Chapter 3: Deception

   “We’re taking her to the king”, some said

   “No, we’re going straight to the royal square”

   “The royal dance must go on”, others were heard saying. “She must be mated today; the nobles have worked so hard for this”.

   They all said one thing after the other. Many did not actually know what had happened, and didn’t know what the mayhem was all about.

   Dario was being pulled in one of the noble carts. With the other broods walking slowly and were tired of what turned out to be an unfruitful search. He ordered the cart to be stopped. Every one stood still to listen to the direction from where the noise was coming.

   “What could that be all about?” asked Dario, as he was about to move forward. But he was stooped.

   “Listen again, ‘...he must be mated today; the nobles have worked so hard for this”’, tapping on his shoulder, one his confidants was heard quoting some of what the many clans of vampires were heard saying from the distance. “This should be of interest to us”, he told him.

   “No ways; let’s get moving forward”

   “Yes ways, this could be of interest to us”

   Dario stood still, looking weak and exhausted. He reluctantly listened to the advice of those that were with him. They pulled the cart over and tried to move in the direction of the noise.

   But the more they did this, the more the noise was deafening into thin air. They then realised that whatever was happening could be heading in the opposite direction.

   So they immediately returned and went in that direction. The horses were made to pull the cart as fast as they could so much that those that walked along was left behind. They too ran as fast as they could to catch up with Dario and other vampires that went ahead of them.

   He had now become convinced that the mayhem could be of their interest. They asked those they found on the way as to the reason for the mayhem, but none could tell them exactly what was happening. But as they drew near, everyone gave way when they saw the nobles.

   “What is happening here” asked Dario, as he alighted from his cart. “Excuse me, what is all this”. Together with those that were with him, they went straight to the scene where many had gathered.

   Everyone gave way. The nobles of the land were given so much respect by the commoners. No one dared to stand up against them because they were next to royalty.

   “Dario is here”, those that realised his presence were heard shouting. “Give them way, please”

   “We are going the royal square”

   “What!” screamed Dario in disbelief. He commanded everyone to stay clear as he moved forward.

   “We found her in the enclave”

   “They were heading to the north”

   “And we let go that stranger”

   They all said one thing after the other, but he did not say anything. He went into the future; imagining how things were going to be when the two were mated.

   “Wait, what did you do to her?” he asked, looking at those that seemed to be in charge. “Why is she on the floor like this?”

   “No, we did nothing wrong”, others said

   “We obeyed the command of our king”, some said

   “She, probably, is tired from the long journey”

   “No!” he said

   “Yes noble one”

   “And the stranger?”

   “We let him be, his name is Jason Clay”, they told him

   “No! Why did you do that?” he fumed. “He should have paid for his deeds”

    He stood there akimbo, as if not knowing what to do. Then suddenly something came to his mind.

   “What are you doing?” they asked him

   Giving him the right to pass, they demanded to know what he was up to. They almost stopped him on his track, but they restrained themselves because he was of the noble birth.

   “We are going to the royal square”, they said

   ‘Shut up”, he answered them rudely. Kneeling down, he bended himself to pick princess Zuba up. She was lying on the floor motionless.

   “What are we doing, I guess we’re going to the king”, they demanded to know.

   “Shut up I said, yeah, didn’t I?” He stood up from where he had bended his knees at the princess. Everyone stood their ground, but he looked into their eyes with the defiance of nobility. From then on no one dared him.

   “Fine”, he said. “Take it easy, I will rush the princess to the king to hear what he will say on the next course of action”. But no one answered him; for they all looked afraid of his nobility status.

   “Everyone must go home, we will meet later at the square”, he lifted Zuba up into his arms. But the princess was not moving though she could feel what was happening. She appeared as motionless as the dead wood in his arms, except for her hands which were swinging predictably like a pendulum.

   No body really knew what Dario and those that were with him were up to. They quickly put the princess on a noble cart and took her away. The noble horse pulled it as quickly as possible, while those that could afford to run after it did so. But no one could manage to catch up with them.

   Meanwhile, king Macedon and queen Mirabel had been waiting for any news about the princess. They knew nothing about what Dario had done. All they knew was that their lovely daughter had eloped with the stranger.

   That was something that troubled them a lot because as custodians of the vampires, they were under obligation to make the princess dance to the royal drums. For only then was she supposed to shed her blood and mate with her prince charming of noble birth.

   However Dario had other plans behind the royal back. He neither took Zuba to the royal square nor to the king at the royal residence. He shrewdly took her to the village of his descent where most of the nobles that worked with him stayed. He acted on the advice of they that were with him.

   “The two of you will be mated there”, they said

   And that’s exactly what he did. But it was something that never went down well with the king and other nobles.

   They that saw what transpired had already told the king what Dario had done. They all wondered what he could have done to the princess. He was sad especially when he was told that the princess appeared motionless in his arms when she was taken away. He only guessed what could have happened to her.

   Everyone present was mobilized to go to the royal square. They presumed that perhaps he could have taken her there. But when they got to the square, they found no one there.

   “He told us to come”, some said to the king

   “But where then could he be with our daughter?” Queen Mirabel was rhetorical with her question, but deep down she wished she had all the answers.

   “Come down, we will find her”, said the king, assuring the queen to relax. “Come down, we will do something about it”

   “Take it easy her majesty; Dario will never ever harm the princess”

   “We’re sure he will be here soon”, they said, and the king nodded his head as he looked at Queen Mirabel with much assurance.

   “Okay, every one wait here,” the king said, “but you that had been to the enclaves follow me”

   They followed him and her royal majesty Queen Mirabel to the enclave. The royal carts and those that went with them were pulled as fast as they could. But when they got to the place, they did not find any one there.

   So they searched everywhere and asked those that were in the vicinity. But there was no good news for them

   “Are you sure you saw my daughter”, the king demanded to know

   “No, you’re joking right?’ Queen Mirabel asked, looking so furious. She confronted those that brought the news thinking that they were playing with royal minds.

   “Your majesty it was here”, they bowed their heads. “The throne is no child’s play, be assured that we will find her”

   “Dario must have tricked us”, they said

   “And did you say the stranger escaped”, the king asked.

   “Yes he did”, they bowed their heads

   “Very well. But I wanted him alive”, he paused. “In these circumstances, let’s forget about him for now. But go and search them everywhere”

   “Your majesty”, they said; bowing their heads down, and immediately they left the presence of the king.

   “But remember this”, said the king, interrupting the broods from moving forward, “this time you will only obey the king. Go bring them to me”

   “Yes your majesty”, they bowed again and left the king’s presence.

   He then left for the royal square in the royal carts. Everyone was waiting for the ceremony to resume. But when he returned, he dismissed them for another day. They returned to the royal residence, wondering what Dario was up to and what he might have done to the princess.