Kurda's Mate: Her True Story
Chapter 9: The Plan
Two weeks had gone by since I had been given the dreadful news about Larten's death, I was mourning for him and a lot of the other vampires were too. We didn't have his remains because of how he had died, however I gave two of Larten's throwing knives to Vanez and he hung them up on the wall next to Arra's staff. Vampires would now go to this particular Hall of Sport so that they could leave tributes for their fallen comrades. It was more like a Hall of Memorials than a Hall of Sport now, I spent a lot of time in there looking at all of the tributes that had been left for Larten. I had never seen so many vampires visiting the same place before, a lot of them would bow their heads and then they'd make the death's touch symbol when they saw me out of respect. I was wearing a black dress, I had a black veil which I also wore because that was a symbol of widowhood amongst vampires, there hadn't been many widowed vampires in the past but I was now one of them.
"Larten was one of our finest warriors, even in death may he be triumphant." Olaf said to me when he saw me.
"Yes, Larten was one of the Clan's best lines of defence. He was called the Scourge of the Vampaneze and I'm not surprised either, after all he killed so many of them." I replied.
"You have my condolences Madam, I hope that Larten's soul is now residing in Paradise." Olaf told me.
"If any vampire deserves to rest in Vampire Paradise then it is Larten, one night I shall join him there but I have work to do and things to acomplish first." I acknowledged.
"There are a lot of things in life that you need to experience first before you die Madam." Olaf remarked.
"I agree with you, I am too young to die and I'm certainly not planning on dying any time soon." I concluded.
"There you are Zara, I've been looking for you." Prince Mika informed me when he located me and Olaf in one of the tunnels.
"I was looking for you too Sire, I got lost and Olaf found me. These tunnels all look the same, I get confused easily and in my current state mind I can't always think straight either." I replied to Prince Mika as he led me towards the Hall of Princes.
"I've missed you Zara, however my plan to kill the Vampaneze is forming and soon I'll be able to reveal it to you." Prince Mika told me.
"The tunnels are deserted," I stated, before asking Prince Mika the question, "May I kiss you?"
"You may kiss me Zara but only for a few moments, I'd hate it if we were seen because we are both still in mourning." Prince Mika answered, then I kissed him and he kissed me back. These little illicit kisses could have landed us in a lot of trouble with the other Princes, fortunately for us we never got caught once. It wasn't illegal of course but it would be frowned upon, after all vampires are not supposed to enter into a new mateship agreement until a minimum of six months after the death of their mate. I had been widowed for two weeks, however I was already in a new secret mateship term with Prince Mika. We wouldn't make our term public until after the six month period of mourning had elapsed, we had to set a good example to the other Clan members after all.
I had my arms around Prince Mika's neck and I stole a longer lasting kiss from his lips because I was feeling rebellious. Prince Mika returned my kiss with one of his own and our tongues mingled as we kissed. Prince Mika and I enjoyed sharing private moments like this together, we didn't get very many of them because we both had duties to do. Prince Mika was always working hard to keep the Clan in order, it wasn't an easy job because he had to decide upon suitable punishments for any vampires who had commited offences. Some of the offences were minor but others were serious, however I wasn't personally involved in any of the business that took place inside the Princes' Dome. When Prince Mika completed his tasks at the end of every evening he'd go and eat something at the High Table in the Hall of Khledon Lurt, sometimes we would share a conversation but it would be conducted formally so as not to raise any suspicions.
I made my way down the tunnel until I reached the Hall of Khledon Lurt, I got something to eat and then I waited for Prince Mika to arrive. When Prince Mika turned up in the Hall of Khledon Lurt he was accompanied by Prince Arrow. The Princes called for some ale and food, however when Prince Mika saw me I was summoned by him. I approached the Princes' High Table and I bowed to both of the Princes as it was customary to do so.
"Zara, have you met Prince Arrow?" Prince Mika asked me as he drank his ale.
"No, I haven't met him in person Sire," I answered, then I added, "However we have passed each other in the tunnels before."
"Zara, allow me to introduce you to Prince Arrow, he's one of the wisest vampires you'll ever meet," Prince Mika replied before he ripped some bread into chunks and ate them.
"Sire, it is an honour to meet a Vampire Prince who has a good reputation for keeping order and passing fair judgements," I complimented Prince Arrow, then I remarked, "Please excuse me Sire, I am going to get myself a drink."
"Here, you may share this with me," Prince Mika told me, then he filled up a clean goblet with wine, he sipped some and then he passed the goblet to me. I was a little bit surprised at Prince Mika's gesture but it was welcomed.
"Thank you Sire, it is kind of you to share your wine with me," I remarked as I took a drink from Prince Mika's goblet.
"You're welcome Zara, I know how loyal you are to us so I have no issues with sharing this goblet of wine with you. It is a reward from me for your loyalty towards our Clan." Prince Mika told me in his most official tone of voice, then he gave me a sly look that told me all I needed to know. I finished the wine, filled up the goblet again and handed it back to Prince Mika, he drank from it until it was empty. Prince Mika passed the empty goblet to one of the waiting vampire assistants, he had come to clear the table before the next course was served. The Princes always got more than one course served to them as part of their main meal, the Princes would get soup or a stew followed by a joint of roasted meat, after the meat they'd get a bowl that was filled up with nuts and wild fruits along with bread. The Princes also got plenty of ale and wine to drink, all the other Clan members got bat broth, ale or beer, bread and roasted meats plus whatever they killed and cooked or foraged for themselves.
I didn't like bat broth at all, it made me feel sick whenever I smelt it and I never wanted to eat it either. I would usually help myself to roasted meat and bread, I'd gotten used to eating the same things all the time because there was nothing else to choose from, when I had been Larten's mate he had always provided food for me and he was a good cook. I never went hungry whilst I was Larten's mate, he would cook me something different for every meal that we shared. I was bored of eating the same limited menu that was on offer to me now, I decided to mention it to Prince Mika when we were alone in the hope that he would be able to sort something out for me. In the early hours of the morning I went outside for some fresh air, after all the sun would have no effect on me seeing as I was still only half blooded. The sun hadn't risen yet, however it was due to rise within the hour. I stood outside on top of a flat piece of ground as the fresh air blew, I had my long, black cloak on so I wasn't cold at all. The air in the halls was smokey because the fire pits had no proper chimneys, I found it hard to breathe sometimes whilst I was inside the halls so I'd always step outside for some clean air, I had a cough and the smoke made it worse. As a result of this I tried not to stay inside the halls for too long if I could help it, my quarters weren't smokey so I took to staying in them if my breathing was bad. I still coughed a lot though and my chest hurt.
After the sun had risen I went back inside the mountain, I walked down one of the long tunnels until I reached the Medical Wing. I hoped that the Medics would have a herbal cough mixture which would help to soothe the pain in my chest, when I got to the Medical Wing one of the Medics came over and spoke to me.
"What can I do for you?" the Medic asked me.
