The. Wolf and the Vampire Heir

The night was wild, and the rain fell heavily on the old stones of Bloodveil Castle, the thunder growled above the sky. Inside the castle, everything was happening so fast. The guards were shouting in the halls, and the doors slammed with feet that pounded against the floor. The baby was crying. His cry was sharp and loud, even louder than the storm outside. The cries came from the Royal chamber where Queen Selene held the baby close to her chest. The baby was the prince and future heir to the throne. Her eyes were red from fear. She whispered to him, “Hush, kael. Please be quiet.” But the baby was little and helpless and would not stop. His eyes glowed red in the Torchlight, and that glow made the queen even more scared because she knew what it meant. King kyran stood by the windows, with his sword in his hands. The crown he wore was heavy, and his face looked frightened. He looked outside, where shadows moved beyond the walls. “They are here,” he said. “The prophecy…….. They will not rest until they have him.” The Queen's arms trembled with fear. “B… But.. But he is only a baby,” she said. “What do they want with him?” The king's voice was low. “They….they want to kill him before he grows. They fear what he may become.” Suddenly, the doors crashed open. The guards rushed in, their armor was wet from the rain. “My lord!” One of them shouted. “The gates are broken, and the enemy is inside.” “Take him quick!” The king ordered. “Protect the prince with your life.” But even as he spoke, a dark shadow slipped through the broken doors. Cloaked in black, the figure moved like smoke, very fast and silent. The guards brought out their swords, but the shadow moved past them. And in the blink of an eye, it was at the Queen's side ready to snatch the baby from her. She screamed so loudly. The figure snatched the baby from her arms and the cry of Prince Kael filled the chamber. “Noooooooooooooooo! Don't touch him. Let him goooo, get your hands away from my son,” Queen Selene cried as she struggled for her son but fell back with hot tears streaming down her cheeks. The king roared and charged with his sword, but the cloaked thief ran away, vanishing into the storm. “After him!” The king shouted. The guards ran, with their boots splashing in the wet halls, but the shadow was already gone, carrying the prince into the night. As the storm raged on, the horses moved through the mud as the enemy fled into the woods. Lightning lit their faces for a second and one of them, who was taller than the rest, looked back at the castle and his hood slipped, showing a pale smile. But no one saw it in the rain. They went deeper into the forest and the baby kept on screaming in their arms with his red eyes glowing. “Quiet!” One of them hissed, shaking him. But kael cried even louder, with his small fists in the air. The storm grew stronger, and the ground became more slippery and rough. And then, as if the night itself wanted to stop them, a branch cracked and the horseman carrying the baby stumbled. He cursed and fell hard into the mud and the baby slipped from his grip. “ Leave him!” One of the riders shouted. “But…..” “Leave him!” We don't have time!” The man froze and stared at the baby as he cried and wailed in the mud and rain pouring on his face. The riders looked at one another and vanished in seconds into the trees. Baby kael laid there, so tiny and helpless with his eyes shining through the storm. ******************** Far away there was a man riding his horse home from the village. His name was Donald, a simple blacksmith who repaired things out of iron and steel for a living. He was really cold and tired, and the storm almost threw him off his horse. But then he heard it… A cry. He pulled on the horse's reins. “Slow down boy.” His horse stopped, then the cry came again. This time he heard a baby's cry. Donald's heart jumped. “Who would leave a baby out here in the woods in this heavy storm?” He came off his horse and followed the sound. He pushed through the wet branches and saw a baby lying on the ground, soaked with the rain and his small face red and swollen from crying. “Goodness Gracious,” he said to himself as he bent down and lifted the baby into his arms. The baby was shivering, with his tiny cold body. But when Donald looked into his eyes, he froze. Kael had red eyes. And for a moment, his chest was filled with fear. He had heard stories of children born with strange eyes, marked by old blood. Very dangerous eyes. But he was just a baby. He wrapped his cloak around him. “ You poor little thing,” he said. “No matter what you are, you don't deserve this.” Kael's cries softened as Donald pressed him against his chest. He looked back at the dark woods, feeling that someone may be watching them, but it was nothing, just the storm. He climbed his horse again, holding Kael close. “I'll take you home, my daughter will be so glad to have you.” He said. “Whatever curse or blessing you carry, you are safe with me now.” He rode away, the storm following but behind them the forest whispered secrets only the night could keep. That night, Prince Kael of the Vampire Clan, and future heir to the throne, vanished from his world. His name was not spoken again in the castle because fear, grief and silence fell heavy on the king and queen. But in a small wooden house deep in the woods, the little prince slept in a stranger's arms. He would grow up not knowing who he truly was. He would grow not knowing about the prophecy that tied his blood to the moon. He would grow up not knowing that one day, his path would cross with a girl named med Braya. And that was his destiny.