The princess

Luciana went outside the house, walking to no where in particular. It was not dawn yet, and she couldn't see clearly. She took the small knife along with her, cutting herself. Even unconsciously sometimes. That was the only way for her to cope with the pain.

Her body felt weightless as she moved, she couldn't feel anything, or rather, she didn't want to feel. She knew that she had wounded herself badly, but that was the least of her concern at the moment. She couldn't even tell the exact place she was.

She really hoped someone would find her, and maybe put an end to her misery. She caressed the knife she was holding, thinking of driving it through her heart. But there was something stopping her.

She remembered seeing her mother, father, her aunt, and her little brother being killed. But she didn't see them kill her sister. What if she was alive? The possibilities were very slim, but she had been holding on it. But she couldn't still help but be bothered. If she was alive, was she with Lord Kruger?

Luciana didn't want to think of all the things they might do to her. What if the filthy man had laid his hands on her? She knew that her sister would rather die than be defiled like that. What was even better? Would she be able to bear it if her younger sister was indeed defiled?

It was when her body hit a surface that she realized she had gotten to the castle's gate. She decided to turn and go back to the inn, but then the gates opened, and she sighted the silhouette of some people marching forward. Soldiers.

If she wasn't so lost in her thoughts, she would have heard them singing whatever battle song they were singing.

"Luciana."

Luciana turned to the source of the voice and made out the figure of the prince. Turns out he had gone ahead of the soldiers, and he was the one who opened the gates.

Luciana bowed. "Your highness."

"What are you doing out here by this time?" He asked. There was a rough edge to his voice.

"I... I don't know." She answered.

"And why do you smell of blood in a castle where there are vampires?" He then grabbed her wrist, and saw that she had cut herself. This time was a lot worse than the last. He could see her raw flesh.

"How could you smell me when you are bathed in blood your highness?" She asked curiously. She could already tell that he was coming from a battle, or maybe he went to invade somewhere, but she knew that they were killings involved.

"Your blood smells fresher. Come with me." He ordered, and she followed him.

"Where are you taking me your highness?" She asked, but the prince didn't reply her.

Soon after, he walked into a room, and she walked in with him. Was this his bedroom? He then put on the lamp, and she could see him clearly now.

He was dressed in armor, and his hair was damp due to the blood. There was also blood splattered on his face and body.

"Stay here." He ordered before going out.

Tired, Luciana sat on the bed, totally forgetting that it was the prince's.

After a while, Raziel came back. He had cleaned up now, and had just a robe on. He paused for a moment at the door before stepping me.

"I see you have made yourself comfortable." His voice startled her.

"Your highness." She called, still sitting.

Raziel stared at her for a while before shaking his head. She didn't even seem to know what she was doing wrong.

He stepped closer to her and took her wrist. "You know why I called you in here?"

"No your highness."

"I do not let Rebecca or any other person harm my girls. It is a rule everybody knows." He then stared at her eyes. He could swear that he had not seem any eyes so cold, almost lifeless. "Not even the girls are allowed to harm themselves..." He then noticed that she wasn't listening anymore. She was looking at him, but he could bet that she wasn't seeing him. "Luciana!" He called to get her attention, and she blinked.

"I am sorry your highness. I get carried away sometimes." She confessed. Raziel frowned.

"I'm going to get the physician to treat your hand again. And if I see as much as a tiny new cut, you'd be punished for it. Do you understand?"

She didn't answer.

"Luciana I'm talking to you." Now he got a little irritated, he was not used to being ignored. He wondered what got her thinking so deeply.

"I am sorry your highness." She apologized again.

"So do you understand me?" He asked now he was sure he had fully gotten her attention.

"Understand what?"

So she really wasn't listening at all.

"You are not allowed to harm yourself."

"I do it out of compulsion sometimes." She told him.

"You have to find a way to stop it."

She only nodded. He noticed that she wasn't in the mood to talk that morning, and he wondered why.

"The physician would be here by dawn. Just stay here, and try not to harm yourself." He told her before leaving.

By the time the physician was done with Luciana's hand, Raziel asked a guard to escort her back.

Rebecca was shocked to see the stubborn and wretched human being escorted by a guard. He didn't go back until he made sure Luciana got to the inn.

Rebecca grabbed her arms and pulled her to stand in front of her. Luciana sighed. She didn't want to deal with the werewolf.

"Where are you coming from?" Rebecca asked angrily, and she began to sniff her. The colour of her eyes soon changed to a golden yellow, and her face twisted in anger. "You were with the prince."

"I went to find your family." Luciana told her with a straight face. "He helped me murder them."

Rebecca's grip loosened and once, and her mouth fell open agape, too shocked to react.

"Relax. It was only a joke." Luciana said, then she rushed in before the werewolf would disturb her again.

*******

It wasn't even up to a week before Raziel was informed that the princess whom his father insisted he got married to had arrived. He was very surprised to receive the message, as he had totally forgotten about it. He was in the field, training his army.

"Where would she be staying?" He asked the maid who informed him.

"Next to your quarters my prince." She said with her head bowed.

Raziel nodded.

"Good."

Lorenzo who was standing next the prince looked surprised. "Good? I thought you didn't want to marry her your highness."

Raziel smiled a little. "It would be easier to get rid of her that way."

Now Lorenzo was stupefied. "You are not going to kill her right?"

"Only if necessary."

He then looked and saw that the maid was still there. He turned to her with a questioning expression.

"The king... wants you to meet her." She said.

"Oh, I sure will." Raziel said, dismissing her with a wave of his hand.

After he was done with training, he decided to go see the princess.

He entered her room, and met her on the bed, while the servants rearranged the room to her taste. She stood up the moment she saw him.

With a smile supposedly meant to charm him, she walked to him.

"You must be prince Raziel. You look even more handsome than they say." Her voice was soft and seductive with a sultry edge to it. "You must have been so busy. You should have a bath." She placed one hand on his shoulder, and let it slide down to his chest. She then gazed up at him. "I can help you with that."

Raziel peeled her hand away from him. She just got here, and she was already trying to seduce him. He already expected it, but he thought she was too fast.

Raziel gave the servants in the room a look, and they began to walk out. The princess smiled at that.

"You have lots of human servants. That's what they are born to be anyway..."

"Your name." Raziel demanded, shutting her up.

"Forgive my manners my prince. I was carried away with how good you look." He thought she talked too much. "I am princess Evelyn."

"And you were sent here to be my bride." His hand was suddenly on her neck, and the princess almost jumped in fright. "I am guessing you are a pure blooded vampire as well."

"Yes... yes my prince."

Raziel snaked his hand round her neck, not actually holding it tightly, but he gave the princess fright.

"I come from a bloodline of powerful vampires my prince. We would be the perfect fit." She managed to say, and Raziel pressed on her neck a little.

"You have heard about me right? I don't look back when killing my victims." He then looked straight at her as if he was referring to her, and the princess' heart skipped. "Your life is on the line here princess."