"I have got a nasty cough and chest pains, I cannot breathe properly either," I answered, then I said, "I'm the widowed mate of Larten Crepsley."
"I know that, I remember when you were known as Madam Smahlt. I would love to give you a private bay but seeing as you are no longer the mate of a Prince you aren't entitled to one, I'm sorry Zara," the Medic informed me, then he added, "I will see if there is a public medical bay available for you, we are quite full up at the moment and I'd like to keep you in here for observation."
"OK, I understand. You are sworn to confidentiality aren't you?" I asked.
"Yes, I am," the Medic answered, then he asked, "Why?"
"I am entitled to a private bay actually because I happen to be Madam Ver Leth." I revealed as I flashed my talisman and showed it to the astonished Medic.
"Very well, I'll do my best for you and I won't say a word either. You can trust me Madam, it is more than my job is worth to reveal your secret." the Medic told me, then he led me through the wooden door that led to the private medical bays. I got myself settled in, then the Medic went to get me some of the herbal remedy that was used to cure coughs. It tasted vile but it had a high success rate, I took the medicine regardless of its flavour and I could feel it beginning to work on my painful chest. I was also able to breathe slightly better, however I was still coughing and that was to be expected. The Medic came into my private medical bay to check on me, I was laying in the hammock that had been provided and I was trying to rest.
"How are you feeling?" the Medic asked me as he listened to my breathing.
"I feel fine, I just can't breathe properly." I answered honestly.
"Your chest sounds really congested, I think you've picked up an infection and spending time in those smokey halls hasn't helped you at all," the Medic told me, then he remarked, "This herbal mixture will get rid of the cough, however it isn't any good for infections. I'll give you a new medicine for that but I will have to make it first."
"I understand, I'll stay in here until I'm better. Please send somebody to fetch Prince Mika, he needs to know where I am and what's wrong with me. Knowing him he'll want to see me, he's very attentive." I responded, then I coughed up a load of phlegm.
"I'll send one of my assistants to go and give him the message, I'd go myself but I have other patients to attend to so I'm needed here," the Medic informed me, then he said, "I'm sure that you can understand my position."
"Yes, I understand perfectly. Where is the nearest water closet?" I asked.
"Through that door and turn left Madam," the Medic remarked, then he stated, "That water closet is only for the use of the patients who are in the private medical bays."
"Thanks for the information, I'll let you get on with your duties now." I concluded, then the Medic left so that he could get on with his work. I couldn't stop coughing, every time I coughed I felt like my lungs were trying to escape through my mouth. Vampires don't get ill very often, however they aren't completely immune to diseases or viruses. I had a chest infection caused by a lack of fresh air, also the halls were dusty and breathing in the dust didn't help either. I was still half human, this meant that I was affected more than the other Clan members were. I tried to relax because if I moved around too much then I'd start coughing again, every time I got out of breath I would start coughing up phlegm and that made it even harder for me to breathe. I believed that I was asthmatic but there was no treatment for asthma in the mountain. Inhalors and the like weren't available, if I was asthmatic then I'd always have trouble breathing and the smokey atmosphere really wouldn't help me either. I figured that being a vampire would prevent such things but even vampire blood had its limitations.
I was bored out of my brains, I was laying in my hammock and then an idea came to me. I suddenly got the urge to touch myself intimately, seeing as there was nobody else around at this time of day I didn't think that anybody would walk in on me. I had cut my nails right down because they kept getting caught on my clothing and ripping it, I would still be careful not to scratch myself though. I was wearing a dress which made things easier, it gave me access to my sensitive areas and I had my cloak draped over my body like a blanket. It would be harder to see what I was doing because my hand would be underneath the cloak. I opened my legs and I pulled my dress up a bit higher so that I could remove my pants, it would be easier to stimulate myself if my pants weren't getting in the way of the places I that would be touching. When I felt comfortable and in the right position I slowly began to touch the inside of my leg, I wanted to work my way up my leg until my fingers were in the right area of my body. I was aiming to rub my clitoris with my fingers until it became erect, I'd make sure that I was really wet and stimulated first and then I'd continue to rub my clitoris until I had a clitoral orgasm. I traced my fingers along the inside of my left thigh until I reached my private area, I slowly put my fingers inside myself to make them lubricated and then I began to rub my clitoris up and down, I imagined that I had Larten there with me and that he was licking me out as I rubbed myself. I began to get really stimulated and tingly, I was finding it hard to keep quiet and I let out a couple of little sexual noises as I got closer to my peak, I continued to play with myself until I orgasmed and when I did orgasm it made me shake and writhe around, I made a bit more noise during my orgasm but that couldn't be helped. I could feel Larten's energy surging through me as I had the orgasm, I even said his name a couple of times whilst I was orgasming. I missed Larten so deeply, however masturbating and imagining that he was satisfying me was the next best thing. I was shaking and moaning quietly throughout my orgasm, it lasted for a couple of minutes which was great and after it was over I felt satisfied. I felt like Larten was right next to me, his warmth was all around me and I know that sounds stupid but it is the truth. When I had finished masturbating I put my pants back on, I wiped myself down below with a damp cloth and then I lay back in my hammock as if nothing had happened. About half an hour after I had masturbated Prince Mika came to see me, he kissed me and he sat next to my hammock in a chair.
"I'm sorry that I didn't arrive sooner, I was held up in the Princes' Dome but I'm here now," Prince Mika apologised, then he said with a knowing look, "I can smell what you've been up to by the way."
"I had an urge, I couldn't help myself and you weren't here to assist me either," I stated, then I added, "I'm OK now, I sorted it out for myself."
"I am here now, I can assist you if you get another urge." Prince Mika replied.
"I'd love it if you went down on me, I love it so much." I admitted openly.
"I can do that for you, I did tell the Medic on duty not to disturb us just in case." Prince Mika stated, then he helped me to get into an ideal position so that he could go down on me. I removed my pants and I lifted my dress up once again, then I covered myself over with both of our cloaks which were acting like blankets. Prince Mika kissed me so that our tongues would interact because that always turned me on, then he worked his way down my body until he had his head in the right place to stimulate me, Prince Mika began to lick me out, he held onto my hips because I was writhing around in ecstasy and then I orgasmed. As I orgasmed I gripped onto the hammock material because I was shaking so much. I made quite a bit of noise but that was due to the fact that the orgasm I received was a powerful one, it was way better than the one I had given to myself by masturbating and this one lasted too. I was in a state of orgasmic euphoria for quite a while.
"Mii...ka, I..I...I l..ove y...you," I managed to whisper during my orgasm, then I shakily said, "Pl..ease d.. 't s.. n...n..ow, I..I'm en..jo...joy..in.g i...it t...too mm..much." Prince Mika continued to lick me out until I had yet another orgasm, I didn't know that it was possible to climax more than once from oral sex but obviously it was because I was doing just that. When this orgasm hit me I lost all control of myself and I let Prince Mika hear exactly how good he was at going down on me.
