CHAPTER 2

November 5, 1795...

Kaigan could hardly believe that, over the past few years, it was his very own son who would become the partner of the young woman Lovera, and the father of the child she was carrying. Unknown to him, feelings had already developed between the two while he had been away from the kingdom, busy searching for ingredients for the potion to be used on the black Prince.

The wedding date was immediately set. Kaigan also consulted the oracle to ask whether it was just coincidence that his son Dalleon was destined for Lovera, or if they truly were fated for one another.

“The young woman named Lovera will give birth to a baby boy who will save the white race from extinction. He will defeat the sole vampire of the black lineage. This child will possess extraordinary abilities, equal to or greater than the powers of the black Prince. He is the son of the fifteenth Supreme of the white race, Dalleon. His powers will leave a lasting mark in the history of vampires until the day he dies of old age,” the oracle said, before its light faded like a lamp suddenly snuffed out.

Dalleon would be a Supreme, just like him. Kaigan smiled. It warmed his heart to know that his son would become the next Supreme instead of the son of his sister, Rowela. Rowela has two sons who were of the same age as Dalleon, but both had no interest in the throne, being more focused on their businesses and future families.

What made Kaigan even happier was knowing that the child destined to save their race would be his grandchild. His joy was overwhelming, and for a moment, he completely forgot about the ingredients he had ordered to be found. Only two were left: one located in a distant mountain range, and the other that he would have to wait four more years to obtain. It came from a tree that only bloomed once every four years, producing a single flower. He had assigned his men to guard it closely.

He quickly ordered a grand celebration for the couple’s wedding. He had a gown made for Lovera, adorned with precious jewels, for she was the only hope of their kind. He invited various races from other realms. The kingdom of the Mermaids, the kingdom of the Wolves, and the kingdom of the Fairies.

“The pink pearl was crafted by us, the mermaid women, to protect your child once it is born. The blue pearl was made by our men to grant him strength in any battle beneath the sea. The entire ocean will be his ally for life,” proclaimed Queen Lucrezia of the Mermaids.

“Thank you very much, Your Majesty Queen Lucrezia,” Dalleon and Lovera said in unison.

“We hope you will accept the wolves’ humble gift. That orb will serve as a light for your child in the dark. Once he becomes aware of the world, it will activate his ability to see even in total darkness,” the Wolf Chief joyfully offered.

“We wholeheartedly accept this, Chief Harez,” the couple said, rising and bowing together.

“The gift of vanishing will be granted by the Fairies to your child, Prince Dalleon and Princess Lovera,” said the Queen of the Fairies, approaching and placing her glowing palms on Lovera’s stomach. Lovera felt a strange warmth, and after a few seconds, the light faded.

“Thank you so much, Queen Vanessa,” the couple said again.

The celebration began. Across the kingdom echoed the sound of drums, trumpets, laughter, and dancing feet filling the space prepared for that joyous occasion.

Meanwhile, in the distance, a man watched from a tree branch. He wears a black cloak, and his face is completely covered in black cloth. His bow and arrows are slung over his shoulder. He smirked and shook his head.

“The whites really will do everything to wipe out our race,” he muttered to himself.

A cold breeze almost blew off his cloak's hat, but he caught it just in time, revealing a glimpse of his long, black hair. A black crow approached and landed on the branch in front of him.

“How is the Prince?” he asked the bird, named Owwa. The crow had been enchanted with black magic by the black vampires, giving it the power to speak and the cunning nature of their kind.

“Asleep, but the mind is awake. I can speak to him through his thoughts. I’d say the chemical they’re injecting into him is strange; he cannot move at all despite centuries of watching him,” Owwa reported.

“Good thing I killed the healer who made one of the ingredients for that potion. I made it look like he died of old age,” said the man.

“I heard they’ve created a new solution aside from the chemical they usually use,” Owwa added.

The man looked at him sharply. A new solution?

“What solution?” he asked.

