The Vampire King
Two: The Second Meeting
Kain's father, king Edmond, already stood waiting with a handful of other nobility, including Annabelle's father, at the foot of one of the grand staircases that led up to the balcony and floor above. It made Kain wonder where his mother was in all of this- he hardly ever saw her anymore. This was an engagement that she had insisted upon, after all. His father had stood firmly against it for a time, until nobles that he could trust had stretched far too thinly over the past seven years.
Annabelle herself, or her mother, were nowhere in sight as of yet. Kain strode over to the current gathering, his manservant trailing anxiously behind. Kain gave a deep bow once he had reached the group.
"Father," Kain greeted. Edmond- as proud as ever- stiffened at the familiar greeting. Kain would have corrected the manner in which he had addressed the king, but he had stopped caring about formalities on the way there. The stony gaze his father offered him didn't faze him in the slightest, even with how tall the older man loomed, and he simply turned and addressed the other men around them.
"Gentlemen, this blood of my blood you have not seen in such a long time," Edmond shifted his tone from cold to polite. Kain smirked internally at how uncomfortable he knew his father was. "My youngest son, Kain Lestrad."
"Ah, the youngest Lestrad boy," one of the shorter and older looking men rushed forward. He stuck his hand out toward Kain, and Kain placed his hand within it. The shake the older man gave Kain was near strong enough to make Kain stumble over. "It is indeed a pleasure to finally meet you. You are growing into a fine young man. I am Mr. Leon, but please do call me Edwin."
Kain had to bite back a grin at watching his father squirm uncomfortably at the way Edwin greeted him. He shook the man's hand, gave a short nod, and kept his gaze stoic as he shifted attention to Annabelle's father.
There was a man whose presence almost rivaled that of his fathers. However whereas Edmond was cool and hostile, Davide was calm and inviting. Annabelle's blonde locks certainly came from this man- and not from her dark haired mother. Davide offered a hand out to Kain in a slightly more formal way than Edwin had. Kain shook his hand timidly, aware that any wrong word or move could insult him and end the engagement. His father visibly relaxed.
"My sincerest apologies that Eleanor couldn't make it," Edmond said, turning the groups attention back to him. "She hasn't been well as of late; not straying too far from her bedchamber." Kain stiffened at this news. He hadn't seen his mother in a long while; and he definitely hadn't heard the reasoning behind it before.
"Father, what do you mean?" Kain said, losing all composure and allowing heat to enter his voice.
"You watch your tone with me, boy," Edmond said. He seemed to grow taller, looming even further over Kain's height. Kain opened his mouth to speak again but was interrupted by a voice flowing down from the stairs.
"The young princess Annabelle duBois and her mother Madeleine duBois," a short and thin man announced. He stood tall and straight as possible, his head held high and gaze averted as the women made their way down the stairs.
Annabelle's mother held a gaze that matched Edmond's icy demeanour, though Kain could see underneath the facade: a lady struggling to contain her excitement that her daughter would be married to the future king. Her dark hair flowed loosely in waves about her shoulders, her pale eyes complimented by the deep blue gown she wore.
Annabelle was a far more staggering sight. She wore a pale blue gown that contrasted with her mother's in a startling way; it had always been like her to wear lighter colours. Kain thought it odd, as most nobility preferred to stand out in much more vibrant colours. Equally as wavy as her mother's, Annabelle's golden locks flowed loosely down her back and over her shoulders. Her eyes were the same light colour as her mother's eyes and her dress.
And even though Kain was still not quite of an age to take a different interest in girls, he found himself stunned frozen at Annabelle's beauty. He hardly noticed when the two women had joined their group, not until Annabelle had stood right before him- a head taller than him, no less. That small fact made him jump and stand as tall as he could. Annabelle smirked, the attempt to be taller not going unnoticed by her.
"Your highness, a pleasure to see you again," she said. Kain felt his face heat up once more. He knew she was mocking him.
Annabelle herself, or her mother, were nowhere in sight as of yet. Kain strode over to the current gathering, his manservant trailing anxiously behind. Kain gave a deep bow once he had reached the group.
"Father," Kain greeted. Edmond- as proud as ever- stiffened at the familiar greeting. Kain would have corrected the manner in which he had addressed the king, but he had stopped caring about formalities on the way there. The stony gaze his father offered him didn't faze him in the slightest, even with how tall the older man loomed, and he simply turned and addressed the other men around them.
"Gentlemen, this blood of my blood you have not seen in such a long time," Edmond shifted his tone from cold to polite. Kain smirked internally at how uncomfortable he knew his father was. "My youngest son, Kain Lestrad."
"Ah, the youngest Lestrad boy," one of the shorter and older looking men rushed forward. He stuck his hand out toward Kain, and Kain placed his hand within it. The shake the older man gave Kain was near strong enough to make Kain stumble over. "It is indeed a pleasure to finally meet you. You are growing into a fine young man. I am Mr. Leon, but please do call me Edwin."
Kain had to bite back a grin at watching his father squirm uncomfortably at the way Edwin greeted him. He shook the man's hand, gave a short nod, and kept his gaze stoic as he shifted attention to Annabelle's father.
There was a man whose presence almost rivaled that of his fathers. However whereas Edmond was cool and hostile, Davide was calm and inviting. Annabelle's blonde locks certainly came from this man- and not from her dark haired mother. Davide offered a hand out to Kain in a slightly more formal way than Edwin had. Kain shook his hand timidly, aware that any wrong word or move could insult him and end the engagement. His father visibly relaxed.
"My sincerest apologies that Eleanor couldn't make it," Edmond said, turning the groups attention back to him. "She hasn't been well as of late; not straying too far from her bedchamber." Kain stiffened at this news. He hadn't seen his mother in a long while; and he definitely hadn't heard the reasoning behind it before.
"Father, what do you mean?" Kain said, losing all composure and allowing heat to enter his voice.
"You watch your tone with me, boy," Edmond said. He seemed to grow taller, looming even further over Kain's height. Kain opened his mouth to speak again but was interrupted by a voice flowing down from the stairs.
"The young princess Annabelle duBois and her mother Madeleine duBois," a short and thin man announced. He stood tall and straight as possible, his head held high and gaze averted as the women made their way down the stairs.
Annabelle's mother held a gaze that matched Edmond's icy demeanour, though Kain could see underneath the facade: a lady struggling to contain her excitement that her daughter would be married to the future king. Her dark hair flowed loosely in waves about her shoulders, her pale eyes complimented by the deep blue gown she wore.
Annabelle was a far more staggering sight. She wore a pale blue gown that contrasted with her mother's in a startling way; it had always been like her to wear lighter colours. Kain thought it odd, as most nobility preferred to stand out in much more vibrant colours. Equally as wavy as her mother's, Annabelle's golden locks flowed loosely down her back and over her shoulders. Her eyes were the same light colour as her mother's eyes and her dress.
And even though Kain was still not quite of an age to take a different interest in girls, he found himself stunned frozen at Annabelle's beauty. He hardly noticed when the two women had joined their group, not until Annabelle had stood right before him- a head taller than him, no less. That small fact made him jump and stand as tall as he could. Annabelle smirked, the attempt to be taller not going unnoticed by her.
"Your highness, a pleasure to see you again," she said. Kain felt his face heat up once more. He knew she was mocking him.