When Prince Mika finally stopped licking me out it took me quite a while to recover from it, I lay in my hammock for ages. I was resting whilst my body returned to normal. I also cleaned myself up because some of my own natural fluid had been produced, I wiped it away by using a damp cloth. I had to do the same thing after I had masturbated as well.
"Thank you Mika for satisfying me," I whispered in Prince Mika's ear, then I said, "I would kiss you but you'll taste of me now."
"Don't you want to know what you taste like?" Prince Mika asked me, his eyebrows were raised.
"Not from down there no, that's where my pee comes out." I stated.
"Actually, your clitoris is not quite in the same place as where you pee. If it makes you happy however then I'll go and clean my teeth or something." Prince Mika suggested to me.
"I'm just being hygienic, there is nothing wrong with that." I stated.
"That is a good point." Prince Mika declared with a nod, then he vanished and I was alone once again. I turned over onto my side, curled up into a little ball and closed my eyes.
"Zara, are you awake?" I heard Prince Mika's familiar voice ask me. I yawned and turned around to face my mate.
"Yes, I'm awake. I am however very tired." I replied sleepily.
"I won't keep you awake if you're tired, I just wanted to check on you." Prince Mika told me.
"My chest is really sore, breathing is painful for me to do and I'm tired because of you," I answered, I breathed in and out as best as I could and then I complained, "I'm exhausted and in a fair amount of pain."
"You won't be up for kissing me then, will you?" Prince Mika asked me, he seemed to be disappointed.
"I'm sorry, I just can't face it. I'm in no shape for it because I can't breathe properly, maybe when I've healed a little bit I'll be able to kiss you again." I answered sadly.
"Can we not even share one kiss? It doesn't have to be very deep or energetic." Prince Mika queried, he sounded as if he was pleading with me to kiss him.
"I guess that one kiss won't hurt." I relented, Prince Mika then leaned closer to me and my lips brushed against his lightly. I reached out and I placed my hand on his neck as we kissed. It was gentle and not too intense. I ran my fingers through Prince Mika's long hair, after a few more moments the kiss concluded and we broke away from each other. Even after we had stopped kissing my lips were still just centimetres away from Prince Mika's. We talked about all kinds of things, I whispered because my throat was hurting. It hurt because of my constant coughing, Prince Mika was sat on a chair next to my hammock and he was facing me, I reached out to Prince Mika and I played with his hair by letting it glide through the gaps between my fingers.
"What is it about you and my hair?" Prince Mika asked me.
"I just love the feel of it flowing through my fingers, it is so long and silky to touch. I used to run my hands through Kurda's hair all the time, especially when we kissed," I explained, then I added, "It makes me feel closer to you, also whenever I go to touch your hair haven't you noticed how close my lips get to yours?"
"No, I hadn't even noticed that. I feel like an idiot now, I could have stolen so many kisses from your lips but I didn't even steal one." Prince Mika sighed, he seemed to be really disappointed in himself.
"Don't be too disappointed in yourself Mika," I remarked, then I said, "You can have as many kisses from me as you like, you don't need to steal them."
"I'll settle for just one more kiss and then I'll let you go to sleep." Prince Mika conceded.
"Just one? Are you sure?" I asked teasingly.
"I'd like more than one I'll admit, but you need your rest, also you've raised a good point about your breathing problems." Prince Mika acknowledged.
"I'm very tired, I'll kiss you twice more and then I'm going to sleep. I don't know how I'm supposed to lie in your arms though seeing as I'm in this narrow hammock." I remarked.
"I hadn't figured that out either, I was trying to come up a solution, alas I have none as of yet," Prince Mika answered, then he added, "At least we are here together, I'm not going anywhere for the time being either. You need me and I will stand by you."
"Well technically you are sitting by me," I laughed, then I started coughing again, "Laughing was not such a good idea," I spluttered between coughs.
"Your cough sounds really bad, you need proper medicine and not this herbal junk that they use here, herbal stuff is not as effective, you need medicine from a chemist. We have only a limited supply of plants here and most of them have no healing properties at all, they are nothing more than placebos," Prince Mika admitted to me, then he offered, "There is a human town about two hundred kilometres from here, as I'm a Vampire Prince I could technically flit there and flit back again. I know that there is a shop which sells medical supplies, maybe they'll sell something that'll cure your cough and your chest."
"Perhaps, maybe there'll be a doctor there who can prescribe me the medication I need, for surely I cannot go on like this for much longer." I replied.
"It is a long way to go, I cannot go in the daytime and most shops are not open in the evening. Perhaps I could use my cloak to shield me from the worst of the sunlight, I'd burn but I'd live." Prince Mika stated by way of a suggestion.
"Either that or you could buy some factor fifty sun lotion, put that onto your exposed skin and it'll stop you from burning. You can buy it in the same place as the medicines normally." I revealed.
"I never knew that, I'll certainly ask about sun lotion when I get to the shop. I'll buy some, use it and then I'll flit back here with your medicine. If I go now then the sun won't be so strong, it must be the very early hours of the morning by now, I'll return as soon as I can Zara, I promise." Prince Mika reassured me, I pulled Prince Mika closer to me and I kissed him, he kissed me back playfully and then he vanished in a blur of blue. I was alone once again and I was also thirsty, I got up out of my hammock and opened the door that led from the private medical bays to the main Medical Wing, I went to find somebody who could fetch me a drink and a pillow because my hammock was not that comfortable to be honest. I was wondering around the Medical Wing looking for a Medic, one of the assistant Medics who was on duty saw me and she approached me.
"You're Jenna aren't you?" I asked the assistant Medic.
"Yes, can I help you?" Jenna enquired, she was dressed in black but she had a white apron on, at least it looked like an apron.
"I'd very much like a drink please, I've found that cold drinks soothe my throat and my chest." I answered.
"I'll go and get you one, what would you like?" Jenna queried.
"I'd like some fresh milk please, failing that a jug of red wine will be fine and I'd also like a pillow because that hammock is uncomfortable," I responded before asking, "I'm also quite alone in that room, I want some company so could you go and fetch Vanez, Seba or Olaf for me?" Finally I said, "Seba is my mentor. Vanez and Olaf are the only friends that I have left now except for the Princes, however they aren't my friends as such apart from Prince Darren and Prince Mika."
"I know that you have lost two mates and two close friends, that is a lot of loss for one person to suffer. Even in death may Larten, Gavner and Arra all be triumphant," Jenna said, then she performed the death's touch symbol before saying, "Vanez is my mate, however I had no idea that he is also a friend of yours. Vanez is very loyal and he is a good friend to all who seek his friendship."
"I know, Vanez told me that he would be there for me. Seba, Vanez and Prince Mika all put their arms around me when Seba told me the news about Larten. We sat together for ages and cried, it was awful." I told Jenna.
