The girl seemed so young this time around. She was tiny and as pale as porcelain, and looked just as weak. Her maroon lolita dress that they dressed the sacrifices in had a lot more frills than usual and just gave Victor even more of the weird feeling like they thought he was into dress up dolls. He still couldn’t take his eyes off her though as she sat unconscious in the sacrifice paladin she was brought in. Was she really the best they could offer to him?

It was past due for Victor to accept a sacrifice for himself, and his father demanded that he either accept this next one or lose the position of heir. Victor had demanded that the village bring forth their best maiden this time or suffer his wrath. Just because I haven’t accepted any of their more mature woman they think I’m a lolicon? Victor sighed and reached into the paladin to pick up the girl inside and was surprised. She’s even lighter than I thought...

“It’s not your fault that they misunderstood me.” Victor whispered in her ear, pulling her close. Her easily carried her into the looming castle walls surrounding his land, determined to make his father happy, even at the risk of his fellow peers forever teasing him.

The eyes watching from outside sighed a relief at the sight of the tall creature accepting the cursed child within the sacrificial paladin. They were finally rid of her. Two bats, one stone. They grimaced. As long as that creature never realized who or what she was they were safe. It’s not like she could say anything though. There was a slight gleeful laugh as the owner of the eyes slipped back to the village below.

Having placed the child upon her new bed, Victor looked over her once more. He noticed on closer inspection that she seemed as though she was malnourished and scrawny. Victor’s anger flashed for a moment. What do you think we are supporting you financially for? We pay for all of the village to thrive. That fat disgusting mayor should just die. Victor starts to stand up when he feels a pair of eyes on him. The girl had sat up without a sound. Looking down he sees pale purple eyes from the girl’s emotionless face. No fear, no admiring, not even hate. Just a pure blank face.

Sitting back down Victor came back to himself. “My name is Victor Beo Orphne, state your name and age.” The girl just shook her head. “You refuse to tell me?!” Victor could feel his anger rising again. She quickly started making motions with her hands. “I don’t understand you! Speak!” Again she shook her head. Victor felt stupid for his anger as he realized. “Can you not speak?” She nodded. Victor sighed again. “Simple questions then…” Victor thought for a while then started asking questions.

“How old are you? You seem to young to be sacrificed...” She thought for a moment, then shook her head. “Why? That should be easy to answer.” She shook her head. So her age was off limits…

“How about how long you’ve been mute? You can obviously hear, but you can’t speak. Was it a disability you were born with?” She shook her head and looked downward. “A trama then…” She did nothing.

“Ok… You at least have a name right?” She shook her head. “Wait what? You don’t have a name?” She shrugged and seemed to retreat into herself awkwardly. “I need to call you something…” Victor looked her over and thought. “How do you like Mignon? It means delicate. Mignon Akakios for your full name.” She pointed to herself and Victor nodded. Victor saw a flash of shock has she stared at her own finger pointed at herself. She silently mouthed the name a few times then looked up at Victor and nodded. Victor felt relief on having her accept her name, then came back to himself. Why should I care if she likes her name? She should accept anything I give her. Victor looked at Mignon mouthing her new name yet again, seeing a spark in her eyes at last.

“You were the sacrifice this time so you know what the Vampire’s Bride is right?” Mignon’s face dropped to emotionless again as she slowly nodded. “Very few sacrifices actually become a Bride, most just become a lowly vampire’s play thing.” She looked down, but didn’t actually look as afraid as Victor thought she would at this point. “I could still hand you off to one if I wanted to. As soon as you stepped foot in that padalin you became my property.” She nodded. Show a little fear, it’s like I’m threatening a child who knows nothing about the true fears of the world… He thought for a moment more. Or maybe one who knows all too well the world’s evil.

“You’re not afraid? I hold your life in my hands.” She shook her head and Victor sighed. “I couldn’t pass you on anyways.” She looked up. “I mean plenty of them would love to have a child of your caliber as a plaything, but my father would disown me if I let another sacrifice just go to the dogs.” Victor spit out the last word with venom towards his kind. He felt a tiny cold hand briefly touch his own hand that was huge in comparison. Mignon quickly redrew it though. Victor almost smiled at his new Bride. Trying to comfort the monster that was going to devour her. “Point is you are automatically a Vampire Bride candidate, the only one actually. Welcome to the ‘good’ life.” She looked curious, but Victor didn’t give her the chance to find a way to question him.

“It’s time to go. You have to learn more about your new home.” Victor stood up, but Mignon made no movement. “What’s wrong?” She shook her head and clutched the blankets under her. A thought came to Victor that angered him. Hoping it wasn’t true he grabbed at the hem of her dress and pulled away all the petticoats underneath and saw a sight that disgusted him. They had broken her legs to stop her from running away. Never before had a sacrifice been delivered to them in such a state of abuse.

“I’m going to murder them all!” Victor angrily turned away and started to storm off, but was stopped by a shaking hand clutching at his clothes with all its strength. Mignon was hanging halfway off the bed, her useless legs dragging behind her, shaking her head violently. “Why?! Why do you stop me?!” She couldn’t say anything and just shook her pale head back and forth. Victor angrily sighed. “You’re my Bride now so I will try to listen to your requests occasionally, but they will have to pay eventually for what they have done. This can be considered a great offense to deliver a cripple as a Bride candidate.” Mignon looked down then nodded solemnly. Why only show emotions when it comes to the people who abuse you?

Victor swept up his Bride, then, realizing she was small enough if properly set, placed her sitting up on his right shoulder. For once he was glad his kind were usually so much larger than humans due to the increased time spent in puberty. Making sure Mignon was safely placed and holding on to him tightly, Victor started her tour of the Vampire’s Lair.

“You finally decide to let me be the heir Victor?” Victor and Mignon were stopped near the end of the tour, just as Victor was on the way to introduce her to his father.

“Athanasios.” Victor angrily nodded to acknowledge the vampire in front of them.

“Awww, use my first name… We were so very close before.” He stepped closer to Victor, who just glared at him.

“I’m in a hurry.” Victor started to walk away, but Eric Athanasios was not done with him.

“Is the next ruler into dolls now? Who would fear such a weak vampire?” Eric laughed. “Did you give up on real females and decide to marry a fake one? She might be cute but no one will recognize a toy as a Bride.”

It took a moment for Victor to realize that Eric hadn’t realized that Mignon was real. He smirked. “Like you have anything but toys. My father will accept my Mignon as a Bride before any of your girls. You know he prefers the pretty and pure ones over the slutty ones.” Victor reaches up and smooths Mignon’s curly silver hair lovingly. “Isn’t she a beaute?”

Just as Eric opened his mouth to make a retort the “doll” moves. She slowly wraps her arm around Victor’s neck then leans forward and kisses Victor on the mouth, glaring daggers at Eric. After a shocked silence from all of them that she actually did that Victor just nods and walks away from the one showing the most shock.

Once far enough away Victor looks over at his Bride, both of them blushing. “Thanks for that back there.” Mignon nods, both of them now also shocked at his grateful behavior.