Disclaimer: I do not own Adventure Time (by Pendleton Ward) or any of the old legends that run through the story.

Enjoy!~


Prologue:

"Tell me a story!" the whine of a young child rang freely in the high ceiling of her pink bedchamber. Making the plea impossible to ignore.

The aged chambermaid, who was carrying out her nightly routine, sighed slightly annoyed by the disruption in her work. "Princess, with all due respect, you must get your rest. There is a busy day ahead. You remember what his majesty said to morrow is?"

The princess's face fell, she knew well what the following day would bring. She had been preparing for as long as memory served. It was to be the day she was introduced as the true heir to the throne. For a normal princess this would not be cause for worry, a natural order of things. However, this Princess Bonnibel Bubblegum was far from a "normal" princess. In a voice now barely above whisper she gave her answer,"And that is precisely why I would like to hear a story."

Sympathetic to the young girls plight, the chambermaid decided to honor the request,"What story would the young lady like to hear?" The maid waddled over to the bed, the bedside candle fluttering to the motion of covers being drawn gently to cover young girl.

The princess smiled, "The tale of the Candy King and the Vampire Lord."

It was a very popular legend in the Candy Kingdom, one often used to warning the youth never to enter it's surrounding western woods.

The maid slowly lowered herself into a chair with a sigh, relieved to be off her tired old legs. With the Princess's eyes shinning with anticipation the elder wasted no time to began, "Once upon a time, there was a great war that divided the Kingdom of Ooo. We know little of how the war began, but the end was clear. Four kingdoms emerged and scattered themselves throughout what was once Ooo."

Deciding to take the time to school the to be heir, the maid asked, "Do you know the Four kingdom's names?"

The princess did not need any time to think and with a proud voice she answered, "The Ice Kingdom to the North, Fire Kingdom to the South, Night-o-Sphere to the East and our own to the West." She paused, "And though not a kingdom, the grasslands that serve as an unofficial border between."

"Correct" A smile was shared between the two as the story continued on. "The Candy King and Vampire Lord had lived through the great war and were old indeed. Both as result of the war became ageless in their own right, one becoming vampiric in nature and the other taking on odd characteristics not unlike that of sugar.

Though there were not many who survived, it seemed as though the war had cased one of four entirely new beings out of the singular humanity they once were. These four elected their leaders and became more and more distant.

It was poor fortune indeed that the two friends would me made to rule over two separate kingdoms. They made a pact, never to cause the other harm in any way, this included the kingdoms they ruled over.

The Candy King decided to use his memories of war and create a kingdom that was opposite to the values he encountered during the war. His strong and fair rule earning the respect of all the kingdoms, including the nomads of the grassland. The Candy King has guided his kingdom well unto this very day.

However, a sad truth still remains, he may be ageless but not deathless. One day, he gathered his advisors and confidants and they came with a plan to create someone unbiased, a life in no way connected or descendent from the past."

"Me" The princess spoke, her voice holding no emotion, purely factual.

The maid nodded, "Yes, and through the trials his majesty has deemed you ready to officially become the next monarch in time. If the kingdom will agree is yet to be seen."

The princess flinched and there were no words for some time. The maid could not in good faith consol the youth, for it would be a lie to say for certain everything would be alright.

"What of the Vampire Lord?" The youth's need to hear another's voice driving the inquiry.

"Ah, yes. The Vampire Lord, on the other hand, had become hardened by the suffering he had faced. His deathlessness not helping to ease his troubled mind. He would never be able to escape his memories, and thus the Night-o-Sphere became yet another ripple caused by the great war. A place where time stands still in immortal suffering.

Where the other three kingdoms are on pleasant terms the nigh-o-sphere is shut off completely from the inside and out, locked away in that constant state of chaos. Some lucky few escape the Night-o-Sphere and came to live here. They come, for they know that as long as the Candy King lives, the pact stands, he can protect them against the one he once called friend."

The old chambermaid was so lost in her own story that she hadn't noticed the sleep that was falling over the young listeners eyelids. Through sleepy lips the princess spoke, "I had once heard a different tale, one of how the Nigh-o-Sphere is full of monsters. That was not true?"

"Truly it is not as you have heard in tales, the people of the Night-O-Sphere are not to be feared. They have the most beautiful green eyes and have strong, kind hearts" The maid explained. "Do you understand?"

The princess nodded, "I understand". It did not fully make sense to her, these old stories. But she trusted the old maid's words, for she had been like a mother to her ever since her creation.

"Good" The old maid smiled, knowing full well the princess would take her words to heart. After a beat she quickly added, "You must only be wary of the vampires. For they are loyal to the Vampire Lord and cause harm to the people of the Night-o-Sphere as well as the surrounding Kingdoms, when ordered."

With a sleepy nod, the Princess yawned.

"Remember your manners, young miss." the maid lightly scolded, smiling at the attempt the princess made to cover her mouth.

If she grows into anything like the Candy King then "maybe you will have a legend of your own." she finished aloud. Her words falling upon deft ears, for the princess was already fast asleep. The maid stood up from her chair slowly. She made her way out of the chamber, candle in hand, plunging the room into darkness.

A perfect blank slate for dreams.


A/N: I've been working on a story, just for fun. It was a retelling/fusion of two Polish legends, Wanda and that of the Warsaw Mermaid (Syrena). It was more than halfway done when I realised I couldn't think of an ending. And with Marceline/Bubblegum being my new obsession I thought maybe, just maybe, I could rewrite the story to suite them. Instead of mermaids … vampires~

Hopefully it works :D

Also, this is my first attempt at a fanfiction so not sure how it will go. It will be updated every week (maybe twice a week or more, depending on length and work scedual).

My grammar at times can leave something to be desired, but I will try my absolute best and hopefully improve over time ^_^.

Till next time!~