"Well, I think we've taken long enough to have this conversation."
I closed the ornate wooden door behind me, entering the castle's private library. There, my parents awaited me, seated on a sofa across from a luxurious table, as luxurious as everything around me.
I sat on the sofa opposite them, taking a moment to assess their appearance. Both were rumpled, with messy hair and tired faces.
My mother's eyes were red from crying, and there were makeup stains on her skin, while my father constantly wiped the sweat from his face with a handkerchief.
They both seemed to be going through a whirlwind of emotions—joy, relief, fear, worry—and now they stared at me hesitantly, probably thinking about what to say.
"Where are Selina and Gerald?"
If they don't say anything, then I'll be the first to end this quickly.
"They are being cared for by the best healers and servants in our service. The physical injuries are just a few scratches, but the mental ones… This experience has left them scarred."
I nodded at my father's words, but I couldn't feel more than a pang of relief. Children should never have to go through this kind of thing.
"Now we are investigating the reason behind the kidnapping. This was very convenient, and it makes no sense for a mercenary band with so many resources to create a feud with a noble family."
I also want to know, but that's something only time will reveal, that is, if we don't hit a wall along the way.
"The guests returned to their homes and gave us their wishes for recovery and words of joy at the safe return of our children, but I believe you didn't come here to hear that."
Finally!
My parents exchanged an unspoken message through their gaze, and my father tried to continue, but the words refused to come out.
"My daughter, I… We…"
"Leave the rest to me, darling, you've always been terrible at this kind of conversation."
My mother took the lead while my father shrank back, having the decency to look ashamed.
"Darya, we are so sorry for everything we did, for keeping you prisoner in the castle, for ignoring you, and for forcing you into a marriage with someone you don't love. I can't say we understand your pain. Your father and I went through something similar when we were younger, but we never got to the point of running away. I think we were lucky to get along, but now we understand that the same doesn't apply to you. We thought we were doing what was right, that we were giving you a happy life, but we were wrong. We understand if you want to leave and never see us again, but if you're willing, give us a chance to make amends."
I remained silent, processing her words while thinking about what to say. Their apprehensive glances demanded an answer, but I was still wondering if they deserved one or if I should leave without saying anything.
Sighing, I finally made my choice.
"You seem sincere, so I guess… I guess we can start again, but I wasn't lying when I said I'd send heads back to you if you sent anyone after me. I didn't like being stabbed."
They both flinched and looked away. I admit I felt a certain satisfaction, holding back a smile.
"Forgive us, we didn't imagine the trackers would be so extreme."
"And you seem skilled at killing people now, not to mention your partner, of course, so it would be a waste of good warriors… OOF!"
My mother elbowed my father in the side, making him shake. This time, I failed to hide my amusement.
"Speaking of him, we are grateful for the assistance he provided. Alden had no obligation to get involved in our family business, but he did anyway. Tell him he will be rewarded, and that we are sorry for the way he was treated at the ball. We would do it now, but he has been avoiding our servants, which doesn't surprise us. In any case, we are overjoyed that you found someone who makes you happy."
"We are not… Forget it! I will pass your message on to him. And what about my siblings? What will you do with them? Will they have some kind of freedom or will they have to rebel like me?"
"We… We will try our best to do things right, but your grandmother may have other plans."
Tension filled the room, and we knew exactly what that meant. The old woman had goals, and who knows what she would do to achieve them?
I shook my head, dispelling those thoughts; panicking wouldn't help me at all, I can only prepare for whatever comes for now.
Then I stood up, walking around the table and approaching my parents. Momentarily, confusion appeared on their faces, but it quickly turned to surprise when I pulled them into a hug.
"I'll keep in touch. And please, be careful."
I felt their arms wrap around me and they returned the gesture.
"You too, Darya."
We remained like that for a few moments, but soon the time to leave arrived. I left the room and walked through the castle corridors, finding Alden talking to Dragos near the main entrance.
Unfortunately, the vampire was the first to address me. Almost falling to his knees as he spoke in a desperate tone.
"My dear… No! Darya, please listen to me! Forgive me for the way I treated you, I see now that I'm not present in your heart, but if you'll allow me to ask, why? What did I do to make you hate me so much?"
For a moment I almost vomited, then I thought it was some kind of trick, but glancing at Alden, I saw him nodding to Dragos. Well, I'm not going to miss the opportunity to get rid of him.
"Hate is too strong of a word, Dragos, I don't know you well enough to form a complete opinion, but I don't love you for two reasons. First, you're much older than me, I prefer someone closer to my age, and second… YOU'RE TOO TACKY AND CLINGY!"
He recoiled when I yelled in his face, but now that I've started, I'll get it all out.
"You dress, talk, and act like a prince charming from three centuries ago! I know that's your age, but times have changed! How about you leave your castle and see the world with your own eyes?! Put on some modern clothes and update your vocabulary?! Your pickup lines are awful! You're just embarrassing yourself by living in the past!"
