Chapter one: Roma Purl
"Come on dear, we're going to be late for dinner!" A burly man with brunette hair chided his daughter as they walked towards the dinner hall. The little girl's milky eyes looked blankly at her father, but her face was full of experiment.
"Daddy, are the Princes nice?" It was usual for the little girl to ask this question.
"Of course! Maybe you might be one of their apprentice one day!" The man looked down sadly and glanced at his sightless little daughter. I doubt it... The little girl smiled a toothy grin and squealed, "I'm gonna be an apprentices one day!" She paused and store at her father, though she could not see him, she could sense that he was there to her right, "I'm going to be a General like you, Daddy."
The big man let in a sharp intake of breath and felt tears pooling in his eyes.
She can't...Roma is blind, they won't let her...
He blinked the tears away and smiled at Roma, "You would be a great General."
Quit lying to her...You know she won't ever be one. But try. Try for her mother to make her one. A voice said to the man.
"Gavner!" a voice boomed the man's name.
Gavner Purl grinned and spread his arms, "What's up?"
"Nothing new."
Vancha March was a dirty, bad-mannered vampire prince. He wore purple animal skins that he rarely changed, and his hair was greasy, long and green. But he was respected and loved among the vampires of the mountain.
Roma felt him touch her shoulder, "This must be your daughter, I've heard so much about her!"
His smell hit Caroline like a freight train and she blanched, Vancha chuckled. The little girl made a face, "You smell like doggy."
"Roma!"
"Its OK. Where are you guys going?"
Gavner raised an eyebrow at the other big man, "Don't you know, there's a meeting."
As if something dawned on Vancha, he gasped, "Oh shit! I got to go!" He stroked Roma's hair and as quick as a flash he was gone.
Gavner grabbed the little girl's hand, "Its time we go too, we are late as well." He picked Roma up and started to run.
Roma placed her chin on her father's shoulder and closed her eyes, "Father, who was he?"
"A vampire prince."
"Oops."
"Yeah, oops."