The Vampire King
Three: The Garden
"How long has it been since we last met?" Annabelle asked. She sat in the grass with him, hidden away in her favourite garden while the older vampires discussed the future. Her cool eyes weren't focused on him, rather they were focused on the grass before her as she ran her fingertips over the tops of the blades. Kain's gaze watched the dance of her fingers and marveled at the striking contrast of her pale skin against the deep green of the sea around them. She seemed to be the epitome of 'pure,' an odd way to describe a vampire.
"Seven years," Kain said distractedly. The sound of his voice cracking jolted him from his thoughts, and he cleared his throat to try again. "It's been seven years since we last met." Annabelle brought her fingertips to her lips to stifle her quiet laughter.
"I remember, we would play in the mud during storms, and our mothers would scold us so for ruining our clothes," she sighed out. A smile just barely rose the corners of Kain's lips at the memory. Suddenly he could recall that there were things worth remembering about the girl; plenty of times the two had planned mischief together.
"Those were the lesser times we'd misbehave," Kain nodded with a chuckle. "I remember shearing off your lady's hair in the night together. She refused to come back to work for our families ever again. I'm sure my father assured her she would receive proper accommodation either way; and I was forbidden from leaving my room for an entire week. And I seem to recall the event being your idea."
Annabelle burst into a stronger fit of laughter, rolling back into the grass and clutching at her sides. Kain smiled at that. She wiped at her eyes and sat up properly when she had calmed down.
"I am not sorry for that one bit," she said. "I despised that woman. She made me drink this gross tea daily. I still have to drink it, but now it doesn't bother me as much. I am allowed sugar with it."
She looked around before leaning close to Kain to whisper, "And sometimes a little blood, too. If it still tastes awful." They both chuckled a little and she leaned away once more. Kain furrowed his eyebrows then.
"Why do they make you drink a tea you obviously do not like?" he asked. Annabelle's face scrunched up as she thought.
"I don't know," she said with a shrug. She fiddled with the fabric of her dress' hem, her gaze caught there. "They say I have to or something bad will happen."
She worried her lip a moment, but Kain reached out to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. She released her lip and stared up at him. There was a wild flare to the ruby colour of his gaze. Annabelle's lips parted slightly.
"I won't let anything bad happen to you," he said slowly, completely sure of himself. He gave her shoulder a light squeeze. "But if they say you must drink the tea, then you must." Annabelle nodded her head in agreement.
"Good," Kain said with a smile.
"Miss duBois!" Annabelle's newest lady, Catherine, gasped audibly at the sight of the two in the grass, no doubt staining their expensive fabrics green. She was breathing heavily- most likely from having run around in search of them. "Don't you ever run off like that again! You're lucky I'm soft on you, or I would tell your mother and she would no doubt turn into a tomato! Her anger would scorch this whole land!"
Annabelle and Kain burst into laughter. Kain stood first, brushing off his trousers before offering his hands to Annabelle and helping to pull her up. Catherine came over, and together they made sure Annabelle's gown was free of stains. Catherine let out a long sigh in relief, and Annabelle did the same, having been as equally worried about whatever punishment her mother would have given them.
"Now, your mother asked me to look after you, girl," Catherine scolded. "Don't make my job more difficult than it has to be! Come, I'm sure they are to be expecting you soon for evening meal."
Kain's mouth watered and his fangs elongated at the thought. He had certainly been feeling more thirsty than usual. A rumble from Annabelle's stomach had Catherine and Kain's attention on the young girl, whose cheeks then burned a bright red.
"I may have skipped lunch today," Annabelle admitted quietly. Catherine heaved a deeper sigh.
"Whatever shall we do with you, child," Catherine said. She lifted Annabelle's chin back up, and patted her cheek before turning. "Come along! We don't want to keep them waiting too long."
Annabelle and Kain exchanged a glance and nodded together. They both recalled the last time they made the king wait on them.
"Seven years," Kain said distractedly. The sound of his voice cracking jolted him from his thoughts, and he cleared his throat to try again. "It's been seven years since we last met." Annabelle brought her fingertips to her lips to stifle her quiet laughter.
"I remember, we would play in the mud during storms, and our mothers would scold us so for ruining our clothes," she sighed out. A smile just barely rose the corners of Kain's lips at the memory. Suddenly he could recall that there were things worth remembering about the girl; plenty of times the two had planned mischief together.
"Those were the lesser times we'd misbehave," Kain nodded with a chuckle. "I remember shearing off your lady's hair in the night together. She refused to come back to work for our families ever again. I'm sure my father assured her she would receive proper accommodation either way; and I was forbidden from leaving my room for an entire week. And I seem to recall the event being your idea."
Annabelle burst into a stronger fit of laughter, rolling back into the grass and clutching at her sides. Kain smiled at that. She wiped at her eyes and sat up properly when she had calmed down.
"I am not sorry for that one bit," she said. "I despised that woman. She made me drink this gross tea daily. I still have to drink it, but now it doesn't bother me as much. I am allowed sugar with it."
She looked around before leaning close to Kain to whisper, "And sometimes a little blood, too. If it still tastes awful." They both chuckled a little and she leaned away once more. Kain furrowed his eyebrows then.
"Why do they make you drink a tea you obviously do not like?" he asked. Annabelle's face scrunched up as she thought.
"I don't know," she said with a shrug. She fiddled with the fabric of her dress' hem, her gaze caught there. "They say I have to or something bad will happen."
She worried her lip a moment, but Kain reached out to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. She released her lip and stared up at him. There was a wild flare to the ruby colour of his gaze. Annabelle's lips parted slightly.
"I won't let anything bad happen to you," he said slowly, completely sure of himself. He gave her shoulder a light squeeze. "But if they say you must drink the tea, then you must." Annabelle nodded her head in agreement.
"Good," Kain said with a smile.
"Miss duBois!" Annabelle's newest lady, Catherine, gasped audibly at the sight of the two in the grass, no doubt staining their expensive fabrics green. She was breathing heavily- most likely from having run around in search of them. "Don't you ever run off like that again! You're lucky I'm soft on you, or I would tell your mother and she would no doubt turn into a tomato! Her anger would scorch this whole land!"
Annabelle and Kain burst into laughter. Kain stood first, brushing off his trousers before offering his hands to Annabelle and helping to pull her up. Catherine came over, and together they made sure Annabelle's gown was free of stains. Catherine let out a long sigh in relief, and Annabelle did the same, having been as equally worried about whatever punishment her mother would have given them.
"Now, your mother asked me to look after you, girl," Catherine scolded. "Don't make my job more difficult than it has to be! Come, I'm sure they are to be expecting you soon for evening meal."
Kain's mouth watered and his fangs elongated at the thought. He had certainly been feeling more thirsty than usual. A rumble from Annabelle's stomach had Catherine and Kain's attention on the young girl, whose cheeks then burned a bright red.
"I may have skipped lunch today," Annabelle admitted quietly. Catherine heaved a deeper sigh.
"Whatever shall we do with you, child," Catherine said. She lifted Annabelle's chin back up, and patted her cheek before turning. "Come along! We don't want to keep them waiting too long."
Annabelle and Kain exchanged a glance and nodded together. They both recalled the last time they made the king wait on them.