After dinner, Leyara showed me around the palace while we skillfully dodged her father who artfully switched between overtly rude when she was around to doting father full of passive-aggressive comments when Leyara was present. I can't say I super blamed him, but at some point, I hoped he considered that as unorthodox as it was, we lived in a fantasy world where these things happened. Well maybe they don’t, that only makes sense in my head.

Leyara said her goodnights to her father and then returned to show me to my room. She headed to the other wing of the palace as we walked through the halls, she pointed out different things. There was a wall of paintings of her ancestors, cases full of trophies and rewards from the military, and her achievements growing up. There was even a wall entirely of pictures that Leyara had drawn when she was a child. The latter explained the doting father and I said something to her about which she of course blew off coolly.

"My mom died when I was younger so Dad had to step up and be King of the Folioran and mom and dad. He doesn't like you, but I wouldn't worry about it. The only thing he hates more than walking countries is anyone trying to take his little girl away."

She chuckled after her last comment and pulled me into a room. Inside there was a massive four-poster bed with some other furniture that looked like it was carved out of the walls themselves. She pulled me into a deep kiss and fell onto the bed with me.

“We have some more room this time around…”

She smiled mischievously as she blew my mind for the second time in a short while. As we lay there in various states of undress panting heavily, she laid her head on my chest and sighed contentedly. I wondered about incredibly stupid things while lying there but still thought about them. I loved her, but I wasn't going to die any time soon and she was rather…mortal.

My mind raced as I continued to think about the new cleared up memories. The girl in 3rd grade I confessed to on the playground, the puppy I had that died mysteriously, and pretty much any other nonsensical thing I could to keep me from what I was fixated on. Of course, that fixation was self-sabotage but I was only once human. Luckily, she seemed to be thinking something similar.

"Everything I have read, which isn't much because there is not much to go on, but after the vampirism is cured you should be back to the age you were when you turned and you eternally are right now. So, like 30 or so I think, haha.”

“Do you read my mind after you blow it or does it just come naturally?”

"Mind-blowing huh? You certainly know how to flatter a girl. I just don't want you to think that I haven't thought everything through."

I kissed her and pulled her in close. I pulled off the rest of my clothes and nestled and nudged my way into round two. I fell asleep shortly after and for the first time I had dreams about my old life, but even those were jumbled with some things from Vampir. It wasn't a big deal though. It was regular dreams just people sprouted bat wings and there was blood flavored ice cream, but generally, everything was normal.

I woke up the next whenever it was, to see that Leyara had already left and that there was a maid stealthily cleaning the room with a platter food and coffee on a small table near the bed.

“You don’t have to do that and I aim to be a relatively clean guest.”

“Do not fret Master Darkness, we would clean the room regardless, so there is no additional work needed.”

“Please just call me Vampir.”

"Master Vampir. Please dress and eat and head to the front of the palace where lizard mounts will take you to the war council. His Majesty and the Princess have gone ahead.”

I looked down and realized I was stark naked and uncovered. The maid's entire being had turned red when I addressed her but didn't realize. I hastily covered myself and grunted an incomprehensible answer. The maid turned and left abruptly. Breakfast was hot tea and some kind of blood sausage and a purple vegetable that tasted both grassy and sweet like fruit at the same time. The sausage is a little too on the head, isn't it? I figured I would mention it to Leyara next time I got a chance.

I scarfed down my food and with a little magic changed my nakedness to something a little more familiar. Slacks, a button-down, and a vest to go with the black leather loafers on my feet. I always felt more confident properly dressed and after a peek in the mirror, I was rather dashing. I strode out of the room and through the halls and out the double doors to the outside. In the twilight outside there were candles everywhere, magical lamps lit up and there were tons of people scurrying around.

I had forgotten that the Folioran was a nocturnal person. I wasn't sure if this was their morning or evening or what, but the city was alive and beautiful. A carriage and a retinue of guards waited for me outside.

“This way Master Darkness, they are expecting you soon.”

“Thank you.”

I wasn't sure who was waiting for me but there was no real reason to keep them waiting. The carriage took off once the door was closed as the Lizard Mounts attached to the front took off at a ground eating pace. I peered out the windows as the city laid itself out in front of me. Most people went along their regular days, but a few stared with interest at the glowing red eyes being pulled through the city at a rather fast pace.

After about 15 minutes, the lizards screeched in what sounded like a very positive manner and stopped outside the latest building. This building looked to be made out of the bottom part of a tree trunk rather than an entire tree. There were soldiers on the battlements on top and lined up outside the doors. It struck me as odd when I got out that something smelled like Dog after a day of playing in the mud, but I figured it was something to do with the stable of animals at the back of the massive trunk building.

The soldiers saluted as entered and withdrew their swords that had previously barred the way. Inside was a hallway with various offices and rooms each branching off the main corridor that stretched to the back that had a sign over the top that simply stated, 'Stables'. Soldiers and bureaucrats hustled around and completed their various tasks. It didn't look much different from a normal office building, but the open concept was not a thing here.

I was directed into a room not far from the entrance by an aide who was waiting for me. The aide was a tall and lithe Folioran woman in what I could only assume was a Folioran equivalent of a pants suit. She pushed up her half-moon glasses as she looked me over and gave a quick knock before opening and stepped out of the way.

The room opened up to a long table with several people sitting around. The King and Leyara were at the end surrounded by stuffy looking generals in military uniforms decorated with what looked like branches and berries? Must be the equivalent to medals and bars. To my surprise, there were also a few humans present. The first looked like a certain recently blow up king, just a bit tanner and the other few were humans through and through. They were the source of the smell, the Peltbrella was back.

“We’ve been expecting you Vampir. This is the crown prince of Betrapall and his associates. They are here for an official investigation of the death of the late King of Betrapall. Have a seat.”

The only open seat was the one at the other end of the table from the King. The look in Leyara's eyes was apologetic as I smiled and sat down to my first official interrogation in the new world. I could only face it head-on, so I pulled one of Effie's cigarettes out and lit it for support.

“Let’s do this.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Name: Vampir Darkness

Date of Birth: Reign 23rd in the year 3015

Title: Undead Lord – Designated as a country in the Sea of Leaves

Race: Vampire

Hair: Black

Eyes: Red

Current value: 239.9 million Gold Coins, Approx. 149 trillion Gold Coins worth of Invisibility Potion, Resurrection Token

Magic Pocket: Pretty much one of everything (verified), Undead King’s Crown and Sword

Powers: Voice Mesmer, Animal Transmutation, Super Strength, Mach 3 Speed, Immunity, Regeneration

Magic: Source (Custom) Magic, Folioran Magic, High Magic

Weaknesses: Holy Water, The Sun, Leyara’s Smile, Unexpected Interrogations

Strengths: Sword Fighting, All Magic (Except Holy), Casidhe’s Magic (Sometimes), Dog, Leyara, Bellant, Undressing Leyara, Dressing Himself.