Your Princess is in Another Castle

Chapter Twelve: Seeing Red

Victoria thought that since her heart could no longer beat, it would not hurt as much when it was broken. But it still did. She might even be inclined to say it hurt worse than when she had been human. This purported soul mate bond inside of her screamed it's agony at her, at her mate's rejection, and she crawled away and hid like a sullen child, trying to get away from an angry parent.

All she wanted to do was end her own miserable existence. She was not exaggerating- the soul mate bond made it impossible to feel like she could go on if Bella did not love her or even talk to her. And she felt no need to plan for the future. She was content in staying here. In being forever turned into nothing. But she knew she could not stay like this, curled up in a tiny ball under her desk. She was James' right hand woman. And she needed to be down there at the party.

She simply would have to avoid running into Bella.

Each step felt like she was moving through muck, and a terrible weight rested upon her shoulders as she walked down the stairs. All the smiling and laughing got on her nerves and she wanted to tear that joy from both humans and vampyres alike because if she could not have the simple joy of Bella smiling at her, than no one deserved to be happy in this wretched world.

A mix of anger and depression fluctuated inside the red haired woman and she knew Bella could feel everything through their bond. Good, she thought sadistically. Let her suffer for the pain and lamentation she has wrought me.

Maybe if they ran into each other, she would give the princess a piece of her mind. But, she did not run into the princess at all for the next four days. Not until that horrid encounter where she had found Bella at the mercy of three succubi. Victoria knew her soul mate was in danger because she could feel the fear racing inside her petite chest. For one second, one random second, Victoria almost thought of leaving Bella to fend for herself. But she quickly ejected that thought as she raced to find her based on her scent trail. Bella's scent was too tempting to vampryes and Victoria knew they would just try and get a drink from her if Victoria did not enforce something.

What was even worse, was the fact these vampryes wanted to suck out Bella's sexual energy. Victoria would not stand for that! Bella was her's even if the princess did not agree to it. Victoria had rescued the princess from that horrid situation which then led them to having a very sobering conversation.

Victoria could still remember it like it was yesterday, because well, as of now, it had been yesterday. But it had been visceral and inspired emotions inside her that she never thought she would ever feel. Such poignant feelings and all waxing and waning in a manner of seconds like the moon.

Bella's face flushed. "S-sexual desires?" she squeaked out, feeling improper. "I recall them saying it was you who caused this-"

The book snapped in half and Victoria rushed up to her feet, feeling upset and out of tilt. Did her love making have to be seen in such pained lights? "You do not need to keep rubbing this into my face. I understand I did something wrong. I never should have sullied you with my hands and my mouth, princess-" she roared out, hurt and sad and aching to be violent all at the same time.

Bella was startled back by this. She sat up, letting the blanket slide off of her so she could draw closer to Victoria.

"That's not what I meant by my question. I only wanted to know if they could smell it on us. If they could smell your irrepressible desires too for me," Bella said calmly and in a steady voice.

This paused Victoria, leaving her mouth half open, book halves in her hands like lifelines that she clutched onto harder until she fingers relaxed, the leather stopping in it's cracking.

Her eyes did not turn back from the black they had befallen and her chest heaving did not go down. There were things she wanted to say and Bella waited for them to exit her mouth patiently. Victoria felt scared to say the following words, but they needed to be imparted or else she could never have peace.

"And what did you mean when you allowed me to bed you?"

Bella bit her lip. She looked down. "I...I am still confused by all that."

"Of course you are," Victoria said lowly, but not with disgust, just defeat. And why should not Bella be confused? Victoria had not been human for centuries, she forgot what it meant to be confined by the silly rules of society.

Now it was Bella's turn to tantrum. "You do not understand how precarious of a position I am in! I am set to marry a prince so I may secure my own future and my family's funds and reputations and yet, I do no longer crave that happy ending of my own fortunes. I crave you but nothing is certain with you. If I run away with you, will Edward kill my family? Will he seek to kill you? How will we support ourselves? Where will we run to?" She ran her hands through her long brown locks. "I do not know what to do." She sank down to her haunches, sobbing suddenly. She was overwhelmed with her own emotions and with Victoria's.

Victoria knelt down in front of her, not daring to touch her. Not yet.

"I understand Bella. I truly do. Which is why I am not going to pressure you to do anything. You choose on your own. I only ever wish for you to be happy." And Victoria was earnest, meaning every last word even if the option Bella would pick would be her end. She dropped a soft kiss onto Bella's head and then left.

