Divine Expectations

by Jazlynn

Life is short and then you die. Life is short, but an immortal can live forever. At least, that should be the case. After all, an incident that happened 1000 years ago cannot possibly happen again, right? Subaru x Caren x OC. Sequel to Lilacs and Winds.

4. Divine Expectations

Here it is. The last part of Divine Expectations. This is what I envisioned after writing It Started with Lilacs—ever since I thought up Mathias' background. And now, you can finally read it. Enjoy the climax! I hope it meets with your expectations.

Divine Expectations
Divine Expectations
Written by: Jazlynn

I never thought that I would be reunited with Subaru so quickly. The last time I saw him, a ship was carrying him away from me so that he could go off somewhere else to do research. I never expected him to show up in a town where a majority of vampires lived. Yet, somehow, that didn't matter to me. What mattered to me was the fact that he was here sleeping in my arms in my hotel room.

I held him to me tightly as we lay on that bed, never wanting to let him go. I softly stroked his fluffy blonde hair as I rested my forehead against his. His strong arms encircled me as he slept, unknowingly keeping me close to him as well. Right now, I was the happiest being in the world. There was nothing that could break my ecstasy. Not even Mirada who was sitting in a chair by the large window who watched me curiously. I had been waiting for her to speak to me but, she said nothing. She just sat there, contemplating my closeness to Subaru.

After a while, she finally broke the silence that had enveloped the room. "I never realized that you would fall so desperately in love with someone after Mathias left."

I glanced over at her and hummed softly, my tone somewhat somber. "Well, I've gone so long without Mathias around that I feel as if I've gone back to living my normal life. I probably would have fallen in love with Subaru whether I had met Mathias or not."

Miranda nodded in understanding. "He really seems to fit with you."

"He does." I agreed while glancing down at Subaru's angelic face. "I feel like I'm whole with him—even if there are so many things working against us."

Miranda went quiet for a while before speaking up again. "Do you feel as if Mathias is one of those things?"

I felt torn when she asked me that. I knew that it was true. Mathias was one of the aspects working against my relationship with Subaru. As much as I wanted to be with Subaru, there was still a part of me that wanted to be with Mathias. I wanted to be with both of them. I had no idea as to how this would work out.

I sighed before telling Miranda all of my thoughts and feelings about the situation. "Yes, Mathias is one of the aspects working against us. I don't know exactly how I'm supposed to figure this out. I want to be with Subaru so much but… I still want to be with Mathias as well. And then there's the matter of my immortality. If I'm immortal, it would make more sense if I were to be with Mathias. Besides, I don't think Mathias would want to let me go when he returns."

A look of shock crossed Miranda's face as I said this. Did I miss something? "Oh, Lady Caren, I really don't think that to be true. There's so much more to Mathias than you know. He isn't some self-absorbed vampire who likes to keep what he thinks belongs to him. He understands that he interfered with your life by turning you and knows that he should never have been around in this time in order to turn you."

I looked at her skeptically. "So, you think that he'd just willingly give me away after all he's supposedly done to save my life?"

"Well…" Miranda paused to think. "I'm not entirely sure. Selfishness isn't really a huge trait of Mathias'. Yes, he can set his eyes on something and want to possess it but, that doesn't always mean that he wants to keep it forever—not that I'm referring to you as something that can just be thrown out. What I'm trying to say is, you have a choice in your life and Mathias will most likely respect any decisions that you make."

"I see…" I said quietly while trailing off.

I looked back down at Subaru and then I glanced over at Noel who was still sound asleep. Would I still be able to live a normal life? No, not completely. Subaru and Noel would grow old whereas I would remain eighteen for the rest of my life… which was eternity.

The room grew silent once again as I was lost in thought, pondering everything that Miranda had said to me. I had created a tangled mess by falling in love with Subaru. As I looked down at the fluffy haired man, I let out a soft sigh. Then, I heard Miranda gasp in surprise at something. I paid her no mind as I heard her get up off her chair. When I did pay attention to her, it was because she was taking something out of my bag. I glanced up at her to find that she held Rose's diary. She was looking at it with awe, tracing over the embroidered jewels with her fingers before opening it and flipping through the delicate pages. She looked up at me with a stunned expression.

"Where did you find this?" She asked, still slightly surprised. I also heard the hint of fear that was in her voice.

"I found it in Antarctica." I replied slowly, unsure of what she knew of the diary.

"In Antarctica?" She repeated in disbelief while looking back down at the pages. "How on Earth…?"

"What?" I pressed. "What's wrong?"

Miranda looked back up at me. "This book has been in Mathias' possession for over a thousand years and roughly about a month ago, it just disappeared. How exactly did you come across it?"

"Well…" I tried to think back to the night I first met Subaru. I remembered the terrifying experience that I had had in the ruins and I figured that I may as well come clean about the incident. "After I rescued my sister, I found that my life no longer had a purpose. I felt lost. Then, one of my servants demanded that I go do something instead of just lifelessly lie about in my room. So, I went to the surface and I met Subaru. He offered me a place to stay and I decided to do so. However, when I discovered that I was compelled to kill him, I figured that I'd go out to hunt. I found some prey but, due to the creature's persistency, I was covered in blood. So, I broke a hole in the ice and jumped into the water to clean myself off. I found the ruins of a palace there. I went to check it out and that's where I found the diary."

Miranda listened intently to what I said, her eyes understanding yet, still somewhat panicked. "Did you read it?"

"No." I lied, amazed how honest my tone sounded. "It would be disrespectful, wouldn't it?"

Miranda nodded. "That it would. Then again, most vampires aren't very respectful and they act impulsively."

Her eyes left the pages of the book then and she looked at me with an expression that read 'I know you're lying and you're not going to fool me.' I had been caught. However, Miranda didn't say much before she looked back down at the pages. She flipped through a few of them with a look of confusion on her face. I didn't know why she was confused. However, it looked like she was about to say something so, I listened intently.

"Lady Caren…" she started. "About how far into this did you get? What was happening the last time you read it?"

I thought hard on this, trying to remember the last thing I read. I thought back to the train ride after I had spoken with Miranda. "Well… it was the fifth of January in the year 1000. The Mermaid Princess was beginning to hate her fiancé and she was becoming infatuated with his cousin."

Miranda hummed in response, thoughtful and pensive. "And, when you were reading it, were there no names to go along with the people she described?"

"No." I answered, truthfully this time. Of course, I wasn't going to tell her that it changed after that one incident with the Black Beauty Sisters.

Miranda sighed and set the book down on a desk in the room. "That is very strange…"

"What is?" I asked, wondering what about the diary was bothering her.

She looked at me, a confused look still present in her eyes. "There were names in this book before and now they've all changed. I've already read it and so I know who the book is referring to but, it's as if it'd never been written that way originally."

This fact bothered me. Why was Rose doing this? What was her purpose in backing up my omitted truth? What was she gaining out of this? Perhaps she didn't want Miranda to know that I knew of Mathias' past. Or was she setting up for some great plan that she had that involved my immortal soul?

Neither Miranda nor I said anything for a long time. I found myself distracted by the room again, looking closely at the weaving of the silk comforter and the intricate lace that hung around me. The room was looking different to me somehow. It seemed… lighter. I didn't know why until I looked to the window. The night sky was paling as it slowly turned to blue. The night had already come and gone, the new day fast approaching—the day when I was to be reunited with Mathias. I felt my stomach knot just thinking about it.

The sound of my sister stirring in her bed distracted me and I looked over to find her groggily sitting up. She seemed very dazed and confused about where she was for a moment. She looked around the room, her eyes stopping on Miranda. She gasped and then glanced over to me holding Subaru in my arms. She seemed very confused by this and I could see thousands of questions in her mind.

"What… Caren? What happened last night?" She asked, still seeming rather dazed. "And who are they?"

I looked at her calmly to make sure that she knew I had everything under control. "Well, last night, you fell asleep and I went to go hunt. Then, I ran into these two."

I looked over at Miranda and then glanced down at Subaru who was beginning to stir as well. I looked back over at Noel. "Miranda, over there, saved me from getting attacked by another vampire and Subaru, here, got caught up in the middle of it. I've told you about both of them, remember?"

"Well…" Noel took a moment to think about things. Then, her face lit up with realization. "Oh! Yes, I remember now!"

Miranda looked over at me. "She knows?"

"Yes." I replied, already knowing that Miranda had been referring to everything that had happened that she was aware of.

"So, you told her about everything?" Miranda asked, trying to press the matter.

"Yes." I replied once again. "She read Mathias' letter over my shoulder so, I had to tell her."

"And it wasn't only that." Noel quickly piped in as if she were trying to defend me. "In all honesty, I had actually heard about vampires before and knew that they were real. I just didn't know that Caren had been affected by it."

Miranda looked over at Noel curiously. "How did you find out then? Did someone tell you?"

Noel nodded and I found myself quite surprised. She already knew. She knew that vampires were real before I had told her and before she had read the letter. Was that the reason why she was so calm when she realized what I had become? I was now quite curious about how my sister would answer Miranda's question. I listened intently as my sister answered.

