"What is it now?", Ivar hissed between clenched teeth.
"We are approaching the village", Rathgar's answer, wafted back to them on a gentle breeze.
Ivar snorted in disgust, sliding his hand from Serena's nightgown and cursing under his breath. She exhaled in relief, glad of Rathgar's intervention, or she may have succumbed to Ivar's lustful intentions. The very nearness of him affected her and his touch made her feel like nothing she had felt before, even now she could hardly think of anything else.
"What happened to the others?", she asked suddenly, forcing herself to think about anything other than Ivar.
"All dead", Rathgar replied, over his shoulder.
Serena gasped in horror, tears forming in her eyes and a lump growing in her throat.
"A Lycan's bite is fatal for a vampire", Ivar explained, wiping away her tears and rubbing her back.
"But...they died because of me", she said, her voice faltering.
"They died doing their duty, protecting their Queen", Rathgar's voice was low but firm.
"But even so.....they must have families....or someone?"
"Royal Guards do not marry or have children, this is the way it has always been", Ivar answered this time.
"Is that why you haven't married Lord Bane?", she asked.
Rathgar snorted derisively, and pulled on the reins, speeding up to move further ahead, leaving Serena alone with Ivar.
"Rathgar chooses not to take a wife for his own reasons", Ivar chuckled, pulling her against him.
"What reasons?", she questioned, looking up at him.
"Maybe he'll tell you one day", Ivar replied, giving her a look that told her that the conversation was over.
She sighed and rested her head against his chest, enjoying the slow canter of the horse, allowing the gentle rhythm to lull her to sleep.
When she woke some time later, they were passing through the village which was still quiet with the inhabitants fast asleep indoors. The quaint houses and shops that lined the streets were all closed, doors and windows, locked and shuttered. The sun had not yet begun it's daily ascent and a thin fog lay on the ground, like ghostly fingers crawling through the streets.
Ivar rode up beside Rathgar, as the silver-haired vampire tossed him the reins and dismounted the horse, disappearing into the foggy streets. He darted quickly in and out of the shops, collecting supplies and loading them into bags that were hung from the horse's saddle. Serena watched with a pensive look on her face, a frown beginning to form when Rathgar returned and swiftly mounted his horse.
"You look troubled my Queen? Tell me what's bothering you?", Ivar inquired, seeing the look on her face.
"How can you condone stealing Your Majesty? You are the King", she answered haltingly, her eyes lowered.
"Because he isn't stealing", Ivar replied, smiling.
"But....", she began, gesturing towards Rathgar.
"He leaves gold coins as payment for everything he takes, including the horses on which we ride", Ivar chuckled softly, kissing her hair.
"Oh...I see. Forgive me Your Majesty for misunderstanding", she said in a small voice.
"You are forgiven, my Queen, but I expect you to make it up to me later", he winked mischievously at her.
Serena blushed and quickly looked away, keeping her eyes on the buildings they passed until eventually they were back on the road and passing through the trees. As the sun began to rise, they stopped beside a small creek and ate breakfast before continuing on their way.
The sun was just beginning to set, the horizon seemingly on fire with hues of red and orange, as they rode through the gates of Garenthal. Serena stared in awe at the massive white walls and the gates that enclosed the entire town, in front of which were long lines of people, in wagons or carriages, on horseback or on foot. In front of the gates, stood guards, checking everyone before they allowed them entry into the town.
Rathgar was slightly ahead of them as they followed him, riding past everyone in line and going straight to the front. At the front of the line, an elderly man and his daughter, who looked to be about the same age as Serena, stood pleading with the guards to enter the gates. The guards laughed, leering at the girl and though they couldn't hear the exchange, it was obvious that the guards wanted something from the girl in exchange for entry into the town.
Serena felt Ivar stiffen behind her, just as she saw Rathgar's eyes narrow as he quickly assessed the situation in front of the gates. They continued towards the gates, watching the man and his daughter, and the guards continue to harrass them. The guards, seeing them approach, quickly moved to bar the way, attempting to prevent them from entering the gates.
"Step aside for the King", Rathgar growled.
"I don't see any king", one of the guards replied, sauntering towards them with a cheeky grin on his face.
A hush fell upon the people standing in line, as they stopped to watch the scene in front of the gates.
"Then the fault lies in your eyes, perhaps I can remedy the problem", Rathgar replied calmly, staring ahead at the young girl and her father.
The guard turned back to his three friends and laughed before turning back to Rathgar.
"Perhaps you should come down off your horse first", the guard countered, placing his hand on his sword.
"You really don't want him to do that", Ivar interjected, glancing at his Commander General.
"Wasn't talking to you. Keep your bloody mouth shut if you know what's good for you!", the guard yelled back at Ivar.
The next few seconds, time seemed to slow down, as Serena watched Rathgar leap from his horse and grab the guard by his neck, as his boots touched the ground. The guards legs dangled in the air, as he struggled to breathe, his windpipe held in Rathgar's vice-like grip just before Rathgar extended his nails into talons, digging into the flesh of the guard's neck. An instant later, and the guard's head left his shoulders, rolling away on the ground to stop at the feet of his friends.
The other three guards stared, horrified, at their friend's head, where it lay on the ground, his lifeless eyes wide with terror and his mouth open in a silent scream. They looked nervously at each other, their hands on their swords as they looked back at Rathgar.
"Anyone else brave enough to insult the Vampire King?", Rathgar asked, kicking the headless body towards the guards.
The guards looked uneasily at Rathgar and then Ivar, before one of them, rushed forward and fell to his knees, bowing his head low on the ground.
"Forgive me Your Majesty, please spare my life. I beg you!", he exclaimed loudly.
Rathgar was in front of him, in a flash, his hand already around his neck, lifting the man off of his feet. Serena grabbed Ivar's arm, looking up at him with a pleading look in her eyes, silently begging him to spare the men's lives.
"Enough Rathgar, you're scaring them", Ivar admonished, only half serious.
Rathgar threw the guard toward his friends, where he landed on top of them, knocking them to the ground. They quickly scrambled to their knees, bowing down so their heads almost touched the ground, as they begged for forgiveness and their lives.
Rathgar ignored them, striding past to open the gates and gesturing with his head for Ivar and Serena to enter. Serena turned to the old man and his daughter, indicating with her hand and a warm smile, for them to enter first. The girl and her father looked at each other before the old man, turned back to look at Ivar.
"Please Your Majesty, we mean no offense, but we cannot enter before the King and Queen", he said softly.
"Very well, but first tell me what brings you here?", Ivar questioned.
"My father has not been well for some time and I heard of a shop here that sells herbs that can cure him. I have saved money from cleaning house for others just to pay for the herbs", the daughter answered with her head bowed.
"What is your name?", Serena asked, surprising both Ivar and Rathgar.
"Lenora, Your Majesty"
"I am pleased to meet you, Lenora, I am Serena"
"It is an honor to meet you, Your Majesty"
Ivar listened with interest and nodded to Rathgar, who immediately stepped forward and handed her a small pouch. The girl took it without raising her head, while thanking both Rathgar and the King. Serena smiled and waved at Lenora and her father as they rode past them to the gates.
A short time later, they entered the gates and began riding through the town, while behind them, the people still waiting to be let in, whispered amongst themselves about the Vampire King and his Queen. Not many had ever seen the King, although they knew of his recent marriage to the former Princess of Mordach, but the story of the incident with guards at the gate, soon spread far and wide.