Victoria had pretended not to hear Bella's crying. She ached to go comfort her, but she could not. And as she laid in her bed that night, she could feel every drop Bella shed as if she had been crying herself.

The fifth and last day of the Blood Feast brought something untoward for Victoria. Something she had not expected though she should have foreseen happening. "Why, hello Victoria," a silky voice drawled and the red haired vampryess turned to see who it was, though she already knew.

"Sulpicia. I am so glad you could make it," Victoria said, taking Sulpicia's smooth and pale cold hand to her lips. The kiss was quick, a peck, because Victoria could not stand to touch this woman any more than needed.

The blonde haired woman giggled, delighted, her blue eyes glittering. She was not wearing a mask, her young face bare in that arrogant way of hers. But looks were deceiving. She was a vampryess true and true. Her powers allowed her to look human which meant she could go anywhere she pleased. Victoria knew this intimately because she and this woman had once been involved a long time ago. But Victoria had grown to despise her because of the tricks she played on humans. Humans may be horrid at most times, but Victoria felt there was no need to actively punish them, not when they were slowly growing better as a kind. The Cullen's were excluded from this, naturally.

"It has been quite a while since we last saw each other, has it not?"

"Yes far too long," Victoria said with as much faux platitudes as she could. But the opposite was true. She wished it had much longer since they last saw each other. Why had James even invited her back to his castle? Victoria had specifically said not to have Sulpicia over. Perhaps the viper had made it's way into the castle on it's own?

A possibility.

"Come, walk with me. Indulge me. I wish to know how the past few decades have been treating you," Sulpicia held out an arm and Victoria was forced to link her arm through it. She would much rather not go on this walk but she had to be courteous. Such the culture demanded.

"So, how fares it all?" Sulpicia asked when Victoria did not answer at first. The red head was reluctantly forced to respond. "I work as James' right hand woman in dealing with all his affairs."

"My, what a boastful title. I am sure you must have to do a lot of things for him. Do you not grow tired of working for him?"

"No. He is my friend and family," she said stiffly, not liking how meddlesome the woman was becoming. "And what of you? Seducing poor innocents to their death yet again?"

Sulpicia laughed, as if this was darling thing for Victoria to say. "Of course not. I always give them a fair chance. Though I do admit if they anger me, than they do not get as nice of a chance."

They had arrived at a ballroom now and Sulpicia tugged on their conjoined arms and brought them to the dance floor. Victoria swallowed down a groan of displeasure at this. "Dance with me," the blonde vampyress demanded and Victoria did as asked only to not come off as rude. The waltz was a slow one, which irked Victoria because she would like it to be over already. It made her think of how she had danced with Bella and how magical it had been before it had all been ruined. A stab of pain and longing went through her.

Victoria avoided looking into the other vampyress's eyes so as to ward of conversation.

It did not work, for long.

"I hate vividly how we left things last time," Sulpicia started as they danced on the floor, a slow waltz not meant for them. Victoria began to feel distinctly uncomfortable. A sensation of impending doom fell over her as Sulpicia drew closer to her, arms wrapping around Victoria's neck.

"Well, I do not," Victoria said quickly and dismissively. "You left me heartbroken and I do not wish to experience that again."

Sulpicia did not seem put off by those words. "Times have changed and we have grown smarter. I have changed. I can prove that to you," she said and leaned in to kiss Victoria. The kiss was only a peck, because Victoria moved back, freeing herself from Sulpicia's hold.

"Hm, you reek of sadness. And taste of it as well," Sulpicia said, licking her lips.

"Do not do that again. I want no part of your games or your mockery of love," Victoria said steely.

A sharp stabbing pain, that of a knife piercing a red beating organ, ricocheted through Victoria's heart. She turned around and across the room, through the crush of bodies dancing or talking, she could see Bella there. Bella who had witnessed the kiss and was looking entirely crushed by it. Victoria immediately felt the urge to reassure her. "Bella!" she called out but the princess picked up her skirts and ran in the other direction. Victoria pushed after her, ignoring Sulpicia's questions as to where she was heading.

Victoria followed Bella's distressed scent all the way out to the edge of the castle property where another scent made her hackles rise as she saw the three immense black shapes formed in front of Bella, covered in shadows and fur. The princess looked to be in shock at this.

"Did you harken upon the wolves again?" Victoria growled out as three of them prowled out from the under brush, hackles raised and fangs bared, dripping with saliva.

"No, I did not. I know not why they are here!" Bella lamented and then the biggest one turned back into his human form.

