The Cruel Prince || Klena

Prologue

Elena sat in solitude in her father's (King John) quarters. He'd invited her midday, completely off schedule. And whatever it was, Elena knew it might not be good. Just hours earlier, her father had returned from a meeting with the monster's royalty. The Vampyrs. And the Werewolves. There'd been an attack, on a human girl. And the guard had declared it a supernatural attack.

Both monsters had been brought forth to face judgment. Elena had not yet learned the results and yearned for the answers. The Vampyr royalty was called the Acerbus. And the Werewolf royalty was called the Aegrus. The Dark Ones and the Diseased. Together they were the Night Creatures.

And they'd lived in war with each other for centuries until the humans rose up with superior weapons that could defeat their supernatural strength and inhuman powers. The Law was then imposed, consisting of one major rule. Do not kill or turn a human. Breaking this law resulted in death. This was agreed to by the Acerbus and the Aegrus. As for the Vampyrs? Unfortunate souls were sent into the forest to feed them. And from prisoners and criminals, blood was sent in basins.

There were of course, other Laws. The humans basically controlled all sides, reigning supreme over all. Some might say this is how the Dark War was started. The Vampyrs rebelled against the Law, and many Werwolf and human lives were lost. From then on, Vampyrs were given even more stricter rules than Werewolves. Due to them aiding the takedown of the Vampyrs, Werewolves were rewarded with territory.

They were allowed to kill the Vampyr if they passed over their territory. Over time, some Laws grew less and less tamer, with each new ruler they were seen more than lesser. But never equal. Always monsters. And this was how Elena saw them.

So imagine her fear when she learned her fate.

"I'm...to marry....a stranger? A...a monster?" She couldn't even believe her ears. What was her father thinking? Her protests immediately set in, but her father shut her down quickly, as did her mother. "It is your duty to be loyal to your people. And this is for the best. You will marry their prince. And you will begin a new era of peace. One where your future subjects can view the Vampyrs as equal."

She blanched. Equal? They were pure evil! Monsters who could only survive from human blood! She didn't know why her father didn't eradicate their species. And he'd always hated them as much as her. Why was changing his mind now? There had to be a reason. She was suspicious. And she was afraid. She'd heard about this "prince".

She'd heard he was cruel. Demanding. Spoiled. What could he possibly want with her? This was unfair. She should not be forced into a lifelong commitment with someone she did not know. But such was the life of a princess. She could do only what her father allowed. And she did have a duty. Peace with the Vampyr could mean a better future for her kingdom.

Less bloodshed. And if people could volunteer to give up their blood? There would be no more death. She did not know much about Vampyrs, except their immortal and inhuman strength. But also their weakness to the sun. How hard could it be to avoid someone who could not be in the sun?

"If it is to be so."