"Prince Hagar said what?" demanded Lord Draco as he glanced at the pale prince who was surrounded by servants as they placed him in the bed.
"He called himself a bastard and that he's been dead for ten years." said Alon as he stared wide eyed at Lord Draco who shook his head.
"It's true!" shouted Leon but Lord Draco glared.
"The physician is here, my lord." said a voice that entered into the room as a red haired vampire walked up beside Lord Draco.
"Thank you, Commander Gion." Said Lord Draco as he focused his attention once more on Alon.
"How am I to believe what you heard when you reek of alcohol?" asked Lord Draco as he crossed his arms.
The sudden entrance of a black haired vampire woman with angular facial features caused Alon to look away from Lord Draco. He watched as she nodded to Lord Draco before making her way to Prince Hagar. Alon sighed as he went to the high back black chair next to the table and flopped into it.
"I know what I heard." said Alon softly as he placed his face in his hands and not too long later Leon placed his hand on Alon's shoulder.
Another red haired vampire several inches shorter than Commander Gion entered into the room and made his way to the commander's side. The vampire whispered into Commander Gion's pointed ears and Commander Gion nodded.
"My Lord." Commander Gion saluted Lord Draco who nodded.
Commander Gion looked at Alon for a moment before turning to a servant and whispered a few words. The servant nodded and Commander Gion departed leaving behind the smaller red haired vampire beside Lord Draco. There was a long silence only broken by the servants bustling about cleaning the Prince's room when suddenly the doctor spoke.
"My Lord, he is awake."
Once those words were spoken Lord Draco moved to the bedside and leaned against the post looking into the red eyes of the Prince as the physician said "Hello, Prince Hagar."
The Prince's eyes slowly looked around the room at all the eyes trained upon him, until they settled upon Lord Draco. They both looked at one another for a long moment when Prince Hagar looked at the physician "Who are you?"
"I am the Royal Physician." said the woman who did not smile but remained placid.
The Prince cocked his head as he said "Were you the one who has been caring for me?"
The woman nodded without expression as Prince Hagar narrowed his eyes "Why am I in such a decrepit condition?"
"Your highness, due to your sickly condition we could not feed you anything that could strain your bodily system." said the woman with a sigh.
Prince Hagar shook his head as he mumbled something under his breath but upon seeing the physician was looking at him he sighed. He looked around the room for a moment when he asked "Where am I?"
The physician looked over her shoulder at Lord Draco "Lord Draco he may have amnesia …" but he only flicked a finger and she turned back to the Prince "You are in your chambers within the Imperial Palace."
Prince Hagar sighed again as he began to stiffly sit up when suddenly a girl servant was beside him, offering a helping hand. Prince Hagar stopped in mid motion as he glanced from her helping hand to her face, it was only for a moment but it was enough to make Lord Draco notice the air turn cold. The servant's worried face suddenly turned fearful and she backed away, leaving Prince Hagar to sit up on his own.
Lord Draco narrowed his eyes at the Prince's response to the girl's offer. Prince Hagar's reaction though was right in the sense he hated seeming weak it was too quiet, he would have usually thrown a huge fit for the girl touching him. Lord Draco watched as Prince Hagar got comfortable before he looked around the room with cold red eyes.
"It would seem I am at a loss of words since I have never had this many people pining for my attention." Lord Draco blinked several times but remained silent. That was odd.
Prince Hagar looked around the room for a moment when he looked at the servant who offered him aid before "You."
The girl's face went pale as she took a step towards him "Yes, your Highness?"
"Get me two glasses of wine." He motioned her away with a flick of his hand and she quickly went to the table where wine and food had been placed.
Lord Draco interjected as he asked "Wine? Shouldn't you be more careful, your highness?"
Prince Hagar turned his gaze to Lord Draco and smiled "You would refute an ill vampire from his small pleasures?"
