Null Chapter

It was a dark night, not even the stars twinkled. Callidora was exhausted, she badly needed to feed but not before the task was completed and she was almost half certain the sight of blood would make her sick, she had seen enough for one night. 

The royal guards would be here soon. She needed to look like the winner, no way would she let anyone know how badly this broke her heart. She felt them before she heard them, all ten of them arrive simultaneously.

She picked her dead nephew, placed Kira on her shoulders, and stepped out the broken door. The royal guards stood in one straight line, their hands behind their back as she placed the body before them. She dropped them as gently as she could do the ground. Dead or not, they were family and for the brief moment she has known them, they had meant the world to her.

The leader of the royal guards stepped forward, unfortunately, or fortunately, Callidora couldn't remember his name. He walked to the bodies and examined them when he was certain they were dead enough for him, he nodded.

"The sage wants you to report to him the incidents of tonight. He said you can take your time, of course, he understands how this is hard for you." 

Callidora watched the leader spew trash out of his mouth and wondered how her father thought he could be trustworthy or strong, none of them could ever defeat her one on one and sage knew that. More than anything he wanted her to be part of his army.

Callidora hated his guts and tonight was one of those where she was certain she could kill him. "There is no need for a personal report from me. You see the bodies, you obviously can tell that baby is a vampire and now he is very dead. I won't say it any different than you." Callidora muttered her self control was slowly dwindling here she was arguing with mere guards.

"Never mind," she countered before the leader had a chance to reply. It was an order from the Sage there was no way around it. He obviously wanted to get to her but she wouldn't let him, he did say she could take her time.

"Would that be all?" She asked, her voice thundering through the night the air was suddenly tensed and all the guards bowed their heads.

"Yes Princess," they said in unison and disappeared into the night.

She would take her bloody time. She didn't arrive in the castle until a full two hours later. She had buried mother and child side by side in their compound. She had then cleaned up the entire house and managed to fix the door.

She pushed open the throne room without bothering to knock this time. It was on purpose and she wanted the Sage to comment on it. He didn't which felt even worse.

"I can assume, all has been taken care of." He said, the scene was exactly the same way I left it a few hours ago, he had his back to me and his front to the dark window.

"Yes, your grace…"

"And the girl?"

She was no girl, she was a beautiful woman. "Yes," it was at the tip of her tongue to say something smart but she didn't want to prolong this night. She needed to go home to grieve properly.

"Hope it wasn't too hard for you but Alaric said you did beautifully. I am offering again Dora, join my army and together we can be rid of the Altereds who killed your parents."

The Sage stood before her, his robes seemed to be weighing him down. She had watched him stand up from the throne and walked towards her. She knew why he did it, he looked alive and well. He wanted to show her he wasn't at death door like she thought.

"Thank you for the very generous offer your grace but I am but a simple second princess, I do not mix well with war." She wasn't affected by the state of the Sage, in fact, she needed him very alive so she could kill him.

"You're dismissed." 

Heads still bowed she walked out of the throne room and out the castle, she wanted to see Ciro but she dare not. Not after she had just killed his wife and son, she wasn't that mean. As she left the castle she wondered if she would ever see him again but at least she was certain he would not be killed.