A/N I don't own Vampire Knight nor do I make any profit from it

Chapter 13 - Conspiracies

Hanaka sat down at her dining table stiffly and silently. Her parents, Lord Soichiro and Lady Yuko Ikeda came in shortly after. Yuko was a tall woman with the same red hair as her daughter. Her eyes were elegantly shapes and a deep brown in colour. Soichiro had wavy, shoulder length, brown hair with large green eyes. Hanaka had inherited many aspects of her parents, giving her the beauty which surpassed many.

"Hanaka," her father's voice drew the girl from her thoughts. She looked up and blinked, grasping at the fabric of her green velvet dress.

"Hanaka, your father is speaking to you," Yuko said sternly, "Sit up and be alert."

"Forgive me, mother," Hanaka said as she smoothed down the fabric of her dress before turning to her father, "Yes, what is it, father?"

"I hear that you have successfully become quite elevated at court," Soichiro said proudly.

"Yes, father, it was rather easy because of Lord Kaname's feelings for me," Hanaka said with a sweet smile, "He has even taken me to his bed."

Yuko sipped the blood from her gold chalice, "How many times does he have you in one night?"

Hanaka blushed slightly, "Speak up, girl," Soichiro said sharply, "Your mother has asked you a straightforward question. Nothing is private when we're talking of this matter."

Hanaka swallowed, "A few times… he always makes love to me more than once in one night. It also depends on what has happened in the day. If he is tired, it might only be once or twice."

"And soon, you'll be with child, I'm guessing," Soichiro said proudly, "Yes, I can see it now. The noble Ikeda family up on a high pedestal… in the social circle of His Majesty the king. You will bear him a child and that child will be given a title."

"Lady Hikari has not yet been taken to his bed," Hanaka said proudly, "He cannot bare to have her near him."

"Occupy his thoughts, Hanaka," Yuko said with a sensual smirk, "As you know, if you continue the way you are, you may even become his wife. If he doesn't consummate his marriage to that slip of a girl, it is grounds for annulment."

"I know," Hanaka said, "However, he has attempted to consummate his marriage but he failed. I saw her running out of his room in tears. Lord Kaname discussed it with me the next day. Apparently, she was so afraid that she pointed a sword at him. Who does that kind of thing?"

"Lady Hikari is a sweet girl… no one would know if she was a pureblood if you looked at her," Yuko said scathingly, "We vampires are sensual creatures. Our Hanaka has fully embraced that. To seduce a king is quite an achievement."

"I do know though that Lady Hikari is attracted to someone else in the court," Hanaka said proudly, "I've been watching her closely."

"Do you know who," Yuko asked, leaning forward.

"Hanabusa Aidou," Hanaka said with a smirk, "He's smitten with Her Ladyship and it also seems that Lady Hikari is smitten with him."

"This is quite the development," Soichiro said, reclining in his chair and taking a large mouthful of his blood with a smirk, "Treason is in the air. I can smell it."

"Indeed, it is a crime for a queen to take a lover," Yuko said as she played with a lock of her hair, twirling it around her middle finger, "Although, it is not a crime for the king to take a lover. How interesting… Court really is interesting."

"It is making me want to tingle with excitement," Hanaka said, "However, the Aidou family is powerful enough to get Lady Hikari pardoned if she ever took Lord Hanabusa as a lover."

"Well, at least should be out of the way, either way," Yuko replied, "Lord Hanabusa will probably take her out of court to protect her from the ridicule she would suffer for being an ungrateful whore… then… Hanaka would be named queen."

"Oh, Mother," Hanaka squealed, "How exciting."

"Isn't it just," Yuko said, "Soichiro, wouldn't it be wonderful if our little Hanaka was queen and not just a mere mistress? Our position would be elevated indefinitely as the parents of th queen and grandparents of their future heirs."

"Indeed," Soichiro said as he finished, "We are well on our way to being at the top."

"Do I have your permission to return to court tomorrow, father," Hanaka asked with a smouldering and knowing smirk, "Lord Kaname shouldn't be without his mistress for too long."

"Indeed," he said with a smirk of his own, "I can see it now. Our daughter… Queen Hanaka… I can see the day."

Yuko secured a lock of hair behind her ear and laughed slightly, "We also have to consider the possibility that Lord Kaname will fall in love with Lady Hikari. You must occupy his every thought and appear in his every line of sight. He cannot be allowed to think on that slip of a girl… the girl we're supposed to accept as queen."

"It's madness," Soichiro said with a scoff, "It is complete madness. Her family is, although a pureblood family, a poor and destitute family and especially since Lady Kitamura died."

"I hear the only reason Lady Hikari married Lord Kaname was because the dowager king and queen would not give them any financial help unless there was a marriage involved. Apparently, Lord Eisuke was supposed to marry Lady Yuuki but she ran off with the hunter who was hired by the Kuran family to protect them," Hanaka said, "They're coming home from their honeymoon soon… or so I hear."

"Oh, the shame of it," Yuko gasped, "A hunter? I bet dowager Lord and Lady Kuran were devastated. Her position in society has surely been compromised."

"Surprisingly," Hanaka said as she reclined in her chair, "Nothing has ever been said."

Soichiro stroked his chin in thought, "Go, Hanaka, go and prepare for your journey tomorrow."

"Yes, father," Hanaka said as she stood up and quickly ran from the room. Yuko turned to her husband and frowned.

"Soichiro, she hasn't eaten," Yuko pointed out.

"She doesn't need to eat," he replied, "She has to keep her figure for Lord Kaname. He will not have an unattractive queen. She gets her beauty from you."

"She's hardly going to get fat on soup," Yuko said, "You push her too hard."

"No harder than you, my dear, I only want what is best for our daughter," Soichiro replied, "She has worked too hard to fail now."

Yuko nodded, "I understand."

With that said, Lord and Lady Ikeda ate their meal in silence.

Please Review!