Lord Draco bit his lip, this vampire may have the face of Prince Hagar but he sure was not acting like him. It wasn't just the elegance of the words Prince Hagar spoke but also his posture. With his head held high and his back straight, as he cast his cold red gaze upon the people that surrounded him.
He was too elegantly arrogant to be Prince Hagar and even though the physician chalked it up at amnesia, Lord Draco was far from convinced.
Lord Draco looked at the servant as she finished pouring the wine glasses before he said "I will be leaving Sir Rohin to make sure you are well taken care of."
Prince Hagar sighed as he took the chalice from the servant girl, he took a sip of the wine before he said "Lord Draco."
"Yes, your highness?" Growled Lord Draco.
"I do not remember requesting your dog to watch over me." Prince Hagar took a sip of wine from the chalice but before Lord Draco could say anything the physician interjected "Your highness it might be a far better idea to have a knight watch over you than your… aids"
Alon placed his face once more in his hands while Leon looked away avoiding Prince Hagar's eyes. Prince Hagar sighed "Fine."
The silence that followed was deafening until Prince Hagar said "Is that all?"
The Physician glanced over her shoulder and Lord Draco nodded, she turned back to Prince Hagar as she said "Yes, that is all."
Prince Hagar nodded as he took a deep breath and sighed "Well… thank you physician-"
"Sadi." said the physician as she gathered her tools and placed them in her bag.
"Thank you Physician Sandi." purred Prince Hagar took the wine glass from the servant and offered it to the physician.
The woman blinked several times as her pale cheeks gave off a pink glow "Your highness-"
"A gift. After all how could I not reward such loyalty?" Said Prince Hagar with a charming smile.
Alon's hands fell from his face as he watched the vampire woman's cheeks turn red as she shook her head "I cannot, I am still on duty."
Prince Hagar sighed sadly as he gave the glass back to the servant "Oh, how disappointing."
The woman's resolve seemed to be faltering when Prince Hagar smiled and said "However perhaps the next time we meet we'll share a glass?"
"Yes." The woman smiled bashfully as she quickly departed, trying to hide her red cheeks from Lord Draco. Lord Draco blinked several times before he said "Your highness rest. Tomorrow we have much to discuss."
The malice was hidden within Lord Draco's words but Prince Hagar simply smiled "I cannot wait."
Lord Draco nodded but as he turned away he mumbled something under his breath in Sir Rohin's ear. The young vampire nodded and Lord Draco departed without another word.
Emperor Envor sighed as he flicked his weak brother's wrist and said "Leave me. I want to rest and it's hard to with so many eyes upon me."
The servants quickly departed but not before Emperor Envor finished his glass and took the other from the servant girl. Once the room was empty of servants Emperor Envor's eyes settled upon Sir Rohin.
"Let's skip the pleasantries and get to the point." Said Emperor Envor coldly and Sir Rohin narrowed his eyes but said nothing.
"My master has placed you to guard me but it is just a ploy to spy on me." there was a brief pause which Sir Rohin simply nodded.
"I cannot get rid of you as you are the puppeteer's hound. As such I am going to drag you around everywhere till you are beyond feeling miserable." Said Emperor Envor as he took a sip of his wine.
"Miserable or not it is my duty to report and guard you, your highness." Said Sir Rohin in a orderly fashion "So regardless of where you go I will follow."
"As expected of a knight under Lord Draco" said Emperor Envor as he motioned the knight away and said "Sleep well, Sir Rohin"
Yet the knight remained where he was and Emperor Envor sighed "What is it now?"
"I was given the order to watch over you." Said Sir Rohin stiffly.
Emepror Envor glanced around the room "I am going to be sleeping, why would you watch me sleep? I have the Nicross for that."
Sir Rohin nodded "Yes you do but-" Sir Rohin glanced at Alon and Leon as he said "You still have company."
Emperor Envor shrugged "Not really I was going to kick them out after you left."
Sir Rohin remained in his position and Prince Hagar sighed. He turned his attention upon Alon and Leon as Alon was beginning to sit straighter now and Leon's gaze was upon him.
