[Third pov]
A young girl, about 4 or 5 years old, snuck into the palace to find her mother, her growling stomach possibly the reason for her intrusion. She appeared weak, as though she hadn't eaten for a day or two.
As she explored the grand palace, her wide blue eyes filled with curiosity and wonder, she was captivated by the surroundings. Passing by tall, majestic trees and a vibrant flower garden, she reached a grand castle adorned with gemstones on its doors.
"It's so beautiful. I wish Mom and I could live here so she wouldn't have to leave me during work hours," the little girl exclaimed, breathless.
With her short legs, the girl hurried inside the building in search of her mother. Unexpectedly, she collided with a stack of fabric and tumbled down. Looking up, she saw an elegant woman wearing a crown and long, glossy hair. The fabric pile was the woman's gown, and she kindly helped the girl to her feet.
"It's so beautiful," the girl remarked.
A smile spread across the woman's face, and a row of maids stood behind her.
One maid stepped forward and asked, "Clara, what are you doing here?"
"Mother, I was looking for you," Clara replied, her eyes welling with tears.
Hearing her mother call her by her name for the first time, instead of the negative names she was used to, filled Clara with joy. This change made the palace seem less frightening than her mother had described.
Wendy, the head maid, took Clara by the arm and scolded her, saying this wasn't where she should be. Wendy's mind was racing with thoughts, but what if the empress recognized her own daughter? Lost in her thoughts, Wendy unintentionally pushed Clara away.
Clara fell and started crying, but Wendy was too preoccupied to notice. The empress came over, helped Clara up, and brushed off her clothes.
Fear filled Wendy's eyes when another maid tapped her shoulder and reminded her of the dangerous situation she was creating. Wendy then began to yell, pleading for mercy from the empress and shifting her anger toward Clara.
"Don't shout at the little girl," the empress intervened.
"I'm Clara," the girl corrected, wiping her tears.
"Apologies, your majesty," Wendy stammered, amazed at Clara's courage.
"My mistake. I'll remember your name from now on," the empress assured, squatting down to speak to Clara.
"How old are you?" the empress inquired.
"I'm five years old," Clara replied with a wide grin.
"I see. You were born around the same time as my daughter. Would you like to meet the princess? You two could be friends, being the same age," the empress suggested.
"What's her name?" Clara asked innocently, while her mother, Wendy, fidgeted nervously.
"Clara Mitchell Milson," the empress answered with a smile.
"We have the same name!" Clara exclaimed joyfully.
"Yes, that's why I'm already fond of you," the empress said, holding both of Clara's hands.
"I like you too," Clara replied, her smile radiant.
"Then what should I call your daughter? Won't people get confused, as we're both named Clara?" Clara wondered.
"Don't worry, my princess is mostly known by her middle name, Mitchell," the empress clarified.
"That's nice," Clara responded, then jumped and hugged the empress.
The other maids, except Wendy, smiled at the scene as the empress also joined in the hug.
Wendy whispered worried thoughts, questioning the empress's realization of her own blood. The empress communicated with a maid and handed something to Clara.
Clara held up the golden token she received, and everyone's eyes widened.
"It's a royal pass!" Wendy exclaimed in disbelief, leaving everyone puzzled about the empress's intentions.
"What's this?" Clara inquired.
"Keep this token and visit the palace whenever you want. Make sure to see my daughter and me. Show it to the guards, and they'll let you in. But don't crawl in through that hole like earlier," the empress instructed with a pat on Clara's head.
"I will," Clara replied, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment.
"Haha, you're quite an adorable child," the empress chuckled.
"But, your majesty, she is very naughty. What if she breaks little princess's toys?" said the head maid, wendy, panicking.
"It's okay; we are not poor, and toys are meant to be played and broken. Moreover, the princess breaks a lot of toys daily, so a few more won't make much difference," said the empress.
"But, your majesty," said the wendy.
"Enough! Are you challenging my decision?" said the empress, glaring at the wendy.
Wendy flinched in fear and didn't know what to do. So she simply glared at little Clara as if she would eat her alive.
Little Clara's tummy let out a soft growl, catching the attention of the Empress who looked at her with a smile. "It seems someone is hungry," the Empress remarked, prompting her maids to quickly arrange a spread of delicious delicacies.
Just as the Empress was about to leave, Little Clara reached out and gently clutched the hem of her dress with both hands. Looking up with curiosity in her eyes, she asked, "Why are you so kind to me?" Her words held a hint of disbelief, as if she had never experienced such kindness before.
The Empress paused, her gaze warm and understanding. She leaned down slightly and met Clara's gaze. "Kindness is not just an action, Clara," she whispered softly, her voice carrying a wisdom beyond her years. "It's what keeps life moving forward." With that, the Empress began to walk away, her other maids following her, leaving Wendy and two other maids by Clara's side.
Recognizing that Clara might need some moments with her mother, the Empress gave them some space.
Little Clara accompanied her mother and two maids to the princess Mitchell room. She had hoped to meet Princess Mitchell, but when they entered the room, the princess was absent. Clara's mother, Wendy, inquired and learned that the princess was busy with etiquette classes.
Curious about the term, Clara asked her mother, "Etti...quette, what's that?" Wendy stayed silent as one of the maids explained the concept to Clara.
Clara's eyes sparkled, and she innocently said, "Wow, I wish to learn that too."
"No, you can't" said wendy with anguish in her voice.
