Princes of the Undead

Part 21

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From the moment she had heard about this party, who it was for and that her attendance was mandatory, Agatha Van Hesling had been dreading it. Countless nights of interrupted sleep, both from fear she would embarrass herself, and thusly her clan, but mainly from wanting to avoiding bumping into Dracula in their dreams. All this had sapped her complexion and given her some dreadful bags; until Lucy had forced her to take several long power naps during the day, in lieu of their lesson time. Where Lucy disappeared off to during those hours, Agatha didn't know, nor care to ask, but she suspected young Dr Seward was involved as Lucy came back far too chipper.

Now she was here at Dracula's penthouse, dressed to the nines in a dress her sisters had selected. Holding a smile, she didn't feel, whilst a smirking Dracula introduced her to the young blonde on his arm. Then with a less than subtle command, for them to get to know one another, he abandoned them...her...both of them.

Only it wasn't as bad as Agatha had imagined. The flash of jealousy that had struck her when she had first saw them together, evaporated quickly...the situation was just too ludicrous to be credible.

Isabella Pazzi was everything Agatha knew she could never be. Sweet, graceful, youthful, and utterly uncomplicated. She had long blonde hair, that was either naturally perfect, or Isabella spent hours each day in front of the mirror. Her face was pretty enough. Agatha was rather relieved that on top of being the ideal uncomplicated wife material, Isabella wasn't a staggering beauty as well. She was also short, little more than five feet tall, so standing next to the Count the pair looked a little odd, like a parent with a child. Her nose was perhaps a little too large for her narrow face, her eyes an unremarkable light grey, but she had a sweet smile.

It was this smile that she shot Agatha when they were introduced, it was timid, and hopeful, and even a little fearful. It was impossible to dislike anyone that smiled like that. It was an awkward realisation to come to, but Agatha predicted she could grow to be quite fond of Isabella, given time. Already she pitied her. This poor girl, for she was a girl, Dracula would gobble her up, and chew, and chew until there was nothing left of her, of who Isabella Pazzi could have grown up to be, only Countess Dracula would remain.

"I am glad to meet you Agatha. I have heard only good things from the Count."

Finding that a little hard to believe, Agatha preferred to think Isabella was the type of person who only focused on happy things, and that perhaps Dracula's more sarcastic comments had simply gone over her head.

"I'm afraid I haven't spent much time with the Count since his return, as such you have the advantage." Agatha replied politely, choosing not to fill the awkward silence.

Perhaps it was a little petty, perhaps that moment of jealousy wasn't as over as Agatha would like to think. When Isabella waited as if expecting Agatha continue, she even felt a little guilty. Wondering why the girl didn't just move on to talk to someone else instead. Someone who wanted to talk to her. Of course, one reason she didn't was that they were practically the only women in the room. Isabella's mother had attended, and Agatha could feel her gimlet gaze burning into her back. Not sure what exactly she had done to already draw the older vampire's ire, Agatha chose to ignore it. Lucy had been giving her lessons, in not giving a fuck, and Agatha was happy to report they were finally sinking in.

"I am so relieved not to be the only one here who isn't out yet." Isabella finally grasped for a topic all on her own, confiding in Agatha in halting English. "So many people, it is quite...intimidating...My father does not entertain often."

Her accent was quite heavy, but Agatha found it charming. Almost a hark back to her own early years. Agatha almost took pity on her and offered to converse in Italian instead, if it would make her feel more at home. Only Lucy's training kicked in again, and Agatha instead resolved that the practice would be good for Isabella.