A Sealed Fate (Watty's 2017)

11. Present (part 3 of 3)

Vladimir sat in the kitchen, as Olga finished the dishes. "Does your brother's know you're awake again?" Olga asked, snapping Vladimir from his thoughts. "I am sure Vincent has sensed it. As for Victor I can not say. He's always been in his own little world." Vladimir sighed and stood up. The sun was out finally and he decided he wanted to visit the village.

Olga offered to call for his limo but he shook his head deciding to walk. Olga knew a vampire meant walking as it basically using a smoke bomb and appearing at their destination. So she nodded "have fun..." She said sincerely.

Vladimir walked around the village, enjoying the smells of bread baking and wine being served. He stopped at an art shop and browsed their art supplies. His fingers ran over the bristles of a few paint brushes and he eyed a few artsy pieces. He heard something fall to the floor and a soft grumble. He went to it and bent, picking a few items up. Handing them to a disgruntled Tricia. "It's you..." He spoke sounding shocked, Tricia blinked and realized it was the guy from the castle. "Oh uh hi.." She said, blushing red at feeling like an idiot. "Hey... Here let me help you." He said removing a few of the supplies from her hands. "Thank you." She said as they walked to the pay counter.

"I just realized I never got your name?" Tricia said looking up at him after paying for her items. "Vlad..." He said and grinned warmly. "Oh well pleasure to officially meet you Vlad." She'd say, the small talk growing awkward.

"Pleasures mine Patricia." He'd say and she sighed. "Tricia or Trish is fine." She'd say, hating her name filled her chest a tad making it tight. "Tricia is a beautiful name. It's of Irish descent I do believe." Vladimir spoke and sighed. Tricia shrugged and watched her walking. The scent of fresh baked bread and potato soup filled her nose causing her to look up. Vladimir was still by her side. "Would you like to join me for lunch?" She'd ask, Vladimir raised an eyebrow in question but nodded his head. "Sure, sounds splendid." He said and followed her into a bread shop.

He ordered a coffee for himself and watched as she ate the soup, and sipped at an herbal tea. "So what exactly made you want to go to the academy?" He finally piped up half way through her soup. She stopped and looked up at him. She was mid bite so she laid the bite back in the bowl. "Well you see. My family came from Romania. They would tell fantastic stories about the place and ever since I can remember I've dreamed of going to the college my grandmother went to." "Interesting" Vladimir spoke calmly, watching her finish her interrupted bite.

When she was finished, she sighed happily. "Potato soup may be for the poor but dear god it's delicious." It perked Vladimir's interest when she spoke of potato soup being for the poor. "You come from a wealthy family?" He asked tilting his head. Tricia nodded. "My grandfather is a business man. He passed down a big company to my father. Who will someday in turn pass it to my older brother." She paused  to sip at her tea, that had finally cooled some. "My mother said once I return home, I will be arranged to marry. But I don't really wish to get married at all to a strange guy." She said softly. Vladimir watched her intently.

"So what about you? How come you live in a castle?" She asked watching him. He looked to the table. "I was born royal. My dad was a king and my mother was his queen." As he said it, it sounded so weird coming from his mouth. "It's honestly no big deal." He said, and her eyes widened. "I'm having lunch with a prince?" "Don't have to worry about it." He said quickly, it was then a question popped into her mind.

"Wait, nobody lives at the Valentine castle but you?" He leaned on his elbows as if to think of how to answer her. "Well yes. My parents died and it had been me and my brother's for a long time. But they left when they came of age." He gave a shrug and took a sip of his cold coffee, Cringing at the taste. a waitress hurried over and offered to replace it. He shook his head and smiled kindly.

Once the waitress left "so, if your parents are dead wouldn't you be a king not a prince?" Tricia asked him. Vladimir shook his head. "I never had a coronation to become king, I never had a queen when it came time." He paused to think. "Surely every girl would swoon over you, it's not like you're not a handsome man." Tricia spoke and blushed red at her own words.

He smiled his face wrinkling slightly. "Thank you, honestly there was one I wanted for a queen, but she was killed by a madman. And none other really suited me." He said and looked to space out again.

Tricia beginning to feel awkward, pulled out her new art supplies and looked his face over for a moment before beginning to sketch out looser version of what she wanted to draw. He snapped from his thoughts and tilted his head watching her work. When she looked up she huffed and stood slightly to readjust his head back straight. "Don't move." She instructed and sat back down to continue drawing. "What exactly are you drawing?" He watched her carefully but stayed still. "You." Was the single response. He obliged and stayed still.

Tricia kept glancing up to make sure her portions were correct and kept drawing. She finally finished up with adding the shading and blew away any debris that was left. "Here." She said handing it over. It looked almost life-like. "Wow. You are really very talented." She smiled and shrugged "it's no big deal your lordship." She teased, he couldn't help but smile. "Mind if I take it with me?" He asked handing the book to her. "I'd rather keep it if you don't mind Vlad." She paused a moment. "I know it seems selfish, but I don't usually give my art work away. Even to my models." She blushed red and he shook his head. "Absolutely understandable. May I model for you again later?" He smiled and she nodded. "Of course..." Tricia paused looking at her watch. "Crap! I've gotta get going. I'm so sorry Vlad. Perhaps this Saturday when I come to clean, if I have time I can draw you again?" Vlad nodded and vowed to keep his room clean so she could.

Tricia rushed off to head back to the academy. Curfew was soon and she didn't wish to be late. It made her look forward to Saturday when she'd see him again.