CHAPTER TWO.

The day's light was quickly diminishing by the minute. Zaren, unnerved by the day's earlier events, sat stationary by his favorite window in the Throne room. His confidence was wavering, he'd brought this idea that his own people did not like him from some place. Yet, somehow he knew that they absolutely adored him.

A slight smile twitched the corner of his face. The things he was about to experience were beyond his control, yet in his gut Zaren knew that the entire population of the Invisryn people would follow his descisions, whether good or bad. In his case, the hardest discicions would be concerning whether to detanate the town below, or not too. His generation of ruling would not be a very tough one. Hopefully.

Corresetta walked over to Zaren shyly. It had never been in her nature to approach with the boldness that comsumed her brother. Her further address to him put Zaren into a more deep and fowl mood, if that was even possible.

" Zair? Could you come up and tuck me in?" She asked quietly. Zaren used to do this for her, but not even less than a month ago had stopped when his duties had become to much for him.

A flicker of anger twined with his irritable self latched across his face. " Cora, please! You are now old enough to figure that sort of thing out by yourself. But," Zaren sighed; he felt horrible leaving her alone tonight in her new room. " If you get yourself up there now, I will come in a few minutes."

Corresetta smiled and then quickly painted a neutral look upon her face. She aspired to be just like him, stoic and nonexpressive. Well, not quite so nonexpressive, if Zaren was angry he told you so. " Thank you, really. I know that it is asking a lot of you."

The young girl ran back to the front staircase that led up to her room. Zaren, after pausing to think for a second, followed suit. He wound his way thought the long and dark corrider. " Cora?"

" Yes, come on in."

Zaren pushed his way through the door with a light and trying-to-be-posative look on his face. He walked towards her candle lit bedside and sat down next to her on the bed. " You are tired?"

" Yes, is it okay if I blow the flame out?" She asked, pausing to yawn.

" Of course," Zaren said, and let his exhaustion overcome him. " Look, you lay down and I'll tell you a story and then I'm going to sleep myself." Zaren turned to Corresetta. He looked down at her and the pale eyelids he had come to know open had shut. His little sister fell asleep. " Good night Cora," he whispered. " I love you."

In Zaren's own bed that same night, he lay awake twirling the onyx ring with ruby inlay of an eye. This eye had been created to symbolize the creation of eternity. It was now his, his own symbol of his life as King. This ring had been passed down between kings for centuries, and now the antique lay lifeless in his hand. How could it be lifeless though? Ironically, it's meaning was for a long and joyous life but the onyx base ment death. Pleasant. It's scarlet glow had long-before faded; long-before it's cold outline belonged on Zaren's slender finger.

The thought of eternity could not place itself in his exhausted mind. Zaren let go of all the big and complex thoughts racing about in his brain. When would his bed be warmed by somebody other than himself? When would the descision of life or death among his own people and God's children, the humans? These questions had begun to fill his mind. When would his days that where dark become lightened at the smile of another? Zaren did not know, all he knew was that he missed his big bed with his brothers. He missed the comfort of another.

Sleep finally wrapped it's demanding fingers around the young man's mind. As he drifted off, a light and cool breeze wafted through his open window. This breeze washed the slight warmth of the wax candles above his headboard. Silver and bright, the moon rose high into the sky at it's largest phase; the full moon. During this period strange things could happen. Things that were not under the definition of normal.

The following morning, as early as the birds cared to rise, Zaren's eyes flickered open. He opened the silk shades and the light poured through.

Zaren's mind began to wander. It left him alone in the palace. His mind traveled towards the cave where he'd be exploring later that day.

All that he knew of this place was the surrounding land belonged to the Mayor of Hordson, Eric Brenor. Eric had one daughter, about his own age, just slightly younger. His expodition would probably lead to her somehow. He was young, and had interests. How can you deny a vampire of a human every so often?

Tossing these thoughts away, Zaren passed down the hall. In the court yard a group of young invisryns where trying to steal a glimpse of their king, though they received all but none. Zaren managed to escape into the woods directly behind the Palace. Years ago this was his sanctuary, the place where his mind could wander in it's entirety for hours. The trees became denser, the young king decided to take flight towards the cave. It would be much easier on his feet later on when he and Adamina took their most pretective force back here to look for a place to conduct the training of younger forces.

As the density of the forest lightened once again, Zaren landed gracefully, much like the rest of the things he did. After pausing momentarily to take a look about him, Zaren passed on towards the cave's mouth on his side of the land.

On the walls where carvings. As his eyes took the anctient markings in, Zaren realized what they where. These markings had been made centuries before, by the Invisryn ancestors when they first came to Hordson. The Transelvanian predescessors where the Vampires. They, mixed with the blood of the Invis, more commonly known as the invisible ones then, and the delicate finish of Ingarans, who where known by the name of the Winged ones. How origional.

Not knowing how to translate the anctient carvings, Zaren shrugged the matter off. He continued onto the widening of the cave which held a blinding light. It's brightness made him cringe in disgust. He'd been living his whole life in a darker, more soliditary enviroment. How was it possible that humans live on this kind of light?

A short distance away, Zaren heard the familiar sound of footsteps, created by an unknown source. He shrank back into the darkness once he realized they were coming closer towards his hide-out. The shadowy figure took a resemblence towards a human, more notably however, it took towards the shape of a figure with the curve of a woman Invisryn. The shadow looked just about as young as Zaren himself.

Zaren's eyes locked onto her body, cataloging her strength. Who was this?

The girl shifted onto her other foot, taking the weight off the left one. She'd tripped running from her father, Mayor Eric Brenor. He could be horribly protective, even against the protests of his daughter.