I was breathless when I finished, so I cleared my throat, trying to recover what little dignity I had left, and continued.
"I'm sorry, but I'm not the right woman for you. I hope that someday you find your true love. Until then, I wish you a good night."
I left the dumbfounded vampire behind and approached Alden with a hurried step, grabbing his arm and pulling him away.
"Was this your idea?"
"I admit I spoke with Dragos about your relationship. From what I understand, he's used to people telling him what he wants to hear, not what he needs to hear, so I took it upon myself to make him see the reality and finally be direct with you."
"Thank you, that's one less thing to worry about."
We arrived outside, where the rows of servants and the carriage with the coachman awaited us. I was halfway inside when I heard someone calling me, and turning around, I saw my parents and siblings saying goodbye.
I couldn't help but smile and wave back, bidding them farewell, but I frowned in concern when I saw Alden's serious face looking towards the upper floors of the castle.
"Something wrong?"
"I'll tell you later."
Then he returned the farewells, but with less emotion. The coachman shook the reins of the beasts and the carriage began its return to the capital.
I felt my eyes growing heavy and I rested my head in my hands, yawning.
"Tired?"
Alden offered me a mocking smile.
"You have no idea, and you? Aren't you sleepy?"
I made sure to offer mine in return.
"No, I still have plenty of energy."
Then he summoned a ball of fire in his hand, tossing it upwards and catching it as if it were a toy.
"How envious I am."
"Honestly, I thought it would have been worse, considering how you portrayed your family. I think they liked me."
"Oops! I may have exaggerated a bit."
Glazing, I saw the sun rising in the distance, and the flame of the ruins diminishing after having set the skies ablaze.
"The king will surely send someone to investigate the ruins."
"Do you think I can participate in the expedition?"
"You'll probably be forced to, weren't you the one who almost burned everything down?"
"It wasn't my intention to summon the vengeful spirits of the dead. I usually need to conjure a hex for that."
Then I remembered the strange things I saw in the ruins and the artifacts he gave me, connecting some dots in my mind.
"You speak the truth more often than I imagine, don't you?"
"Certainly, but now do you believe everything I said?"
"No, an iron castle in a sea of lava and a giant golden tree are still absurd."
"I imagined."
I don't know how long I slept, but at that moment, I dreamed of fire and ghosts, and they screamed, begging for revenge.
-XXXXXX-
"My Lady, here is the requested artifact."
In the highest tower of the castle, in an office filled with antiquities, one of Alexandria's guards knelt before her, offering her a gleaming red jewel.
The ancient vampire almost split her face open upon smiling, holding the artifact between her claws and raising it before her eyes, seeing her distorted reflection.
"Very well, the fools got what they deserved for refusing my initial offer. And that being, Alden? Are the rumors true?"
"Difficult to say, the man proved skilled in combat and possessed unusual artifacts and arts, but nothing so overwhelming."
"Man? That cluster of souls is closer to a Beast Lord than a man. The penguin must know something. Perhaps he just formed itself? I've never been very subtle; if I'd been less direct, perhaps he would have been willing to show more of his abilities. Oh well, I can't complain, after all, I got what I wanted. Investigate the name Yric Osmer in Sargon and the neighboring lands, and keep me informed of his actions and those of my granddaughter; the brat has a backbone now, I'd love to see how much she's grown."
"Yes, my Lady."
The guard vanished as if he had never existed, and Alexandria laughed, channeling her arts into the jewel, making it shine like a scarlet star.
Her blood boiled, and in a subtle movement, wounds opened on her body, leaking the vital fluid that soon molded into a crimson arsenal of weapons.
-XXXXXX-
In the ruins of Moonfang, in what were now the burned remains of a fort, a pile of rubble shifted. With a cry of fury, the Mercenary Officer rose, his body wounded and charred, armor and weapon destroyed, but alive.
His eyes darted around in confusion as his anger subsided. Walking with difficulty, he approached the large hole, seeing the fire burning just below.
His face contorted in disbelief; an eternal furnace had been rekindled, and now the spirits of his ancestors could communicate with the living in this region.
That red-haired man, who was he? The others needed to know!
Using the handle of his hammer as a crutch, he limped out of the fort, shouting the names of his men. The sunlight made him squint, but upon reaching the outside, he spotted a makeshift camp being set up by the survivors.
And on the bonfire, they were roasting a strange, chest-shaped creature.
Shouts of surprise made him flinch when the mercenaries noticed his presence; calls for the healers came soon after. Sitting near the fire, he waited for the work to be done, pondering what to do next.
"Brothers, forgive me for what happened, *COUGH!* It was all my fault. This job… It was just a d-distraction, *COUGH!* Our tribe's relic was stolen and many of our killed. We need to return and report everything to the captain. Who did it? Why?"
His words became delirious, the corners of his vision darkened. The worried faces and voices of his men were all he heard before everything went dark.
In his dreams, he had a vision: the capital in flames, bombarded by a catastrophe, and in the ruins of the castle, a figure raised the black crown above its head.
END OF CHAPTER