#7: Leo's Secrets

It was only a matter of time, that we came to the palace. It was truly beautiful, a perfect castle right out of imaginations, I took out the gift which Nyxus gave me, the 'travel journal' and turns out the castle looked slightly similar to another castle, It was from a place called Disney?, a weird name for a city.

The one from Disney looked a bit... plastic... a bit small. But this one was too big with crystals and gold, the reason why Elves and Vampires get along is, their equal obsession with gold and equal dislike for silver.

I don't know the reason of it though, Vampires hate it because it hurts them, but about elves, it's a mystery. Elves are known to be the second most secretive creatures. The first are the fairies of the East.

I haven't taken by Royal studies seriously so I remember quite less. The elves are forest beings so you mustn't be shocked if there was a forest between two neighbors. And the population of Elves is quite few, but live for a lot of time. They are advanced in technology, medicine and whatnot.. There is a rumor the Elven dishes can supposedly turn a werewolf into a vegetarian. I don't believe that though.

The Elves magic is hereditary, or not... even the book was unclear about that. The Elves magic ranged from natural to warrior mode. They could adapt to any form. Mostly medicinal magic was found. But at the same time the very few Offensive magic guys, also called the Hunter Elves were very strong.

The Elves live together with Dwarves, who hate almost everyone except of course Elves as they're quite beautiful and persuasive. They live in the forests.. Elves take care of their needs.

Before entering the City, we had a check done. For any werewolves. We didn't have anything on us except the werewolf scent, probably because of the one in the forest attacked me. Well, not attacked.. but almost attacked.

We had to stop at the palace as the king of the Elves wanted to see me. The proof of diplomacy.

We entered the palace and lo.. there were so many servants, each of them looking like.. bling✨..

It was so bright, all of the servants glowed as they were royals. They were well fed, happy with their work.

All of them trained, not to give an other expression than what was required. Because, I know how a prey reacts in front of predator, and I am the predator, I know the nickname of vampires, they are called blood predators who spare no mercy.

Well, a few if the vampires do spare mercy when drinking another being's blood. But most of us don't care so.. I guess the nickname does suit us.

I was greeted by a bow, then from the side, a butler of sort,

"Welcome, Fourth Royal Highness, Princess Amber, To the Palace of the twelve kings, The Amardyle. ", He said trying not to frown and freak out.

Finally a normal elf. " Yes, thank you. ", I said.

" Welcome to the palace, Princess. ", All the servants said.

" Yes... ",

" Amber, I may have to go and greet the king faster as I have an important report. You just get freshened up and meet with the king. ", He said.

" Yea, Alright. ",

***

The hallway itself was beautiful, seeing this the vampire Castle looked bleak. Here there were pure gold statues, angels drawn on the ceiling, handsome men, beautiful ladies and of course the paintings were painted with liquid gold..

Is that even possible?

I was led into a big room, it was a guest room for the lower guests. The others all were filled as there was a security Council meeting.

The whole room was so perfectly arranges as though for a VIP.. It was so classy and the same time traditional. I went in and the maids assisted me in removing my clothes.

I was wearing a pretty delicate and complex dress after all and not my regular black pants with a red shirt.

It took a while for them to remove the accessories. And finally I was led to the bath, It was enchanting. They kept Lavender salts and had massaged my shoulders and head.

After the bath, I looked so fresh. It was as though I went for a makeover and not a bath. So, this is the secret huh.

I was given a traditional dress. A tunic style dress but short length. It came a little bit above my knees. Next was knee length boots. That was cool though. I looked at myself in the mirror. I rocked the style, My hair was long, so they were quite happy, one thing I knew about Elf locals was they believe cutting of hair as a sin..

Though the only reason I didn't cut my hair was because nanny liked it.

It's strange how all my important and personal decisions include my nanny. One of the reason, I wanted to go to the human world was nanny. After suddenly naming me after the Royalty test. She ran away. No one could find her. Nor father nor anyone.

