The Elven King's Consort

Chapter 13: What is fear?

A few guards scattered about the hallway, some walking opposite my direction, conversing lowly for only their ears to hear and, when catching my eye, bowed respectively. Quickly, just enough to acknowledge them, I left towards the one place I really didn't want to be: the guest room. But my curiosity was far too intense, making me scorn myself for being so ridiculous. It's crazy to want to open and search the contents of a dead fiance, but I couldn't ignore the intense curiosity I felt. Kaiden wasn't a romantic man. He never gave gifts often nor celebrated anything unless it was forced. There are many holidays in the Lycan Kingdom, and King Demetri would hold banquets and celebrations, which meant Kaiden needed to be present to protect the king, and if in case a fight broke out, so often, I'd receive a letter from him asking to be his partner so he wouldn't get bored. It was never a suggestion simply to get together and enjoy ourselves. I only came to be his entertainment. Gosh, how stupid had I been not to see the obvious red flags for so many years?

This was only the third time he'd given me a gift, and now that I think about it, each time he had given me one, it was when I began to lose interest or question if we truly were meant to be. He could smell the change and reacted, keeping me sewn to him. I often wondered why he'd go to such lengths to keep our relationship going.

I must admit, though, the people in the Lycan Kingdom treated me far better than here in the Vampire Kingdom. Vampires were very vain people and considered my sister and me "dirty" for being half-bloods. Although much has changed in the last thirty-one years, there was still far too much room to grow for us to be comfortable enough to trust anyone of our kind. It's a shame that they are so closed-minded and stubborn. I couldn't fault them, though. Living more than two hundred years side by side than to have that world shaken because of two people in love causing everything you knew to shift all at once can make a difference and one that may take many years, if not centuries, to accept.

We've dealt with assassination attempts too many times to count, especially Maylyn because she was the crown princess, as well as many harassments growing up. Father and mother did their best to ensure that those prejudice and filled with hatred were weened out, but there were some that slipped through the cracks. It had become the norm for the two of us growing up, forcing us to become mature and skilled in weapon play. I was only ten when I annihilated an assassin who had snuck into Maylyn's room. She had a fever and became ill that day after we played on a frozen pond, as we had for many years, but that day was warmer than usual, and the ice broke, causing her to fall in. After a maid and I pulled her out and brought her in, not many hours later, she had become ill. The royal doctor came to see her and said that it was just a cold because her body was in shock, and within a few days, she would recover, for she was extremely strong and healthy, often healing much faster than average vampires.

That assassin crept in through the balcony where no guards were stationed since it was more than thirty feet high. The shadowy figure was not agile nor trained, for they made a ruckus not loud enough to alert the guards outside but enough to stir me out of sleep next to Maylyn, who had insisted I stay the night and keep her company. Knowing what I overheard from my parents and Aiden when I was four, I came prepared. My little hand clasped around the knife's hilt under my pillow, and slowly, I brought it out close to my body under the covers.

The assassin hovered over Maylyn's side of the bed like a ghost of the night making its nightly rounds haunting people. The assassin raised its arms high, and that's when I jumped out, throwing the top heavy cover over the head, blinding them. And with all my might, I wrapped my legs around it and stabbed aimlessly, far too many times to count. They fell on their back, wailing and screaming, but I was numb to their cries of protest, and only when they had become silent had I finally stopped. The lights were on for some time, and I heard a quivering sound behind me. When I turned, Maylyn's brown-black eyes were wide and frightened, glossed over with tears that threatened to fall at the sides. The sheet covered half her face, and a splash of blood ran across the thin white material some had sprinkled along her tiny fingers.