“To erase the Prince’s memories using a potion developed by the Oroges family, white vampires,” Owwa replied.

The man’s ears twitched. The white vampires are truly determined to erase their kind, leaving only a memory behind in history.

He steadied himself and closed his eyes.

“Are you going to kill that healer, too?” Owwa teased with a chuckle.

“If I can. I promised the late Supreme I wouldn’t let his efforts go to waste. I will restore the black race, and no white, not even that oracle-appointed child, will stop it,” he said with conviction.

Both he and Owwa turned their eyes back toward the kingdom, where the whites celebrate with joy, and where the newlyweds are radiant in their happiness.

January 14, 1797...

Lovera smiled at her reflection while her closest friend, Meryam, gently brushed her long, straight, black hair. When she married her beloved Dalleon, she had requested that Meryam be brought into the household as their cook.

Unlike Lovera, Meryam lived a difficult life. Her parents were slaves, both gardeners in the palace. Because of their deep friendship, Lovera couldn’t bear to be without her. Meryam had always been their home’s cook. Six years older than Lovera, she was like a sister to her. One of the things Lovera admires most is Meryam’s natural beauty, radiant even without makeup or expensive clothes.

Her skin is fair and flawless.  Her hair is wavy, long, and lustrous. She had a sharp nose, doll-like eyes with long lashes, naturally red lips, and a curvaceous, hourglass figure that was highlighted even more when she wore fitted clothing.

“Has Oracio taken your first kiss, Meryam?” Lovera asked teasingly.

The twenty-six-year-old woman smiled. She finished brushing her friend’s hair and sat beside her at the vanity.

“Yes, Lovera, and we plan to marry next year,” Meryam answered with a big smile.

“Really? But if you marry, that means you’ll leave me because your husband will need you,” Lovera replied, her voice tinged with sadness.

Meryam hugged her and gently stroked her hair.

“Don’t worry. Whenever you need me, I’ll come to you without hesitation,” Meryam said softly.

Lovera nodded and returned the embrace. Moments later, her stomach turned. She rushed to the bathroom to vomit. She coughed a few times, gripping her chest.

“If I had to guess, you’re pregnant, Lovera,” said Meryam, which made Lovera stop in her tracks. She touched her belly and smiled.

She immediately shared the news with her husband, and Dalleon was overjoyed. They informed their parents and their grandmother, Luciana, but what they found in her room left them shocked.

She lies on her bed, clutching her late husband Ismael’s garment. A tear had fallen from her left eye, but she was no longer breathing.

“Mother? Wake up! Your grandson’s wife is pregnant! Lovera is pregnant!” Kaigan cried, sobbing as he cradled his mother’s cold body. His wife wept beside him, trying to comfort the Supreme.

“Perhaps she was overwhelmed with sorrow over her grandfather’s death and kept it to herself so we wouldn’t worry,” Dalleon said gently.

He clutched his wife’s hand tightly. Minutes later, they witnessed Luciana’s body slowly turning to ash.

“Motherrrrr!” Kaigan screamed as his wife continued trying to soothe him.

He dropped to his knees, sobbing. The Supreme mourned for his mother for several days. He blamed himself for not being there for her, too focused on finding the remaining ingredients for the potion meant to erase the black Prince’s memories.

“I am a worthless son,” Kaigan wept, downing cup after cup of liquor. He remembered mourning his father’s death deeply, caused by a rare illness.

“Don’t blame yourself, my love. Everything happens as it is meant to. We cannot control fate. Be happy for them because your mother and father are now together in the afterlife. And I know they are proud of you, because you are a good and responsible leader,” his wife said gently.

He hugged her tightly. Within minutes, Kaigan fell asleep from drunkenness, and his loving wife lay down beside him. She felt deep sympathy for her husband, for it was no easy burden to carry the grief of losing a mother. And now, more than ever, the Supreme’s worries only grew heavier with the missing ingredients still needed for the potion that would erase the black Prince’s memories of the past.