~ Twelfth Night ~

A few nights after the incident by the lake, I found myself drawn to it, ghosting through the corridors of my keeper's castle, until my face met the evening wind. For a while I stood, staring out longingly at the water, wondering morbidly what secrets it's depths held. The warm seasons would soon be upon us, but it did not stop me shivering, the cool winds clawing at my skin, as I pulled my cloaks tighter around me. If I was honest with myself, I had no idea what I was doing there, but it wasn't often Mircea left me alone, – though I doubted I ever truly was – and when I was a child, my father would often take me down to the river that ran near our home. I found it soothing then, and it soothed me now, the water drawing me in to a state of bliss, as I watched the gentle ripples on it's surface, lightly tease the edge of the steps in front of me.

I dipped in a toe – it was warm, warmer than I had expected anyway, and soon I found myself soaking my feet, my garments pulled up casually over my knees, as I observed my legs suspended freely in the water.

I sighed.

"Say, that looks like a wonderful idea!"

I jumped to my feet, startled by the sudden bell-like tone, and froze. It was the girl, the one that had arrived with Aro and his brother. She smiled at me kindly, and quickly began shaking her head.

"I'm so sorry!" She rushed, "I didn't mean to startle you. Please, stay as you were, you looked so peaceful. If you wish, I can leave?"

I blinked at her, unused to demons being so accommodating. As I stood there debating, I was reminded yet again, of how different she was from any other of the creatures I'd met. Her smile reached her eyes, and though her gaze was crimson, it sparkled warmly, her cheeks crowned with child-like dimples, as she swept her long dark curls away from her face.

"It's Liliana, isn't it?" She continued, taking my silence as permission to stay. "We met before? I'm Didyme, Aro's sister?"

I nodded, unsure of what else to say, and Didyme nodded toward the ledge where I had been sat.

" Do you mind if I join you? My brother has drawn my husband away into boring talks of politics, and I must say, I find the coven here a little daunting."

She looked at me hopefully, and I nodded, as only I could, watching as she eagerly drew her dress up over her long legs, revealing perfectly porcelain flesh.

Didyme sat herself at the waters edge, grinning widely over her shoulder, and waved me down. "You will sit with me, won't you? I'm thoroughly starved of conversation. And don't worry, I fed at first light, so there won't be any accidents." She giggled, swishing her feet happily in the water. I hesitated briefly, and she tilted her head at me, pleading. "Please?"

I sighed in defeat, not really seeing a way to refuse, and strangely not really wanting to. She had a terribly captivating quality about her, I couldn't help but be drawn in by her warmth. I smiled politely, feeling suddenly lifted, and sat beside her, dangling my feet carelessly over the ledge.

"So." Didyme began lightly. "You're a princess. That must be interesting? I've never met a princess before." She said, looking at me with inquisitive eyes. "Do you have to carry out princessly duties?"

"Sometimes." I found myself saying, the pull she had, drawing the words from my mouth, before my mind had the time to reject them. "My father had been training me to handle court, but that was before..."

I fell into silence, uncomfortable with my tongue's sudden eagerness. A cold tentative hand grazed my shoulder.

"I'm sorry." Didyme smiled thinly. "I didn't think." She looked up at the castle, a light frown crinkling her pretty features. She turned back to me. "How long have you been here?"

"Six full moons." I answered quickly, eager to step out from under her pitying gaze. I squared my chin confidently. "Another six and I will return home."

"Home?" She echoed, seemingly confused by my statement. "You mean, you will be free to go?"

"As was the agreement Vladimir made with my father."

"I see." Didyme looked away, biting lightly at her lip, as a shadow of concern faintly teased her brow. "So, how was it you came to be here?" She wondered, cutting me off as I made to question her demure. "Did your father send you away?"

"My father is a good man!" I snapped defensively, forgetting myself as painful memories resurfaced. "He would not have left me here, if he'd had he any other choice."

Didyme nodded her head, staring out blindly toward the dark horizon.

"I have no doubt." She said quietly. "So, is this his punishment then? To have you here, far from his reach?"

"Father made a costly mistake and paid the price in full." I murmured brokenly, following her gaze to the water's end. "I had warned him, but he refused to listen, as did my brothers. The demons of this castle... they slaughtered two of my brothers right in front of him, their heads ripped clean from their shoulders. Vladimir and Dmitri... they didn't even feed, they – " I stopped myself, the careless rush of my voice reminding me that the conversation was dangerous. A weapon to be stored away and used later.

Yet I sobbed as the pressure in my chest rose painfully to my throat, swallowing it quickly before it could burst from my mouth.

Not today. I would not break, not now, not after everything, but tears stained my cheeks before I could stop them, and I quickly hid my face in my hands.

