The Mountain pass was full of softly packed snow, that the horses carefully trotted on. The trees that had lined the edges of the castle were sparser here, and not like the deadened trees of the forest these trees were green and lush, covered with bristles the smell of pine soothing compared to the sulphur and putrid scents of blood that permeated the air of the castle. Lauri glanced around the landscape, her eyes drifting to the edge of the mountain where she could see patches of forest intercrossed with far open plains of dead grass that opened up to rivers that intersected all of the land that made up the kingdom of Vemos. It was more beauty than she ever expected to see from the place where she was more captive than citizen. Lauri glanced back at Dorian whose eyes were warily taking in his surroundings almost as if he expected to be attacked at any time. Lauri could hear the soft whispers of Cassie and Abraham behind her, she wanted to look but she felt just as wary seeing Dorian's apprehension.
The mountain pass was extremely quiet, which maybe wasn't a good thing after all. Lauri's eyes widened as she saw a woman appear seemingly out of nowhere, her pale white skin standing out beneath her dark hair, her eyes heavily lined, her lips red and wet. She looked up at Dorian and beckoned him with two fingers.
Dorian glanced behind him once looking at Lauri with a guarded expression before glancing back at Abraham. Dorian was steady and as quiet as he had been when Lauri had first met him. Lauri followed Dorian until their horses came across an open cavern of sorts. The horses ground their hooves to the ground uneasily, grunting as they moved. Dorian swung his legs jumping down from the horse gesturing to Abraham to do the same as he walked towards Lauri and grabbed her along the waist helping her down. His hand went to grasp hers, his body almost guarding hers. Lauri held his hand tightly warily watching the girl who stood waiting by the doorway. Abraham came up beside Lauri, Cassie closely following beside him.
They stepped though the cavern and entered a domed area with elevated areas where white skinned girls like the one we had followed lounged on chaise chairs. Here and there were males with the same dark hair and pale skin. "We demand an audience with the leader of the nine covens." Dorian said his voice ringing out in the open space. There was titters of chatter from the Vampires that looked on. One of the men walked towards them, his long overcoat billowing behind him. "That's not Kieran." Cassie whispered. "No, I am not." The man said as he stopped in front of them with clasped hands. "My name is Christian. Perhaps you will talk to me." He said gently looking from Dorian to Dorian and Lauri's clasped hands, then to Abraham and Cassie. He looked back at Abraham a smile crossing his features. "Hello, young Abraham." Christian said simply. Dorian turned to look at Abraham with raised eyebrows. "You two, know each other?" Dorian asked. "Come on. Let's not let the rabble listen to our conversation." Christian said, whipping his jacket to the side as he turned around walking swiftly away. Abraham rolled his eyes. "Overdramatic Vampire." He muttered, as he grabbed Cassie by the hand and followed him to a corner room, Dorian and Lauri following behind them.
"So how do you two know each other?" Dorian asked. Christian sunk down into one of the chaise's that seemed to be everywhere in the domed space.
"I had a life before I became a Royal guard."
"His sister is a human incubator." Christian replied, ignoring Abraham's scowl. "What does that mean?" Lauri asked alarmed. "She lets us feed on her." Christian replied, ignoring Lauri's look of disgust. "Why are you demanding an audience with Kieran. I would've thought you'd know better, Bram." Christian said raising his hands behind him leaning against the chaise. Cassie huffed. "Bram?" She said her eyes alight with mischief, as slid down to another chair that stood waiting on the side. Abraham rolled his eyes. "It's a nickname, from when I was a child." Bram said sighing. "We came to see Kieran. We heard word that there's been stirring of an uprising among the Vampires."
"There are many here, who would like to see the days of old return to pass. The days where we could come and go as we pleased to the human world." Christian said, licking his lips as his gaze left Dorian's to look at Lauri, who stiffened at the look of hunger in Christian's eyes. "And there are many more who believe that with the return of the lost Princess. The Heir to Nathaniel's throne those old days will return again." Christian said a smile breaking out on his lips. "Fortunately for your royals, there are a great many more, who believe that what we have is good enough. We are stronger than we ever have been. All nine covens have for the first time in centuries peace and prosperity. We are Vampires forever alive and forever hungry. But for the first time we have maintained bonds of friendship. Of family. Those of us who don't want an uprising would stand on your side, Prince Dorian." Christian said. Dorian stiffened. "That is not—"
"Did you think I would not notice who you are?" Christian asked shrewdly. "What are you talking about?" Abraham asked. Cassie leaned forward in her chair. "Yes, Dorian do tell." Cassie said smiling. "Wait, did you know?" Dorian asked. "He's being serious. You are actually a prince. Please tell me you're not another one of my brothers." Lauri said narrowing her eyes. "Vampires live very long. They see a great many things and they never forget." Dorian said rubbing his face in clear aggravation. "Centuries ago, it was my family held the seat of power. As the royals of Vemos." Lauri's eyes widened. "That's why you talk the way you do!" She said. Dorian scowled. "A royal is always a royal." Christian said sagely. "There are many here that would be on your side, should you ever decide to take your rightful place on the throne. You wouldn't have to bow under the pressure of the Darkling family ever again."
