The Gem of Buried Secrets

III.

"Princess, King Archer wants to see you." A servant gives me my father's message before bowing and returning back to his work.

Well I guess King Marlin arrived. Time to go.

I make my way to my father's study finding it empty.

I glance sideways to see him standing by the doors that lead to his balcony.

"When will King Marlin be here father?" I ask making my way to him.

"Just in a few, but I wanted to discuss something else with you." He started still facing the doors with a frown drawn between his eyes. "As you can see, I'm getting really old, and this old man here after a couple of centuries is bound to retire. And since your fool of a brother gave up his stance, the throne, that leaves you the next one in line for the throne Evelyne. I just want to remind you that with the throne comes responsibility, and probably that time is coming soon." He paused and turned to his whiskey bar pouring himself a cup.

"I'm well aware of that father, and hopefully I won't let you down." I said straightening my back

"I know Evelyne. I just don't want you to repeat your brother's mistake, leaving everything for a useless love that got him no good." His eyes bored into my soul as he spoke.

"Father I-" I couldn't complete my sentence as I was interrupted by a knock on my father's study.

"Ahh yes Marlin's here" he whispered to himself as he sat down on his chair. "Come in" he said

A servant peaked his head into the study before opening the door "Your highness, King Merlin is waiting outside with his men. Would you like I call them in?"

"Yes Jim, let them in" my father said gesturing for me to sit by his side.

"Evenings evenings King Archer" Merlin entered the study with two men behind him.

You can know that they were pure wizards from their attire; pointy shoes with matching shirts and baggy pants. I always imagined them wearing hats that looked like an ice-cream cone upside down, but oh well.

"Hello King Merlin. Been some time since we last met" my father stood shaking his hand with a formal smile grazing his face.

"Indeed indeed Archer. How are you my dear Evelyne? How's everyone?" Merlin asked with a smile on his face as he sat down in front of us running his hand through his white long beard.

"We're all well your highness thank you." I replied politely with a monotonous voice.

"Well how about we go straight to the point. King Archer I come seeking your help; I'm afraid that we're finding a lot of human traces on the outskirts of our lands, and our magic can't keep them out with the new ways they're using. As you know they've come so far from how we last left them." Merlin proceeds as a knot formed between his eyebrows

"So what do you specifically want from us your highness?" Father quirks up an eyebrow and leans in on his desk.

"Archer, I only seek your help. I wish you would help us get rid of them before they increase and take over the world again." Again? I questioned myself as I listened further to their conversation

"They're not as powerful as they were before, we have them captivated even if they tried to seek higher power. They could never defeat us ever since the gem was destroyed." I widened my eyes at my father's statement. I was always intrigued about the gem and what happened to it, it sounded so valuable and so powerful.

"I agree your highness but with all what they have invented, I don't think the gem would be an obstacle for them in the meantime, taking for a fact no one saw it except the angel." the wizard's voice laced with worry and a bit of fear.

"Surely a gem can't be that powerful" I butted in raising my eyebrow

"Dear Evelyne, hundreds of years ago, that gem was the reason the war started between the kingdoms, haven't you been taught that at school?" Merlin sarcastically asks with a yellow smile as he looked at me.

"She knows well Merlin, she just didn't witness the war properly" my dad answers with a stern answer signaling to end this conversation.

To be fair, I really remember nothing from those days as a child. Aging over a hundred years doesn't mean I have a foggy memory but I couldn't recall them well.

Tired and furious of this conversation, I excused myself and exited the study to have a breath of fresh air.

I glanced at the two pairs of wizards standing small compared to the vampire guards outside the castle seeming intimidated.

I smirked at how they looked before glancing into the woods on my other side. It was calm as usual aside for the cold chill fall was giving.

I thought I saw a figure move out of my peripheral but later threw it aside as nothing appeared. A couple of moments later I sensed that movement again and suspicion grew inside of me.

I took a couple of fast steps towards the motion being there in a second. The speed was always one of the pros of being a vampire. I sniffed the air around me to sense a creature on my right not too far, but I couldn't place what that creature was.

I crept silently towards the smell to find nothing but a wandering rabbit hopping around. I raised my eyebrow as suspicion grew more inside of me.

"I suggest you stop your steps because I can easily rip your throat out and make you watch every second of it in a blink of an eye" I said still not turning around.

I finally glanced behind my back to see dark blue eyes staring into my hazel green ones deep in the woods.

Suddenly, my eyes got foggy for a second before the figure was standing right in front of me.

A tall brown haired guy towered over me despite my height being a vampire. I found myself taken aback by his masculine features, how his jaw was almost perfectly sculptured specifically to fit his high cheeks and his board shoulders.

A knot formed between my eyebrows as I forced myself to wake up from this daydream and let out a breath I didn't know I was holding.

"Who are you and what are you doing here?" I asked raising one of my eyebrows in a challenging manner.

"I'd ask you the same princess." He said raising an eyebrow of his own. His deep voice had me raising both my eyebrows in a surprise and loss for words. Though he didn't seem to know I was a real princess.

"You do realize you're talking to a real princess right?" I asked folding my hands over my chest as I straightened my back looking more intimidating.

He took a step forward coming closer to me.

"Why yes your highness" he bowed not leaving my eyes as a teeth showing smirk was plastered upon his face. "How could I not know a princess just looking at her?" He stood up straighter and sent me a wink still not believing I was a princess.

I widened my eyes at his gesture. This guy has some guts.

"You didn't answer my question." An exasperated sigh leaving my lips.

He paused as if thinking about answering or not, but later gave in,
"I'm here accompanying King Merlin." A smirk found his face as he took a step further yet.

I could feel something spark in the space between us but couldn't put my hand on it.

"Well I suggest you take your stance sir..?" I paused leaving him a chance to give me his name.

"Davien. Davien woods." He replied smoothly giving me the answer to my question.

"Mr. Woods, I say you don't wander around much, less you want to get lost." I spit out harshly before moving past him and going back to the castle. Just as I was moving past him, my arm touched his arm and my eyes widened at the realization that hit me.

No this can't be happening... could it?