Nathaniel

I smiled as my name and title were announced to the elaborate dining room and the large doors swung open, welcoming me in. Glancing around, I realized I needed to give the staff bonuses. They had outdone themselves this year. The walls were painted a new fresh coat of ivory and they had stenciled what looked like gold blood dripping off the walls. New paintings that depicted the historical year of the Accord signing were placed throughout the room as well as a few portraits of my family. It was a little gaudy in my taste, but the Founding Ten would eat it up.

My senses peaked after my late night Registry snack, a sign that I had fed well and enough. The room, heavy with bodies, meant I could smell a mixture of body odor, blood, and sex. Walking into the crowded room, Without thinking, my feet move towards my table, looking for Margot in the crowd. Her back was to me, but from my angle I could sense she was tense. Her back was straight as a pin as if scared to relax and her hands were busy fidgeting in her lap.

​Ignoring the looks of the others who quietly whispered to themselves, no doubt about my narrow view of the Astor table, I detoured to Margot. Technically, we had never been formally introduced and I should be waiting till the Binding. Traditions sometimes needed to be broken though. Sitting at the round table were a few I didn’t recognize with Margot and her father.

​Clearing my throat, Margot’s head swiveled to meet my eyes and her father immediately stood. “Good evening, I wanted to be the first to welcome the Astor family to the Crimson Ball this year. As our families are joining, I find myself wanting to share my enthusiasm for the Accord and this tradition of marriage,” I say while staring directly at Margot. Her gaze doesn’t waver from me and there is a question in her eyes as if she is surprised I am not revealing our earlier introduction.

​Johnathan Astor wastes no time in his attempt to gain favor in my eyes. “Your Majesty, thank you so much for having us. My family is thrilled to be selected for this important Accord marriage. Margot is an exceptional woman who has prepared extensively for this month. Please let me formally introduce your highness to my daughter,” he exclaims, holding a hand out for Margot. Taking his hand, she slowly rises from the table, pushing her chair back slightly. She walks to stand next to her father. “King, this is Margot Astor, your fiance.”

​I step up to her, taking her hand from him. Kissing her hand, I see her eyes divert to my lips touching her skin. Her breath hisses. Is she remembering my kiss from earlier? Or is she mad about catching me with my Registry bite? It didn’t matter really. I was the king, I was a vampire. This is what I did. Soon, she would be mine in all definitions and she wouldn’t go against the Accord to comment negatively on my routine.

​“Nathaniel Blackwell. It’s a pleasure to formally meet you, Margot.”

​Bringing her hand to my mouth again, I pull her closer to me. Everyone’s eyes were on us. There would be no privacy in this room or this house for the next month, but I wanted one moment. Leaning towards her ear, I let our hands clasp and fall down, whispering to her. “A fresh start? We have plenty of years to fight.”

​Leaning back, I look for understanding in her eyes, some notion of being on the same team. But it’s not there. She does however smile and mouths “thank you” which I take greedily. Emotionally, I didn’t know what I wanted, but I knew I didn’t want this marriage to be filled with animosity, especially this early on. We had years to figure out we hated each other, for now we could acknowledge we were all pawns on the Eternal Court’s board doing our duty, regardless if I was starting to feel the pull of attraction towards her.

​I let her hand go and she immediately steps back so that her father can begin his campaign for father-in-law of the year award. Without skipping a beat, he picks up that I have no idea who else is in attendance from the Astor family. Waving at his family, they all stand. He points to two 30-something year olds each sporting jet black hair and says, “My nephews, Jacob and Joshua sir and my sister, Regina.” He points out Regina who looks less than amused to be here. Jacob and Joshua on the other hand look genuinely happy. If I recall, this is their first time at Tencrest. I should make sure Celia has some exciting events for them.

​I would need to please my bride’s family to keep the tension down and that was going to be the first step of my plan for this ball. A year ago, I wouldn’t be concerned, but with Vivienne’s death, I know that the Accord wouldn’t technically force this marriage, and if the Astor’s got spooked or felt underappreciated, then they might bolt.

​“Welcome to Tencrest Manor, please let me know if you need anything during your stay. Enjoy tonight.” With a nod, I walk away and towards my family. They’re all wearing the same confused face. They realize I definitely broke tradition. Unfortunately for them, I don’t care. The monotony of the days were finally being broken and ignoring the propriety of our society was fun this once.

​All of the guests were seated at round tables throughout the dining room, the center of the room was open to allow dancing that wouldn’t start for a few hours once everyone had enough alcohol and blood. But the head table, where my family and I sat, was on a lifted portion of the dining room, on display. Standing on the edge of the platform, I turned my attention to the dining room. Abigail, paying attention to my intentions, handed me a glass of wine. I raised it to the ceiling and watched the room die down.

​Over fifty eyes of the Founding Ten and the staff stared at me, waiting for what I was going to say. I always hated public speaking, but it was a part of my title and job. A calming breath through my nose settled me and I cleared my throat.

​“Thank you for coming. Welcome to Tencrest Manor. Tonight marks the 200th year of the Crimson Accord. This season’s Crimson Ball focuses on the unity of the Founding Ten, those who helped build the Accord and continue to support its history and tradition. We have a busy month ahead of us. Events are scheduled for most nights and I encourage everyone to partake. Please do not hesitate to ask the staff, if you have specific needs. I look forward to pursuing another year of peace between our families.” I spare a look at Abigail who has retreated to her seat and am relieved to see her approving smile.

