Until Death Do Us Part

Chapter 5: Nobility

Interestingly, over the course of the week I don't see Dimitri yet again. It has been four days since I was chosen, and his final selection is somewhat of a surprise to everyone. There is a quick rush in the palace. Vampir Maids scurrying around, the gardeners seem to be spending more time in the courtyard lately, avoiding the palace as much as possible like a plague. I am not quite sure why.

There is a hush everywhere I am seen. Vampir Maids curtsy deeply to me, fuss and preen. I am not yet used to this behavior, and not particularly from Vampir slaves either. Vampir slaves are a sight to see. Only the palace is to have them, this is because in the past most vampirs would kill the human maids effortlessly and often.

Now, any human punished may be sentenced to a lifetime of slavery and will remain a serf indefinitely. The Vampir Court upholds strict guidelines on illicit behavior, any human convicted of any crime may lead to a Turning by Royal Decree.

In my youth, I've witnessed entire families sentenced to this process, it is known as Serf Binding. They never take children- the blood from them is considered unripe, bitter. So, many orphans are created and left to survive on their own.

Historical records prove vampir slaves are more efficient, loyal, and useful, these traits are what make them perfect for the role.
Within the spoken and written history of all provinces, there are large tales of human uprisings in the beginning of the Vampir reigns- each one ends the same. Everyone was slaughtered. Villages burnt to ashes. Unmarked graves, refugees, sickness, and starvation ensued.

Sometime along the lines, human kings and queens realized that servitude and loyalty was the only option to survive. Many of them were turned, and those who opposed were dispatched mercilessly, a select few were allowed to reign under loyalty pacts. After all, the stream of human blood is their source of food, and the decimation to the human population was teetering. Humans were allowed to flourish, and repopulate for a period of 40 years peacefully, reasonably,  with daily blood pint donations to the castle.

I shudder to keep my mind from these dark thoughts. During this nerve wracking week, I have been left unsupervised- yet I am very well tended to, which has been the most surprising thing of all. I think about my family often and my heart wrenches painfully in my chest.

To keep myself busy I've taken to walking around the palace, and everything is very pristine. White marble aligns the floors of every hallway, bathroom, and there are many portraits of stonecold faces that line the main corridors. They seem to watch me as I walk by. My hair is always on end, I feel tense all the time.

I am in one of my daily walks and turn into a different t-shaped hallway. I am deep in my thoughts as I view two large oak doors at the end of one hallway, which piques my interest and I continue forward as my steps echo lightly.

My mind flashes to my soon- to be husband. All I can think of is why have I been so unfortunate that this is my destiny? Am I to repent for a sin I've committed in a past life? What will become of me?

I am clutching to the tethers of my sanity but I feel as I have been given a death sentence. In my twenty-two years of life I have witnessed many things, such that fear is a constant. I feel fear in my dreams. I feel fear when I wake. But, now, this weight feels like senseless, blinding panic. I am a human. What business must the heir have with a human?

My brain buzzes to my memory of when the selection process began. Studies were canceled hastily, so any who may be selected could spend the last weeks with family. Rows and rows of women would disappear before I was selected, and the trek to the palace took 5 days. All through horse. We traveled in a pretty eggshell pink carriage, beautiful. Soft. The wheels were boastful and lined with gorgeous white pearls, upon entering the carriage I was looked upon with disgust by my neighbors but they could not see how desperately I wished to exchange fates. None of us had seen such luxury. We were chosen from the 3 nearest provinces, assessed, and groomed, I was the only one selected from my province this time.

Each night we camped in a different lodge, and there we were greeted by human shops. We were to take hot baths in lavender oil, trim our nails, wax any body hair, emphasis on hygiene was obliged. We were not allowed to speak to each other and most of the time, we had white veils over our eyes.

The hardest part was unwittingly saying farewell to my family without knowing it would be my last.
My goodbye was brisk, solemn, quiet, and even though my younger sisters, the twins, Marie-Isabella, and Gracelyn were distraught heavily- my mother kept a calm face.

My mind flashes to her wispy hair, her lightly wrinkled face, and high cheekbones. Her eyes were bloodshot red during the last days, but she remained poised, confident, and she never showed a tear to me.

She kissed my cheeks softly, her last words were said intently,"Be brave, Be smart, and keep your head down, you'll be back before you know it." Her words swirl painfully through my memory, and I fear if I don't remember the last phrase she ever spoke to me her memory will dissipate from my mind, and I cling desperately to it.

Subconsciously my hands grip the sculpted black handle as I reach the oak doors, and maybe if I would've paid attention to the shape and feel of the handle I would've noticed that this room was different sooner. Maybe if I wasn't feeling lightheaded at the thoughts in my head I would've decided to stay in my room and I would've been able to remain blissfully unaware of the contents of this hallway, and never encountered it. Surely.