The Hidden Princess

Timing is Everything

Queen Julia sat looking at the empty chair where her daughter should be sitting for breakfast her stomach swirled with butterflies of anxiety and fear.  She had received the letter this morning that Delilah was moving to the Fairy palace and was going to be announced as Adden’s mate officially later today.  She had been wallowing in self-loathing since she found out that her daughter had mated with the prince of the fairies.  Not because she did not want to see her daughter happy, but because perhaps she could have saved her child the coming onslaught of criticism and shunning if she had only been strong enough to do it first.  Her fingers traced on the wood grain on the table and took a deep breath looking up when she heard her husband enter the room.  Her electric blue eyes met his and she knew that he knew something.  He came and sat next to her and quietly looked at her.  His lean face so very handsome with his blue eyes shining against his jet-black hair that was a bit shaggy.  She always felt terrible that she could not give him what he deserves, and she suspected that he knew why she could not be the mate he deserved and now it was going all come out. 

Julia took a deep breath and reached out for his hand and he let her take it. “Darling I have something I need to tell you.” She paused holding his gaze not letting go of his hand “Delilah moved into the the Fairy palace and will be announced has Adden’s mate this evening.  She will be officially acknowledged as their Princess.  We are invited and I would like to attend, a good faith move maybe.” Julia suddenly knew it was not the right time to tell him about Idean being her true mate.  They needed to get through this ceremony and there was no chance at that if he knew the truth.

Vlad, the King of the Vampires took a deep breath in.  Emotions had been running on high ever since his daughter announced her predicament.  He had not wanted to see his daughter since she stormed out of the great room last.  He was angry and hurt both at the same time, why didn’t she run from him?  Why did she not trust his words and his warnings to her?  He almost felt like she had betrayed him.  Sitting there looking at his wife and seeing the toll this was taking on her made him feel guilty, maybe he was being selfish.  Maybe this is a time of change, maybe he should be supportive.  This war that has been going on for longer than history has been kept, is for what exactly? Vlad had been struggling with these thoughts since his daughter’s announcement. 

He took a deep breath in and took Julia’s hand in both of his “I think we should go too.  It is time to try and end this war business and maybe this is the sign that it must be done.  The Moon Goddess has spoken as she not?”  He was not sure how this was going to go but he felt his daughter was right, that the Moon Goddess made them mates for a reason and who are we to not follow suit.

Julia jumped out of her chair and into his arms hugging him.  He loved feeling her close to him, she had always been so distant.  Long ago when they had met he had wished that she was his mate.  He had never felt that pull toward anyone and he was not sure why. He enjoyed these moments of feeling close to someone and he hugged her back kissing her on the cheek.  Julia froze in his arms and looking at him she slowly backed away and touched her cheek.  “What just happened?  Why did that feel like lightening just flashed through my body?” She asked cautiously looking bewildered.

Vlad had felt it too, he had kissed her like that many times and he never felt so much electricity in a touch ever in his life.  He wanted more, he wanted to reach out and touch her again and see if it happened again, but she looked so shocked he didn’t want to scare her. “I felt it too.  I don’t know what that was.” He looked away from her “Maybe it was just all the emotions around everything happening with Delilah.” He did his best to dismiss what just happened.

She reached out and touched his arm so he would look at her “No, it wasn’t that.  The last time I felt something like that I was when kissed by my mate.  Long ago, long before I met you.”  He turned toward her and faced her.  With her hands shaking unsure of what she was going feel when she touched him, she reached up and touched his face.  An energy swirled between them and she knew he had somehow turned into her mate.  She felt a pull to kiss him and she pulled him down toward her to kiss him.  They exchanged a passionate kiss that filled both of them up with love and emotions.  Tears slide down her cheeks and he pulled back looking at her with new eyes.

“Why are you crying my love?  Is this not something to celebrate?  I have never felt this for anyone, and I suddenly want to spend all my time with you and not let you out of my sight.” He looked at her curiously.

“They are happy tears.  So long we have been together just going through the motions.  I knew my mate was out there somewhere and I knew what it meant, and I have always felt terrible that you have never had that feeling.  Now for some magic reason we become mates. After all this time? I don’t really care why but I love it.”  She smiled at him like she never had before, and he fell so deeply in love with her at that moment. He picked her up bridal style and walked toward their bedroom forgetting all the other things happening around them.

Thomas

Thomas stood in the shadows unseen for the entire exchange.  His black heart was more jealous of his brother than ever now.  He was going to get rid of him but now that he has a mate it’s going to be much harder.  He will fight harder to save what he loves.  Prior to this he was going to be easy to pick off because Vlad was such an empty person.

Anger seemed to be the only emotion Thomas ever felt.  Thomas was Vlad’s younger brother by many years. Vlad never even spent time with him or really acknowledged his existence often leaving him out of meetings and such.  This only perpetuated Thomas’s hatred for Vlad. 

Thomas stood there looking at the door they had just closed, and it took every fiber in his being to not bust down the door and kill both of them.  He had to wait; time was important with this.  He turned and floated out of the room.

Thomas was a powerful vampire he had been born with wings which did not happen that often with vampires.  He could float and easily shape shift into a shadow or fog depending on what was necessary.  He had always used his powers for evil things, for tricking people and for listening in on conversations. His mother had died giving birth to him and his father never let him forget it.  Early in life he knew he was not really one of them, one of the royals, he felt nothing towards them and then as he grew that nothing turned into anger.  Today this anger wants power, the power of the throne and nothing was going to stand in his way.  He had to know more about Delilah’s baby, was she the prophet that had been whispered about all his life?  Now that Delilah did not live here it would be much harder to kill her and the baby.  Time was running out, that baby could not be born.  He had to come up with a plan, he would attend this ceremony as well.  He needs to know the lay of the land in the Fairy realm. ‘Yes, time to get ready for the ceremony’ he spoke to himself as he made his way down the hallway.

