A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1.
I really hope this is a different take on things.
Chapter 7: Entitled
A figure amongst the crowd stepped into the makeshift centre aisle. Vlad froze the circlet hovering above Erin's head. Erin looked up, she noticed he'd tensed and looked up. She stood slowly, taking care to avoid the circlet. Vlad dropped the circlet to his side, Erin stood beside him her fingers automatically linking with him.
The figure walked, no strutted, down the aisle towards them. Vlad looked around his gaze fixed on the smug gazes of Mikhail, Jorgen and Baylor. He knew they were behind this, he'd always known they were up to something.
When this was dealt with he'd make sure they wished they'd never been born.
Vlad glared at his challenger. Whatever they wanted he knew he wouldn't like it.
The voice that spoke was deliberately patronising. "I think that crown's mine."
YEKNODELTTILYEKNODELTTIL
Everyone stared at Olga, they were all questioning her daring to interrupt Vlad during the coronation of his wife. Olga stood tall, a faint smile gracing her lips. She had never changed, she hadn't grown up. She might have grown into an attractive woman but the scowl on her face had put paid to that years ago. She couldn't change her expression anymore.
Vlad pushed Erin behind him, making sure she was protected. Olga reached for the circlet Vlad held in his hand but he gave her a scathing glare. Olga surprised everyone by stepping back as his eyes blackened in warning.
"Give her the crown Vlad, she's the rightful Grand High Vampire." Another voice boomed through the hall.
"I should have known you'd have something planned. You knew I wouldn't have a corrupt Council." Vlad spoke confidently and loudly, "Do the rest of our kind know how many clans you've destroyed to gain their lands and influence?"
A muttering broke through the hall; Vlad had never lied to them before so he wouldn't lie to them now.
"Do they know you tried to have me killed for turning my wife before I was eighteen to save her life? That I had to produce paperwork to prove that we were engaged publicly." Another round of mutterings and murmurings burst around the hall.
"That doesn't matter, you were never rightfully the Grand High Vampire, not while one of Boris' immediate relatives was alive. You were a cousin not a brother." Baylor had a grin on his face as he spoke.
"Boris was never crowned Grand High Vampire." Vlad told them sharply.
"He killed the previous Grand High Vampire, by that act he became the next Grand High Vampire. It was reported in all the papers who the culprit was."
Vlad shook his head, there was one thing they were forgetting. "Then he was killed when he tried to wear my crown!"
"Leaving a family member as an heir, one that he hadn't had chance to kill." Vlad knew Boris wouldn't have killed Olga until she was sixteen, it would be easier then when her dust could be scattered to the wind. Before then her disappearance would be considered suspicious.
Erin crossed her arms angrily, "How does Olga inherit?"
"Your title would have been passed down to your children. It can be passed onto siblings as well." Vlad knew that all too well, it was how Ingrid had tried to take his power from him. Inheriting it from him.
"For the first time!" Vlad shouted angrily. "It has *never* been inherited before."
"Only because the previous Grand High Vampires didn't have any siblings, through murdering their family." Mikhail grinned at him. "It passes directly onto Olga not you. The prophecy said when the Grand High Vampire was slain it was a sign that the Chosen One was coming and that you'd become Grand High Vampire. That can only be done if the existing one is dead. Olga is the existing Grand High Vampire through Boris."
The Count moved forwards, waving his arms furiously. "Vlad is the Chosen One!"
"Who can only come to power when there is no one left to inherit the title. The title Boris took has now been passed onto Olga. She's entitled to rule over the vampire nation. When she's slain the power falls to you, unless she has any heirs."
"You had to wait three years." Bertrand summarised, everything was clicking into place. No wonder they hadn't acted before. He should have been on Erin's side when she fought for the mating ceremony to be brought forward. "For Olga to turn eighteen before she could take the throne."
Olga was three years younger than Vlad, she was eighteen less than a week prior. The date of their mating ceremony. The Council had to wait until she was of age before they could do anything. Vlad could have crowned her earlier to avoid this if he'd had any inkling of what they were up to. There would be no defence for Olga's 'entitlement' to his throne without a Council. This was just a desperate attempt to hold onto their cushy lifestyles.
