Capítulo 2: When Enemies Collide.
*Kiara's POV*
Carlotta complained that I didn't eat enough since my discovery of the deaths, that my mourning for the loss of my friends was unhealthy.
She wasn't particularly inconsiderate, I knew she cared gravely of me...she just was a bit strict at times. Apart from my black clothes and pale face, everything was as always in the Whitman Castle.
Good looking and presentable and fake.
The morning air smelled like breakfast cinnamon, freshly baked bread, fruits and an abundance of hot matcha tea. The scent of it reminded every one that my father was still at home, he never grew tired of it. I took my tea addiction from him for sure.
"My God," Carlotta exclaimed as she returned to the room. "If I had known you wanted to stare at the food instead of eat it, I would have asked Shadrach to bring in those weird paintings of food he has."
"He paints well." I said, absently.
"He paints as if he is blind. Which is sad because a wizard of his class should at least know a spell to make him better at art."
I gave up. It was impossible to convince Carlotta on the matter. My eyes found my half-empty tea cup and lifted the china to my lips. Carlotta's disapproving eyes met mine. I was in no mood to eat another strawberry jam coated scone and pretend to live in trouble free paradise.
Her disapproving eyes turned to deep worry and involuntarily succumbed. I detached two grapes from its mother stem and chewed on it angrily as I left the breakfast parlor.
"Is my carriage ready?"
"Yes, it's out back, just like you wanted."
"Today is going to be a long day. "I declared, curtly nodding to the bows and curtsies here and there.
"Yes, especially since your father knows nothing of your today plans ," Carlotta muttered.
"He doesn't have to."
"What if something happens?"
"Nothing will happen."
"You will never listen to my suggestions, will you?"
"You would do so if you were in my shoes."
"No, I wouldn't." Carlotta shook her head violently as we parted ways.
I was all alone now. I had to focus on ignoring the ever judging eyes I received in my own quarters.
In this case ,it was for wearing black...for openly mourning a murderer and the vampire, the enemy.
I will be lying if I said I didn't care, but I did, a lot. You could imagine how it felt to be rejected by outsiders and insiders too. To have people who are literally paid to love and adore you judge you even further.
Having a head held high in times like these were difficult, draining, and painful. But I did, I would count my breaths and my steps if I have to. If insanity keeps me sane, so be it.
I increased my pace as I passed my mother's six foot portrait hanging gracefully on the wall.
When I was younger, I imagined my mom's spirit spoke to me from that single image, that she had a different facial expression everyday, sometime I would notice a similar light frown that I now had on her face, scolding me to go back to my tutors for the unnecessary language lessons or a light smile for times when I had single handedly cooked my father's dinner.
This insanity stopped when I was first openly rejected and mocked at my first Grand Courtier's Ball. I remember crying to the painting and realizing that her face was blank,void...as it always was. I was instantly cured from the madness I possessed during my teens and swallowed the bitter pills that society shoved in my mouth.
The sadness that washed over me that day cleansed me of all hope, inner strength, self esteem and resilience in me. This, was something Reya, Lilith and I had in common. Broken spirits and meaningless lives. Reya found us meaning in the Hybrid Foundation. And yet, I'm expected to let the dream die? I would rather die with it.
The carriage's white and golden door was open before me, revealing it's rich fur seats. Luxury, I had, Everything else, I lacked greatly.
I must have stood way to long in front of the open door because Carlotta had whispered to me.
"Trust your gut, if you are having doubts. Stay."
"I am trusting my gut, and I'm doing exactly what it wants. "I declared out loud, so my voice could convince me. Of course, this didn't work. But I was clearly told by my guts to relocate those children today, you should never underestimate the power of a blood-hungry vampire. The fact that he was a grieving father and a powerful general just made it more fearful.
I stepped into the wide carriage and Carlotta followed with a frown but she had brought me my hat and my hand fan. I partially thanked her before proceeding to gently blowing myself.
