บท 9: The fall of a princess

Having felt the magic earlier then most Elvira had hurried to the room, her eyes had wandered around the room yet there was not a single sign of an intruder anywhere.

Aethelstan magic had always been brimming with the energy of nature however now there was an evil feeling aura overtaking and destroying the other's core.

That wasn't the bad news, she had known the elf and vampire child where connected. A glimmer of each other's magic came from the other. She didn't know why or how but she had hoped with observing and extra time she would figure it out.

That wasn't to be the case, as the silver part was fading in and out of existence but because Aethelstan's magic is present in Adrian's very core and soul the evil magic wil effect him just as easily.

Even easier, narrowing her eyes she could see silver and gold try to get rid of the green, a miniscule fight because no sooner the silver vanished completely.

Gritting her teeth her thoughts wondered around her head, this was insane and also very much impossible.

There bond, something she had seen as something worth calculation, would be their downfall as the green intruded further into the golden light. A noble pureblood elf and a noble pureblood vampire.

A combination unthinkable happened the moment the boy was born, a bond between an elf and vampire.

She hadn't been sure if it was a blessing or a curse but now it was obvious.

It had been a curse as they connected each other, together they where strong until one wasn't then the other got corrupted as well.

"That's....what's caused all this!" The dragon had called out, frantic. Without a doubt out of worry for Aethelstan, it was vibrant in the air.

"That's...the power of the marquis of hell." Knowledge, Aiwen had a lot of it.

''Impossible! There is no way he would go after Aethelstan." And he wouldn't yet the proof was glaringly bright in front of her.Silver light dissipated, erased uit existence as she could hear his beat get slower until there was nothing left.

Everyone was shocked as a maid loudly exclaimed "He's turning into stone!"

The revelation was accompanied by a greenish flash before green and gold shimmered out of existence., In the moonlight she could see Aiwen and the others surround Aethelstan.

"There's nothing we can do. If even Aethelstan, a renowned but closed off genius of the elfen realm, couldn't do anything then unfortunately can we. We as doctors have failed in the task of healing and helping a life. I'm so sorry."

Silence was profound in the room until it was brutally shattered by Cole's words.

"Aiwen's right, we have failed. There is absolutely nothing I...we can do. Aethelstan is dying end it seems like he doesn't have long. "

Hesitantly Emiris spoke up. ''Adrian had..has a bond with Aethelstan. They are..uhm connected Is there a chance that Adrian will experience the same thing?"

"If what your saying is right then there might be a possible that Adrian was infected. If so we need to try and safe him.''

"What about Aethelstan. Can't this _bond_ save him?"

"It's too late, my prince. In fact it could do more bad then good if Adrian where to be affected more."

Conservation proceeded calmly yet everyone was freaking out, doctors soon scrambled to try and get rid of the evil power.

However there was no such luck.

They all had seen the way Aethelstan's unmoving body turned to stone, it happened in seconds and Elvira couldn't get over how fast everything changes.

Their friend who they had dearly loved and had spoken with just days ago, is now someone they will never see or hear again. His eyes would no longer spark a thunderstorm when tested and neither would they spark in concern.

They weeped, even the maid who had spoken up earlier.

The most affected was the trembling Angesi, words repeated silently under her breath again and again. "He's really gone. He's really gone. He's really gone. He's...."

What had felt like hours was actually just thirty minutes, but in those thirty minutes they realised that they couldn't do anything at all. Even with the knowledge of gods, Aiwen was unable to do anything and the light's inside all eyes further dimmed, hopelessness evident.

And the hopelessness continued in the future ad Angesi's soul tore apart inch by inch, her ones light red colour blossomed into a deep blood red.

Even her loving and cheerful attitude turned sour and void of any emotion.

She had no reason to stay, so when she turned Elvira could see the glow in her eyes. Whoever did this would die and the only clue she needed was already provided.

The marquis of hell!

She vanished into the corridors of the castle, never to be seen again.

