The young Tsarina rubbed her temples as men in the council continued shouting at each other and she stole glances of her Uncle's face who was at the verge of bursting his brain's vein. The argument was same about finding a potential suitor for the Tsarina and give heir to the kingdom to make its position strong among the other states which Averinka paid no attention to. The council ended without any conclusion and Averinka left the meeting hall towards her sleeping chamber. Vladimir, both the Knight and her guard greeted her outside her chamber with a bow and she nodded before entering the room.The brunette froze in fear upon the sight of young girl whom she had seen in the forest.
"W-what...how did you get in here?" The girl dressed in black gossamer gown that was showing off most of her pale body in the glowing fires of her chamber, slid off the Queen's bed and crawled towards the princess on the red carpet which made the Tsarina jump back in horror.
"What are you doing?" The girl looked up at the queen from her kneeling position and smiled at Averinka.
"Master"
"What!" The girl lowered herself in bowing position on the floor and kissed the toe of the queen which made her scream and Vladimir came bursting inside the chamber with his drawn sword ready to cut through the assassins' bodies.
"What happened, your Majesty?" He asked the queen who was standing in the farthest corner of her room. Averinka pointed down at the girl down at her feet and Vladimir instantly drew his sword rushing towards the girl before she stood straight in front of Tsarina protectively with an extended and bared her sharp canines at him.
"Do not touch young master!" Vladimir stopped in horror and stepped back looking at the queen who motioned him not to inch closer.
"This creature followed me here from the forest." Queen told her guard who was standing with a confused look on his face.
"Why am I not even surprised?"
"Vladimir!" The queen barked blushing furiously.
"I beg your forgiveness, Queen Averinka but it's time you should stop attracting troubles. You go visiting other countries and come home with slaves."
"I didn't know I shot a blood creature."
"There shouldn't be any left. She must be the last one left of her lineage."
"Ah, isn't it really exciting that I met one if she is the last one left of her lineage since no one had seen them in a hundred years."
"But queen she is dangerous. We should execute her right away before she kills you."
"Do not speak so lowly to master." The girl hissed walking towards the knight.
"I'm not your master." Queen groaned and the girl stopped to look back at the Tsarina.
"Master?"
"If you don't back down, I'll execute you myself." Tsarina came to stand before her pointing sword at her heart and the girl quiver before kneeling down on the floor.
"Forgive me, Master"
"And stop calling me Master!"
"Master"
Averinka sighed and sat on her bed.
"What should we do, Averinka? She is a blood sucking creature."
"How am I your master?" Averinka asked the young girl who was sitting in the Tsarina's feet.
"You healed my wound by giving me your blood master, I'm your forever slave." The Tsarina grabbed a silver fork from the table and brought it near to the girl's forehead. The girl flinched and sank down on the floor.
"It doesn't burn your skin but it's holy enough for you, right?"
The girl nodded and the tsarina smiled putting her both hands on the bed behind her and looked at Valek who was holding sword in his hand ready to strike if needs be.
"Prepare the silver anklets and a choker for this darling. I am keeping her with me."
"Averinka?"
"Do you dare defy your queen's order?" She cast him an questioning glance, daring him to go question her antics.
"No, your majesty." The knight hung his head down in submission and put back his sword.
"Then do what I asked you of and ask lady Sylvia to bring a modest dress for her. She can't walk around the castle in this provocative garb." Vladimir left the Queen's chamber after taking order from her and Averinka bent down to graze the girl's cheek with the teeth of silver fork.
"What's thy name?"
"Irina"
"Now, Irina you would better behave and not bare your teeth else I'll have you burnt alive in the public."
"Yes, master"
The lady Sylvia entered the chamber with other maids to take the girl to her room and prepare her as asked by Tsarina. Tsarina cleaned herself in the chamber and changed into white gown for the night. An hour later, the door to her chamber opened and lady Sylvia brought Irina back dressed modestly. She was in black long sleeved silk gown which had a low V-cut neckline and cinched around her perfect waist. The beads were removed from her long hair, and were combed straight over her bosom that stopped above her waist.
"Come here." Tsarina ordered the girl who walked obediently to her and asked her to kneel on the floor. Tsarina tied a silver choker around Irina's neck and pulled at it to see if it was not too tight for her.
"I don't keep slaves in my castles. The ones given to me as tributes are freed and live honorable lives in my palace. But you're not human and I have to make sure you don't go around draining my people. You wouldn't defy this holy silver for your thirst and would not leave this chamber until I ask you to. You wouldn't talk to anyone until I ask you to because I don't want any commotion in my palace which will jeopardize my status as a Queen to the neighboring states. Understand?"
"Yes, Master."
"And stop calling me Master."
"Yes, master."
Tsarina slapped hand on her forehead. She should stop forbidding the girl since she wouldn't understand it either way.
_
"Have you liked the town so far, Ava?" David asked as he took the entire family to sightseeing and shopping in the town after the lunch.
"It's small and beautiful." Ava replied carrying the shopping bags and sat down on a bench with David. Her father and Alex spotted ducks in the pond and bought bread to feed them.
"I was afraid you wouldn't want to stay here with us. Mason was worried that our relationship would affect you." Ava nodded in understanding and they both looked at Mason and Alex who were busy feeding ducklings in the pond.
"It's difficult for me but I'm trying for his happiness."
"I'm glad."
"She won't stay here for long when she sees something on her balcony at night." Alex looked over his shoulder to where she was sitting and grinned at Ava whose brow twitched in anger.
"You little!" Ava jumped on her feet and ran to chase the boy who was running down the cobblestone street. Ava grabbed the boy in a neck-lock and Alex struggled against her vicious grip around his poor neck.
"The only creature at home is you. You think you can look me into leaving through your stupid stories."
"Ava..." Alex coughed and Ava let the poor boy go to have a breather.
"But I'm serious. Ken has gone missing and police couldn't find him. They say black queen took him."
"Who is that now?"
"She is a mysterious lady who appears once in a decade to find a pure blood to claim her lost love." Ava burst out into fits of laughter at Alex's story.
"Black queen was Batman's wife and took Ken because he smoked weeds."
"But I'm not lying!"
"Nice try kiddo but I don't believe you." She ruffled her hair and went back to men with Alex on her tail.
David treated them with pizza, they bought few things from the shop and Alex and Ana ran to get sugar floss from the vendor. They were walking through the main Street, David pointing at different shops and buildings when Ava saw a lady in black shirt and white Victorian button down shirt curled at cuffs, wearing a black hat that covered most of her face to the nose. Ava looked at her when ruby lips quirked up at the corner of her mouth in a loop sided smirk when she walked past her. Ava blinked and turned to look at the woman who disappeared into the people.
"What are you looking at?" Mason asked his daughter who was standing in the middle of the street.
"Nothing, Dad." It must be a fleeting imagination Ava thought.
"Big sister must have seen a beautiful ghost." Alex teased her who lost her control for good.
"Shut up!"
_
Averinka was sleeping peacefully in her bed when the Tsarina felt something pressing on her foot. She opened her eyes and nearly screamed when she saw Irina sleeping with her cheek pressed against Averinka's ankle.
"Why are you sleeping on my foot?" Irina blinked her eyes open, those red brown eyes and looked up at the Tsarina shyly.
"Where else to sleep master?" Tsarina touched Irina's hair and felt the texture of her hair in her palm.
"Why do you call me your master. I didn't give you my blood to save you."
"But the master wanted to save me. Your pure blood healed me."
"Does it mean you're stuck with me forever?" Tsarina questioned and Irina touched her silver choker and answered reverently.
"I pledge to be with you master till my death.'
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