When Darkness Meets Light

Her Royal Highness, Queen Aimee

Dru, King of Dragon’s

We’re led to our rooms. All of which are within the same hallway. I went into my room and saw that there was a large desk on one side.

“Can you bring me some coffee?” I asked the servant that had just opened the door to my room.

“Yes, your majesty.” She says before curtsying and walking away. 

I put the documents provided for me on the desk and attempt to start to read them, but I’m distracted. 

My mind keeps wandering to the beautiful queen that I met earlier. I was expecting some cold and calculating. The vampires that I have met are nothing like those portrayed to me growing up. But then again, my grandfather let his guard down around them and looked where that got him. Dead, throat slit by his own friend. The Vampire King even had the gull to deny that he had killed my grandfather…what a coward. They were found in the same room together. My grandfather was found with his throat slit by a royal blade. Those only carried by the King or his children. 

I’ve met plenty of royal women over the years. We have neighboring kingdoms, although most of them are further away. Most of them offered a daughter to me. We might not be what we used to be, but we’re still wealthy and have an army of dragons. But none of those women have ever piqued my interest. Not even in the slightest.  So why is this queen, the granddaughter of my enemy, so interesting to me? Is it simply because she is beautiful? Breathtakingly so. No, it can’t be just that. 

Maybe it's purely because I know that I can’t have her. But then why should I want her in the first place? She is my enemy. 

I shook my head, trying to clear my head.

I hear a knock on my door and in strolls Luke and the servant with coffee. She sets it on the desk and turns to leave.

“Well, Queen Aimee  is quite something, isn’t she?” Luke has known me my whole life. Of course, he would cut straight to the point, but the interest that I have, or shouldn’t have, is not something that I want to discuss.

“Maybe, but she is our enemy.”

“True, but she also couldn’t keep from observing you…and I noticed that was mutual.” He said, looking in my eye

“I…admit that she is beautiful, and I couldn’t help it…she is so unlike what I had pictured. So warm. So witty… but she is still my enemy.”

Luke rolled his eyes.

“She was your enemy. After this deal goes through..”

“If this deal goes through…” I corrected.

“When this deal goes through, you will be allies.”

I turned to look at Luke…

“Why are you encouraging this?”

Luke shrugged,

“Not sure, gut feeling I suppose.”

I shake my head,

“Even if this deal goes through, we would be neutral at best.”

“Whatever you say, but can I remind you that you’re still King?”

I shook my head at him.

“True as that, maybe, there are other women out there. Ones that wouldn’t cause possible riots if I pursued them.”

Luke shrugs,

“If you don't, someone else will…”

“That’s fine.”

As much as I find her interesting, I’m sure that it would cause discourse within my people. That is not something that I can afford.

I turn back to the documents and both Luke and I start to read…looking for anything that could be a possible trap. Deals that sound too good to be true are most likely.

__

It’s several hours later and both Luke, Castellan and myself have been pouring over every sentence in that document. So far we can’t find anything in the document that isn’t in our best interest.

“I’m done. I can’t find anything of suspicious intent.” said Luke, as he went over to pour himself a drink instead of the coffee that we had been drinking.

“I did not think that this would be so…clear and easy to enact. This has my support.” Says Castellan.

“So, you both truly think.. That this is an Olive Branch? As simple as that?” I asked while relaxing in my seat. 

“An Olive Branch, yes. There is no other explanation for it. Simple to enact, no. Our people hate their people, but we have to keep them from retaliating. Or we could lose everything. That will be the hardest part. Convincing a people of warriors that war isn’t an option, but peace,” said Luke.

“ Here it says that peace is to be expected as long as both generations are alive. That is a hard task, but not impossible. As an assembly of sorts, official letters will need to be sent. After, we convince congress to work with the Vampires to begin with.” said Castellan.

“This is all true. So are we doing this then?” I asked.

“We’d be stupid not, too.” said Luke.

“You know how I feel…how my family feels about these bloodsuckers, but the profits from the mines…let alone the part of the coast that we would control, it would bring us not only back to our former glory, but we’d be able to provide and trade again.” Said Castellan.

I nod, filing away these thoughts for later.

“I believe that we have a party to get to..and I’m eager to start rebuilding those lost relationships..” Said Luke with a smile.

I rolled my eyes.

“Luke, we're only here for one night.” I reminded him.

He shrugs with a half smile on his face…

“That’s all it takes.”

I shook my head at him. Knowing full well that he’ll enjoy himself tonight. They both get up and leave to change. I walked over to the box of swimwear brought up. Swim trunks in a variety of colors, as well as what looks to be leather sandals are provided.  I just grabbed a dark blue pair. I paired it with the light colored shirt that I wore earlier under my armor. I run my hands thru my hair. Not knowing why I care. 

I hear a knock at my door and I find a servant right outside.