I regretted not speaking to my dad this morning but we will meet later. I won't stay that long for him to notice anyway. I just needed the children to know there's still one familiar face they could rely on, that I was still available for them. I had already arranged their temporary home and the carriages to transport them. I had a number of men to ensure their security and all the necessities but I still needed to go, I owed it to them.
The first child to welcome me was Davion, an energetic siren-werewolf,some people assumed his clear blue eyes meant he came from siren Royalty,no one wss sure.
He ran to me with open arms and jumped on me, I hugged him tightly for a while before slowly putting him down. I studied him for anything amiss but the only thing wrong was the sadness in his face.
His eyes became teary and he wiped them quickly before mumbling incoherent words.
"Davion." I called his name firmly. I don't know why but I expected him not to cry. He had always been a flicker of hope.
"Where is Reya and Lilith?" he asked looking me deep in the eye. "They left, and Mary said they won't come ever back "His innocent sapphire eyes pierced me for an answer. I swallowed hard and thought of a logical answer and how to honey-coat the situation .
"Where are the others?" Carlotta stepped in with a big basket of pastries and the wide smile.
Davion attention wavered a bit as he sniffed the air before looking into the basket. He was more in touch with his wolf than I ever was. His eyebrows furrowed and he glanced at me and then back at Carlotta.
"They are at the lake." Davion replied to her and turned back to me and whispered."I heard the guards saying we are moving and Mary was crying last night.Where are-"
"Davion."Carlotta interrupted. "I might give you an extra cake if you took me to the lake."
Carlotta spoke in a sing-song tone, swiftly saving me once again.
This time Davion took the bait and ran to her."Which cake am I getting ?"he yelped, jumping gleefully to Carlotta. He stopped abruptly and turned to me.
"Aren't you coming?"
"I will be there soon darling." I assured him as I dusted my dress. "I just have to talk to Mary first."
"Okay." He shrugged pulling Carlotta with him.
I found Mary folding a heap of clothes and talking about random things to herself...I watched her with worry for a while.
"Mary?"
She flinched and sighed deeply, relieved but unhappy .She collected herself quickly and continued to fold with her back turned to me.
"Princess."
She called me that as sort of a gentle reminder of my title and all the negative stereotypes that surrounded me.
"How have you been doing?" I asked .
"I'm doing fine, I see you are suited in your richest black gown. How are you doing?"
I let silence reigned for a while before I spoke again
"How was Reya before the---mishap?"
Mary finally turned to me, with evident anger shooting in her eyes. I stared back at her.
"She didn't do it." she spat.
" She was my friend too, Mary, I know." I replied just as firmly. "Don't start with that talk, not today."
Our eyes locked in an intense gaze for about three seconds before she broke away. She turned round and continued folding the clothes.
"Reya was perfectly fine. You wouldn't need to ask about her mental state if you believed she wasn't at fault but I guess at the end of the day, you are still half vampire. Always be a part of them."
I took in a deep breath and turned to leave. 'Seems like your wound is still open. I do not mind the words but please, at least try to hide this negativity from the children. Davion saw you crying, it's no sin to be in pain but we don't want to worry the children now, do we?"
"Forgive me Princess, I made my pain too obvious "Mary sarcastic comment stopped me halfway in my tracks. I turned again, some issues had to be made clear.
"I am also in pain, I just lost two of my very few friends. You think I don't miss them already?" I sniffed back to stop my voice from doing an embarrassing crack. "They are dead...Why do you still insist on treating me this way, during this moment of grief all you can think of is to curse me?!"
"Oh, of course." Mary gasped, "You miss them so darn much that you are going to mourn this tragedy at the Ball. You are the vilest creature to exist--you entitled privileged bitch."
"I'm going there to--"
"Stop lying to yourself! You never cared. You were always stuck in your fantasy of being the proper Princess. You were here cause you thought philanthropy will get you favor. You do everything to please society yet you will never ever ever fit in."
I chuckled lightly, hiding my pain."I can't talk to you in this state."
Carlotta met me halfway into the front yard.
