********************************

The Vampire King Apollyon

********************************

Apollyon was curious to watch the young lass' reaction to this magic trick while his Empress wasn't around yet.

Mayhap, he could already imagine the joy and excitement Luna would convey in this child's eyes.

Would it be selfish for Apollyon to imagine that this was the young version of his wife when they basically look the same except she had his eyes?

If this was his dream, he didn't want to wake up.

The large multi-colored butterflies delicately worked in creating a gorgeous flower crown for the girl as it fluttered in the ivory ceiling.

Apollyon also added hummingbirds with a long blue ribbon fastened to their beaks to wrap it around the flower crown like a spiral, keeping it together and added a certain faerie aesthetic to it.

Soft petals fell from the sky when he directed the flower crown to the young lass, and the butterflies followed the sweet-smelling blooms of orchids and jasmine.

He decided to be whimsical when he let illusory golden carps join the mini-flower crown celebration as they swam in the outside breeze blowing from the night.

The young lass stretched her small arms as she flew towards the flower crown with a tenacious glint in her eyes.

She couldn't wait to get her hands on it, and the child was bouncing on her toes.

Apollyon was about to ask the young child if she could hold the flower crown, but he guessed there was no need to answer.

When she grabbed it with her hand, the flower crown dropped to the carpets, detaching some of its unfastened blooms.

The dreamlike butterflies, the floating carps, and the hummingbirds faded away.

The child's impatience had shattered his enchantment.

The young lass lowered her head with her lips pressed tight.

Eyes watering, she stared at the scattered blooms and petals near the resting place of the shattered glass of swan-like and panther figurines.

There was an awkward pause and a half-minute silence before the specter cried again, and this time was the loudest.

Huh. Apollyon dropped his head and closed his eyes in resignation.

This would never end.

Apollyon would never block this sound out when he slept at night.

His conscience would never let him.

He shouldn't have made the flower crown if this triggered the child.

It was supposed to be just a visual show.

She didn't have to touch it.

Now the girl was disappointed, and he made it worse.

Apollyon watched the young girl grasp his useless gift like she was catching river water in her bare hands.

What was he going to do now?

He should break the truth to the young lass in gentle tones.

"Your spirit does not belong here." Apollyon softly spoke to the child as he stepped forward and pretended to stroke her straw bonnet. "It had left your body wherever you came from."

Apollyon wondered if he was the only creature who could see the ghost.

If he called Cederic in his mind to get come over, would he see the lass' spirit, or did he hallucinate this entire thing and believed it is real?

Was he going crazy for the loss of his mate?

"My Papa told me that. You, not Papa." Wiping her tears, the young lass sniffed as she motioned to the sleeping Empress. "--but this is my mama."

"That's my wife." Releasing a dejected sigh, Apollyon repeated patiently. "You mistook her for your mother, princess."

"No. You, ugly! Mama. Live. In. Us. She dead. Here." The young lass wiped her nose as she cursed, her voice breaking in sorrow, "Shit. Bad man."

"Your papa is bad for teaching you how to curse in that age. Not me." Apollyon's voice raised its intensity as he scowled the child.

He crossed his arms over his chest and said, "I am a kind man. I should beat up your papa, young lass."

"No, I beat you." She shot back.

Brave, stubborn lass.

He wouldn't be surprised if this were really the Empress' child.

They both have the same qualities.

Bold and spunky were among the reasons why Apollyon was attracted to his wife.

It reminded him of her, and it hurt.

He had to clutch his chest for a few seconds so that his dark emotions wouldn't overwhelm him.

Apollyon asked. "What is your mother's name?"

Eyebrows drawing together, the young lass shook her head in refusal. "Papa will be angry with me talking about mama to bad man. I open portal alone."

"Portals?" Apollyon crouched down in front of her, matching her little height. "Why don't you tell me about them?"

"Nope. Nope. Secret. " She wagged her fingers in his face and Apollyon frown at the child. "Papa. Angry."

"You claimed that you are the child of that sleeping lady on the bed." He gave the young lass a charming smile that would make the ladies of his Consortium swoon in delight, wishing that this kid wouldn't be immune to his charms if he tried hard. "You look like her."

When Apollyon visited a village during the Royal Entry, he didn't really try to be a charismatic King to his royal subjects.

It was either a blank, poker-faced look or a frightening scowl, and the children who saw him beat a hasty retreat when he crossed their path.

There was no in-between.

The young lass nodded in agreement. "I look, mama."

"Do you know your mother's name, kid?"

"Lune. Lune." The weird name rolled off the child's tongue as she snapped her stubby fingers.

"Papa called her Lune." She murmured in recollection as she fiddled with the skirts of her gown in discomfort.

"Neighbours hate mama. They call her Claire." She scowled as she spat the words, "Whore."

Apollyon's mouth slackened at the curse.

He didn't know how to react when it was the second time he heard the child curse.

He stuttered in disbelief. "B-bad k-kid."

He mirrored her scowl. "You call mama a whore?"

If she weren't a specter, Apollyon would have shaken her tiny shoulders, knocking some sense into this unruly girl. "You bad kid."

"Neighbors said Mama had secret men." The young child told him a matter-of-factly, and her innocent big blue eyes were wide as she bit her fingernails. "They say I don't look, papa."