had been made. I looked at the king, hoping this was the end of it and he would now send everyone away to do as they wished. I, for one, was eager to retreat back to my bedroom.
Instead, Nicolae spoke quietly to the queen before he nodded to the rest of the room and they all soundlessly exited. I noticed Ana glaring at me as she walked past and I fought the urge to glare back at her. I wasn’t sure what I had done to deserve such a reaction from her. Perhaps just because I was human?
“Claire, come and sit with us a moment.” The king motioned me toward the queen and him.
I stole a glance at the enormous double doors as Robin exited them and smiled when I saw her look back at me. I felt sure she would be waiting for me when I was done. Taking a deep breath, I walked toward him and settled uncomfortably at the opposite end of an antique sofa on which the queen was sitting. I did my best to maintain my composure even though I was not sure why I cared to do so.
“I trust that you enjoyed meeting everyone?” the king asked.
“Yes, I did.” I wanted to tell him that I wasn’t sure everyone enjoyed meeting me, but I bit my tongue.
“I know some of the family may seem reticent, but not everyone feels as comfortable with change. You see, Claire; we have all lived together here for a very long time, always living the same way. Your arrival has instigated change, but in time, they will learn to accept it and accept you.”
I wasn’t sure what he was getting at. “I’m afraid I don’t understand.”
“Before we decided to choose a child, the Ravens were our choice for the throne. However, with you as our daughter, they no longer have any claim, and as you can see, they are still very bitter. It was many years ago when we decided to find a child. Since we never brought one back to the palace, they must have believed we changed our minds. We are both sad to see they were unable to swallow their pride and show you the respect you deserve,” the queen said her voice tinged with anger.
“What have I done to deserve their respect? I am only a human girl! I haven’t even made a decision yet.”
“Yes, Nicolae has explained that to me. You are still uncertain if you wish to join our family?” The queen placed her hand on me with an expression filled with sadness. It was hard for me to fathom that I was sitting in the palace, looking at the queen, let alone deciding whether or not I wanted to be turned into a vampire.
“It’s not that I don’t like you… I just don’t understand why you chose me. Just because of my blood? You can pick any girl in the world and you picked me. I’ll never get to see my mom or my best friend ever again and, and… I’m scared.” I fought to hold back the burning tears that I never expected as I verbally vomited my thoughts onto the queen. I probably looked like a typical whiny teenager, but this had all become more than I could handle. Just a few days ago, I was planning my eighteenth birthday, and now I was planning my eternal life.
“Relax, child,” the queen cooed at me as she wiped away a tear with her icy finger. “We would not have chosen you if we did not think that you could handle it. We looked not only into your blood, but into your heart as well. As my husband told you, we wish for you to continue our legacy. If others were to reign over this region, we would surely revert back to the dark times.” The queen squeezed her eyes shut at the mention of it.
It was obvious how much she dreaded such a time returning. I tried to remember my vampire history class, but I was certain what my school books said was nothing compared to what it must have really been like. I remembered the paintings on the walls of the palace, the murals of grotesque battle scenes and wondered if those were the dark times of which she spoke.
“Why don’t you just remain as king and queen forever?” I asked.
The king smiled at me before responding. “We have reigned over this region
Instead, Nicolae spoke quietly to the queen before he nodded to the rest of the room and they all soundlessly exited. I noticed Ana glaring at me as she walked past and I fought the urge to glare back at her. I wasn’t sure what I had done to deserve such a reaction from her. Perhaps just because I was human?
“Claire, come and sit with us a moment.” The king motioned me toward the queen and him.
I stole a glance at the enormous double doors as Robin exited them and smiled when I saw her look back at me. I felt sure she would be waiting for me when I was done. Taking a deep breath, I walked toward him and settled uncomfortably at the opposite end of an antique sofa on which the queen was sitting. I did my best to maintain my composure even though I was not sure why I cared to do so.
“I trust that you enjoyed meeting everyone?” the king asked.
“Yes, I did.” I wanted to tell him that I wasn’t sure everyone enjoyed meeting me, but I bit my tongue.
“I know some of the family may seem reticent, but not everyone feels as comfortable with change. You see, Claire; we have all lived together here for a very long time, always living the same way. Your arrival has instigated change, but in time, they will learn to accept it and accept you.”
I wasn’t sure what he was getting at. “I’m afraid I don’t understand.”
“Before we decided to choose a child, the Ravens were our choice for the throne. However, with you as our daughter, they no longer have any claim, and as you can see, they are still very bitter. It was many years ago when we decided to find a child. Since we never brought one back to the palace, they must have believed we changed our minds. We are both sad to see they were unable to swallow their pride and show you the respect you deserve,” the queen said her voice tinged with anger.
“What have I done to deserve their respect? I am only a human girl! I haven’t even made a decision yet.”
“Yes, Nicolae has explained that to me. You are still uncertain if you wish to join our family?” The queen placed her hand on me with an expression filled with sadness. It was hard for me to fathom that I was sitting in the palace, looking at the queen, let alone deciding whether or not I wanted to be turned into a vampire.
“It’s not that I don’t like you… I just don’t understand why you chose me. Just because of my blood? You can pick any girl in the world and you picked me. I’ll never get to see my mom or my best friend ever again and, and… I’m scared.” I fought to hold back the burning tears that I never expected as I verbally vomited my thoughts onto the queen. I probably looked like a typical whiny teenager, but this had all become more than I could handle. Just a few days ago, I was planning my eighteenth birthday, and now I was planning my eternal life.
“Relax, child,” the queen cooed at me as she wiped away a tear with her icy finger. “We would not have chosen you if we did not think that you could handle it. We looked not only into your blood, but into your heart as well. As my husband told you, we wish for you to continue our legacy. If others were to reign over this region, we would surely revert back to the dark times.” The queen squeezed her eyes shut at the mention of it.
It was obvious how much she dreaded such a time returning. I tried to remember my vampire history class, but I was certain what my school books said was nothing compared to what it must have really been like. I remembered the paintings on the walls of the palace, the murals of grotesque battle scenes and wondered if those were the dark times of which she spoke.
“Why don’t you just remain as king and queen forever?” I asked.
The king smiled at me before responding. “We have reigned over this region
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