"Things are going more smoothly than I thought, the children are excited. They're calling it the big adventure..." she spoke absent mindedly for a while and then paused to take a closer look at me. Her face fell and she shook her head disapprovingly.
"What did that witch say this time."
I turned to meet her in the eye, wordlessly warning her not to make any confrontations that may ruin my day, year or life. She hesitantly heeded to my plea but not before she gave a roll of her eyes and snarky comment on how uncultured Mary was.
"Have the carriages left already?" I asked solemnly.
"Yes, a while ago. How do you intend to get this place back."
I stared up at the high walls and the old angel statues pitched on its edges.
"I honestly have no idea."
Carlotta squeezed my shoulder. "You are smart, you will figure it out."
A cavalcade of The Valerian carriages approached us the moment we stepped outside.Carlotta and I exchanged glances quickly as they deliberately circled us. I suddenly felt a bit hotter and began to sweat a little more. The name was bad news.
"Valerians?" Carlotta asked,analyzing the crest on the carriage." What do they want?"
I frowned deeper,fanning myself. The redolence told me it wasn't a carriage of a general or a messenger. It was that of a Royal.
After a dying long moment of suspense, Hendrix, the younger Prince stepped out of his carriage. He stood graciously in the sun, the rumors about their resistance to the sun was no rumor at all, It was true. I had never seen him this close before. He was a six foot tall glorious looking being with thick black hair and emarld green eyes. That was definitely an interesting pair, either way ,he was easy on the eyes. He froze briefly when he saw me.
"You are not Denzel Whitman." he said plainly.
Everyone who was not related to the Royal family called my father Alpha Denzel. Not Denzel. I was a tad bit offended by this but I smiled to it.
Carlotta squeezed her nose beside me. He squinted at me for a while, probably trying to figure out who exactly I was, dressed in Royalty.
I let down pride and bowed slightly to him.
He didn't bow back. He smiled.
"I am Princess Kiara Whitman." I said eventually.
He didn't hide the fact that he was taken by surprise. He whistled. "You are quite a gem, are you not?"
"Thank you" I replied politely though I felt an uncomfortable spur.
"I came to see the property, I see you beat me to the race?"
"The Castle?" I asked, shocked that it had already been put for sale.
"Are any of those flavored blood in children there?"
I imagine I looked appalled because he smiled again, fully. Revealing a set of beautiful white teeth. No fangs,interesting.
"Do not fret," he laughed. "I have had my share of blood today"
This changed nothing, he drank Hybrid blood too, and thought it flavored, I was a Hybrid, I was food.
"I was told the place will be all mine today, I despise interruptions such as such but," He raised his hands to my chin, cold as ice. I drew in a breathe as he caressed the side of my cheek. "Since you are such a good looking dove, I will let it slide."
I removed my face from his chin and turned away. He placed his hands in his pocket and returned to his carriage.
I watched him go a while before I got in mine.
Carlotta who looked like she would spank him if she could.
"They were certainly blessed with good looks." I complimented.
"Lucifer was a beautiful angel." she snarled."But a nice throw from heaven and he became hideous.
I sighed loudly and fiddled with my fingers.
"At least your gut led you well, we don't know what would have happened if that bloodsucker met them at the Castle."
I nodded but was too preoccupied with raging thoughts to produce a reply.
Thankfully, I wasn't asked for one till we arrived back home. However, there were a thousand of questions I needed to answer when I arrived home. And in turn, a lot of questions I had to ask.
All twelve of my official ladies in waiting were anxiously waiting for me. I glanced around, a bit frightened by their sudden unexplainable rush. Somewhere in the middle of ushering me up the stairs, their anxiousness spread to me.
I had asked, several times, what all the commotion was about but all I could get was that someone was here to see me. I wasn't given a name, identifications or anything. That felt awfully ominous.
I never had the fortune of friends, talk less of a Royal allowed to visit another, legitimately. So the mystery in the air didn't die, it tensed and so did I.
Who on Earth could it be?
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