CHAPTER I: THE HEIRESS

I've been living in this enormous room in the palace's basement for a long time. It is unfortunate that I have lived here since I was born. Yes, I've lived in this place since the day I was born. Unless I reach the age of seven when I will receive a gift or power from our deity, I haven’t been allowed to be seen outdoors. That's how it should have been, but I guess my life has been just incredibly unfortunate. Instead of seven years, it has been twenty years already.

It's sad to think that I've never seen our own land, I've never seen a star in the sky, never seen rain or snow, never had a friend, and never known anyone other than my family. I hate to think that, despite the fact that this place is lovely, everything I require has been provided for me, and whatever I request will be granted, everything feels so empty. I am the heiress of this land, yet I have been living my life so far like a prisoner.

If only I had received a gift from our deity when I turned seven, I should have been living outside this room by now. But that didn't happen, and I assume I'll be spending my twenty-first birthday in this room as well if my family will still be able to hide me from our people. Others may believe that being an heiress is a fantasy, they claim that it is wonderful, beautiful, fortunate, and a life that everyone desires. That's how people in this palace described my future. But none of that has ever happened to me.

For me, I had the most unfortunate life. Not being able to communicate with other people and have friends, just like in the books I've read. Not being able to see what's life outside, what is Vamparia, and everything. Just like what I've said, my life is like a prisoner, that's how my life is. And I even think that a prisoner's life is more fortunate than mine. For at least, a prisoner had a life even before they got imprisoned, but me, I was born locked in this place.

I have a lot of what ifs in life, and my biggest what if is, what if that day when I turned seven years old, I received a gift from our deity, I must have been able to live a great life. I just can't get it off my mind. It is frustrating to think, why am I the only one who didn't receive a gift that can have a great contribution to this land? Of all people in our family, why is it the heiress who wouldn't be able to possess any gift? How can I even rule our land without it? Because of not having a gift, I have been locked here, so I don't even know the situation of our own land. How can I even rule soon without knowing our own land's situation?

Even if I didn't want to be locked here in the basement of our palace, in some cases it is the best also. All my life I've felt that I am a disgrace to this family, and if I have not been locked in here, I will just be ashamed of everyone I will meet. But nevertheless, I know I deserve to experience life outside.

I still can't get over that day when I turned seven. It was already thirteen years ago, but it is so fresh to me like it just happened yesterday. I didn't even try to explain things to my family, for I know they'll trust our deity more than me. What left me thinking is why did the deity not respond to me? No replies, I did not receive even a word.

I have a lot of questions in my head that I can't seem to answer. It's taken years to figure out what's behind everything that happened to me, yet there's still no answer. I've read all the books about gifts, researched our history, and done everything else, but I still haven't found an answer nor found any solution for my situation.

However, I will turn twenty-one in a few months. I'm not sure what the king's plan is yet, but according to the books, twenty-first birthdays are special not just to us, the royal family, but to all vampires. And Alice and Drake had a big celebration for their twenty-first birthday too. Festivals, feasts, music, and other events abound, making it feel almost like a coronation day.

Alice is our family's adopted daughter. Our history has it that she volunteered to be a vampire because she longed for power and strength. All I knew about her was that. While Drake was her brother when they were mortal, and my parents adopted him as well. I have a lot of questions for them, but they don't respond when I ask them. Even though I'm close to Drake, he doesn't know anything about their past, while Alice has always been upset with me for reasons I can’t seem to comprehend.

But the point is that despite being adopted, they were believed to have celebrated their twenty-first birthday lavishly. Even though vampires can't have children like humans, our history book claims that our divinity gave the queen the ability to have a child who would be the heir to the kingdom. And that child is me now, and I’m hoping that as a child given by the white deity, I’ll be able to celebrate mine too. I am not after the grand celebration though because I am not a materialistic person. What I want is for my twenty-first birthday to be the gateway to getting out of this room.

Also, since they have already hidden me and prevented my seventh birthday, I'm betting they won't be able to do so any longer and prevent this great occurrence as I turn twenty-one. People would lose faith in my family if they continued to hide me from them, which could cause too much havoc. They will believe that the queen's pregnancy is a hoax.

So hopefully I can now get myself outside this room. I was getting myself ready all these years so I can show off myself confidently. And I won't hold myself back if it's going to be on my upcoming birthday. I might not have any gift, yet I won't let people know and take it as a weakness.

I understand that it is not too late to seek answers. I'll find answers that I haven't been able to locate inside this room as soon as I step outdoors. In addition, I desire to meet vampires and live a normal life even just for a while.

"Ahh, I'm thinking a lot again!” I told myself. “Well, I have nothing to do other than this though."

I got myself up from lying on the bed and tried to convince myself, “Okay cut the overthinking for now self, do something else. “

"Ahh what should I do though?" I asked myself while sitting down on my bed. But then I heard footsteps outside the door, and my attention was drawn to that.

"Is someone coming?" I whispered to myself.

As soon as I realized they were going to my room, I stood up immediately from my bed, fixed it, and I ran quietly towards my door to hear what they were saying.

