Henry.
Thirty three years later.
1st January 2023
The Vampire Academy.
"Forget all your past, and leave all your thoughts behind." Victoria would say. The people of this academy have grown ill listening to the words of their queen who had not forgotten her own past yet. A glimpse at her face is enough to read all the emotions she is going through.
Thirty three years. And she still scumbs to the pain of losing her entire family.
Who am I to talk? I am suffering too! Infact, the entire academy is.
I stand facing the mirror, looking at my shaggy hair.
"What a mess I've become." I say to myself. Who knew a boy like me- I mean, a VAMPIRE like me would be busy all day teaching new recruited vampires of this academy!
Yes. You heard me. I'm a teacher now. A V- A-M-P-I-R-E TEACHER.
The Vampire Academy has changed entirely. I remember my first few days here was like living in a motel. I would just work and rest all day. Since I couldn't sleep, I would sit drawing portraits or practice sword fighting on my own.
There were barely any vampires I could hang out with. Only me and my brothers were among the last few soldiers left. Victoria had ordered students to prepare in case another war broke out but to her surprise, no such thing happened.
My body still has some open wounds from yesterday's deer hunting. No one bought me any tiger blood to heal the wounds.
It burns.
By looking at my naked reflection I can see how old I've become. My body is a complete mess. I haven't even aged since I got here but the wounds in my body proves how long I've stayed here.
"Thirty three years…" I whisper.
That's right. It's been thirty three years since I got here. Years passed by so fast..
I haven't gone to Hallsenberg since the war. A pain to even take its name in my mouth. I get reminded of all my sins and all the sacrifices that took place.
Hallsenberg is a cursed town. For me.
"Henry, are you gonna take the entire day to change?" Ethel was getting better at nagging.
"I'm not don-" Before I could answer, he barged inside with his guards.
"Seriously Ethel?" I'm not surprised. I'm angry.
"You're not a soldier anymore, Henry. You're a teacher! Must I remind that to you everyday?"
Control your punches Henry! Control!
Deep breaths.
"I was just about to leave for the classes before you barged inside my room-"
"No more excuses. Leave!"
I hate his arrogance. Why does one ask a question if you can't wait to listen the answer?
I push Ethel aside and walk out as his guards eye me in anger.
One way, it's actually nice to be here at the Academy. Everytime I get to the main halls, I'm reminded of my days at the institute. Every single thing was exactly the same.
The students have gathered around the main hall again.
"Looks like Queen Victoria is about to give another lecture." I whisper to myself.
Walking past the crowd, I find my brothers and sit next to them.
"There you are! Where have you been? Why are you late?" Jonathan pulled me next to him and threw his questions. I was annoyed already since my encounter with Ethel and now Jonathan was ready to nag as well.
"Can you stop asking me questions?" Honestly, that's all I could reply.
Morgan and Mark signed Jonathan to remain silent. I guess the look on my face was enough to assure them that I didn't have a decent time earlier.
Steven rubbed my back.
"It's Ethel, isn't it?" He asked. I nodded slowly.
"I just don't understand why he can't just stop hating us!" Mark's words made us all silent. We all know why he couldn't stop hating us. Infact, he didn't even forgive us for what had happened.
"We deserve all this. His hatred is justified." I say. Jonathan slowly nods.
Morgan tried changing the topic.
"Did you guys hear? Hallsenberg is going to appoint their new mayor?"
I was barely taking in any of his words. A new mayor? Who cares?
"A new mayor? Who cares." Said Steven, as if stealing the words from my head.
"Do people even live there? I wonder…" Looks like Jonathan was the only one interested in everything Morgan said.
I remained silent.
Everyone stood up at once to show their respects as Victoria walked in with her guards and Ethel. Simon followed them from behind with a group of shaggy people who looked like prisoners. Infact, they were prisoners.
"Looks like there's going to be another row of executions." Mark said.
He was right. This was just another day with Victoria executing another group of vampires, whom she claimed to be traitors.
"These worthless ones have tried helping the mortals behind our backs! They used their strength to help the lives of a mortal family who were supposed to die in an accident. Hence, I demand their execution! In public!"
The students stood terrified listening to their queen's words. Is that eevn a reason for execution? Why was she doing all this? Why publicize their deaths? To scare the students?
Back in those days before the war, the punishment was nothing like this. Hector had made the rules back then. Prisoners and traitors were ordered to get beheaded and their remains were burnt to ashes later. But now, the rules have changed. Instead of beheading, they are burnt alive inside large chambers, in front of the public.
Things have changed really badly since Victoria lost her daughters and Hector. She was just getting cruel in days.
Ethel nodded at Simon before walking back to his throne with Victoria. Everyone else got back to their seats to watch the execution. My heart was pounding as Simon and his guards pushed the prisoners inside the chamber, locked their doors and turned on the flames. Everyone pressed their eyes tight trying to avoid the scene. Listening to their screams made us miserable. This was like a torture for all of us. And slowly, everything turned silent. They were burnt to ashes.
