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CHAPTER I "NOW THAT YOU ARE HERE"
Lady Amelia and Lord Viktor's merriment was still ongoing in the dark halls of Ördögház, Lord Viktor's grand estate, and though a single young girl was ignorant of the purpose for this great feast, many, if not all, of the Lords' followers and friends had come to enjoy their leisure in a night of lust, wine and wealth.
The young girl always found these people to be rather strange creatures, and though pale and mysterious, they were undeniably beautiful and proud, their wondrous trait was the mystifying colors of their eyes; they were unnerving and alluring. The girl would always shy away from such ethereal looking beings; for she had thought herself to be unworthy of such presence, but Amelia would insist that it was them who could not be compared to the existence the young girl's shadow. Yet as grateful as she was to her dear friend Amelia, she simply couldn't bring herself to believe it.
The maiden walked outside the intricate gardens of the estate; she was walking away from the boastful and overjoyed courtiers of the gleeful event, their capricious talks were a trouble to her poor ears. To listen to another of their arrogant conversations would surely be the end of her patient mind, but out of respect for Amelia, she had preferred to remove herself to the labyrinth gardens and allow the moonlight to be her one and only companion.
The labyrinth was dark and somewhat frightening, but she welcomed it warmly, for she didn't feared the shadows, she always thought it to be a very misunderstood spirit. After what seemed like a never ending journey of twists and turning inside the infinite maze of high walls composed of bushes and trees, the Lady came upon its overwhelming core, which she saw it was beautifully adorned, with white Maiden's Blush roses that seemed to glow under the moon, giving it a feel of something ethereal. With this site, she was overcome by a feeling of relief and serenity, to be able to come to such a place and be away from the intimidating crowds, she closed her eyes to enjoy this new found peace.
"My Lady…" A strong and relaxing voice behind her disturbed her private tranquility. The Lady opened her eyes in surprise and turned briskly to see the face to which the voice belonged to. She had seen him in the feast, alongside Amelia and Viktor, he had looked her way once or twice, and he was fair to look at, but she'd never truly notice him, the maiden thought him to be as vain as the rest, but looking at him, she could feel there was something different in him. He was tall enough to tower over her, and this young maid was no small person; he was dressed in fine armor, a warrior indeed, and from what she had seen so far in the celebrations, he was of great rank, maybe even the equal of Viktor. He's long hair was the color of blood, a bright red that she had never seen before, and his eyes were of an unnatural piercing blue color, that seemed to read the very core of her person. He was beautiful, none could deny, but he's features also seemed to be sorrowful, she was suddenly moved to take his sadness away from him, as if some unknown power was forcing her to do so, yet it was not entirely against the Lady's will.
She was every bit of what the Lord wasn't; she was alive, mortal and content, all that he once was, but he is no longer. He had seen her at the festivities, she smiled brightly, conversing with others vividly, and she seems to be close to Amelia. He saw her then as he saw now, truly beautiful; even then he was afraid to speak to her for fear that he might frighten her away, for the redheaded Lord had noticed that she would shy away from other Vampires; he was aware she didn't know what they really were. He saw her leave the joyful mob to the outdoors and he was compelled to follow her, to have the opportunity to look upon her face just a moment longer. Her wavy long hair was a light brown color; one could tell her skin had enjoyed the sun, unlike his own, and she smelled of sweet honey. She was young, he knew, of 19 years of age from what he'd heard, but her face seemed to be younger than her years, still it was her eyes that betrayed her. Those eyes seemed dark in the night, but with his immortal ones, he could see that they were light, a strange mixture of hazel, green and gold, surrounded by gray rings, they were profound. She was dressed in a pale gray gown, with silver embroidery along the hem, skirt and its long flowing sleeves, and she had very few jewels, still she seemed to reflect the light of the moon on to herself. And though she was a human, he knew at this very moment that she could stir feelings inside him, that she could see right through his very self; but he stopped himself before thinking any further of ravaging with pleasure this divine mortal creature.
"… My Lady, walking these gardens on such dark hours and without a proper escort, could be dangerous for a maiden such as yourself." The Lord said in a very serious, yet non-menacing tone, pulling together his previous equanimity, he rested his left arm loosing upon his sword, which was strapped to his left side, but he did not approach as to not seem menacing.
"But my Lord, now that you are here, I shall fear no danger to come upon me, for I may be as bold as to say, a man like you would never allow me to come into harm's way, would you not?" She said sarcastically with a timid, yet canny smirk adorning her rosy lips with her head slightly tilted to her right, her left arm lingers at her side, while the other held tenderly across her ribcage just below her breasts.
She taunts him, not knowing the control he could have over her; most, if not all, would never dare do such a thing to him, but she had done it in such a craftily manner that it seemed to urge to him to defend himself from her blow, and he yearned for her to verbally attack him once more, to see where it would take her tongue. He smirked, something he hadn't done in a long time, and she had done it with no effort at all.
