As Victoria slept, all the maids were busy preparing for when she awakes. Though she was not injured nor wounded, Duke Burboom still called for a doctor to check on her.
The same scene could also be seen in Vince's room, though there was one significant difference. Victor, would always visit Victoria, making sure that she was okay and well treated. On Vince's end, it was the duke that visited him often.
This division was noticed by all the servants who lived in the estate, and it seems, that they all know why.
The Duke was a very masculine man. There's always been old myths about having a girl as your first child. It means that you haven't paid your debt. When Victoria was first to be born, news spread about her birth, and it took seventy-two hours before Victor came out, and before Victor could be introduced as the first child, Victoria was already well known.
Due to the fast speed of how rumors spread across the kingdom, it wasn't long until the Duke was the topic of gossip of the town. He believed that the literal birth of Victoria meant that his position as Duke could have been tarnished.
As educated as Duke Burboom was, he still believed in stupid superstition. But even though he believed this, he still loved his daughter. It's just that every time he sees her, he wishes she was born a boy instead of a girl.
When Victoria awakened, the Duke was instantly notified by the head butler, and for the first time in weeks, the Duke finally visited Victoria.
As Duke Burboom entered Victoria's room, instead of feeling the usual carefree lightness of the room, he could feel a heavy and powerful dark aura surround him.
*What is this feeling?*
Duke Burboom thought. Though, he already knew the answer.
*Is this.... Dark Magic? But why would ther-*
The Duke looked over at Victoria, and his face turned pale. Hovering right above his daughter, was an enormous dark and shadowy creature with sharp teeth and glowing purple eyes. The beast was hungry and it thirst for some blood.
*It's.....a Werewolf?! Is this Victoria's power? How is that possible?!*
In this world, one cannot have dark magic if both parents are of light magic. There is no possible way for someone with light magic to obtain dark magic, and for someone with dark magic, to obtain light magic. If your parents have light magic, then you are destined to have light magic or no magic at all.
But here is Victoria, the very own flesh and blood of Duke Burboom and Duchess Hilda. Both powerful and respectable wielders light magic, having a daughter that has dark magic?! It was such an impossible sight!
But that wasn't on Duke Burboom's mind.
*What will the rumors say if they find out that my daughter has dark magic?! They'd think she was of another woman, and the Everdeen name could be tarnished with such rumors! I mean how else did Victoria obtain dark magic when both her mother and I are born with light magic?! Victor even has light magic himself!*
The Duke nervously sat down next to Victor, who was siting right next to Victoria's bedside. Victor, also sees the dark creature hovering above Victoria, but seems to have no fear towards it.
The Duke continued to look at the creature. He awed at its enormous size, the creature could barely even fit at the roof of Victoria's bed and took up almost all of the ceiling in Victoria's room.
"Uhm... My eyes are down here. " Victoria spoke.
The Duke looked down and faced Victoria, all the color of his face still gone from shock.
"I know that it's quite distracting, but I don't actually know how to make it go away. "
Victoria explained to her father. As Victoria spoke, Duke Burboom noticed her sharp, pointy fangs.
"Did you....drink any blood? " The Duke asked. His voice gentle, yet nervous.
"I'm not really sure, but... I think... I probably did. "
"From who? "
Victoria tried to remember as much as possible from the events that happened in the Dark Forest.
*I remember smelling something like a freshly baked doughnut. The smell came from Ellen, so I went near him and I think.....he said.....*
*'You-you need my blood? It's okay, it's normal for vampires to want blood when they awaken'*
*Yeah, he said that....then what did he do again?*
Victoria pressed her hand on her forehead. Trying to remember what happened between her and Ellen, was making her head ache.
Then... She remembered it.
She remembered Ellen opening his neck for her, she remembered the taste of something so incredibly delicious, like the taste of melted chocolate or the flavor of vanilla, Ube and strawberry combined, but even better and even sweeter! She remembered his smell and the feeling of wanting more! She blushed as she replayed the events in her head.
Her cheeks completely flushed and her heart beating rapidly fast. She could feel her stomach churn and her head feel dizzy.
*I know this thought is wrong, but honestly, I want more!*
Victoria's mouth drooled at the thought of Ellen's smell and taste. In Victoria's head, Ellen was nothing but a luxurious meal, a meal that would leave her wanting for more.
*Wait! Why am I thinking that? I'm not a cannibal.*
"Victoria? "
Victor spoke from the corner of her ear.
Victoria turned to face Victor. Her face still red from her thoughts.
"Can you remember if you drank any blood from anyone? " Victor asked.
"Oh yeah! It was Ellen! " Victoria said quickly.
Shit, I said that without thinking it through!
"Could he be the blonde haired boy with the two men? " Duke Burboom asked, his face now more stern.
"Uh... Yeah..."
The Duke looked down and leaned his head on his right hand, looking deep in thought.
