Prologue Pt. |||

Taking care of the daughters made life seem normal. Evey would almost forget that they're unusual from other children, but she would never wish for anything more or less them. They're extraordinary and fun in her life.

Anna grew up as a happy child. She loves reading stories or being read to— especially stories about strong women. She loves riding bikes, singing and playing games along with playing with Elsa's magic. She knew why she couldn't stay out in the sun for too long (it'll lead to dehydration, of course. Asking for more meals outside her daily meals had no guarantee). She knew why she had to drink blood while everyone else couldn't. She knew why she was stronger and faster than most. She knew why she couldn't be seen by most, only remain indoors or go outside in the secret garden her parents had specially made for her (and Elsa). Because, she knew she was a vampire— but she's not a bad vampire, told in stories (oh yes, they did tell her stories, even the horrific ones. It was important for her to have such knowledge. So that she would know that even if she is a vampire, by fate, she will not be them by choice). She's the happy vampire. The good vampire. Wrapped in her mother's love, and her sister's protectiveness and her father's wisdom.

Elsa— although having the privilege to go outside whenever she wish— she found it more enjoyable staying indoors. Inside was more comfortable and quiet. And where Anna was, she could keep a close on her and play with her. See, before teenage, Elsa was told by her mother that Elsa has a big responsibility; to protect her little sister. Thus she grew to be a silent protector. She learned to becomes more creative and she never shies away from her magic. Any opportunity given or shown to use her magic, she eagerly took (eventually, Evey had to set some ground rules)

In their teen years, Elsa became more mature and some would say a little mischievous too (especially with her icy powers). She was cool-headed. She loves to read. Found a passion for making ice structures. Anna didn't change much actually. Playful and sweet that she was, there were times her (most dangerous or scary) vampiric behavior would slip out. But by that age, the queen and king were already accustomed of how to deal with those times.

Though the differences, the girls were almost inseparable. And Evey felt as a proud mother.

It just hurt to remember the fate of her daughter when she becomes eighteen.

"I've come with great and urgent news," announced almost out of breath troll.

Despite the fact stone had given her daughter natural happiness hindering her primal instincts, Evey still felt odd being around Grand Pabbie. It was just strange. Her senses told her to not to completely trust this elderly stone. He once offered the idea to wipe the memory of Arendelle's people about Elsa abilities. Evey had flatly denied that offer. It didn't seem wise to have such powerful knowledge hidden about Arendelle's future queen. Evey always thought of the future. Of the kingdom, of her people and especially of her family. But—

but with Anna— her half-vampire daughter promised to be the wife of the vampire lord himself— Evey didn't know what to think of her future.

Which is why she had (reluctantly) agreed to Grand Pabbi news.

There was a famous, well-respected priest— in Germany— who is known to help resolves demonic forces, was willing to help Anna. The queen and king must first visit the priest bearing valuable gifts. It was seemingly too simple.

That's what made Evey skeptical of this news. It was too simple. She wanted to deny the offer, but her husband, so determined to do anything to fix Anna's unfortunate biological fate, took the offer (he look into many solutions for Anna, this was no different).

And so they sent a letter, asking for help and promising many valuable gifts, as offerings. A few weeks later, they received a response.

Elsa coursed into her parents quarters. They were packing. "You wished for me?" she said to her mother.

Evey nodded. "Take a quick walk with me?" She beckoned the princess to follow out of the room. The walked down the corridor. Evey thought of the best approach to explain her... uneasiness. "Do you remember your responsibility of your sister?"

"Yes," Elsa said, twiddling her gloves. "Make sure she doesn't hate. And keep her from the outside." Elsa turned to her mother for the most important responsibility. "But never make her feel alone."

Evey smiled. "Very good, my dearest. Do you know why we are departing?" Elsa uttered a no, and the Queen shared to her the reason. And also implied her concerns. "Should anything happened that doesn't promise my return—"

Elsa gasped, not like her mother's thinking. Every hushed her, grabbing a hold of her hands. "Listen, this is important. Should fate says no return, you are completely responsible for your sister. You must take care of her. There's a… threat impending soon. One that is inevitable— but! It will be defeated. I have faith. You should too."

Elsa nods and Evey, still holding her hand, directed her back to her room. "You should never fear. Always be courageous. And always love your sister." Evey said, before going to her room to finish packing.

In the next few hours, the family met once again at the entrance of the castle's doors. Anna happily threw herself into parents' arm. "See you in two weeks!" She failed to see her mother's wince. "Bring gifts!" She kissed her mother's cheek.

