The Arrival of the Far Northerners

I headed towards the stairs as the cries of my father were brought to my ears by the wind. I walked up the stairs, past the hallways, and up to the door of my room. I slowly pushed it open and there sat on my bed was William in an article of regal clothing and his sword hanging from his hip— he must have been woken up by my father.

“Victoria,” he slowly said as he paced towards me. He pulled me close to him and locked me within his embrace. My face fitted perfectly on his chest and his scent of roses filled me with safety and nostalgia. He ran his fingers through my hair and kissed me on my forehead.

“Why are you here?” I looked up and I saw his eyes stared down at me.

“The King ordered me and the knights to look for you, he feared you ran away from the castle.” He lowered his hand down my back towards my waist. William gently guided me towards my bed.

“But why are you here in my room?” I sat down on my sheets.

“The King asked me to stay with you tonight.”

I looked at his eyes confused with what he said. My father does not allow any man to walk into my room, let alone stay with me for a night. I know William and I had been intimate and he has been here before but it was not in the knowledge of the King. William seemed to notice the question I have in my mind and he smiled.

“He knows,” he said and I froze in place, “I asked him for your hand.”

A flush appeared on my face and I decided to avoid his gaze, I hid the roses that bloomed on my cheeks. His hand cupped my face and his thumb moved down my lip to gently rub it. I saw him stared at me intently like he was watching his most prized possession. It must have taken all of his strength and courage to ask for my hand. I could not even imagine how it would have been for him with his knees as he asked for permission from my father.

“What did he say?” I asked him and he sat beside me as he wrapped his arm around my shoulders.

“He agreed to what I asked…I will be your mate but only at the time you are crowned by him as the Queen,” he explained and I rested my face on the nook of his shoulder. I felt happy as the emotion surged up my body. William and I will no longer have to hide it and secretly meet each other for my father already permitted us.

“It’s midnight, Victoria,” he stated, “I think you should take some rest.” He stood up and was ready to leave but I tugged at his coat. I beckoned him to stay and sleep with me for the night.

We laid in bed with his arm as my pillow and his other arm placed on my waist. He leaned close to me and he kissed me on my lips. I felt his breath on my face as we both responded to each other’s kisses. He took a deep kiss and softly bit my lower lip as he pulled away.

“Do you remember when we were still young?” he asked me as he stared into my eyes.

“I remember everything, William, like they are just yesterday.”

He held my hand and pulled it close to his lips as he spoke.

“The day that we hid behind the Queen’s roses to share a first kiss, the time you stayed with me when my father died from a battle, the way you learned the sword just so you could be with me when I trained to be a knight, the day we knew we love each other…” he said as he kissed every knuckle in my hand, “…up to what we did in the bath.” I flushed at the thought of it.

“Now we don’t need to hide,” I told him and a smile appeared on his face.

“I love you, my Queen,” he replied to me as he held me closer to his chest.

“I love you, William…” I closed my eyes and continued, “I always will.”

***

I rose the day after without William in bed, he probably was with my father. They prepared for what will happen tonight. Today was the day I turned eighteen also the night my father seemed to be afraid of. My servants flocked my room and assisted me as I took a bath and put on my gown. There were a lot of preparations to do for today, especially that royalties from different allied kingdoms were invited as well as the infamous clan from The Yonder.

The morning was filled with tasting and approving the dishes that will be served for the night. There were consultations with the flowers which I would choose from and the color of the decorations that would drape the ballroom. The afternoon was filled with the fitting of my gown and a lengthy time of pampering myself. The whole castle was busy especially my father who held a meeting with his constituents from morning to afternoon— he did not even join me for breakfast.

I sat on my tub as the lavenders I have asked to be picked from the garden floated on my bathwater. Nighttime was coming as well as the time for the ball and the celebration of my birthday. I stared at the Dark Mountains as it is drenched in blood from the red color the sun had painted them. A knock took me out of my thoughts and the fear that boiled inside of me. I allowed the servant to come in.

“The royal seamstress is waiting for you, your Highness,” she informed me as she held a cloth on her hand to dry me. I stood up and stepped out of my tub as she dried me off with the cloth. She helped me in putting on my chemise before she followed me as I walked towards my room.

The royal seamstress waited for me with the finished gown on my bed. She bowed her head and guided me towards what I would wear for tonight. I gazed at the clothing laid on my bed with amazement in my eyes. The dress was finished and it burned bright and bold under the light of the sunset. My hand grazed the thick smooth fabric and the embellishments that the royal seamstress had embroidered to the dress. She signaled the other servants to come to help her in dressing me up.

The bodice of the ball gown cinched my waist and its big skirt fell perfectly down my body. The gown hugged my chest and the flowing laced sleeved hanged from my arms like the flowers in my balcony. The neckline cut open sharply like a knife and the red rubies on the bodice fell like blood as it dripped down my waist to my skirt— it glinted under the light of the setting sun. The red roses on the hem of my gown bloomed and crept up my hem. I spun around to marvel at the beauty that the royal seamstress had made. I thanked her for her service which she replied with a bright smile.

The royal seamstress left the room and my servants guided me towards my mirror. They tied my hair up in different twists and curls. They embellished it with red crystals to fit my gown and they placed my crown on top of my head, they secured it in place. The servants flooded me with compliments as they looked at my reflection in the mirror.

“They are all here, Your Highness,” one of the servants said. I walked towards the door as they followed behind me.

I went through the halls and reached the main staircase that led to the ballroom. The room was already filled with voices and music— the ball has already begun. I looked down from the stairs and a lot of people have already arrived. There were people from different allied kingdoms, all drenched in different colors. Men and women from royal families flocked the room and gathered together for tonight.

“Princess Victoria Coventry,” a voice introduced as I took the flight of stairs. The loud voices of people stopped as they all turned towards me. My father, William, and Princess Veronica waited for me down the stairs. My father pulled me into a hug and for a kiss on the cheeks.

“Happy Birthday, my child,” my father said as he held my hand and gave it three quick squeezes. I turned and William already had his arms open for me. He held me in a tight embrace.

“Happy birthday, my Queen,” he whispered and a flush appeared on my cheeks.

I went towards Princess Veronica but all she gave was a venomous smile and she sauntered away towards the crowd of people. The royal ones all clapped and bowed to me whenever I looked at them in which I returned with a smile and a graceful curtsy.

The room was filled with laughter and music again. Royal families from allied kingdoms started to approach me and introduce themselves. However, my attention fleeted in and out of the conversation as I scanned the room— they must have not arrived yet.

The doors to the ballroom slammed open as two middle-aged men, two women, and a young man who looked the same age as I, walked in. They are draped in hues of black and deep red that seemed to darken up the atmosphere of the room. A swarm of men and women of different ages rallied behind them.

“They’re here,” my father whispered and I felt the tension in his voice. William and the knights suddenly became alerted and their hands tightly gripped around the handle of their swords.

The mysterious men and women stood in front of us. The man in a long black coat with hair that fell on his shoulders reached out his hand to my father to shake it.

“Lord Zakariah Bathory,” he introduced himself as his eyes glinted into a red hue for a second.

“The Clan of the Blood Moon is delighted to be here,” he added as his lips formed a smile.

A smile that was wide enough that I was able to see his sharp fangs.