"When I heard the news about Larten I changed into black clothing, I also placed some wild flowers down underneath the Bars. I wanted to pay my respects, Larten was after all a good friend to my mate. I had the pleasure of meeting him a few times, during the Festival of the Undead I danced with him a couple of times, I was quite honoured when Larten asked me to dance because I hadn't been expecting it at all." Jenna revealed to me.
"Larten had an eye for the ladies I'll grant you, however he was very loyal and faithful to his mates," I informed Jenna, then I continued by saying, "I trusted Larten completely and he never let me down, I miss him very much and I always will do. Myself and Larten were actually going to become pledged to each other with intent, however Larten was killed before he and I could make our pledged mateship official." I paused at this point because a few tears dripped from my eyes, then I concluded, "If I could be granted one wish I'd wish for Larten to hold me in his arms just once more, I loved how he'd always hold me close to him and then we'd share one last kiss. Alas my wish can never be granted, however in my dreams we are re-united and I know that Larten will always be with me in my heart and soul."
"Yes, Larten will always be in your heart and you'll never forget him either. Perhaps in time you will find a new mate and fall in love with him, however you should rest, heal and mourn for your losses first." Jenna advised me, then she left to go and get the drink and the pillow that I had requested. I went back to my hammock and rested, my chest was still hurting really badly. I was waiting for Jenna to return with my drink and pillow, I hoped that Prince Mika wouldn't be away for long either because I needed medicine and I missed him too. Jenna came back pretty soon after I had returned to my hammock, she had brought me a jug of fresh milk and a goblet to drink it from. I hadn't been expecting Jenna to bring me a goblet, I figured that I'd get a mug or a tankard to use instead. Jenna also gave me a really soft pillow to use, it looked as though it'd come out of a decent coffin.
"Thank you Jenna," I said, "This pillow is ideal and the milk is really refreshing." I concluded as I poured myself a second helping of milk and drank it.
"I'm glad that I could be of service to you, by the way I know about your little secret. I brought you a goblet because the mugs and tankards aren't good enough, somebody who is in your position should have Guards and at least one assistant. I understand that you are trying to keep your new union secret until your period of mourning is over, I knew that something was up when Prince Mika came to see you. The Princes hardly ever visit Clan members who are in the Medical Wing, the only time that the Princes visit is if their assistants or mates are in here," Jenna stated, then she told me, "I know that you are Seba's assistant so I eliminated the option of you being Prince Mika's assistant. I also saw that you and Prince Mika were much closer to each other than the Princes normally get to Clan members. I noticed how Prince Mika pulled his chair closer to your hammock and then I observed you playing with his hair, that is when I knew about you and him being mates," Jenna paused for a moment, then she added, "The door that leads to these private bays has an observation window and we don't usually use it, however I heard you coughing a lot. I decided to check on you just in case you required urgent medical assistance. When I looked through the observation window I noticed that Prince Mika and yourself were sharing an intimate moment together, this was when I figured out that Prince Mika is in fact your mate."
"Yes, Prince Mika is my mate. I'm wearing his talisman." I confirmed, then I showed Jenna the talisman in question. I was also wearing the talisman that Larten had given me, I didn't have the heart to remove it. By continuing to wear Larten's talisman I felt like a part of him was always with me, also the talisman was right next to my heart because the chain that it hung on was quite long.
"You are very lucky to be the mate of a Prince, I hope that your mateship term will be a successful one and that you'll both be happy together. If anybody deserves a happy ending so to speak then it is you," Jenna acknowledged, then she said, "I must go and get on with my other duties, by the way Seba will come and visit you and so will Vanez. I've already spoken with them."
"I understand and thanks again for your help, I appreciate it. Right now though I'm going to try and get some sleep, it is the middle of the day after all." I concluded, then Jenna left and I finally went to sleep...
I must have slept for ages but I wasn't sure exactly how long I'd been sleeping. I went to sit up in my hammock and as I did so I noticed that Prince Mika was back, he was sitting on the chair that was beside my hammock. I smiled when I saw him and then I yawned, I noticed that Prince Mika had a paper bag with him too. I figured that the paper bag contained my medicine which I was glad about. I sat up and reached out my hand to Prince Mika, he linked his fingers with mine and then I leaned forward so that I could kiss him which I did. It was a long lasting kiss too, for we had been parted for what seemed like an eternity.
"I've missed you." I said quietly in Prince Mika's ear before I planted another couple of soft kisses on his lips, I had hated being away from the one I loved for so long.
"Believe me when I tell you that I've also missed you, I managed to buy some decent medicine and it should make you feel much better," Prince Mika told me, then he added, "You should take some straight away so that you can start your recovery."
"Alright, I'll do that now." I said, then Prince Mika handed me the bag that contained the medicine, I read the instructions on the packet and then I measured the correct dose by using the measuring cup that was provided. I swallowed the concoction and it tasted like cherries, after I had taken the cough syrup I took two of the antibiotic tablets that would clear up my lung infection and finally I used the inhalor that I had also been given. The inhalor would open my airways so that I could breathe better, it was a strong steroid that had been created for asthmatics.
"Thank you for getting this medicine for me, I do hope that it wasn't too expensive," I said humbly.
"I bought you the best quality medicine that I could find in the shop. It wasn't cheap but you needed it so I didn't mind paying top dollar for it. I also took your advice and purchased some sun lotion as well as three large first aid kits. These first aid kits contain the necessary items that will treat all manner of injuries and burns too, they looked like highly useful tools to have around so I bought one for the Princes' Dome, one for the Medical Wing and one for our quarters," Prince Mika told me.
"That was a very smart thing to do," I applauded Prince Mika.
"I thought as much," Prince Mika agreed, then he said, "You never know when a Clan member might run into trouble and get hurt, having these first aid kits will make treating minor injuries much easier."
"Well that is what they are used for, not that I wish any of us to get injured of course," I reiterated.
"I don't want that either. As a Prince I have a duty to protect those who I rule over, the vast majority of us want to live in peace and end this pointless war with the Vampaneze. This is why the plan I have is so vital to the survival of our race, if it works then the Vampaneze will be destroyed and the war will be over," Prince Mika replied.
"Are you going to tell me what your plan is?" I asked.
"I will tell you when you have recovered, you have a part to play in it," Prince Mika revealed.
"Me? What can I possibly have to do with this plan of yours?" I asked, worried.
"Your job will be to get the Vampaneze to feel sorry for you because of who you used to be, they have to trust you or the plan won't work," Prince Mika informed me, then he added, "You may have to fight with vampires and hurt them in order to persuade the Vampaneze that you are on their side,"
"I see, it sounds like I'm going to become a double agent Mika. I feel like James Bond now," I smirked, then I said, "It is just a shame that I won't have a gun with me."
"You'll be given concealed daggers instead," Prince Mika told me, then he added, "I'll make sure that they have really strong blades and I won't let anything happen to you. I need time to organsise this plan before we put it into action, certain things must be in place before we go ahead and attempt it."
"I understand, the best thing that I can do is lie here and heal. I'll need all of my strength and cunning if we are going to pull off this plan of ours," I remarked, then I yawned and said, "I'm hungry Mika."