It was Elsa turn to embrace her parents, but before she did, "Do you have to go?" she asked nervously, glancing at her mother.

"You'll be fine, Elsa," said her father, giving her a hug, which Elsa returned.

As the princess embraced her mother, the queen whispered, "I have an important gift for you. Open it. Before Anna's 18th birthday."

The queen and King departed to the ship.

The news brings silence and gloom inside the castle. They felt empty without the presence of the king and queen. Anna felt stripped— her mother's constant love will never be here tomorrow. Or the next the day. Or the day after. Thus Anna sunk into a depression. Most of the days, the young princess would stay in her room or aimlessly roam the castle grounds. If you'd catch her— which was hardly ever— you'd see her complexion seemingly paler than usual. Elsa thought that her sister was drinking less of her bloody meals—

And don't think Elsa was in better shape after prevents' death. She felt lost. She felt heavy, with the burden of having full responsibility of vampire sister. And also being Arendelle's future Queen. The thought of it is heavy to bear. You'd find Elsa in her room, deep in her thoughts, wanting to isolate herself from everyone. She knew this wasn't good. For herself. And especially for Anna— Elsa was, in a way that she knew, abandoning her sister. Leaving her sister to be alone. But it seemed she can't pull herself out of very own depression. And so time passed, and Elsa became distant.

Ever since the death of her parents, Anna knew someone was watching her when it was dark. She could sense it's powerful presence. She just couldn't see him. She tried to pay no mind to it because, ironically, the force was giving her comfort. She didn't feel completely alone, but without her parents, and her sister, always with her door closed,

One night, she couldn't stand the presence any longer. "Come out if you're there," Anna demanded. She felt silly, talking to the dark corner of her room, whilst she clutched her blanket on her bed.

"Starving yourself will never return your parents, Annabelle," said a deep alluring voice. His voice felt welcoming and comforting. Anna didn't fear him. And certainly didn't snap when he used her full her name.

"Who are you?"

"You'll discover, soon enough," the force promised. "As for now, I like it when you're happy. And healthy." There's a windy sound and sweet aroma fills Anna's nostrils. She turned her head and saw a golden goblet on her dresser that wasn't there before. "Drink that, Anna and your sorrows will begin to fade." And his presence was gone a second later.

Anna didn't have any reason to not drink whatever was in the goblet, it just took strenuous energy to actually rise from her bed and get it. She discovered it was blood inside, it's dark rich color appeared almost black... One sip of it, and it persuaded her to drown the cup in little time. The blood in the goblet was more than 'delicious' and 'sweet'. It was everything. It made the princess feel warm, chase away the cold sadness in her body. Her strengthen was returning. This was the best blood she had ever drank. Setting the cup down, she turned to thank the forest, "Thank y—" she started but shake her head. "oh that's right, you left."

The next morning, Anna paused at her sister's door. Her fist was up, hesitating to knock. She made a move to return to her room, then quickly changed her mind, as the door opened and a tear-eyed Elsa appeared. "Anna…" she breathed.

"I— uh, y'know what? I'm just gonna go—"

Elsa entrapped her sister with a hug. It takes a moment for Anna to return the action. "I'm sorry Anna. I will never let you feel alone again." She hugged her even tighter. "Ever."

And just like the blood she had drank, Anna felt even more alive again.

The sisters— slowly— restored their relationship.

He watched the boy for quite some time, promising the others he will be the fire of the prophecy. The members of the Ignis thought Curtis was moving quicker to old age for having that ludicrous notion. And for some time, Curtis thought so too. But ludicrous as it was, it was very much true. Curtis saw it.

As a servant, working inside the castle, he knew the King had prognosticated the boy's death before the age of five since the boy was born a weakling. It was a miracle that the boy proved everyone sorrow thoughts wrong.

Cutis saw how his first eight brothers completely ignored him (he'd understood why; his brothers were fifteen or more years older than him, and while all his siblings possessed orange-ish hair and dull green eyes he was quite different due to the red hair and very bright green eyes). That would've been fine— since he had four other brothers who were about nine or more years older than him wanting to teach him all sort of wonders. And they did teach him. But not all the time. Curtis watched as they teased him roughly, pulled pranks, gave him false hopes and frightened him with stories about demons and vampires. He figured the young boy reasoned that this is what brothers do. He put up with it.

