Chapter Two - Adriana Gervais - 19 yrs old

           “It’s about time you arrived, Adriana. I see your mother found you and you’re ready for our guests.”

           “Yes, your Eminence.” Ana remembered only once calling him father, and it hadn’t gone well with him. Their relationship wasn’t intimate at all. If anything, he tolerated her presence. Ana didn’t remember a time when he’d even touched her, let alone hugged or kissed her. She received no words of praise or affection at all. She felt like she could have been anyone or no one to him.

           Was she bitter? No, jealous of others who could turn to their family in times of need. Yes, she was. It was another reason she didn’t fight for her place to learn how to be the ruler of the Vampiric Empire.

           To her, the Empire could fall tomorrow, and she would sigh a sigh of relief.

           Why was the guard looking at her like that? She wasn’t used to men looking at her like they wanted to eat her up. It was flattering and uncomfortable at the same time. Well, she’d probably had to do to something to dissuade him from doing anything stupid. Ana didn’t remember his face from around the palace. He must be new. Well, if he’s going to make a nuisance of himself, at least he’s got a pretty face.

           She was half smiling as her father continued talking to her. “I have decided since you are gung-ho on not finding a life partner in the foreseeable future. I won’t stop your mother’s search. It keeps her busy and out of my hair. You will act as the new ambassador to the North American Ruling Council. That means you will sit on the Council and represent our interests in all of this.”

           Adriana couldn’t believe it. She was looking at her father as he sat there in his ornate gold and leather seat, behind his desk made of ironwood. “You actually approved my petition? Why?”

           “I am giving you the chance to prove yourself. I know you aren’t a stupid child.” Ana and everyone else in the room could hear him say, ‘Like my other daughters.’ It was an unspoken given as they vied for his attention and affection. Ana learned long ago that she wouldn’t get because she was born too late.

           Yes, born. Vampires were a creation, made by the wild magic of the Fae. Long ago, when they roamed the earth. They created the first vampires from the remains of enslaved wolf shifters to hunt down the renegade wolf shifters. The only undead vampires were those first creations. Now, like most creatures, they were born. They could create new vampires, but the laws state they could only do it for a life partner if they were human and had permission from the current ruler. But that carried an entire host of issues of it’s own.

           “Thank you again, your Eminence. I will do my best to represent our interests.”

           “Edgar will give you your portfolio. You’re entourage, staff, and so forth are in there. Now I wish to add one more to that staff. This is George Atwood, and he will be your personal bodyguard. No, before you say a single word, this is not up for discussion or debate. You may know how to protect yourself, unlike your sisters, but you will have a bodyguard if you leave this palace at any time. It’s not negotiable. I don’t want to hear anything about you leaving him behind, hiding from him, or doing any other foul deed to him. You will allow him to do his job. Is that clear?”

           “Yes, your eminence.” He may not grant her attention, but he knew his daughters and their tendencies.

           “Excellent. I will expect you to introduce yourselves to each other in the coming days. You leave in two evenings to start your position. Don’t embarrass the throne between now and then. You are both dismissed once you have spoken with Edgar and received your instructions. I must go and change for dinner. I will see you when we received our guests at eight o’clock.” Franco stood up suddenly, causing many of his staff and courtiers to fall back. He was a tall, imposing man and standing like this only accentuated it.

           George was well over six feet and the Emperor was taller still. He could see eye-to-eye with Adriana. It was clear she got her height and colouring from her father. The Empress insisted her hair was naturally red, but no one could call it a natural shade. Not like the Emperor’s and Adriana’s theirs burn with a rich, coppery fire, while the Empress’ looked rather orange.

           He swept from the room without a word of dismissal for anyone other than Adriana and George. So there they all went, scrambling to pick up documents and supplies to follow him to his apartments. After the chaos of everyone leaving Edgar, Adriana, and George there to finish up. The silence was almost deafening as Edgar puttered about, sighing and shuffling documents about.

           “I have your portfolio here somewhere and your job duties, however, the usual chaos and made my life rather disorganized at the moment.” Edgar was old. Ana didn’t know a time when Edgar wasn’t in service within the palace. He’d worked for her father before he’d met her mother. She wasn’t sure her father could get along without him. He did so much for him. “Ah, here’s the portfolio, and look at that. I had the common sense to put the description of your duties with it. Now look them over when you have a chance, and you can return to me if you have questions.”

           “Thank you, Edgar. I’ll be sure to contact you if I have questions.” Ana assured Edgar with a promise to do exactly as he instructed. She’d learned a long time ago that if Edgar was happy, then the Emperor was more favourable to working with the courtier. Ana leaned in and hugged Edgar as she often did, because she couldn’t resist teasing the old vampire by the familiar touch.

           It was all about manipulating those within your environment. Controlling her opponent’s comfort levels made it easier to keep them off centre so she could get her way.