GISELLE

Giselle did her best trying not to stare at Sergey, but he was a colourful man. He wore a deep blue robe, covered in purple flowers. His black hair and beard were neatly cut. He wore a golden necklace with a ruby pendant hanging from it. The same pattern was on his rings and his bracelets. His accessories twinkled in the moonlight, drawing attention through the night. Fortunately for them, the night was calm and beautiful, nocturnal animals were singing in every direction.

Giselle wasn't tired, she slept a few nights ago. Only Sergey and Andryj were awake. Alacaris and Octavia, who somehow managed to convince Vlad going with Giselle to Cardona was a good idea, slept next to her. Sergey and Andryj were on the opposite side of the beautiful, elegant wooden carriage they've been traveling in. In a few nights they would reach Cardona. But currently, they were outside the Border, which, as Giselle understood it, was a magical line around large vampire residences, such as the castles. This magical line was keeping all the naughty creatures out. Of course, the Monarchy decided who that was. This line wasn't a wall, it was a field. A field that weakens power or strength of all the intruders. Basically, a witch within the Border was a weak witch. They were on the outside.

"Two days we've been outside of the damn thing, how much more?" Sergey asked. They were somewhere in France and the Border was near.

"This night, half the other day, something like that." Said Andryj, looking through the window. Andryj was the most beautiful man Giselle had ever seen. He was Greek, which explained his tan and his gorgeous eyes. And the hair, oh, God, the hair. He looked dangerous and in the same time kind. And, Giselle thought, he was utterly boring.

"Luck was following us through these woods, if we make it through the night we are most likely safe." Sergey's eyes were set on the woods, probably noticing every detail that might mean danger.

Giselle wasn't exactly scared because it's been two nights and she was already used to this feeling in her bones. It wasn't fear, it was quiet and dormant, but it woke up with every move that was out of place. They were like sitting ducks there, waiting for death.

"It felt... unfamiliar," Giselle said. "Those you call Shadows, the ones you think chased me through the woods after I ran from Carcassonne."

"Did you see them?" Sergey asked right away.

"No," Giselle shook her head, "all I saw was darkness, just like you call it, a shadow. But it felt different. It was cold and wet, but also burning. The air became hard to breathe in, like it was stuck in the throat unable to go through."

"No one has ever seen them. There are stories, about people that have and had their minds broken." Sergey seemed lost in thought.

"I did see the carter, and the horse. They were drained, everything alive in them seemed to have been sucked out."

Giselle knew she was scaring both Sergey and herself, but somehow it felt better. It was all they've been thinking about and nobody wanted to talk about it. Sergey thought they would curse themselves. Now, one night left, they needed anything but silence.

"Enough of this, Sergey, you're scaring the girl, reminding her of the horror she's survived." Andryj didn't like it and Giselle didn't like him thinking she needed protection.

"My darling boy, it's a real shame you don't like men, because you're not really acing the female thing." Commented Sergey and Giselle tried not to smile.

"To remind yourself of such dread is pointless." Andryj was shaking his head as he was looking towards Giselle.

"I've been raised to fear the woods," Sergey ignored him. "But some folk live in it. Rogue vampires, werewolves, even witches."

"It's a funny world you've built for yourself. Resembles a human world. Keeping the outcasts on the outside, letting only those you want in." Giselle said.

"It made sense at first, not wanting those who cannot control their impulses inside. But after some time, the Monarchy realised they hold a tremendous amount of power. They began exiling not only those who cannot control their impulses, but also those who do not agree with their opinions. Vlad tried to let them in when he was the king, it backfired when Augustin Bryce sat on the throne."

"Who came after him?" Giselle asked Sergey.

"A woman called Svetlana Adamova, the mother of your dear husband. You know, they don't have any heirs. Her second son, Maximilian Adamov went rogue and lives somewhere in the woods. Rumour had it, Adam feared he wouldn't make a son if he'd been made."