Until one particular prank went wrong (one brother made the appearance of a vampire look very real with a white powdered face and dried pig's blood at his mouth. he didn't know that his other brothers were apart of the prank when they told him to run and jump in the half-frozen water to get away. it took forever— by choice— to pull him out the freezing river. he became incredibly sick for the next two weeks. he felt more alone than ever as he recovered).

And Curtis saw the boy realized that he wasn't— that whatever he had with his brothers wasn't love. He didn't feel loved. Not by his parents. And certainly not by his many brothers.

So he made friends, outside the castle, with peasant boys who have a fond of misdeeds. They would play pranks on random people, steal, mock and create the most outrageous stories. In most eyes' they're innocent, "just being and doing what boys do."

In the eyes of the member in the Ignis, they didn't see him as the fire of the prophecy.

In Curtis' eyes, he just saw a boy trying his best to be accepted for something.

The night came when Curtis had concrete proof that the prince will be included in the prophecy.

They— Curtis and the members of the Ignis— were hunting and dispatching vampires that were loitering in the woods nearby the castle. When they felt as though no vampires would be a possible threat of being seen by the town, they heard a boy's piercing screams. They raced after it.

By the time they got to the scene, the boy was the only one left (his friends met their gruesome deaths by the teeth of the monsters), running from four hungry vampires. He was running quite fast for a boy with skinny legs. The members of the Ignis followed, waiting for the right time to kill off the vampires without the boy's knowledge (very very very little people knows about the elite vampire hunters exist. Even the king does not know).

Nearing the treeline of the forest, the boy had tripped, falling next to a pit of fire. Actually—

his right hand was in the fire. Although the boy didn't give any indication of burning pain, he did noticed. The prince snatched his hand back, scrambling away from the fire, and briefly checked it with an expression of wonderment. The vampires finally caught up with him, so he inched closer back to the pit of fire.

Fellow members began to move but Curtis held up a hand, silently ordering to not attack. He could see the brewing power in the boy. They— they just need to wait. And the boy— he just needed to use it.

The vampires were surrounding him, taunting him. About how delectable he looked and smelt. It made the boy frightened, and yet angry. It jabbed Curtis' heart a little to force the members to allow the boy to endure this… suffering, but Curtis, he has faith in this boy. He was included in the prophecy. He just needed to show it.

An attractive female vampire ordered the other three vampires back, "It's my meal— I deserved the first suck!" She approached him. Slowly. She was whispering, enchanting him not to move.

"Curtis they're going to devour him if we do not move!" His one of his sagacious members hastened to say in his ear.

"Not now." Curtis has hissed determinedly, watching the boy. The prince was mentally fighting off the words. Good to know that the vampire does not have a strong on the youngster's mind. Or perhaps, the boy is mentally strong to fight off a vampiric effect.

"Curtis—"

"Not now!"

And finally, what seemed to happen in slow motion, the monster— she pounced, with her sharp white teeth ready and her sharp nails out— and the boy thrust his hands out, screaming in fear and what billow from his palms is a huge ball of bright fire, hitting the vampire square in the face and engulfing her to nothing but ashes.

This stunned everyone (a fire that big, by the hand of a ten-year-old, without an alchemy writing, would've stunned any Ignis member). Except for Curtis. Well, he wasn't exactly expecting the size of the fire, so that was a bit surprising but this was the proof he was expecting. The members recovered quickly once Curtis made the motion to attacked the remaining vampires.

They quickly disposed of the remaining vampires. Making sure even the ashes are burned to nothing.

Curtis strolled to the boy, tucking his steaming sword away. The boy glanced at his hands and back at the man. Curtis offered his hand. Hesitantly, the prince took it and gets on his feet. The boy was trembling hard enough to quake the earth. He should be proud really, not many kill a vampire single-handedly— even if it's powered by his emotions.

"I—" His unusual bright green eyes scanned the other members. "I wanna go home." Is what he uttered.

"Not now, lad," Curtis said. "What you did— was a fine job of a vampire hunter."

The prince looked down at his palms. Curtis lifts his chin to meet his eyes again. His green eyes, they were strangely green. Just what the prophecy had said. "You are the incendiary hero who will save us all," Curtis told him.

Hans scrunched up his nose. "...what?"

Chuckling, Curtis tugged him along. "Come along, Prince Hans. There's so much to teach."

G.T.G: very long chapter. I feel as though I've wasted time— but it's the final prologue. And onto the chapters (yay!). There will be pairings. Like, a one-sided Elsana in next chapter (next week). Lemme know what ya think or if you have any questions.