Epilogue/Prologue:

"My Love Will Never Change"

"Vampire Game" character, story, and plot are (c) Judal.

This story, however, is (c) Ilyce V. MairenneFanFiction


This is my take on the epilogue of Vampire Game, with added and reworked scenes (added dialogue, descriptions of emotions, etc.) that takes the canon ending, but with a DuzellxIshtar twist!


Time-frame: Volume 15, middle of act. 15

This first scene is the only scene that has no canon backing

(as in, there is no scene like it in the book - though I wish there were).

It fits though, taking place right after Duzell visits Vord, before Ishtar visits the King.

All the other scenes after are based on the actually manga (official English translation),

so don't be surprised if you see some familiar quotes!

Of course though, this will end up IshtarXDuzell (and not one-sided),

but it'll be more than a one-shot, so please be patient!

I'll try to keep updates and give you all heads on the time fame each scene...

Well, here's the first scene, so enjoy!

Note: It's done in both Ishtar's and Duzell's POV, but it's one scene... Hope that's not too confusing...


FORMATTING:

Told in parts, half from Ishtar's POV, half from Duzell's POV.

Italics stands for Ishtar's POV.

Regular will be for Duzell's POV.

Bold stands for thoughts/recollections/etc.

WARNING: If you have not finished reading the Vampire Game series, and are planning to, know that there are MAJOR spoilers ahead. I may or may not release another version of this first scene with the spoilers toned down, but if you would like me to, message me.

As always, any comments/critism is welcome & appreciated!


Scene I.i - "Seeking Comfort"

He found her in the small courtyard, seated by the edge of the long-forgotten fountain there. The murky water stared back at the forlorn princess of Pheliosta. Weeds poked through the foundations, causing cracks within the laid stones. Not that it really mattered. The weatherworn surface had long lost its smooth, refined texture and the veins in the marble appeared to be just normal cracks in rock from afar.

Veins... like wrinkles, which the vampire king was already seeing lining the eyes of his beloved princess.

Ishtar... You...

Though tears were no longer falling from her eyes, he could tell she'd been crying a lot - he'd known it earlier. Her eyes were red and puffy, and the sparkling emeralds in them were galaxies away. A hand reached unconsciously for his heart, as though to ease the dull ache there. Whether he wanted to or not, he could feel her pain, always. A familiar voice taunted, Why do you care? but he ignored it. Though he'd refused to acknowledge it before to the half-demon, his visit to Rishas - no, Lailis - had cleared up any last doubt in his mind. He was, without a doubt, hopelessly and completely in love with her, with all of his being, and what remained of his soul...

Now's not the time to contemplate this. I need to get her inside. She'll get sick in this falling rain. Curse that Illsaide! And Darres for that matter! What was he thinking letting her run loose like this?

He tried to speak, but something hard and bitter had lodged in his throat at seeing the unspeakable pain in the girl's eyes.

How long have you been suffering like this, Ishtar? he longed to ask her. How long have you been laughing just to push back your worries and fears to another day?

Clearing his throat softly, Duzell attempted to bring her highness into a better mood with a light chiding, spoken with just enough of a smirk to show her he was teasing. "What is this, Ishtar? We're in another kingdom and you're still sneaking out at night?"

The object of his affections turned to him, startled, but relaxed as soon as she realized who it was. "Duzie..." she began, lips starting to curve up out of habit for a retort. He would be forever left to guess the intended reply though, because it was never uttered. The smile vanished without ever becoming her smile, and the princess's voice faded into a hurt, bewildered look that alarmed the vampire king.

"Ishtar?"

Without a word, the princess launched herself into her arms, burying herself against his chest in a flurry of tears and mumbled words. Dumbstruck, he simply stood there, frozen in shock at the turn of events.

Hey... Ishtar... Is this really okay?


The last thing Ishtar could remember was being told to go to bed. Both she and Darres were told to go to bed, actually, though midnight had already flown past. Darres had fought it, and despite her reassurance that she would go straight to bed and that he could go one night without being her bodyguard, it was Selen who reasoned him into letting her alone for the night, saying they both needed time and rest to get over what had happened.

So, resignedly, Darres had watched her - up to the door, she was sure of it - head back to her room, where she tried to sleep. But sleep was not forthcoming. The room, the sheets, the blankets, it all made her claustrophobic - the whole castle made her claustrophobic. As soon as she closed her eyes the image would appear again, and more prophetic pictures would follow... while she could do nothing...

No! No! I won't let that happen!

The castle was surprisingly quiet for a place where a murder had taken place - it made it simple for the princess to wander around. She lost track of time, and wound up in front of the old fountain, caught in thoughts and fears and emotions.

Ishtar wanted to smash the reflection in the water, wanted to scream and yell as the tears began streaming down, wanted to tear apart the image, the person, responsible for this - herself.

I said I wouldn't let anyone get hurt because of me anymore!

There was no telling how long she sat there, just reveling in her own misery and guilt.

If it wasn't for me, he'd still be alive. If I'd just agreed to marry him in the first place, and not allowed the whole deal with Darres, then we'd never have had to mess with stupid Lassan and Keld - the old fart that he is - would have been happy and Aunt Sonia wouldn't have to have her name dragged down like this and everyone... everyone... we would have been happy, right?

Ishtar looked at the reflection painfully. "Give him back!" she wanted to scream at it. "Give them all back! I was wrong! I made a mistake!" The same green eyes, enshrouded with dark black hair, simply matched her gaze silently. "Give him back..."

And then, a voice broke through the trance.

"What is this, Ishtar? We're in another kingdom and you're still sneaking out at night?"

The next thing she knew, she was sobbing against his chest with her arms wrapped around him.

Ishtar hadn't thought about why she hugged him. She hadn't intended to - she wanted to jest back with him, laugh it off, pretend like nothing had happened - but when she saw him there, all the worries and fears and feelings came back and she was just a 16-year-old girl again and she wanted - she needed someone to tell her that it was alright and everything was still going to be okay.

"He killed him, Duzie! Duzie, he killed him..." she cried, beating weakly against his chest, letting out her frustration at being unable to do anything, allowing the stream of tears she'd bottled up - to look strong, like a queen-to-be should - flow down her cheeks and soak the smooth fabric of the vampire king's shirt. "...I can't believe he's dead! I can't... what are we supposed to do now?"