Your Princess is in Another Castle

Chapter Ten: The Vamprye Masquerade

A/N: Listen to the song Vampire Waltz by Derek Fietcher for Victoria's and Bella's dance scene. And listen to vampire masquerade waltz by Peter Gundry for the dance scene where Bella is dancing with other vampryes.

Bella had been immensely worried that James would be riotous at what had transpired. Instead, his anger had been fleeting and the issue of the near war with the wolves was brushed under the carpet and treated almost as if it had never occurred. Bella did not know whether to be relieved or worried about his lack of commentary. But as she walked around the all too familiar castle, back in her stiff dresses, she could see a flurry of activity overtaking the otherwise vacant and quiet halls. Servants she had never seen before were running around carrying food, rolling barrels of drink, bringing in lively flowers in pots, and handling with care olden instruments.

The castle was preparing itself for the Blood Feast and politics were the farthest thing from James' mind. And his enthusiasm for the party was infectious. With every dress he brought up for Bella to try, she was more and more inclined to join the event. Especially when he described it in such detail.

"It is such splendor. And vampyres from all over come and join us. In this way I hope to covert them into living our lifestyle," he explained as he held in his arms finery for Bella to don. "The finest drink, food, and music. I am sure you will never find something quite like this in your kingdoms."

"I think not. We do not have vampryes openly celebrating with us," Bella said as she tried on a dress behind her dressing wall.

"Then I hope the Feast is something memorable for you."

And it would be, but not quite for the reasons James hoped. For the Blood feast, proved its name sake for vile reasons and not ones of merriment.

The Feast was something that lasted for several days and nights. Five days and four nights in total and the festival was surrounded by much imbued meaning. The days were dedicated to the humans. It celebrated their mortality, for how the sun wanes to the night, or death, than so do humans lose their spark and life as the years go by. But yet they were so full of life and vitality, something vampryes lacked. And they were fertile with blood and sharing and spreading of life and so they were given food that was sweet in nature. Honey cakes, sugar cakes, anything to make them sweeter. And they were also given alcohol and meats to keep them well feed.

And the nights were dedicated to the vampryes. For they were creatures of the night and their lives, like the moon, were pale imitations of the sun. Their life was one after death, and not as full as humans. Their partying was more subdued. The music that would play would be somber, and waltz's, whereas the humans had more uplifting tunes. And they would drink heavy wines, and blood that would be donated from humans or from animals.

And in the middle area, the evening between the day and night, the two groups would mix and mingle, would talk and get to know each other better. This was a time to show that camaraderie could be formed between the two species.

Bella was a bit nervous. For while she now knew she could trust Victoria and James never to harm her there would be vampryes from other lands here. Vampryes that might not share the same principal.

"Do not worry. You will be safe, as long as you stand by my side," Victoria said, sensing Bella's stomach twisting anxiety. That did reassure Bella for she had seen with what vigor and vim the red haired woman had fought to protect her from the wolves. And the odds for that had been non existent for her victory.

The first day of the Feast James came down to speak to the humans and start off the festival. He was donned in purple finery, a purple and green mask on his face. His hair had been swept back into a ponytail that curled small at the back of his neck. It seemed he had trimmed his hair over his travels.

"Welcome, highest gents and ladies. This year shall commence the tenth Blood Feast, one where both creatures of the day and night can partake in pleasures and in learning of each others culture. I hope this year many merry memories shall be made. And that you shall dance and drink and eat to your hearts content. We must celebrate the coming of the new season and I could not think of a better way to do so than by the union of two species who would have never been believed to be capable of co-existing. And my dearest wishes are that we can continue this shared existence of good and God!" he raised the golden chalice in his hand, marking a toast, and the gathered humans raised their own in celebration before James drank it all down and threw it to the ground. "Let us make merry!" he shouted out, extending his hands as the clattering of hundreds of cups meet the ground as well.

Bella stood watching off to one side, intrigued and astounded by how many humans were here. Most of them must be from the village but some clearly had traveled a long way to be here. They filled the feast hall where smells of cooked food reached her nose. They were settling around tables decorated with white cloth and set with plates and cups. Bella did not know anyone here and Victoria would not be wandering around during the day. She was not allowed to mingle until the evening at the very earliest. James was the exception as he was the host.

