She awoke to a familiar scene that felt alien to her somehow. She started to look around but stopped and winced when a throbbing headache suddenly attacked her. Her vision blurred and she saw an image of two young women standing by her bedside and she strangely felt a sense of kinship with them. Tears formed in her eye as she muttered the word, "Aerin and Selina". This felt strange but at the same time familiar to her. Her mind was currently a mess with her thoughts and her memories fragmented. She remembered burning in the sunlight but also remembered walking in the sunlight the other day.
The two women at her side seemed to notice her grasping her head with a look of confusion. The woman named Aerin had blonde hair slightly covering her fresh, warm face. Her electric blue eyes set narrowly within their sockets, looked upon her with a look of worry. Selina had brown hair which was pulled back to reveal a chiseled, charming face. Her electric blue eyes, set far within their sockets, watched attentively to make sure that they were alone and that no one was at the door.
With a nod from Selina, Aerin knelled next to her and asked in a hushed voice, "Are you okay my lady? What ails you?"
She shook her head and responded saying, "Nothing is wrong I simply have a headache. Please get me some aspirin."
Aerin looked at her in confusion before bowing her head and saying, "Please forgive me my lady I do not understand the meaning of the word 'aspirin'. Shall we inform Lord Viktor that you are unwell?"
Hearing the name Viktor flashes of images of her burning at the stake under the sun rushed through her mind. The fog that had filled her mind suddenly started to clear a little and she understood that she had the memories of two separate women Sonja and Aria. While she now somewhat understood her current situation her memories were still a jumbled mess.
She felt strange because whenever she looked at people or heard something it was like she had two separate minds and their thoughts who be yelling inside her head trying to overpower one another causing her headache. The moment she heard the name Viktor the voices instantly quieted down with both sides agreeing that this person was a monster she had to kill.
With her mind somewhat calm now she got out of bed and walked to her dresser and looked at her face. It was quite an unusual feeling to see a face and recognize it as both your face and the face of another person who shouldn't be real. She touched her face as she looked in the mirror to confirm that this was real before touching the mirror. This action was watched by both ladies in wait who looked at her with a look of worry.
'I really can't tell if I'm really Sonja with new memories or if I'm Aria who just remembers what Sonja did. From what little I can remember each life feels like it's mine and neither stand out more than the other. Hmm maybe I'm not really either one of them and I'm just someone else who has their memories. I don't know who I really am but suppose I'll figure it out as time goes on. Either way, the most important thing right now is to rest and sort out my memories. I also need don't need to do anything to get Viktor to pay any close attention to me.' thought Sonja
"My lady?" repeated Aerin when she notice that she had not responded yet
"No there's no need, I simply did not fully awaken. There's no need to bother my father with these trivial matters. I'm fine, help me bathe and get dressed I need to go see my father." she said coldly
"Yes my lady." said both Aerin and Selina
Selina started to undress Sonja as Aerin prepared the bath. As she entered the water while the two ladies in waiting washed her skin Sonja closed her eyes. With her eyes closed, she would use this little amount of time to at least sort through some memories to get a better understanding of her situation.
She focused on the memories of Aria first. After the memories finished flashing through her mind she realized Aria knew about this world because she had seen it in a movie. It was called The Underworld series and she loved watching it with Ava and Cassandra. As she thought about that a sense of loss overcame her as remembered that she would never see them again. The feelings of loss were beginning to overwhelm her when she heard her daughter Ava sadly say, "I can't believe Viktor would kill his own daughter because she was pregnant with Lucian's child. I hate him."
"My lady it has been quite a while since you entered the bath. Are you sure that all is well?" asked a concerned Selina breaking Sonja's concentration
"I said all is well. Must you keep making me repeat myself yet again?" she said even colder than last time
"Apologies my lady." said Selina with a bow
"Enough I'm finished so help me finish getting ready." she said in a softer tone
"Yes my lady at once." said both Aerin and Selina
The two brought some towels and started to dry her body after she exited the enormous bath that was the size of a small pool.
'I guess from this day forward my name will be Sonja. I quite like the name Aria but I can't use it here and now so maybe later I'll go by Sonja Winters or Sonja Aria Winters. But my first task will be to find a way to survive and find out at what point in the storyline I'm in. I'll also need to remember how Viktor kills me and if I'm pregnant yet.' thought Sonja
Sonja stopped holding her head as a cold look formed on her face and she suddenly started emanating killing intent causing her brown eyes to change into her vampiric electric blue. This reaction caused Aerin and Selina to worry they had upset Sonja so they both kneeled as they begged for forgiveness.
Sonja waved her hand and said, "Enough on your feet. You've done nothing to displease me I was simply lost in thought of how to deal with the wolf plague we find ourselves in. Dress me at once."
Heeding her words the two servants stood and began to dress Sonja. Now dress in a black long-sleeved midlevel dress Sonja left her room. Normally her servants would walk behind her but her mind was still foggy on details such as the layout of the castle she simply ordered them to lead her to Viktor's throne room. Led by Aerin and Selina she arrived before a pair of large gray old wooden doors.
Aerin and Selina opened the doors with each opening from the side allowing Sonja to enter the throne room. When she entered a herald announced her presence to Viktor the current reigning vampire elder and the other vampire council members seated in the room.
Viktor looked at Sonja with his cold blue eyes and said, "Welcome daughter it is rare for you to actually attend one of these meetings. I don't know what overcame you today but I approve. Now come take a seat next to me so that we may start."