"Here, put this on, darling."
Aurora received the piece of jewelry from her godmother.
"Thank you, Celine."
She looked at herself in the silver hemmed mirror as she put the earrings on.
"The servants could have done a better job for your hair. Look at this tendril," Celine spoke, displeased.
Aurora dodged her anxious hands, laughing softly.
"No need to be so nervous. It's just a casual meeting."
"With your to-be husband. Not to mention, the successor to the throne of Jaresh. I wonder what the king was thinking when he made them visit."
"Father is father."
"Of course."
Aurora watched her godmother leave, her gold embroidered gown trailing behind her. She looked back at her image in the mirror. She was nervous.
*
Loud music and dancing ushered the Jerash royal party in. Their golden horses dazzled in the sunlight and their silver carriages glistened in the late afternoon heat. It was a sight to behold.
She stood at the entrance to the palace, along with the emperor, her godmother, and the rest of the royals.
The carriages arranged themselves uniformly on the large grounds, the dust settling with them.
"Emperor Julius!"
Aurora breathed in deeply and watched as the aged warrior stepped out of his royal carriage. He looked the exact same as the image she had of him, domineering, magnificent… and so were his sons.
Five princely men each jumped down from their horses. She had never met her to-be husband but she knew at once who Sebastian Deusdedit was.
His sharp attractive eyes found her instantly and she wasn't sure if it was the dust-filled wind or if her breathing really stopped.
He had long dark hair, curled around his nape; his eyes, his eyes were the finest blue color; his face was carved exquisitely and his build… oh heavens, he was the finest warrior she had ever seen.
*
"Princess Aurora, Prince Sebastian."
She curtsied and let him kiss her petite fingers.
"I think we should give the couple some room. What do you think, Janus?"
"Of course. Diana, please escort them to the garden. The environment is wonderful for a romantic outing."
She let Sebastian lead her by the hand to the garden on the other side of the palace villa.
"We can take it from here, Lady Diana. We'll do just fine on our own."
"But the king…"
"For the thousandth time, the king is my father."
"As you wish, my princess."
Lady Diana curtsied and quickly left them in the dark hallway.
"You haven't said a word, your honor," she turned to Sebastian, keeping her features cool and composed.
He was already looking at her and she found a tiny blush creeping its way up her cheek. Thank Zeus that the darkness concealed it. She didn't understand why but she was suddenly looking forward to being his wife. In the past, it had just been a formal duty but now…
"Do you make your father's workers disobey him all the time?" He had a deep pleasant voice that made her feel at ease. Not that she was easily disconcerted.
They resumed walking, still with her hand tucked neatly in the crook of his arm.
"Only when it comes to my affairs."
"I see."
Sebastian stole another glance at the fair maiden he was to marry. Her beauty was unlike anything he had heard or seen. Her hair… he hoped she would never lay a scissors on it, ever.
They arrived at the large garden, roses, and daffodils arranged in their numbers with their sweet scents tickling their nostrils. They sat on the stone bench to the right of the arched entrance.
"I'll like to assure you that I am a good man and I intend to give you a comfortable life though I can't assure you that there won't be troubles. If you don't feel comfortable with having children immediately, I'll consider informing my father so he doesn't trouble us."
Aurora was a bit dazed at first then she grew sad. Was that really all there was to life for her? Get married, have children and spend her life taking care of them?
"Princess Aurora?"
She forced a smile.
"Of course, your honor. I'll do well to inform you if I ever feel that way."
Sebastian noticed the sad tint in her cheeks and the sarcasm in her speech but he said nothing of it. He also wished to stop her from adding honorifics and just call him by his name but he also said nothing.
"I'll be crowned emperor right after our wedding and I'll get even busier. I'm afraid you may not see as much of me as you may like and you'll be left alone to manage our home but the maidservants will give you all the assistance you need and if, perchance, there is an emergency, do not hesitate to place an urgent fire message to me."
"I will, your honor."
"Please… refrain from the titles. Sebastian, call me Sebastian."
"The law demands that I…"
"I make my own laws."
"As you wish, your… Sebastian."
He wanted her to say it again and again, his name.
"How old are you?"
"19."
There was a long pause.
"You're to ask me mine."
She shot him a quick look, bewildered.
"How old are you?" She asked anyway.
"28. I'm surprised you have not been carried off by some other charming prince."
Her lips twitched.