She supposed now would be a good time to make new friends. To perhaps get a better glimpse of the outside world for she had not been farther than this small town here for months at end now. She helped herself to a seat and waited patiently as she was served the morning's meal. A thick hot soup with bread on the side.

She had sat down next to a man and woman at the end of the table. Both of them wore masks and matching colors of gray and yellow. Immediately they introduced themselves. "Happy Blood Feast to you," he raised his cup and took a swig of the wine there. "And who are you?"

"Happy Blood Feast," she murmured in response. "My name is Bella."

"I am Eric and this is my wife of two months, Angela," he gestured to the woman by Bella's side.

The woman smiled in answer as she began to eat her soup.

"Is this your first time at such an event?" Eric asked.

Bella dipped her spoon into the soup and savored it. It was rich with hints of spice that sent her tongue dancing. It was lovely and unlike anything Bella had tasted before.

"Yes, tis is. And if I may be so blunt as to inquire on why you two are here. Do you not know there are vampryes about?" she asked, wanting to know the reasoning behind these two humans. Surely weren't all humans afraid of vampryes if not outright ignorant of their existence? Bella had no qualms with the kind, because she was open minded and she saw that the vampryes she stayed with were good, and sought to do good. Other humans might not be as knowledgeable.

"Honestly, it is fascinating," Angela spoke up, wiping the corners of her lips with a napkin. "They are such interesting beings. We come to gander at them each year. It is marvelous."

"Do they not frighten you?"

"The ones here lack teeth, so to speak," Eric grinned cheekily at his verbal spar.

"Did you travel far for this?"

"Only over the mountains and around the bend," Eric supplied, finishing off his soup and bread by now. "And you?"

"I am actually quite far from the shores I call home."

"How did you hear about this, since it is only your first time attending?" Angela asked in a friendly manner.

What did Bella say to this? She felt she should not spill the truth on her reason being here. So she gave a white lie. "I was traveling to a friend's house, a friend that lived over in this area, when I stumbled upon this town. I stayed here for a bit before I came across some vampryes and become one of their friends. And in this manner I discovered the feast."

"You are lucky you have. It is unlike anything I have ever seen," Eric chuckled.

Bella was a bit confused. If James did not want harm to come to his village, to his people, than why openly flaunt this event? Why invite humans who could cause a panic because of sighting the vampryes? "How does James protect his people from being hurt? Surely you know vampryes are not beloved by many."

"Not many know of this event, only those he has specifically asked to come. And everything is done in secrecy. If one breaks the oath, they face serious consequences for it. But why would anyone want to break it? When we are given access to see something not many humans have and lived to tell the tale?" he shrugged, as if this should be clear. "Now that breakfast is done, shall we attend to other activities?" he asked and so they got up from the long table.

Those activities were compromised of tag, hide and seek, hopscotch and prisoner's base. Bella had not played these games ever since she was but a young sapling and she enjoyed reliving those childish moments. She and Eric competed over the games, and though it was often unladylike for someone of Bella's status to do that, the masks on their faces made them all equal and all able to enjoy the fun.

They played these games under the glow of the warm spring sun, supervised by some human staff that James had taken to hiring. Angela joined in for some of the games though she did not have a competitive streak as viscous as Bella's or Eric's and so she let them win against her.

After that they went to watch some skills of competition. James had paid entertainers and champions of sport to come to this event and show off their skills and talents.

There would be two events each day, one at noon and one two hours past noon. Drinks would be served at each event and Bella helped herself to some. She had not touched drink since the last ball she had been to, which had been many months ago. It took a while to remember how it tasted and how to drink it without grimacing. Ale was never her favorite. She much preferred sweet wines.

Food was also served at noon, sandwiches of meat and cheeses and generously laid with herbs. Truly, James had not been lying when he had said this would be a feast.

With her newly acquired friends, Bella watched an archery competition in which a sprightly man shot arrow after arrow into increasingly harder targets, until he was shooting apples off of heads. Then there was quoits. And they made bets on who would win from the five men competing for them.

