Darkly Devoted (Book 1, 2, 3)

LOMD Chapter 21 - The Other Daughter

Chapter 21

WHEN VIVIENNE woke up, it was nightfall again. She heard music in the far off distance and the sparkle of lanterns from beyond the trees. She sat up and realized she was still in the meadow. Apparently, she had slept through the entire day.

Vivienne slowly pushed herself into a standing position, feeling every muscle in her body ache. She reached for her bag and took out the water bottle she packed the day before. She drank a large gulp and looked down at the flattened grass where Blake had been sleeping beside her. He probably had long since disappeared.

Finally noticing how hungry she was, Vivienne ripped open her bag of crackers and shoved a handful into her mouth. As the crumbles fell from the sides of her mouth, she wiped her lips on the back of her sleeve. Her were clothes were covered in Segais leaves, dark waters, and all sorts of bloodstains but she didn't care. Vivienne heard the sound of cheering in the distance. Was there a party going on in the meadow?

Step by step, Vivienne slowly wandered toward the glowing lights. She couldn't believe her eyes. A stage with lanterns had been set up in the meadow. Vivienne lingered at the periphery to avoid scaring anyone with her messy appearance. She wandered around through the trees, trying to see over the crowd. The entire town of Remin must have been there. The spotlights on the stage were so bright they seem to light up the entire night.

Vivienne squinted to see. She jumped as she felt a hand catch hers from behind. The hand was hard and cold. Vivienne didn't need to see his face to know he was beside her.

"You startled me," Vivienne whispered to Blake. "Where did you go?" Vivienne glanced over at him to see him fold up a bloody handkerchief and place it back into his pocket. His face was paper-white, and she caught the glimmer of fangs in his mouth. So, he was back to being a vampire, for now.

"I had a bite to eat," he whispered back. Vivienne saw the lights of the lanterns in the distance, reflecting in his green eyes. Vivienne's eyes drifted down to the bloody handkerchief in his jacket pocket. It was wet with a black smear, black blood, demon blood. Whatever he had been feasting on, was not human. "Don't worry; I only eat the undead."

Vivienne turned her eyes back to the festival. A woman in a wheelchair had appeared on stage, and she had begum speaking into a microphone.

"Today, I have the honor of passing on my title to the 35th Grand Master of Remin," she said and led the crowd in thunderous applause. "The outcome of this year's trials is truly unexpected. We are a small town, and in the past, all our champions have been Remin natives. This year's champion is not only an outsider; she is a college student. She is truly the chosen of the Segais. Let's give them a warm welcome."

Vivienne watched as her parents and Janun nervously stepped up to the microphone. Her father stepped up to speak first. He looked like more a wreck than usual with his spectacles sitting crooked on his nose and his cardigan completely misbuttoned.

"Thank you, Remin!" He said. "Janun is happy to accept this uh....honor. I always knew my Janun was something special. Even since she was very little, she loved to play in the forest. What is this? It's some kind of a hiking award right?" Her father looked to her mother for encouragement, but she was equally confused. Then he turned back to the microphone and blubbered on. "No matter what this is, I guess it is as the bard said, some have greatness thrust upon them!"

Beside Vivienne, Blake had to suppress a chuckle. "What an endearing speech." Vivienne crossed her arms as she watched her father turn around and give Janun a bear hug. She heard the words from Blake's memory in her head; she and Janun were two insignificant children, never to matter, never to decide the fate of nations. Vivienne wondered if deep inside she had wanted to be the daughter to prove him wrong.