See You In Hell

Ivanna woke to the sound of bells. The deep chimes echoed through the palace, announcing the arrival of dawn. She remained still beneath the covers, staring at the ceiling. For a few precious seconds, she allowed herself to pretend that today was just another morning. Then she remembered. Today was her wedding day. Ivanna closed her eyes. She wished she could go back to sleep. She wished she could wake up and discover that the past few months had been nothing but a nightmare. But the bells continued to ring. The kingdom was awake. The palace was awake. And somewhere beyond the walls, hundreds of people were already gathering to witness the marriage that was supposed to change the course of history. Ivanna slowly sat up. Her gaze drifted toward the enormous windows of her chamber. The curtains had been pulled open, allowing the pale morning light to spill across the room. The palace gardens were already crowded with servants. White banners bearing her family's crest hung from the balconies. But beside them hung another banner. Black. Embroidered with a silver crescent. The symbol of the vampire kingdom. Ivanna stared at it for a long moment. Humans and vampires. Two races. Two kingdoms. One wedding. Her wedding. She looked away. A soft knock sounded at the door. "My lady?" Ivanna sighed. "Come in." Three maids entered carrying boxes, fabrics, flowers, and jewelry. "My lady, we must begin." "The dressmaker is waiting." "Your jewelry has arrived." Ivanna looked at them. "Must everyone look so happy?" The room immediately fell silent. One of the younger maids lowered her head. "I'm sorry, my lady." Ivanna sighed. "I'm not angry with you." She climbed out of bed. "Just... do what you need to do." The maids quickly began preparing her. Her wedding gown was brought out first. Ivanna stared at it. It was beautiful. Painfully beautiful. The ivory silk flowed to the floor, embroidered with delicate silver patterns. The fitted bodice emphasized her waist, while tiny crystals had been sewn into the fabric, making the dress shimmer whenever she moved. It was exactly what a princess should wear on her wedding day. But Ivanna couldn't help thinking that it looked more like a beautiful prison. She allowed the maids to dress her. They adjusted the sleeves, fastened the tiny silver clasps along her back, and arranged the long train. Then came the jewelry. A diamond necklace rested against her throat. Matching earrings were placed carefully against her ears. A silver bracelet was fastened around her wrist. Finally, the flowers. Small white roses were woven through her dark hair. When the maids were finished, one stepped back. "My lady..." She smiled. "You look breathtaking." Ivanna looked at her reflection. For a moment, she hardly recognized herself. She looked like a princess from a storybook. Beautiful. Elegant. Perfect. But beneath the jewelry and flowers was a young woman who was terrified of marrying a stranger. A stranger who happened to be a vampire prince. Giveon. His name had been on Ivanna's mind for months. She had never seen his face. Not once. She had never spoken to him. Never received a letter from him. Yet she knew more about him than she wanted to. Giveon was powerful. Cold. Ruthless. Those were the words she heard most often. Some said he rarely smiled. Others said he could silence an entire room simply by walking into it. Despite being half-human, his strength was supposedly greater than that of many pure-blooded vampires. Halfbreed. That was the word people used when they whispered about him. His mother had been human. His father was the vampire king. Their union had once caused an uproar throughout both kingdoms. Yet Giveon had survived. And now he was the heir to the vampire throne. Ivanna touched the flowers in her hair. She wondered what he looked like. Then she immediately stopped herself. It didn't matter. She didn't need to like him. She only needed to marry him. Because this marriage wasn't about love. It was about peace. For generations, humans and vampires had fought. Villages had been destroyed. Families had lost fathers, mothers, brothers, and children. Neither side remembered how the hatred had truly begun anymore. They only remembered that they were supposed to hate each other. Ivanna had grown up hearing stories about vampire attacks. She had been taught that vampires were dangerous creatures who could never be trusted. And now she was being sent to live among them. All because two kingdoms had finally decided that one marriage was worth more than another war. A soft knock interrupted her thoughts. The door opened. Her mother entered. She stopped when she saw Ivanna. For a moment, she said nothing. Then she smiled sadly. "Oh, my darling." Ivanna gave a small smile. "What?" "You look beautiful." "So I've been told." Her mother walked toward