By the time five had arrived, Bella was tired from the festivities and from drink and she retired up to her room to take a nap. The others did not have that luxury, instead napping in specially designated rooms for such an occurrence where couches and pillows and blankets were given.

When she awoke at seven it was time for dinner and then the vampryes would arrive to party until dawn rose over the castle. They would have their own shows, and their own competitions between themselves to see who was the strongest and who was the fastest. Bella wanted to see them but she would not be able to for no humans were allowed in those portions. And, she was not entirely at ease with being surrounded by so many vampryes. She knew her blood could have an interesting draw to them given what Victoria had warned her. For even though the vampryess had sought to soothe Bella, the brunette could feel Victoria's own worries under her skin. And she had pressed on them, until Victoria had begrudgingly spoke.

"Your blood is alluring. While it troubles James naught, for he has trained in the arts of refraining from imbibing, other vampryes might not be as disinclined towards it. That is why you must not enter the hall without me when the vampryes come down."

And so Bella did not, waiting on her vampryess to arrive.

Bella stood at the top of the grand staircase leading down to the grand dance hall. She was nervous at the casual way vampryes mingled in with humans. Several of them were already staring up her, having smelt her like she wagered they would. She did not like the way they looked at her, clamoring closely to the stairs but not going up them. Victoria stood by her side, dressed in all white and with a white and silver sword by her side. The silver matched her mask which was designed so it gave the illusion it was dripping down her face.

"Do you wish to go elsewhere?" Victoria asked, noting Bella's discomfit.

Bella eagerly nodded her head, relieved to hear this. "Yes. I do not think I can brave the mass of teeming vampryes just yet."

Victoria gave her a sly and private smile. "You had no trouble bothering me countless times and testing my patience. Nor did you have any issue wandering into a village full of wolves, by yonder self."

Bella shook her head. "That was different. The wolves did not hunger for my blood."

"The vampryes are only entranced by the smell, like I was. And no harm shall come to you if you stay by my side." Victoria gave a reassuring smile. "I will protect you."

"I know. I do not doubt that you can. I simply...wish to do something else instead."

Victoria did not press. "Very well. What would you do instead?"

"I do not know. What other spectacles can I do?"

Victoria tilted her head, thinking. "Come. I have an idea." She walked off with Bella's arm around hers. They walked off a little ways to where it was much quieter in the castle. Victoria opened the balcony doors and led them out to where the stars glimmered down on them. Only faint strains of music could be heard out here and the balcony was big enough that their conversation would not be muddled by that of the couple outside, smiling secretively to each other.

"Have you ever gazed upon the beauty of the stars?" Victoria asked, leaning against the stone as her neck craned back. Bella followed her gaze, the stars burning brightly against the inky backdrop.

"I have. And they make me think of a particular person."

Victoria was not expecting this. She turned a curious gaze onto Bella who smiled in answer before wetting her lips and spilling forth her words. "They look so cold and distant at first, but once you get to know them better, they are so hot and bright, and a force to be reckoned with."

Victoria shook her head, amused by Bella's deductions of her. "Flattery will get you everywhere princess. It is in actuality the deadliest weapon known to man kind."

"Only for those who can wield it well," Bella responded with.

"And only dangerous to those whose hearts are piles of mush. It is a good thing my heart is shriveled up and dead long ago."

This new banter was nice. Teasing, flirty, and yet somber and with an edge of bite that heralded back to their days of antagonizing games.

"Tis a shame. Perhaps a fair maiden's kiss could revive it?" Bella asked and did not miss the eager manner in which Victoria gazed down upon her lips.

"May perhaps indeed," she said softly, clearing her throat and remembering herself before looking away. The sharp jerk of her head made Bella return to her senses. God. What was she doing? Where had that even come from? This festival was doing a strange manner of things to her. It must be the loose spirit of everyone here, indulging in vices. And the loose liquor making her tongue slippery and all too lust tinged. She would have to drink less, because her head still spun slightly and the nap had only taken the edge off of her drink.

She looked up at the sky, Victoria stiff by her side now. Where had the smooth and relaxed manner of their intercourse gone? "Shall you tell me about the constellations?" she asked, hoping to ease them into easy spirits once more.