Aiwen unable to see the child he had helped into the world, raised and cared for turn to stone had left with the promise of finding a cure. In the hopes that he at the very least would be able to help.

Her parents talked slowly to Dakaria and Emiris, who where silent. Eyes red from from the tears they had cried in each other's embrace. Solace is what they sought so with a dazed expression Elvira felt herself get pulled together with Damon. Father silently followed, after giving the maids commands and firing the impudent one.

Before the door closed she could see the tear that had left Cole's eyes as he carried little Adrian, as his godfather the pain he must feel must have been overwhelming. She watched as he laid the five year old next to Aethelstan, who immediately reached for Aethelstan, his parents huddled closely next to him. Cherishing the last half hour they would must likely have together, something the child didn't understand as why's flowed out his mouth.

The next five years had went by in a rush.

In the end Adrian had also turned into a stone like Aethelstan, the two of them where buried closely together. A symbol of the bond they had shared. That didn't change the fact that the night ,and many nights afterwards,that followed became the worst of her life.

Dakaria and Emiris had tried their best to deal with the pain of losing their son but couldn't handle it yet so they decided to go into a long, long sleep with the hope the unbearable pain would lessen.

Only rumours of Angesi ,who had left with murderous intent and had been seen multiple times fighting talented kids. It didn't make any sense as to why. Aiwen was a mystery and even Cole had decided to take a century off and venture into a secluded forest.

A lot of the maids had become saddened after both the loss of Aethelstan and the baby vampire, that they had become disheartened. Leading to their dismissal altogether.

The royal family can only have the best, anything less wasn't enough.

Her brother ,who had been imposed the responsibility of keeping Aethelstan here and making sure he and Adrian felt at home had been going crazier by the day. That was the first order or request from mother that he failed and the failure hit him hard.

he wasn't himself anymore but neither where mom and dad. They kept themselves busy with the upkeep of the kingdom.

The moment of the 'death' of Adrian and Aethelstan was the moment their hope died.

It was crushing for Elvira, as for five years she watched their hope grow with the boy, only to crash down to nothing as the person they placed their hope on died.

They couldn't look her into eyes anymore as they had always wanted to give their children the chances they had, the chance to have children.

To make matter worse for her where the rumours that spoke of her being the one that birthed the fabled child. So the Queen and King came clean after a few months and the reaction was anything but good.

They tried to make amends, a statue was made of an angel holding the small form of a child. It was quite beautiful, the angel had traits of Aethelstan but only those who knew him would recognise those traits.

The sentiment was great ,considering the bond between them but everything just kept going downhill.

Rumours grew, got worse and it didn't take long before countless people from different races came to Aesteamore kingdom.

Everything went fine until a certain powerful group of humans came with the support of the famed warriors

Her parents had warned her. If she didn't do as they asked the whole kingdom would be in trouble, leading to vampires getting wiped out in just a few years.

She should have listened but her pride stood as block of cement before her.

They wanted to experiment with the curse, said it sounded like a fun project.

She was to let them and maybe a new hope would come to the kingdom. They demanded it and she refused.

It could have been anyone but she had prided herself in the care for her people, things she wouldn't want to do where things she couldn't force onto her people. Where things she couldn't expect.

In the ends she had been forced to leave with them and join them, she was to never see her family or kingdom again.

Elvira had no choice, her parents watched stoicily as she would never reach their expectations.

That was the last time a smile made it across her face, a small tired one.

She had disappointed them but even that extreme feeling of quilt that came with that realisation faded when the experiments started.

At first slowly, a dna test here, a blood test there and a hair sample at another time.

But that soon turned into multiple scars not healing at all.

Experiments ,that happened once in while, didn't stop anymore. Even now Elvira was laying down, unable to move even a muscle.

She didn't know when she had stopped speaking, had stopped dreaming and hoping. She only felt the familiar sensation of a tear tracing down her cheek.

She was all alone and used as if her darkest nightmare had come alive, leaving her without any of her past pride.