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

𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 14: 𝕬 𝕱𝖔𝖗𝖒𝖆𝖑 𝕴𝖓𝖙𝖗𝖔𝖉𝖚𝖈𝖙𝖎𝖔𝖓

King Kiyoshi led Nia through the corridors of the castle. As they walked, she could not help but admire the dark wood paneling and the intricate wall hangings that hung on the walls. The pictures depicted ancient battles and hunts, the vampires in them always standing tall and regal, their faces etched with determination and pride. It was a far cry from the soft, flowery designs she was accustomed to seeing in her own kingdom.

At last, they arrived at a set of double doors. "These will be our private chambers," King Kiyoshi informed her, pushing the doors open. Nia's breath caught in her throat as she saw the luxury suite beyond. Inside was a spacious suite furnished lavishly in shades of crimson and jet black.

The bed was enormous, big enough to easily sleep six people. Dark velvet curtains were tied back around carved mahogany bedposts. Plush rugs covered the stone floor, and a red fire crackled in a grand fireplace across from the bed.

"Your belongings will be brought here shortly," King Kiyoshi informed her coldly.

Nia nodded, feeling a mixture of awe and self-consciousness as she looked around the opulent suite. The bed was so large it made her feel tiny in comparison, and the rich fabrics and furnishings seemed to dwarf her presence even further. She glanced at King Kiyoshi, wondering if this was how he wanted her to feel. "It is... very beautiful," she managed to say, her voice sounding small even to her own ears.

King Kiyoshi crossed the room and pressed something on the wall that let out a soft chime. "I have summoned a servant to attend to you. She will help you get settled."

"Oh, what is that device?" Nia asked, pointing to the wall panel. Her curiosity piqued; she wondered what other wonders the castle held.

"It is an enchanted bell to call the servants when needed," King Kiyoshi explained, his voice distant.

There was a knock and a pale young vampire woman entered, her white-blonde hair twisted into an elegant knot. "You sent for me, Your Majesty?" she asked, bowing her head respectfully to King Kiyoshi.

"Yes. This is your new Queen. See to her needs and obey her in all matters," King Kiyoshi ordered. He turned to Nia. "My dear, this is Qadira. She will be your personal handmaiden."

Nia's eyes widened at his use of the affectionate term, before she remembered they were pretending. "Th-thank you...my love," she managed.

King Kiyoshi stepped close and pressed a brief kiss on her cheek, causing Nia to blush. He bent to whisper in her ear, "Dinner is at 7. I want you to meet my family." Then, he turned and strode away, leaving her alone with Qadira. The young vampire woman regarded her with curiosity in her pale blue eyes.

Nia let out a shaky breath and turned to the handmaiden with a tentative smile. "Hello, Qadira. Thank you for helping me." She glanced around the room, feeling a bit overwhelmed by everything and the unfamiliarity of everything.

Over the next hour, Qadira helped Nia change into a formal gown and gave her a tour of the castle. When they arrived at the grand library, Nia was drawn to the shelves of ancient, leather-bound books that lined the walls. She picked one up, disappointed to find it was written in an unfamiliar vampire script.

"What language is this written in?" Nia asked, intrigued. Qadira smiled. "That is Old Vampiric, the language spoken by our kind long before humans came to this world. It is a beautiful and elegant language, but very few mortals can understand it." Nia felt a pang of disappointment, wishing she could read the words on the page.

"Are there any books in the human tongue?" Nia asked, her voice filled with hope. Qadira glanced around the library before pointing to a section at the far end of the room. "Yes, there are a few. They were given to us by our human allies long ago. I can help you find one if you'd like." Nia nodded eagerly and followed Qadira across the library. She ran her fingers along the spines of the books, marveling at the variety of titles and subjects.

At last, they found a book with a faded leather cover and a title written in human script. "The Tales of the Bard" by Aesop. Nia picked it up, carefully opening the cover. The pages were yellowed with age, but the words were still legible. "Thank you, Qadira. This is wonderful." She sat down on a plush velvet chair and began to read, losing herself in the stories of brave knights and fair maidens, wise kings and clever foxes.

Nia was so absorbed in her book that she did not notice the hours slipping by. Finally, she glanced up at the grandfather clock in the corner of the room but was immediately confused. The clockface was written in the same unfamiliar script as the books on the shelves. She wondered how she would ever tell the time.

Qadira was dozing in a chair nearby. Nia hurried over and gently shook the handmaiden's shoulder. "Qadira, wake up please. What time is it?"

The young vampire woman blinked, her pale blue eyes unfocused at first, then she focused on Nia. "Oh, my apologies, Your Majesty. I must have dozed off." She glanced at the grandfather clock. "It is half past six, Your Majesty."

Nia's eyes widened. "Oh no, dinner is at seven! We must hurry." They rushed back to the royal chambers. Qadira helped Nia change into an elegant red gown and fixed her hair into an intricate braided style.

𝕭𝖞 𝖋𝖎𝖛𝖊 𝖒𝖎𝖓𝖚𝖙𝖊𝖘 𝖙𝖔 𝖘𝖊𝖛𝖊𝖓, 𝕹𝖎𝖆 𝖘𝖙𝖔𝖔𝖉 𝖔𝖚𝖙𝖘𝖎𝖉𝖊 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖌𝖗𝖆𝖓𝖉 𝖉𝖎𝖓𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝖍𝖆𝖑𝖑, 𝖍𝖊𝖗 𝖍𝖊𝖆𝖗𝖙 𝖕𝖔𝖚𝖓𝖉𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝖓𝖊𝖗𝖛𝖔𝖚𝖘𝖑𝖞.