her and gently adjusted one of the flowers in her hair. "I wish I could make today easier." Ivanna looked down. "You can't." "I know." Her mother took her hands. The silence between them was heavy. Then Ivanna noticed the redness around her mother's eyes. "You've been crying." Her mother immediately looked away. "No." "Mother." "I'm allowed to cry on my daughter's wedding day." Ivanna's lips curved into a faint smile. Then her expression fell again. "I don't want to do this." Her mother squeezed her hands. "I know." "I don't even know him." "I know." "What if he's cruel?" Her mother was silent for a moment. That silence frightened Ivanna. Finally, she spoke. "Then remember who you are." Ivanna frowned. "What does that mean?" "Giveon may be a prince. He may be powerful. He may be feared by thousands of people." Her mother lifted Ivanna's chin. "But you are not going to that kingdom as a helpless girl." Ivanna swallowed. "You are going as a princess." "A princess being offered to a vampire prince." Her mother's eyes filled with sadness. "Don't think of yourself as a sacrifice." "Then what am I?" Her mother smiled faintly. "The bridge." Ivanna stared at her. "The bridge between two worlds." Ivanna looked away. "That sounds like another word for sacrifice." Her mother pulled her into an embrace. "I won't lie to you. I don't want you to marry him." Ivanna's eyes widened. "You don't?" "No." Her mother held her tightly. "I want you to marry someone you love. Someone you choose." Ivanna's throat tightened. "But?" "But I also want the war to end." Ivanna closed her eyes. There it was. The truth. Peace came at a price. And she was the price. For a moment, neither of them spoke. Then Ivanna whispered, "If this marriage really ends the war..." Her mother pulled away. Ivanna wiped the tears gathering in her eyes. "Then I'll do it." Her mother kissed her forehead. "I'm sorry." "I know." A loud horn suddenly sounded outside. Ivanna turned toward the window. Another horn followed. Then another. Her mother's face changed. "They're here." Ivanna's heart skipped. "The vampires?" Her mother nodded. Ivanna walked toward the window. Below, a procession was entering through the palace gates. Black horses pulled elegant carriages. Vampire guards dressed in dark armor surrounded them. Their silver weapons gleamed beneath the morning sun. The palace servants hurried to greet them. Ivanna couldn't see Giveon. But she knew he was somewhere among them. Her future husband. The vampire prince. Her stomach tightened. "I don't think I can do this," she whispered. Her mother walked beside her. "You can." "What if he hates me?" "Then let him." Ivanna looked at her. "You don't need his approval to know your worth." "And if he's cruel?" Her mother's expression hardened. "Then remember that you have a family who will never abandon you." Ivanna nodded. Another horn sounded. This time, it came from inside the palace. The vampire delegation had entered. Voices echoed through the corridors. "Prepare the throne room." "The royal guests have arrived." "Make way for the vampire prince." Ivanna's heart began pounding. Her mother took her hands one last time. "Whatever happens today..." She looked directly into Ivanna's eyes. "Don't forget who you are." Ivanna nodded. Then came a knock. Three sharp knocks. The room fell silent. Her mother looked toward the door. "Come in." The door opened. A young maid stepped inside and bowed. "My lady." Ivanna straightened. "Yes?" The maid looked nervous. "The vampire prince has arrived." Ivanna's heart stopped. Her fingers tightened around the fabric of her gown. The maid continued. "Prince Giveon is waiting downstairs." For several seconds, Ivanna couldn't breathe. He was here. The man she was going to marry. The man she had never seen. The man she knew only through rumors. She slowly turned toward the mirror. The woman staring back at her looked calm. But her heart was racing. She touched the flowers in her hair. Then the diamond necklace around her throat. This was it. There would be no turning back. She had agreed to this marriage for peace. For her kingdom. For the innocent people who had spent generations living in fear of another war. Ivanna took a deep breath. Then she lifted her chin. "Let's go." Her mother smiled sadly. Together, they walked toward the door. Ivanna took one final look at her reflection. She didn't know what Giveon looked like. She didn't know what his voice sounded like. She didn't know whether the rumors were true. She didn't know whether he would ever care for her. But she knew one thing. By the end of today, she would no longer be simply Ivanna. She would be the wife of the vampire prince. And as she stepped out of her chamber, she couldn't shake the strange feeling that this marriage would change far more than the fate of two kingdoms. It would change hers.