"I certainly have read all of the books on this topic and can tell you about the great discoveries of Copernicus and Galileo on our night sky."

And Victoria took to explaining everything in an adorable manner. Her face seemed to glow with exuberance as she spoke. Bella could not help but watch its animated state, and the glow of the moon on her skin made it seem almost a ghostly white, like gleaming stone. And her fiery hair had turned a dull blood color. She lived in the sharp contrasts of the night. And Bella wished to live in them along with Victoria.

"You harbor the inclinations of being a voracious book worm," Bella teased as Victoria continued upon her monologue of the stars and the planets and other cosmic bodies. "I would not expect that of someone like you who is a dark and murderous and an all powerful vamprye."

Victoria scoffed sharply. "You would think that, would you not. When one cannot age, one tends to read and learn many things over the eons. Like I have. I can speak in many tongues if I so please."

"And how old are you?"

Victoria wrinkled up her nose in jest. "One does not ask a woman her real age."

"Then I shall have no choice but to make my own guess. And if it offends you than it is naught my fault." Bella tapped her chin. "I shall hazard a guess that you are over a century old."

Victoria let out a laugh that sounded like crystal bells. She laughed fully and robustly. Bella had never heard her truly let go in merriment like she did now and she wondered if it had to do with the heavy wine the vampryess had consumed. Or if it was because Bella had truly tickled her humor.

"Oh, you are a long ways off. Let us say I have been around ever since the time of the great fall of the Roman Empire," she supplied, watching Bella's face as it contorted into shock at this information.

"I never quite imagined you to be that old!" she exclaimed loudly into the chilly night air. "You have not aged a day."

"The only good side of being a vamprye I am afraid," Victoria said with a touch of somberness. With a touch of wistfulness. "I do hunger for the days when I was but skin and bones and not death and stone."

"Be frank with me. Is it horrid being a vamprye. As in, truly horrid?" Bella asked, curious. Night time insects hummed around them as Victoria leaned in closer, her words a whisper Bella listened to ardently.

"Not everyone hates it. James and I are a bit different. We retained our humanity whereas others did not. Some hate it at first and grow to love it. Others revile in the taking of lives. And others seek out this immortality. I shall be honest and say that at first I was entranced with my new state. Simple weapons could not hurt me. And I was faster and stronger and smarter than any human. But after years of living in an unliving state, life becomes stale. There are only so many things I can venture upon, or so many places I can visit before I grow tired of the triviality of it all. Life is only rich when you have a finite amount of time to spend. Then, you really value every moment. Every last second of it.

"You do not have to watch your loved ones die. You do not have to watch the horrors of humanity increase and become tenfold, and you most certainly do not live long enough to see yourself become a monster, like I did." Such honesty spilt forth from her lips. Honesty that might not exist anywhere else except of this night of the Blood Feast under the full moon.

Victoria had unconsciously drawn figures into the stone with her finger and Bella put her hand over hers, stilling it. She was filled with the urge to assuage the woman's dark mood. "Perhaps there is some hidden beauty you have not yet found? That makes you want to live longer?" She tugged Victoria's hand to her chest, placing it over her beating heart so as to make a stronger connection to her. To her words. "And you are not a monster. You are more human than some I have met, bar your special abilities."

Victoria smiled wanly at that. "Nature. Nature brings me joy. For it dies and lives. And dies and lives. And it is always amazing to see what beauty arises from nothing."

"So keep nature close to you. Let it fuel your steps and make you have hope for a future."

Victoria nods her head gravely and does not say more. She turns her head and pulls free from Bella to glance upon James who is arriving. "Victoria. I need your advice on a small matter."

"Is something wrong?" Bella asked.

"Everything is faring smoothly," he assured Bella with a small smile and with his hands clasped behind his back.

"Pardon me," Victoria said and moved on to chat with James, leaving Bella by the balcony all alone. She looked up at the stars, speaking to them. "What will my future hold, I wonder."

