VLAD

"Andryj, please tell the council we will be meeting shortly after I finish my conversation with Giselle." Vlad told him. They stood at the door and Vlad hoped Giselle didn't care what they talked about because he abruptly remembered his wife. "And Andryj, please bring some flowers for Alina. She has been on edge ever since her sister's daughter showed up."

When Andryj left nodding, Vlad returned to his seat in front of Giselle.

"What of your upbringing?" Vlad was becoming desperate, the entire afternoon he's spent trying to learn more about the young woman fate brought into his home. But all he's learned is that she was impossibly good at not answering questions.

"Mother wasn't around much, dying when I was four and all that. And father, some might say he did a very good job and others, that I'd be better off being raised by wolves." Giselle smiled politely and Vlad thought of the thorough facade she had on. With every day, she's reminded him more of her mother.

"But you know the customs of a court?" Vlad asked. He still hasn't gotten used to her resembling Leona so much, he's tried focusing on differences. He's noticed one thing, where Leona was an honest woman, Giselle's every word was intertwined with a lie.

"I can shoot a moving target. I suppose that would be valuable amongst lots of courts, considering the King is mostly sitting." She said, her lips stretched into a sweet smile. Vlad kept a straight face but the girl knew she was doing her magic.

"Did you read the books I gave you?" Vlad asked. He's given her everything he had on the history of their own species, as well as the witch and werewolf history. She's been here two weeks now and didn't have a lot of problems adjusting.

"I did read History of the three figures, but I did not read The Monarchy, it sounded like a manifesto and those are too political for me." Vlad laughed out loud.

"How do you know these..."

"Words? I read a lot of books. Although, it might also be the Devil speaking through my mouth or so I've been told."

It would've been a shame, thought Vlad, if she'd stayed at Carcassonne, her spirit dying there. But he still hasn't gotten what he wanted from this young woman.

"You do need to learn our ways, Giselle."

"I do know that, Vlad," she emphasized his name. "But my mother sent me here for a reason and first I need to find out what that is. I know she was a witch, and a dark one, for that matter."

"I've been looking into the dark arts, one of my counsellors translating the Daemon Tongue."

"The Daemon Tongue?" Giselle interrupted Vlad. The spark in her eye was apparent, she knew something he didn't and that was what he feared most. This girl was keeping secrets just like Leona was.

"It's an old tale, the only proof are the scriptures, the dark books." He began, hoping that if he opened up she would follow. "They say the Daemon Tongue was the common tongue vampires, witches and werewolves spoke when they first arrived. Then again, the Monarchy claims now that only vampires are of a different origin, they won't acknowledge witches or the wolves."

"But you disagree." She pointed out and Vlad nodded.

"Let's say your mother presented some non-reputable evidence." Vlad felt her loosening up and he realised he would finally find something out.

"My mother left some letters, written in a language I don't understand. My friend from Carcassonne crossed herself when she saw them. Could we translate them for me?"

Vlad nodded carefully. Translating those letters with her would provide him with much needed time to gain influence over her. Before everyone else decided to convince Giselle to play on their side. Before she realised how powerful she might be.

"When did you meet my mother?" She asked and Vlad choked on a breath, he wasn't ready for that question.

"Ages ago. Leona was... my best friend. I used to be the King. I've been trying to make some changes in the governing of the Monarchy that most courts didn't really like. Leona had my back, she had influence even though she was a witch. It was possible to make some things happen, with a powerful witch and the King of the Monarchy. Once the wolf joined in..."

"The wolf?" Giselle asked.

"Vampires and werewolves don't like each other, I suppose you've grasped that already. But it went further than that. Before I've sat on the throne, werewolf murder was allowed. It wasn't common because the wolves stayed on the outskirts, but some vampires liked hunting them down. Especially the baby wolves. I tried stopping it and Leona helped me. The wolf did to."

"What's the name of this wolf? Who is he?"

"Devan Roua. He doesn't meddle in vampire politics much. But I hear he's in Cardona now." Vlad watched Giselle's face carefully, but it gave nothing away. She either hid her interest very well or wasn't interested at all, which Vlad knew was a lie. Andryj told him she received an invitation to the Winter Solstice Ball, sent specifically for her.

"So, you, my mother and this wolf ruled the Monarchy?" She asked.

"Well, the wolf went to explore depths of Africa, coming back years later when we tried to take down Lord Bryce." Vlad said, he wanted her asking about anything other than her mother. He would tell her all the Monarchy's secrets before bearing the truth about Leona.

"What was he doing in Africa?"