"We're good at waiting." Jorgen smirked at the four hundred year old vampire. Bertrand wasn't intimidated, he'd been in battle he'd seen far more intimidating things. Although politicians were scary in their own way.
Vlad looked back to Augustus, he knew everything about every law that existed. He nodded gravely agreeing with the rest of the Council. "The law says the Chosen One's children can inherit but there is nothing to say that any remaining survivors of the Grand High Vampire can't inherit either. Its never been done before."
"They found a loophole?" Erin asked angrily, how on Earth had no one managed to pick this up before. Her head snapped towards Olga, "That's why you weren't at our first Betrothal Ball, the business you had to attend to was meeting Jorgen. That's why he wasn't there either." Jorgen looked surprised that Erin could remember that. In truth Erin remembered because she didn't trust the Council at the time after the stunt they had pulled putting Vlad on trial, she wanted to know where each of them was and Jorgen had been the only one missing.
Augustus spoke slowly, but loud enough for everyone in the hall to hear every single word. "Legally she is Grand High Vampire."
Vlad couldn't do a thing about it. Olga had just been declared the 'rightful' leader of the vampire nation with those words.
Ingrid and Bertrand blanched while Erin and Vlad shared a worried look with each other. This shouldn't be happening, Vlad was being denied his birthright because three vampires didn't want to give up their power.
YEKNODELTTILYEKNODELTTIL
It took a few moments but everything came crashing down on Vlad. He knew exactly what she'd do with his power, how she'd behave, how she'd treat their kind. Vlad felt sick and dizzy, he tried to concentrate but it was impossible. Heads swam before them.
The looks of pure fear and concern on his people's faces. Vlad had improved their lives for them. He'd given them a chance to rebuild in peace and a chance for them all to be heard equally. He listened to them all and tried to act for the majority not the minority.
The most disturbing thing was the looks on a significant number of vampires' faces who were clearly all for the stunt that the Council had just pulled.
Vlad spun around; he nearly lashed out but stopped himself reminding himself that he was in public. He needed to think before acting. "Put the crown on then Olga," Vlad instructed bitterly. He didn't know why he wanted to hold onto it, he never wanted to have the responsibility.
"I'm not stupid Vlad," Olga grinned at him maliciously, "I know that it will kill me." She looked at the bone crown before looking at the circlet. "I want that crown."
"This is Erin's crown, it will never be yours." He spat, fangs extended. "I had it made for her. I own it not you and not the vampire world." Olga looked at him surprised but nodded. She had no claim over the crown or his estate… yet. "Believe me Olga Erin will be wearing the crown as my Queen."
Olga shook her head but his threat hit her like a ton of bricks. She tried not to let it show but she couldn't' help herself. "I don't think so." Her voice quivered and quavered as she spoke, her eyes moving away from Vlad's face. Everyone in the hall saw it. It was clear to see who should be in control.
"If you're Grand High Vampire you'll need to wear the crown." He looked at it with his eyes, a smirk crossing them. "Believe me I'll know if you change it. They'll know too. No one else can wear it other than the true Grand High Vampire."
"I'll wear it when I'm ready." Olga knew it would have to be soon otherwise Vlad would be entitled to his claim once more. Every second she delayed she knew Vlad had a chance of getting back into power. They knew he could handle the crown; it had always been destined for him since it was created. However others had worn it while they waited and she was determined to be one of them. "You need to show me the respect I deserve." She changed the subject slightly.
Vlad made no effort to acknowledge what he'd said. His fingers only laced with Erin's tightly. Olga's jaw locked at his ignoring of her. He had no right to do that now.
Olga gestured to Mikhail with a wave of her hand. Vlad was going to do as she said now.
Mikhail told him a smile on his face, "Bow before the Grand High Vampire." He kicked at Vlad's legs trying to make him bend but it didn't work. Vlad was still stronger than he looked.
Gasps were heard at Mikhail's actions. Vlad knew that half the Council had just signed their own death sentences and he wasn't willing to pardon any of them.
"Bow before your leader." He gestured towards Olga, with his eyes, his words becoming more angry as he repeated them.
Everyone in the room remained in silence, waiting to see what their former Grand High Vampire would do.
TBC
A/N: Thanks for reading.