Slave to Destiny

Being King Edmund’s nanny was a pretty nice gig. While other slaves were working, I was off entertaining a five year old for the day. On this particular day I decided to try something new. For the first week or so we’d been spending time around his living quarters, but today I decided to venture outdoors. So there Edmund and I stood under the thousands of tiny stars playing the basic game of catch. Other slaves that passed by gave us looks of curiosity, but none of them dared to say a word as we tossed the ball back and forth with ease.

“You're my best friend,” Edmund told me smiling bright as day. If it weren’t for the fact I was so used to the sharp, jagged, pearly, white teeth of a vampire I’d be terrified. I still had yet to see them devour any humans, which pleased me greatly.

I frowned at Edmund. I was still caught up looking for another child for him to play with. It couldn’t be good for the developmental process for him not to learn to interact with kids his own age. Bennett, Edmund’s bodyguard, stood off to the side leaning against the wall of the castle watching. He was surprisingly very protective over Edmund, but somehow he had managed to infuriate Mistress Abigail to the point he is no longer aloud on the top floor. For that I like him.

“Bennett!” I called out him. His pose instantly became defensive until he realized I was simply ushering him over. “Go run around Edmund,” I told him as I watched Bennett come to a stop in front of him.

“What’s up?” Bennett asked. His short spiked black hair was perfectly styled and his light blue eyes were full of concern.

It felt strange asking him this, “Is there anyone your Majesty could play with his own age?” Bennett looked at me perplexed. Had no one ever considered it before?

“Perhaps some of the noble boys that live close by,” Bennett replied slowly as if the thought had never occurred to him in his entire life.

“What about school?” I pushed. Even though I was royal and at the center of werewolf society I was given a tutor until age ten followed by boarding school until I finished my schooling.

“What about school?” he asked me even more confused by the entire situation.

Rolling my eyes I explained, “Children start school at age five. We don’t want your Majesty falling behind do we? When I was young I had a tutor than I went to boarding school.” The moment I said it I knew I’d screwed up. Only nobles ever had tutors. I’d given myself away.

“Who are you?” he questioned me, “How do you know all this?”

A sharp scream from Edmund broke up our conversation instantly much to my delight. It was not going in the correct direction. My head shot in the direction of Edmund who was sitting on the lush green grass sobbing while clutching his knee. His bouncy curls were splayed out wildly. I could see blood seeping through his jeans, but as I dropped down on my knees and pulled up his pant’s leg I was met by fresh skin the color of milk. It had already healed.

“Come on Edmund, it’s okay. Look it already healed,” I told him as hiccuped and tried to regain composure.

Bennett content with me having control over the situation took his place leaning back against the wall. It seemed as though the situation was going to defuse on its own as I rocked the child back and forth in my arms soothing him. All was nearly normal until a harsh voice snapped from behind me, “What did you do?”

I turned around to see a fuming Cole standing there. His face was flushed with anger. Everything about him seemed so raw and furious. I set Edmund on the ground and walked over to Cole ready to sort out the situation. It was as if they couldn’t leave me alone. They were always hanging over me. It was pathetic really because none of them seemed to have any idea what to do with children. Perhaps immortality left them with no understanding of how to treat children. They were too far in between, but in pack life among werewolves we raise our children together. I went to the Castle’s nursery like any other child, and during my vacations from boarding school I helped out.

Cole grabbed my wrist and jerked me forward. Slaves that had been working on the lawns turned and openly stared. “What did you do to him?” he hissed in my ear. The wolf inside of me wanted to claw his face off. Just thinking of it earned me a nauseating shock. I grumbled in pain, but stood my ground.

“He tripped,” I snapped at him, “five year old trip all the time.”

He looked less than amused by my response, but he did let go of my wrist. Glancing down at Edmund he noted that his cousin had stopped crying, and was now staring up at curiously. Cole turned away, and was about to walk away. I called him back, “Master Cole I need to speak to you.”

“What do you want slave?” I wouldn’t be surprised if the asshole already forgot my name. The other slaves around us continued to openly gawk at us. No one addressed the Masters or Mistress. It was considered rude.

My voice dropped as I whispered to him, “I’m concerned about your Majesty.” Curiosity was woven into his eyes. “Does he not receive any schooling? What about requesting a tutor? Also why are there no younger ones for him to play with. He needs to receive these social interactions to develop properly.”

Cole was openly staring at me like I was a freak, and who could blame him? Here I was concerned about a bloodsucker child who I was going to have to kill if I were to get my Kingdom back. It was slowly becoming evident that I was becoming increasingly attached to the innocent child. Dearest Night Mother, what is wrong with me?