It was cold, it's the anual Christmas ball of the royal family, celebrating their return, this is the day I get to meet Cassian as he returns to Concintria to take his rightful place as crown prince. I was next to my father in the ballroom when we greeted Cassian, I could feel in the air the animosity he had towards my father as he introduced me- Your highness this is my daughter lady Alicia Allard- I courtesy and when I lifted my head I meet a cold and piercing look, his emerald eyes where scanning me up an down, It was a curious and nosy stare, - It's an honor your highness- I said and smiled, he nodded and without saying anything more he left. I know what I have to do to protect myself and my unborn child, I will not die as I'm destined to, so here it goes.
I went to the rose garden of the palace, in the novel this was Cassian go to place to think, It was snowing, I had grown accustomed of the cold, my cheeks were numb when I heard him. -Lady Allard, what are you doing outside- He said with an undisturbed voice tone I looked at the dried rose bushes for a second ,time to make a deal with a person who hates my family and probably me . "Your highness I will give you an heir with Berkan blood"
He froze for a second -It's not possible- He said, with the same stoic voice - Go back, don't expect to trick me I'm not oblivious of your reputation-. -Why would I dare to lie to your highness- I said - I would like an opportunity to prove the sincerity from my words- I took of the pin from my hair and pierced my hand, the moment the droop of blood hit the snow, my iris turned red as I stared at him,the magic shining red reflecting in the snow, the blood evaporated and left behind a single red rose , I picked it up and gave it to Cassian .
He grabbed the rose by the thorns and looked at it. - What are your conditions? - He said. - Why do you presume I have any?- I said ,he placed his head in his chestnut head and sighted , he lifted his head and stared at me again with those eyes that looked like emeralds minute ago but now they looked like a ghostly but beautiful dark green. - I assumed my lady had a proposal or conditions to go along with that shocking statement-. Ok Alice keep it together, we know what to say, - yes- i said and raised 3 fingers- ONE and the most important thing the safety of my child, you have an oath to protect the Berkan blood- He gave me a stern gaze, I looked at him coldly - What else?- he said. I frowned and kept going - TWO ;access to the phantom magic books and three, protection from the Allard clan-
Uff, ok , I said it, technically I have all the cards with the spirit magic that will give a child of Berkan blood, but If he says no I will have to scape before the Allard's notice the spirit magic and try to kill me. He stayed quiet. I looked away to not make eye contact and look nervous. I felt a cape fall on my shoulders. I looked up and saw him pasting and thinking. - Ok, but you will marry me and remain queen after the child is born-
- What? the child will be legitimate even if we are not married- i said
- That's my condition, if you don't want to it's ok, just forget about the books.-
-Your majesty doesn't lose anything by letting me have them- I said irked
- I don't know your intentions with them, it would be reckless of a ruler to let a witch access phantom magic ancient books- he said like it was common sense - Also I can't give that much protection to a concubine it would be better if you marry me-
-I will marry you but I will not remain queen after the child is grown- I said sternly
-We shall fake lady's Allard dead after that then- he said completely serious
- Sounds good to me, thank you for your time your highness- I bowed and walked back to the ballroom.
Alicia Allard de Montpensier , born into the Allard family, the family that took everything away from the royal Dupont family as they organized a cue to dethrone them 7 years ago. This is part of the story from the novel "The red night falls". I new I had heard the same names somewhere before, the memories where there since I was born into this world, as the time went by I had visions of another life, and most importantly I knew the future of the story of the life I was living. Alicia Allard is the name of the diseased mother of the main character of that book, from the cursed family with Berkan blood and control of the lost magic,Albert Berkan, the main character of a famous romance novel.
In the world of this novel every time a grand spirit died they left a pice of their souls in witches that had been connected to them, when the witch had children of her own the first born would inherit the powersof that specific spirit, the individuals that where born with this powers where acknowledged as the destined partners of royal family and protectors of the land of Consintria, they had great power and wisdom , the royal Dupont family reigned along the individuals with Berkan blood, and the Dupont bloodline had the oath to search and protect the Berkan bloodline.
As time went by magic with the spirits faded and the number of witches that where born with the affinity to spirits where less and less, so the Dupont family kept reigning and waiting for another Berkan blood to join them and heighten there power as they had before.
Alicia Allard is nearly mentioned a mere two times in the novel, It's explained in the beginning that she was an evil countess that had black magic, they referred to her as the blood countess.