"What do you want to eat?" Prince Mika asked me.
"I'd like some warm milk followed by a bowl of fruit and nuts, fruit and nuts are good for energy." I answered.
"Very well, I'll get somebody to send your order down to the kitchen and deliver your food to you," Prince Mika replied, then he added, "Please don't be mad with me for doing this but I have got a surprise for you."
"A surprise for me? What is it?" I asked with an excited squeal.
"I've bought you a pet, I know that Larten promised you a snake however I thought you might like something fluffy instead," Prince Mika replied, then he handed me a small, fluffy puppy.
"Aww it is so cute, thank you. What breed is it?" I asked as I stroked my new pet.
"It is a hybrid, he is a cross between a wolf and an Alaskan Malamute and when he grows up he'll be rather large. At the moment though he's just a little bundle of fluff," Prince Mika told me, then he asked, "D'you like him?"
"Oh Mika, I absolutely adore him. He's gorgeous and so damn fluffy, he is all fluff and no substance." I laughed as I held the puppy close to my chest.
"Believe me, he'll be a handful when he's bigger but we'll cope. He will be great as a hunting dog and he will bond well with the wolves that are in the area too." Prince Mika remarked.
"What are we going to call him?" I asked as I thought about a name for him.
"Bandit?" Prince Mika suggested.
"That's cool, although the black patch on his back looks like an oil spillage so we could call him Diesel." I replied.
"Yeah that suits him, Diesel it is." Prince Mika nodded in agreement.
"You are very kind to buy me a pet, I wasn't expecting one so it has brought some happiness into my life, I have a responsibility now and I feel like a mother, I'm the mother of a furry baby." I smiled, then I stroked Diesel some more and he licked my hand.
"I told you that I'd make you smile, I also know how much you wanted to be a mother and now you are one, or at least you're a care provider for a living creature who needs you to love him and feed him, walk him and teach him." Prince Mika commented, then he kissed me and I kissed him back, I felt safe for the first time in a long time and I felt loved too. We kissed for a while, it was a playful, teasing kiss that made both of us want more but we controlled our urges.
"I love it when you kiss me Mika," I said, "You're so good at it too." I then added by way of a compliment.
"Am I better than Kurda or Larten?" Prince Mika asked me directly.
"Kissing you is like taking their best bits and combining them together. When you kiss me you are sweet and gentle like Kurda, however you can also be playful and quite lustful like Larten was when he kissed me." I answered honestly.
"I know how much you miss Larten, I'll care for you in the same way that he cared for you. I sometimes think that Larten knew he wasn't coming back from his journey, he was also well aware of the fact that if we shared a coffin together then we'd form a bond with each other. I believe that Larten handed you over to me without telling you what he was doing, it is common practice for vampires to hand their mates over to new mates before they go into battle. Vampires also tend to hand their assistants over to new mentors for the same reasons, they have a duty of care towards them and no vampire would leave his or her assistant alone in the mountain without a mentor. No vampire would leave their mate unprotected either, at least not if they genuinely loved them." Prince Mika revealed.
"So you are telling me that Larten wanted us to be together if anything happened to him?" I queried, I did not know what to make of the whole situation.
"Not in so many words Zara, however Larten wanted to make sure that if he wasn't around then somebody else would be. Larten knew that I had feelings for you, he respected me as a Prince and he trusted me to do the right thing by you," Prince Mika explained, then he remarked, "Larten wasn't planning on dying, however he wanted to ensure that if he did die then at least you would be alright. Larten knew how much pain you'd already gone through, because of this he tried to make the last few nights before he left extra special ones. Larten knew that if he did die during his journey then at least you'd have some memories of him that you'd never forget."
"I understand, when I found out that Larten had died I was heartbroken. I felt like my whole world had come crashing down around me, like I said I'd sacrifice just about anything to spend one more night with him because I love Larten that much. Larten is in my dreams, he's my last thought when I go to sleep and he's the first vampire I think about when I wake up. I'm sorry Mika, I just can't stop thinking about him." I apologised.
"You don't have to stop thinking about Larten if you don't want to, I know how much he meant to you. I also know that if Larten is indeed watching over you now then he'd want you to remember him, however he wouldn't want you to spend the next however many centuries mourning for him feeling depressed and sad." Prince Mika stated, then he held me in his arms and we looked into each other's eyes. Diesel had curled up on my lap and he had fallen asleep, I had my legs dangling over the edge of my hammock but my hands were lightly holding onto Prince Mika's cloak, I was holding onto the top part where the fastening was located. I playfully pulled him closer to me and our lips met once again, this kiss almost had a feeling of urgency to it, it was as though at that moment we needed each other. We kissed for ages, it was passionate and we held onto each other as if we never wanted to let the other go.
"I love you," I said quietly in Prince Mika's ear, my voice was croaky and I sounded as though I'd swallowed a frog. After I said this I kissed Prince Mika's cheek, then I whispered, "I only hope that you can love me as much as Larten loved me in return."
"Zara, I love you more than anything," Prince Mika told me, then he added, "I'll prove it to you. By daily proof you shall find me to be both loving and kind." Prince Mika then took my hands in his, leaned forward and kissed me gently.
"Mika, you are so sweet. I truly am honoured to be your mate," I replied, then I said, "Thank you for everything that you've done for me."
"You're more than welcome, I fell for you almost as soon as I met you. I couldn't stop thinking about you either, I knew that you were Kurda's pledged mate so I kept my distance. As a Vampire Prince it would not have served me very well if I had acted in an inappropriate way towards you," Prince Mika told me, then he said, "Now that you actually are my mate and you have my talisman around my neck I can treat you accordingly, I had always planned to tell you how I felt but the right occasion never presented itself. When you entered into a mateship agreement with Larten I was told that you had discussed becoming pledged to him, I felt like I should have died at that moment because I wanted you as my mate, however I saw how happy Larten made you. I could also tell how elated you were when you and he were together," Prince Mika paused for a moment then he concluded the conversation by telling me, "When Larten asked me if I'd be willing to hold you in my arms during the day whilst he was away and you were sleeping I agreed. Despite your sorrow over Larten's death I felt like I had to show you exactly how much I loved you, when we shared our first kiss I put all of my heart into it. When we mated afterwards it was one of the most amazing experiences that I've ever been a part of. When I penetrated you I heard a little pleasurable gasp escaping from your mouth, hearing that sound just made me want to mate with you even more."
"Mika, when you first went inside of me it was like being on the outskirts of Paradise, I gasped because of the sensation it gave me. Larten took me way beyond that point as you know, however you still helped to get rid of the deep sorrow that I was feeling at the time." I acknowledged.
"I told you that you'd feel better didn't I?" Prince Mika remarked.
"Yes, you did tell me that and you were right. It is not as though I have forgotten Larten at all, however my love for you is growing stronger," I admitted, then I acknowledged, "When we mate I see things in my mind, I picture myself, you and our future as mates together. I envisage myself wearing a little coronet, I have got my own throne and you are right beside me helping myself and the other Princes to rule our Clan."
