Bloodlines 1 - Silver Blood

Waiting Wishes

The wood of the floor creaked under Rosette's bare feet as her soft steps seemed to stir Castle Chrome's slumber. The sliver handle for the red wax candle the eleven year old girl held was warm under the thick cold that hung in the library. Rosette's arm raised the candle near the book, illuminating the area with a soft orange glow. Her grey eyes scanned the ancient books and times titles. She continued to walk, running her fingers on the spines of the books. As she raised and lowered her arm moving the candle, the ends of her black silk ribbon that held her nightgown together brushed across her body. The thin periwinkle nightgown brushed against her thighs as she swayed, adding a ghostly look to her features.

"Dark Blade.. A Dragons Soul... The War on Mortals.. Immortal Blood? No.." She whispered the names of the books as she searched the one she longed for.

"Arts of battle.. Mages of Meridan... Ah!" She clamped a hand to her mouth looking around the large spiral library hoping no one, especially the Elder, had heard her speak. She softly slid a large green and gold book.

Royal Bloodlines.

She smiled and held the book in her arm walking to the small set of stone stairs near the entrance of the library. She put down the candle on a step and opened the book. An excited smile and her face as she sucked in air between her clenched teeth.

She flipped through the aging yet crisp pages of the book. She flipped to the chapter of the Silver bloodline. Her bloodline. She pursed her lips as she read the written words.

Mercy Laila Silver, the late Queen and wife of Vincent Rune Silver the Eighth, and mother to Rosette Lilith Silver. Queen Mercy was said to be a battle maiden long before her betrothal to King Vincent VIII. Her love to the Kingdom of Meridan was known by most of its people, in her life, she had tried to create peace between the mortals and creatures. All are to know that some of these creatures are protected still from the Chrome Concordat. Although Queen Mercy held a great claim to love and health to the kingdom, some have accused the Queen of witchcraft. But these rumors have never been shown as true and she died shortly after the birth of Princess Rosette. Some say they have found her alive and well and has found the blessing and curse of vampirism. But the Silver's have buried her in the royal graveyard and her legacy lies within the Silver blood.

Rosette's reading had paused there, as the sound of someone dangerously close had cleared their throat. Rosette gasped and her head shot up from the book to see the blue grayish robes and half hidden face of the Elder.

"Elder!" She gasped as the book slid from her lap, grabbing the candle. Rosette stood tilting her head downwards in a bow. She held the candle closer to their faces, her small figure not being able to reach the candle to the Elder's face and she only made out the sunken grey face of the Elder. His heavy lidded eyes stared into Rosette's dull grey ones as He scowled at her. The shadows only made him look more menacing.

"Your Highness, what in White's star are you doing here?" His raspy heavy voice hissed venomously as her.

"I-I um.." Rosette stuttered and avoided the Elder's gaze.

"Princess Rosette," the Elder said as he reached down towards the Royal Bloodlines book and took it in his hand, "You were told to stop coming down to the library at this hour."

"I'm the princess shouldn't I be able to do what I want?" Rosette snapped and regretted her words as soon as she said them.

"Such ignorance Princess. You should know better than that. You are a growing girl who must be raised right. You will come of age and take the crown and you will be betrothed to a noble. It's time you begin realizing that." The Elder put the book inside his robes. Rosette frowned at him, a small anger riling up inside her chest. There was no need for so much responsibility. But another part of her didn't want to cause too much trouble or she would be punished. Crown or not, she was to be treated like a child if she was to act like one. Oh but then again she wasn't a normal child was she? They could never make up their minds. Rosette frowned at the Elder. She simply wanted to learn more about her mother, Father only told her so much.

"Ah. Look Rosette," the Elder sighed and called her by her first name, which he was allowed to do, due to being the Elder, "I can tell that you miss your mother. A girl growing into a young woman without a mother is difficult to handle," he sounded sympathetic, "but you must realize your responsibilities! Go back to your room, tomorrow you are to be assigned your royal guard as a birthday present, do not cause trouble before your birthday. Off you go. Now." He held his pointy chin up over looking her down his crooked nose.

"Yes Elder." Rosette wanted to refuse, and snap at the Elder, but she knew that would just backfire on her. She walked up the stairs and pushed the large brown doors into the hallway. The stone walls breathed as it pumped empty life through the castle's veins, as it the castle seemed to breathe and led the cold from outside seep into its walls.

Rosette walked up the large spiral staircase holding unto the polished wood railing. She passed a few guards who had not seen her sneak passed them, and some who didn't care when she did sense they were used to her escapades into the library. The little eleven year old always seemed to cause trouble among the castle staff.

She entered the large grand double doors into her bedroom and shut the doors behind her. She sighed as she locked the door and walked towards the white mattress of her bed along in the white sheets, and thick dark red blankets. She curled herself into a ball huddled under the blanket and kept the lit candle near her. She looked at her closed colored window. The warmth of her duvet began to lull her into sleep.

"Soon I'll be the queen and I'll be just like my mom. It'll be fine. You'll see.." she whispered angrily to herself, moving her dark brown hair away from her face. She began to fall asleep, Her last sight being the crescent moon, looking blood red behind the red glass window.