1. Vampire Lord's Whims

Myra

It was clear Spring morning, I was readying my dress, a simple green cotton gown, for the wedding. Then I proceeded to get my sister's wedding dress ready. It was deep red in colour. The dress was beautiful indeed. I looked at it for some time before brushing and straightening its folds and hanging it on the wall. 

Even though it was supposed to be the happiest day of my sister's life, I felt nothing but sadness for her. It wasn't the wedding she had imagined for herself. The bridegroom wasn't a simple guy from our countryside like my sister preferred, she always wanted a simple life where she would be managing the household and looking after kids while her husband earned their livelihood. 

However, this was not the case, her husband-to-be was a lord, our small village fell under his estate. He was the great Vampire Lord, child of the night, a nocturnal being. The wedding would also be held at night instead of the morning like it usually happened. Even the wedding gown wasn't white. 

Now you may ask how did he decide to marry my sister? Well, it's like this. Our father had borrowed money from him so that he could buy a small land and establish a life here in Shadowwick, a quaint village. But my father wasn't a very responsible man, after mother's death, he hardly came home leaving all the responsibilities upon my sister and I. It was my sister, Harmony who brought me up, loved me like a mother and protected me like a father. 

The debts kept piling up and when the day arrived to pay the lord back, my father was already neck-deep in debts. The solution, the lord, still unmarried wished to marry one of us and my sister came forward to comply with his demands, as usual sacrificing herself for my sake. 

My sister's age was closer to his appearance since I don't know what the lord's actual age is, he could be 100, no one knew how old the Vampire lord was but he never looked a day older than 25. 

He had come in person to ask my sister's hand. My father had begrudgingly given his consent, he was helpless. I had peeked out from our small bedroom and seen him for the first time. His tall stature dwarfed the sofa he was sitting on, his all-black attire and long black hair gave out a fearsome aura. My sister was said to be the fairest maiden in the whole village, the most beautiful lady but beside him even she looked pad, it was as if his features were cut out of moonstone and dipped in the moonlight.

I won't deny that my heart skipped a beat when suddenly he looked up and our eyes met, his onyx orbs pinned me on the spot. But quickly regained my composure and hid back in our room. I reprimanded myself for thinking about my sister's husband in an unorthodox manner. 

However, his face, his eyes never really left my thoughts after that. I also noticed that my sister became sad with each passing day, she grew morose as her wedding neared and I couldn't help but sympathize. The lord had a reputation of being cold-hearted, no one had ever heard him courting anyone to date. Mrs.Bimberton often shook her head ruefully and said, "I pity your sister Myra, such a beautiful girl, lost", and then proceed to wipe the corner of her eyes with her apron. I knew better, very few people liked us because my father owed a lot of money to a lot of them. Most of them had been taunting us behind our backs. 

I was brought back from my train of thoughts when my sister rushed in, her face ashen and her eyes glistening with unshed tears. I immediately went to her and embraced her, "What is the matter?" she did not reply, just tightened her hold. I was becoming more worried with every passing second. I pulled away and cupped her placed both my hands on her shoulder, "Harmony, tell me". At this her lips wobbled and the tears fell freely, she hid her face with her palms and muffled a reply, "Lord Beaufort has changed his mind, he...he wishes to marry you, Myra".

Initially, I thought that I misheard but my sister's tear-stained cheeks and puffed eyes told me the opposite. I froze, my brain tried to process the news. "What?" my voice came out as a whisper. This couldn't be. Why would the lord change his mind? Was he so whimsical and cold-hearted that he did not even consider what impact it would have on my sister's heart and mind? He had never even seen me properly, the only time was when he had called upon her house to ask my sister's hand for marriage. 

I felt my sister lightly shaking me, her eyes searching my possible blank face. ''Who-who told you so?''  I managed to ask, my voice hoarse with emotions. 

''A missive arrived today morning'', she mumbled, twisting her sleeve with her fingers. 

''And..what does papa say?'' I asked already knowing the answer. She confirmed it by replying, ''He doesn't have any problem '', her tone barely hid the bitterness. I nodded.

''And you?'' I looked at her midnight blue orbs, sparkling with fresh tears.

''I never imagined this Myra'', she implored, ''I am more anxious about you than myself''. She hugged me again, my hands automatically wound around her, even though I felt numb inside.

Marriage had not been the first thing on my priority list but marrying someone like him and in this manner was never something I had imagined. Never had I ever dreamed of becoming the bride of the vampire lord.