Wendy's response left Clara in tears, though another maid tried to console her before Wendy requested a moment alone with Clara.
The two maids left, unable to challenge the head maid's authority. Wendy whispered, "You are a low life and don't have the right to learn these."
Clara questioned, "But why, princess?" while standing up for herself.
Wendy clenched her fist, explaining that the princess had a future, while Clara had nothing to do.
Pointing at an antique table, Wendy showcased its grandeur, lamenting that Clara would never possess such opulence.
Clara looked around and questioned
"Why?" Clara inquired, her gaze unwavering.
"Because you don't deserve them," her mother responded coldly, belittling her and praising the princess's future role in the nation.
"All this belongs to the princess," her mother continued, declaring that Clara would be a low-life maid. She cruelly shoved Clara, causing her to injure her knee.
The maid exited without concern, warning Clara not to disturb her during work hours.
Later, one of the two maid found Clara sitting on the floor. She helped Clara up, cleaned her wound, and offered candies. Clara confirmed she had come to play with the princess.
The maid, recognizing Clara from the before, decided to keep her company. They left the room, with Clara admiring the palace's decorations.
As the princess was absent, the maid took Clara with her to avoid boredom. They left the room, with Clara admiring the palace's decorations.
They headed to the kitchen, where Clara was treated to something delicious. The kitchen, like the rest of the palace, was bustling, serving the entire castle and Royal Family. Numerous people worked diligently to maintain the castle's upkeep.
In the labyrinthine halls of the ancient vampire castle, a peculiar incident unfolded. Little Raven, a 5-year-old human boy with warm, non-vampiric blood, found himself surrounded by vampire children who mocked him for his differences. His innocent curiosity had led him into their domain, but he soon became the subject of their cruel taunts.
One daring teenage vampire, Claude, decided to prove his superiority by attempting to bite Raven. However, as soon as Claude's fangs sank into Raven's tender skin, a strange phenomenon occurred. The young vampire immediately blacked out, leaving everyone bewildered and terrified.
Rumors spread like wildfire throughout the castle, and the fear of Raven's mysterious power grew. It was whispered that he possessed a unique ability that could render vampires unconscious, and this fueled both fascination and trepidation among the vampire community.
Meanwhile, in the private chamber of Lord Knife, Lady Sofia, Raven's mother, was willingly offering her neck to quench the vampire lord's thirst. However, before Lord Knife could bite her, an unexpected interruption occurred. One of the guards suddenly burst into the chamber, breaking the intimate moment. This intrusion left Lord Knife infuriated, but his anger turned to concern when he heard the guard's hasty explanation.
"Raven was bitten by Claude, my lord," the guard stammered. "After drinking his blood, Claude collapsed and lost consciousness."
Lady Sofia, unable to hear the whole conversation, only caught snippets of the explanation and rushed out of the chamber, frantic to find her son. Lord Knife, on the other hand, let out a sigh and cursed Claude under his breath as he too left the room to investigate the situation.
In the dark, ancient halls of the castle, Raven was in pain, clutching his bitten arm. His young heart pounded with fear and confusion, not understanding what actually happened. His mother, Lady Sofia, searched desperately for him, driven by both love and the need to understand what had occurred.
Meanwhile, the castle guards and inhabitants spoke in hushed tones about the boy who could incapacitate vampires with a single bite. Lord Knife, though angry at the disruption, couldn't help but be intrigued by the prospect of Raven's unique ability. He knew that such power, if harnessed correctly, could shift the balance of power in the vampire world.
In the dimly lit hall, Lord Knife arrived, his imposing figure casting shadows across the stone walls. He dismissed everyone present, but Lady Sofia vehemently objected, refusing to leave Raven's side.
"Sometimes, Sofia, I think you purposely test my patience, always taking advantage of my generosity," Lord Knife remarked with a mix of irritation and concern.
Ignoring his words, Lady Sofia held Raven tightly, tearing a piece of her skirt to bandage his hand where Claude had bitten him. "It's not deep, but let's go to the healer's chamber," she said, determined to care for her son.
Lord Knife's anger flared further, and he warned Sofia, "I don't like how you always behave. If you dare to move a single step from here, you will be stripped of all the necessities of clothes and the extra money I give you."
But Lady Sofia, undeterred, glared back at Knife and said, "Do you think your money can buy anything, Knife? No, it can't." With those words, she walked away, carrying Raven in her arms.
Left alone in the hall, Lord Knife let out a frustrated sigh and muttered under his breath, "How dare she speak my name like that!"
Kneeling beside Claude, Lord Knife placed his hand on the boy's neck, attempting to assess the situation. "His aura is paralyzed, as if his veins are blocked by a strong aura."
Closing his eyes, Knife felt his veins crawling up to his neck and immediately withdrew his hand, murmuring "Black magic."
"What exactly did you do to him, Raven?" he wondered aloud, gritting his teeth.
"You must have been in quite a hurry, Melissa, letting your half-vampiric son come to me. What was she thinking? Melissa... who exactly did you breed to drop such a hybrid into this mansion?"
Leaving the chamber, Lord Knife instructed the guards to take Claude, to the healer's room and give him the rare 800-year-old Orchard potion with just two drops.
The guard immediately sprang into action, carefully carrying Claude to the healer's room while Lord Knife's mind was consumed with questions and suspicions about the mysterious aura in the boy's blood.