"That will happen eventually, however you just have to be patient my love. We must wipe out the Vampaneze first, that is the biggest task that we as a Clan have to succeed in pulling off. After the Vampaneze have been destroyed the War of the Scars will be over, we shall finally have peace and you will rule alongside us as our first ever Vampire Princess."
"I understand, I hope that your plan works. I'm still curious as to what it is though." I responded.
"When I have finalised the plans I will let you know about them, I may not even be able to put my plans into action because I'll need the approval of the other Princes first. Seeing as two of the Princes are fighting in the War of the Scars, Prince Paris is getting on in years and I am here looking after you the plans have been temporarily put on hold." Prince Mika stated.
"I think that is a wise idea," I said in approval, then I croaked, "I'm feeling a bit better now, however my throat is sore and my chest is still hurting. At least the medicine is beginning to work, I can breathe better now than I could before."
"I'm glad to hear it." Prince Mika remarked.
"I just want to snuggle up with you." I whispered to Prince Mika just before Jenna entered the private medical bay that I was staying in. I kissed prince Mika infront of Jenna, however I didn't know that she was there when I did so.
"Ahem," Jenna coughed, I pulled away from Prince Mika and blushed profusely when I realised that she'd seen us kissing.
"That was great timing," I complained, "Gees, don't vampires knock before entering a room?" I asked sarcastically.
"I'm sorry," Jenna apologised, then she said, "I only came to ask you how you're feeling. I need to listen to your chest as well, the Medic has you in here under observation after all."
"That's fine," I replied, I was still blushing and my cheeks were burning. "I do hope that you will knock in future, what I do with my mate we are alone together should be kept private after all." I concluded.
"Yes, I promise to knock in future. Your chest is sounding very congested still, yet your breathing sounds a bit better. You'll have to remain here until your chest sounds clear, it is for your own benefit. We don't allow pets in here either." Jenna told me as she looked at Diesel who was still sleeping on my lap.
"I didn't know that pets weren't allowed in here, my mate bought Diesel for me as a gift," I explained, then I added, "Considering who I am and who my mate is perhaps you could make an exception to the no pets rule."
"If that is your order Sire then I shall obey it, however I cannot take instructions from your mate because your mateship is not formal as of yet." Jenna remarked pompously.
"You will do whatever my mate tells you to do and you will permit her to keep her pet, you will treat her as if she were my Blessed Mate and that is an order. I also wish to remind you that you must refer to my mate as Madam Ver leth and you forgot to bow to us as well, in future you will remember to show us sufficient respect and that too is an order." Prince Mika declared officially in his most formal tone of voice. After Prince Mika had spoken nobody said anything for a while, Jenna just stood there looking worried and she had a look of genuine fear in her eyes. I don't think that anybody had spoken to her like that before, Vanez certainly wouldn't talk to anyone in the way that Prince Mika had just spoken to Jenna.
"Mika, that was a bit harsh," I commented, then I asked, "Can't you how scared Jenna is?"
"As a Prince I must point out the shortcomings of others, especially when it comes to a lack of showing respect for those who are of a higher rank," Prince Mika replied, then he added, "I'm one of the fairer Princes, had another Prince been in here then he would have been much harsher and he may even have punished you for not bowing to us. I however do not believe in punishments for those things which I deem to be minor infringements, consider yourself lucky Jenna."
"Sire, I..I c...can only apolog..gise for my genuine mi...istake," Jenna said, she was shaking. Jenna took a moment or two to compose herself and then she spoke again, it sounded as though she was pleading, "I did not intend to forget to bow to you I just have a lot on my mind right now, I have quite a few patients to attend to, a lot of medicines to dish out and a lot of jobs to do. I hope that you can forgive me for my rare lack of showing respect towards yourself and your mate."
"This is your first offence and I believe it to be a bonafide error rather than a deliberate act of disrespect on your part, I've decided that I'll let it slide this time, however in future you must be more aware of who you are dealing with in here," Prince Mika announced, then he reiterated, "I will not tolerate any disrespect, neither will I stand for a lack of showing respect to those who should have respect shown towards them."
"Sire, not bowing to you was a genuine mistake on my part and I feel very thankful that you have decided not to punish me. Seeing you kissing your mate made my brain go blank, I wasn't expecting to see something like this after all. It made me feel a twinge of jealousy because I'll never be good enough to become the mate of a Prince, I do however have my name down on the waiting list. I understand that to minimise fighting between the vampiresses every vampiress is given the chance to mate with a Vampire Prince, I've had my name down for nearly half a century now and my turn still hasn't come yet. Luckily I have Vanez and he loves me very much, however I'd still like to have a mateship agreement with a Prince at some point. Am I not worthy or something Sire?" Jenna asked Prince Mika directly, she looked sad.
"Your time will come Jenna, I'll check the list and find out which of the Princes will soon be available to take a new mate. You will have to complete your current term with Vanez first, that is one of the rules. All of the vampiresses would end their mateship agreements early to be with a Vampire Prince otherwise, doing this isn't fair on their current mates. We have to make it fair for everyone after all, that includes the guys as well as the girls." Prince Mika stated.
"That makes sense, I'm glad that the Princes have considered every Clan member and not just themselves in matters such as this." Jenna remarked, she seemed to approve of the Princes' decisions in relation to the matter of mating.
"I agree, if I were not already the mate of a Prince then I would have put my name on the list. Even if Larten were still with us I would still have my name down on the list, just in case that it didn't work out between Larten and myself. I miss him so much, it is almost unbareable Mika." I confessed.
"I know you do Zara, I can see it in your eyes. Every time that somebody mentions Larten's name you get all emotional, I don't blame you for that either, it is a natural reaction." Prince Mika responded as he handed me his handkerchief, I wiped my eyes on it and then I handed it back to him.
"I'm sorry, I don't mean to get so emotional, I can't help it because I've lost the one who I loved with every fibre of my being. I love you of course but not in the same way, the love I shared with Larten was not something that I can describe. It was powerful and deep, passionate and lustful all at the same time, it wasn't just about satisfying our carnal desires although that was a big part of it, it was about us and our love, how we expressed that love for each other and what our future as a couple was going to be like. You and I have a different connection, our connection is more emotional than physical but it is still powerful, I couldn't be without you now Mika if I'm being honest, however I still crave Larten and I always will. I just want him to touch my skin and make it come alive again, I'd give anything for one last head spinning kiss from him but you already know this Mika, after all I've told you how I feel before." I explained in great detail.
"Yes, you have told me about this on a previous occasion," Prince Mika acknowledged, then he added, "If I could bring Larten back then I would, however I don't have the power to do that and even if I did I probably wouldn't do it. Bringing somebody back from the dead isn't natural, take Mr Tiny's Little People as an example because they are made from the lost souls of others. You wouldn't want Larten ending up as a Little person, he is better off in Paradise with Arra, Gavner and all of our other fallen comrades."
