Silent Soul

Chapter 1: Masquerade

Amaryllis

I stared at myself in the mirror, trying my hardest not to focus on the looks of disdain behind me while the servants did my hair. I knew their thoughts without even having to read them. The young women were silent as they twisted my hair into intricate braids and delicately placed jeweled hair pins with rubies, onyx, and diamonds in them.

My makeup was done perfectly, as usual, with dark smoky eyes, porcelain pale skin, and blood-red lips. My violet eyes looked almost like they were glowing in the low light as I dared to look at one of the young servants. The moment I looked at the young brunette with chocolate eyes, hateful thoughts filled my mind.

She’s just as stuck up as the others except she’s so snobbish that she won’t even speak to us. At least Iris will say she likes something I do.

I flinched away, eyes locking on the second one for the briefest of moments.

I’m not sure which one I hate more. Amaryllis at least is just a b***h and doesn’t hurt us. I still can’t stand her though.

I fought back tears as I looked down at my long fingers with perfectly manicured nails of blood-red, the Dracul family crest resting on my left middle finger. I looked at the gold ring with a large red ruby. In the ruby was a carved dragon facing the left with its legs reaching out as if it was running, wings spread and tail wrapped up and around its neck. Above the dragon was a carved cross with two horizontal lines, the bottom longer than the top. The carving was filled with gold so that the dragon glimmered as brightly as the ruby.

I hated that crest.

“Princess Amaryllis, we are finished.” I looked up at the sound of the first servant, her actual voice softer than the harsh anger her mind’s voice held. I looked at myself in the mirror and tried to remove the frown on my face. They did a great job. I looked beautiful, perfect, as usual.

I hated it, but I didn’t want them thinking I was being a snob. I smiled as I touched my hair gently, running my fingers through the intricate braid and wondering how she was able to do that. It was difficult to track how each piece of hair moved under the other. My dress was sleeveless with a sweetheart corset top that was blood red. There were intricate flowers sewn into the bodice, amaryllis lilies, as it flowed down into a black skirt. I looked at them and smiled a thank you, wishing again, like how I did every day of my one hundred and thirty-three years that I could say thank you back. They nodded, their minds irritated again at my lack of communication, and left.

I sat there, wondering if there was any way I could get out of this grand party. It was the last week of February, the week of the transformation of my grandfather, and the birth of our species. Father would throw a glamorous event that lasted the entire week for all of the covens to join. It was a way to celebrate the birth of the vampire race and for Father to show off his power and fortune that has been growing for nearly five hundred years when this was my grandfather’s Kingdom to rule. While my father reminded the others of our kind of the power he still had, it was mine, and my sisters’ job to show off the beauty, elegance, and purity of our bloodline, while it was my mother’s to show off her social standing, power, and political sway. It was a song and dance we knew well and could not escape from.

I knew Father would never allow me to miss a chance for him to flaunt his power as this was also his time to put his daughters up for auction. Many men tried, and even though Father stated he would find us mates and grant them the title of Duke to help keep a closer eye on the more distant covens of the Kingdom, we all knew he never would. Marrying us off would be just like handing over one of the many rare gems in his treasury. His children were not children, we were just one of the many precious treasures he has collected over the years. A sign that increases his power and standing in our society.

My door opened without a knock and my stomach dropped. I saw the three of them enter from my mirror and stood to turn around so I would not risk them getting me from behind. In walked my three sisters, all three dressed in intricate ball gowns of black and another color, each with the same wicked smiles on their faces. Iris, the oldest of us, was dressed in a light pink dress. The corset was of silk, with pink diamonds, topaz, and onyx hair pins and a necklace. The dress faded from pink to a smoky gray then black, like it was dipped in ink. Her beautiful blonde hair and blue eyes were the same shade as Mother’s and she was an exact copy of her. She was father’s favorite and the next in line to rule. Her lips were painted the same blood red as me and were currently forming a sneer.

