03: Sangre Kingdom

"They're back— what is that, Estrella?" Honey, Estrella's cousin, asked when she saw an infant lying in her cousin's arms.

Estrella just smiled at her. The couple walked in the middle of the vampires' wave and welcomed them after doing back-to-back missions.

The people who witnessed it are all confused. They're pretty sure that the baby didn't come out of their Princess' womb. All of them were thinking about whether the two highnesses were in their right state of mind to bring a human infant to the Sangre Kingdom.

Sangre Kingdom is the most respected kingdom in the vampire's world. The Kingdom was known for having the most trained and smart warriors among the rest of the kingdoms in Vampire's world. Other kingdoms often call them the 'King of Kingdoms'.

The people treated the Palace as the most sacred place in the kingdom, so they were really dumbfounded when the Princess herself brought a mortal to their world.

Have they lost their minds?

That was the question where most vampires saw what the Prince and Princess did.

"Estrella. Sanguis." Queen Enid, mother of Estrella and Sangre Kingdom, addressed them when they already stepped at the middle of the long aisle of the castle.

King Javier's brows furrowed when he heard a colic from his daughter's arms, "Did you bring a mortal into our world? And worse, it was still an infant?!"

The servants, Estrella's family, even Sanguis gasped when the Princess knelt on the ground, bowing her head towards the baby. It was the first time for them to witness a Princess kneeling in front of the King and Queen.

Sanguis bent his knees to hold onto his wife's arms, "Hon, get up—"

"Please. Just this once." Estrella whispered as he held her husband's hand.

Sanguis was disquieted. He blowed air and did what he thinks was right.

To be always at his wife's side.

He also kneels, making the crowd buzz louder.

"What are you two you think you're doing?" Queen Enid asked them.

Estrella took a deep breath and held Sanguis's hand tightly. She felt that her husband also held her hands tightly. At that moment, she knew that she still had someone if the kingdom would turn their backs against her.

"Queen Enid, King Javier..." Estrella started. She closed her eyes and blew air. They can't step back now. "I, Princess Estrella, asks a blessing from you and from the whole Sangre to keep this pitiful mortal infant as my daughter."

"She really lost it."

"I have a bad feeling about this one."

"What if that mortal infant brings a huge storm that could destroy our kingdom?"

Estrella closed her eyes tightly after uttering those dangerous words. But, she can't be a chicken now. She sighed deeply and bravely met her parent's eyes.

"I'm asking you this not as the Princess of this Kingdom..." Her heart is thumping loudly that it could break her rib cage any moment now. "... but, as your daughter."

"Get up," King Javier ordered them. "Bring them chairs."

Four of the servants immediately gave the Prince and Princess chairs. Sanguis squeezed Estrella's hand. They exchanged a nervous smile to each other.

Their life and throne are already on the edge.

"What is this commotion all about?"

That voice bounced repeatedly on Estrella's ears. How could she forget the person that she was scared of the most?

She was literally digging her own grave now.

All of the lower rank vampires bowed at a right angle when King Joseah revealed himself. He is the great great grandfather of Estrella. His young looking face contradicts his over-three-century age. King Joseah was the second King of the Sangre. That's why all of them have a lot of respect for him.

"Padre," Estrella's voice was shaking.

Cold sweats started to flow from her forehead. She felt extremely anxious now. Even King Joseah was always calm, she knew very well how superstitious he was.

He was the last person that Estrella wanted to meet in this situation. However, she should face the music. There's no holding her back now.

"We are now doomed," Worry is visible in Sanguis' voice while scratching the side of his face.

Every step King Joseah is taking closer to her, her heart also slowly sinking. Her stomach suddenly turned upside down. She wanted to run away, but she was glued.

King Joseah was already in their front. They're just about four inches apart. Estrella badly wants to puke now because of too much pressure and anxiety traveling inside her body.

She tightened her grip on the cloth wrapped around the baby when King Joseah's eyes landed on it.

"Estrella..." The king mentioned her name with the coldest tone she ever heard.

At that very moment, she knew that the crown would slip from her head.

When the king removed the cloth covering the baby's face, Estrella's throat dried up and her whole system was shivering in fear. He can literally make this mortal into ashes with just a snap of his fingers.

King Joseah touched the sleeping baby's soft forehead.

"Grandpa!"

Everyone gasped when he suddenly began to shake abnormally, while his head was raised and could break his neck. King Javier was about to run to help his great grandfather when his body stopped all of a sudden and a loud deep laugh echoed throughout the whole castle.

Because of the loud scary laugh from the second King, the baby began to cry. Estrella immediately rocked her to put her on sleep again.

"Keep that child!" King Joseah announced, which made every vampire's jaw drop.

Did they hear it right?

Will the mortal child be part of the immortal world?

That can't be true.

The castle's reaction was divided in half. Some of them are happy, but mostly are scared, dismayed, and mad. Since King James' sat on his throne, the first King, who also founded the Sangre Kingdom, even a strand of mortals never stepped inside their kingdom.

"King Joseah..." Queen Enid's words flew. She couldn't believe her eyes and ears.

Estrella's eyes watered. Her heart could explode because of the euphoric feeling brought by her great-great grandfather's three words.

"You did it," Sanguis embraced them tightly with tears also flowing from his eyes.

The happiness is surreal. He was just dreaming that he would be a father. Now, it's not a dream anymore.