Something moved in the shadows. The girl jumped almost out of her skin, typical of a human. Trust them to be so jumpy. The girl crept cautiously towards where she saw the movement; her breathing became very shallow, too shallow for humans. It was quite eerie for a human's mind to comprehend.

" Hello? Is anybody there?" She questioned with a slightly quavering voice.

Zaren's face peeled into a devious smile. " Oh no, nothing but your conscience," Zaren replied caustically.

The girl backed up. " If this is my conscience, why is it a man?" The girl asked, echoing the rehtoric of the man before her.

Zaren sighed, she'd ruined his fun. She seemed as though her blood ran in his own. " You win," he said as he lifted his body back up from the down position he'd assumed when he'd saw her. Zaren strode towards her and tossed an arm around her waist, bringing her closer to him. Then, with the predetor instincts inside him, he wispered into her ear, " It won't hurt a bit. Just stand still," the transelvanian slur of his voice was very seductive and hypnotic to a human.

The girl was motionless. Zaren brought his other hand towards her neck, then stopped. " Who are you?"

The girl shifted back onto her left foot, then again onto her right. " I am Ara, daughter of Eric Brenor."

Zaren looked uncomfotably at her. " I'm sorry, he's an idiot," He mumbled before quickly biting her neck and taking a sample of blood.

Ara's eyes widened as she looked towards the man who had latched onto her neck. Zaren pulled away as she did so, unnerved by her look. He wiped his mouth upon his hand then instinctively backed away. " So, you are Ara Brenor, right?"

She nodded. " Yes, who are you? Since you have helped yourself to my blood, I would like to think that you are polite enough to tell me your name."

" I am Zaren Galino Horrian Invisryiana, king of the Invisryn, who live in your forest," Zaren told Ara with an ounce of threat.

" You are a king? But how, you're hardly older than I am?"

" I am Invisryn, like I told you before. The Invisryn customs are to coronate their king on his Seventeenth birthday, which mine happened to be yesterday," Normally, Zaren wasn't this warm, or patient with the ignorant, if you could even call it that. He would have killed her on sight a few years ago.

" You live in my forest?" Ara said, her mind obviously still on his statement before.

Zaren set his jaw. " How ignorant can you humans get? I just said that!"

" My mother lives there," She answered quietly, definetly not thinking of his insult just moments before.

" Who is your mother?" Zaren asked, suddenly interested.

" Misa Brenor."

Zaren, on impulse turned around and instantly started his journey home. He hated the sound of Misa's name, just as well it sent him shivering. He cursed her soul. " Goodbye."

The girl raised her eyebrows and reached out to his shoulder with her hand to try to stop him. In another world, maybe that would stop Zaren Invisryiana. " What do you want?"

" Why are you going?"

Zaren groaned. " She, your mother, is not popular in the Palace. Personally, I dispise her."

" Why?"

He shook his head. " I don't think you would understand. I'm sorry," Zaren said. Stupid Humans.

" I understand, when I knew her she was just a little bit older than myself presently. Even then, her antics where, slightly retarded."

Zaren smiled. Maybe this human wasn't so bad after all. " Ara, when is your birthday?"

Ara looked slightly taken-aback. " It's in a week or so, why?"

Zaren sighed, again. " What would you say if I told you that Misa, your mother, gave you her heritage and powers?"

" I would say, like I am now, that, I fully believe you."

He smiled. This was a rare occurrence in the times for him lately. " Good, that is a start. For now, I've been here too long, I must get home to my duties. I'll come back on your birthday or so to see how you are." Zaren turned off to go.

" Wait, please. My birthday is a week from today, please come back. It was a pleasure talking to you." Ara rubbed her neck, maybe this man wasn't too bad after all.

Zaren collided with Adamina on the staircase into the Throne room later that evening. He'd been thinking about the converstation that he'd had with Ara earlier. She seemed as though there was potenctial for a well-to-do Invisryn when she chose whether to stay in human society or come live in the forest.

Adamina could tell his mind was elsewhere. Usually, Zaren would be in a horrible mood or quite light and airy.

When he bumped into Adamina, she tossed her arm around his waist and the other around his neck and hugged him.

" Zaren!"

Zaren smiled. Finally, something he was certain on. " Adamina," He nodded curtly before dropping all frostiness and hugging her back. The embrace was something comforting in a long series of harsh events, even if she was two faced and self centered.

" Where were you all day? I was looking for you," she asked, again thinking of how much she wanted his full attention on herself, only herself.

Zaren looked to the floor uncomfortably. " Just tending to some business." He gave Adamina a look that told her not to question him.

Adamina shrugged, and knowing full well that he hadn't just been tending to business because his mind was elsewhere and Zaren Invisryiana was always focused on something he liked.

" Shall we go?" She asked.

Zaren nodded. The two walked out of the room.

In the forest, Zaren and Adamina walked side by side. Last year they performed together at the moonlit ceremony of Moran's wedding, their song and dance still ringing in his mind. They were a pair; bonded by their love of each other and culture.

Adamina stopped for a second. She pulled Zaren towards her with the free hand that was dangling by her side. In the spur of the moment, kissed him. Zaren didn't stop her, yet he didn't follow suit; dropping his thoughts or his movement. After what seemed like less than a minute, Zaren broke away from their kiss.

" Are you okay Zaren?"

Zaren frowned and looked Adamina in the eye. " I'm fine… I think," He mumbled quickly and quietly so she could barely hear him.

" This place has competant protection, I think it would do just fine for the training," Zaren said.

" I agree," Adamina said, and put her arm around his waist.

Zaren ducked out of her grasp, he was just slightly dazed. Adamina had never seen him like this; usually he'd take advantage of the moment or something just as absurd.

" Come on, it is getting late. We should head back," Zaren told her flatly.