​The worst part of tonight was over and I settled in my own seat to attempt drinking my stress away. My brothers and Abigail chatted away, occasionally one would get up to do a round of talking to one of the families and a few times a member of the Founding Ten would approach our table and Hamish with his photographic memory would pull their name from his head and introduce us. But I stayed quiet most of the cocktail hour and through the appetizers. My eyes rarely left the Astor table.

​I hadn’t appreciated Margot’s dress before. Dressed in a white beaded corset gown, my eyes immediately were drawn to her pale skin between her rounded breasts. While I had enjoyed my drink earlier in the night, it was just a random woman from the Registry and I couldn’t stop replaying the shock she displayed in catching me in my feast. Perhaps it was bad luck to catch your husband with his fingers in another woman. Regardless, we all had needs. I would have to train her to take care of mine. The thought brought pleasant ideas to my head and I spent the next twenty minutes figuring out ways to get her accustomed to my feeding and fucking habits.

​I was grinning so hard that I didn’t realize Eira Caerwyn was walking up to our table. Eira was from a popular Eternal Court family who specialized in the lore and traditions of our kind. She was a few hundred years old and always had her teeth out. She wore them as a proud badge of her species. Her red hair was natural and hadn’t changed since I met her decades ago when she started to make her way up the chain of command in her house. She carefully held the chalice for the Binding ceremony in between her hands. “It is time, my king” is all she says before she sets the chalice in the middle of the room on a small table and asks Margot to follow her.

​This wasn’t my first time seeing a Binding ceremony but it was obviously my first time going through it myself. I knew what to expect but my heart still started to race thinking of the eyes that lingered on me as I made my way to the chalice.

​As Eira placed Margot in front of me, my hands immediately went out to grasp Margot’s hands. Giving them a squeeze I tried to give her gentle reassurance that this was our duty and an important part of our story, but she just looked terrified.

​Eira spoke loudly to the room, Margot and I, preparing us for the ceremony. “Known informally as just the Binding, this ceremony is the beginning of each Accord marriage. The ancient magic embedded in this rite triggers through the sacred vow each party will take now. A fusing of emotional and physical connection between an Elite and their vampire partner, the Binding encourages the birth of the couple’s Crimsonborn which their duty states they must bring into the world for the peace of the Accord.” Small claps of the Founding Ten are echoing in the large room as Eira takes a silver knife out of her gown’s pocket.

​Without waiting for permission, she gently holds mine and Margot’s clasped hands and makes a slit on each of our radial arteries. Margot makes a soft grunt from the surprising pain, but I barely register it. I am too focused on her face.

Everything is about to change for us.

Turning our hands over Eira raises our cut wrists and places the chalice below them to catch the blood that starts dripping. After a minute she produces a white towel and wraps our hands that are still joined so that we don’t bleed on the floor.

​In a surprisingly fast maneuver that has obviously been rehearsed, staff come out in organized lines as if they are in band practice getting ready to perform. First someone gives Eira a glass decanter that is filled with red wine which she pours into the chalice. Then each staff member takes their own smaller goblet and accepts a small pour from Eira’s chalice. These will be divided between each family as we make the toast together.

​Margot has been silent this entire time but she looks up at me with a bright smile, a strong change from a few moments before. She is ready to accept our fate. Her blue eyes shimmer with hope. This is the beginning, I think. Looking at these eyes for the rest of my life, might not be so bad.

​Eira notices Margot and I having a moment and taps our joined hands, motioning that we should each reach for the chalice with our unoccupied hands.

​“Nathaniel, you know the words so please go first.” Eira nods at me encouragingly as the room goes quiet once more.

​“Sanguine tuo, te adligo,” I declare to Margot, loud enough for the entire room to hear me. I take the chalice from Margot and sip the concoction made by Eira. Then placing it back in Margot’s hand, I wait.

​Margot, although not as loud as me, does well in her latin pronunciation and takes her own measured sip slowly from the chalice.

​Before I can take a breath, Eira yells “Factum est” which cues the other members of the Founding Ten to drink from their own glasses and yell “Factum est” back to us.

​And then it is completed.

​Within seconds, I can feel the warmth from her hand. There is a rush of air I feel in the room. The Binding’s magic has always been described in different ways. Sometimes obsessive, uncontrollable, or possessive, but everyone always agrees that it works quickly. There is yelling and cheering in the background as families come to the center to dance in celebration, but it is as if the volume and lights are turned off for us. Margot and I don’t talk as I take my free hand and run it down her arm.

​My skin is on fire where we are touching. Based on her wide eyes, I know she can feel it too. I can feel our future when we touch, I can taste her desire for me on my tongue. And when I close my eyes from the intense emotions, I can see her pregnant, in my bed. A vision plays out of her pregnant and laughing with me naked. Her stomach large and our hands covering it, we are full of smiles.

​I open my eyes to see that I am still with her in the middle of the room.

​Her breathing quickens as she places a hand on her belly.

​“What did you do to me?” are the only words she is able to say in between her soft moans from my hand caressing her arm.

​A smile plays on my lips at her sweet tone, “it’s not me, it's the Binding.” I motion towards her hand against her stomach, “Did you see that too?”

​She doesn’t answer but her hand stays on her belly, rubbing small circles.

​And for once, I don’t dread my duty.

​I crave it.