Chapter Thirty

Concessions

The domed walls of the Hall of Princes were even more oppressive than he remembered. Mika ver Leth stood before three of his fellow Princes, all of whom looked down at him with compassionate eyes. Paris Skyle, eldest Vampire known, and the Vampire who had been Mika's mentor for so many years, sat somewhat slumped in his seat, the centuries finally catching up with him. He idly brushed his fingers through his long grey beard, eyes thoughtful as he watched one of his many apprentices before him. Mika was nervous, a state of mind not many in the Mountain had born witness to, and it bothered him.

"Juliet Andères must be released as soon as she is well." He began. The few Generals present in the hall began to mutter, some angrily. All of the Prince's frowned in varying fashions.

"Mika, she tried to kill you," Darren said. "She could have killed all of us. Somehow. Something isn't right with her…" He turned to his mentor, and Larten nodded in agreement, arms crossed over his red-clad chest.

"She has her reasons." Mika responded, nodding as well. "But I cannot say that I am not deserving of her actions."

Paris' frown deepened. The lines on his face accentuating his frustration. "Elaborate, Mika. What could make a young woman desire your death?"

"She believes I attempted to murder her."

"And when would you have time for that?" Arrow laughed. "You haven't left this mountain in upwards of fifty years! It is apparent that the woman is delusional and needs to be put down."

"You will do no such thing!" Mika snapped, and all the murmurs in the hall died. "It is time I accept the truth, I am the one who drove her to madness, and I must be the one to fight for her life."

"Tell us, Mika," Larten said, "Tell us your association with this girl."

Though Paris and Darren knew some of the history between Mika and Juliet, both Prince's straightened in their seats. "Arrow is correct in saying that I have not left the mountain in many decades." Mika began, sighing as if embarrassed. "But in the months before my investiture I lived with a woman. Juliet."

"Months, you say?" Arrow asked, becoming interested.

"Almost a year." Mika nodded. "A small town in the hills of Romania. She lived alone, the last orphan of Lord Highland's home. We were lovers."

"You needn't elaborate there, my friend." Paris chuckled. "I believe I recall this time of yours."

"Yes, I had recently been picked to become a Prince and…" At this Mika paused, debating admitting his hesitance. "I was reluctant to attend my own investiture."

"You were in love…" Darren said quietly. The other Princes shook their heads in disbelief. To debate the honor of becoming a Vampire Prince against the love of a woman. "Why did you leave?"

Mika scowled. "It was not an easy decision for me to make," he recalled Paris' words in the fields around Juliet's house. 'A great honor'. "But my duty was- is to my people." He looked at the youngest Prince and felt Darren's acceptance of his answer.

"And Juliet agreed?" Darren continued.

"She did not know. We did not discuss Vampire politics."

"Did she even know that you were a Vampire?" Arrow asked.

"Yes." Mika replied. "And I'm afraid that may be what brought this situation upon us." He shook his head sadly. Struggling to put together the words. "Perhaps if I had been more giving with information on our people she would not be under the impression I cursed her."

"Cursed!" Paris said. "Cursed how?"

"Or perhaps you should not have told her at all, you could have saved her the pain…" Arrow added.

"You are right Arrow, that was an option I did not take," Mika agreed. "But regardless I told her, and now she believes I have cursed her with some sort of agelessness."

The Princes were silent, contemplating this information. "She was how old when you met?" Larten asked.

"Early twenties."

"And how long has it been since you've seen her…?"

"Over fifty years."

Paris sighed. "This is quite a conundrum."

Arrow looked deep in thought. "To summarize: this woman accepted your vampirism, and lived with you for months. You left and she thinks you attempted to kill her and cursed her with immortality?"

"Yes." Mika said.

"At what point does she believe you tried to kill her?"

"That is the most important part," Mika nodded. "The night I left, someone burned her home to the ground with her fast asleep and one of her friends inside."

The hall was full of murmuring once more. Fire, she'd said something about being on fire. Perhaps Juliet was still haunted by this?

"Quite, quiet please." Paris called, and the Generals calmed. "How did she survive this fire?"

"That I do not know. She said she was 'burnt to a crisp', but there are few indications of burn scars on her body…" Mika sighed.

"Perhaps this has something to do with her agelessness?" Larten said.

"Immortality?" Darren gasped. "Mika," He said, "You ran her straight through with your sword. We checked for a heartbeat and there was none, but minutes later she was alive…"

Mika nodded. "I've come to the conclusion that Juliet Andères is not human."

Mutters again, the Generals were concerned. "Is she Vampire, perhaps?" Arrow suggested. "Her pattern of aging coincides with that of a full Vampire. She could have been turned after the fire."

Mika shook his head. "I had her blood on my hands when I brought her to the infirmary. It tasted exactly as it did fifty years ago. And more than that…" He cleared his throat. "I believe she may in fact be a hunter of our kind."

"Hunter!" Arrow hollered, slamming his fists on the arms of his stone throne. "And still you want her to live!"

"Mika, I think you're right…" Darren said, ignoring Arrow's outburst. "The things she said in the caves about 'hunting leeches'… You don't really think she's been killing our people though?"

