Prologue
He was despised, hated by all, rejected by the very people who once worshiped him like an idol, outcasted to a lone house 5 miles away from civilisation. Alone with a just meek maid and three dogs for company. The maid never said a word, for she, like so many others for terrified by the man deemed a beast by the village. She simply served her master his meals and cleaned on the rare occasion that dirt was found in the household. The dogs however were not struck with fear by the presence of their master, for dogs do not see what humans deem to be a condition worth outcasting a prince to a lone house far from the village. For you see, Ludwig Beilschmidt was a vampire.
Many years ago Ludwig was the envy of all the young boys in the kingdom, fantastic at sport, able minded and with strong Germanic features, Ludwig was hailed as being a worthy successor to the throne. Years ago Ludwig spent his days training to lead the future armies of his nation as well as attending lessons on subjects from Maths to History to Chivalry. Ludwig was expected to take the German throne at the age of eighteen and lead his country's army's to victory and the people of his country to prosperity. That was before it happened.
It took just one bite, just one single bite to rip Ludwig from his aspirations of being a good and noble King, a strong leader, a good man. One single bite turned Ludwig into a creature deemed monstrous. An outcast. The pain was unbearable, it felt as if Ludwig's very soul was being ripped out of his body, as if his heart was ripping in two before shattering like glass, he remembers the feeling of his blood turning cold, like ice freezing under his skin. He remembers the bite, first being a mild tingeing sensation but evolving into a pain so strong that it cannot be described with human words, an evil pain, a pain akin to death itself. He remembers the forest swirling into a green haze and landing on the damp soil with a thud, being abandoned on the floor by an unseen creature. Left in the winter rain to die.
Since the day of his turning, Ludwig was outcasted by his village and when news spread, his nation. For years' vampirism had been deemed ungodly by the high priests and a law was decreed over 200 years ago stating that all vampires were to be burnt at the stake. In a way, Ludwig was one of the lucky ones. When he awoke after passing out on the forest floor, Ludwig found himself in a bed. The bed was not grand, not adorned with furs and made of a dark rich mahogany like the beds at his home, but instead simple. However, he was comfortable, if slightly confused. For weeks Ludwig spent his days battling a war inside his head. He knew that if he was to go outside and see civilisation again he would be burnt at the stake, murdered by his own people. However, he knew that weeks of no human contact would eventually drive him to madness. Although Ludwig was never a social person back when he was Germanys crowned prince and often craved solitude, he knew that human contact was essential to his sanity. His maid was no help, she was terrified of the German, and never spoke to him, answering his questions with simple nods or a shake of the head. Ludwig came to the assumption that she was mute, perhaps a curse laid upon her by a witch.
Through years of being a monster, an outcast, the blonde's feelings towards humanity began to grow cold, his heart began to turn to stone, his eyes losing the brightness they once held. Filled with animosity towards the Human race, Ludwig grew to hate the creatures who in turn hated him. His maid would often come into his plain bedroom to find his belongings strewn across the floor from a hate filled rage. The blondes temper was always deemed a flaw by the kingdom, in his youth Ludwig was often lectured by his father about having to control it, but after years of being stuck in a small dingy cottage Ludwig's temper escalated. His anger was often let out in uncontrollable fits of rage. His maid would simply watch, then put the items, thrown carelessly across the rooms, in their rightful places. For this Ludwig was grateful; his maid though devoid of speech, always performed her duty's without judgement and her spirit seemed to be calm and peaceful.
However, Ludwig was left craving, years of not speaking to anyone had left him empty. Although Ludwig despised the human race for the years of torment they had forced him to endure, he would not lie to himself, he needed human company, he needed to hear the voice of a person, he needed to feel human again