"Well," she started softly. "It was about a year ago and I happened across a man who seemed to figure out what I was right away. He warned me that Europe wasn't a safe place for me and that I should stay in the sea. He then warned me that if a normal vampire found me, my life would be in great danger. And so, I took his advice and went back into the sea."

Noel went quiet for a moment before she added onto her statement with a more cynical tone. "Ironically, it was right after I returned to the sea that my kingdom was destroyed and when I sacrificed myself to Gaito in order to save Rina."

"Oh my gosh…" I said, somewhat shocked by my sister's story. "So, had you not met this stranger who told you about vampires, the fate of the sea might have been completely different."

Apparently Miranda wasn't concerned with my imaginings of a different world. "This stranger was completely right about you being in danger. It's for the same reason why Caren is in so much danger right now just for being in this town. And speaking of which, we need to be going soon. It's dangerous to stay in one spot for too long."

"Are vampires going to come after Caren?"

I almost jumped when I heard Subaru speak. He pulled himself up to a sitting position and wrapped his arms around me tightly. I found myself cuddling close to him as he did this. I felt safer that way. I liked being in his arms.

Miranda's attention came back to Subaru and I. "Perhaps. It all depends on how we figure this situation out. If we stay in this town for too long, servants of Demetrius—Mathias' father—will realize who Caren is and what she has become and will see to it that she is… killed. However, Mathias is returning at some point today and I have no doubt that he will do everything in his power to make Caren safe. We just need to wait for him to come."

"Well, in that case…" Subaru paused for a moment before looking down at me. "I will do anything I can to protect Caren until Mathias comes. I may only be human but… I'm not just going to stand by and let creatures that supposedly don't exist come to kill her."

I heard the sheer truth in Subaru's voice as he spoke and I felt him pull me closer to him. Subaru truly loved me. He was going to fight vampires for me if he had to. I found myself surprised at how devoted he was that he would protect me. In Antarctica, I had never seen this side of him. It only made me want to be with him all the more. I glanced over to Miranda, wondering what her reaction would be. She seemed contemplative as if Subaru's statement had her thinking greatly over something.

"Well now…" She replied in wonderment. "You seem to be willing to go the distance for her. It certainly sounds as if you would back up your words in an instant. I don't think that anything Mathias could say would ever match up to that."

Miranda looked to me then. "I think that Mathias will have no choice but to let you go. He can't possibly be in love with you as much as it seems Subaru does."

"But didn't Mathias leave Caren in order to protect her?" Noel asked, not wanting to be ignored in this conversation.

"Aye, that he did." Miranda replied. "However, in my knowledge, he's never said that he would do anything to protect her. I don't really know how to explain it right but… it seems more like Mathias wants to protect Caren. The way that Subaru said it, it seemed more like a need."

An eerie silence came over the room as Miranda's words sank in. Did that mean that Mathias wouldn't care if I ended up dead? No… that couldn't be… He loved me, right? But what about Rose? He loved her before he ever loved me. Did that mean he had sworn the same oath Subaru had but that he had failed to protect the one he felt he needed to protect? I felt more confused than I had before. It was amazing how something that occurred over a thousand years ago could have had such an impact on the present time.

A long sigh escaped my sister's lips, pulling all attention over to her. She slipped off the side of the bed and then looked at us all as she walked into the middle of the room.

"Well," she started as if she had become frustrated. "Personally, I think it's far too early in the morning to be dwelling on these thoughts. I don't know about the rest of you but, I'd rather put off this topic until Mathias actually gets here. Then, we can figure this whole thing out about who loves my sister more and who she is happy with. But right now, I'm going down to the lobby to get something to eat."

Noel glanced over at me and smiled before grabbing a keycard and leaving the room. I blinked a few times in confusion as she left and I tried to think through her actions. I figured that she had planned out that whole little speech. If she hadn't, she wouldn't have given me the smile that she did. Another sigh distracted me and I looked over to Miranda.

"She's right, you know." She said softly while looking at me. "I'll go see to it that your sister remains safe."

Before I knew it, Miranda had left the room as well, leaving me alone with Subaru. I looked up at him and he looked down at me—both of us slightly confused from what just happened. We looked at each other for a moment before a smile spread across his face.

"I get the feeling that your sister and your friend don't like me." He stated in a joking manor.

I giggled. "Oh, they're fine. I think it was Miranda's comment that did this."

Subaru laughed softly at this but then his expression went thoughtful and serious. "You know, I was completely serious about what I said before… about wanting to protect you. I love you, Caren. If I had to, I would fight vampires for you. I would do absolutely anything to keep you safe. And I don't even care about who this Mathias is—whether he was the vampire who turned you and thinks he loves you or not, I'm keeping you. I don't want to lose you. I mean… I don't want to say that I can't live without you, because I could, I just… I would feel so lost and confused without you in my life."

As Subaru told me this, I gently pulled away from him with a smile on my face. "You really mean it?"

He nodded, softly running a hand through my dark locks of hair. "I do, Caren. I've had two girlfriends before I met you and I've never felt this strongly about them as I do you."

I hummed in response and cuddled up close to Subaru once more. "You know, I thought I felt that way about Mathias after he turned me. I was infatuated with him because he seemed to care about me so much. But now, I'm beginning to think that he only turned me because he wanted another chance at his life from 1000 years ago. I still care about him but… I find that I no longer want to be with him as much as I want to be with you."

Subaru smiled at my response but became pensive once more. "But… who's to say that you won't be enthralled with him again when he comes back? Who's to say that you won't fall in love with him all over again and just forget about me? I'm only human, after all."

I silenced Subaru by pressing my lips against his. I pulled myself closer to him, running my fingers through his fluffy blonde hair. I gently pulled away from him for a moment before looking deeply into his blue eyes. "Subaru, I want to be with you. I feel complete when I'm with you."

I kissed Subaru more passionately this time, pressing myself close to him, and he responded to my actions. He held me tightly, deepening the kiss I had started, moving his hands up and down my back. My lips parted and I breathed in Subaru's sunshiny scent from his mouth as his lips moved with mine. I felt his tongue slip into my mouth and I welcomed his gesture letting my own tongue meet his. The way he tasted drove my senses wild. Suddenly, I wanted him. I desired him. I needed him. However, it wasn't how a regular vampire would want a human. My desires were completely physical and I wished to comply with what my body wanted. I rolled over to the side, pulling Subaru on top of me. He moved his mouth away from mine and he gently began to cover my neck in kisses as his hands slid under the lavender shirt I was wearing. I searched the front of Subaru's white shirt for the buttons that held it together at the front. I began to undo the buttons, softly giggling as Subaru continued to kiss me.

And then I froze.

My body ceased moving as if it had become ice. The only part of me that moved were my golden eyes as they darted around the room, searching for some unknown presence. Subaru stopped kissing me and pulled back to look at me as worry crossed his face.

"Caren, what's wrong?" He asked softly.

I didn't answer him right away but I continued to look around the room. Something wasn't right. Something wasn't right at all. However, I couldn't find anything wrong with the room. I felt edgy as my eyes kept darting around. I tried to pull myself closer to Subaru, wanting that feeling of safety again.

"Subaru…" I murmured softly, fear seeping into my voice. "Something is wrong. I feel like someone is… like someone is watching us."

Subaru's arms tightened around me and he pulled me close to him. "I won't let anyone hurt you."

"I know…" I replied softly, feeling comforted by Subaru's words. "But, just to be safe, I think we should go down into the lobby now."

"Alright then," he murmured softly while sliding off of me.

Once he was standing up, he extended his hand for me to take. I reached out to take his hand and he then pulled me up off the bed and into his arms. He embraced me tightly and, had that feeling of unease not been present, I would have kissed him. He pulled me away from the bed and seized the second keycard off the desk. He then pulled me over to the door and we made our exit. Although I was upset about leaving that bed, I was glad that I no longer felt as if I was in danger.

We walked down the hallway together, hand in hand with smiles on our faces. I barely heard the piano playing in the lobby but, I recognized Taro's music. He was playing again. It was a song that I hadn't heard before. The melody almost reminded me of Hanon. It was probably the song he had written for her. The song became more prominent as Subaru and I neared the staircase and elevator shaft.

My attention was quickly distracted from the music as Subaru pushed the button for the elevator. He looked at me and smiled and I could tell that I was smiling too. When the elevator door opened, I gladly followed Subaru inside. I found myself forcing Subaru into one of the corners before pressing myself against him and kissing him. His hands found mine and our fingers intertwined. I gently pulled my lips away from Subaru's and I buried my face into his chest. I felt him resting his chin on my head and I couldn't help but smile. To me, it seemed as if I fit well in his arms. And I did.

When the elevator stopped, I unwillingly pulled away from him. As the door began to open, I noted that half of Subaru's shirt was still unbuttoned from earlier. I gasped and reached out to button them up again. Subaru laughed at my actions before he decided to help me out. Although I couldn't blush, I knew that Subaru was aware of my embarrassment. My face didn't need to be completely flushed with colour for him to know.