The royalty test was a sort of DNA test, as there could be chances of the queen having an affair. The person with magic dissimilar to the King would be joining the soldiers and go to war. They wouldn't have the privilege of being the royal. They can also be killed by their siblings for reducing competitors in the power struggle. They would test the amount of Royal blood in me. If I turned out to not having a bit of Royal blood, I would be executed or thrown into slavery class.

The night after the test, while I was sleeping, my nanny marked my head and gave me the name Mae.

The middle names should only be given by a parent, as it was their right. But she did it. Don't know how, but yes.. She named me. It meant she claimed me as her kid. But in a second she ran away.

The royalty test was done, and the test result was that I was a 100% my parents, the king and Queen's daughter and even that I had potential for great magic like my paternal grandmother, Bellatrix.

My blood had ancestral value.. and yada yada.

But I couldn't care less, till the royalty test I was seen as an outcast and all were sure I was illegitimate and an affair kid.

My powers were weak. But after the royalty test, I was treated as a valuable asset, basically all expected I would surpass my siblings and be a genius. But I broke their expectations. I am quite happy about it too. I was weak. I had mediocre magic and mediocre skill. I could survive but not surpass.

My parents turned colder towards me and I received many death threats from Vasil and Bella. I joined the soldiers and made my way up to became the Captain of a whole battalion. The ministers preferred me in war and hated when I would come home.

As time went by, I didn't care about all that, I only cared about nanny. No matter how many times I asked information about her, I was just ignored or dodging angry broken cups. I drew her portrait so that I wouldn't forget her. And I did have skill then so it was not a child painting but a proper sketch of her. the last memory of her as she smiled down while tucking me to bed.

Since nanny once lived in human world, she could have just gone back there again. I know that she even has a kid, her half-human, half vampire kid who lives in human world. After he became an adult she came to the mirror world. To stay with the vampires.

Her son, was called, Gregory, There was even a card, Gregory, The Founder of Sterling Corporation.

She loved humans and wished that I were a human too... I want to go there.. I want to see the whole place..

******

I was made to look pretty and strong. The dress and the hairstyle complimented each other perfectly. After that I was led to the King's court.

This hallway was less grand and more simple, the curtains covering windows were bleak and the statues made of stone. There were flowers in vases but not arranged as well as in the previous hallway..

I stood in front of the door and the knight outside informed my presence.

"The Fourth Royal Princess of the Rune Empire, Her Royal Highness, and the fiancee of Leo Silas, the Defense Minister, Amber Mae Rune the virtuous, is entering. ", He said.

Wow, he made me sound like a very important guest. I was led in and I saw, the whole room was in middle of a garden? There were beautiful flowers, and birds too.

In middle, there was a single throne. Upon which was a middle aged king. The king of Elves, Elegast the furious.

He was like a 500 years old. still he looked as though we could be siblings. Elves timeline is really different.

I bowed and greeted the king in proper Elven Tongue. He was happy or shocked? I couldn't see his expression clearly.

"𝘚𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘬 𝘌𝘭𝘷𝘦𝘯? ", he said.

" 𝘕𝘰𝘵 𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘭. 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘺𝘦𝘴, 𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘯. 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘮𝘢𝘫𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘺. ", I replied.

" 𝘏𝘮𝘮, 𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥. 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘓𝘦𝘰 𝘚𝘪𝘭𝘢𝘴 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵? "

"𝘠𝘦𝘴, 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘮𝘢𝘫𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘺. " I replied.

" 𝘖𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘰𝘺, 𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘦𝘭𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘸 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘯𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘵 𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳. 𝘋𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳?", He asked

"𝘔𝘢𝘺𝘣𝘦, 𝘚𝘪𝘳𝘦. ", I calmly said.

"𝘞𝘦𝘭𝘭, 𝘔𝘺 𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴, 𝘐 𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘢 𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘺 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦, 𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘪𝘭𝘢𝘴 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘣𝘦 𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘭𝘦 𝘢 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶. ", He said meat eater like it was the best way to describe me.

