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|Adara De Clare|

"You look, gorgeous dear." Flora smiles at me as I give her a little twirl and she claps her hands together.

I smile and it stays on my face, I genuinely love this dress. It isn't pastel green or anything but it's just perfect. I absolutely love it.

Flora claps her hands together in content then she turns on her heels, leaving the room to sign out the dress for me. Apparently, that's what she did the last time too, I thought she just had 'Queenly' matters to attend to. I had no idea it was to sign out the dress. I guess when you have one too many dresses you have to end up keeping track of all of them and where they're going.

"Why do you guys have an entire walk-in closet filled to the brim with dresses? You're an only child, and I'm sure the Queen has her own dresses in her own closet." I say to Nikolai as he walks up the steps to where I am. He places his arm around my waist, pulling me closer to him.

"You look beautiful," he compliments me, "also, this is your room. Once the contract started they fixed everything in this room to be yours."

My eyebrows raise high, "So they just happened to have a spare room that I could use?"

He smiles, "No, this room has always been dedicated for the woman I deem fit to have it." He says and my eyes become bigger.

"So what happened for you to deem me fit?" I ask him.

"It took a while but when I got to see the real you." He tells me, placing his hand on my cheek and I smile.

Flora comes back into the room and we part. "Oh-kay, we're all ready, so let's go to the ballroom. Everyone's already there.." She claps once more and we get our stuff and leave.

We arrive at the ballroom then we give our cards to the man by the step up the stairs. "Presenting: King Florian Winchester," He says, and everyone below the staircase stops what they're doing. They look up at the King and they take a bow.

I had no idea that his name was Florian. It's nice, sounds royal too. It's like some people were just born to be what they are now. Even their name matches it. Like Nikolai. Prince Nikolai. . .King Nikolai? Woah, why does that fit even better?

See? The names just fit. It's like a foreshadowing in their lives almost.

"Queen Flora Winchester." He presents her and she stops to take a look at everyone below the stairs then she begins her descent. The King waits for her at the bottom of the stairs. Once she fully descents, she takes the King's hand then they go to their thrones.

"Prince Nikolai Winchester." Nikolai smiles at me then he removes his hand from mine and he begins his descent down the stairs.

Anxiety fills my chest. What are they gonna call me? Are they even going to call me? It would be weird if they did but embarrassing for me if they didn't.

"Princess Adara Winchester." The man announces and my eyes widen beyond measure as my mouth falls open.

What? W-Winchester? Umm, I'm not married.

Anyway, I walk down the stairs and everyone looks at me. They all gasp in awe at my dress then they look at me with big eyes. Not in a bad way but in surprise and awe.

I like it, I really do but it's stressful. Getting all these stares makes me anxious.

I reach the end of the stairs without tripping and I mentally congratulate myself. I put my hand in Nikolai's then he walks us to the middle of the ballroom.

I look at him, then I look around, everyone is moving back, giving us space.

"What's happening?" I whisper to him.

"If the prince or princess has a partner they dance first, if they don't the King and Queen do." He explains low to me.

My eyes are similar to a deer caught in the headlights, and I look at him terrified. "We're going to dance in front of all these people?" He nods with a calm smile on his face.

The next thing I know is that he twirls me out and then pulls me back in. My hand falls against his chest and he holds the other one in his. "Nick, I think this is a great time to tell you that I don't know how to dance," I say as we begin moving to the sweet sounds of the instrumental playing.

"It's no problem, just follow what I do. It's not a hard dance. Step back, then right, left, forward, twirl, bend." He says as we do the actions then everyone claps and they pair up. Just then other instrumental music begins playing.

"What dance do we do with this?" I ask him and he smiles.

"There's not a set one we can do. Here, put your arms around my neck." He says and I do so and he puts his arms around my waist then we begin swaying side to side.

Okay, this is fine, it's not too stressful.

"So, how do you think everything's going to be when you become King? Like what are you going to do? Specifically with the vampires and humans?" I ask him trying to get some idea about what kind of 'place' we'd be put in if he becomes King.

"Well, the humans will be put in their place."

I squint my eyes at him, "What place is that? The place of enslavement? I hope not because that's inhumane and psychotic." I tell him and we stop dancing.

He doesn't answer me. "I need some air." He says and he walks away out to the balcony.

I follow after him and I open the doors leading out to the balcony. He stands there, looking out at the city below.

I go right beside him, the cool air blows by us. I close my eyes relishing in the feeling. I open them and I look over at Nikolai.

"Nick?" I call his name and in the darkness, I can see his head turn to me.

I inhale asking him the question that's been bothering me for a while now, "How did you know that Justina wasn't really pregnant? Sources say that you were seen with her, how were you so sure that she wasn't?" I ask him.

He tilts his head to me, "I'm a virgin." He tells me, his voice soft as he places some of my curly hair behind my ears.

My eyes widen and I stare at him, not able to grasp what he just said. "Really? Oh." I say.

"Is it strange for me to be a virgin?" He asks.

"You're thousands of years old and you've never had sex?"

"Well, I've never been married." He tells me and my eyebrows shoot up.

"You're waiting," I say and he nods.

"I've never been a fan of casual premarital sex. To me, sex is this private, special thing only to be shared with the one you share everything with: your spouse. In my case, it would be my wife." He tells me and I nod.

"That is sweet." I smile.

"You?" He asks.

"Probably, I don't know. I've never really thought about sex with someone, really. I doubt I would ever get married." I say.

His cold fingers reach my cheek and I flinch just a little, "So, you're saying that I don't have a chance?"

"N-No, I—" I stutter and he cuts me off with a passionate kiss.

My cold lips turn warm and he brings his hand up to my cheek. He kisses me even harder, I hold on to the back of his neck, pulling him in too.

We part from the kiss and heat rises to my cheeks and even trails along my neck.

"I lo—" my eyes widen once I realize what I was going to say and I clamp my mouth shut.

"What?"

"I really like you." I save myself.

"I really like you too." He gives me a boyish smile while staring at me with stars in his eyes.

He holds my hand and we walk back inside, going to our table.

"What's happening?" Nikolai asks Flora as he sees the King and that presenter dude up by the throne.

"They're going to announce who's going to become the next King." As she says this, Nikolai tenses and we sit.

The presenter walks up and the King stays a good distance behind him then he clears his throat.

"It would be my honor to present the future King of ArchDale," The presenter starts off. He pauses for the effect and we all lean forward in our seats, anxiety killing us.

"Prince Nikolai Winchester." The King finishes and everyone exclaims in cheers including me.

My mouth falls open slightly though and fear fills my heart. What is going to happen now?

|Now-Crown Prince of ArchDale|

My eyes widen once I hear my name and the King looks at me, telling me to come up. I look over at Adara, and she's cheering with a smile but she looks slightly terrified. I walk up to the throne and he puts the crown that the Crown Prince wears on my head.

I bow before him then I turn around to everyone and they explode into cheers and say congratulatory words. I look at Adara and she looks absolutely petrified. I know why. I'll be King soon, and my father will step down soon.

When he does, the enslavement of humans will begin. They will know their place. Vampires will rule this place. She knows that's what will happen, that's why she's scared.

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐄𝐍𝐃

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