Dysfunctional Breakfast

Bella didn't know how she got back to the slaves's cell but she did. The toys of the vampires generally brought out of the cell and never come back for good but Bella had broken the record for being the first human who had returned two times without losing her life. When she was found by the knight, they dragged her although she noticed this time they didn't dare to touch her and rather pushed her by her back, urging her to go back to where she belonged. 

Once she arrived on the prison cell, the knight had met the guard of the cell who stared at her and narrowed his red eyes, "Alive? Thought she's dead already." 

"The Crown Prince demanded that she will become his personal toy," remarked the knight to the guard. "No questions should be asked." 

"Amusing," commented the guard who took Bella inside the cell. As they walked to the damp corridor, Bella turned to the guard, 

"Was.. the man from earlier the crown Prince of Versailles...?" She didn't have time to bother about his royal rank but now it sunk to her that she had gained the attention of the crown prince— which could be either a blessing or a curse. 

The guard stared at her, annoyed that a slave had talked to him, "No slave should ever talk first. Your rank is lower than others even if the Crown Prince had taken a liking to you. Remember that every flitting emotions to a vampire only arrive briefly. One day you will be amusing but when you're not, you better count your lucky star." 

She shuddered as she also thought about the vampire who had saved her. "Saved". He did save her but his amusement to her seemed like it would disappear as fast as a flame on candlelight in against a gust of wind. She wondered if he would soon forget his promise and watch her squirm to death for his amusement.

When she arrived at her previous cell, she felt the guard kicking her by her back, pushing her back inside. She saw both Iliza and Donna startled beyond means upon seeing her as they had prepared and even grieved for her death. Once she's inside, they didn't dare to ask a question and rather have her settle on the corner of the room again where most of the girls feel most comfortable at as the won't be attracting unwanted attention. 

Iliza couldn't help to speak first, "What.. happened... we heard that you were being searched. I thought you managed to escape." 

Bella only pursed her lips. She didn't want to tell them that she had almost taken the life of Rueben only to be saved by the Crown Prince who wanted her to be his entertainment. 

"I'm sorry but I'm exhausted," she said and Donna nodded.

"You better sleep. We don't have much time before the royal hunt will be held," said Donna as she allowed Bella to have the warmer side of the room knowing she's ill. Bella felt grateful and muttered a thank you which the girl accepted with a brief nod. 

She then turned again to Donna, "What is a royal hunt?" 

"As it sounds, the royal family will be holding a hunting session. During that time instead of using animals they'd use..." 

Humans, Bella finished the sentence in her head that Donna didn't want to do as it made her more bitter about her future. 

"So they would release us in a forest and somehow play hunt with us?" Bella shuddered by just thinking about it. Who in their right mind would do this? Is it because they are vampires that this was fun to them? They appeared like humans, even more beautiful than humans at times, but that was exactly why they are more frightening than monsters. 

Though they may have similarity to humans physically, they are still monsters who live by feeding off blood. 

She told to herself that while the Crown Prince had helped her, he is still a vampire, a kind that she should avoid being entangled with no matter what. She prayed to the Gods above that he wouldn't put her in a peril for his fun as he seemed like someone who would do so.

On one afternoon, above the dungeon, in the royal dining room, was Cassius who had sat beside the King. His hair was lazily swept to the back of his head from the middle while some loose curls hung on top of his eyebrows. His sharp nose itched when he smelled the perfume that his step mother had showered herself with, the scent that was so mind blowingly disgusting. She doesn't seem to be able to discern how terrible the fragrance is despite being a vampire now after the King had turned her into a vampire. 

He placed his fork and knife beside the plate and stare at the lavish food that was scattered from one end of the table to the other. 

"You seem to be sleeping far more often, Cassius," said his step mother, the Queen, Lady Morgana High. "We haven't seen you in the dining room for the past two days."

Cassius's crimson eyes glazed over his mother's attire that was blinding in lemon dress. He sensed his human step brother beside him, Malvo who looked at him carefully with his brown eyes while sitting beside Queen Morgana. 

"Dear me! Worried for my health now aren't you mother?" Cassius said without looking up from his plate. He picked the wine glass filled with blood and licked his lips after taking a sip. "I am truly moved to know that you care about me."

Queen Morgana sweetly smiled, "Dear you wound me. Of course, I care, Cassius. Your wellbeing has always been my top priority. After all, what would the kingdom do without their... precious Crown Prince? Do tell us if you are ill. A sign of ill vampires are usually how much more sleep they'll need throughout a day."

"Seems like you know a lot about vampires' weakness, mother," he said pointedly.

"You never know when such knowledge is prove to be useful, I would do everything as a mother to protect my family." 

Cassius smiled, laughing at the Queen's words and seeing his smug expression, Queen Morgana clenched her fists underneath the table. "So are you really sick?" 

"Unfortunately, I am all in such great health. Now that I am not sent to wars, there aren't much things that keep me awake," Cassius said as he saw his step mother moving her fingers and accidentally dropping her knife. He laughed seeing this while Queen Morgana's face turned beet red as in the past Cassius had insulated her terrible table etiquette. 

