Arabella
Stepping into the orchard, the scents of fresh fruit and grass hit me instantly and it brought me back to the time where my mother and I would walk through here every morning. Even when the weather was cold and raining, she would still want to take our daily morning walk.
At first, I thought it was just to bond with her but when I reached sixteen, the conversations soon turned to ruling the Empire, to take a husband but never lose my position to a man. If she could see now how I planned to marry a vampire, she'd lose her mind.
Even if that vampire technically saved my life, she would call it weak, and I should have overcome the illness. People of our positions were that of Gods. We could overcome anything this world threw at us. How silly she was, for it was a fever that took her in the night, so simply and peacefully. Even though the physician said if it hadn't taken her, she would have enjoyed many more years.
Lord Luca followed me closely as I picked up one of the many wicker baskets next to a tree and began plucking apples off the low hanging branches.
"Surely a servant can do that for you?" He asked me.
"Haven't you ever learnt how to do things yourself? Or are you used to being waited on hand and foot?" I replied picking another apple and placing it gently in the basket.
He huffed a laugh before picking an apple off a branch, but instead of placing it in the basket he took a bite out of it and his face relaxed a little, as if he was enjoying the taste.
"I might be the Empress, but I am still perfectly capable of doing things myself, or at least the things I am allowed to do." I smiled at him gently and began looking at the other trees that were ready for harvesting.
The crunch of his apple filled some of the small silence that surrounded us as I spotted a few of the gardeners quickly duck out of the way after bowing and heading in a different direction.
"I didn't think vampires could eat normal food." I asked.
"I might be scientifically dead, and I need blood to survive in this state. I can still do many, many normal things — I can still eat, drink, fuck, perfectly fine."
I tried not to stumble a little at his choice in words. Fuck was something I didn't have any knowledge of. Hopefully not for too long, once May and Lea bring back someone to teach me and show me the ropes. I would do just fine.
"Well, that is pleasant to know." It was all I could respond to, without showing my blushed cheeks.
He threw the apple core away as he came to stand beside me. He smelt of oranges as he reached across me picking the apple off the branch I'd been stretching to reach. I could feel myself becoming flustered this close to him and it was irritating, how easy it was to move freely and close towards me.
Mostly everyone kept their distance, respectfully.
"Care to tell me what you wished to discuss then Empress?" His voice felt as if it were silk wrapping itself around my arms and I tried not to embrace it.
"As I mentioned — since we are to be wed, we should at least know some things about one another. And, perhaps begin calling each other by our first names, in private of course."
"If that is what you wish. What would you like to know first?"
We started a slow walk towards the middle of the orchard, where I knew there were a few stoned benches placed neatly in the middle, surrounding the large apple tree that this orchard first grew from. Our mother tree.
Taking a seat, I settled the basket between us, to keep some distance as he sat next to me. The air around us brought a warm breeze with it and a slight hint of warm bread. The baking house wasn't too far from the orchard, and I was sure they would be preparing the large apple pies I'd requested for the banquet.
"When did you come to the Empire? Were you a human or had you already changed?"
"Straight to the big questions I see," he leaned back a little and relaxed his hands behind his head, closing his eyes. "I was a vampire when I arrived, I'd been turned a few hundred years before."
"If you are so old, why the interest in someone as young as me? Don't you find it rather odd. I'd doubt we have anything in common."
He laughed a little under his breath and opened his green eyes to look at me, playfully it seemed at first. It appeared for a moment as if he was trying to come up with something to say as it did make me wonder why he was so interested in someone like me, especially at his age. Unless it was more my title he wanted.
"It's true, I am beyond your years. Even your grandparents but to put it plainly, I took the opportunity presented to me. I've had many wives in my time, lovers have been and gone but one thing I have never had, is an Empress."
"Oh, so I am just a prize to you."
I scoffed, a little taken aback. I guessed with his age, he'd have met many people who he'd grown close to. That didn't surprise me. I was right however, he was just in it for my title. Well, he wouldn't be getting it.
"Do you think you are a prize worth winning?" He sarcastically replied and I had to stop myself from getting angry.
"Most men are desperate to be blessed with my hand. You should be grateful I am allowing this to continue."
"It is you, Empress, who should be grateful. If it wasn't for me, you'd be dead and buried by now."
Frustration rolled off my body in waves, he already knew how to push my buttons and no matter how right he was. I wasn't going to allow him to believe his own words.
"I would have beaten whatever the illness was."
"On the contrary, you wouldn't have been able to," he leaned up and moved as close as the basket would allow him to, staring me in the eyes. "The disease riddled your body, I could smell it as it decayed its way inside you. If I didn't show up when I did, you'd have not woken up the next day."
His words took me by surprise. I knew I was ill, but to be told I would most certainly only have one day left was a little heartbreaking. I felt it in my bones when I made my way to the balcony that night, I think deep down I knew but was too afraid to admit the truth. He leaned back again into his original position and the smugness left his face as my shoulders dropped faintly.
