Queen Velorina

Chapter 1

The beginning.

Velorina was sitting at the long table in the front of the ball room, she was watching the many people of her coven dance around and go about their business. Many guest was trying to get closer to the higher ranks, some watched the soon to be Queen with worried eyes. No one spoke about it, but many knew that Velorina was fixing to be shoved into the throne. She was only thirteen at this time, she would be the youngest Queen in all of their history. Velorina knew little to nothing of what was happening around her, she was sheltered as her mothered feared the truth would haunt the young girl. Many knew that Velorina needed to know the truth, but no one dared to let it spill from their lips. The ballroom grew silent as eyes shifted from the young princess to the new guest that walked into the beautifully decorated room, the new guest's were here to sign the 'hand in hand' treaty.

The treaty was to pull the coven and pack toegther, make the enemies your closest friend. The Queen wanted friends instead of enemies, she wanted peace for everyone. Queen Tatiana, Velorina's mother, wanted fair games that kept a bit of challenge between the two and she wanted feasts and ballroom dances. The treaty was to open their lands and welcome the pack, it was a sure sign of peace which was everything in Tatiana's eyes. The treaty was a sign of better times, it was the whole reason that the ballroom was packed full and why the new guests were walking in.

The new guests were the King and Queen of the werewolf pack, they had brought along their son to help show that they meant the peace. One of the princesses guards directed the guests towards her, Velorina sat up straight and smoothed out her dress as she cleared her throat readying herself to speak to the King and Queen. She waited for the guard to introduce them to her before she spoke as confidently as she could. Queen Tatianana was ill, no one could supposedly figure out why as she was the Queen of the vampire's. She was dying, most assumed she had only a matter of months but the exact time frame was unknown. Everyone knew it was coming, everyone except Velorina.

"Forgive my mother, the Queen, for not being present. She is feeling slightly ill, I am to greet you in her place." Velorina stood up carefully yet gracefully, she walked around the long table and stood beside the family of three. She grabbed her dress and bowed her head as she curtseyed to the royals, her mother had told her to show the highest respect as possible. Her eyes quickly looked over the royals, she lingered on the prince but it was only briefly as she didnt want to show any disrespect. She seen the look the prince had given her, it was a look of pity. The prince was looking at the princess with a look of pity, but so did his mother. The pack Queen glanced at the pack King, although they didn't say anything they knew exactly what needed to be said.

"You are just a girl-" The Queen started to speak but the king cut her off by raising his hand. Velorina frowned as she watched the two closely, the motion seemed very controlling. It wasn't something that she was excited to experience, the thought of being controlled made her sick at even a young age but she didn't say a word as she waited for the king to speak. She turned her frown into a fake smile, it must have been convincing enough because none of the three mentioned anything about it. The pack King stood up even straighter than before, he looked taller and towered over Velorina. He was trying to drown her in fear of him, it was obvious to Velorina that the pack King wanted a way to control her. It was a silent war of who was going to give in first, but the King started speaking first.

"I do appreciate you greeting us, but it should be the Queen." His words left no chance of reasoning, it was as if his word was law. A frown made it's way onto Velorina's face for the second time since the begining of this greeting, she had never liked the idea of having a King boss her around even less of a King that wasn't married to her. She always wanted someone to listen to her, not the other way around. Yet she couldn't keep her eyes off the prince in front of her, if things played out the way her mother wanted them to Velorina would marry the prince as it was in the treaty but of course she had no idea. It was just a fleeting moment of admiration in Velorina's eyes, something small that came and gone.

"Once again I do deeply apologize, but she will soon greet you in a seperate room. I wish to inform you once again that she is feeling slightly ill, but it will not stop her from meeting wih you tonight." Velorina held her eyes to the ground awaiting to be relieved from the suffocating royals, soon enough one of her mothers guards came and escorted the King away as his Queen followed behind him. "She looks like a dog following it's master." Velorina's words were harsh and sharp, she had all but forgotten the prince that still stood at her side. She turned with a sigh to try to enjoy the ball, but froze when she realized she was just inches away from the prince.

"Your name? I don't recall you saying it." It was the first time she got to hear his voice, she looked at him truly and realized he was beautiful. His eyes a beautiful shade of brown, he was slightly taller than her, his hair black and neatly done, his skin color was a golden brown almost like someone just pulled him from an oven. He was perfect looking, but Velorina tried to mask her admiration.

"Velorina. I am to be the new Queen of the Coven. I am the princess." She held her head up in an attempt to make herself seem taller and to attempt to scare him away, but the prince didn't flinch away from her like most others did. Instead he grabbed her wrist and pulled her closer, his lips at her ear. Velroina was shocked, she had never been denied leadership or even been this close to someone. She tried to pull away from him, but he only tightened his grip forcing her to stay still.

"Velorina... We might be dogs, but that doesn't give you any right to look down on us. Be a good girl and dance with me, come let me be your master and let me show you a different side." He didn't give her a chance to deny the dance, he pulled her into the crowd and fell right into step with those around them. At first Velorina tried to fight it, but she soon started to enjoy the dance. She couldn't help the smile on her face as he spun her around, a feeling deep down inside told her to turn and run yet she danced like she never had before. The night was long and only bound to get longer, but for this moment she let herself go and danced with the prince not knowing that her fate would tie her to him in a completely different way.

"What is your name?" The question finally slipped past her lips as a slower song started playing, the prince pulled her closer and whispered softly.

"Alaric." His words were soft, but once again he was whispering in her ear. The princess was unsure of her feelings towards the prince, but she could feel something pulling her close to him. It was a weird feeling, but she clinged onto it. Maybe it was time for her to think of days beyond her childhhod.

"Nice to meet you prince Alaric. I hope we can get along well."