"𝘠𝘦𝘴, 𝘐 𝘵𝘰𝘰 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘳𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘮𝘪𝘻𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦", I said.

"𝘏𝘮𝘮, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘰 𝘴𝘩𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘴𝘬 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘐 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘺 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦. 𝘕𝘰𝘸 𝘐 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘨𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘯 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘮𝘦𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨. ", So saying he left and I stayed a while, I was busy looking at the whole place. The garden was too beautiful to leave.

I walked around the garden. It was quite a well maintained one. As I came nearer to the throne. There was a small green rabbit which emerged from behind the throne. It was soo cute. Normally I would look at animals as a source of blood. But this one just looked so cute that I just wanted to hug it.

It slowly came nearer to me, sniffing and slowly. It was a bit shy I guess. But soon, it came and sniffed my hand, the rabbit was a rare color, a rare breed I guess, it had golden eyes and green fur.

It soon let me touch it. I called it and jade and it really liked it's name.

I was about carry it but the soldier announced Leo Silas's Entry and the rabbit ran away..

"Sir Leo Silas, the first Lord of the Silas family and the Defense Minister is entering. ", He said.

the doors opened and I saw Leo Silas. He wore a collar neck shirt with a jacket over and black gloves. Which made him look like an adventurer and not a minister.

He looked at me for a while before holding out his hand for us to leave the palace.

We then left for Leo's home. The ride only took a while. But Leo's home was awesome. It was nice and well maintained, I guess being a minister has its own benefits.

"Leo.. ",

" Yes. "

"Can I ask you some questions? ",

" Well, yes of course. "

"What is the lifespan for an average Elf? ",

" 700 years. " he said.

"ohh.. "

"What about vampires? ",

" 500."

"yea.. I heard vampires don't get killed? Why? "

"Well, we are supposed to be immortal but we are mortal to some things. "

"Like? "

"silver and the other ranges from vampire to vampire. "

"Silver?... hmm.. we don't have anything silver here so no problem. what about your thing, which makes you a mortal? ", he asked.

" Um, that's personal. ", I said, I got shivers when he asked.

" Okay. " he said not probing any further, it became awkward, so I tried breaking the silence by speaking something.

"Leo how old are you? ", I asked.

" Me, 130.", he said.

"130? ", wasn't he only a year elder?

"120." he corrected it and looked at me as though it was I who said something weird.

"Aren't you 119? ", I asked.

" Well, I completed it two days back. ", he said.

" ohh.. your birthday comes a day before mine!! " I said.

"Yes." he said frowning a bit.

We were welcomed by a couple, the parents of Leo, I guess. Somehow they were not creeped out by the fact that I would be their daughter in law.

They were a bit too friendly. It was fine. The room I was given was fine. My room was opposite to that of Leo's.

It was nice and luxurious. The maids assigned to me were very sweet and kind. Though they were a bit afraid of me seeing my presents, the whip, the sword, the frozen rose, the gun etc.

I was tired, I was called from dinner soon. I was served a chicken dish, with a bit of blood in a glass. The parents were eating some grass?.. with a bit of wine. Leo had soup and some of the dish they made.

I took out my blood bottle, I filled the blood myself from the pitcher to the bottle. The servants were too afraid of blood and I didn't want to be a mean guest..

After a while, I was served a dessert and wine. The dessert was awesome, but the wine was supreme.

I tasted wine many times before, but I never drank a one that was this tasty. It was the highest level of satisfaction, before I knew it I was already drunk.

Leo said something to the parents to which they replied, oh my! They soon left. Leo came closer and carried me to my room

"You got drunk by a single glass of wine? I never knew you were such a lightweight. " he said and laughed.