"My father is a bit possessive of me. If not that he feared to displease your father, the emperor Julius, he may have rejected your marriage offer."
"Aah, I see."
Her hand, out of his hold, she entangled them and watched the rose petals dance to the tune of the evening breeze.
"I'd like to know if you have any expectations," he said suddenly. She glanced at him for the hundredth time. Why were his features so captivating?
"I have many expectations, Sebastian, some of which may not be pleasing to you."
"I want to hear them."
"My father has a great fear of me venturing into the battlefield. I've trained in secret since I was six. I want to be enrolled into your army once we get back."
"I'm afraid that's a request I cannot grant. You'll be an empress, that is no role fitting for the empress of a great empire."
"Well, your honor, I don't…"
"Sebastian.'
"Sebastian, I frankly do not care."
His lips twitched in a smile.
"I'll see what I can do, Princess."
"Aurora."
His cheeks widened.
"I'll see what I can do, Aurora."
"You're the crown Prince, the future emperor. I'm sure you can get anything you seek."
A chuckle slipped out of his mouth. A surprise to them both.
"I'll see to it immediately, Aurora."
"My appreciation in advance then."
He smiled at her. His hand moved of their own accord to her golden blonde hair to fulfill the craving desire it had since he first saw her. His fingers stroked the silky lustrous curls while she sat stiff and unmoving.
"I love your hair," he murmured, his lips suddenly close to her ear. She swallowed, rubbing her sweaty palms on her skirt.
Soon he was getting to his feet and rounding her and gathering up her curls.
"What are your expectations of me? What kind of husband do you want me to be?"
"You," she found herself replying instantly while his hands worked magic on her hair.
"I'll try."
"Your honor," a foreign voice sounded in the garden, "the emperor invites you both for dinner."
He helped her to her feet and instead of his hands taking up hers, they instead went around her back.
Her mother was dead and had been for a long time so it was Lady Celine who tied the knot of Hercules around her waist on her wedding morn, over her long white robe. Lady Celine also escorted her to the palace grounds where the wedding was taking place. The people were all present in their numbers to witness not just the wedding of the King Janus's beloved daughter to the great warrior Sebastian of the Jerash empire but to witness the bonding of the two rulers.Sebastian was already at the altar, dressed in all his princely glory."Jupiter's blessings," Lady Celine murmured as she placed her hand in Sebastian's.She took one last long gaze at her godmother, her freedom before facing her to-be husband.The priest of Jupiter arose. Sebastian cut off her locket given to her by her mother and threw it in the purifying fire."When and where you are, I then and there I am; when and where you will be, I then and there I shall be." Sebastian recited slowly, his sharp gaze locked on hers."When
"The rag, get me the clean rag," The little girl fetched the needed item and handed it to Aurora. Sebastian stood to the side, hidden in the shadows. Aurora dabbed the forehead of the emperor gently, her other hand massaging his temples. Fire touches lit up the room and provided the heat needed. "Asclepius, help us. The emperor needs your healing. Oh, Asclepius, help us," she murmured, massaging his hands and feet with the healing ointment.After several minutes, she straightened, handing the used materials to the servant girl."He is stable for now but we'll have to get him proper treatment when we get home," She informed her husband. A knock followed and Sebastian's brothers ventured in."What happened to our father?" Lucius questioned immediately, narrowed suspicious eyes aimed at her."He was poisoned, he said so himself. I've done a bit to…""And I am to trust your spoken word with no proof?" He eyed her and peered down at the emperor."You have eyes. See for yourself." She pi
He looked in the mirror, pressing his face close to hers but his face still appeared blurry compared to hers."What… Your honor, your face…" Aurora gasped, sharply looking at him."I know," he muttered, straightening up and walking away. She watched him sit on the bed and place his head in his hands. Her palms grew sweaty."It might take some time but I'm sure the treatment is working. The poison's almost entirely gone. Better still, we could pay a secret visit to a priest outside our kingdom and we could ask if…""Not necessary. You have to be prepared for my death, Aurora," he cut her off sharply, lifing his head, "I'll set everything in place for you to live a comfortable free life afterwards if you do not wish to engage any of my brothers.""Sebastian!" She shouted furiously, "it's been only a week since our marriage and you dare talk about death so casually. Isn't that a tad shameless!""You…"A sharp knock on the door cut him off abruptly."Your honor, my lady, dinner is ready."