As I reached for the last button I recalled being done up, Subaru took my hands away from his shirt. "I think I look decent enough now. Let's go."

I frowned at his overly cheerful and mocking face as I continued to reach for the button. "You won't be decent in Miranda's eyes. She'll notice and then you're gonna be in trouble."

"Alright, then. You know best, I suppose." He replied while softly laughing at me. However, he allowed me to fix his button and that made me happy.

We walked out into the lobby and Taro's music found its way to my ears again. The song was different now and it had a more jazzy feel to it. I recognized the melody as 'Cry Me a River'. An almost smug smile crossed my face as I was reminded of Mathias. He would have to cry me a river in order to come back to me but, I wanted to be with Subaru and there was nothing that he would be able to do about it.

I looked over to one of the couches surrounding the platform and found my sister with a wide grin across her face as she sat on the couch with a cup of coffee in her hands. I wondered why she was smiling like that considering the fact that she had yet to see me enter. I looked at Miranda who was sitting in the seat next to her, her golden eyes transfixed on Taro as he played the piano. I could see wonder, awe and adoration in her eyes and I felt a huge grin flash across my face. Now I understood.

Subaru and I approached the circle of chairs and took a seat on a couch beside the one Noel was sitting on. She looked over at us and mouthed the word 'hello' before she turned her attention back to Taro. Miranda took no notice of me while she watched Taro, lost in his music. I had to restrain a laugh.

The song Taro was playing finished and he stood up, signaling that he was done playing for now. He turned to leave and, when he found the audience he had attracted, a look of shock crossed his face.

"Caren, Noel! Good morning." A smile crossed his face as he acknowledged us.

"Morning!" I chirped back.

"Good morning, indeed." Noel echoed suggestively while moving over to the side of the couch closer to me. Her navy eyes fell upon me and I could see the deviousness in them. "Caren, how come your hair is messier since the last time I saw you?"

My eyes widened in shock as she said this. Did she really assume… Oh no. No, no, no! She would never let me live this down even though I hadn't actually slept with Subaru. I couldn't patch this up! She knew what had almost occurred! Then, I heard Subaru speak up.

"This is why her hair is like that." He replied quickly.

I didn't understand his meaning until it was too late. Subaru ruffled my hair and I gasped. My jaw dropped and I gave Subaru an accusing glare. He merely smiled that goofy smile of his at me. Although my hair had to suffer, he had saved me there.

"Oh, that's right. I almost forgot." I said through my teeth while trying to smooth my hair. I heard Taro chuckling and I glanced up at him.

"Is he a friend of yours, Caren?" He asked, rather amused by the situation.

"Yeah," I said while breathing out a mocking sigh of aggravation. I turned to Subaru and lightly shoved his shoulder. "He's my mean boyfriend who likes to tease me."

Noel cut in and turned Taro's attention over to Miranda. "And this is our friend, Miranda. She lives in this town."

Taro smiled warmly at Miranda and extended his hand to her. "I'm Taro Mitsuki. It's a pleasure to meet you, Miranda."

Miranda snapped out of her daze momentarily to shake his hand. Breathlessly, she replied, "The pleasure is all mine. It is an honor to meet a musician as accomplished as you."

Subaru, Noel and I all exchanged devious smiles as the two introduced themselves. It was far too much fun to play matchmaker. However, there was nothing more that any of us could think of to help any kind of spark between Miranda and Taro along. I quickly searched my mind for something to use. Then, I thought of something.

"Hey, Miranda, is there any place in this town that serves amazing breakfast foods? I'm kinda hungry. And perhaps Taro might want to see the city as well. I'm sure that you know lots about it since you live here."

Miranda's eyes lit up as I made this suggestion. "Oh, yes! Yes, yes, of course! I know of a place that's really good. We can all go there! Taro, you'll come, won't you?"

"I would love to come." He replied, smiling at Miranda.

I didn't think that Miranda's eyes could light up anymore but, they did. Her excitement was clearly evident and I knew that she would do anything to make Taro happy. My only concern was whether or not Taro would live to be human another day. If Miranda really wanted him, all she had to do was bite him.

"Then let us not waste anymore time! Let's go, right now!" She exclaimed while taking Taro's hand and pulling him towards the door, motioning for us to follow her.

As soon as she and Taro were out the door, Subaru, Noel and I burst out into a fit of laughter. The sound echoed throughout the high ceilings and came back to hit us, full force. We didn't even realize how loud it was until a receptionist 'shhh'ed us. We managed to contain our laughter but the smiles never left our faces. As soon as we were outside of the hotel, we burst out laughing again. Miranda and Taro looked back at us from where they were and we tried to compose ourselves. As we started walking over to Miranda and Taro, Subaru looked over at me.

"Well," he said. "That was thoroughly the most amusing thing that has happened all day."

I giggled and latched my arm around Subaru's. I looked up at him with a smile. "Most definitely."

--x--x--x--x--x--x--x--

True to Miranda's word, she brought us to a café right near the heart of the town. We were all sitting at a white table outside of the café, eating the different breakfasts that we ordered. Although, eating may not have been an appropriate word since no one really was at the moment. Miranda kept Taro busy by asking him questions about his life and telling him things about hers. Noel was bordly stirring her coffee, most likely becoming tired of hearing Miranda talking animatedly beside her. I was taking a bite of a piece of toast and was constantly glancing over at the cathedral a few blocks down and Subaru… he wouldn't take his blue eyes off me.

I looked at him and smiled as I took a sip of my hot chocolate. I looked down at the drink with a frown and looked back at Subaru. "You know, I think I prefer your crappy hot chocolate."

Subaru laughed and ruffled my hair. I glared at him for messing up my hair again and I tried to smooth it down. Subaru just smiled at me before replying. "So, you prefer cheap hot chocolate over the fancy kind where they actually use real chocolate?"

I paused for a moment to think on this. "Yes."

"It's amusing that a princess thinks that way." Noel stated, jumping into my conversation with Subaru.

"Yeah, but it's true." I retorted, taking another sip of the hot chocolate that I didn't particularly like.

Subaru cocked his head to the side. "So you're still drinking it?"

I looked over at him and answered simply, "Yes."

Noel laughed and Subaru just gave me a smile that said 'I really don't understand you'. I put the hot chocolate down and folded my arms over my chest, pretending to be stern.

"Now, now, I know that Miranda has an endless supply of cash but, to not finish the drink would be rude." I explained, a smile beginning to break my expression.

I don't know why I did it but, I looked over to find that Miranda was completely oblivious to the conversation between Subaru, Noel and I. Subaru and Noel also glanced over at the two. They both smiled widely. Subaru was the next to speak up.

"So, do you think they would notice if we just upped and left?"

I grinned evilly. "Probably not."

Noel mirrored my evil smile and she stood up. Her chair dragged on the pavement and made a noise that would be offensive to any vampire's ears. I almost cringed because of it. However, Miranda and Taro were both oblivious to my sister's actions. With smiles on our faces, Subaru and I also stood up. Trying not to laugh, the three of us wandered away from Miranda and Taro. Once we were far enough away, the three of us burst out laughing once again. This was all too amusing!

"I can't believe they didn't notice us!" I exclaimed through laughter.

"I know!" Noel replied, a smile permanently plastered on her face. "That was priceless!"

"So what do we do now?" Subaru inquired while glancing around the street.

Noel and I also looked around in search for some place to go. As my eyes searched the street, something caught my attention. It was a small shop that sold different trinkets, statues and all sorts of medieval things. I felt drawn to it and I wanted to see what was inside.

"How about we go in there?" I asked while pointing to the shop.

Noel was already on her way to the shop as soon as I pointed to it. Subaru took my hand and smiled at me. "Alright. It seems like a pretty cool place. Besides, I think your sister already decided to go in there."

"I guess she has." I replied while watching my sister enter the shop.

Subaru and I followed her and entered the store. As soon as I opened the door, I was welcomed by many different scents. I could smell roses, lavender, fire, and the ocean. There were many different scents but, those were the ones I noticed right away. As I looked around, I found a shelf that contained many different kinds of incense. Sure enough, a few of the labels depicted the scents I had been able to pick out.

I wandered away from Subaru, wanting to look around the shop by myself. There were many figurines of dragons and dark angels holding roses. There was even a garden statue of a man sitting on a throne of dead bodies. I found that rather disturbing—even though I was a vampire. Whoever carved the statue made sure to put bloodlust in the man's eyes. Perhaps the statue was of a vampire. I was almost certain that it was. As far as I knew, vampires had sick humor and would definitely make something like that.

