Golden Danger

Vampires were known to have unique abilities that far surpass that of humans. Their magical affinities start to develop from the very first moment they breath. With some even manifesting as early as a few days from birth.

But unlike what people might think of him, Aleksander wasn't exceptionally great when he was born. It took his mother a while to discover his affinities, since it wasn't at all that noticeable. His powers were invisible to the eyes to say the least.

Elys didn't expect Aleksander to be laughing at all. Not when she just had sliced his throat open. She was certain she had injured him… but why was he laughing like a maniac?!

The princess pushed the vampire prince away from her, sensing there was something definitely wrong with their set-up. But as hard as she exerted her strength, Aleksander didn't budge from his embrace. The Northern princess was dumbfounded.

"Why are you still much alive?" Elys spoke with dread in her voice.

Aside from the fact that Elys couldn't budge from his deadly arms, she realized he had clutched her wrists tightly too. She knew the vampires were strong, but she had always thought she could fight them head on. She had always been one of the strongest from her peers back at the North, but now it looked like she was not even strong enough.

Aleksander let out one final laugh before his head tilted upwards. His silver pools had now turned into golden orbs – a sign that screamed danger to Elys. Her gaze slid downwards to his neck, and where she had sliced him moments before was now appallingly – clean.

"Did you see something nice to be staring at me like that?" Aleksander grinned at her.

"I see something that should be dead," Elys retorted sharply.

The vampire prince smirked at Elys' remark, "I'm not made of wax, but I guess with the intensity of your gaze, I might just melt a little bit."

Things happened so fast, Elys didn't even see it coming at all. Aleksander loosened his grip on her and spun Elys around. The flutters of her voluminous skirt could be heard as she twirled, and then the prince pulled her close to him, teasing her with his touch.

It was like they were dancing, with Aleksander taking the lead. Elys glared at him, defiant and unwilling to bend despite the difference in strength. Her heart was beating wildly, the close contact making her feel all sorts of tingling sensations she didn't have experience with.

Elys tried to wrestle her way out yet again, and surprisingly this time around, he let her go. He spat at the ground, and then sneered as he looked at Elys from head to toe. The princess looked at him, thinking there must be something sinister brewing in his head.

"What do you want from me? You play around only to show me animosity," Elys finally spoke after a few long seconds of silence.

The prince cocked his head. Crossing his arms in front of him and then bringing his right hand to his chin, he hummed as if he was trying to think of something appropriate to reply. Although it might look considerate to someone who doesn't know better, Elys found it unbearably infuriating.

"I'm thinking of something, but I don't want to share it to you for now," he said, "You are a lowly slave that by the whim of a crazy king, married a prince like me. Although we had an official marriage, the fact stands still that I will never think of you as my wife."

"Hah! You called me your wife first," Elys straightened her back as her pride as the princess of the North was attacked, "Don't you think you are contradicting yourself, husband?"

"This marriage is a mistake, and I have no intention to pretend that I like it for your sake," he responded as he waved a hand as if to dismiss Elys' opinion.

"Neither did I want to be married to someone like you," Elys replied with daggers in her tongue.

His gaze turned icy cold, the playfulness from a few moments ago gone. Elys thought that he would retort once more, as they had fallen into a rhythm of negativity since Elys woke up from her drugged state. Surprisingly, Aleksander took a step back, and without further explanation, walked away from her.

"If you wish to live longer, you will learn to submit to me," Aleksander said as the soles of his shoes clicked and clacked on the sleek floor, "Henry will be with you in a while, stay put or else I will kill you without hesitation."

Who was Henry? Elys was left to ponder on what he really wanted from her. He seems to hate her, but at the same time, want her to stay put.

She turned to the ground where the glass shard she was sure to have held with her own hands lain. There were only the blood stains of her hands from gripping too hard. Another set of footsteps echoed from the corridor, and Elys presumes that must have been the man called Henry.

The princess walked with quick and agile steps, and just as she was about to emerge out of the room, a man appeared from the corner of her eyes and suddenly stopped in his tracks. He almost collided with Elys, but she was quick enough to sidestep and jump away from him.

"Apologies, your highness. I am Henry," he bowed without looking at Elys, "the young prince sent me to help you around the manor."

Elys' eyebrows shot up. It was the first time she was addressed properly since she had been taken to the Western Kingdom as a slave. She squinted her eyes, regarding Henry with great caution.

"You seem to be of nobility with the way you carry yourself," Elys remarked and then asked out of curiosity, "Why would your master have you serve me when he clearly showed me hostility?"

"I am only but a human who served the young prince for the longest of time, your highness," he replied, this time standing straight but still keeping his eyes cast low, "I am afraid I don't have the answer to your query."

Elys fought herself not to click her tongue.

Her life has taken too many sudden turns that her sanity was literally hanging by a thread.