"Tomorrow we will discuss what has happened while I was asleep, so return to your rooms." said Emperor Envor with a flick of his wrist.
Alon nodded as he led Leon to the two doors where Sir Rohin looked back at Prince Hagar. It was only for a moment but it was long enough to make the room uncomfortable before Sir Rohin also disappeared through the double doors.
It wasn't till the receding footsteps could no longer be heard before Emperor Envor sighed and placed the wine chalice on the bed stand.
"I am so dead" thought Emperor Envor as he slowly placed his hand on his face and rubbed his eyes only to see the reflection across from him depict Prince Hagar's face.
What am I supposed to do now? Emperor Envor wondered as he rubbed his chin.
He had read quite a bit of literature during his time as an emperor and to say the least during long nights. Especially when his thirst for eastern blood ravaged him, he would read the adventures within the pages of fiction books. From surviving dead princes to even magical spells that induced time travel, he read to his heart's content. Yet now as he sat upon his bed and thought about it he realized right now his life was no different than the plots of one of those books.
He had died in the arena and was sent back in time before he was crowned Emperor, he smiled to himself as he scoffed. Yet as he thought about usually the main character met a god of some sort that sends them back in time, and usually they were within their own body. He let his hand flop upon the bed and sighed. Who was he kidding comparing real life to book plots.
He threw the bed covers to the side as he scooted to the edge of the bed to see the stone floor, he slowly placed his feet on the floor as he bit his lip to stop himself from shivering. In his past he had adorned every corner of his chambers with the finest of furs in order to cover every inch of the stone floors. In fact he had slept on the furs with woman and chalices of blood for days on end because it was so comfortable. Yet towards the end before his vengeful death such things no longer seemed appeasing as he tried to pass the time. Not the woman, nor the books, even blood seemed to taste foul upon his tongue.
He took a hold of the cane next to his bed and hobbled awkwardly to the table where he flopped into the high backed chair next to it. He was numb with the smell of roasted chicken and boiled vegetables, it was just exhilarating sitting next to it. But then again it always had even after drinking the human blood of the east.
He smiled to himself as he took the knife on the platter and stabbed it into the chicken leg. The grease oozed out like water from the leg where he had punctured the skin into the meat. He swallowed trying hard not to drool as he took his fork and delicately stabbed it next to the knife.
He made small little cuts until he removed a small piece of chicken and held it in the air to inspect it, before removing it from the fork and fiddled with it between his two fingers. The meat was the color of white and though it looked dry like a dried mushroom it wasn't. It was filled with the grease like liquid upon the plate and as he squished it between his two fingers it released two droplets from it.
He smiled as he nervously placed it on his tongue. Immediately he closed his mouth and to his hopes fulfilled it did not taste like ash, as the wine had tasted bitter he hoped this would be his bite of heaven. It only took a second for the taste to touch his tongue before he dropped the silverware as he pulled the plate closer to him and was upon the meat with his bare hands.
Within seconds the platter was only filled with the bones of the chicken bare of the flesh and meat that once covered them. He smiled to himself as he burped throwing the last bone upon the platter and sighed.
He had come to doubt whether being in this body had been worth it but after that feast, it was a blessing. He looked down at his grease covered fingers and wiped them on a cloth nearby, it was a very fine cloth whatever it was but to be honest it might be such a waste to have it as a napkin.
He shrugged and once more stiffly meandered back to his bed and sat on the edge as he placed the cane off to the side, it was a fine cane he noticed with silver inlaid within the black wood. It was a work of art to say the least, such a shame his brother had it.
Emperor Envor smiled as he said "Then again… it's not really a shame now that it's mine."
Emperor Envor smugly and stiffly climbed back under his covers as he slowly went to sleep ignoring the questioning gaze of the Necross.
But even though the Necross had called the Prince crazy a few times, the vampire truthfully began to wonder if the Prince truly had lost his mind this time.