She had given Victoria hope for her's but what about Bella's own? Would Edward ever come to save her? For some reason the news that he was on his way did not cheer her up like it once would have. Now all it did was fill her gut with dread. And worry for what would transpire.

It was now the second day of the feast.

Bella was wearing a pink dress for the day and a butterfly shaped mask upon her face. She ate and drank and watched competitions with Eric and Angela once more till it was time for the nap so they could rest their drunk weary heads. And once evening hastened upon, she went upstairs to switch into something sleeker and darker. A dress with a lower neckline and made of green designs that curled and skipped around on her form. And on her face she wore a simple strip of green for her mask. Her mask from earlier in the day had been more ornate. Almost a bit silly. Pink with pearls hanging down from it and decorating it. She liked this outfit better. In fact, all of them were nice. James had well developed tastes for he had picked all of these out. Bella still had more outfits to go through, three for each day in fact, and it must have cost James a small fortune for them.

This time when Bella waited on the Grand Staircase to the ballroom, Victoria did not arrive right away. Bella grew worried, and even more so when one of the vampryes from the teeming masses went up to her and held out his hand.

"Do not fear us. We can smell it coming off of you and we wish you no harm. We are only intrigued by you. You smell different from other humans," he said, his youthful face grinning down at her.

"I really must wait for my dance partner," she said, holding her arms to her sides.

"I insist," he said, before grasping her by the shoulder and steering her down. He was too strong to pull against and so she was forced down into the hordes of humans and vampryes. He tugged her closer to his body and began to move her in time to the music.

"Relax," he said. "After all, are we not here to repair human and vamprye relations?" he questioned, his eyes dark on her neck, on her exposed chest.

May perhaps she was being paranoid. May perhaps she was ascribing certain behaviors to him that did not exist? She thought this in order to still her beating heart, because she knew the loudness and fast pace of it would only allure vampryes more.

But the dance did not end on him. He spun her around on the waltz and let go, her falling into the chest of another male vamprye. This one had red hair and a goblin for his mask. "Vhat a vonderful young voman," he said, with a thick accent. "Vill you dance with me?" he asked, though he gave her no quarter to say no.

He moved quickly, half dragging her along.

"I want to dance with her too."

"Isn't she an adorable little morsel?" cooed another voice.

"I've never smelt a human like her before. Will she share some of her wonders with me?" asked another and Bella began to feel increasingly uncomfortable. She craned her head back and forth, trying to get a bearing on where she was as she was spun so quickly everything blurred around her. And the fact she had drank wine before did not help, for her feet stumbled and her cheeks felt heated with alcohol that made her feel too useless to do anything about her current predicament. She could not think properly.

Bella was being tossed from male dancer to male dancer now, all vamprye by the sharp snap of their teeth and how quickly they moved. All of them gave her a good sniff. Was her scent calling to them like it called to Victoria? She could feel malaise coil in her stomach. She didn't know who they were. And she most certainly did not want to dance with them. Where was Victoria when she needed her? She craned her neck back and forth again to see if she could spot her. She couldn't see her over the sea of swirling bodies, swaying to the music that seemed to become more frantic and tension causing as time went on.

At last she found herself in the arms of a particularly strong man. He was dark and towered over her, his long black hair streaming behind him. He gave a smile that was all fangs. And he held her too close to him while he danced.

"How is it that you smell so enticing? Your scent stands out from the other humans," he murmured, licking his lips. "Will you let me taste you? I promise I will be gentle, my soft pet," he said, stroking the back of his hand across her cheeks. She felt revulsion spread through her at his touch.

"No," she gasped out, trying to fight his hold but he was iron tight against her, almost bruising her skin where his greedy fingers touched.

"No?" he smiled, amused. "I think I can convince you yet, princess. I assure you, giving me your blood would be the best for the both of us," he leered down, disgusting tongue darting across his fangs which seemed to have gotten bigger. Bella felt panic crowd her chest, ready to be expelled from her lips in a cry of help.

But she had no sooner opened her lips to call for Victoria or James when a hard hand shoved the man away and he stumbled, nearly dragging Bella with him if it were not for the solid hand holding her safely. "She does not want to share her blood with you. Keep your fangs to yourself or you may just find them missing." Her voice was tightened with anger and her body stiff, radiating violence against him. He steadied his feet, glaring angrily at her.