Wandering away from the statue, I came across another ornament hanging from the wall. My eyes widened in shock and horror at what I saw. Suddenly, I wanted out of this store. I wanted to run back to Miranda and hide in her embrace like a little child. What my eyes beheld was the most horrific, most offensive thing I had ever seen in my life. About the size of a medieval shield, a cross hung on the wall. It was carved with much care and was covered in intricate designs that I recalled seeing in the ruins in the Antarctic Ocean. However, the cross wasn't what offended me. What offended me and scared me to death was the woman that was bound to the cross. She appeared to be human and was clothed in beautiful garments that looked akin to what a Greek Goddess might wear. Her hair was loosely braided and fell over her right shoulder. A familiar looking pendant hung around her neck and I felt inclined to clutch the one that hung around mine. Emerald vines twisted around the cross and the woman and amethyst lilacs adorned those vines. Diamonds were mixed with the amethysts to give the blossoms a frozen look. The flowers reminded me of Rose's diary. The woman on the cross reminded me of me.

My body began to tremble and I began breathing quickly. I couldn't comprehend what was going on anymore. I felt as if I was in a trance that didn't allow me to think or act of my own accord and didn't let me know what I was doing. The next thing I knew, I was out in the street with Noel and Subaru chasing after me, calling out my name. I slowed to a stop and then I felt Subaru embracing me tightly. I buried my face into his chest and began to whimper out of fear and helplessness. I think I heard my sister trying to talk to me but I couldn't grasp any of the words she said. Everything that Noel and Subaru were trying to say to me sounded like gibberish.

Then, I felt my chin being lifted and I felt Subaru's lips against my own. I slid my arms around his neck, welcoming his gesture as it brought me unmatchable comfort. I pulled myself closer to him and his arms tightened around me. Slowly becoming aware of the things going on around me, I pulled my lips away from Subaru's, allowing him to breathe. I rested my head on his shoulder and closed my eyes, trying to collect my thoughts. Slowly, my eyes flickered back open and I gazed out at the street behind Subaru. There were humans and vampires—mostly vampires—that lined the streets, most of them staring at me. The cathedral stood mightily in the background, giving the sight a more surreal look. However, my eyes connected with another pair of golden eyes and I was shocked once again. Standing in the middle of the street, looking hurt and betrayed, was Mathias.

I pulled away from Subaru and I just stood there, looking at him. He looked really different somehow but, that didn't matter. What mattered was that he had seen me kissing Subaru when he had done so much for me because he loved me. And now, I had hurt him. I had hurt him more than he could have ever hurt me. Both Subaru and Noel turned to look over at him and then he fled.

All of a sudden, I felt something snap within me and I was running towards Mathias as fast as I could. I tried to keep him within my sight as I ran. I was able to see him as clear as day but then, he disappeared within the cathedral. I followed after him. I ran up the steps of the large church and as I was about to pass through the doors, I heard Mathias' voice calling out from behind me.

"Caren, NO!"

His voice sounded so agonized, so afraid that I felt myself turn to the sound of his voice. He was running up the steps of the cathedral, his appearance exactly how I remembered and possessed none of the differences I had noted earlier. He reached out to me and I reached out to him but, I felt myself being forcefully pulled back into the cathedral, the large doors slamming closed, blocking Mathias from me. My head hit the ground and I heard the marble crack beneath it. I heard Mathias forcefully hit the door and he cursed loudly. Then, I heard his voice as clearly as if he was right beside me.

"Demon! If you so much as touch a hair on her head, I'll kill you!"

I tried to sit up and I rubbed the back of my head with my hand. When I looked at my hand, my eyes widened with shock. My hand was coated with a silvery liquid. I didn't know what it was. Was I really bleeding? Was this silvery substance my blood? I felt my body begin to shake. I couldn't move other than tremble. When my mouth opened, no words came out. And then, I felt someone harshly picking me up. This time, I managed to scream loudly. I heard Mathias calling out my name in a frenzy and I thrashed about in an attempt to get away from the strong arms that held me. I was being brought away from the door and I didn't like that at all. I continued to thrash about and scream and I was amazed that I was able to hear Subaru and Noel calling me from the other side of the door.

"Mathias, Subaru, Noel, save me!" I screamed out.

I felt myself being flung down onto a pew and I tried to get up to get away. I thought it would be easy to do since I was a vampire but, I guess that didn't mean anything now. I felt a hand seize my hair and I felt my head being yanked back. I let out another shrill scream as my attacker attempted to rip my hair out of my head. I felt his lips by my ear then and I continued to try and get away from him.

"What is it about your kind that makes you so special?" He hissed venomously. "What is it about you Antarctic Princesses that makes my son desire more than anything else?"

I couldn't answer. My mind was reeling and I was having a difficult time trying to figure things out. My captor must've disliked my silence for he smashed my head against the back of the pew. I screamed again as the part of my head that had hit the marble came in contact with the hard oak. My scream turned into a whimper and I felt my attacker leave me. I couldn't move. Fear had paralyzed me. And then, I heard an organ playing a dark melody.

A haze of black surrounded my body and I felt myself being lifted off the pew. I was forced to look at the front of the chapel where my attacker was calming playing the organ, his golden eyes looking over his shoulder at me. I knew who this man was. I had seen him before when I was at the Pearl Piari. I had seen him in Rose's vision. I had heard the words he spoke earlier. This was Demetrius—Mathias' father.

He smiled wickedly and smashed his hands down on the keys of the organ. Without warning, I was flung up into the air and collided with the high arched ceiling of the cathedral. I hit it with such impact that the whole building shook. The breath was knocked out of me and I didn't have time to scream before I shot down towards the floor. I crashed into the pews beneath me and such pain surged through me that I couldn't register what had just happened. Then, I let out such an agonized scream that I thought I was dying right then and there. My scream was echoed by laughter and I felt absolutely sick to my stomach. The dark song continued and I then felt by body being dragged through the broken pews towards the front of the church. I cringed, whimpering as pain surged through my body. Then, the pull on me became stronger and I was dragged towards a set of three stairs. I shut my eyes tightly and cringed as I crashed into them. It hurt like hell as I was dragged up them. Then, my body was lifted once more and I was flung harshly onto a stone alter. I screamed out once more as I made contact with the stone. The impact was so strong that I began coughing. More of that silvery substance was coming out of my mouth and now, I was almost to certain that it was my blood.

Demetrius laughed loudly as he left his organ to stand over my crippled body. "You know, I've always found the blood of your filthy kind beautiful. When a creature that is not human becomes a vampire, they blood turns silver instead of the black that was originally intended."

I couldn't really comprehend what he was saying to me. I was in far too much pain. However, I was aware when Demetrius bit into his wrist and allowed his black blood to drip onto my figure. His blood looked like oil, like ink. Drops of it fell upon my face and this seemed to make Demetrius laugh. His face fell upon my face and he smeared the blank substance around on my left cheek. I shied away from his cold touch but he just smiled even more.

"Did you know that Mathias was in love with a Mermaid Princess long, long ago?" He inquired, his hand clenching around my hair once more to pull my face up close to his. "Her name was Rosephanye. She was quite in love with him as well. They were going to get married. However, Mathias became sick and I had to save him. He still wanted to be with her after that and so, he would have to turn her. I could not allow that to happen. And so, I tricked her into meeting with me. Then, I killed her. I had her nailed to a cross so that she would have to die in the worst way possible. And do you want to know the funny part about her death?"

I felt absolutely sick as Demetrius described Rose's death to me. After reading her diary and knowing what her life was like, I felt as if I personally knew her. Besides, she was one of my predecessors. I truly didn't want to hear more of what this demented vampire had to say. However, my throat was filled with blood and I could not speak. Demetrius continued to speak.

"I convinced Mathias that poor little Rosie's advisors had forbidden her love for him and that, in her grief, she killed herself. Oh, how Mathias was incensed! In his rage, he tore down to her kingdom and slaughtered all of the mermaids there. I must say, after he returned, he seemed a broken man… like life no longer mattered to him. He would spend every day and every night praying for God to forgive him. It's just sad that he doesn't know who God really is."

I glared at Demetrius as he spoke of this. I wanted to tear his throat out. I wanted to nail him to a cross and make him suffer. I coughed the blood up that was in my throat and I attempted to sit up. Pain surged through me and I had to let myself fall back down. Demetrius smiled and wandered away from me before coming back with a silver object in his hand.

"In truth, I am God. I could easily forgive him if he just asked for forgiveness. And now, I will forgive you for what you are because I know that you must not have had the choice." Then, he tilted the metal object and clear water poured down on me. I could feel the dark blood being washed off my body as I changed into my mermaid form. My pain wasn't as great anymore but I was still deathly afraid. Demetrius dropped the silver bowl and knelt beside the alter to look down on my exposed form. "All you have to do is serve me and only me for the rest of your eternal life."

"No." My, now violet, eyes narrowed at the vampire as I venomously uttered the same phrase that his wife told him over a thousand years ago. "I will not worship a false God."

I watched as rage spread through Demetrius' body. He began to shake and I suddenly felt very scared. However, I wasn't going to give into him. I wouldn't let him have what he wanted. He wanted me to succumb to him. I wasn't going to let that happen. The tactic worked with Mathias so, maybe I could save myself by using it now.