"Yes, Octavia and Alacaris told me." Giselle laughed out loud against herself and Sergey joined.

"Isn't life a tricky thing?" Giselle felt Sergey looking at her knowingly and it was comforting.

What Giselle found tricky was how Adam didn't tell her this. Maybe, Giselle thought, just maybe, she would've given him a son if she knew they had an opportunity to live forever. But for the first time, Giselle understood him and she was sorry.

"The poor bastard couldn't make a child, just as his mother couldn't." Said Andryj. Giselle threw a questioning glance towards Sergey.

"Vampires can procreate with a help from a witch, the baby ends up alive and entirely human. It can choose to become made when it grows old enough." Sergey explained.

Perhaps Adam really couldn't make a child and Giselle drank mercury for nothing.

"And Adamovs are in feud with tricksters. God only knows how Svetlana found one." Andryj was surprisingly angry, which could've been because he believed Giselle was the innocent one in this story. She felt sorry for him, too, because it was such a classic trap and she wondered if a man would come whom she would finally tell the truth.

"Well, she did. Now her son wishes to be a king." Sergey smiled, his stare still locked on the threes outside.

"It's a bad idea, me being the queen. I am sure Vlad wants to manipulate the whole thing, but his wife would've honestly been the better choice." Giselle said and Sergey nodded.

"My darling, sometimes we must do things we do not want to in order to please those who can help us. Vlad doesn't need you to rule, he needs you to stand as a candidate." Sergey smiled encouragingly.

"It's all because of my mother. I gained nothing by myself." Her words sounded more bitter than she wanted them to.

"Men always try to make a name for themselves, trying not to live in the shadow of their parents, or brothers or whomever. I deem it a classic mistake, because they always end up denying what's been given to them. Use her name, use Leona's name until it burns out, and then my dear, you can rise from the ashes." Sergey finished the sentence with a light smile he constantly kept on, but a moment later his smile faded. It was the simplest thing in the world, the lack of that comforting smile, and Giselle knew trouble awaits.

Slowly, darkness fell around them. The same sticky, wet air filled her lungs and Sergey and Giselle stared at each other. Last time this happened, Giselle died. She knew it and Sergey knew it, as well.

Sergey opened the small window separating them from the carter and opened the carriage door.

"Come in, young man, come in, now!" Sergey rushed the carter and he quickly squeezed between them. He was human and seemed to be completely devoured by fear. But Giselle weirdly appreciated Sergey for remembering the carter.

Andryj was the only one with a sword and it was instantly out. The huge blade shone in the night and Sergey waved for him to put it down.

"Not all fight are won with a sword, my darling boy." He said quietly. Alacaris and Octavia woke up coughing and they had to silence them.

"Jesus Christ," whispered Ala, "I know you've already died for our sins, but if you could come down and die once more for us, I would very much appreciate it." Octavia actually slapped her hand to silence her.

"I'll put in a good word with Satan." Giselle added and Octavia slapped her hand as well.

The carriage stopped. They didn't hear anything, but everything went black. There was no moonlight anymore, no animals or their song. Nothing but this haunting feeling that danced around them, making Giselle's body shiver.

As fear grew inside of her chest, Giselle desperately fought to keep her mind working and not become blinded by desperation. They needed out, they needed to run as fast and as far as they could.

"Can we fight?" Octavia whispered. Sweat broke on her forehead and she looked wild.

Giselle glanced at all of them and for a moment let herself stare in awe. They looked as if this was incomprehensible to them, to be this desperate. Powerful, immortal creatures, afraid. Giselle couldn't help but think that this is the way a lion would look like if it was suddenly scared.

But she was just as scared as them.

"I doubt we can win, darling." Sergey answered.

Still trying to keep her mind focused, Giselle begged for a deus ex machina. She begged for her mind to come up with something because there was nothing else to save them.

Something tugged on the back of her head, almost like an idea approaching. They are something the Monarchy doesn't want you to believe in, they are the fourth figure. Giselle remembered Jack's words suddenly and after that, her father's. Leona Solberg had a heart for everyone God has turned his back on.

