear that in a couple of seconds, the happiness would be gone but he needed to be sure. When he opened your mouth and saw your small fangs and the birthmark on your arm, he knew you were pure breed and not from a mortal woman. And a happier man besides your father there could not have been found in all the realm."

"But by then word had gotten back to Bartholomew as one of the vessel slaves that served in the temple was disloyal to your grandfather and loyal to your uncle and he started engineering on how to kill you, what stopped him I don't know."

Valentina said, "Maybe he knew that grandfather would get involved and he knew if he confronted grandfather, it would be instant death as he was the high elder of the temple coven." "Yes, Valentina, that could well have been."

"When again your parents were surprised with Isabella, this time your father decided to tell your grandfather, and although it was hard for him to keep it quiet as he was so happy he did. When Isabella was born, your mother and father did the same as with Valentina, and again your grandfather checked to see if you were pure breed although he knew you were but checked in private first then in front of the council."

"Right there in front of all the council, he had them write into the book of eons that you, Valentina Zaria, and you, Isabella Valeria were the only heirs of the Malkavian house and sole leaders of the Malkavian Lucian Coven in case something was to happen to your father. He also had them note that you both were the only ones in existence that were pure breed vampires procreated of a moroi and moroaică royal marriage and as such are royal pure breed sole heirs to the coven."

The girls looked at him and then at themselves because this was the first time, they had heard about basically their childhood and how they came to be, their parents never told them anything only that they were special and they never asked anything more. They both knew that if their parents didn't elaborate it was probably for the best of them, for their safety so they thought to leave it be. Now that they are hearing all this information from Justiniano they are both glad they never bothered their parents with questions.

While they enjoyed their wine, one of the best in Spain, a Spanish red wine called Tempranello with some cheese and crackers they talked more about how their grandfather, Magnus Xander would clear two days out of the week and one day every other week-end so he could spend with them. "Your father told me that when your grandfather was seated on the head seat of the council to judge whatever case was before him as head elder you could not get a smile out of him. Now, when he was grandpa Magnus all he had to do was see one of your faces and he melted. Both of you had him wrapped around your pinky without knowing it."

The girls smiled because although their birth brought on the death of their parents at least it also brought on the happiness of a man who had been searching for it for eons and had received it from the one son whom he loved so much.