It's real. He is a father now.

Estrella buried her face in her husband's shoulder. Her tears were uncontrollably pouring down.

She won countless fights, but this was the only time she felt the victory.

King Javier's knees weakened. All the weight was on his heart when his great grandfather saw his daughter carrying a mortal lifted after that announcement. Even though he was against his daughter's decision, she was still his daughter.

He could do anything for the sake of his daughter's happiness.

It was also the reason why he was proud of Estrella's bravery. She also could give up on everything in exchange for being with her daughter.

The happiness cut off when Blair, Estrella's cousin, stepped out.

"King Joseah! A mortal can't be part of our world! Did you even think about your decision?!" She shouted.

Honey hurriedly ran towards her sister and grabbed her arm, "Are you asking him to kill you?!"

She doesn't care if King Joseah will punish her badly after this. She was just concerned about the Kingdom's future.

The beautiful future of Sangre Kingdom she dreamed of would be crushed just because of a mortal.

Blair can never accept that.

"Oh no. How dare she to question King Joseah's decision?"

"Blair never grew up."

Blair's hands turned into a fist when King Joseah slowly took his steps towards her. She's preparing herself for a loud slap or turn her into an ash. Her breath ragged as her heart thumped loudly.

The King smiled at her sarcastically, "Well, my dear granddaughter, it just happened that mortal could be the strongest warrior our kingdom will ever have."

With the shock on their faces, Sanguis and Estrella looked at the baby girl who was sleeping soundly in her arms. They are confused and scared.

If King Joseah saw her as the strongest warrior of the Kingdom in the future, he would definitely pressure and beat her to death.

Just like what he did to Estrella.

"What do you mean?" Blair asked King Joseah.

"Simple," he clasped his hands and leaned closer to Blair's face, "She's more powerful than you. Stop daydreaming about becoming the next vampire that will rule this kingdom."

He stood straight and smiled, "It will never go to happen, Blair. Not with that greediness inside of you."

"We need to take that baby away from here," Estrella whispered to Sanguis.

"We have nowhere to go. The mortal world was never for us." He retorted.

After the talk they had about keeping the baby, Estrella found the right time to talk privately to her parents.

The Queen and King were patiently waiting for their daughter to utter a word. They're just watching Estrella rubbing her thumbs on her own hands. They knew that she was anxious.

Queen Enid sighed, "We can't read your mind, honey. Speak."

"Uh..." Estrella cleared her throat, "Help us to escape the baby from here. From King Joseah."

"I thought you wanted the Kingdom to accept that mortal. Now that we already accepted her, you want to take her away from here?" King Javier held Estrella's hand. "Something is bothering you, isn't it?"

"Mom, Dad..." She stared at their warm eyes. She didn't know how she could explain how cruel King Joseah was in terms of training in high positions. She had barely made it before.

Estrella shook her head, "Sanguis killed a vampire from Oscuridad Kingdom earlier."

The Queen and King gasped. They thought that the Oscuridad Kingdom had already dissolved over a century ago.

"We were also confused. He interacted and worked for a mortal. If the Oscuridad was raised from its grave again, this Kingdom was not safe for my daughter." She added.

"Isn't it more dangerous if you stayed in the mortal world? You know how twisted the mind of humans is," Queen Enid said.

"I'm aware," Estrella gritted her teeth when she remembered Freda. "But, even though I wanted the Sangre to accept my daughter, it doesn't mean that I'm letting those people manipulate her."

"What do you mean?"

Estrella stood up and a dry smile plastered on her face, "Just help me to escape my daughter here. I have never asked a favor to you ever since."

After uttering those words, she took her way to go out of her parent's room. Her brows furrowed when she saw Blair leaning on the wall near the door she was holding.

Blair scoffed, "After making a scene, you're going to fly away like nothing happened?"

"Never get rid of you eavesdropping habit, I see."

Blair stood in front of her, blocking her way. She can see how Blair's eyes are dazzling in fire. She suddenly threw a nail containing a poison at the tip. Estrella blocked it using the force of the wind and threw it back to Blair.

She intentionally missed her shot at her cousin. There's no way that she could kill her own relatives.

"Why are you escaping all of a sudden? King Joseah humiliated me in front of a hundred vampires just because of your damn mortal baby!" 

Estrella held her shoulder, "Because the two of you."

She left her cousin confused and dumbfounded by her answer.

Estrella knew how her cousin's mind worked. She's probably plotting a murder already for her own family earlier.

She was stunned when she saw King Joseah standing beside her daughter. The King was just watching the baby sleeping, but she felt something odd.

And she doesn't like that feeling.

"You're really just like your father," King Joseah uttered. His eyes were still fixed on the baby, so she was confused whether he was talking to her or to her daughter.

He suddenly raised his head and faced her, "You keep on fooling yourselves just because of love."

"W-What do you mean?" her voice was shaking while asking him that question.

"What is her name? I can't call her 'mortal' forever."

"That..." Estrella looked around the room. Hoping that she could get an idea of the name from the wall, bed, and pillows. "Uh..." Yeah, it's hopeless. 

Why didn't she think of her name earlier? How stupid.

"Luna Roja..."

She looked at King Joseah. He was staring out of the window. Her eyes widened when she saw a red ray coming from the moon.

Blood Moon.