Have a second chapter, because I'm feeling generous. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: The show's not mine, the world's not mine, one day both of those things may change. *evil laugh*
"Princess Adze?" She felt ridiculous calling her 'princess', but it seemed best to be polite. She was invading the other girl's space, after all, by knocking on her door. She waited for an answer, surprised when the princess herself wrenched the door open.
"What do you want?" She supposed she deserved that, after her rudeness earlier that day.
"I thought maybe we could play cards?" She held up a deck, a peace offering, and was relieved when Adze stepped aside to let her in. She rubbed surreptitiously at her wrist, checking her pulse was still disguised. She was safe.
They played Snap, for a while, and then Adze got bored of that and offered to teach Erin to play Slam. It was a more complicated game, and each round ended in an often-violent race to slam your hand down on the smallest pile of cards. Erin could see why it would appeal to the vampire. As they played, they talked, and Erin realised she'd been hating all the wrong people for this engagement. Adze had no interest in Vlad, and even the prospect of becoming the most powerful vampiress on earth wasn't really helping the situation.
"No offence, but I don't know how you can stand him. He's treated me like an object to be disposed of ever since I arrived. Still, I suppose he's different with you." It wasn't a question, thankfully. Erin wasn't sure how she'd answer.
"How come vampires are so far behind on feminism anyway? With girls like you and Ingrid around, you'd think vampiresses would be running the joint by now." That won her a tiny, sincere smile.
"Ingrid, yes, she's formidable. I don't get as much freedom – I'm an only child, no little brother to distract my father." She sighed. "I'm flattered by the comparison." Erin frowned.
"Well, so far, you're just as nice as Ingrid. And we're supposed to be at war." Adze shrugged, an unprincess-like gesture that tugged at Erin's heartstrings for some reason.
"Truth be told, it would be a relief if you won." Erin snorted mirthlessly.
"Honestly, right now, you can have- ah!" She slammed her hand down at the same moment Adze did, and for a moment their fingers touched.
Erin recoiled, hand tingling, and Adze mirrored her movements, staring at her own elegant fingers.
"You're warm. A breather?" Erin scrambled to her feet, nodding. "I thought my dad was lying. You have no pulse."
"Stasis spray." Erin wasn't sure why she was still in the room, or why she was still alive for that matter, but Adze seemed content to stay where she was – collecting the smaller pile of cards – and eventually Erin sat down too, ready to continue the game.
"Why do you stay here, if you're not one of us?"
"At first it was for my brother. Then it was for Vlad. Now…" Now she wasn't sure. Adze didn't comment on her silence, just nodded and began laying out cards again.
"I owe you thanks, breather, for keeping me company." Erin frowned.
"My name's Erin. And I'd rather you didn't mention the breather thing in front of anyone else." Adze shrugged.
"Then you must call me Adze. None of this princess stuff. I hate it, it's so boring." Erin laughed.
"Always wanted to be a knight, myself. Slaying dragons and rescuing people, far more fun."
"I suppose to you, I am a dragon."
Before she could puzzle over that for too long, Renfield was ringing the bell for dinner and the game was abandoned. Somehow, on the way to the dining room, the two girls slipped back into their frosty silence, enemies once more. Erin was surprised to find herself saddened by that.