The Vampiryons of the Star Keep were the ruling dynasty of Vampire's Kingdom and their seat was the biggest castle in all the Forest of The Shadows. It was huge, shaped as with a laid down star with five points, black and wooden with iron where necessary. Even candle light was rare to be seen, it was weak and faded, lonely, only in certain rooms.
The dinning hall was very long and with four entries. On each of the four walls had to stand a photo of the king, the queen and their two children, and so when a new monarch was crowned they had to be changed. Everything was a dark terror, life for their kind, the only light was the powerful fire in the large hearth, which made the vampires's statues look like living shadows moving as the flames danced. At the table were sitting the queen Anabel and her consort, the king Leon. Kassandra came in with her brother and all the servants who were standing on the sides of the room greeted them in one voice:
- My Prince!!! My Princess!!!
As they passed by she saw Jacken go to their father.
- Father! I missed you already!, - he said kissing him on a cheek.
- But didn't you see me just last night?
- Leon! It's a good thing that he missed you!, - the queen smiled on them.
- Mother!, - the prince went to kiss her too, - Sweet as always.
- You'd better go put some clothes on!, - she bitterly answered, letting the irony be red in her voice.
Ad Jacken went to put some clothes on, she also hugged her parents and sat down as Anabel crossed her fingers and with her royal grace said:
- Aren't you a bit late? We've been here for quite some time.
- I payed my brother a visit, - Kassandra explained, - we stayed a bit with his interesting drawings.
- Yes, yes, fortunately I know what you mean., - the king said with a doubting voice and look at Jacken's face, who was giving an insidious smile to his mother and sister.
The Vampiryons usually dinned at midnight, but not very often all of them could find themselves together on the table, yet tonight the queen had insisted on getting together. Kassandra wondered why.
- I heard you've been having fun tonight?, - her mother asked having a piece of meat
- Yes, - the princess answered, - I like full moons.
- Still you know you shouldn't go out of our kingdom on such nights!, - she heard her mother say, knowing it was coming
- But mother I..., - she tried to justify.
- The werewolves are dangerous under their moon!, - An interrupted criticizing her daughter, as she noted her father enjoying too much his wife's seriousness and smirked, - Don't play with me both of you? What if they do something to you?
At this point Jacken cleared his throat, teasing look on his sister and ironic voice said:
- Not to praise myself, but I was a good boy and didn't leave home tonight.
- Yes, you are to be praised a lot sweety., - father replied with the same humor.
- I agree brother., - Kassandra joked and turned on her mother, - He even scolded me before for disobeying
- I know how fun it is to joke with me, - the queen cut it, - but jokes aside. The werewolves are to be feared even more as long as Daniel remains their king. Be hates us, he would be happy to give us a good reason to fight him.
At this moment the servants brought the meat and the cups of refreshing red drink.
- Thank you Lys!, - An told the maid that served her and as they left she turned her attention back, - Anyways coming back to why I wanted you here.
- But mother I thought you simply missed us!, - her son interrupted her with his humor.
- I guarantee she did. It's just the queenly attitude., - the king added.
- You frustrating little bat, you know I can't live without the view of your pretty faces!, - for just a phrase their mother spoke the same tongue, - But what I wanted to tell you was of our meeting with lord Quinton Manery. He agrees for his son, Jeremy, to marry you Kassy.
- What?!, - Kassandra asked not wanting to believe her mother was arranging her marriage without even asking her, - Are you hearing yourself mother?!
- I can assure you! He is quite handsome!, - the ironizing words of the queen made her angry. Like all she cared about was beauty.
- You have a point mother, but that's not the right one!, - she heard her brother jumping to her defense, - The Manerys are our enemies, father say something!
- We know well who they are!, - in her mind a situation was really serious, when her father got serious, - They're our biggest rivals, but why would we need to make peace if they weren't such.
- I am not a piece of meat to be sold, or a cup of blood to be offered!, - Kassandra stood for herself not willing to accept becoming a tool to use, even by her beloved mother, - Are you trusting them with your daughter? Have you already forgotten their treason 25 years back during the war? You almost lost your head and everything else!
- You were not even born then, remember? So I know better than you what we survived., - Kassy couldn't believe her, as the queen went on with the same cool voice as ever. She went on asking herself why would her lovely mother want to marry her now. Anabel still spoke, - They made a pact with the Wolflys and sat a trap for us, so Daniel and his father, king Victor, could have their revenge and end the war. End our dynasty too, so Quinton himself could became king. He would have married your father's sister and they would rule uniting the two dynasties of the Vampire's Kingdom. But all of this didn't end up well for them., - her mother finished with a self-satisfied and proud voice, raising her cup to drink.
Leon belonged to the Amaryon dynasty, but he took his wife's name when he married her and became king after the war, ending the rivalry between the tow families. The three of them, Vampiryons, Manerys and Amaryons were the most noble houses amongst the vampires. Despite the anger Kassy could see her mother was just trying to keep the realm united.
- But Jeremy is not his father, - Leon was trying to convince her, as she wondered if he was just insecure in opposing the queen or was it the right thing, - he was not even born during the war. He will make an excellent husband, both charming and handsome, and Quinton... He knows the consequences of betraying the queen, he's quite a diplomat.
- I'm not marrying!, - she said decisively and her brother supported her. It didn't feel right to her to be sent away like this, in a strange family, in a strange place down in the south.
- We're not in a hurry sweeties, - her mother said, still as calmly. Maybe her mother wanted everyone to suffer a bit, so everyone could be as strong and cold as her, - you'll have time to understand this is the best choice. The Manerys were once traitors, but they control one third of our kingdom. And Daniel is still king.