"I would never allow you to come across harm's way; but my Lady doesn't know if the Lord is either friend or foe, though a foe I can assure the Lady, I am not." He answered to her bold defiance, but against him, she was equally matched, or so she thought, and to her it would have been fun to converse with him, and see where this conversation might have taken them.
"Nor do I think you a foe, for a foe would've done its evil deeds already and I would've never known what fate the fiend would've left me with." He still smirked at her wit, she was smart, and he knew that now, but what more was she; what more could she be?
"Then since we have already established that I am nor fiend nor foe, let me escort you back to more suitable grounds, where you may enjoy the festivities." He said with a sly smile across his face, as he extended his left arm for her to hold.
"But my Lord, these are suitable grounds for me…" She said in a rather serious tone, and he looked at her bewildered by her rather rare preferences of location, still also a more convenient place for him.
"Than if the Lady prefers these grounds, I will not force her to be somewhere she does not wish to be; but allow me to be your escort tonight, in order to apiece my mind that no harm came to you, with that said let me to introduce myself properly, I am Lord Marcus Corvinus, your most humble servant." He said with his sly smirk, that seemed to be only for her, and he gave a great bow demonstrating his respects for her.
"I am much honored my Lord Corvinus…" she returned his bow, in an equally graceful manner, "… I am Lady Priscilla, and I would be delighted to have you as my escort for rest of my stay here, which as my dear friend Lady Amelia has put it, it could be indefinitely." She said with a sweet smile upon her face, and they looked at each other with a slight glow in their eyes.
"Please, my Lady Priscilla, to you, I am simply Marcus." He extended his right hand to her with a smile on his features and she took it graciously; they walked silently through the moonlit maze of white roses, enjoying the soft scented breeze of spring, and the dim light gifted by the night. They did not speak, but were comforted with each other's company, and only seldom would they steal glances from one another. When he looked at her, she noticed, and he saw in the darkness how her cheeks turned into a rosy color, he marveled in them. But something in his thoughts was telling him to leave her be and never see again, yet when she looked at him, it all went away, never to come back again, or at least in her presence.
She knew he was different from the rest, but she didn't know why, and she could tell there was something that made him hurt deeply, but Priscilla would not pressure him to tell her. She knew she could keep no secrets from him, or he from her; yet she was torn between the joys of his company, and hindering it by telling him of her one and only secret, one that she had never shared to a single soul.
Marcus looked at her sweet face once more, but this time he couldn't restrain his urges. She stared at him with those round orbs of mystery and vivacity. The Lord leaned down and she closed her eyes expecting him to proceed, he didn't make her wait. He took her lips into his own, and tasted the sweet honey of her aroma, she was intoxicating, she was mortal, and she was spirit and life. He would protect the innocence within her, even if it at cost of his own immortality. She was shy in her kiss at first, making him know, she had never been truly kissed before; this only made him want her more. He clasped her face within his cold hands and she placed her warm ones upon them.
His kiss was tender and sweet as she held his hands that were grasping her face with her own, he had a strange scent of age, as though he had walked the world for centuries, but it was also mysterious, it was metal, snow and cold. The kiss started with a small peck, but then as she opened her mouth to catch some air, he took advantage of this to let his tongue become acquaintance with her mouth. Priscilla was shocked at first, but he was patient, he didn't push her forward, he simply waited for her response, and how could she not respond to him, she was enthralled by him. Priscilla let her tongue mingle with his and when she did, it seemed as though something inside of him awoke after a long slumber; he grasped her lower back with his right hand, pulling her to be closer to him and her hand mysteriously reached his chest, as to not push him away, and to hold on to something, for if she did not, she feared for her sanity and morality. The kiss became deeper and hungrier, if that could ever be possible, she feared he would swallow her whole and she would not have the strength to stop him, even if she wanted to.
They finally broke their kiss, her for the sweet breath mortals take pleasure in, and Marcus to restrain himself from ravaging her right then and there. They closed their eyes and their foreheads touched, as his left hand caressed her right cheek, while her right hand was still upon his. He could feel parts of his body calling for her, yearning for her skin. But he would not be rude to her, or behave like a savage beast; Marcus knew that if she found out what he was, and he knew one day she would, it be the end of him if she were to leave him. He thought it would be best if they were to remain the rest of the night just walking and conversing in the gardens. But that did not make the desire he had for her lips disappear, the more time he spent with her the more he wanted her under his weight, without a single cloth to keep them apart, it was here when he stopped himself from thinking any further of the matter.
They walked silently, Marcus felt warmth in his chest, where he thought he had no heart left to beat anymore, and Priscilla held on to his arm and rested her head upon his shoulder as her cheeks were flushed and warm by the previous actions that took place between them. They continued through the night walking and chatting about everything and nothing. He didn't want this to end, he wanted to be mortal once more and die next to her, happy of being in her presence, but some things are too much to wish for.
Unbeknownst to the lovers, their passionate exchange was being closely watched by a figure that laid in the shadows inside the high castle's windows, not far from the maze, where the couple was enjoying the silent privacy that only the night was able to offer to both of them.