Demetrius' hand wove through my hair once again and he sharply lifted my off the alter. I screamed as I grabbed his hand, trying to lessen the pain from his grip. I was flung at the organ and a discord of notes sounded when I made contact with the keys. I gasped as the ivory keys dug into my skin as they shattered. I disliked being forcefully thrown around like this. I could feel blood oozing from my back where the broken keys of the organ sunk into my skin. My eyes shot open and I watched in horror as Demetrius threw Rose's diary at me. I didn't know how he had gotten it or when but I knew that he was about to make some remark about it now.

"Did she write that in this godforsaken tome of hers?" He screamed out angrily. His voice made me cringe. "Has she been warning you about me through the pages of this book?"

I was frozen by fear once more and, in his incensed state, he drew a dagger from his clothes and stabbed me. The blade sliced into my tail and ran down my scales as if it were air. I screamed out loudly as a silver stream of blood began to flow from the cut. The sheer sound of it amazed me because it sounded as if glass was shattering as my voice echoed throughout the cathedral. Little pieces of coloured glass began to rain down around Demetrius and I and both of us looked up.

Where once a magnificent, circular, stained glass window shined brightly with the light of the sun, Mathias fell gracefully towards me in a rainbow of shattered glass. A smile spread across my agonized face when I saw him. He had come to save my life.

He landed on the organ, causing it to break even more. He crouched low, his body completely rigid as he glared daggers at the vampire who'd tried to kill me. I attempted to reach out to him, to touch his face. He didn't move as my fingers gently grazed his cheek. A genuine smile played on my lips as I touched him. He was real. He was here within my reach. It was as if he'd never been gone. Mathias looked at me and his expression softened. He lifted his arm so that he could run his hand through my long tresses of violet hair.

For a moment, it seemed as if Mathias were going to lean forward and kiss me but, as a single step resounded through the cathedral, Mathias went rigid again, a loud hiss escaping his lips. His eyes flashed over to his father in sheer anger before he took me up into his arms. I buried my face into his chest, relishing in his scent while I could. The broken organ alerted me as Mathias moved from where he stood, stepping on the broken keys as he jumped off the destroyed instrument. Swiftly, he brought me over to a corner and set me down before he turned to charge at his father.

I watched in horror as the two vampires collided. I wanted to help Mathias desperately. I wanted to help kill the man who had caused him so much grief in his life. However, I was paralyzed by my own pain and was in my mermaid form. I was completely useless at the moment. My eyes tried to follow the movements of both vampires but my vision was hazy. I blinked repeatedly, trying to figure out who was winning. I could only make out blurs—not a good thing considering that I was a half vampire. I tried focusing harder but then...

Mathias let out a hiss of pain as he was thrown back onto the stairs. I gasped and, as I looked at his figure, saw that he was losing the battle. The black shirt he was wearing was torn and his pale skin was stained with blood—black blood. He clutched his arms tightly but I had already seen the deep cut that had been made at some point.

"Ungrateful son..." Demetrius muttered. His gold eyes narrowed and became an angry blood red colour. "I'll see to it that you never disobey me again!"

Time slowed as I watched the events around me unfold. My eyes widened in horror as I watched Demetrius lunge towards Mathias. I turned to look at Mathias, a look of helplessness, despair, and agony vividly expressed on his perfect face. I opened my mouth and screamed out his name, hoping—praying that somehow, he would be spared.

Two feminine voices resonated throughout the cathedral. I recognized the one as my own but, the other; it was completely foreign to me. Mathias gasped and his father stopped dead in his tracks. I too, found myself stunned by the voice. The tone matched mine exactly. It was full of fear and worry for Mathias' life. Judging by both Mathias' and Demetrius' reactions, I was certain that it was Rose. But how? How had she been able to call out to Mathias when she'd been dead for over a thousand years?

It is because I live in you.

A bright light enveloped the cathedral and I managed to glance once over the Rose's diary before it faded into white as well. Ethereal lavender light had been emitting from the worn pages of the book. Then, I felt a warm light enshroud my body. That same lavender colour surrounded me, my pearl being its source. I felt my body shifting once more. My tail split into two legs and my body was clothed in loose, white fabric. My hair braided itself loosely, lilacs becoming entwined in my violet locks. When the light died down, I was able to fully observe myself. I was in my diva form yet, this wasn't my normal attire. Instead of the tiny dress I usually wore, I was clothed in fine white, linen robes lined with silver. The straps hung from my shoulders, meeting at the middle of my chest in a 'v' shape, showing a lot of my mid chest. A fine silver rope was tied underneath my breasts, delicately zigzagging down my torso to my waist. The rope was tied off at my right hip and the rest of the string dangled at my side. The linen flowed down my legs like a waterfall, part of the dress raised on the left side to show my delicate legs. Silver sandals adorned my feet and more silver rope crisscrossed up to my knees to keep the shoes securely on my feet. Taking my mind of my dress and looking at my body, I found that it was distinctly mine yet, not. I was Rose—no—Rosephanye. I was both Rosephanye and myself; Purple Mermaid Princess of the Antarctic Ocean. And I was going to save Mathias just as he saved me.

I walked forward, my steps light and graceful as glorious light surrounded me. Demetrius looked at me and, for the first time, I saw fear in his eyes. He was afraid of me. Not that I was surprised. He should be afraid of me. He was the cause of all the horrible things that had happened to Mathias and me. It was time he paid for his mistake. I opened my mouth and Rosephanye's voice came soaring out.

"Somehow I know I will find a way, to a brighter day, in the sun. Somewhere I know that he waits for me, someday soon he'll see, I'm the one. I won't give up on this feeling, and nothing could keep me away. 'Cause I still believe in destiny, that you and I were meant to be. I still wish on the stars as they fall from above, 'cause I still believe, believe in love."

Demetrius seemed to recoil from my voice as if it stung him. I felt a boost in my confidence as I saw this. I could help defeat him. I could help defeat the vampire who considered himself to be a demigod. I took another step forward and continued to sing with Rose's voice.

"I know what's real can not be denied, although it may hide for a while. With just one touch love can calm your fears, turning all your tears, into smiles. It's such a wondrous feeling; I know that my heart can't be wrong. 'Cause I still believe in destiny, that you and I were meant to be. I still wish on the stars as they fall from above, 'cause I still believe, believe in love."

Mathias struggled to his feet as my song empowered him. I glanced over at me with a smile on his face—a smile so full of love and thankfulness that I almost didn't believe it was actually him. He loved me just as much as he loved Rose. I knew that now and I couldn't deny it no matter how hard I tried. I smiled back at him and continued to sing—continued to keep his father at bay as Mathias went to attack him.

"Love can make miracles change everything, lift you from the darkness and make your heart sing. Love is forever, when you fall, it's the greatest power of all."

Mathias and Demetrius fought once again. This time, it was Demetrius who was losing the fight. My eyes focused on Mathias' face the entire time. He seemed perfectly calm even when he was in mid-battle. His golden eyes were determined but they held no sense of bloodlust whatsoever. He merely wanted freedom and my safety. The next thing I knew, Demetrius was on the ground with a pew flipped on top of him. The evil vampire seemed immobilized by my voice and he was unable to move anymore. Then, Mathias was holding a lit match above the pew.

In a calm voice, he smiled and said, "Tell the devil to stop picking on mermaids else I'll come after him as well."

Then, the match was dropped onto the wooden pew. The wood slowly began to burn and Demetrius tried to struggle away from the blaze. His attempts went in vain as the clothes he wore caught fire. He let out an angry scream, cursing at Mathias the entire time. Mathias just stepped back to my side and watched as his father went up in flames. I was still singing and my voice became soft and slow.

"Oh I still believe in destiny, that you and I were meant to be. I still wish on the stars as they fall from above, 'cause I still believe, believe in love. Yes I still believe, believe in love."

I ceased to sing after that and I remained very quiet. The only sound that echoed through the cathedral was the crackling of the fire. Slowly, I turned my head to look at Mathias to find that his eyes were already upon me, thoughtful and pensive. I let out a bunch of air that had been within my lungs and I flung myself into his arms. He immediately embraced me, covering my face with kisses as he did so.

"Oh, Caren…" he murmured in a relieved voice. "I should have been here sooner. I'm so sorry."

I couldn't really count how many times he said sorry to me. He kept repeated the small phrase over and over again. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I gently pulled away from him and placed a hand on his cheek. I smiled at him and tears filled with relief and happiness fell down my face. "Oh, Mathias… you've no need to apologize. You saved my life."

Mathias pulled me close to him once again and pressed his lips against mine. He pulled away after a moment to gaze deeply into my violet eyes. "But had I been here sooner, he wouldn't have had the chance to hurt you. I could have spared you everything that he had done to you. I'm not deaf. I heard your screams as if I were in here as well."

"But the evil is gone now." I countered in a meek and grateful voice. "Neither of us will ever have to suffer again."

