Bab 6: Nightmare
Prince Raziel was in his study inside his quarters studying, when General Lorenzo entered. The general was the prince's closest subordinate. "Your highness, the king summons you."
"Any idea why?" Raziel asked without raising his head from his book.
"No your highness."
The prince continued reading his book for a while before he closed it. He then went out with the Lorenzo to find his father.
He was not surprised to find his father sitting on his throne, as it was the only place he sits apart from his bed, just to show his power. The man had dark hair and grey eyes like his son, and he looked not too older than him.
"Father." Raziel bowed in greeting.
"I summoned you here for three reasons. "The king of Morbury have declared war against us." The king said, but Raziel kept looking at him, knowing he was not done with what he was saying. "Bring me his head."
"Consider it done." Raziel said. He then turned to leave.
"Raziel! We are not done here."
The prince turned back to him.
"I also want you to invade Dorborne. I also want the king's head."
"There was no provocation from their side. Invading there would be totally unnecessary." Raziel disagreed with his father.
"Raziel. It is an order." The king said sternly.
"You know I don't attack anywhere without a provocation." He insisted.
"You will do that on your king's order."
"What's your third reason your majesty?" Raziel asked instead, making the king to narrow his gaze at him.
"I want you to pick a wife as soon as possible. I might be giving you the throne soon."
Raziel knew that it was a lie. No one enjoys power more than his father. He only wanted him to get married so he could expand his kingdom and connections. He would prefer that he'd marry a princess.
"And it is for the best interest if you marry a princess." The king said, confirming his thoughts.
"I am not yet ready for marriage." Raziel said.
"That's what you said ten years ago."
"I have spoken with the King of Baeliting, and he said he would be sending his daughter here in three days. You'd be marrying her." The king declared.
Raziel bowed his head. "I don't intend on doing that father."
"You shall do as I say Raziel." The king declared as he stood up angrily.
"Shall I go now father?" Raziel asked getting impatient.
"You shall marry the princess, and that is final."
Without another word, Raziel walked out of the throne room.
"Your highness do you need any help in killing the kings?" General Lorenzo asked when they got back to his quarters.
"Yes. Prepare your men. We are attacking Morbury tonight."
"Yes your highness." Lorenzo said."Your highness, do you intend on taking the princess as a bride?" He asked, but his tone already exposed his doubt.
"No." Was Raziel's short answer, and Lozenzo was not surprised. He then bowed before leaving to do what he was ordered.
******
Luciana tossed and turned in bed as the nightmares came at her mercilessly. Her breathing was laboured, and she was soaked in her own sweat. It was the same nightmare, coming at her everyday, repeating itself, torturing her to an unbearable degree.
Luciana looked around their house which have been decorated for her parents wedding anniversary, and she turned worried.
She called her parents attention.
"Mama, papa, do you think we should be celebrating when we still owe lord Kruger?"
Lord Kruger was a vampire lord. Her father used to work for him. An incident happened which unfortunately made him to lose a huge sum of money, and he asked all his workers to pay him. It was not the worker's fault, but they couldn't go against the Lord, especially the humans.
"Oh. I got a new job at the Turner's mansion, and I would be paid tomorrow. I already have more than half of the money saved up, and by tomorrow it will be complete. And today is only the deadline. I guess Lord Kruger would at least give me this day." Her father explained, and she sighed.
"Papa he's a vampire. When do they ever listen to us?" Luciana asked fearfully. "I still have some saved up. You should take it."
"No need Lucy. You should enjoy your money, you have worked very hard for it." Her mother added.
Luciana smiled a little, but her smile was soon replaced with a slight crease in her brows when she heard a scream outside. She listened, and she heard it again. It was from her sister.
"Mama, Papa. It's Freya. Something's wrong."
Before the couple could process what their daughter had said, the door was bursted open, and someone zoomed in with a speed that belonged only to the vampires, holding her sister. He roughly pushed her down, wounding her.
Luciana and her mother quickly rushed to help Freya, while her father went to speak with the man. Just then, another vampire entered with her brother, throwing him on the floor unceremoniously too.
"Stop doing that. You are hurting him." Luciana didn't know when she yelled at the vampire guard. "Who are you, and what are you doing here?"
"Shut up human!"
A few seconds later, a bulky looking man with a scowl on his face stepped in. He looked angry. He had a gun in his hand.
Luciana's face turned pale. Her worry came true. It was Lord Kruger!
"I got an insight from someone that you are having a party, and I came to find out for myself." Lord Kruger said, looking displeased. "Where is the money you owe me?" He demanded.
"My Lord, I have most of it and I will deliver the rest to you tomorrow." Luciana's father tried to reason with him.
"Today is the deadline Wallace, not tomorrow. I am not very a patient man." There was warning in his tone. "Give me my money."
"I have one hundred and eighty gold coins with me." Wallace pleaded.
"I can add a hundred." Luciana quickly chimed in. It was all the money she had saved up. She spent most of them, trying to educate herself.
"That's still not enough. If you don't give me the money now, don't blame me for what I will do next." He lifted the gun he was holding a little, enough to cause fear in the family.
"It will be only twenty remaining." Luciana suddenly yelled. "We will give you two hundred and eighty, only twenty will remain. We will give you that tomorrow. Please spare my father." She went on her kneels. Something she hated to do. These creatures always treated them like they were inferior, and kneeling in front of them only confirms it, but she had to save her father. "I beg you please."
Lord Kruger's eyes travelled the length of her body, and his lips curved up in a nauseating smile. Luciana's stomach churned as she already knew what he was thinking.
"What a beauty you have here Wallace. Are you married?" He asked her, his gaze raking her body. "That doesn't matter anyway."
Luciana looked up at him.
"My Lord?"
He crouched to her level and cupped her face with his filthy hands. It took her a great willpower to not throw up on his hands.
"I will spare your father, and forget about the debt he owe me." He licked his lips, and her stomach churned. "If you would let me have you."
She didn't mean to, but she slapped his hand off her face, that he lost his balance and almost fell on his butt.
She could hear her parents pleading on her behalf, but she could not make out the words.
Angrily, lord Kruger grabbed her hair and pulled her up like that. She already concluded that he would kill her. But then;
"Get rid of the woman." He ordered, and she screamed.
"No. Leave my mother again. Please. Take me. Have me." She regretted her previous action.
Lord Kruger held her, while the others held her father and siblings. Even her aunty that had come to join them. They were also pleading. Her father looked horrified.
"I am sorry." Luciana cried. "Please let her go. Have me." She begged.
The vampire lord paid deaf ears to the family's pleas, and he had the woman killed while the family watched.
"Noooo!" She cried. "Get away from me." She kicked, wanting to get to her mother, but her reaction seemed to amuse the vampire Lord.
"Get rid of the man too. And the young woman. And the boy." Lord Kruger ordered.
"No. Please no!" She cried on top of her voice. "Take me. Use me." She felt like she was going to die. He wanted to murder her whole family and make her watch.
But her pleas were like water being poured on rock. It had no effect. And before she could think, the people she held dear were taken from her.
"Luciana wake up! Wake up." Annalise's voice cut through her nightmare. "You are wounding yourself again.
Luciana sprang up from the bed, her heart beating wildly in her chest. She looked at her wrists, she had injured both of them, but it wasn't enough. She got up, took the knife and left the room in a hurry.
Hadiah
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