"Jacob, what is the meaning of this?" Bella gasped out as the other two wolves circled around them, growling and snarling at Victoria who circled around to keep up with them.

"We can to save you. Save you from the vampryes," he stated calmly.

"Are you mad? Have you lost all sense? The castle is full of vampryes right now! You could get hurt!" she protested.

He shook his head. "Not if you come with us right now. We will take you away. You will be safe, be damned what Seth thinks." He held out his hand pleadingly, his other hand covering his modesty.

Bella truly looked torn. Did she still have the urge to escape? Victoria had foolishly thought it was gone. But the princess looked to be considering the mutt's words. "And what of Victoria?"

"We will kill her, so she will not go crying to the others for our blood," he stated cruelly and coldly.

Victoria let out a snarl at this. There was no way she would let him destroy her. Because her death would devastate Bella! The soul mate bond would render Bella with the mental and emotional state of a stone once Victoria was offed.

"Then no, I cannot come with you," Bella said, raising her chin up. Jacob had not been expecting this answer. He did not wear shock well. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me," Bella continued on bravely. "I will not have her slain. And I will not be running away. I am staying with the vampryes."

"You are the one who has lost her mind!" Jacob roared out and Victoria's muscles tensed in case he tried to hurt Bella. "They will kill you. Hurt you! You could be free, I do not understand why you throw all that away for a leech's life!"

"She's more to me than that," Bella shook her head and at this she looked back at Victoria, her eyes glimmering as her chest swelled with affection. "I am in love with her. And I would not have it any other way."

Victoria felt those words pierce her chest and warmth suffused her otherwise cold body. Bella loved her. She really did. A smile stretched her lips wide and she could think of no words to say to that, because she did not want to scare Bella with her own proclamations of love. The princess was still coping with her feelings.

Silence at this as Jacob shook with fury and disbelief. "Do you hear yourself?" burst out of his lips at last. "You have been brain washed by these monsters! You-"

"My decision is final," Bella said steely now. "Go before I send the rest of the vampryes on you."

His eyes went wide. "You would not dare-"

But his words were cut off when a vamprye's voice rang out through the inky night. "Do I smell mutt?"

"Sarde," Jacob cursed and turned back into his wolf form. He gave one last look at Bella over his shoulder before he and the other two wolves ran away, disappearing into the dark.

"Foolish mutts," Victoria spat out.

"Kind hearted wolves," Bella amended pointedly. "They only wanted to help me."

"Of course they did," Victoria said sarcastically. "We should only be so lucky they did not do anything foolish. I can only take on so many wolves at a time."

They stood there, absorbing the dangers of the moment and how they had passed. Crickets played for them a song as eventually Bella's timid hand found it's home on Victoria's wrist. Victoria looked at her, drawing her gaze away from the dark wilds into which she had been staring, debating whether she should tell James about this infringement and have vampryes sent out to scout and make sure the wolves were gone. Who knew if they might get a stupid thought inside their heads once more and try this again.

Bella's touch grounded her from such thoughts and she gazed upon the woman's face. Bella had come closer to her, and closer, thumb rubbing over where Victoria's pulse should be and where it was not. "Bella?" Victoria gently inquired, not knowing where this was going. She could sense anticipation radiating from the other woman and knew not why.

"You...are you in love with that other woman?" Bella asked and Victoria was taken aback by the steel in her eyes. The grim determination, as if she was gathering herself from being hurt.

Victoria let out a huffed breath. "Princess, never. I do not like her, I despise her."

"Then why did you let her kiss you?"

Victoria let out a laugh. Bella was being jealous. It was adorable. "I did not give her permission to do so. She took me by surprise. And princess, you know I love you. I only feel strongly for you." Victoria assured. She wanted to reach out and touch Bella, to soothe her cheeks, to tuck back a strand of her hair. The hand on her wrist began to shake a little as Bella licked her lips.

"Good," and then leaned forward, pulling Victoria towards her by her wrist and placing a warm kiss upon the vampryess's lips.

Victoria was so shocked by the bold action, she did not know what to do for a while. Bella's hand on her wrist tightened, hard enough that it could have hurt anyone else, but not Victoria. Her other hand went up to Victoria's cheek, cupping it so sweetly.