I leaned forward and kissed Mathias again. He held me tightly to him and I wrapped my arms around his neck, glad to find that I still fit perfectly in his arms. His glorious moonlight aroma intoxicated my senses as I breathed him in. My eyes flickered shut and I felt as if I were overcome by a numbing sense of peace. I felt as if my senses were fading, as if I was falling asleep. But that was impossible. It was impossible for me to sleep for even a short amount of time. I couldn't be falling asleep…

--x--x--x--x--x--x--x--

"Caren?"

My eyes flickered open and I was welcomed by a blinding light. What had happened? Where was I? Why couldn't I see?

"Caren."

I heard a feminine voice call out my name. I recognized the voice yet, I couldn't at the same time. For some reason, I felt as if the voice belonged to me but, that wasn't possible. This was definitely not my voice. I tried to search the vast whiteness for the voice yet couldn't quite find anything. I squinted and tried to look harder.

I heard a soft giggling and then, "I'm right over here, Caren."

Slowly, I turned my head to where I had heard the voice. At first, I saw the silhouette of a woman—just a black shadow contrasting against the white. Then, I could see colour appear to lighten her features. She was almost a mirrored reflection of myself. She looked exactly as I had when I sang to help Mathias. As her figure became apparent to me, I could see splashes of colour behind her. A vast canvas of blue and green surrounded us, the blue dotted by fluffy white splotches. The green was hardly visible as it was speckled by pinks and yellows and whites and all sorts of other colours. A warm breeze rustled my hair, blowing my bangs out of my face. Slowly, I stood up to gaze in awe at the sparkling meadow around me.

"Where am I?" I asked quietly, not sure whether I was addressing the woman or myself.

"You stand on the brink of purgatory." She replied softly. "I have brought you here so that I could speak to you."

I looked over at the woman, still in awe. "You… you're Rose, aren't you?"

She nodded gently. "I am."

I found myself amazed by this. I was meeting face to face with my predecessor of a thousand years ago. This was the Mermaid Princess who had guided me throughout my vampiric life. She was the one who helped Mathias and I in our struggle with Demetrius. She was the Mermaid Princess who had originally been in love with Mathias.

"Why did you…?"

"I brought you here to thank you." She explained thoughtfully. "For a thousand years, I haven't been able to fully accept my fate. I still wanted to be alive. I wanted to bring to justice the cruelties that had been done unto me. But, most of all, I wanted Mathias' soul to be at peace. I wanted him to know the truth about my death. He still doesn't know. His father neglected to tell him. Can you tell him for me? I do not think I shall ever be at peace if he does not know."

I nodded upon her request. "I will."

Rose closed her eyes and smiled. When she opened her eyes, she truly seemed as if she were happy. "Thank you, Caren. This means more to me than you will ever know. And now, for your willingness to help me, I shall provide you with a very special gift. I shall grant you your happy ending. You deserve one after all that you've been through."

After she finished speaking, she reached forward and touched my forehead. Warm lavender light emitted from her fingers and enveloped my body. The sensation of the light sent pleasant shivers up and down my spine. I could feel a distinct change in me. It was strange, really. I didn't know what was happening to me. Then, Rose removed her hand from my head and the light left me. I blinked a few times in confusion.

"Your body demands your soul. I must return you now." She stated in an almost sad tone. "I will continue to watch over you, Caren. Do not be alarmed at where your life goes. You must soon face a difficult choice. I promise, the answer will come to you and I mean that quite literally. Things will work out. And don't forget to tell Mathias!"

"I won't!" I quickly promised again.

The next thing I knew, I heard many different voices calling out my name. I felt myself being gently shaken. The beautiful meadow began to fade away along with the image of Rosephanye. All that was left was white. Yet, soon enough, the white faded away too. Everything became dark and the voices, much more clear. My eyes flickered opened to see five worried faces looking down at me.

A flood of memories came rushing back to my mind. I remembered where I was. I remembered what had happened. I remembered being in Mathias' embrace and then, the next thing I knew, I was speaking to Rose. Now, I was lying on the steps of the cathedral with both Mathias and Subaru trying to support me. I pulled myself up to a sitting position to get a better look at the people around me.

Noel was there, looking as worried as a sister should be, Taro was beside her, a look of relief on his face upon my awakening. Subaru was on my right side, looking just as worried as my sister, and then, on my left side were both Mathias and Miranda, both looking rather terrified. I understood their terror. Vampires didn't awaken from sleep. Vampires didn't sleep at all—a fact that I'd learned long ago.

"What… happened?" I asked while lifting a hand to hold my head.

"Caren, you passed out." Mathias explained solemnly and still rather worried.

"I did?" I asked, not quite believing what Mathias had told me. Had meeting with Rosephanye really make me pass out?

"Oh!" I exclaimed, remembering Rose's message. I turned to Mathias, trying to gather my thoughts of all which Rose wanted me to say. "Rosephanye wanted me to tell you the true about how she really died."

Mathias looked at me thoughtfully, obviously aware of my knowledge of Rose. He brushed a hand through my hair and sighed sadly. "You don't have to say anything. I heard what that monster told you. I know."

I stayed silent for a moment before speaking in a hushed tone. "Was it true what he said about you?"

I was welcomed by silence for a moment. Then, Mathias replied sadly, "Yes."

I forgive you.

I almost wanted to cry when I saw the agony in his eyes. I thought of what I might've done had I been in his situation. I thought of what Sara had done when she was deceived by her servant, telling her that Taro ceased to love her. She destroyed her kingdom. I could understand how violently people could react when their hearts are broken. I, myself, had gone into a zombie-like state in the time Mathias had been gone. I had no one to be angry with and so, I couldn't react violently. Yet, I understood why Mathias was so upset now. I leaned over to hug Mathias tightly.

"She forgives you." I told him, relaying what I knew to be true. "She still loves you very much."

"Yes, I know." He murmured while pulling me close to him. "However, I must apologize to you once again."

I looked at Mathias skeptically. "Why?"

He sighed sadly. "Because I've interfered with your life. I was never meant to be with you. I should've died over a thousand years ago. You were meant to be… with him."

Mathias moved away from me and I turned to look at Subaru. He had stayed silent, allowing for everything to sink in. I moved closer to him and placed my hands with his. I smiled at him and he returned my smile. I immediately wrapped my arms around him and pulled myself close to him, allowing his sunshiny scent to intoxicate me. Mathias was right. I was meant to be with Subaru. But what of Mathias? Would he just give me away and life the rest of his immortal life with only a servant as company? And what of my life with Subaru? I was immortal. Would I have to turn him in order for me to get my happy ending? Well, either way, I knew that some way or another, I would get my happy ending. I was more worried about Mathias. I turned to look at him, a frown crossing my face.

"But what about you? You had the one person who was most important to you snatched away. It can't be fair if you're left alone for the rest of eternity."

"Perhaps." Mathias mused silently. He then lowered his gaze to the floor in shame. "But maybe I deserve it."

I was about to say something before a completely different voice echoed throughout the cathedral.

"Dammit!" The masculine voice cursed. "I'm just a little bit late and I miss all the excitement!"

Everyone's attention flew to the man who entered the cathedral. He had chocolaty hair—hair lighter than Mathias'—and he had the trademark eyes of a vampire. The build of his body was similar to Mathias' and I could pick out traits about him that were the same. However, he looked more different than the same.

"Felix?"

I heard three voices speak this vampire's name: Mathias, Subaru, and Noel. Mathias spoke out of recognition. Subaru spoke out of shock. And Noel… Noel spoke with both recognition and shock and it made me wonder…

How the hell did Noel know this vampire!?

I wanted to ask but too much was already occurring. Before I knew it, Mathias had gotten up to meet Felix. Felix grinned widely before capturing Mathias in a headlock and ruffling his hair.

"Hey, cuz! Sup?" Felix asked in a playful manner as Mathias tried to escape his grasp.

"Let go of me, Felix!" Mathias demanded as he managed to struggle free.

Felix threw his hands up in the air dramatically while speaking in a stage-like voice. "Okay, okay, I understand! After all, a king has no time to be hassled by his older cousin."

Mathias shook his head at the vampire and Felix merely smiled. He then continued to walk towards me, Subaru, Noel, Taro, and Miranda. He bowed deeply towards Miranda and Taro, giving them both a warm smile.

"It's a pleasure to see you once again, Miss Mira. I guess you found Old Demi, eh?" He said while motioning to the burning pile of pews that still crackled.

"Actually, it was Mathias who found Demetrius, not I." She replied honestly.

Felix closed his eyes and placed his right hand over his chest as if patriotically and he continued to speak in a dramatic voice. "And thus ends King Claudius' evil reign."

Mathias walked back up to the stairs and sat down beside me. "So what does that make you? Hamlet? The story isn't exactly accurate. You should use something more accurate like… Nikademus."

Felix laughed at Mathias' statement. "That kid has serious issues! No offense, Miranda."

"None taken." Miranda replied blankly. "I disowned him as my brother over seven hundred years ago."

"Oh yes, that's right." Felix replied while continuing up to Subaru, Noel, Mathias and I. He smiled widely when he looked upon Noel and he winked at her suggestively. "Hey, Blue. Looking good."