"She is mine. And she is not opposed to the idea. She merely needs time," he said cockily, fixing his black coat.

"And I think you might need some time reacquainting yourself with my fist," snarled Victoria and Bella felt concern well inside her. She did not want a fight to break out but it seemed like it would, and yet again it was her fault. "Victoria, please, leave him alone," Bella begged, placing a delicate hand on Victoria's arm.

The man's eyes flashed with recognition on Victoria's name. He had not seen who she was under the mask but he knew that Victoria was James' right hand woman. He would be stupid to cross her.

"Apologizes," he inclined his head in penance, quickly changing his tunes to more simpering ones. "I did not know you had claimed her." And then he scampered off.

It took time for Victoria to relax after that, her body so stiff, that Bella had to call her name softly three times to get her to stop staring after his retreating back.

"Are you unharmed?" Victoria asked when she could calm down. The anger that Bella felt singing through her veins faded when Victoria's did. She wondered, why was it she could feel Victoria so intimately inside her? It was like a part of Victoria's soul was inside her. The idea frightened and confused her at the same time it elated her to be so closely bound to Victoria like no one else before. Victoria and her were connected and Bella was the only to whom she had this connection. They had a relationship that was special.

"I am a bit shaken but with you by my side I feel better," Bella admitted, the horrors of her fear before already fading with Victoria by her side. Already they were a distant thing and as the music softened she tugged Victoria's hands in hers, tugged her closer to her person. "Will you ask me to dance?"

"Dance?" Victoria asked incredulously like dance was the farthest thing from her mind. Like Bella was insane for suggesting such a thing at a party.

She still looked riled up and ready to tear that man's head off. Bella needed to distract her. Why should Victoria waste this moment between them, especially when she looked so dashing.

She was wearing a pair of tight black trousers, with a ceremonial sword slung to her side, a black sheath on it tipped with gold, and the handle of it curved and golden as well, shined so that it shone so brightly. She wore a simple white shirt with puffy sleeves and ruffles down the front. The top three buttons were undone and revealed a tantalizing expanse of white skin. Her skin was tied back in a ponytail luscious red locks spilled over her shoulder. And on her face was a mask that was black like sin. It was in the vague shape of a bat, edges curling around the sharp edges of her face and highlighting her red eyes.

Bella wanted to pull Victoria's body onto her own. Wanted to feel the press of it on her. Naughty thoughts crowded her mind and she swallowed deeply. God, why did Victoria have to look so tempting? Why was she so perfect? Something must be amiss with the air, because with every inhalation Bella took, her heart longed for Victoria more and more.

"Yes, a dance. Or are you too afraid to reveal your lacking skills to me?" she teased, flirting as she tilted her head back, exposing her long neck. Victoria's eyes were drawn to it, like Bella knew they would be, and the vampryess, let her red hot gaze trail up to Bella's face, tilted up towards her, and she let a shaky exhale leave her parted lips.

"I am an exquisite dancer, your royalty." She bowed to start the dance, one hand behind her back, other extended outwards in an offer for Bella to take it. When she got up, Bella's hand in hers, she smiled. "It is you who should reevaluate if your dancing is on par with mine."

"There is only one way to find out, is there," Bella smiled as her heart raced in her chest. Victoria situated one hand on Bella's waist while Bella placed her free hand on Victoria's slender shoulder. They drew closer, Victoria taking the lead and Bella followed suit.

And Victoria indeed was skilled. She was fluid, gliding across the floor with a natural ease that Bella envied and could only clumsily follow up with. They moved in time to the music which was now playing a different tune. Victoria dipped Bella down, before tugging her up, a master of moving and molding Bella's body to her wants. Bella let Victoria lead, let her assume various poses, let the heat of the moment fill her. Everything about this dance was momentous, was so full of that familiar tension that sang between them. That corrupted and controlled them.

And as they danced they drew closer to each other, close enough that their chests brushed together. Their eyes meet and hold, wild and raw emotions flickering through them. Bella feels that draw between them and she wants to close the inches between them and kiss upon Victoria's cold lips. And it is clear the vampryess wants to do the same. She can feel the other woman's need running through her as clear as water running down her back.