"He sails a ship and goes to explore strange lands where no human has ever set foot on. We don't reside only in Europe, you know, we are all over the world. Roua explores those cultures and usually finds expensive herbs good for lots of things. He returned from Africa, right when the rebellion against Lord Bryce took place. He saved my life and now I owe him." Vlad never thought much about the strange moment that took place in the great halls of Constantinople, when somehow he ended up alone with Augustin Bryce. He never really thought about why Devan Roua saved his life or what owing him meant.

"Lord Bryce is a radical man, he was chosen to rule after me. I suppose the common folk wasn't ready to accept everyone into our society, which was what I've tried to do. Bryce was chosen and he brought back everything I forbade. Soon, people realised it was too much. He didn't just want to get rid of wolves and witches. He wanted to get rid of vampires he deemed weak or not clever enough. People rebelled and dethroned him. After that, Adamovs ruled for a hundred years."

"Alacaris said something about royal families." Giselle murmured, she drank from a wooden cup. Blood freshly prepared just for her.

"There's ten of them." Vlad jumped in quickly.

"Does Alina belong to yours? Considering she's my mother's sister and doesn't directly come from your line?" Giselle asked.

"Yes, there aren't a lot of vampires and there are even less royal family members. She belongs to House Draculesti by marriage, as do you." Vlad said

"What about my mother? You know, because she was a witch?" She wouldn't stop, Vlad thought, she was doing it on purpose, mentioning her mother.

"She would have needed to become a vampire, otherwise no." Vlad didn't know what to think of the girl, she was young and inexperienced and she shouldn't have been this clever. She should've trusted him blindly but she didn't. She shouldn't have withheld information but she did it anyway. Vlad realised he had to gain her trust because if all hell breaks loose because of this girl, he wants to be on the right side.

"It's a shame she didn't, isn't it? She would've been alive." She said and Vlad saw a spectrum of feelings on her face, from thorough sadness to resentment. But most of all, Vlad saw realisation in Giselle's eyes, because if he's seen something in her eyes, she's seen more in his.

"Perhaps I should explain the origin of the three figures." Vlad suggested.

"When did you meet Alina, your wife?" Giselle asked. The question caught Vlad off guard. Not just because the answer was tricky, but because this girl knew exactly why she asked. For a moment, he thought he might ask her outright.

"I've known your mother for years before I met Alina." Vlad said, trying to keep his voice still. Like she realised she pushed him too far, Giselle leaned back into the chair.

"Tell me about the three figures."

"Nobody knows when it happened, but it's a story about the origin of vampires, witches and werewolves. The sky cracked and three figures went through it, entering this world, coming from an unknown place. Figures were way too powerful for this world, but they couldn't go back because the sky closed. So they made a deal, they put limitations on their own power because otherwise they would destroy everything, including themselves. Vampires needed humans to survive, werewolves were slaves to their own anger, unable to form alliances and witches forced to do everything with their hands" Vlad explained.

"Wait, I've heard about this," Giselle interrupted him, "The first figure bound by blood to the life itself, the second cursed to roam the woods, angry and strong, the third banished from the town, condemned and tortured." She recited.

"Yes, except for the part about the third figure, witches have become so weak that humans are able to capture them and kill them." Vlad said. "So the third figure has to do things with their hands which means they cannot create magic out of nothing. But the witches were wise and they found a place within themselves that can generate magic, those are the black witches, users of the dark arts. Some say that magic comes from the Devil. Except we don't believe in the standard representation of the Devil. We believe in balance, we believe good and evil are a scale, not two different categories."

Giselle kept quiet and Vlad could only guess what went through her mind. She reminded him strongly of Leona.

"Alacaris and Jelena, they said something. About me. They said I might be a witch." Giselle finally said and Vlad's heartbeat fastened. Of course, he thought, something like this should've crossed his mind.

"I'll admit what Leona did is peculiar. Fifteen years dead and I can still feel her pulling the strings. Perhaps she really did know more than any of us. She drank vampire blood with intent to keep it in your system. If you had died fifty years from now, you would have woken up as a vampire." Vlad thought out loud, for a moment forgetting she could hear him.

"Say what's on your mind." Giselle rushed him.

"It's just... Leona must have known you were a witch, why turn you into a vampire? Why, if you were much more powerful as a dark trickster than as a vampire? She wanted you to be both, she needed you to be both for some reason." Vlad barely tracked his thoughts, but he could tell Giselle understood well enough.

"She fed me stories, pagan stories, ones I shouldn't've been reading. I used to think she build me to be a sacrifice to some dark god. Honestly, now I'm certain that was her plan." Giselle murmured.

Leona he knew would have never done that, would have never wanted to sacrifice her own child. But Leona that jumped off the tower in his castle... she would have.

