Chapter 5: Better Get Comfortable

                                    

                                          
Faraline 
     I was still incredibly distracted and downright awestruck by the previous events when Adrian led me into a quote "hidden in plain sight" entrance from the roof of the castle. 
     He then proceeded to show me around the place which was not what I was expecting for a vampire's lair, in fact it was exquisite. Victorian style with a classy theme of black, gray, and white with red accents. The walls featured ancient artworks depicting everything from great battles to portraits of past monarchs. The lower level of the castle was a mostly open space with white polished granite flooring and stunning sculptures of angels and demons adorning it. A carved set of curved wooden staircases led up to the second floor where I was informed the "important people of the castle" lived. Gothic gargoyles looked down with red eyes from above, their menacing faces frozen in permanent snarls. Though creepy, Sylvermoon had a sort of intimidating beauty. 
    I was particularly interested in the ballroom behind the staircase. Adrian said it hadn't been used since he was crowned Prince many years ago. It was still kept in exquisite condition though. The floors in there were of shimmering gray stone and the walls were adorned with a collection of paintings of Queens and Princesses of the past. The ruling women in the paintings were all incredibly beautiful; some of them were pictured in battle with their swords drawn, others were shown on horseback riding leisurely through the forest. 
   The painting that caught my interest the most was the largest, extending nearly all the way from the floor to the ceiling on the far side of the room. It was of a sparkling electric blue dragon, sitting atop the castle, tilting its head down towards a man and woman pointing their swords up at it from the ground. Dark storm clouds loomed above, the beast's extended wings enveloped by them. I read the golden plaque beneath it aloud. "King Xavier and Queen Adeline, battling Frorvyg, the Lord Of Ice." 
    "Ah yes. That one is my favorite, I suppose you haven't heard of that legend?" Adrian asked and when I shook my head he continued. 
    "Thousands of years ago Xavier, Adeline, and their family were the first vampires to settle here. When they discovered the castle they knew it would be the perfect place for vampires to form a stronghold- but there was a problem. That dragon had already claimed the place as his own. So they decided that they needed to slay it. Adeline was grievously wounded toward the end by the dragon's icy breath, and in his fury Xavier climbed onto the dragon's back and drove his sword deep into its neck. He didn't kill the beast, but he managed to scare it off. But not before it uttered a curse that would affect all vampires for the rest of history. It is said that the reason vampires are always cold, and never able to be warmed by the sun, traces back to the curse of the Lord of Ice." 
   I was very skeptical of a dragon having anything to do with a technically dead person feeling lifeless- but I did like the story nonetheless. We continued on the tour, Adrian pointed out the kitchen and dining hall before circling back to the stairs. 
       We passed many vampires throughout the tour and one thing had me confused. "Why aren't they asking about me? They're all staring." I chimed looking up at Adrian. 
     "Because you are with me," He replied matter-of-factly. I gave him a questioning stare and he sighed. "They never question me" Why not? I didn't know vampires feared other vampires. I guess he is different though... Instead of speaking my mind I just shrugged it off and followed him up the grand staircase, leaving the hushed whispers and stares of the residents behind me. 
     We walked in silence down a dimly lit corridor, and suddenly he paused in front of a door. He knocked loudly and a few seconds later a woman, who looked roughly my age, with hair not quite as long as mine but blonde and straight as an arrow, and had to be at least 6 feet tall, answered. "Faraline, meet Maren, she will show you to your room, and if you have any questions feel free to ask her. She is absolutely lovely and will be happy to help you in any way she can." Adrian stated smoothly nodding toward the woman. 
     "Room? Oh, I am very thankful but I had no intention of staying I just-" I started to speak but cut myself off when I saw Adrian's now menacing gaze. I don't have a choice in this matter. 
     "I'm sure you could use some rest, I will speak with you again soon." and with those words, he teleported away leaving only a wisp of black smoke in his wake. Something is very off about him. I blinked and turned toward the woman.
     "Ah don't sweat it, he's always that insistent on keeping guests around, especially women who look like you. We've been through this plenty of times. He will let you leave when he realizes you aren't Her..." She trailed off the last part of her sentence and began to lead me in the opposite direction. Her? 
     "Who does he think I am exactly?" I asked quietly, eyeing the tall woman. 
     "The woman who haunts his dreams, he has been seeking her since he rose to power over 200 years ago.  He has been really stuck on finding her, he doesn't even keep concubines anymore, she is the only woman he is interested in. But, you are the last attempt so I have heard. He is so confident that you are the one that if you aren't he will be more heartbroken than ever, and will just give up the search I guess." She explained to me so quietly it was hardly even a whisper. 
     As soon as she said those words something inside my mind clicked. The Dreams. The Castle. The Man. I felt like I had just made the greatest revelation in all of history. He was calling me to the castle, all those years, all those dreams actually meant something! As soon as my excitement began to rise, the realization of the whole situation hit me like a brick. Wait, the man of my dreams is THE VAMPIRE PRINCE. The Man who killed so many people, who waged so many wars in his short reign, the psychotic prince that everyone is terrified of... How did the council know he was the one trying to contact me when even I myself was oblivious? I certainly never spoke to a soul about those dreams... Suddenly Maren nudged me. 
    "Hey are you okay you're shivering like a puppy who has just seen a ghost?" She asked kindly placing her hand on my shoulder. "Yeah- I'm fine."
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     The room I was set to stay in was quite spacious and fancy, having a large bed, loveseat, picture window, tall dresser, and even its own bathroom. My first instinct was to lock the door but as I did so I realized it wouldn't be too much use when the most dangerous being in this place could teleport. Maren explained to me that there were clothes in the dresser if I wanted to get cleaned up and if there was anything she could do for me I could ring the small bell hanging beside the door. 
   She seemed like a genuinely kind woman, especially for a vampire. She examined my blackened wound on my arm and told me that the Prince could take care of that for me. I was confused by that but decided not to question it further as I was too exhausted to care. She told me she would do her best to help me feel comfortable here and that she was excited to have a new friend. I trusted her a hell of a lot more than the Prince told her my story of being persecuted by my village, and about my strange dreams, which eventually led me here. 
   When I mentioned the dreams her whole face lit up and she said the Prince would be ecstatic to hear about them. I don't think I want to encourage all this dream nonsense. I talked with her for a short while longer before she told me that she had some other chores to tend to. She promised she would return in a heartbeat if I rang the bell and left me on my own. 
     I began to search through the dresser and found some clothes that looked as if they would fit me, so I decided to take a hot shower. As soon as I hopped in I instantly regretted doing so. The searing hot water hit my wounds like tiny bullets, and worst of all was the slice on my wrist. The blackened flesh felt as though it was melting off when the water hit it. 
So much for a moment of peace. There is truly no rest of the wicked. Why me? How did I draw such a horrible card in life? From being witch-hunted by my community for crimes I unknowingly committed, to being effectively held prisoner in the most dangerous place in the world. On top of all that the Prince of the Vampires thinks I'm some mystical woman that he's been searching for. What will I do when he realizes I'm not her? What will he do? I find it hard to believe that he would let me leave with my life. 
     I got out quickly and dressed carefully trying to avoid touching my injuries. In about ten minutes I was put together wearing a black lace up shirt, and riding pants. I was finally starting to feel a little better and gathered the courage to turn to the bathroom door. I emerged from the steam, and almost fell backwards when I looked up and was startled by the man who was waiting for me standing in the center of the room.