Delilah and Adden

They had decided to do it in the middle of the night and leave a letter.  It would be easier than having a confrontation at this moment.  Besides Adden wanted her next to him every second until they could no longer be together.  They woke up in each other’s arms and her pregnant belly was making it known she did not like being squished between them and was kicking both of them awake.

Delilah giggled and Adden smiled at her and scooted down the bed so he was facing her belly. He gently touched her belly and talked to the baby inside “Hey little one.  I guess you are a morning person.” The baby calmed down and Adden slid back up the bed to face Delilah but now giving the baby the room, she wanted.  “I think Angle would be a good name.  That’s what she’s going to be to me.” He said.

“Ooo I like that, how about Angela and that means angle.  Then she has a given name and friend name.” Delilah was excited to pick a name.

Adden rolled over onto his back “Angela, my Angle.  Yes, that’s perfect.” He thought for a moment “I wonder if she will have wings or what she’s going to look like? I bet she’s going to be as beautiful has you are.”

“I hope she has your lavender eyes.  They are the coolest eyes I have ever seen.” Delilah set her hand on Adden’s chest and traced his muscles scooting as close to him as she could. “I love waking up in your arms.”

“I love waking up getting kicked by our baby with you in my arms.” He rolled back toward her and reached for a kiss.  “It’s time to get up my Princess, you have some things to do today.” And he rolled out of bed.

The rest of day was filled with getting fittings for the gown, getting her hair done, going over paperwork and meeting her staff.  Adden was with her every step of the way.  The staff initially was frightened of her, most of them had only heard of vampires and the rest had only seen pictures with blood dripping off their fangs and small children they were eating in their arms. Delilah smiled at them and talked with each one for a few moments, offered her friendship and each one left feeling particularly good about her.  Their support of her was undeniable and soon the entire Palace was enlightened and excitement for the new Princess was palpable in the air.  Adden had no doubt about her ability to win them over with her charm.  He smiled at each staff member and they bowed to him and her each time.  He was very proud of his staff as well, being so open minded.  He knows the things they were taught about vampires and yet they still came in to serve her because they trusted him.  He made a mental note to ensure the halting of all Vampire lore in the realm. 

That evening Delilah was excited to see her parents had come.  Something looked off about them and how they looked at each other, giving each other sly smiles they thought nobody else could see. Idean was extremely graceful and introduced the two of them to everyone.  They mingled a little with a few people but mostly stood by Delilah and Adden most of the night. 

Who they didn’t see was Thomas, sticking to the shadows and kept himself hidden.  He just quietly watched them mingling with all these Fairies.  Made him sick to his stomach really.  These people were not worth the dirt on his shoes.  He skimmed along the wall, sticking to the shadows until he got close to Delilah.  She was beautiful, her blue eyes were shining and she was laughing.  He pregnant belly bounced with each laugh.  Somewhere deep inside him he felt bad he was going to have to kill her and that baby, but he quickly pushed that feeling away.  By the looks of it he only had maybe a week to pull his plan together and overthrow the King and Queen and then start an attack on the Fairies to get to Delilah.  He could see that they taken a liking to her and it might harder than he thought to overcome those that would defend her here. He slipped out the window in his shadow form changing to his regular form and flew back to ward his castle.  He did not see the guard who was watching him down below. 

At the end of the night Idean and Julia were talking.  She was curious to talk to him about becoming Vlads’ mate after all these years. “So I have something I wanted to talk to you about.” She glanced around to make sure nobody was in ear shot. “Vlad has become my mate!  Did something happen with you or to you? I don’t think we are mates anymore.  How can that happen?”

Idean looked at her and realized that the way she was looking at him was not the same and the pull that usually was there was gone.  He had gotten good at not feeling it after all these years.  Maybe the Moon Goddess decided to stop fighting it and gave her a better mate than himself. It was like someone punched him in the chest, his breath just left him and he leaned over on the table to steady himself. She reached out to help him and there was nothing there, no fire no desire it was just gone.  “I still feel it but it’s very dull, not like it usually feels.  I feel like someone just pulled all the life out of me.  I must go, I wish you the best as we know it is the Moon Goddesses will for you to be happy.”  He walked away and did not look back. 

“My darling, are you okay?” Vlad put his hand around her waist “Did you let him know that we are finally mates?” He watched King Idean walking away.

“You knew?” Julia said in almost a whisper.

“Yes my darling, I always knew.  I could not deny you happiness even if it was not with me.  You said it yourself ‘we were just going through the motions’.” He paused and turned her to face him and she could barely look him in the eyes. “That’s all in the past.  You are mine now, not only by marriage but by the mating bond given to us by the Moon Goddess herself.  I want you to know that I will not share you with another any longer.  It is time for us to go my darling.” He smiled at her and kissed her forehead pulling her into an embrace that she could not deny.  She wanted him so badly and the thoughts and memories of Kind Idean faded away. 

“You looked beautiful tonight Delilah!  I just wanted you to know that you have our full support now and in the future.” Vlad looked over at Adden who had not left his daughter all night long. “I look forward to working with you and your father to try end this war that has been going on for longer than history has been kept and I think this was a great first step in that.  Even some of your servants helped us tonight.” Vlad looked around and then back at his daughter.  She was so brave and fierce, he was so very proud of her at that moment. He reached out for her and pulled her in for a hug. “I love you my little flower.” He said as he pulled back from her.

“I Love you too Dad. I am so happy you changed your mind.  It makes everything so much easier for us.  Thank you.” She hugged him again not knowing that this was the last time she would see him alive. She was planning on going to see them in the next week.  She knew her time was coming, and she wanted to spend time with them before she was gone.