"I am grateful that you arrived when you did. But to have this marriage bond held over me like a rope around my next isn't what I saw for myself."
"I didn't see myself becoming a bloodthirsty killer, but the Gods work in mysterious ways."
He could understand my blight then, but the deal was still going ahead, even if I disagreed with it and hated the idea of marrying someone out of obligation rather than love. As the Empress, I would never get that privilege as duty always came first before one's heart.
"Is there anything else you wish to know?" He asked.
I'd lost my train of thought for the minute, unsure of what else I wanted to know. I'd made up many questions on my way to the library and now I couldn't even recall one.
"Then allow me to ask one while you think, what did you see for yourself if you weren't unwell, and I was not required?"
I took a minute to think of my answer, as I had forgotten mostly what I wanted in life. Up until the moment the illness took over me, I only thought of death, pain and despair. Even on the days I was able to do my duties, I felt as if I were dying inside. As if a worm had buried itself inside my heart and was eating away at it.
"I can't remember," I paused, still trying to remember, "I guess, it was to continue bringing peace to the Empire, protecting my people and then the possibility of marriage would have arisen. Possibly with another Emperor or King to create alliances and a potential heir or two."
"And would that have been what you wanted?"
"For the most part, yes. I'd never really thought about marriage, up until you arrived, and it was forced upon my lap."
A lie, of course. Marriage was something Tristain and I talked about in length at most council meetings, well after the other members had left. He knew I wasn't always keen on the idea and so we agreed, he'd marry first, he'd become my heir and then his children would go on to become Emperors or Empresses. It would have been the easiest solution and would have been the way if I'd died.
"Do you still wish for your brother to take control of the Empire if you do not have a child?" He asked, as if he'd read my thoughts.
"Well, again that was the original plan but after today's meeting, that has changed, has it not?"
He leaned forward, resting his forearms on his knees as he looked out into the orchard. Deep in thought it would seem and I waited, with bated breath to see what else he was going to say on the subject of marriage and children.
"Arabella, I will not force myself on you. If this marriage is just to convince you to pay your debt to me and we sleep in separate rooms from then on and no child comes to us then so be it. You would not be the first bride I've encountered to pull from my touch."
"But — But, you said part of this deal in saving my life was to give you an heir, thus creating one for my Empire."
"Yes, but I will not force myself onto someone who does not wish for me to. Perhaps, in time you may change your mind and grow to enjoy my company but for now, we are simply acquaintances who had duties."
I wanted to smack him across the back of his head as the only reason we had duties was because he'd placed them on to us both. Why couldn't he have been just a good Samaritan and saved me out of the goodness of his blackened heart? Silly how at first I believed him to be an angel, someone who came to rescue me but instead has decided a cage would be best for me.
"When is the wedding scheduled?"
"In four days, I've had my staff prepare everything for a small ceremony in the castle chapel. Tristian and your second, Lord Drac I believe his name will be witnesses to our union."
"So, a ceremony with no public witnesses."
"If that were to happen, I'd imagine war with our neighbours would begin. I was after all promised to the Emperor of Drusian. He will not be too pleased when eventually the news reaches his ears."
Turning to face me again, he gently picked up the basket and placed it behind him, moving closer to me which made my heart seemingly skip a beat. Placing a warm hand on my cheek, I looked at him as the sun caught his features beautifully. No wonder men and women fell for the charms of a vampire, they were demons disguised as beautiful angels. The way his green eyes sparkled with hints of browns and golds in them, his red hair tied back in a low ponytail shined brightly with the sun's glow.
"Even if we are just friends in the end. I will not allow one single hair on your head be harmed. I promise you that."
I tried not to smile at his words. A vampire promising to protect me wasn't something I ever dreamt of, especially one sitting on a bench in the middle of the day while trying to seduce me into becoming something to him.
"Thank you, I hope it doesn't come to that."
Placing my hand on his and lifting it off my check, I placed it on my knee and held my hand on top of his for a second or two. A gesture of kindness and a true thank you. Anyone who offers their sword to me would forever get my thanks, even if they eventually turned away from me.
"We should be heading back. Dinner will be served soon, and we must freshen up."
Breaking the contact completely, I stood up and promptly picked up the basket of apples and placed it back on the bench. One of the gardeners would find it soon enough.
"Are you going to escort me back then Luca?"
His eyes looked up at me in surprise by the mention of his name and a small smile teased at his lips.
"If you wish for my company, then of course, I'd be glad to, Arabella."
Even as he spoke my name a second time, I felt that small shiver run down my spine and a tingle in my stomach. It sounded beautiful on his tongue.
I wondered what his tongue tasted like. Shaking my head of such thoughts, Luca held his arm out to me and I graciously took it, heading back to the castle.