Wisteria was the next oldest. She had Mother’s eyes, but shared father’s dark brown hair and curls. Her dress was black with a thin purple overlay forming a train and over the bodice. The purple was the same shade of the flower she was named after. She was wearing amethyst gems with diamond quartz. Next to her was my younger sister, Lantana. She was in a mermaid-style deep blue dress. There were black dahlias and lantana flowers at her hip and black chiffon under each row of ruffles.

Mother named us each after poisonous flowers, and just like them, we were beautiful and deadly. Iris walked closer to me, lifting a piece of my hair before setting it back down. I knew she wouldn’t pull on it while I was dressed. Mother and father would punish her if they did anything to embarrass them. That included ruining my dress, hair, makeup or making me late for our presentation to the guests. Even though I knew she wouldn’t yank on it, I still flinched.

“Aren’t you looking beautiful today, my silent flower?” She chuckled. Her voice was just an octave lower than mother’s but just as musical. Her fingers brushed the lace choker around my neck, playing with the large rubies that dangled from it. Even though she was touching the necklace, she was really reminding me of what lay beneath the thick lace choker.

“What, nothing to say?” She teased. She knew even if I wanted to speak back to her I couldn’t. Her fingers traced over the scar on my neck that took away my voice. It was the Dracul family secret and it was an embarrassment to my father and mother. A pureblood vampire with no voice. A defect. It didn’t matter that as an infant I was attacked by a goblin, infamous for talons with strong toxins that hinder any immortal's healing. As I grew older, and no sounds were made, I was locked away. No one knows I cannot speak except for my father, mother, and sisters. Instead,, I was kept by my father and mother’s side at parties. Father’s excuse is that I am being groomed to rule and he keeps me close to ensure the secrets I am given in training are kept. It angers my mother and Iris as she is the oldest and the real one next in line for the throne and Wisteria after her. Lantana couldn’t care less, simply enjoying the spoiled life of parties and balls and any man she wants, but she is jealous of the doting eye of my father.

I looked down, knowing better than to look any of them in the eyes but wanting nothing more than to thrust the heal of my hand into that perfect nose. Iris laughed as she pushed past me, knocking me to the ground. Wisteria walked up, looking as if she would help me up but smashed her heeled foot onto the top of my hand. My mouth opened into a silent scream as all three of them laughed and stepped closer. The door flew open again, saving me for the moment from their abuse when my mother walked in. She was as cruel to me as they were but she was more concerned with appearances.

Her sapphire blue eyes fell to me on the floor and her delicate features darkened. She was in a gold dress covered in more jewels than the four of us combined. Upon her head sat a gold crown with diamonds that matched the earrings and necklace on her delicate neck. Her lips curled back and she hissed.

“Why are you on the floor in that dress!” She snapped. She flew to my side and roughly grabbed my arm, yanking me up off the ground. She carefully checked on my dress, making sure every little detail was perfect before glaring at me, and then my sisters.

“You know better! You all must look perfect for the party and if there is one hair out of place I will tell your father.” Iris and Wisteria flinched, their eyes opening wide with fear before looking at me as if it was my fault. Though punishments were mine to bare most of the time, they were not immune, especially if the act had the potential to cause whispers about the Royal family. Mother looked at me too before moving to my vanity and taking the tiara from the table. She placed the black metal on my head, beautiful amaryllis flowers with red rubies and diamonds in each of the centers. She was careful to make sure it was perfect before glaring at me again and moving to adjust each of my sister’s matching tiaras covered in the flowers they were named from.

“Now, remember yourselves.” She said with a kindness that was never directed towards me unless others were around. She looked at me and frowned. “One mess up and it’ll be off to the dungeons.” She specifically warned me. My sisters went there a few times, mostly for causing marks or bruises on my body before public appearances, but me, it was like I lived there. I shivered at the warning. Mother held up porcelain masks, each painted black with gems matching our jewelry on them. She handed us each one to wear for the ball.