"Do we really have to witness such gruesome acts all the time? What is she getting from doing all this?" I said, gritting my teeth. Anger was raging inside me as my eyes were fixed on Victoria.
"Calm down, Henry. By now, we are all used to it. These gruesome shows have no end." Jonathan was right. Today or tomorrow, things like this will keep happening. By the look on everyone's face, I could tell that none of them were satisfied with what Victoria was doing. They were terrified.
Students and teachers walked back to their classes after Victoria and Ethel gave their orders. My brothers left as well along with their students. I was the only one who sat on my seat, still glaring at the chambers as they got cleaned up. Dust made its way out just as the guards opened the door.
In the mortal world, they would be considered heroes for saving the lives of innocent people. But here, they were punished for the good they've done.
"What is it, Henry? Don't you have classes?" There he is again. Ethel, the new nagging king. He just loves bothering me every single time.
"You do love showing up out of nowhere. I'm just taking a moment to digest this whole gruesome act that took place before my eyes. Any problem with that?" At this moment, I just forgot that I was facing the king.
Ethel smirked.
"Gruesome you say? And why is that?"
Did he really ask that?
"You really have no idea why? You've been doing this for days! Those vampires just saved some mortals' lives! What's so big of a crime in that? What did they do to get punished?" I decided to go head to head with Ethel. His smirk washed off as he looked at the ground.
"Really? Is that how you think?" He looked at me again, "Then why were my sisters punished for trying to save mortals? Why did they have to die?"
Silence. I had nothing to say.
He knew this was going to make me feel miserable. He knew this was the only way to make me quiet.
And suddenly Catty's memories flash up inside my head. Her smile, her kisses, her hugs, and the moment she died.
"No! No!" I hold my head in pain. It's always a sudden ringing in my ear that starts causing a headache everytime I try thinking about Catty.
Ethel turns away seeing me in pain.
"The queen wanted to see you and your brothers. Visit her right now!" He orders, before leaving with his guards.
I watch him leave. After a while, the ringing stops. I'm back to normal.
Why does Victoria want to see me? What now?
No time to think about my questions. I need to get to her before she burns me down alive.
My brothers find me waiting outside Victoria's room.
"What is it this time? What does she want from us?" Morgan turns to me for answers. I have nothing to say.
"I don't know either. I was just told to get here."
The guards open the door and let us in.
Victoria sat on her throne along with Ethel on her side. Simon and almost twenty guards stood in a row, facing us.
It's funny how me and my brothers used to be among those twenty guards, fifteen years ago. Until we got promoted to be teachers. Can I even say promoted? Or is it just LUCK?
"I see you boys are doing really fine since you got your new job. Right?" Victoria's eyes were fixed at us. Her tone was different from how she speaks to Ethel.
New job? Is that- . Nevermind.
"Yes thankfully we are-"
"I don't have time to listen to your answer, Jonathan. Let's get to work already!"
I'm not even surprised. These people are really good at breaking in before you can complete your sentence. Like mother, like son.
"Sorry, your highness. What is it that you want us to do?"
She settled back, and raised her chin.
"Have you heard from Reno?"
I had forgotten. Reno. Where is he?
We looked at each other. My brothers were just as confused as me.
"R- Re- RENO? Wasn't he supposed to be working with the Royal guards?" Asked Mark. Victoria raised an eyebrow and turned to her son.
"They have no idea about him? Didn't you tell them how Reno left a month ago?"
"No I haven't, Mother. I thought they already knew."
Already knew? Reno left? What's going on?
Victoria turned back to face us.
"Leave your post to another teacher. I want you to go look for Reno."
Wait. So we are back to being royal guards again?
"You boys will head to the south. And search all around Hallsenberg. We need to find Reno!"
Why so much fuss over finding Reno? He might get back if he wants to.
"Your Highness, why are you worried about him? He might get back soon. Maybe he's busy or stuck somewhere?" How was Jonathan so good at asking questions?
Victoria shook her head,
"He won't. Since my decision of killing Catty never changed, he finally decided to leave. But I'm worried for him. I had promised Merida that I would look after her son, the only nadarian alive, before she took her last breath."
Her eyes filled with tears.
"With Reno being out there in this wicked world, I can't rest like this. We need to find him. You boys need to find him!"
Even I am still not ready to kill Catty if she ever comes back. But can we even disagree to her orders? Was there even a grain of chance? If there was, I would readily run out and escape from this suffocating life.
I turned to my brothers, we looked at each other.
"We owe them. We must do it." Said Jonathan.
Ofcourse. We owe them.
"We will do it. We will go look for Reno." I replied.
Victoria smiled happily. For the first time, she smiled with our presence in the room. I've never seen her smile since I got here.
"You have to! Since it's an order!" And as usual, Ethel was ready to kill the moment.
Unlucky him. He won't have anyone to nag for a few days while I'm gone.
"Very well, off you go. Good luck and Happy New Year." For some reason, her words were encouraging.
And just like that, we left for our mission.
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