"Yes, when you put it like that I can agree with you." I answered simply.
"I will do my best to love you in the way that Larten loved you, I cannot replace him but I can at least love you just as much as he did. I can also give you the thngs which Larten never got the chance to give you." Prince Mika remarked, then he pulled out a box from the inside of his robes and he handed it to me.
"What is it?" I asked suspiciously, I hadn't been expecting anything.
"I know that Larten would often give his mates gifts for no reason at all, he was famed for spoiling his mates rotten. I intend to do the same thing for you, that way you won't miss out." Prince Mika remarked, then he instructed me to open the box. I opened the box and inside it was a tiara of some kind, it was small but regal looking, there were also earrings in the box and a bracelet too. All of the pieces matched each other perfectly and they sparkled like nobody's business.
"Wow, thank you so, so much for these gifts. I'm almost speechless Mika." I said humbly.
"I wanted to give you something decent to wear on special occasions, Larten would have done exactly the same thing for you after all. I can't afford to buy you diamonds set into platinum, however I have bought you fourteen carot white gold and the stones are a mixture of different gems. I'm trying my best despite my financial limitations." Prince Mika revealed.
"I am not a gold digger, it was kind of you to buy me something when you didn't have to buy me anything." I replied honestly.
"I wish I could buy you the best of everything, alas I am unable to do that but I will give you all of my love, every last drop of it in fact." Prince Mika reassured me.
"That is so sweet, I'll give you all of my love in exchange except for the deep love that I have in my heart for Larten. Is that OK with you Mika?" I asked.
"Yes, I expected you to say something like that and I'm fine with it. I have love in my heart for Arra too so we are pretty much even." Prince Mika acknowledged.
"I'm glad that we understand each other, we're also completely honest with one another in relation to our feelings. When it comes to talking about issues like this we have to be open to discussion, bottling things up is never the way forward." I declared.
"I agree, I should be in the Hall of Princes right now because I have general business to attend to, I cannot put the running of the Clan on hold even though I'd like to stay with you. I'll get Seba to come and keep you company if you like." Prince Mika told me, then he got up to leave.
"Mika," I called out and Prince Mika turned around to face me.
"Yes, what is it?" Prince Mika queried, his eyebrows were raised.
"I thought you'd kiss me before you left my side, that's all." I remarked with a sigh.
"I've given you so many kisses already." Prince Mika replied,
"But I love you Mika and I love your kisses too." I countered sadly. Upon hearing these words Prince Mika walked over to my hammock, I stood up and after that I looked into Prince Mika's dark eyes, they were the colour of black onyx. Prince Mika's eyes connected with mine, I was standing on my tiptoes so that our eyes were almost level and then I gently pulled on Prince Mika's robes so that he would come closer to me, in doing so our lips connected and we shared a playful kiss. I had my hands wrapped around Prince Mika's neck whilst we kissed, I didn't want to let him go either but I had to.
"I'll come and see you later after I've concluded my business, I will also instruct Seba to come and watch over you in my abscence, we'll share another kiss and then I must go, the duties of being a Prince outweigh my duties to you as your mate I'm afraid, loathesome as that is." Prince Mika said formally.
"I understand, the welfare of the Clan comes before our own personal desires." I said approvingly.
"Exactly, the needs of the many come before the desires of the few. It has always been that way." Prince Mika remarked in his official tone. I had the ends of Prince Mika's long hair wrapped around the fingers of my left hand, however I had my other hand against his chest where his heart was. I could feel Prince Mika's heart pounding really fast, it was just as quick as my own heartbeat.
"I can feel your heartbeat, your heart is beating quicker than usual," I commented,
"That is because I'm with you, my heart always goes faster when you're near me. Seeing as I can actually hear your heartbeat I don't need to feel it," Prince Mika remarked,
"I thought that would probably be the case, after all vampires do have really good hearing." I concluded.
"We have hearing that is more than adequate and our eyesight is also above average. Our sense of smell is also heightened, being a vampire has both advantages and problems." Prince Mika clarified.
"You've got business to attend to, I shouldn't be holding you up." I stated truthfully.
"That is accurate." Prince Mika agreed. At this point we shared a final kiss and then Prince Mika left me to go and do business in the Hall of Princes. I wasn't alone for long, Seba and Olaf turned up soon after Prince Mika had gone to the Hall of Princes. Seba came and sat down in the chair that was next to my hammock, Olaf on the other hand was standing by the door and he had his spear with him.
"Olaf, I think that I'm safe within the confines of the Medical Wing. You don't have to stand there like a lemon guarding the door if you don't want to." I remarked.
"It is Prince Mika's express order Madam, he has ordered me to guard you and not to leave your side either. I have been re-assigned to you after I was relieved from duty. I sustained a nasty wound during the battle and it had to heal up before I could return to my post. I wouldn't have been able to do my job properly otherwise Madam." Olaf replied.
"I'm glad to have you back as my Guard, you always did a great job and I feel safe when you're around. Considering who I am it is only right that I should have a Guard with me, that is what vampire law states after all." I reiterated.
"Zara, do you and Prince Mika have an agreement?" Seba asked me directly.
"Not officially no because we are still in mourning, however we are mates and I have the talisman to prove it." I answered before I showed Seba the talisman.
"Have you consummated your union yet?" Seba enquired, I couldn't understand why he had this obsession with the consummation of mateship agreements.
"Yes we have, our union is official in that way but it has not been publicly recognised yet." I said truthfully.
"You should have asked me for consent to take a new mate, how did it come about?" Seba queried.
"Well before Larten left he asked Prince Mika if he would allow me to sleep in his arms. I started sleeping in Prince Mika's arms whilst I waited for Larten to return, this is how we bonded with each other initially. When you brought us the news that Larten had been killed I was absolutely heartbroken, when I went to Larten's old quarters to try and get some sleep I wrapped one of his cloaks around me, I curled up into a little ball and I closed my eyes. My tears wouldn't stop flowing, when Prince Mika joined me he told me to replace the tears on my cheeks with kisses from his lips. Prince Mika also told me that he would make me feel better, I took his advice and in doing so we shared a kiss. After we had shared our first kiss Prince Mika said that he would penetrate me. Prince Mika explained to me about chemicals that my body would release during mating, he revealed that those chemicals would take my deep sorrow away," I began, then I explained in further detail, "I proceeded to mate with Prince Mika and afterwards I didn't feel so depressed. We discussed the idea of becoming mates, at this point Prince Mika promised me that he'd love me as much as Larten did, he also added that he'd provide me with everything that Larten never got to give to me. Prince Mika wanted to make sure that I wouldn't miss out on anything, he gave me his talisman and then we agreed to become mates. We also decided to keep our union a secret until our customary period of mourning is over, that is what our traditions state after all." When I had finished telling Seba about how Prince Mika and I had become mates he was silent for ages, it was almost as though he was taking in the information that I had just given to him.
