by Reza Ali
They walking into the main hall, where Lord Bradley led them to a large stone table with fixed stone stools built around. Lord Bradley took his seat at the head of the table and the others followed suit.
“Was the journey a good one?” Lord Bradley inquired, looking at the princess and Lord Cunningham.
“We almost had some trouble with some knights who saw us blood stocking. Our princess forbade us from killing them when it was necessary–”
“It was not necessary for our survival. They were afraid and would have told nobody; I told you that,” she interrupted angrily.
“Luckily I took matters into my hands and ensured there would be no such risk.” Lord Cunningham’s tone again hinted at condescension.
“How dare you! I ordered you not to touch them and you–”
“Our men did not lay a finger on the knights. One of their own did the deed. Oh yes, he is now one of us and will be a great servant in the forest.” He beamed proudly at his intervention.
“I shall not forgive you for this, Lord Cunningham. My father would have been disappointed by your insolent and subversive behaviour.” She stood up and spoke in a raised tone, but never lost her composure.
“Princess, whatever the outcome, it cannot be changed. I regret your intended action, because humans cannot be trusted. They will come after us once they deem us a threat,” Lord Bradley intervened.
“I told her exactly that, Lord Bradley. I knew they would start meddling in our affairs once they got wind of what we are!” Lord Cunningham shouted, smirking.
“Do shut your mouth, Lord Cunningham. Your actions are deplorable. How could you convert a human you do not know? You are lucky Lord of Dark took mercy on you, elsewise you would have been a pile of charred bone. My only concern is that the humans will talk and word will travel to the Valkrays. Then we will all be in grave danger.” Lord Bradley shuffled uncomfortably as he spoke the last sentence.
“Forgive me, Lord Bradley, but I am sure that the humans would have not spoken. Their fear is strong and we should use that as leverage. We should not be looking to kill them under any circumstance. Coexistence means mutual respect and understanding.”
“You love the humans more than your own people. We cannot let them know who we are. That will surely spell the end for us or them.” Lord Cunningham’s eyes were large and his eyebrows lifted high.
“I make no attempt to hide my desire to respect humans. This is their home; we live in their shadows. We should strive to make this world better for both us and them.” Princess Evangeline remained calm as she spoke.
“Your love for humans will be the death of you, Princess.” Lord Cunningham leant toward Princess Evangeline as he spoke.
“That is quite enough for one night. Soon, dawn will break and we should all rest through the day. Your home is here now; I forbid this bickering between you two. We have far more important matters to concern ourselves with.” Lord Bradley stood up and took Princess Evangeline’s hand to lead her to her quarters.
* * *
The carriage rode through the streets of Old Town. Princess Evangeline peered through the little opening and marvelled at the sights and sounds of the town’s people, merchants selling crops from large wagons to traders who set up their stalls at the edge of the gravel road passing through the bustling city. She had never been amongst this many people before; it stirred a sense of excitement within.
“Mr Vandal, please stop the carriage now.” She leant forward toward the chubby, bald man holding the reins.
“Certainly, Princess.” He promptly pulled hard on the leather leash, causing the horses to slow, then halt.
She stepped off the carriage and took in a breath of cold, crisp air. Her wandering eyes and brisk strides resembled that of a little girl’s first visit to a candy store. Traders and peasants hurried past her on either side, but Princess Evangeline was so immersed in the ambiance she hardly paid them attention. From the corner of her eye, she noticed a petite woman beside some scrawny children sitting around a table that seemed to be made of the old wood from an adjacent derelict wagon. The woman hunched over, grasping her stomach in apparent agony. The princess sensed her strife and walked towards her.
“Forgive me, madam; I sense that all is not well with you. You have a dire ailment.”
“My suffering is for all to see, My Lady,” the women replied.
The princess’ heart sank as she placed her hand on the woman’s cheek. She arched her head so that her face almost touched the woman’s face. “One way or another, this darkness shall pass and you will be as right as rain.”
“One way or another, you are right. I shall be no more soon; something grows inside me that will not cease until it finally sees my end.” She bowed her head in sadness.
“If I were to tell you not only that you could be free of the insidious aliment you carry, but also that you would live for more than a thousand years in perfect health, how would you reward those gifted years?” The princess wore a slight smile, as if she had already decided the woman’s fate.
“I would do the work that I do, but perhaps one thousand times more than this life would carry me. I would make sure that the street children are provided meals daily and that the hungry peasants are also kept fed and healthy.” Her tired face lit up as she spoke.
“Why do they not provide for themselves?” The princess’ forehead creased and so did her eyes.
“You are not from here; I can tell. There are people here who do not have homes and are unable to earn coins to trade for food and warmth. Come with me and I will show you.” She gently took the princess’ hand and stood up.
She lumbered forward slowly, one foot dragging behind the other as she grimaced in pain with each step. The princess felt a searing discomfort watching her struggle in such pain. She walked beside her and placed her hand across her back under her shoulder to help. The women smiled in appreciation. She walked farther down a pathway and pointed to a group of people sitting in front of a large fire. A woman cradling a baby sat staring into the flames, four adult men lay strewn about the ground beside her and an old woman sat on a small tree stump looking straight ahead with eyes that saw nothing that would change her grim countenance.