The music swells and Victoria picks Bella up, hands splayed across her heaving rib cage and spins them both, the room spinning brightly around them before she slowly lowers her, drawing her against her, and letting her slid down against her, their nose brushing as their lips hang a hair away from each other.

Their breath brushes against each other, and the music slows and quiets and then both of their eyes slip closed and their lips close the distance at last.

The kiss explodes along Bella's body, making her tremble as her hands rush recklessly through Victoria's soft hair. Their masks get in the way and she wishes she could tear them off, but if she did so, it would mean having to part from Victoria's lips and she does not wish that. Not now when they are finally reunited.

They kiss like that for a while, lost to the world around them as it swells musically. Everything has faded away with the exception of the feel of Victoria's body against her, holding her up. Bella feels weightless and suspended in love. The invisible bond between them thrums and hums and sings their melody, one of joy at being united.

Bella ponders, on why this feels so right with Victoria when it has never felt right like this with anyone, not even Edward. For all his kisses and declarations of love, none have made her heart swell like a single glance or kiss from Victoria does.

At last Bella can feel the ground beneath her as Victoria sets her down. Their kiss has gone unnoticed by the swirling crowd around them. And as they pull apart, they are both breathing hard, bodies demanding for more closeness. Bella could not stop the rushing tide of this inner force sewing them irrevocably together even if she tried.

"We...we must leave," Victoria pants out and Bella nods her head, so overcome with desire she can barely speak, let alone think. But being somewhere private with Victoria sounds tantalizing to her and she follows the vampryess as she drags them through the crowd with impatient steps.

Bella has no idea where the woman will take them but she hopes it is to bed. She wants to be able to indulge in flawless flesh, in painted lips, and in Victoria's womanhood. She has never entertained such erotic thoughts before and only Victoria has cursed and blessed her with them. May perhaps it is Victoria's own thoughts she can feel and they only feed her own arousal higher? Once they exit the dance hall, Victoria swoops Bella up into her arms with one quick sweep and they make way up the stairs, Bella unable to resist the urge to kiss Victoria's lips for they are so close to her face and how can she resist temptation when it lays so close by? The kiss makes Victoria's steps stumble and she lets out a content and lustful groan against Bella's mouth, as the brunette princess's hands rake through hair, disheveling it even further.

"We will not make it anywhere if you keep this up," Victoria mumbles against Bella's lips as she takes a pause to press the princess against the wall, the princess switching to wrap her legs around Victoria's waist in the deserted staircase. Victoria's hands cup Bella's thighs and squeeze them with need to claim all of Bella's flesh as her own.

"You were taking too long," she murmured out as she continued plundering Victoria's mouth. The vampyress ran her tongue against the seam of Bella's lips, asking for permission and Bella granted it. Their tongues intertwined, teasingly playing together and Bella had never had such a sordid kiss. She could not help the pure groan of lust that erupted from her.

She had only ever shared chaste kisses, or kissed on closed mouths. She could feel herself growing wetter with desperation to be touched. She thought she might grow mad with the urge, an urge that dripped down the insides of her thighs. She was certain Victoria could smell it for the woman pressed even closer to Bella, growling lightly in the back of her throat. Her lips moved down, pressing hasty marks to Bella's neck and inhaling the scent there greedily. "Bed," she growled out, voice so low. "We must make haste to go there. I will not take someone as lovely as you against a wall," she panted out when the princess nipped under her jaw, sucking at the lack of pulse there.

"Then hurry," Bella hissed, gone to a haze, raking her nails down the planes of Victoria's clothed shoulders.

Victoria did not wait any longer. She utilized her vampryic speeds and rushed them into Bella's bedroom where she hastily threw the door open and locked it before landing Bella safely on the bed on her back.

Victoria hovered over her, looking over with a hungry and scalding gaze that Bella felt herself combust with want. There was no space for logical thought in her head as of now. All she could focus on was Victoria. The vampryess took her mask and tossed it off to the side before doing the same with Bella's. This way they could fully see each others faces. Bella let her hand cup Victoria's cold cheek before pulling it closer so she could kiss the woman wantonly. Their tongues danced, drawing out more arousal, more fingers of pleasure that raced down their backs.

