1871 - (150 years ago in the Kingdom of Vamiscerah)

Standing on the outside balcony of my father's great hall, I leant over the rails for a glimpse of all the crowds chanting from below us. As I looked down towards the grounds of the castle, 15 feet below me were a raging mob of vampires outside of our castles gates. Our people were shouting and hissing at the pire erected inside of the palaces grounds. Bearing witness to the murder of our most recent captive. A captured 'White Wolf'.

The spoils of war.

The wolf howled and screamed for mercy as the stake she was bound too was set alight by the Guardians. Our people clawed at the gates to see her writhe and call out in pain.

Just like me, they were interested in her death.

Would there be the famous glowing Violet light that would erupt from her?

Would our own Goddess make an appearance to bless us with defeating the wolves again?

The red and orange glow from the flames illuminated my pale face, I continued to watch the scene below without a glimmer of remorse or feeling. The werewolves had murdered my eldest brother and I would feel nothing during the execution of their Goddess's beloved line of 'White Wolves'.

It was a great victory.

Satisfying.

When the screaming finally subsided and the smell of her charred and burnt flesh reached my sensitive nose, only then did I turn away. I had to kick the heavy petticoats of my corseted crimson gown to one side in order to re enter the great hall. These damn dresses stifled me, but as always, my face held only the practiced composure that was drilled into me by my mother from the day of my birth.

My skirt and heels on the marble tilled floor was the only sound to be heard as I ascended the steps to walk across the expanse of our great hall. The palace had been 'home' to my bloodline since the very first royal Corbec drew breath. My father was only the third King of our people. Meaning my Great Grandfather, King Matthias was the first King and Vampire created by the Goddess lheirah herself.

The gold and crystal chandelier which hung high in the centre of the hall was lit by candlelight and I was lucky indeed to have my Vampiric sight in order to see my father on his throne. His once powerful and strong form was now a shadow of its former self and his body was hunched in his seat. He leant on his hand to support the weight of his head as he struggled to keep himself awake.

The most recent 'culling' of the werewolf warriors who rose against us took its toll on my father. It took more than a month to subdue them this time. Each attempt they make against us proves futile but our numbers suffer for it. A great many of our people were murdered in the process. Lives lost on both sides.

My mind drifted to my brother Victor, and I had to remind myself of my composure. Vampires showed no weakness and no tears for the dead. Those who had fallen would be remembered in our memories. Our hearts and mouths were to never speak of heart break for things such as love or pain.

As I approached the dais I waited for him to speak first. Which was custom in our family when speaking to any males. Women spoke only once they were spoken too. My father as the King lived as he ruled and our lives in the palace had to be a model replica of the life they advertised to our people. A life they encouraged our people to live by. A life of submission to the crown and rank. Women were property and abided by the laws created by men.

Not so different to the human realm. Or so I hear.

"Speak daughter".

I bit my tongue, deciding whether I should follow through on what I had planned to say. My father loved me, but there could be consequences for the words I would speak. Once vocalised, they could never be 'unspoken'.

I took a moment to take in my father's armour. Still freshly stained with the blood of wolves from the battle we rained victorious in not hours before. He had not made an attempt to clean himself and his once white armour, which was a custom for the sovereign to wear, was stained in red.

When I gave no response, he lifted his head to look at me directly. His tired and worn expression softened my chiseled composure. Only slightly however.

"Don't make me ask again". He warned.

"She is dead father. I watched her burn with my own eyes".

He nodded.

"Good. I would have them all burn if I could. Your capture of the White Wolf was well received at court. You have honoured your brother on this day".

I bowed my head at his praise for me.

"That being said, I must discuss another matter with you father. If I have your permission to speak freely".

His pregnant silence ensued and I took that as my answer.

"I hate the wolves just as much as you do father. Their very existence insults me and that of our Goddess. Our people have rightly been the victor's in this battle and I am honoured to have fought along side you to witness their demise."

He nodded in agreeance at my words.

"However, I do not believe that the werewolves acted alone in their assassination of Victor. I ask for your permission to look into this personally. I do not fully trust the Guardian's in this matter".

He sighed.

"Your opinion has already been noted. The Guardian's found evidence that the White Wolf killed your brother and she paid for her crime on this day".

I gulped.

"I do not believe it was the White Wolf father, her powers were weaker than the wolves of her kind before her. She could not even call upon her power during her arrest, which leaves me to believe her powers were dormant".

