Lia was born during a total solar eclipse, a time that is said to bring great luck and fortune to the vampire race. Her mother is Yula Darkova and her father is Julianne Darkova. They are the royal family of the Kingdom of Excia, a haven for vampires and werewolves. The royal family currently only has three members, Lia, Yula, and Julianne.
Lia being born during a total solar eclipse is seen as one of the largest boons the family had ever received, especially considering she was their first child. Yula and Julianne were ecstatic to learn of this, and although they hadn't known what it meant, they did know that it would bring great fortune to their kingdom. That fortune would come in the form of Lia Darkova.
Lia had spoken her first word at three months old and had begun to speak full complex sentences when she was two. When she was three, she had taught herself to read, and when she was four, a maid caught her reading a book on magical theory. It was apparent since Lia's birth that she was a true, bonafide genius.
Lia had spent a lot of her early childhood "play time" learning about the various kingdoms and different races. Currently, she was reading one such book about the world. Her mother watched her with curiosity and pride. Truly, her daughter was smart.
From the book titled 'Drascil's Evaluation of Astalfa', Lia learned that they were located on the continent of "Astalfa". The continent consisted of six kingdoms. The names weren't as important as the species that made up each continent. The human kingdom was located to the west and her family's kingdom, the vampire kingdom, was in the east.
The human kingdom had the most diverse population and was (in general) the most accepting of other cultures. It was fascinating for Lia to learn that humans at one point had to breed with other species to retain their existence. Something had caused the near extinction of humans, but that was eons ago, and no one knows exactly what it was.
Lia was largely uninterested in her family's kingdom, but apparently, it was small and housed a very minuscule population. Despite this, no one saw them as weak. They were just "average". Vampires are strong creatures in general, and it was never smart to look down on them.
A massive, sprawling forest made up the entire southern section of the continent, and it housed three kingdoms. The Elves, The Beast-man clans, and the Amazonians. According to legends, Elves were a highly magical species, while Amazonians were the opposite. They couldn't feel or felt very little of the "Mana Weave'. However, they were extremely strong, lithe, and fast. Their population consisted of mostly women, and although men were rare, they weren't unheard of.
The Beast-Man Clans were the most intriguing by far. There were various "sub-species" (as the book Lia had read called it), and each sub-species had its quirks and traits. For example, Bunny-kin were great at stealth, while the Lion-kin had exceedingly strong physical capabilities. There were various other sub-species, but to name them all would be ridiculous. Of course, Lia memorized them all regardless. Her memory was phenomenal.
To the north, there was a set of large, imposing mountain ranges. Two separate species had made it their home, although only one had a "kingdom". The main and most prominent species were the dwarves.
The dwarves were great craftsmen and even better armorers and smiths. Their works were considered national treasures. Unfortunately, they were secluded. Lia struggled to understand that line of thinking.
'Humanoids should mingle. Without the intermixing of cultures, there would be stagnation, and stagnation leads to decline. I think humans have it right, even if they had to adapt to survive.' She mused to herself as her mother watched with prideful curiosity. Something was mesmerizing about the way Lia became so easily engrossed in study.
Dragons were the final species. Few in number, but exceedingly strong when it came to personal strength. They were well and truly, forces of nature. Lia looked towards her mother as she read. "Mother, do you know any dragons, or have you met any? I would like to meet one."
Her mother smiled in response. "I have met dragons. They are prideful and rarely leave their homes. Although, they make great companions, as they are loyal to a fault."
Lia mused over that. "Thank you, Mother. Drascil's book hadn't mentioned much about them."
Yula smiled at her incredibly smart daughter. "Of course, darling. It is almost time for dinner, come now."
Lia followed her mother toward the dining hall. It was already set, and maids had begun bringing their food. Of course, it was just blood in medical-grade sealed pouches. It was warm, and the quality of the blood made Lia's mouth melt with its taste.
.....
Twelve years passed by in the blink of an eye as Lia studied all manner of things. She was proficient in all things, but magic more so than anything else. Magic was what intrigued her the most and it enraptured her from the ages of 10 to 14. By this point, Lia was nearly at the same level of knowledge an Archmage had.
Her 16th birthday was fast approaching, and it was time to decide what she would do. Her parents wanted her to take over the throne but had little hope that she would take them up on the offer. Lia was always too focused on the outside world, and they knew it.
She was standing in her room naked as her personal maid began to dress her. Lia was introduced to her maid when she was 14. It was customary for the royal family to choose one before then, but it was a first when Lia showed no interest and didn't seem to care. Instead, a maid was chosen for Lia.
"June, I am thinking I may leave the kingdom," Lia spoke with a hint of melancholy.
"Princess, the decision is yours. I would gladly accompany you, should you permit it." June was a 16-year-old human. Being slightly older than Lia, although, she never felt like she was. Lia always had this..."air" about her.
Lia didn't acknowledge that bold statement. "Mm. I am thirsty, come." She motioned for June to approach her.
Without question, June approached. She instinctively lowered her dress, exposing her shoulder and neck.
Lia pulled her close and bit sharply into her exposed neck, just above June's collarbone. Her knees began to shake as Lia drank her blood with fervor. To June, it always felt good for Lia to do this...to drink from her.
After Lia let up, she nodded at June and flashed a charming smile. "Thank you. As always, you are..delicious. Now, we must be off to the awakening ceremony."