A Collection of Imagines

Shawn

Red, Black and Purple pt. 2

After being showed to my room and introduced to the rather mortal staff of the chateau, Vail Tahra, I'm completely bored. I have been staring at the window of my bedroom for hours after my parents have parted with me as well as my ladies in waiting. They all have been playing some stupid card game that I have grown very annoyed of. I watch carefully, to find a point to where they are distracted enough for me to slip out with being noticed. They cheer after one of them puts down a card and I rise from my chair. I walk the perimeter of the bedroom, waiting again as I approach the half open door. Another clap of laughter ensues and I escape out of the door. I stand in the hallway, listening to any signs that they would have noticed me gone, but nothing comes. I sigh and walk down the hallway. 

The cold autumn sky creates a beautiful background to the scenery rolling in front of me. The wind strikes the window pane. I stand in the gallery with my hands behind my back. The light of the clouds cools my skin. I don't know how long I have been here, staring out of this window, but I know it started once the Witch Queen left our home. I don't trust these people one bit. There is too many questions I have to ask about my new fiance. She's awfully distant, but I understand why. In the distance, my ears perk up to light footsteps. 

My hands run over the heavy blood red curtains of the Gothic windows. The material soothes my skin. My eyes run over all of the oil paintings on the black walls of the interior chateau. Many of them are paintings of old leaders of the Vampires. I don't recognize any of their faces, so I'm assuming they are immortal soldiers that reached their end in battle. I walk further down the maze of hallways, until I find an open door. I walk in to find the room is painted with a brighter color with heavy black curtains surrounding smaller windows. The walls line with more paintings and in the center, there are pieces of older furniture, waiting for someone to lounge in them. I presume this is the gallery. I look towards the paintings once more. They have captured images of landscapes, waterfalls and a portrait of the Princess Aaliyah. All signed, "SPR" in neat cursive. He has talent. My eyes catch a door at the end of the gallery. The glowing light within the room lures me to it. I walk in to a vacant study. A fire burning in the fireplace. The walls are line with book shelves from floor to ceiling. A desk sits on the far side in front of a large window displaying a nice view of the chateau gardens. I walk up to one of the shelves and observe almost all of the books and their titles. One catches my eye. It doesn't have the title on the spine. My hand reaches up to it.

"A curious witch, you are." 

My head whips to the desk. Panic rushes throughout me for a second, until I see him, sitting on the desk chair with a smirk on his face. My expression turns to dislike. I turn back to the bookshelf. "You know it's not polite to sneak up on people." Damn vampire speed. 

My eyes run over her body again. She has taken off her coat, revealing more hexes all across her body. "Did you enjoy my paintings?" I look to the door closest to me, referring to the gallery. She turns to me, not looking up from the book that she has in her grasp. 

"Yes, you definitely have potential." Cecilia by Frances Burney. I've heard of the author before, but I haven't seen any of his works before. And certainty not in print. I flip to the first chapter and take a seat of the lounge chair in the middle of the room.

"Am I disturbing you, Your Majesty?" 

"Yes, quite a bit, Your Highness." 

 I chuckle at her quick tongue. I lean forward and place my elbow on the dark wooden desk. My eyes still glued to her and hers still in the book. "Good, because I have a few questions." Her head finally perks up.