"I cannot say for sure." Mika said. "But truly, she is an interesting case. Personal feelings aside, with the information we have on her it would be imperative to obtain whatever information she may have on US. She made it to our mountain, and who knows how many others know the way here as she did. Including my personal feelings…" again he cleared his throat in an attempt to hide his emotions. "I believe she deserves to know the truth about our kind. And perhaps about whatever she may be."

Silence hung in the air. The Generals and the Princes looked to Mika for more information but he gave none.

"Alright." Paris said. "We will discuss this matter further, the three of us. We ask that everyone leave."

As the generals began filing out, Mika stayed.

"I have one more thing I would like to add," he said.

"Go on," Arrow nodded.

"Juliet… she was never so strong when I met her all those years ago. Somewhere along the way she learned skills far beyond a normal human. Perhaps she can be… taught to fight for our cause."

"I'm not sure I understand, Mika?" Paris frowned.

"She would be a valuable asset. If she is truly immortal, with her fighting skills, and the impending rise of the Lord of the Vampaneze…"

All eyes were on Mika. "We may need her."

"We will think of this in our discussion Mika." Arrow nodded. "You may leave now."

Mika nodded and turned to go. He had done everything in his power to fight for Juliet. Perhaps that would help on the road to her forgiveness.

After Mika's departure the remaining Princes began their discussion.

"Had we made a decision before Mika's input?" Darren asked. Paris and Arrow shook their heads. "What would have happened then?"

Paris cleared his throat. "Well the punishment for attempting to murder a Prince has always been death."

"But that law only applies to vampires, right?"

"Honestly there are not any circumstances under which it had to apply anywhere else." Arrow supplied. The tattooed Prince looked to Paris for validation. The elder Vampire nodded quietly. "But as it has been said, the woman is definitely not human."

"That does not make her Vampire, though." Larten interjected.

"Mika said her blood was not Vampire. What else could it be?" Darren frowned.

"That is not the question right now," Paris said. "Our task is to decide her fate, not determine her origin."

"I for one believe she deserves a second chance. She's sick, she needs our help." Darren sad.

"It is not our place to help her. She is not one of us." Larten replied.

Arrow frowned. "And yet the thought of her reciprocating our help still intrigues me. Was she really such a fighter?"

"She was terrifying." Darren stated. "She was insane and yet so… clear. Her movements were…"

"Formulated, precise and deadly." Larten finished. "She is expertly trained. In what, I am not sure, but it may be multiple practices."

"She could be useful, then." Paris nodded. "We may need all the help we can get in the coming days…"

Darren frowned, scratching his bald head. "I don't like the idea of using her as a weapon. What if she doesn't want to stay? What if she fights us?"

"Nobody has reached that conclusion yet, Master Shan." Paris chuckled. "We are simply weighing the options, and right now the best option seems to be keeping her alive."

Darren's frown deepened. "Is that our decision then? Keep her alive, find out more about her, sway her to our cause?"

"You're finally starting to sound like a Prince, Darren." Larten smiled.

"Lives are at stake here, and it's safe to say I'm more than a little uncomfortable…"

"It comes with the territory, boy." Arrow responded gruffly. "You never get used to it, but you learn how to make the decisions with your head and not your heart."

"I don't see what's wrong with using both." Darren sighed. "Or at least with getting Juliet to trust us."

"I agree," Larten nodded. "She should be told of the decision made here,"

"The decision not to kill her?" Darren reiterated. The elder Vampires nodded in agreement. "Who should tell her?

"You're very invested, Darren. Perhaps you should go." Arrow said, a smirk over his features. "You can inform Mika of our decision as well, I'm certain you will encounter him on your way."

"You want me to go now?" Darren asked.

"There's not time like the present!" Paris remarked. "Go on, we will send someone to fetch you when we resume discussion with the Generals."

Darren, though slightly confused over the abrupt change in conversation, stood to leave. Admittedly, he was eager to tell Mika the news. As the entrance to the hall opened in front of him he saw Mika ver Leth leaning against the walls, wringing his hands in anticipation.

"Mika," he began, and the black-clad Prince turned to him, his dark eyes filled with worry. Darren gave a small smile. "Let's go. Let's go see Juliet."

Behind the closed doors, Paris, Arrow and Larten remained in their places, their faces now stoic.

"I suppose now we should discuss what will happen if Miss Juliet declines our invitation to help her," Paris supplied.

"If she goes berserk again." Arrow agreed.

"I do not like discussing this without Darren or Master Mika…" Larten sighed, "They are Princes, I am not,"

"Mika is too emotionally invested in this to think with the clarity he is known for." Paris said, sadly. "And you are the only person who can explain to Darren the reasons decisions we are about to make and why they were made. He is a Prince but he is still a boy."

"He is not a boy," Arrow shook his head. "But he is young, and he has a lot of life to live, yet. He should not be… burdened with these thoughts."

Another sigh escaped the scarred Vampire. "I understand."

"Well then," Paris cleared his throat. "Let us begin again."