Victoria felt elation race through her. Bella was kissing her. She had initiated the kiss first! Victoria finally began to kiss back, her lips hungry on Bella's plump ones. She had to refrain from pushing Bella up against a tree and pining her there with her body. They kissed and kissed, the kiss remaining just brushing of lips of a closed mouth before Bella had to pull away. Her chest was heaving and she was pink in her cheeks. "I am still not entirely fine with this," she said, between gasped breaths. "I am still so confused and lost but then I saw that other woman's lips on yours and I knew that I could lose you. I do not want that. I do...I do love you, and I do not want you to be anyone elses."

"And I love you too, princess," Victoria said softly, touching Bella's chin, sliding a hand down her neck. The woman shivered at the cold touch. This might not be the ideal confession, or the ideal situation but they were going to work through this, one way or another. "Take as much time as you need. I have several centuries in me to wait." A small smile at this.

"I might not," Bella said a bit soberly, because it was a fact both of them had to contend with, but not right now.

"I admit, I must confess something to you," Victoria stated. She had decided. She needed Bella to know about the soul mate bond. It was not fair for only Victoria to know it. Because this bond affected both of them. "But not here. Somewhere quieter. Safer."

Bella nodded her agreement and they went to a quieter place- the library. Inside Victoria indicated for a chair so Bella could sit down and get comfortable. While Bella sat there primly and patiently, Victoria began to pace about, a bit nervous in saying this. She had no idea how Bella would take this. She could take it negatively and feel trapped by it, growing to despise Victoria. Or she could see it as only more reason for them to be together.

"Do stop pacing about; you make me anxious," Bella said and Victoria tried to still her body as best as she could. She cleared her throat. "Bella, this thing that I have to speak to you about, is something I still do not know about in full detail. I only know bits and pieces of it, but from what I have seen or felt, it is true."

"What is?"

"We have a soul mate bond, Bella."

The princess did not understand the gravity of this statement and tilted her head to the side in confusion.

"Let me clarify," Victoria continued, still a bit nervous with revealing this premise but needing to get through it because it certainly was not fair that Bella did not know of this. "It is something that mainly afflicts vampryes. Every vamprye has the chance to meet their soul mate. Someone that basically calls to their soul in such a manner that once they meet, they are bound to be together for ever. Their love is unparalleled. They can feel each other's emotions. They can feel each other's pain. And to be separated for them is a most horrid endeavor. So, it is something that can lead to innumerable joys for the couple, should they be open to courtship. But should they reject it, it can be very sobering."

Bella sat there, digesting Victoria's words. "And you think we have this bond?" she asked at last. Victoria could sense no ill ease from her yet, so Bella was dealing with this fairly well.

"You are not shocked by the concept? I admit I was, despite being a vamprye and it afflicting my species."

"Frankly, I've seen so many mythical things now that this doesn't bother me. It almost sounds normal. Well, with our exception perhaps. Because I am not a vamprye. So why am I able to feel your emotions? Why am I able to be so connected to you?" Bella mussed, and maybe she was mussing this to herself, but Victoria listened. "Almost as soon as I met you I felt something. At first I hadn't known what it was, but gradually as we stopped driving onto each others nerves, it became apparent to me we had a connection. And that connection over powered everything and now...now here we are," Bella said, looking up at Victoria with wonder in her eyes. It seemed she was seeing everything in a new light now that she knew what their bond truly meant.

"I wish I knew more about this. I was even about to offer to dissolve the bond if I could find a way to do so-"

Bella stood up suddenly. "No. Do not do that. To be able to find and nurture such pure love...and to ruin that. No." She shook her head, aghast by the offer. "God surely must have had this planned for us, otherwise why create something so pure as true eternal love."

"Why this sudden change?" Victoria said, shocked by how openly Bella was grasping this.

"Maybe it is time I grew to accept some facts. I cannot change the way I feel for you just as the sun cannot stop shining, just as the flowers can not stop blooming in spring. This must be God's plan," she said assuredly. "It does not mean it will be easy for me, but if you will have me-" at this she began to look uncertain, working her fingers into the hem of her dress. Victoria strode over and soothed them, feeling their warmth in her cold fingers.

"I will," Victoria said simply and with warmth in her eyes. As long as Bella was willing to love her then she would wait for her. What was a couple of days or months to an immortal like her. Smiling at each other Bella leaned forward, parting her lips. It was an invitation and Victoria took it, leaning her head down to peck Bella swiftly on the lips.

It was a quick little thing, but it promised so much between them that she could barely contain her joy. She felt like she would burst from it, and given the giddy sort of look on Bella's face, it too, seemed she was happy and not letting doubts cloud her minds for once.

"Come, let us enjoy the last day of the Blood Feast," Victoria stated and they went to dance one last waltz.

A/N: Progress :)