Noel's face flushed a deep crimson colour and I desperately wanted to know what had gone on with them. I guess this was why Noel didn't freak out when she found out that I was a vampire. Noel advert her eyes from Felix. "Sh-shut up."

Felix grinned and the looked down at Subaru and I. "Well now, what do we have here?" He asked while folding his arms over his chest. He then jumped once and pointed his finger at us. "A half-blood and a nonbeliever!"

"Karma certainly is a pain, isn't it?" Subaru asked, a smile creeping onto his face. "Once upon a time, I didn't believe in vampires and mermaids and now, I'm in love with a woman who is both those things."

"That you are." Felix replied. He then proceeded to sit down on the marble floor and looked at me. His tone became more serious then and not really surprised. "So, Mathias turned you, hmm?"

I nodded slowly, an almost sarcastic smile on my face. "So it would seem. But now I'm in love with both Mathias and Subaru and I have no idea how to make things work so that Mathias isn't left alone for the rest of all eternity."

Felix paused for a moment to think. All eyes were on him now and an eerie silence overcame the cathedral. It seemed as if the flames were now silent. Then, Felix turned to Subaru to randomly blurt out, "Hey! Nonbeliever! Do you want to join the posse of vampires?"

Subaru looked taken aback as Felix said this. His blue eyes were wide with surprise. "Me? A vampire?"

"Yeah." Felix replied tilting his head to the side as if his question was the simplest thing in the world.

Subaru looked at me as if I was supposed to explain this or give him an answer. I shrugged, giving him a look of confusion. I had absolutely no idea of what Felix was up to. I looked over to Mathias whose head was in his hand as he shook his head in either disapproval or embarrassment. I was pretty sure that it was the latter. I looked back over at Subaru to see how he would answer.

"Well…" he started, looking at everyone before he continued. "To be honest, I'm not really sure. I mean, sure, the life of a vampire sounds grand and all but, I don't know if I'd be able to handle living forever. I kind of prefer being a human."

"Perfect!" Exclaimed Felix. "Then the Purple Mermaid Princess shall be with you until you die and then she'll be with Mathias! It all works out!"

My jaw dropped.

"No!" I objected, not liking what I was hearing. "That sounds like such an insensitive thing to do! It makes it seem as if he's just a toy that will eventually get broken. I don't want to think of him that way! I love him!"

"Only if you look at it from a vampiric point of view," Felix retorted. "Think about it, you were originally meant to live for only a short amount of time. However, 'short' is the term that vampires use. We've lived so long that we compare out current lives to that of a human's. Thus, life becomes short. Your life with Subaru would seem short only to you. But, to him, you'll have lived a full life together. Do you understand?"

"Caren, you don't have to listen to him." Mathias said dully while looking up at the sun through the shattered window. "He tries to come up with logical solutions to problems and they always seem ridiculous."

I promise, the answer will come to you and I mean that quite literally.

Was this what Rose meant? Was this really what my future was to be? Was Felix's proposition the solution to my problem? If that was the case then Rose was dead on when she told me the answer would come in a literal sense. I thought about what Felix said. Mathias was wrong. The solution was quite logical. I could live with Subaru for the rest of his life and that would ensure him a happy ending. Then, I could be with Mathias and he would have his happy ending–well, as happy as his ending could get without the one he truly wanted. But what of Rose's happy ending. She never got one. Even if things turned out all well and dandy for the rest of us, she would be the only one with an ending that isn't good. And her ending wasn't good. But what if… no, that wouldn't be right.

I'm glad that you're trying to think of my well being but, I'm already dead. It doesn't matter. However, I will befriend Subaru if you so wish. I will take care of him and love him for you as you will do for Mathias in my place. Can we agree on this?

"Subaru, are you okay with this?" I asked him. "I honestly think that this should be your decision rather than mine."

Subaru wrapped his arms around me and pulled me close to him. He kissed my forehead and gently rocked me back and forth. "Well, Felix's logic and advise has always served me well in the past and, thinking about it, it does make sense. I guess I'm alright with it."

"Okay." I gently murmured as a smile graced my lips.

"On one condition." Mathias stated loudly so that everyone's attention was on him. He looked at me and smiled. "As the vampire that turned Caren, I wish to be the one to give her away at your wedding."

Subaru grinned, pulling me close to him. "Deal."

--x--x--x--x--x--x--x--

I was amazed at where my life had gone. My life started as a Mermaid Princess. I was turned into a vampire. I had my heart broken. I rescued my sister. I found my true love. I almost got killed but was saved by the vampire who'd originally turned me. Now, I had recently been married.

Oh, and aside from that, Rosephanye decided to give me one final gift: her old palace. I don't know how she did it but, somehow, her palace had risen to the surface of the ice. It was no longer in ruins and it looked like one of the castles you might see in a fairy tale. This was to be mine and Subaru's home. It was also where we were married.

Everything seemed to be like a dream. I almost couldn't believe that I was dancing in Subaru's arms, wearing a gorgeous white dress. He smiled at me and his blue eyes sparkled. I leaned forward and softly placed a kiss on his lips. He pulled me close to him. This moment was so perfect and it was real. Subaru pulled his lips away from mine for a moment.

"Did you ever think that my saving you that first time we met would eventually lead to this?" He asked me, still smiling.

I laughed. "At that point in time, I still thought that my vampiric knight in shining armor was going to come to me. Apparently, he did but, I was with you and he had no idea where I was."

"Now he'll always know where you are and he'll know that you're perfectly safe." Subaru said softly before placing a kiss on my forehead.

"I'd entrust Caren to no other man."

Subaru stopped dancing with me and we both turned to look at Mathias who was standing near us. He smiled at us and slowly approached us. He looked at Subaru. "You're a good man. I know I can trust you with her. However, might I borrow her for just one dance?"

Subaru nodded and smiled at me once more before letting me go. He walked away from us and I turned to face Mathias. He quickly pulled me into his arms and spun me around. I giggled as a memory surfaced in my mind. Wasn't this how I spent my first moments in Mathias' arms? Oh, the memory almost made me giddy. I had felt so good in that short amount of time. I didn't even consider that my life might've been in danger like it was.

"To think," Mathias started softly. "The next time we dance like this, you'll be my queen."

"You know, technically, I'm a queen now." I replied, a playful smile on my face.

Mathias looked at me shaking with head with a smile. "No, not technically."

I frowned. "How so?"

"Well, you only married a human. It isn't like he's a prince or anything." Mathias said, cockiness seeping into his grin. "For you to be a queen, Subaru would have to be a prince, which he isn't. Therefore, you are technically still a princess."

I sighed and then frowned at him in mock anger. "Well then, how can you be a king? You're still not married."

"No, but my father is dead which means I automatically take his place as king."

Mathias was definitely wearing a cocky grin as he said this. I pouted. "So, just because your dad dies, you get the title of king? Well, in that case, I should already be queen. Noel and I don't have a mother. She probably died a long time ago because I haven't seen her for as long as I've lived."

Mathias shook his head and dipped me low to the ground so that I would be silent for a moment. "Monarchies are different on land and in the ocean. However, what I do know is that you've always been a princess and that, as far as monarchies on land go, being married to Subaru doesn't make you a queen."

As Mathias pulled me up, I rolled my eyes. "Oh, be quiet. You're no fun. Now, I know that there's another reason why you interrupted my dance with Subaru. I know that there is else you wouldn't have interrupted us. Would you care to tell me the reason?"

Mathias looked at me thoughtfully before replying. "You are quite observant, Caren. You're also right for that matter. You see, I've been keeping Rosephanye's diary and, for some reason, I felt compelled to read the last entry. Instead, I found a note that concerned you. It said that you should go to the highest tower of this palace. The only other thing that it said was that Rose gives you her best wishes in regards to your marriage."

I hummed softly as Mathias relayed this information to me. What was Rose trying to tell me now? I was now extremely curious as to what was in the highest tower. I'd never explored much of the palace and, therefore, didn't know how to get to the highest tower. I didn't even know what the room was used for.

"Mathias, what's in the highest tower?" I questioned as if he might know the answer. "Surely, Rose doesn't think that I have to be rescued in the traditional manner of a fairytale princess."

"No, I wouldn't think so. However, if Rose felt you needed to go there, then it must be important." He mused silently. "You should go get Subaru and then I'll take you there. You seemed a bit confused when I mentioned that the palace even had a tower."

I rolled my eyes. "You're teasing me again, aren't you?"

Mathias smiled and I shook my head. I pulled away from him and told him that I'd be right back. He nodded and I went off to find my beloved husband. I easily found Subaru who had been chatting with Felix (who was my sister's date—I was still oblivious to what had gone on between the two) and I informed him of what Mathias had told me. Felix left us to go find my sister and Subaru walked alongside me as we went to go find Mathias.

We found Mathias standing in grand entrance to the ballroom and he nodded at us as we approached. There was no exchange of words as we reached him and he took no time to wait before turning to lead us through Rose's palace. Subaru and I followed him down various hallways that twisted and turned and brought us deeper and deeper into the palace. It amazed me how he remembered where everything was in this palace. From what I knew, he'd only been here once before and he was completely enraged. I for one wouldn't remember the details of a place I'd visited if bloody murder was all I could think about.