"I do understand the motives which Prince Mika had, he knew that if he was able to make you reach your climax then you would not feel so sad afterwards. Climaxing causes hormones to be released that make you feel happy, that is why a lot of vampires mate randomly after one of their comrades has died. Physically mating helps vampires to get over their loss due to the levels of hormones that get released. Do not forget either that we live for a long time, as a result of this we do not wish to spend century after century grieving, hence why we enter into temporary mating contracts. These contracts mean that we can get over our losses quicker." Seba confirmed.
"I am not in a temporary contract but I can certainly understand the merits of entering into one." I agreed.
"How long is your term?" Seba asked me.
"We have not discussed it, we were going to talk about it after our mateship has become public knowledge. Prince Mika has assured me that we will become pledged to each other at some point in the future. I know that Larten would wish for me to be happy and I do believe that he handed me over to Prince Mika, as I understand it vampires hand over their mates to somebody that they can trust to take care of them. Vampires do this so that their mate will be safe if they don't return from battle. I think this information is correct, however I'm not sure. Did Larten mention anything to you about me before he left?" I asked.
"Larten informed me that he wished for me to always keep you safe, he said that he hoped to return here because he wished to become pledged to you, Larten also explained to me that he had commissioned the rings, these are the rings that Larten would have given to you as a part of your Blessed Mateship Ceremony. You were not supposed to know about them until Larten made up his mind as to when, where and how he was going to propose to you, however seeing as Larten was killed before he could arrange anything I do not see the harm in giving to you the rings in question. Maybe you could wear them in honour of Larten on your right hand, I am sure that your new mate would not mind you doing this." Seba suggested to me.
"Larten really did love me, I always believed it but now I know it for certain. I will wear Larten's rings on my right hand, they'll serve as a reminder of his great love for me, it also means that I'll always have something to look at when I'm feeling alone or sad," I informed Seba, then I asked, "Do you have the rings with you Seba?"
"Yes, I do have them. They are some of the most beautiful rings that I have ever seen, you will love them. The first ring that was meant to be your pledge ring is a band of solid platinum with a stone in the centre of it, on the sides of the main stone are smaller stones that are in a diagonal pattern across the band," Seba began, then he went on to tell me, "As for the second ring it is the ring that you would have received at the end of the Blessed Mateship Ceremony, this ring is also made from platinum. It is a band that has a pattern engraved into it and it also has stones set into it diagonally, the diagonal lines of stones on the second ring match up with the ones on the pledge ring. I will give them to you and then you can see them for yourself." Seba then handed me a small velvet pouch that contained both rings, I took them out of the pouch and I examined each one in turn before putting it on. I wore them above my original promise ring on the fourth finger of my right hand. I looked down at my finger now that I was wearing all three rings and they dazzled spectacularly, it was a bittersweet moment for me. I would rather have been presented with each of the new rings at the appropriate time, however I was grateful to receive them so that I could wear them. For me it was a way of keeping Larten with me in a more visible format.
"I will always wear these rings, my only regret is not having Larten here with me any longer, for if he were here with us then he would have presented me with these rings personally. I must however be grateful that Larten had them commissioned before he went away, at least now I have them in my possession."
"Larten gave me instructions, he told me that if he did not return for any reason then I had to give you these rings. As for the fortune that Larten gained during his lifetime I am in possession of it, it is yours now by rights so I will give to you the box that has all of the money stored within it. I will also give you the keys to open the box, there are currencies in there from all around Europe," Seba explained, then he told me, "Some of the currencies are no longer legally used, however the majority of the money is in English pound notes. There are also some of those new Euro notes included in the box, I think that Mr Tall paid Larten in the currencies which were used by him most often. I have no idea of exactly how much money is in the box, I would guess at a few thousand in total but I am not sure. We never discussed money at any point, it is not really a suitable topic for conversation and Larten kept his financial affairs private, he would not even tell me how much he had and I was his mentor."
"I asked Larten once if he was wealthy, Larten's reply was that he had the financial means to look after me, then Larten told me that he could do so to a very high standard." I revealed to Seba.
"Put it this way Zara, you only have to look down at your rings to realise how well off Larten was. Seeing as this fortune is now yours I will give you some advice, firstly do not talk about the fact that you are rich because others will want to take the money from you, secondly do not boast or brag about it because that is not how you should conduct yourself, finally spend it wisely and not all at once." Seba concluded, I was still staring at my rings and I was glad to have them on my finger finally. Seba stayed with me for a long time, we chatted about all kinds of subjects. Seba also told me about a couple of vampire legends, they were thrilling stories.
"Do you think that there will ever be a hall that is named after Larten?" I asked.
"Perhaps in the future there will be one named after Larten, as it is all of the halls which are in use have already been named." Seba replied.
"Oh, maybe they'll name one after Arra too. That is the least they can do to honour her memory, she will go down in history and so will Larten. No vampire will ever forget their names either, they are always going to be held in high esteem." I remarked.
"Yes, of that there is no doubt. Any vampire who does what they did for our Clan deserves to be remembered, not only did Larten and Arra set a good example to the Clan but they paid the ultimate price so that we would be safe. Larten went to war against the Vampaneze so that you would not have to, as for Arra she killed three Vampaneze and injured several more before she herself was struck down. Every vampiress can look up to Arra and they can follow her example," Seba informed me, then he added, "If you are ever unsure about anything at any given point in time then my advice to you is this; think about what Arra would do if she were in that same situation and then you will find the best way to proceed."
"I already do that, I find it quite useful. I think about what Larten would do too, I always ask myself something like; If Larten were in this situation with me what would he tell me to do? I often think out loud, sometimes I speak to Larten as if he is still with me, it helps because I can hear his voice in my head. Larten often tells me what the best course of action is when I've got an issue, I know he's dead but I can still feel his prescence all around me." I acknowledged, it was hard to explain.
"I understand exactly how you feel, the loss of Larten was a huge blow to you, myself and to the Clan as a whole. It is only natural that you should feel like his spiritual energy is still with you, he was after all your mate and you mated with him frequently. The bond you had was unbreakable, I saw the way that Larten looked at you, when your eyes met across the Hall of Khledon Lurt I could feel your connection to each other. I have never seen two vampires bond so strongly before, I often heard you whilst I was walking past your quarters. I never deliberately listened to either of you, however I have to walk past your quarters to get to my quarters," Seba commented, then he spoke to me further by saying, "I knew that you two were together even before you came and spoke to me about it, you would have to be an idiot not to see or hear what was going on between the both of you. I was going to say something to you about the noise levels too but I did not wish to embarrass you, I have obviously heard it all before but with different names being involved."
"Larten was highly skilled, that's all I'll say on the matter. It is not something that I'm willing to discuss." I stated.
"You should not discuss the physical aspects of your mateship, that information remains between yourself and your mate." A familiar voice said behind me. I turned around and when I saw who was standing there I almost collapsed in shock...It was Larten and he was very much alive!