"If this won't work and she loses this opportunity again, that only means she doesn't deserve the title she has." said the woman's voice.

"But whatever the result will be, she's still the heiress that was given by the white deity, and the fact that we still won't be able to hide her won't change." a man's voice replied.

I think they are talking about me, but what does she mean by "If this won't work"? Are they planning something?

When I felt like they're getting nearer my room already, I fixed myself rushly, and sat on a sofa behind my room’s door. They got inside my room, and it was Alice and Drake. I was shocked because I didn't expect that it was them. Drake only comes when he's about to check me up for sicknesses or harm. While Alice is very rare to go here unless there's a very important announcement.

I stood up and bowed to them in respect. "Ahh, w-what brings the two of you here?" I asked, trying not to stutter, even if I am so nervous at the moment about what they're going to tell me.

"I'll get straight to the point Celestine; the king wants you to meet the deity again tomorrow." Drake said in a bright tone.

"What? I'm sorry, did I hear that right?" I haven't been able to hold myself back in shock.

"I know that you're aware that you're going to be twenty-one in just a few months, and I know that you know that it is a tradition in our family to celebrate it really grandly. It is the time when our physical appearance will stop growing old, and the time we'll reach adulthood. And in your case, it will be an extra special ceremony to our entire land since it will be also a ceremony in which you will be revealed to vamparians, which should have been done when you were seven. So, we plan to send you again to the white deity and wait there until you receive a gift. We'll give you the instructions, the king made it clear that you should not do anything wrong that can cause the deity to not be pleased." he continued.

"Wait, as far as I know, I didn't do anything wrong in front of the deity when I turned seven years old and met her. Yes, I was young, but I am not a fool to do anything that would cause the deity to not give me any gifts. If all of you were there, I just literally stood up there until night. No one will be able to understand because no one saw me--" Alice cut my explanation.

"You know what, just listen to the instructions, don't you see we're helping you not to be anymore a disgrace to this family? Stop your stupid explanation, and just prepare yourself for tomorrow. If you won't be able to still have a gift as an heiress, then we won't know what's next we'll do for you." She said, staring into my eyes in anger.

"We'll send everything you'll need for tomorrow. You can do this Celestine." Drake said with sincerity.

I looked at my side to think about it and then Drake tried to convince me again, "I know you also do not want to show for the first time to our fellow vampires as an heiress without any gifts. And tomorrow is your chance to prevent that from happening, okay? So just agree with us, for this is a very rare chance for us! We offered something to her yesterday, and the door of the heart of the palace opened. That means she's still in there. This is an opportunity you shouldn't waste yourself."

I don't know what's keeping me from not agreeing with this great opportunity in front of me. Drake is right, I really do not want to show for the first time to our entire land as a royal blood who didn't possess any gifts, and besides that, I am the heiress who'll soon rule Vamparia. Even though I had enough of this palace and just want to live normally outside, I think my life will end as a queen no matter what.

But maybe it was what happened years ago that's holding me back. I think I won't be able to handle a second rejection from our deity. It will be too embarrassing for my whole family.

However, I did not want to waste this opportunity, so I agreed with what they were saying, yeah, this is another possibility for me to receive a gift. Although I'm not so convinced that this time, I will receive any, I can't afford any more embarrassment, and there's nothing to lose if I try. This could be my chance to receive a gift, and I should seize it with both hands.

"Okay, I agree with meeting our deity once more." I said with certainty.

Drake smiled at me and replied, "We'll send you later the dress you are going to wear, be in the most presentable way of yourself tomorrow, and for the instructions, Alice will read it for you."

Alice grabbed an envelope from the pocket of her gown, opened it and read it, "Tomorrow at 5:00 am in the morning, you will step your foot on the heart of the palace, which is located at the deepest and farthest part in the middle of the palace's basement. You won't have anything with you as you go inside, and the moment you enter, introduce yourself with all due respect and humility, and say that you need a gift. We'll all be waiting for you outside, and if she'll grant you a gift, your skin will glow like diamonds, a paper will be sent to you through a dove, where your gift is written. The door will automatically open, give your thanksgiving, and then leave immediately. That's it, nothing more and nothing less. As simple as that."

I was left staring at nothing as she was saying the instructions. What she said about the door automatically opening, reminded me of what happened to me years ago.

I entered the heart of the palace at 5 am in the morning too, and I was left standing there until 12 am the next day, without any response from that white deity. I opened the door myself to get out, and as soon as I got out, my family were staring at me in disappointment. My knees felt so weak for hours of standing, so I fell on the floor, no one dared to help me, except for Drake. They sent me back to this room and locked me in here again. Drake helped my body regenerate strength faster through his healing gift and after that, all I could remember is that no one talked to me ever again.

"Hey Celestine, are you listening?" Alice shouted in anger.

"Ah yes, I got all of the instructions." I replied with an awkward smile.

She stared at me before leaving without saying anything. While Drake was left with me.

"Tomorrow is a big day if you'll receive a gift, do not miss this chance, Celestine. Do your best! You can do this, you're the heiress after all." he said, smiled, and left.

I sighed and tapped myself, "I am Celestine, I can do this." I said to myself.