“Those are some of the many homeless people whom I try to sustain. Without my help, I shudder to think what would become of them.” She held onto the princess as her legs grew weary.
“Without you, they have no hope!” The princess realised their hopeless demeanour.
“Hope has long abandoned these people. I just help them keep alive. What else can I do? I am just one woman. Actually, I am only half a woman and growing lesser by the day.”
“If these people had a home and food provided daily, would happiness return to their hearts?” The princess’ eyes gleamed with a sparkle of hope.
“Of course they would be joyous and happy and loved. They would feel that they have some purpose; that someone actually cares about their well-being. It is something their hearts desired when hope burnt vigorously within. Alas, that flame has long extinguished.” She dropped her head as she spoke the last sentence.
“What is your name, young lady?” The princess seemed imbued with the joyous outcome of a grand idea.
“My name is Melissa Wallace, My Lady.” She smiled in appreciation of the interest in her.
“Listen to me, Miss Melissa Wallace, I have enough gold to ensure that we feed every hungry human soul in this town for many a year to come, but I need you to be here, doing this with me.” The princess bore an expression of determination.
“My Lady, that would be my heart’s burning desire, but it is not possible. The medicine man said that aliments like mine in its current state will allow me no more than a month or two of life if I am lucky.” A tear welled in her eye.
“Do you trust me, Melissa Wallace?”
“I do not know why, but I trust in you more than I can trust in anything. I feel something about you that is… almost God-like.” She looked into the
princess’ eyes as she spoke.
“I can mend you and make you strong again. Stronger than you have ever been. Your body will never succumb to petty illness; it will mend any disease, wound or injury in no time and you will live for well over a thousand years. You have to trust me, trust that I will lead you to some place infinitely better.” The princess leant her forehead against Melissa’s forehead.
“I want you to lead me to this better place. Please, I will do anything for you.”
“All I want is for us to make our dream a reality together.”
“That is all I want to do. Take me to this place.”
A large bell rang across the town. The princess seemed fascinated by the sound. She looked at Melissa in awe.
“It is the town clock. It signals the hour of change – the second hour of eight.”
“That shall signal all great changes we make. Let it be our hour of new beginnings.”
“It will be that from this day forth, My Lady.”
They smiled at each other as if a sudden connection had been forged.
“We must leave here at once. There is a place that you never dreamt possible, a place where different worlds meet and intersect. We are going to the spiritual forest.” The princess helped Melissa to her carriage.
The wheels slowly turned and, soon, they were on their way to back into the forest of Nottinghamshire.
Chapter 3
Heart of Compassion
“Lord of Dark, Lord of Soul, hear me through the blood of your blood. Allow me to look upon the fate of your princess. Show me through the flame the destiny you have planned. Let me learn of the intention for your princess, so that she may follow your will with certainty. Lord of Dark, Lord of Soul, hear me through the blood of your blood,” chanted the dark-haired woman with skin the colour of desert sand, dressed in a black silk robe and wearing a stole with both ends sitting symmetrically above her waist.
The stole had symbols imprinted in red embroidery running through the middle. The dark-haired woman stood before a brazier that held a strongly burning bright orange and yellow flame. She stared into the flame as she cited incantations.
Princess Evangeline stood opposite the woman and studied her. The woman’s eyes slowly turned bright white as she gazed unerringly into the flame. The flame grew large and burnt bright orange, then turned red. The next moment, the room was painted in a bright red glow. The light in the woman’s eyes continued to glow and she stared into the red inferno without movement.
After some moments, the flame tapered down and burnt out. The woman’s eyes returned to their natural hazel brown. Princess Evangeline excitedly shuffled right and left as she waited impatiently for news.
“What did he reveal? What did you see? Talk to me, Madame Cecelia.”
“I saw the same thing once more; lightning around a man riding a dragon, standing beside a lion and your face looking down at them. Then the symbol, the circle with three parallel lines at an angle.” Her forehead creased as she thought deeply of the connection between the elements in her vision.
“The symbol is the Dark Prince; why me looking down on him? What of the lightning? What is he telling us?” The princess was overcome with excitement.
“The lightning and the dragon are representations of the power he possesses. The symbol confirms that it is the Dark Prince. I do not know how to interpret this beyond one obvious fact. You are connected to the Dark Prince; of that, I am certain.”
“I once again dreamt of the baby Harker girl you showed me. She was smiling at me and I smiled back. I feel something stirring deep within when I see her. I feel a love for her like nothing I can explain.”
“The Harker sigel is a lion, but it goes further than just a symbol; their blood is crossed with real lion blood. So that explains the lion. The Dark Prince, a dragon and the Harker girl; what a strange combination! I do not know how they are linked to you, but I can tell you that you are all linked. I am certain of that. ” The corners of her eyes crinkled as she thought.
“Perhaps I am the Dark Prince; that is really what our Lord is saying!” The princess smiled mischievously.