“All of the covens have arrived and it is almost time for us to make our appearance.” She smiled at the other three. She turned to walk out and we followed obediently. Iris and Wisteria giving me snide glances over their shoulders while Lantana snickered behind me. We followed Mother downstairs until we came to the entrance to the large ballroom. Each of us finished tying the masks on and adjusting them so they fit snugly.

My father was waiting there in older formal wear for a king. He was in a tunic with nice leather pants and sturdy boots. A broad sword hung from his hip though someone of his power never had any need to use the weapon. Instead,, it was a reminder of the lives that have been slain by the Dracul family line. That sword was the very one my grandfather used to slay thousands of Ottoman soldiers during the many wars over our motherland of Romania before he was blessed by the Moon Goddess with power to defend his land, and cursed by the Blood Goddess when he begged for more power. Now the relic sits on my Fathers hip. On his back rested a black cloak with a dragon woven in gold. His face was long, with a narrow nose and thin lips and long curly dark hair that he always wore pulled back into a ponytail. Father’s eyes were brown, the same as grandfather’s, and upon his head sat the very crown grandfather wore to rule. When we reached Father we all stopped and bowed, keeping our heads low until he said we could rise.

“Wife. Daughters.” He said. He had a deep voice and was always soft-spoken with a hint of a Romanian accent that he could never fully get rid of. We looked back up at him, my sisters smiling pleasantly at him, trying to play the part of his doting, innocent, daughters. I, on the other hand, just tried to remain invisible.

“Husband.” Mother responded. She always looked up at him like a blissfully in-love school girl. Though we knew, and Father knew, that the marriage was a business deal. Mother a simple trophy as she was the most beautiful woman in Europe at the time, with the greatest wealth and largest political sway. She coveted life and her youth, and Father wanted what he always wanted, more power. I guess in that sense, they really are perfect for each other.

p forward and go first. We passed in order and as Iris and Wisteria passed, they raised up on their toes to kiss his cheek, saying how they loved him. I hated this part. I hated it because he would wait, expectant of me to finally say it too. As it was my turn, Iris and Wisteria paused, turning around to smile at me with wicked sneers, their fangs poking out from behind their lips. I heard Lantana’s mirroring snicker behind me as Mother looked at me with disgust. Father’s face was blank as usual. Completely devoid of all emotion, though his eyes showed his irritation as I hesitated.

I stepped forward and raised up on my toes, lightly touching his solid shoulder to balance myself as I pressed my lips to his warm cheek. As I pulled away I tried hard to say the words he wanted to hear. My mouth opened and formed the shapes and my tongue swayed with the words I should be making, but no sound escaped my throat. My face flushed as I looked down. Father hissed in irritation and I knew this meant a beating afterwards but he would not hit me now.

“Disgrace.” He muttered as he waved me away. I quickly scurried off to follow my sisters as I tried to hold back tears. Iris and Wisteria were laughing as he stepped through the door and entered the top of the staircase into the Grand Ballroom. It was the largest ballroom in the castle, with massive ceilings and gothic architecture. There were beautiful gold and crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. The marble floor was covered in a blood-red rug descending the staircase. The side opposite the staircase had massive floor-to-ceiling french doors that opened to the balcony and below the gardens. The room was already filled with hundreds of vampires, a few witches, and some elves and even humans.

My sisters stopped giggling and Lantana stepped up to my side. While in the public eye they would be respectful and treat me like a loving sister. We descended the stairs with the grace and elegance Mother taught us and walked through the crowd to the thrones at the front of the room. Iris and Wisteria took up their place on my mother’s right in that order, and I took my place on my father’s left with Lantana next to me. We sat and watched my parents descend and follow our footsteps until they stopped at their thrones. Mother sat as father stood and smiled before throwing his arms out in greeting.