I was drowsy and I slept. When I got up, I was sober. I saw, Leo beside me, with his shirt messed up and his hand around my waist. I got scared for a second, and then realized that I got drunk and he brought me here and slept. He was mumbling something... it was unclear.. he said something like.. "Atlas..? " why would he need a map now?.

I sat straight and looked out the window, it was still night. I felt a bit queasy so I looked for my blood bottle, I filled it up when I went to dinner. But now it was empty again.

Did I? Maybe I didn't fill. There's no one except me who would drink blood.

I wanted to sleep but I could never sleep with Leo beside me.

I tried waking him, but he did not even budge, So I carried him to his room. He looked light but was as heavy as three people together. I somehow half dragged him to his room. His room had many locks. As though it was the palace treasury.

It took me a while, but a master lock picker like me knows how to break in.. ( I would break into the kitchen and eat desserts, they would think it was rats. hehe)

The whole room was filled with books and papers, quite messy, one would think he was a clean freak. But his room had papers flying here and there.

I threw him on the bed, and offered to clean up the desk, there were a few important papers. Regarding the defense structure of Elves and all, I saw, that there were two portals here, one was the one between our Empires and the other was in the Empress's garden in the palace.

The second one was mainly used by dwarves who wanted a secluded area. Apparently, the current king's Empress was assassinated, The case still is going on.

There was more information, but I didn't want to read it. It felt as though I was a spy of my father.

I set all papers together and began searching for a paperweight.

There was nothing.. Not even a substitute which I could use. There was an ink bottle, but it was half full so, if heavy wind blew, it would topple the ink all over the papers.

there was desk drawer, I tried opening but it looked as though it was tight, I put a bit more force and it opened easily, it probably got rusted. In it I found a perfect paper weight, I looked at the drawer, he had a few books.

I took them out, it was 'The history of Elves and the Powers. ', 'Proper Etiquette of noble Elves', 'Elven Language: The language of the Elders. '??.

These are like kindergarten books. What's up with this guy and all of these new editions? The other book was, 'The Secrets of Elves. ', I never knew about the book, but it seemed more like a fiction novel than an important book.

There was another, a pamphlet and a book. The pamphlet was of Nearville City Square, published at least a hundred years ago. It had a name etched on the top, .. 'Lu.. na".

Who is Luna? Suddenly I felt a bit scared. As though I forgot something...

I tried opening the book, it was bordered with silver. Strange.. I used my handkerchief to open it and it seemed like a diary. The name at the top was unclear, it was smudged but looked like an L.. at the beginning. It was Leo's diary?

I opened a few pages but most of them were written in another language. I couldn't read it. But the last few pages were written in normal English. He wrote about a state council meeting and some changes which he would like to add. And then there was an entry about me.

I was described as a The perfect one and it said that he knew I was the perfect one the moment he saw me. I was about to read more when suddenly a cold hand covered my eyes.

"Leo? ", I asked

" Hmm.. ", he said.

" You got up? ",

" What are you doing? " , he asked softly, but his voice sent shivers down my spine as though I was in the presence of Death himself.

"Nothing.", I said.

" May I know why you are reading my diary? ", he asked.

" I just opened to see what it was.. I saw my name and began reading that's all. ", I said.

" Well, I am quite honest with my diary, And I wouldn't like the girl I love to read it.. ", He said.

" Why? "

"I wrote it quite crudely and I think you know what a man usually thinks about when he is reminded of his love.. Don't you..? It's all too honest and crude and maybe even disgusting for a young and proper princess like you. So... don't probe. ", He said. kissing my neck.

Usually getting kissed on neck might make you disgusted or shy. But all I felt was fear. Pure fear as though I was warned not to try and get to know about him.

I removed his hands and saw him smiling at me. He wished me good night and slept. I stood outside my door. I was gasping. I forgot how to breathe at that moment. Just what is this Leo? At once, he is a kind angel and once like the personification of Death himself.

I ran to my room and hugged the little mermaid book. Soon, I fell asleep.