Didyme stroked soothing fingers through my hair, and I stilled.

"Liliana, forgive me, I didn't mean – "

But I shook my head, shrugging off her questionable affections, determined to finish now that I'd started. No one had ever asked, had ever cared, and now that someone had pried, had bothered to wonder, I could not stop.

"I know my father did what he thought was right." I said evenly, forcing my voice to remain steady, and straightening myself for proprieties sake, as a spell of lightness lifted my heart. "He wanted to stop it – the deal my people had made with the demons here. Generations of my family kept true to their promise, but my father saw it for what it was. It brought him shame."

Didyme frowned. "Deal?"

"Every year we are to offer a certain number of our people to Vladimir and his ilk. Sometimes they would make specific demands: warriors, beautiful women, but the last... the last was more than my father could handle."

"You mean..."

"Children. All the children that had seen less than twelve winters. My brother, Bram, would have been amongst their number."

Didyme nodded. "So he refused?"

"Worse. He rallied the surrounding villages, he got it into his head that if they all attacked at once, then they would at least stand a chance." I shook my head. "They were fools."

"They were slaughtered."

"Almost immediately." I replied lightly, an air of detachment clinging notably to my tone. "They saved my eldest brothers for last, of course. Sparing my father so he would have to live with the memory of what he'd done, and be reminded of the heavy price he had been forced to pay for his betrayal."

Didyme frowned. "And you coming here?"

"To ensure his continued devotion." I answered smoothly. "Once he proves himself trustworthy at the next offering, then Vladimir has promised to let me go. He just needs to make sure that my father understands the order of things, and then everything will be as it was."

Didyme looked at me, her lips parting wordlessly as she searched for something to say. Silence fell, and when it was not broken, I found myself wondering about her child-like readiness to listen, and how she – despite what she was – held an air of innocence about her, that even I, in all my soul-filled glory, no longer had the privilege of knowing.

"You're a very odd demon." I said eventually, no longer able to keep my thoughts from spilling out. "If it weren't for your appearance, I think I'd forget. You're so different from the others."

Didyme beamed, thankfully not offended by my bluntness.

"Marcus calls me his 'Little Ray of Light'." She cooed happily, biting bashfully at her lip. "He says that I am too innocent for this life. He wishes he could take me away from it all." Her face fell then, and the first hint of seriousness crossed her delicate features. "Aro wouldn't like that though. He wants us all together. He says we're safer that way."

I had to stop myself from scoffing, the idea of it was absurd. "What could you possibly have to fear? You are immortal."

"The others, of course." She said matter of factly. "Our kind are very territorial, Liliana. Should one take a disliking to another, then they have every chance of besting them in a fight."

I frowned. I'd never thought of it like that.

"Then wasn't it dangerous for you to come here?" I questioned, curiosity my most irritating weakness. "What if Vladimir and the others had decided to kill you where you stood?"

"We had our guard." She said simply.

"Yes, but still." I began incredulously. "There were only six of you, against Vladimir's entire coven!"

Didyme laughed, clasping her hands together merrily, as she gazed at me with amusement. "You are so very serious, Liliana! Your pretty little face is all bent out of place!"

My disbelief quickly turned to annoyance, and she laughed harder, patting my shoulder affectionately, before she abruptly jumped to her feet.

"Never mind." She giggled, throwing her hair back over her shoulders. "It is at least a pleasant show of character, no?"

"I am not concerned with your safety." I rallied boldly, irked by her teasing tones. "I am just surprised that any being would be so callous."

Didyme shook her head indulgently, reminding me suddenly of a thoughtful grandmother. "You are only seeing part of the picture, Princess. Perhaps one day, in time, we'll let you see the whole thing."

She left then, leaving me with nothing but her parting thanks, and a feeling of cold, where there had been warmth. I found myself strangely longing for her return. Her presence having lifted my spirits in a way I thought I had long forgotten to feel.

I think I had been happy? Even with my irritation at her mocking, I had still felt something. Something other than fear, or grief, or loathing, anyway.

I shook my head, realising to my discomfort, that it wasn't right. To feel such a sudden need for a stranger, let alone a demon – even despite her kindness – was horribly disconcerting. I felt invaded.

Did she do something to me?

Shivering openly now, and not entirely from the cold, I pulled my feet from of the waters, not stopping to dry myself off, and returned swiftly to my chambers.

R&R!

Thank you so much for my reviews! I'm off to reply to more now! I'm sorry I can't if you're not signed in, but I appreciate it regardless.

Tell me what you think of this chapter. I hope it adds a little depth to Liliana's character, I'm not sure if I wrote Didyme right, but I guess you'll let me know?

Sweet dreams! X x X