They were about to find out how strong Leona exactly was, how much her name meant.

"You stay here. And close the curtains. Do. Not. Look. Out." Giselle commanded.

"No." Andryj protested right away. "You stay here."

"Listen, this is our only chance. I need to go out now, before they get here. And you will stay here." Giselle wanted to scream, but all she could do was barely let out a sound.

"No!" He said again. "If you leave, I'm going with you."

"Andryj, I swear to God, I will tell Vlad you tried to rape me if you don't let me leave this carriage, without any of you." That shut him up.

Giselle opened the door and stepped out on the pathway. She hadn't noticed the exact density of the air before, perhaps because she had been running for her life. It wasn't only hard to breathe, but hard to walk as well.

Giselle could barely see anything. It was this darkness that scared her the most, knowing that something was staring back at her. The darkness closed in on her and with a last ounce of nerve, Giselle fell on her knees. She was, indeed, as dumb as they come.

"I am Leona Solberg's daughter!" Giselle said out loud, but the darkness kept coming for her. "I am Leona Solberg's daughter!" Giselle repeated, shouting, begging for fear not to take her voice.

"I am begging for safe passage, I am begging you, whoever you are, I am begging you on both my knees! Let me and my friends through!" Giselle screamed, feeling the icky, watery slime on her legs, hands and face. Her heart was threatening to give out as Giselle finally lifted her gaze.

"I am Leona's daughter!" Giselle shrieked. As God is her witness, she saw eyes staring at her from the darkness, empty, hollow eyes. Just as they leaned in, probably wanting to devour her, Giselle heard a horn.

The sound was ancient, deep and primal, like a song sang by the gods not meant for human ears. The shadows around her withdrew, leaving nothing but moonlight. They were frightening, but when Giselle turned around to see who her saviour was, she lost all ability to talk.

"Close the curtains, close them now." She whispered her earlier command again, to no one in particular.

A tall, lean man, with long limbs and a bald head surfaced from the woods. He was at least twice as tall as Giselle. His skin was ebony white and she could barely see him in the pale light of the moon. He didn't have any clothes and Giselle realised she really cannot tell whether he's a man or not. Where his eyes should've been, nothing but black void stared. As he came closer, Giselle noticed how his skin wasn't the regular skin, it was translucent, looking as if it consisted of moonlight. She was shivering, feeling completely exposed as he approached.

She felt like a child who's just been told the God is always watching, she was nothing but a weak, mortal life next to this thing. He stretched out his hand and Giselle stiffened. Those empty eyes stared at her and she simply knew, she could die right know if he'd only wished for her to.

"The right trade will buy you time." He spoke, but he had no mouth. Words flew around Giselle, coming from every direction. She extended her hand and jumped with surprise when a cold coin touched her palm. Something else was there, too, a piece of paper.

"Travel safe." This time, multiple voices came out of the woods. He turned his back on Giselle. As he entered the woods, the trees around him sang, moving at his slightest touch.

Giselle fell on the grass, breathing in the fresh air. She opened her palm and a coin was there, a silver, clean coin with nothing but a rose on it. Sitting on the ground, Giselle opened the paper.

"Some burdens are too heavy to be shared. When you walk this path, you walk alone. But I will be here, every step of the way.

L.S."

Sitting alone on the grass, rereading her mother's letter, Giselle realised her companions are staring at her through the carriage window, afraid to go out.

"We're safe." Giselle murmured as she flipped the coin in her hand.

Up until this very moment, she thought she might have accidently stumbled into this world, that maybe this wasn't her mother's intention after all. But sitting on the wet grass, Giselle realised this was much bigger than anything in this world.

Her mother fought for something. And despite what everyone might say, she didn't imagine it. She might have been mad, but she was telling the truth.

Her mother was trying to stop it, she was trying to save them.

Something is coming to destroy them and all the tales are true.