“You will have to reverse your gender before we may call you prince, My Princess.” Cecelia smiled gently.
They were interrupted by tapping on the door.
“Who comes here?” Cecelia asked, sitting up on her stool and craning her neck to see.
“It is I, Vandal Clement. I wish to have some words with Lady Evangeline.”
“Do come inside, Mr Vandal,” Cecelia invited.
“The lady has awoken. She is afraid. I would rather you greet her, as you have her trust.”
“Princess, you must give her the ancient blood. She will need strength to clear her body of the impurities of her human ailment.” Cecelia held out a flagon containing blood from ancient ancestors.
“Yes, she will need that and more.” The princess took the flagon and walked out of the room, along the passage to the main hall.
Sprawled over a sofa, Melissa Wallace watched as they walked towards her. Princess Evangeline sat beside her and stroked her hair, smiling as she looked into her eyes.
“You never told me your name,” Melissa whispered.
“Evangeline Brooking, but my friends call me Eve or Princess or Princess Eve.”
“What has happened to me, Princess Eve? Why do I feel this hunger deep inside me? Why do I feel a desire to run outside and find something to kill, to eat, to satiate my newfound appetite?”
“You must drink this now, Melissa Wallace.” She handed Melissa the flagon.
“My friends call me Mel.” Melissa drank the blood, gulping it as the taste set in.
“You are a mistress of the dark, Melissa Wallace. You will live for more than a thousand years and know no illness or injury. You will hunger for blood for your sustenance, but you must never take life. We have stocks of blood that we collect in less harmful ways. I have done this to you; do you despise me for it?” she asked hesitantly.
“I told you, my friends call me Mel. You are the greatest friend I have ever had. I love you, Princess Eve!” She wrapped her arms around the princess.
“Come, Mel, we must return to Old Town. We have much to do.”
* * *
Princess Evangeline paced the elegant room impatiently, waiting for her uncle. The large doors slowly swung open to reveal Lord David Bradley. The princess rushed over to him and held his hands.
“My Lord, I am so happy to see you.”
“Princess, what is this urgent calling about? I know you are fond of your uncle, but I sense there is more to this than my handsome face,” Lord Bradley remarked with a smile.
“Your handsome face always lights up my heart; nothing could be more important to me than that. Although you are right this time; I need to know if we have a property that is free and unoccupied. I have some urgent use for it.” The excitement in her voice was palpable.
“As a matter of fact, there is one; it lies behind this castle. There is only a very large shed on land of one hundreds hectares. You could have use of it immediately if you so wish.”
“Oh Lord Bradley, I do so wish. You are the kindest uncle a girl could ever hope to have.” She beamed.
“I can take no credit, My Princess. I am lucky that your father left me to run all his property. They are, in fact, all your properties, even this very castle that we stand in. You are the princess and we are but your servants and advisers.”
“I will hear no such talk. You are my elder and I will do as you wish. Now, Uncle, I wish to see the property. I need to be accompanied there immediately.” The authority in her voice was suddenly noticeable.
“Certainly, My Princess. Your John Carter will accompany you with two of our spearman. That should keep you out of trouble.” He smiled in admiration of her determination.
“They would do well to be forewarned; this lady is a tyrant.” She laughed as she followed Lord Bradley down the staircase to the main hall.
* * *
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John Carter kicked open the derelict gate, overlapped with creeping vines. The shed was large and imposing, but hid beneath a thick overgrowth of shrub and vines. The weed and grass surrounding the estate stood waist high, and the spearman cut through, carving a pathway to the shed. John Carter walked in front of Princess Evangeline and Melissa Wallace.
“So this will be our refuge for the starving and homeless. What do you think?” The princess asked, turning to Melissa as she walked.
“It is glorious even as it stands. So many lives will be saved here. This will not only be a refuge for the homeless, but the restoration of hope for so many. It will spell the end of their strife for some time.”
“Forever! It will spell the end of their strife forever. This must be our enduring legacy, Mel.”
“I will do everything to make it that, Princes Eve.”
The large arched wooden doors swung open. Princess Evangeline took Melissa’s hand and they boldly walked into the dilapidated structure. The floors creaked with every step and the air was redolent with rotting leaves.
“Princess, are you certain that this is what you want?” John Carter turned towards the ladies as he spoke.
“This is absolutely perfect.” She smiled excitedly as she glanced at Melissa.
* * *
The carriage stopped at the entrance of the large town hall. Lord Bradley stepped out first, then helped Princess Evangeline down the carriage stairs. She wore a sleeveless red satin dress that fell below her heels, red satin gloves that went beyond her elbows and a jewelled tiara perched upon her golden hair. She looked radiant as stood beside Lord Bradley amongst fellow guests at the royal banquet. She was by far the most beautiful woman in attendance.
“Why do I have to be here? You know how much I despise these high and mighty fools!”
“Your father attended all the royal banquets and I was sure that his only daughter would be pleased to honour him.”
“Uncle, there are moments when my unwavering love for you does waver.”
