Hives

The god of dreams forget to visit me that night, making me wide awake as I tossed myself around the chamber bed. What I saw that time was vivid. I was alive. I wasn't dreaming. It's too different from dreaming. What the hell am I even doing? I went to the balcony, and breathed in the night breeze.

The silhouette of the branches touched the moon's yellowish orb. I stared at it longer than I should. I have never appreciated the moon. Or anything in this world before not until I was brought to this mansion, and Lord Minir taught me things.

"So beautiful..."

It might not be the only time I appreciated the moon for it's beauty. But I'm sure that it's the only time I actually think it's beautiful beyond words, beyond what I could think of.

My eyebrows furrowed as I heard some movements inside the chamber. I went back and saw the books opened by the strong howls of wind, and the paper clipped by the pages was flown towards me. With all aspects of coincidences and the darkness around me, I still managed to caught it with my hand.

It was the folded paper I found in the library. I was supposed to open it but Lord Minir interrupted me. I took the piece of paper by the light, unfolding it. The crease was visible when the candlelight hit the painting on the paper. It was painting of a woman.

The woman wore a long, white robe with an elven crown on her jet-black hair. In front of her were creatures that made up the whole kingdom of Doria. Her eyes were the deepest, and the brightest blue I have ever seen. She was pale like a corpse, and in her hands are the flowers dipped in something red like blood.

Behind her was a man, a vampire I think, who looked down at the creatures in front of them with pride and honor. I stared at it before rummaging through the other books to find the description of how the High Priestess look.

Written in there was...

"The High Priestess shall have blue eyes, bluer than the summer sky and the ocean. Her hair shall be the longest black threads in the kingdom. It shall keep on growing. Her hair can amplify any weapon, and strengthen any kingdom. She shall be the fairest of all. Every flower she touch shall turn red as blood. Every creature shall bow down to the High Priestess."

I was taken aback when someone from the shadows spoke of those words I have just read. It was Atlas, a dead candle in her hand and a smile in her face.

"Oh, you scared me," I told her.

She placed the candle to my bedsidd table, and walked up to me.

"Did I somehow interrupt your study? "

I shook my head and smiled at her, " No. Have you met the last living High Priestess before the Blood War?"

" No, I haven't. " She stared at me, "But I have been to the Blood War and I saw her on the battle field once."

" You were a part of the Blood War?" I asked.

She smiled, " Yes. I killed hundreds, probably thousands of lycans and werewolves who wanted to go against the rebellion of the vampires. With force and a good commander, we won. But I do have my regrets. "

" Why?"

" You see, the vampires I have fought for made this kingdom monstrous."

" Oh, that must have made sense. "

"Made sense?"

" I mean, even as a vampire, you were hateful towards your own kind. "

" You already lived 20 years of your life in this kingdom, Sol. You should've already known by now that vampires are the most hateful towards their own kind."

I shrugged, trying not to giggle at her annoyance.

"You said you saw the High Priestess. How does she look like?" I asked.

She pointed at the painting on the paper and smiled at me, " Just like her... " then she pointed her finger at me, "With those bright blue eyes... they're mesmerizing. When she went into the battle to stop everyone, they weren't stopped because of force, but because she was too mesmerizing to look at. I tell you, Sol. No woman can ever be more beautiful than the High Priestess herself. She's like a moon in the middle of the night sky. The only lantern in the darkness."

Her eyes stayed on me as if she was reminiscing a memory that was important and full of emotions.

"That same night and place. She was killed."

" Killed?"

" Killed by her own mate."

" Mate?"

" Yes, mate. The vampire king of Doria. "

" That's cruel..."

" It is... indeed. But looks like fate is indeed playing with all of us again and again."

I frowned. Atlas straightened her poise as if she's preparing to leave again after suddenly appearing out of nowhere.

" I shall leave for bed tonight. "

"Goodnight, Atlas."

She didn't even reply to me and just disappear through the shadows. Instead of getting some good sleep, I thought about the things that has happened in the past and what the High Priestess is really all about.

I didn't even notice that morning came not until Gerber pulled the comforter off me, and the lazy sun poured us with its gloomy light. The breakfast was already facing me by the bedside table.

"Wake up, Sol."

I groaned and got up, "It's still so early—"

"Where is she?!"

I heard Lord Minir's voice in the hallways. The door was slightly opened, revealing the approaching master. He was dressed in an all black robe with red blood threads on the hem, black gloves, and shiny black shoes. Why does he look all prepared? What's the occasion?

"Why is she still in bed?" He asked.

" I just woke up, master." I yawned, my eyes still wanting to go back to sleep.

Lord Minir massaged the temple of his head and head back outside of the chamber. He was yelling something gibberish on the hallway and the maids came rushing to me.

They dressed me in a black dress with ruffled red sleeves. It was a matching outfit of Lord Minir's. Are we now matching clothes?

It was long hour of a carriage ride. I was growing a little bit impatient because of the silence between me and Lord Minir. I'm used to this, really, but I just can't help but talk. I want to ask him questions I know nothing about.

"Master..."

He didn't answer. He was busy reading a book about something. I caught him side eyed me as he closed the book and threw it inside a luggage.

"We're almost there. We took the longest route on the way to the kingdom. "

" Why?" I asked.

" To keep you away from the audience's eyes."

He took a black veil from the case and handed it to me. He added, " Put this on your head. I don't want anyone seeing my blood bride. "

My eyebrows furrowed. Is it because he thinks I'm ugly? I silently placed the veil on my head, covering half of my face. I know I'm literally the ugliest helsing alive but he can't just do this to me. The whole time we were walking down the palace halls, I was silent. I ket my head low. I had no confidence in meeting everyone's eyes. He doesn't have any problems when we were at the Moon Dance. Why now?

I must be so ugly for him, huh? I clenched my fist. We stopped in front of beautiful ladies, probably a dozen of them who was swooning over my master. He looked at them with a smile, and placed a kiss on their hands. Wow. He should kiss their feet too.

They were all fair, and beautiful than I ever was probably. I clenched my fist. I hope they get hives. Right.

"Meet the beautiful muses of Doria, Sol. My muses, this is Lady Sol, my blood bride."

He just called them beautiful. And I was described as plain as a lady. I made a curtsy for them as they did for me.

"We have heard about your blood bride. It's the first time you had one, Lord Minir?"

Lord Minir smiled, " Yes, my muses. It is."

He enjoyed talking to them. I clenched my fist even more and looked away, averting my gaze towards the corridor where the poison ivy are.

"Hives..."

I closed my eyes and felt like my hands are warming up. I feel cold, and different. I wonder what it feels like be touched by the poison ivy. The unending itching, the pain...

"Ouch!"

Instantly, my head was brought back to reality. One of the muses was scratching throigh her sleeves as red dots appear on her face. As the other muses tried to tend to her itching, all of them began to itch when she touched them.

"It hurts!"