He leant forward in a frightfully slow way. A snake waiting to strike.

"Are you implying that our own kind might have had a hand in this"? His words were a warning and I clasped my hands together nervously.

"I believe it is a possibility. I am not convinced with the Guardian's investigation".

My father rose from his throne and I immediately dropped my gaze to the floor in fear that I had truly overstepped my mark. He towered above me and all traces of the worn out King were vanquished in that moment. His anger now at the forefront and directed solely at me.

"Do you know how many of our people the Guardian's have had to kill in order to silence the rumours spread about you"?

I blinked.

"Too many. You think I am not aware that our people believe you personally assassinated your brother yourself? We both know that the White Wolf is innocent in this matter...

My head shot up to look at him in outrage.

"But she needed to be your scapegoat daughter. Now that your brother and my heir has been taken from us, that leaves only you and your sister to proceed me. Your mothers pregnancy had better prove to be a boy, otherwise, I cannot vouch for your safety. Even I have come to doubt whether you had a part to play in your brother's downfall".

I open my mouth in absolute horror at hearing my father speak to ill of me. For him to judge and believe the rumours as he did without first speaking to me. That was the problem with this family. No one spoke to one another. And now, he believes me guilty of this?

"I have no idea where these rumours began father, but I can swear to the Goddess that I would never harm a member of this family".

He snorted as he began to circle me. Like a vulcher waiting for it's prey to show its weakness and I just had.

"You fear the people will turn against you and whoever has started these rumours is using this to control you and this family. You will not be my heir, but if you had of been born a man... I can see how well you might have ruled. But would you have been just"?

I turned to face my father. My anger rising.

"I will find whoever started these rumours, find their motive behind it and deal with them myself".

He grinned coolly.

"I already have".

My eyes widened in question.

"Who"?

He shook his head.

"Sire, the Queen has delivered a son"

A messenger interrupted us and my father sighed with relief before sending me a scathing look. The messenger left us and I waited for him to speak again.

"We will discuss this another day. You should also prepare for your wedding next week".

I attempted to protest but I instantly felt the hard slap against my cheek and could only stand in shock as I stared at my father's raised hand.

He had never stuck me before.

"You will never understand how much I loved you".

With that, the King turned on his heel and left me in the hall all alone.

"Loved"? I said in the open space.

I rubbed my cheek and remained standing where he had left me. Before this recent war, our family was happy but with the recent rumours surfacing with myself as the villain, my family had begun to distance themselves from me. All believing that I had my eyes set on that throne. Turning to look at it I scowled.

What was so wonderful about it anyway?

I saw the slight glimmer of the flames flicker on the candles above me and I felt the once humid air turn cold.

He's here.

I shivered.

"Did you miss me Princess"?

That voice.

Turning to face him, I spotted the 'real' villain of this story, leaning against the portrait of my mother the Queen.

His brown curly locks fell across his piercing green eyes as they trapped me in their stare. I used to think that he was handsome when I was younger.

Beautiful even.

"No" I answered honestly.

Pushing himself away from the painting his black leather breeches and shirt stretched. His muscles pulled against the confines of the leather. His tall, lean figure approached me slowly. Languidly.

"Is that anyway to speak to your betrothed"?

I shivered as he pulled lightly on one of my red curls. He pulled it out of the high chignon which my maid had painstakingly created for me a few hours beforehand.

"I prefer it when you wear your hair down". He said.

I sighed.

"Do you miss him, your brother"?

I shivered as he released the strand of hair.

I nodded.

He grinned.

"It's a shame, I liked Victor".

I frowned.

I wanted to say that the feeling wasn't mutual but I kept my lips tight. Victor despised him and hated this union between us even more. Turning to look at him his eyes held a knowing glint to them. My mouth dropped open to scream but he closed my mouth with his open palm. His face turning evil.

That's when I heard it.

The screams of my family.

My eyes widened and for the first time in years I fought with every fibre of my being against this man whom I had feared. With no time to release my power he whispered something quickly into my ear.

"I'll always win Brienna and you can join me or you can join them. Only you can sit beside me".

My mother's scream stilled my attempts to fight as fear kept me rooted to the spot.

With that..

He extended his fangs and bit into the side of my neck to drain my blood. My limbs became weaker by the second. As my eyes closed, he released my lifeless body to the marbled floor.

The last thing I heard was his command to someone I couldn't see. Someone hiding in the shadows in the corner of the room.

"Sell her to the human's until I'm ready to find her".