"Ellen was his name yeah? "
"Yeah. "
"How'd you meet him? "
"I was looking for Vince when I saw that he was beaten up by a gang of men. "
"So what happened then? Did you awaken? "
What is this an interrogation?
"No... I... I didn't. I made a bet with the leader Rico."
"What did he look like? "
"Well, he had black hair, a scar on his left eye and one silver tooth. "
The Duke's face changed into a faint surprise.
"What was the bet? "
"I wagered in a game of sword, if I won, I would get Vince."
"But you don't know how to wield a sword? "
"I do. But I lost. "
The Duke raised his brow.
"So what did they get? "
"My hand in marriage."
"YOUR WHAT?! " Victor screamed.
"Victor! Sit down. "
The Duke motioned for Victor to sit.
"Why did you do that Victoria? " The Duke said, speaking calmly, though he did look pissed.
"I know it sounds reckless, but it was the safest solution. I couldn't wait for the cavalry because I felt that Vince was in danger, and I can't bargain with money, because the men would have no trouble snatching it away from me. So I thought, 'what can I bargain so that Rico would make sure that none of his men would touch me?' And it clicked in my head, marriage."
"So you offered your hand in marriage to Rico?! " Victor asked in panic.
"HELL NO! I OFFERED IT TO HIS SON YOU DUNCE! " Victoria replied, her face completely red.
"Could his son be that blonde boy? Ellen? " The Duke asked.
"Ah yeah. "
The Duke paused for a bit. His mind was deep in thought.
It seems as though the Duke knew something about Ellen that no one else knew. But, he has yet to confirm it.
"I've heard about Rico Sanchez. He was once a pirate, but he later turned to land for some unknown reason. He would make a worthy ally since he knows the ins and outs of the Red sea. But I never thought he'd have a son. "
The Duke looked up at Victoria. His indigo blue eyes reached Victoria's gaze.
"I have no problems with your engagement to his son, but if you are not comfortable with it, that's okay too. " the duke said to Victoria.
At this point, all Victoria could think of, was Ellen's taste.
Ellen was nothing but a thief in the book, I don't think he's much of a influence now either way, so if I do marry him, that means I can drink his blood as much as I want! But do I really want to marry my food?
"I'm not sure of that decision myself. I only offered my hand in marriage because I was trying to stall for time in order to save Vince." Victoria explained.
"Then, until you've made a decision, I suggest you keep the engagement going. "
"WHAT?! Father are you insane? Your giving Victoria away to some rug rat?!" Victor screamed, his face in complete panic.
"I have my motives. " The Duke replied.
"I am aware that knowing the ins and outs of the Red Sea could help expand our clientele, but there are other ways! " Victor retorted.
The Duke glared at Victor. His face turned stiff and angry.
"I know what I'm doing son, and I know many things that you don't. Now if you could kindly leave us, I would like to discuss something with your sister alone. "
"Tch!" Victor spat and slammed the door as he walked out of the room.
The room turned silent and the only people left in the room was Victoria herself, the giant creature and Duke Burboom.
An awkward silence crept between Victoria and the Duke. There was tension between them as one waited for the other to speak.
*I hate this awkward silence!*
"So what did you want to talk to me about dad? " Victoria said.
The Duke's eyes brightened, it was the first time in years since his own daughter addressed him as 'dad'.
"Ah, well, Victor did tell me this morning that you changed quite a bit. It's a nice change."
*Huh, is he talking about my hair? Well I guess it is a big change from the long hair.*
"You've awakened Victoria, but not fully. The final phase of a Vampire is to become a werewolf, and unfortunately, I don't know much. There isn't much information about vampires and werewolves, because there's not many of them, I do not know what to do about the werewolf spirit that's surrounding you. "
*Oh, so it's a werewolf spirit that's hovering above me. I almost forgot that in this world, vampires and werewolves are the same.*
"We can't spread news about your awakening Victoria, who knows what might happen when they find out that the daughter of Duke Burboom has dark magic?"
*Dark magic? Me? But both of Victoria's parents are light magic?! Was the book wrong again?*
"Victoria, listen carefully."
Duke Burboom lowered his voice and motioned Victoria to come closer.
"A child that comes from a family of light magic, cannot have dark magic, it's impossible. We can't afford anymore gossip and panic."
*Ah, so he's worried about his reputation.*
"But there is a place that would be able to help you with your magic. I'll just have to change your schools."
*Schools?!*
"As of your engagement to Ellen, I was serious about what I said before. When Ellen and Rico come to visit the estate, I will enroll Ellen to the School of Light Magic. Whether you continue the engagement or not. "
"But why go through all that trouble for Ellen? " Victoria asked.
The Duke paused for a moment. Thinking of whether or not he should tell his daughter about it.
"The truth is, I don't trust what's happening in the Royal court. There's something going on, but I don't have enough evidence to confirm it."
*The Royal Court?*
The Duke looked at Victoria, his eyes stern and focused. He lowered his voice into a whisper.
"If Ellen is who I think he is, then everything will change, and here's what's gonna happen. "