Whispers of Desires: A Sense of Duty {Book 1}

𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 7: 𝕮𝖍𝖎𝖑𝖑𝖞 𝕽𝖊𝖈𝖊𝖕𝖙𝖎𝖔𝖓: 𝕬 𝕱𝖔𝖗𝖒𝖆𝖑 𝕴𝖓𝖙𝖗𝖔𝖉𝖚𝖈𝖙𝖎𝖔𝖓

The guards hastily bowed and retreated as Kiyoshi, clad in his midnight black robes, stepped forward. His pale face was expressionless as he surveyed the gathering. "My apologies for interrupting," he said, his voice cold. "I merely wished to inform you all that I will be taking my new bride to our private tent for the night. I expect no further interruptions." Taking her elbow, the King guided Nia firmly back to their tent without a word.

The vampires watched them go, their expressions a mixture of respect and curiosity. As they continued to sit around the fire, whispered conversations broke out among them. It was clear that the arrival of the human queen had already caused quite a stir. Some murmured about the potential for an alliance between their races, while others speculated about the true nature of their union and the power that their offspring might possess.

Inside their tent, Nia asked worriedly "Have I done wrong, Your Majesty? You seemed upset with me." Kiyoshi glanced at her over his shoulder as he busied himself with the bedding. "No, you have done nothing wrong."

He climbed the bed with no further word, leaving her to wonder if she'd done something wrong.

Silently she climbed into the bed, the King keeping his back turned to her, not wanting to face her. She lay on her side, her back to him, staring up at the tent ceiling.

The bed was soft and comfortable, but Nia found it difficult to sleep with her pounding heart and the constant nagging questions in her mind. She turned over onto her back, staring at the King's broad shoulders, now visible in the dim light of the tent. She wanted to talk to him, to understand why he was acting so strangely, but she did not want to push him away further.

Sunlight streamed into the tent, casting a warm glow over the bed. As Nia woke up, she searched the bed, but the king was gone. She sat up and stretched, yawning. Her muscles ached from the tension of the previous night, but also from the excitement of being in the presence of the vampires. A fire crackled in the hearth, casting flickering shadows on the walls of the tent. She rose and moved to the door, opening it a crack to let in some fresh air.

Nia made her way outside and saw the vampire guards packing, their faces unreadable as they were covered by a dome to protect them from the sunlight. The King was nowhere to be seen. She walked over to the nearest guard and said, "Good morning. Could you please tell me where the King has gone?"

The guard bowed his head in respect. "Good morning, Your Majesty," he said politely but distantly. "Your Majesty is quite busy" he said, walking away, not wanting to get into trouble. Nia watched as he went back to his task of packing. She sighed and wondered why the sudden coldness?

Returning to the tent, she changed from her nightgown into a simple, pale blue gown that she had brought with her. It flowed about her ankles, its soft fabric a soothing contrast to the stiff, heavy fabrics of the vampires' clothes. She let her afro fall free.

Wanting to know what was going on, Nia left the tent and went outside where she saw King Kiyoshi, overseeing the preparations.

"Good morning Your Majesty," she said with a curtsy. He turned to her; his expression still cold. Ignoring her, he walked away. Dejected, she climbed into the carriage, the weight of his unexplained behavior heavy on her heart.

The carriage continued on its journey to Ivamis. The hours stretched on, and still the coldness between Nia and the King remained. She tried to engage him in conversation, but he would only respond with brief, curt remarks. She tried to be patient, hoping that time would heal their rift, but it seemed to only widen.

The carriage interior grew dim. Nia peered out into the growing darkness. Up ahead, she could just make out the outline of a kingdom. Strange, flickering lights shone from the windows - an eerie sight in the moonlit landscape.