The door opened abruptly and for a moment Vlad had a flashback of the Battle of Salamis, when Greeks finally managed to overcome Persians. But it wasn't the Greeks entering his chambers, it was something much worse, his wife. Alina's eyes were wet with tears and her face looked enraged.

"You think you can bribe me with flowers? You think I would simply forget what's going on here because your lackey sent some damn flowers?" She shouted.

"Alina, please, I am in the middle of a meeting. We will talk later." He said, hoping she would just leave. His head hurt immediately.

"A meeting? This is not a meeting, especially not with her here." Alina pointed her finger towards Giselle.

"Well, she's an important part of this right now, it concerns her."

"And it doesn't concern me? I am your wife, but it seems you've forgotten that ever since my sister's daughter walked in!"

"My darling, all I am currently forgetting is the reason why I married you." He didn't mean to say it, but his head was hurting so bad it was a miracle he didn't flip the table over. Alina's face was a blunt expression, completely free of any feeling.

"Leona was mad," she said, her voice a whisper. "She jumped off the cliff onto the bare, hard rocks. She wasn't right, her mind was broken. You're holding on to nothing but a memory and it will tear you apart." She said, staring into his eyes. Blind rage washed over Vlad.

"Alina, leave! Right now!" He shouted and noticed both women in the room flinching. He had to keep the beast under the control, he had to contain the monster. Alina simply nodded, tears falling from her eyes. She turned on her heels and disappeared.

"I believe we are done, now." Vlad murmured. "I will summon you later, after I speak with my council about our further plans."

"I get it," Giselle began. "I get the man you are, fighting in a world that doesn't respect you or take your opinion into consideration. You used to be a king, isn't that right? You tried to make this world a better place and then people who are a part of it chose a monster." Her voice was soft and her words were wise. She did understand, Vlad realised.

"You would know, wouldn't you? A girl, growing up with a sort of restlessness inside, everyone constantly telling you it's wrong." Vlad smiled, weirdly noticing how similar they are. The thought scared him, on so many levels.

"Truth is, when I was a child, I wished to become a boy. It seemed to me that they could do whatever they wanted and then I realised it wasn't true. They were made to swing a sword. If they'd wanted to do anything else, like cook or paint or write, they weren't considered real men. Then I thought of the common folk, they could've been whatever they wanted, but they weren't given an opportunity. So I figured that's what life is, an unfair bastard whom you need to tame, adjust to it, learn how to work with what you were given."

"And?" Vlad asked.

"And I did. I learned how to wish for a prince to give me what my heart desired. I got the prince and then he left. And then I got an old-fashioned middle-aged man. And I figured princes won't help me, I had to become my own prince and my own damn white horse. Now I'm here."

Vlad smiled, looking at the girl that played her way out of the life she didn't want.

"What would you have done? You know, after Jack took you out of Carcassonne? After you used him?" His words weren't judgemental, at least he hoped they weren't. He had respect for clawing your way out of a hole.

"I would've used a hundred more of them until I found one I wouldn't want to use. I'd lie and I'd cheat, but I would've found my way to happiness. And if I died in the process, I would know I died fighting for myself." She said and Vlad noticed tears gathering in her eyes.

"I'm sorry about Alina, about what she said." He said, trying t be as sympathetic as possible. He was sorry, but he never was good at expressing his feelings.

"It's okay." She poured herself some blood, her glances lost all around the room.

"I messed up somewhere along the road. I do love Alina, you know?" Vlad wasn't sure why he was telling a nineteen year old girl what bothered his soul, but it felt right. Giselle sighed and leaned towards him, resting her hands on her knees.

"You want a piece of advice? You simply have to prove to her you love her more." She said and smiled, the first sweet, compassionate smile she offered him since they've met.

"More?" He knew what she meant, but he asked anyway. She figured it out, he thought, it took her two weeks and a few conversations, but she figured it out.

"More than you love my mother, Voivode." Giselle said, her voice free of prejudice, of resentment or anything bad. And Vlad closed his eyes and let those words run through his skin, his heart aching with longing he's kept buried for years.

"Isn't it sad?" He asked, smiling with pain. "She truly is dead and my soul somehow keeps ignoring it."

"I have one question for you, Voivode, and I really wish you'd tell me the truth." Giselle said and Vlad immediately knew. He opened his eyes, feeling them burning.

"Ask, child." Vlad murmured.

"When was the last time you were with my mother?" She asked. With a sigh and a deep breath, Vlad caught Giselle's stare.

"Twenty years ago."

And there it was, Alina's rage and Vlad's sorrow, both combined into this dreadful thought.

A thought that Giselle might be his daughter.