Then from the corners of his eyes, he saw the human servant who carefully picked the knife in fear, shaking as she came closer to the group of vampires in the dining table and was reminded by his little birdie who he had shooed off two days ago.

She should have recovered by now, shouldn't she? Vampires could heal in hours so she should heal in days with no scars left.

"It is quite boring without any entertainment," Cassius continued, words after words coming from his tongue sounded smooth but pointed and sharp like the tip of a blade. 

"Is that why you have taken the toy who had attacked Minister Rueben under your wings?" Queen Morgana commented, eyes narrowing, and she was about to trap him into trouble in front of the King. "As you know that human had attacked Rueben by stabbing his neck. You're doing a mistake by saving her and even calling the royal physician to take care of her." 

"Why are you so worried, step mother?" His tone when he called Queen Morgana as his mother made the woman to look more uncomfortable than ever. He softly chuckled seeing the uneasy countenance of the vampiress. "Are you worried that the human would try to harm me? You know that's impossible even if Hell and Heaven flipped locations. You know well nothing could kill me," she had tried after all, "Unless you are worried about Minister Rueben's safety instead? I didn't know you could care for another man so deeply when father is still alive."

"Watch your mouth, Cassius," warned Queen Morgana through her hard gritted teeth. She glared at her eldest step son who in comparison to her lax son was much more blood thirsty. She didn't know if it was because this young man was born from a couple of vampires or because he was simply born as sadistic as he was since birth. "How dare you accuse me of such awful allegations? You know how loyal I am to your father. To revile your mother this far—"

"—step mother," Cassius fixed, he picked up the wine glass filled with blood and lazily swung it between his long fingers, "Though my mother had died, she is still in my heart deeply and alive." 

In a blink of an eye a shuddering tension was brought to the room. The reason for the sudden unease was the drop that came from Cassius crimson lips as he stared at Queen Morgana, the woman who remarried his father the King, the current man sitting beside him in silence as he stared at his food and ate in delight without uttering a single sentence.

"Be kinder to Morgana, Cassius," then finally appeared the word that broke the tension, coming from the King who had worn a brown coat over his nightgown. His red eyes landed on his son. The King's gray hair was long and curled, he was much older than he looked, with an air of wisdom that felt cruel. He then cut the fresh meat from his plate, letting the red liquid to drop, "What is this fuss about a human toy? You could give it up to the Queen if she wishes for it so much." 

"Why should I?" Cassius said with a faint tone of chuckle under his lips, he then turned to his father, the King with a taunt, "I am the Crown Prince am I not? You were the one who told me I was born for this position, Your Majesty. That little birdie is extremely amusing, she's my light to these boredom, and I won't be allowing anyone else to play with her." 

Queen Morgana's face turned red. She gently placed her hand on the King's arm, soothing with affection, "Your Majesty. I'm extremely worried. The crown prince will be beside the human toy for a long time. Who knows what that human would do to harm Cassius?" 

The King's red eyes moved firmly to his son but Cassius didn't budge. He finished his breakfast by bringing a napkin over his lips and then folded the napkin on his laps. His eyes were already sparkling with another amusement that he had came up to enlighten the lackluster days he's been passing in silence and blood ever since he was away from the battlefield. 

Knowing this all from his son's usual behavior, the King removed Queen Morgana's hands and stated in a dull tone, "Why that particular human?" 

"She interest me." 

"And fragile," his father, the pureblood vampire King added. His tone made everyone in the room tense that they even hesitate to gulp. Yet it seems only Cassius was immune to his intense presence.

"Fragile yes, yet the defiance that lies from her amuses me. Surely you would also understand the appeal of something so intriguing and- different," he sang. He had heard numerous time of humans brought to the castle who utter curses to wish the vampires' death. But wasn't this the very first time that someone had actually tried to kill a vampire?

Her defiant attitude made him curious, after all her eyes were burning far brighter than the heated sun he always despise and that seemed to have enchant him.

The King took another look at Cassius and dismissed the argument at once, "Then so be it. If you want the bird- the human toy- you might as well enjoy it." 

"Thank you, dearest father," uttered Cassius with an even smile though he was smiling, his grateful words sounded more sarcastic. He didn't actually need the King's approval but now that he was given, he was going to make a fill out of it. 

"Your majesty!" Queen Morgana cried as Cassius had rose from his seat, humming a tone between his lips and marching toward the door. "Cassius cannot always have the cake and eat it too. If you spoil him rotten, he would begin to..."

"Your King have made his decision," said the King of Versailles before he had servants to pull his chair and stood up from his seat, "It is just a single human, Morgana. If you wish, I ought to give you an abundance of more toys for you to play with. Do not bother yourself with it and take care of the child." 

Queen Morgana harrumphed as she watched her husband walking away with the ministers following behind him in a large group like a bunch of mouse. Cassius could hear this all as he walked toward the corridor that lead him to his room when suddenly he had a bright idea and called a nearby maid, gesturing them to come closer, "Bring me the toy from the dungeon. My birdie, they will know who she is at once. Make sure she comes to my room." He paused and then he hummed with a grin, "Bring me something as well." 

"What may I bring to you, your highness?" The maid said, stifling the urge to stutter on her own words. 

"An apple."