We reached a spiraling staircase and Mathias began to ascend up the steps, seeming unfazed by the number of stairs we had to climb. Quietly, Subaru and I followed, anxious to see what was at the top of the stairs. Many minutes passed before we reached the end of the staircase. Mathias pushed open a large set of doors to reveal a purely white, empty room. It was long and at the end of it, on a risen platform sitting in an opened lavender shell-like throne that was customary to a mermaid princess' palace was Rose.

I gasped when I saw her and I was quite positive that Mathias had the same reaction. I wasn't sure what Subaru thought but, I'm certain that he figured who she was. Rose just smiled at us, a heavenly glow surrounding her. She slid off the throne and gracefully approached us almost as if she were floating. She stopped a few paces away from the three of us and then began to speak.

"I am not supposed to be here and, therefore, I cannot stay for very long. However, I felt that I should be here. You see, I have one final gift for you, Caren." She explained, giving me a warm smile that was still very thankful. She then turned to Mathias. "And I could not pass up the oppouritunity to see you again, my love."

Mathias walked up to Rose and reached out his hand to touch her cheek. His pale fingers phased through the illusion of her skin. A frown crossed his face. "'Tis cruelty that you should be before me once more and that I cannot even touch your face."

Rose frowned as well and let out a deep sigh. She wrapped her arms around Mathias' neck and hugged him—even though she was not technically holding him. "Mathias, to just see you in person once more, brings me joy that I did not think I could still feel. It is, indeed, a cruel thing that we cannot truly embrace but… to just be in your presence is enough."

She moved back then and smiled once more at Mathias before turning her attention back to me. "Caren, would you come with me for a moment?"

I nodded and I silently approached Rose. She began walking back over to the throne before stopping in front of it. "My final gift to you," she started, "is to present you with knowledge that you do not possess. As a vampire, your body is dead. However, as a mermaid, you are alive and well. You are half alive and half dead which gives you a remarkable ability—an ability that no mermaid princess has ever had the chance to do. Because half of you is deceased, a successor is waiting to be born. Because half of you is alive, you have the ability to raise this new successor as a mother would raise her child. All you have to do is surrender your pearl to the new mermaid princess so that she can be born."

I stared at her, wide-eyed. Was what she said true? Could I really have the oppouritunity to raise my successor? Without my knowledge, I clutched the pendant around my neck. I opened it and took my pearl into my hand. I looked at it in awe. A new mermaid princess… I couldn't even fathom the thought.

"What is her name?" I asked, wanting to know more about the girl who was to take me place.

Rose smiled. "Her name is Emma. She has been waiting a very long time for you to decide when she'll be born."

I was still in awe as Rose told me this. "Emma…" I repeated softly. I extended my hand that held my pearl, offering it to the unseen spirit that so desperately wanted life. A warm, lavender glow emanated from my pearl and the precious stone floated out of my hand to hover in the air before me. I stepped back and watched as the violet orb of light grew bigger and bigger. Then, the light began to fade and I could see the silhouette of a young mermaid. The light completely faded and I beheld the new mermaid princess, Emma.

She looked to be about four years old—much younger than the recent mermaid princess of the Indian Ocean, Seira, looked. Light violet bangs framed her small, round face. She had rosy lips that twitched up in a smile and her two bright lavender eyes looked up at me admiringly. Her hair was long and wavy—almost like my sister's—and a single braid was woven above her left ear, clipped back with a silver barrette. I wasn't even surprised to find that a small jeweled lilac adorned that barrette.

I was in awe as I looked down upon the young mermaid. I found myself reaching for her, wanting to hold the child in my arms. Emma reached for me as well and her small arms wrapped around my neck as I swept her up into my embrace. I held her tightly to me, feeling overwhelmed by the day's events. I was married and my successor had been born.

I felt a warm hand on my shoulder and my gaze shifted to look into dazzling pools of aquamarine; my beloved Subaru. Emma's head also turned to look over at Subaru and she observed him carefully. A look of realization crossed her face as she gazed at us.

"Are you my mommy and daddy?" She asked with a soft voice that sounded like a bell.

I held her closer to me and with a humbled voice I whispered, "Yes, Emma, we are."

Subaru embraced both Emma and I tightly and he placed a kiss on my forehead. I heard Emma giggle in my arms and I couldn't help but smile brightly. She was so beautiful. She was the child I could never give birth to, but would be able to raise until she could live on her own and rule the Antarctic to the best of her ability. Then, I would live with Subaru for the rest of his life before he would give me away to Mathias.

Almost forgetting that Mathias was in the room, I looked over my shoulder to find him speaking with Rose. They were talking so quietly that I couldn't understand what they were saying. However, Mathias' expression made me smile. He looked just as happy as Subaru was now. He and Rose were exactly like Subaru and I. Only with complications. Their love was doomed from the start. It was sad that they couldn't be together, but both had seemed to come to terms with that. Now, I would just help as best as I could.

Rose and Mathias glanced over at me and they smiled. I smiled back at them. Then, a voice echoed throughout my mind. I was certain that it was Rose once again. She was the only person I'd known to speak to me through my mind.

Caren, you're thinking about the future again, aren't you? You mustn't distract yourself with such thoughts. You are not expected to live for your life with Mathias. That is not your sole destiny in this life. You are expected to live your life with Subaru, as well as Emma. Do not dwell on the future. There will be plenty of time for that when the future comes. Serve your purpose now for it is the most marvelous thing that you will get to experience. These are my final words of wisdom that I can personally give you. We may or may not meet again and so, I give you my best wishes. I must go now. Fulfill this great expectation that is yours and yours alone.

I watched as a bright light enveloped Rose. All eyes were on her figure as she faded away within that light. I thought I saw a look of sadness cross Mathias' face as she left, but he quickly smiled to cover up for it. When the light faded from the room and Rose was gone, Mathias turned to face Subaru, Emma and I. He bowed deeply before smiling warmly at us.

"I congratulate you both with my sincerest wishes. There are no others who could possibly be blessed as much as the two of you." He stated, a kind of formality creeping into his speech. He approached us slowly and raised his hand in which he held a frozen lilac. He handed it to Emma and she looked at the blossom with sheer fascination. He then proceeded to take a dark purple box out of his pocket. He handed it to me and then backed up a few paces. "Now I've given each of you a gift. Subaru, take good care of Caren. Make sure that she doesn't get into any trouble behind my back."

Subaru grinned at that comment. "I'll try my best. It might be difficult since this is Caren we're talking about, but I'll watch over her with my life."

Mathias laughed softly. "I'm trusting you to do so. Now, I feel I must take my leave. There are matters back in Germany that I must attend to that I've been neglecting." Mathias turned to fully gaze into my eyes. "I shall meet you again in the place we first met in about, oh… around one hundred years?"

Subaru laughed. "You really think I'll live that long?"

Mathias smiled before he responded. "Hey, I'm over a thousand years old, remember? A human life is a fickle thing. You could very well live to be over a hundred."

Mathias smiled once more before turning to leave. As he walked towards the doorway, I said softly, "Farewell, Mathias."

He paused before he left the room. I could tell the he was smiling in the way that he replied. "See you around, Caren."

And then he left. I stood in silence for a moment wondering when I would see Mathias next. I knew that it would be a long time; however, this time I knew that I would see him again. I was about to get lost within my thoughts before Emma dragged my attention to the box Mathias had given me.

I sat down on the platform, still cradling Emma with one of my arms while I held the box with my other hand. I opened the box and gasped upon what I saw. It was a thick, intricately woven, silver chain. Dangling from the shiny links was a beautiful, aquamarine stone cut to look like the blossom of a rose. From the base of the rose, an emerald stem reached down in the shape of a curved line. There was a note alongside the beautiful pendant, written in Mathias' graceful script. My eyes looked at the note intently and I read each word he had written with great admiration.

My beloved Caren…

You were expecting a ring, weren't you? I was debating whether or not to give you a promise ring, but, considering that this is your wedding day, the notion would be inappropriate. I also assumed that lilacs were becoming too cliché. So, I had this necklace made for you. Roses are the usual symbol of love and I'm certain that the colour matches your husband's eyes. Even when you come to me, I want this pendant to be a constant reminder of the life that is yours, not Rose's. I don't implore you to be anyone other than yourself and, right now, you are Subaru's wife. To live by his side as his equal is your divine expectation. You are an incredible woman. I cannot wait until we are reunited once more. Take great care, my love. I shall be vigilantly waiting for you.

With the utmost of love,

Mathias

The End

--x--x--x--x--x--x--x--x--x--x--x--x--x--x--x--

Okay, I lied. This isn't completely the ending. I'm writing an Epilogue and I am hoping that I will have it done and posted for Christmas Day. It will be the final conclusion to Caren's story. Hopefully, you'll all come back to read it. Do it for Mathias. You guys rock.
-Jazlynn.