900 Years

Chapter 3

Meanwhile back at Carpire castle Bramwell woke up in the middle of the night because he couldn't stop thinking about his vampire hosts and how they came to be. He quietly left his room and headed to the west wing of the castle. He looked through every room wing and each room provided him no answer to his curiosity. That is until he notices a staircase leading up to a gallery. Each painting depicted Bell's family "Since they're vampires they don't age at all" he thought to himself as looked at each painting. At the end of the hall there were two very large doors with a brass lions head for doorknobs leading to a very different room. Bramwell was hesitant at first then he pushed opened the doors and entered the room. He looked in the room, the room was very dark and saw nothing but broken chairs, tables, torn curtains and tapestries. He gasped as he turned around and saw a painted portrait of Lilith, the vampire enchantress. Underneath the portrait it read "On 31st October in 900 years the vampires will be turned to dust"
Suddenly King Lucius burst into the room "Why did you come here?" he asked, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean any harm," said Bramwell "Get out! GET OUT!" shouted Lucius. Bramwell ran out of the room "Bramwell! What are you doing?" asked Larue as he saw Bramwell running down the stairs "Getting out of here. I can't stay here not a minuet longer," answered Bramwell "Stop!" shouted Emilio but it was too late, Bramwell had already ran out of the castle and into the forest "There are wolves in the forest! It's dangerous! Please don't go!" shouted Larue.
Bramwell ran as fast as he could, the wolves have already caught his scent and were already in pursuit of attacking him. The wolves surrounded Bramwell. Bramwell tried to defend himself with a huge wooden stick he could find but unfortunately one of the wolves bit Bramwell's leg and knocked him down. As the wolves prepared to kill Bramwell, Bella leapt through the air and attacked the wolf that was about to Bramwell. Bramwell tried to stand up straight just to see what was happening. Bramwell saw Bella attacking the wolves by defending him. Once the wolves ran away Bella turned to look at Bramwell. Out of breath she gave him a smile and he smiled back only to collapse second later. Horrified to think that Bramwell might die of his injuries Bella helped Bramwell up and walked him back to the castle, took him into him bedchambers, placed him on his bed. Day and night she nursed him back to health, Bella even read books to him. As soon as he's well enough Bramwell asked Larue, Nicole, Ivan, Emilio, Ansgar, Brigitte and Jenica about the prophecy "What happens if the princess doesn't fall in love?" "We turn into dust," answered Nicole "I want to help you. There must be someway of stopping this prophecy," said Bramwell "Well there is only one thing..." Larue stopped Emilio before he continued with his answer "It's not for you to worry about my dear," answered Nicole "We made our beds and we must lie in them," said Brigitte.

As the weeks went by Bella and Bramwell spent more time with each other, sometimes Larue, Nicole, Ivan, Emilio, Ansgar, Brigitte and Jenica made sure that they spend time together. Bella even gave Bramwell a proper tour of the castle, she showed him her favourite room in the castle, which is a very large library "Have you read all of these books?" asked Bramwell "All of them. Some of them are written in different languages. I did have a very expensive education," answered Bella "I never thanked you for saving my life the other night," said Bramwell "Your welcome, Bramwell," said Bella "Please call me Bram. My father calls me that as it is short for my name," suggested Bramwell "Very well. You're welcome, Bram," said Bella. Bella turned and walked away from Bramwell, shrugged at the thought that they might have something in common.
Every night since Bella nursed him back to health Bramwell has been eating dinner with Bella, her father the king and her mother the queen and got on really well with them.
One day Bella, Nicole, Ivan, Brigitte and Jenica were in her bedchambers and she told them about what she thought of Bramwell "There's something sweet, kind, dear and unsure. I wonder why I never noticed it before. It's new and alarming, he's no fairy tale prince charming. But there is something in him that I yet to discover." Bramwell did the same with Larue, Emilio and Ansgar "She glanced this way. When we touch we didn't shudder. And I kept thinking "No it can't be. I'll just ignore it for as long as it takes" but she never looked at me that way before."
"They're friends now. Who would have guessed they came together on their own?" said Ansgar "Bless my soul. It's so peculiar!" exclaimed Brigitte "Let's give it a few days more and wait and see. There maybe something that wasn't there in the first place," said Nicole "Mama? What is it?" asked Ivan "I'll explain to you when you're older," answered Nicole. "I've got an idea Bram. Why don't we run away for a little while?" asked Bella "What do you mean?" asked Bramwell "I'll show you," Bella took Bramwell's hand and lead him into the library, she showed him a book that was also enchanted "A book that truly allows you to escape," said Bella as she pulled out a large, dusty old book from atop of a high shelf "It's a gift from the enchantress. It was given to me on my first birthday," said Bella as she blew the dust away and placed it onto a reading rest. She turned to a page showing a picture of the world "This is amazing!" exclaimed Bramwell "It was her cruellest trick of all. It's under a spell. The world has no place for us vampires. But it can for you." Bella placed Bramwell's hand on the book "Think of the one place you've always wanted to see. And feel it in your heart," said Bella. The next moment Bramwell and Bella found themselves in an old abandoned hospital "Where have you taken us?" asked Bella "Isle of Wight," answered Bramwell "I love the Isle Of Wight. What would you like to see first? Osborne House? Freshwater Bay? No? Too touristy?" asked Bella "This room is so smaller than I imagined. Mt twin brother Arren and I were born here. Easy to remember but harder to move on," said Bramwell "What happened to your mother?" asked Bella "The one story my father couldn't bring himself to tell," answered Bramwell. Bella looked out of the hospital window and saw a large dry bloodstains and a knife on the pavement below "A knife. Murdered by a gang. I'm sorry for your loss," said Bella as Bramwell picked up blood covered single flower hairclip. It was then that Bramwell understood that it wasn't vampires that killed his mother at all "Let's go home," said Bramwell and then they were back at the Castle.

Meanwhile back at home Jasper preparing to leave his house and go back to Carpire castle to save Bramwell "If no one is going to help me, then I'll go back to the castle and save my son and get him out of there." At the Black Horse Arren was having a drink with his friend Sander and Mr D'arque, the owner of the asylum for the mentally challenged "I usually leave my patients and my attendants at my asylum in the middle of the night. But you said it maybe worth my while," said Mr D'arque. Arren handed him a cheque with the sum of one thousand pounds and Mr D'arque listened to what Arren has to say "It's like this: my brother doesn't want to hunt and slay vampires. But he needs a little persuasion," explained Arren "Everyone knows that their father has been raving like a lunatic. He was in here tonight raving about vampires up at Carpire castle holding my brother hostage," said Sander "Jasper is harmless," said Mr D'arque "The point is my brother would do anything to keep him from being locked up. Do I make myself clear? Put my father away and Bram will be here within moment," explained Arren "Bram will be here in a dreadful state and he'll capitulate to Arren," said Sander "Bram will be a slayer!" exclaimed Arren "Bram would rather die. Then have his father ossify," said Sander "So you want me to throw your father into the asylum unless he agrees to be a vampire slayer? I love incarceration. I could lock up a whole army. Deal me in!" exclaimed Mr D'arque.
WhilstBella and Bramwell's friendship grew a sudden change of mood sets in the castle"Dear, I've been thinking about our daughters birthday," "Oh? What do you havein mind then?" asked Lucius "I was thinking that maybe we could throw a royalball to celebrate our daughters birthday as on the morning of her actualbirthday we'll be turned to dust. It may give us something to smile about whenour time comes," answered Sanrika "If that's what you wish then we'll do it. Aroyal birthday ball for our daughter. Her last chance to save us from thisprophecy," said Lucius.