Aurora lay in Sebastian's arms, late that night after the customary night ritual to the sun god. The oil lamps were lit and burning and cast red shadows on the brick walls."We'll leave tomorrow night, right?" She asked, breathing in his musky scent."Yes," he answered, placing a kiss on her hair. It was a deep struggle for him not to sink his fangs into her neck right there and then and satisfy his crazed desire for her blood. He could hear them all, all the sleep sighs and steady drum of the pulse. He could imagine it all, sinking his fangs inti their necks and draining their blood until they were simply a sack of bones.He forced the thought out and focused on calming his breathing. When he came back to focus, Aurora was fast asleep in his arms.He stared at her beautiful face, her rosy cheeks and her plump lips. It would have been an absolute joy to get to know this resilient woman better, to protect her abd grant her her heart desires but now, she would be better off without him,
"Look!"Her eyes snapped open and fixated itself on the grave."It's moving! It's moving!"Sure enough, the earth covering the grave was trembling; rising and falling."Oh merciful Zeus," she murmured, scared for her fate and that of her husband at the hands of their people."Watch out!"The grave burst open and a clawed hand flashed out."Blood suckers! The emperor is a blood sucker!"Another clawed hand, then a leg and in a flash, Sebastian leaped out the grave, his skin pale as a corpse, his eyes bloodshot and dangerous.The crowd screamed, horrified."He is a bloodsucker, kill him! Put him to death!"She looked to Lucius in time ti catch him signal to his soldiers."Lucius, no!" She screamed, pulling at her chains, "don't touch him!"Her voice was barely heard above the crowd's loud noise but Sebastian snapped his head in her direction and just like that day, over a week ago, their gazes met and clashed."Sebastian," she whispered in a hopeless attempt to get him to remember. He t
The wind rushed past her with full force and when she thought she could no longer hold on, it stopped. She felt herself being lowered to the ground. She was in pain. Her arm felt too heavy to carry and she felt like ripping it off.Her eyes fluttered open when her back hit a tree."Aurora," his coarse hands caressed her face gently. His face loomed down on her, no longer foreign and pale like a corpse but even better, more beautiful."You're safe," she smiled weakly, reaching up for his face. Her fingers traced his features, his eyes, nose, mouth, ears, "you're safe.""I am," he murmured, pressing his forehead to hers, "did you feel my absence?""Very much, very much," she whispered, pressing her lips to his.When their lips parted, she realized that she felt no pain whatsoever. She looked quickly at her arm and slowly back at him, her eyes wide.He picked her up in his arms and began walking."Lucius would have the soldiers out to look for us.""And he'll begin with my father," she f
They walked in silence; Sebastian, Aurora and her mother. The night was far spent and their only companions were the night birds and the distant groans of the wild animals who dwelt in the dead woods."I know you have many questions, dearest Aurora…""Only I shall call her by that name," he pronounced firmly. Lydia eyes turned in his direction but she merely smiled."I guess she is no longer my little girl.""The little girl you tried to kill," Aurora blurted out with suppressed anger, "where were you all this time, mother? Why appear now?""Your father banished me if my old head remembers correctly.""Because you tried to kill me." She accused."I didn't… it was never my intention, dear… my child. I was a budding vampire, hungry for food and I didn't have the sense to fight it.""And where have you been all this time?""Hiding, of course," Lydia shot her an exasperated look, "with the entire Jaresh empire soldiers after us, blood suckers," she snorted, "I had to hide to save my own
"No, that's absurd," Aurora laughed, "so absurd. I never did those.""Yes, you did. You danced around the palace with your father's crown on your head and told everyone you were the new king. You told everyone you would be a king when you grew up."They all laughed, Aurora the loudest, Sebastian the least. Aurora watched him through the corner of her eye. He was strangely quiet and he seemed to be uneasy.She latched her hand with his under the table and he looked at her. She shot him an encouraging smile and he smiled wryly."So what plans do you have, Sebastian?"Aurora glared at her mother, "emperor Sebastian, your honor to you."Lydia rolled her eyes, stuffing her mouth with eggs."Ok," she gave in after chewing, "your honor, what plans do you have?""Getting myself rid of this sickness."Lydia raised a brow, "I'm afraid there's no way out.""That isn't possible," Aurora countered."Maybe there is," Lydia gulped down a cup of wine, "death."Sebastian fixed her with a straight look