"Dress. Off," Victoria husked out, hand clutching the front of Bella's outfit and ripping it off in one sudden and violent move. The poor dress was now useless and it went to the floor as Bella's own hands rushed to unbutton the rest of Victoria's shirt. All she managed to get to was the fifth button for her hands shook too much with anticipation and nerves.

Victoria parted their lips before leaning back to take in Bella's newly exposed form. Bella had believed she would feel shy in such a moment, when she first laid with her beloved. But she did not feel shy about her body. She felt honored in it, for Victoria looked at it with such reverence that Bella did not think anyone looked that way at a mere mortal.

Victoria took in Bella's bra clad breasts and at the thin scrap of material covering her most intimate of areas. The material was soaked and with one finger, Victoria was able to snap it off. And Bella was revealed for the world to see.

Chest heaving she watched as Victoria's eyes turned entirely black, so black there was no light reflected in them. Slowly by slowly, the woman lowered her lips to Bella's body and kissed upon it lightly. Kisses peppered down her collarbone, the valley of her breasts, her soft stomach and to the hipbone above her thigh. Then she spread Bella's sticky thighs apart. "What are you doing?" she asked in a raspy voice. She had forgotten her and Victoria did not share a rod between them. Bella did not know how two women might do it, and in her haste to clamber into bed with Victoria she had disregarded that.

"I want to taste you," the vampryess growled out and then ducked her head down between Bella's thighs.

The brunette's eyes were flung wide open as an arch of electricity bolted up and down her spine, causing her to arch up. Oh. This felt amazing. She did not know one could even do such things.

Victoria languished impatient kisses down there, before her tongue slid out and began to collect the moisture there. Her tongue was relentless and Bella could not keep her ecstasy contained, shouting out her pleasure into the air as one hand gripped the sheets and the other delved into Victoria's locks, keeping her there, drawing her closer.

The vampryess hands circled her thighs and held them down as Bella's hips bucked up uncontrollably. She had never felt this sort of pleasure before and it made her mind blank. All she could hear was the pounding of blood in her veins. Her own cries coming from her mouth as the pressure in her stomach built and finally flooded free.

She reached the crest of pleasure and at last she was able to settle back down onto the covers, panting and sweating and bones lazy with how hard she had expelled her joy into Victoria's mouth which had eagerly licked and cleaned everything up.

The vampryess sat up from her spot, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. "You taste exquisite, princess," she admitted, leaning in to kiss Bella's stomach, making the muscles in it quiver with delight. But while her body felt sated now, Bella's mind felt horrified as it finally cleared from the spell it had been under.

Dear God.

Dear GOD!

What had she just done. What had she done.

She had laid with a woman. With a vampryess. With someone out of wed lock. Cheating on her sacred vow of marriage.

Bile crawled up her throat as tears pressed at the back of her eyes. She began to shake but for another reason that was not arousal. It was fear. Shock.

Victoria sensed it and looked up with concerned eyes. "Bel-"

"Get off me. Get off me!" the brunette cried out, slapping at the other woman's shoulders, pushing her off of her.

"Bella-" Victoria tried to catch and calm Bella's flailing hands but that only incised Bella more.

"Get off of me! Get out of my room. Go and leave me be!" she screeched, feeling like she was falling into a black bit of despair. Of panic. She couldn't think right. All she knew was she couldn't have Victoria here.

"Bella. I do not under-"

"Get OUT. I do not want to glance upon your visage ever again!" the screams ripped raw and painful from her throat as tears streamed down her face. Victoria's face crumbled as if her world had just ended, before a wall slammed up, making her look dead and emotionless. "Alright. Alright, you shall your wish," she said and left the room, leaving Bella sobbing on the covers of her bed, rolled up into a little ball, cold and empty.

A/N: I looked up medieval games and competitions they partook in back in the day and honestly they haven't changed much which was surprising. Quoits is like ring toss. And prisoner's base is like a cops and robbers game.