"That is not the reason we are here today." Dorian said. "An uprising would be Kieran's idea." Christian said. "Kieran has a certain number of Vampires in each of the covens who believe that the days of old is best."
"So, I'm guessing that a simple heart to heart isn't going to mend things over." Dorian said dryly. "Probably not." Christian said with raised eyebrows. "Where is he usually?" Cassie asked pressing her fingers together. "Third floor balcony." Christian said. Cassie rose to her feet, "well you brought me here for a reason," She said pointedly looking at Dorian. "Time to see if this is going to work." She said before swiftly walking away. "Are you really just going to let her go?" Bram asked turning to look at Dorian, crossing his arms. Dorian scowled glancing at Christian, "I don't suppose you have any interest in leadership?" Dorian said. Christian narrowed his eyes at Dorian in surprise. "Are you already predicting that this is going to go bad?"
Forty-Five Minutes later…
"Was that a scream?" Lauri asked glancing at Dorian. "I think that was more of a signal." Dorian said, as he looked around and saw that the Vampires that had quietly been sitting at the edges of the room, were now all up and looked to be approaching them with murder in their eyes. Dorian pulled out two round metal cylinders from his jacket and flicked them both to the ground, as he did so serrated metal blades sprung out from them. He handed one to Lauri, before he threw one at the closest approaching Vampire that disintegrated when the blade impacted her skin. "Holy metal. Try not to lose the blade please." Dorian said as he turned his back to Lauri and they both started to slice Vampires as they approached. Bram pulled out a circular object that held some opaque liquid within, he lit it with a flint before throwing it high, the liquid released in a burst of fire not unlike a fire work that immediately drenched the surrounding Vampires, making them scream out as their skin boiled on impact.
While all this was going on, up on the third balcony Cassie was fighting off three vamps all with long white hair while Kieran stared hungrily. "You should have just joined me sweetheart. All those years ago we could've been together eternally beautiful." Kieran said his voice as soft and seductive as silk. Cassie grunted bending down as she kicked one of the girls hard in her lower leg, making her stoop slightly, she jumped against her back swiping her sword at the two other girls from the higher height, splashing herself with the Vamps silver blood, as she fell back on the ground bracing her knees at the impact, she turned to look at Kieran as the two girls heads rolled on the floor unseeing, staring at Kieran's shocked pale face she kicked her high-heeled boots into the remaining girl's head, hearing a sickening crack. Using her other hand, she wiped the blood off her face, knowing that it most likely spread across her face in uneven lines. "I think you should rethink your uprising. Right now." She said breathlessly. Kieran's eyes hardened. "I will never rethink what I know to be right. The days where Vampires could go wherever they want, will come again. The portals will open once more, and all of you will know what true power is."
"That might come to pass, but you won't be here to see it." Kieran turned in surprise and Cassie was immediately splashed with his blood as his head was cleaved cleanly off his shoulders. Christian looked up at Cassie. "You alright?"
"Are you?" She said testily. She watched warily as Christian leaned down grabbing Kieran by his blood encrusted hair, Christian glanced at Cassie. "Feel free to look away if you must." He said before he went up on the edge of the Balcony climbing up on the railing.
"HEY!" He shouted waiting for everyone to turn and look at him. He held Kieran's severed head out. "I JUST KILLED THE HEAD OF THE NINE COVENS. SWEAR YOUR ALLEGIANCE TO ME OR DIE IN THE LIGHT OF THE SUN." he announced clearly throwing Kieran's head into the crowd of angry Vamps. The head bounced once off of one of the Blonde Vampires, before it fell rolling all the way down to just in front of the girl who had first led us here. "I think it's time for the visitors to leave." She said glaring at Dorian before she kicked Kieran's head away and walked up the path, the rest of the Vampires following her.
"Now that is how you end a rebellion."