Side note: Thank everyone so much for the reviews! I never expected for it to do so well! (i think at the moment more people have read this story in a couple of monthes than WTC, which has actually been around for a couple years...)
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Wearing this shroud I've journeyed long
I've seen so many worlds in my time
Wandering far and back again
My soul is getting worn
-Hyde
(Dream)
Harold Evens slowly opened his eyes, once again to a dark room. Only, there was no comfort of a bed under him. Instead he found himself manacled to a wall on a damp stone floor. He tried to pull his hands through, but only succeeded in making a small cut on his wrist when the spark metal rubbed against his skin.
A loud scream resounded in the room when the metal door slammed open. Harold squinted towards the lighted stairway and he saw a body being thrown down from the doorway above. The door slammed just again and the body lay there moaning for a few minutes.
Harold finally looked away from him and focused on his surroundings; a pounding head-ache was making it hard for him to focus. /I must have been knocked unconscious.../
"So. You're here, Prince Harold. Enjoying you stay?" a raspy voice asked him. The man had managed to sit himself up, swaying as if to fall back over any moment. "If I had the strength to do it, I would kill you where you sit, boy."
"Do I know you?" Harold asked him, annoyed that he, a peasant, would address him in that manner.
"No, of course not; I am only a commoner from the kingdom of the High Vampire Draconis. A nameless lamia. I am no-one that you would care to know," he sneered.
"You're probably right, why should I care know you; unless, you have a way out here... in that case I will have you richly rewarded for your services."
"I don't want you money!"
"How dare yo-" Harold started to say when the man slapped him. It wasn't a very hard blow, but hard enough make the prince's head turn.
"Shut up, you insolent brat. I always expected for you to leave him. This all happened because of you."
"I did not leave Draconis," he whispered. "You should not say that I did."
"You can't make me believe that. I saw how you strung his majesty on, ordered him to do your bidding. I had originally been sympathetic to your plight; then I thought it was for the best. Things where better, but then you ruined it for all of us. I've even heard that the people of Animus rejoiced your absence. Your own wanted you gone."
"I don't know what you're talking about..." But he knew exactly what he was talking about.
(flashback)
Word came first thing that morning that the Vampire King was invading the kingdom; his sole purpose was to seek out the king's eldest son. Draconis was gathering all the oldest sons under the age of eighteen, from all the kingdoms surrounding Acer. Terror filled all the peoples'; most kingdoms were left with over half their people dead and their ruler's heirless.
The king's advisers had reported that the vampires were pillaging and torturing everyone who was in their path. His father had wanted for him to hide; maybe he would be able to convince Draconis that his son was dead.
Unfortunately the vampire commanders didn't believe him for a moment and found Harold with ease. It would be last time, the old king believed, that he would ever see his son, as the prince was knock unconscious and dragged through the palace gates.
Once Harold regained consciousness he found himself in a dim room with several other young boys. None of them were talking; in fact, some were sobbing. Quite loudly. /I'm not going to be like any those weaklings.../ Harold snorted. And of course, their were some who refused to show that they were afraid.
A few, him included, looked up when a messenger into the room. They were to clean themselves up and dress in the clothes provided; they were to be presented to the king. It was time for Draconis to choose his new consort.
Harold tried to run the second he saw what the young king had wanted to put on him and the others; it was nothing more than a black silk loin cloth! It would be a travesty for him, next in line to rule his father's kingdom, to be seen in such garments! But after he tried to escape the guards stripped him; his choice was now either the silk or nothing at all.
Harold sneered in disgust as the other princes watched the spectacle. Some blushed as he managed to get on the cloth. Unfortunately, he found that it didn't cover up nearly as much as he hoped, as his bare backside was shown for all to see.
Soon enough they were marched into the thrown room. Then he felt it, for the first time. As the doors opened his heart quickened and his hearing went gray when he looked.
(Draconis)
The princes breathe quickened the second he waltzed into the room with a small legion of soldiers behind him. What was this?! Was someone trying to kill him? Immediately he barked an order to one of his guards, telling him to search the room for an enemy. He came back, assuring there was nothing. Draconis noticed that nobody else seemed to feel it. He tried to relax, it might be nothing. But his paranoia told him not to rest...
He sat himself on his thrown with a malicious smirk, it was time to choose. Hopefully one these... princes would be worthy of his "affections". The rest would have to die.
He silently scanned the row of young men in front of him, mentally taking notes. One or two cried out in tears when his eyes fell on him. Annoyed, Draconis ordered the guards to execute them on the spot. He couldn't be bothered with a whiny consort.
His eyes continued to scan the room, when his eyes fell on one in particular. And stopped.
(end flashback)
That's when the dream changed. It became like all the others.
No-one in the room seemed to be able to see Harry, but he could see them. He hated having these dreams. They always showed him horrible things; things he never wished to see.
But as usual there was nothing he could do about it.
"Do you have any new information for me? I'm getting tired waiting. It's going to happen soon!" The snake-man hissed. "You know that it would not be good for our kind if it is found."
Lucius shook his head no, even if inwardly he was shuddering. "I have nothing."
"Then where has your son gone? Don't think I don't know who he is, Lucius! He is the only reason I have not killed you. Where is he?"
"He did not tell me. Draconis does not tell me anything, my lord. Especially concerning his mate."
"Pray that he does not find him. Or else you will be the one found mate-less."
"Yes, my lord." Lucius hastily agreed and left.
If it was the last thing he saw, this monster would be dead! He couldn't let him hurt his mate, his son, or Harry! Lucius knew that he had to leave the leave, now. Otherwise he might act on his feelings.... He loved them all too much.
(End dream)
AN: I looked it up! Lamia is the Latin word forBOTH vampire and witch. The internet is full of semi-useless information! yes I looked up Latin for this chapter, I didn't think that it would have made much sense to give countries in the European area Japanese names and I didn't feel like making up names...
And yes. I made Harold somewhat an immature brat... I'm thinking it might be important later. Yes, I don't know. I'm one of those authors who write without having the whole story planned out.