“I’m here to escort you to the party, your majesty.”

Castellan also joined us…

“Luke has left already,” he said as he joined us.

“No surprise there.” 

The servant leads us down the hall and to the left. We went out to large glass doors. They swing out and we are brought out into an outdoor corridor. A roof is built over what looks to be a natural spring with a small waterfall that feeds it. We can see the outside is still raining as one wall is open. To the left, multiple tables are set up with foods and drinks. There’s a small group of young vampires and humans here, but no more than a dozen total. I saw the younger boy earlier and he ran up to us with beers. He stops before getting to us and gives us a half bow. Which we answer.

“I didn’t think that you would come, your majesty! But thank you regardless…it’s a small party, but the rainy season has been so terrible lately, we could only invite some of the royals who live nearby.” 

I took the drink offered.

“No problem. It was Prince Gavin, correct?”

The young teen’s eyes lit up.

“Yes, your majesty.”

“This is my third, Castellan.” I said, introducing my third.

“Nice to officially meet you,” said Gavin. With a smile. 

It’s nice to meet you as well,” says Castellan. 

“Enjoy the party!” says Gavin as he goes over to greet another vampire couple that had just walked in.

Castellan walks over to the food table and I’m left observing and drinking my beer.

There are two taller men who look a lot like Gavin. They must be the Queen’s other brothers. I see that Luke has already introduced himself to them and they look to be in a friendly conversation with a group of girls.

I look around for Queen Aimee and I'm disappointed that she isn't here…

“My daughter will be here soon…” says a striking older woman. I see that her daughter didn’t just get her beauty from her vampire genes. Her mother is her older twin in features. The only difference is the previous queen's hair was a lighter brown. Verse her daughter's hair is almost black. They share the same fair skin and golden brown eyes.

She gives me a half bow and I answer back.

“Your majesty, we’ve never been introduced. I’m King Drustan.”

The older woman smiled.

“Pleased to meet you, King Drustan. I’m Lady Clara”

“I could tell…you and your daughter look very similar.”

Lady Clara smiles…a smile that is almost a smirk.

“Ah indeed. Are you enjoying the party so far?”

“I just arrived, actually.”

Lady Clara nodded.

“Well, your friend Luke seems to be the life of the party already.” Says Lady Clara with a warmer smile.

“Ah yes, Luke will be everyone’s best friend before the night is out.” I say, knowing that my friend is an extrovert here. 

I noticed then how casually Lady Clara is dressed compared to the other vampire royalty. While their outfits are showy and almost too nice for a simple party. Hers is loose and more of a Gypsy style. She even has jewelry on her ankles, which is not a common occurrence. Instead of conforming to the world around her, she has kept her manner of dressing similar to that which is common in her homeland. I see now why her daughter was dressed so simply earlier. She is just simply following her mother’s nature.

“Excuse me. There seems to be a few of my son’s favorite foods missing from the table.” Says Lady Clara as she excuses herself and walks away. 

I walked over to the group where Luke was. All of them with drinks in their hands that are draining quickly. There are servants rushing around to refill drinks and bring towels to those in the springs.

“Your Majesty, you finally made it” Said Luke as he saw me approach. Both of the older vampires gave me a half bow.

“Your Majesty, I’m Godwin.” said one that had a scar above his right eye.

“And I am Leo..” said the other. I noticed then how similar they looked.

“...you are twins then?” I asked as I answered their half bow.

“Yes,...the first vampire twins to be born in a thousand years.” Said Leo, almost proud.. 

I nod. Not sure how to respond to that random fact.

“We’re hoping that everything went well with the negotiations today,” said Godwin. As he started talking, both Luke and Leo took this chance to jump into the pool and splash the group of girls that had separated from their group. Shrieks and cuss words flew from their lips. I couldn’t help but laugh. It’s been awhile since I have been to a party that wasn’t formal.

I turned back to Godwin and he was shaking his head. His golden eyes laughing with all of the stupidity. 

“...yes.. They went very well, but I don’t have the only say here. We'll see how our congress takes this.”

“They’d be stupid not to take that deal. I helped my sister rush it through our own congress. The profits alone..” said Godwin, between occasional sips of his drink.

“I agree, but it’s going to be its own process,” I say said, replying back.

At this time, a royal announcer announced.

“Her Royal Highness, Queen Aimee.”

Out Aimee walked and I almost choked on my drink..

She wore a red swimsuit that didn’t leave much to the imagination. As well as a red lace wrapper. She wore similar jewelry to her mother's. Anklets and loose bracelets. Where her dark hair had been partially up, it now flowed over her shoulders in waves. Her face held a red lip that matched her swimwear. She was strikingly beautiful as well as desirable.

“Ah, I think my sister came to impress.” Said Gowin with a smirk and wink. Before jumping in the spring as well.