“Welcome friends. Today we celebrate five hundred and sixty-eight years of the vampire race. The Dracul line is as strong as ever with my four lovely daughters-” Lantana sat up a little straighter to my right and I fought hard not to roll my eyes. “And my beautiful wife. I welcome you to my home for our week-long celebration of the birth of the most powerful race, where we divulge ourselves in power and sin. Now, let the fun begin.” The lights faded as acrobats stepped out to entertain the guests, waiters entered with food, alcohol, and blood as music played. I looked over the waves of faces and hated the life of shimmering jewels and grand parties I was born into.

My sisters stood up to mingle and dance, and most likely pull a few men away to sleep with. I obediently remained at my father’s side, not to move until he and Mother grew sick of seeing me when I could escape out to the gardens and hide for the remainder of the night. I watched as the dated music and dancing continued, closer resembling that of the fifteenth century when my father was born. The rest of the week will progress into more modern partying, but Father likes the old ways and for the first night, is how it always is.

As the night continued, Mother drank, Father revealed in his power and gifts were brought forward. I was eventually able to slip away before the gifts were presented and hide away on the balcony to watch the crowd from within. One particular gift caught my eye. A large cage was brought forward with multiple guards escorting it and a particular vampire leading them that I didn’t like. He was arrogant and thought because Father turned him personally he was entitled to all the perks of the throne.

Laurance was a tall man with auburn hair and green eyes. He was of medium built and has repeatedly requested for my hand only because he, like everyone else believed the excuse they were given about my silence. That it was nothing more than a faithful vow to my father to hide secrets I was given as the next in line to rule. It was a foolish lie. Everyone knew none of us would rule and even if Father died, it would go to the oldest, not me. He bowed low to Father before directing his men to set the large cage down. They dropped it with a thud, not bothering to care for what was inside.

“Your Highness,” He said as he looked up with a large grin. I watched as a guard was standing in the way of seeing what exactly was hiding within the iron bars behind him. The smell was off for it to simply be another human or witch for Father to torture and drain dry. I moved closer to the cool stone pillar, hiding behind the thick curtains as I looked with curiosity. I wasn’t sure why I wanted to look. Unlike most of my kind, I hated drinking blood. It was euphoric to me, just as much as them, but they didn’t hear the thoughts that raced through the minds of their prey as they killed them. Unlike some of my kind who would enter a person’s mind and fill them with thoughts to manipulate them, mine was more. I would hear their thoughts, and feel their emotions. I always tried to hide far away when they toyed with their victims so I didn’t have to hear their dying pleas, but something was pulling me to look.

“Laurance,” Father said with a large grin. His eyes flickered to the cage behind the sleazy vampire. “What treats do you hold for me this time?” He asked as he stood and approached the cage. He leaned down and took a sniff before standing back up with surprise.

“A werewolf?” He demanded. I crept closer. Werewolves were hard to capture. They were powerful, one of the few night creatures that even though they were far from immortal, could kill us as easily as we could kill them. Laurence grinned, eyes scanning the throne and frowning when his eyes landed on my empty seat. I gritted my teeth, annoyed that he was still looking for me even after not seeing him for months.

“We raided a witches' coven with rumors of a Shade. Instead, we found this mongrel.” Father stepped closer and looked just as the guard moved and I was finally able to see the wolf trapped within. The man was large with broad shoulders that barely gave him room to move in the cramped cage. His hair was long and greasy, looking like he wasn’t able to have a proper shower in days. He was naked from the waist up, dirty tattered pants on his lower half and bare feet. He looked up at my father, not an ounce of fear in his face as he sneered, hazel eyes enthralling me with their pretty swirls of green and gold in mostly brown eyes.

“You are far from home mutt.” Father chuckled. The wolf leaned back in his cage, resting an arm on his leg as he chuckled.

“And you are way past your expiration date.” His deep voice rumbled with amusement. Ice trickled down my spine as Father’s face fell, anger behind those eyes. He waved the men and wolf away and opened his arms to Laurance.

“Come, we have much to discuss.” I frowned, knowing my father and that look but fearing entering his mind. I watched as the cage was carried back through the crowd before slipping out into the garden to hide for the rest of the night.