Truth

The Queen’s words about burning Isolde alive hung in the air and in Isolde’s mind. Again, she half expected that her undertaking of becoming a vampire would be viewed poorly, but she hoped that letting Maleth know of her plans would have smoothed things over. Clearly, it either wasn’t enough or didn’t matter.

“My Queen, I assure you that my loyalties to you are just as strong now as they were before I was turned.”

“I did not ask if you were still loyal to me.” The Queen bit back, her voice full of anger and venom. “I asked why you did this, why you told no one other than Maleth.” She then leans back in her chair. “I want to know everything and just to make sure you know how serious I am.”

A flash of white-blue light erupts from the Queen’s eyes, which quickly fades to reveal searing white-blue flames pluming forth from her eyes. It wasn’t often that Isolde and Maleth bore witness to the Queen’s magical powers and for good reason, because she only reserved the display of her powers for punishment.

With a simple raise of her right hand, a small, egg-shaped white-blue fireball grew in her hand. Then, with a flick of her wrist, conjured two fire rings around Isolde’s wrists, strapping her down on the chair, and one ring around her neck. The fire rings weren’t burning her, they only caused an uncomfortable warmth around the skin the ring was wrapped around.

“I believe you have seen what happens next.”

Whatever front of confidence that Isolde had was immediately snuffed out as she indeed had seen what would happen next. All Isolde could do was watch as the small fireball in the Queen’s hand burned brighter before a stream of fire burst forth and pour onto her exposed flesh on her right arm. After uttering a guttural scream, she grits her teeth in pain, which shows off her now growing fangs. As the burning sensation slowly spreads up her forearm and onto her bicep, she struggles and throws herself in the chair, making it rock back and forth – almost to the point of tipping over.

Maleth leans over to the Queen, “I think your point has been made.” The Queen snaps her fiery gaze upon him, causing him to bow his head in respect. “I mean no disrespect, my Queen. I just want her to have a fair chance without as much punishment or torture.”

“Very well.” And as quickly as she conjured the flame in her hand, she relinquished her powers and dispelled her fiery magic. Though, as she turned back to Isolde to follow up with her questions, she paused all her thoughts as she watched Isolde’s burnt flesh mend itself slowly in between her panting and groaning.

“What sort of magic is this?” The Queen said angrily.

Still panting and groaning, “It is… part… part… of the reason…” Isolde said in between her pants.

“Explain.”

Even though Isolde felt the urgency of her Queen’s need for information, she couldn’t help but look and wait until her flesh healed fully before answering. “As I said, my loyalty to you has not changed. What I have done is because of my loyalty to you.”

As the searing pain dulls from her arm, she regains her composure and reseat herself back into her chair. “The war with Jundura’s emperor has been growing more and more dangerous. You need everyone at your side at your best.”

“And you decided that becoming a vampire is you at your best?” The Queen said, quite befuddled at the prospect of such a claim.

“My magics, my abilities only go so far. I wanted… no, needed to be better.” The Queen keeps her disapproving stare, but nods in acceptance. “There are things about vampires that few know. It is quite amazing that their kind was beaten back all those years ago for how powerful they truly are.”

“Then how were they beaten back?”

“Their arrogance was mainly their downfall, but to actually kill a vampire…” She pauses slightly as she realizes the danger of her revealing the way to kill her. “you have to… you must cut off their head and drain them of their blood. Afterwards, you must burn their body to ash to prevent their bodies from regenerating if the body comes in contact with blood.”

A sly smile grows on the Queen’s face. “Bold. To reveal how to properly kill you does indeed prove your loyalty to me and answers my immediate concerns about all of this.” She turns to Maleth. “I am satisfied for the moment. There is more that I would like to question, but I have other pressing matters to attend to.” She then gets up from her chair and turns back to Isolde. “I am still not happy about this Isolde, but you have just shown me you are not a threat. Go, clean yourself up, and meet me here in the evening; under more kinder circumstances.”

As the Queen bows and then turns to take her leave, Maleth gets up from his chair and gestures to Isolde. “Come, I’ll escort you to your quarters; if only to make sure you do not get into further trouble with the guards.”

Isolde just nods and gets up and walks with him to her quarters. Step by step, she felt her energy seep away as she continued to recover from the tortuous torment that she endured from the Queen. Her mind reeled as the ever-growing hunger to feed clawed the back of her mind. It had been three days since she properly feasted on blood. The occasional rat that she fed on during her imprisonment barely kept it at bay.

A glossy sheen glazed over her eyes as she looked at each guard they passed by. Her hungerous desires kept pushing thoughts and ideas about how easy it would be to dominate and drain each guard they passed by, and when there were no guards, those thoughts would turn to Maleth.

“It would be wise to not glance at me as if I were food, Isolde.”

“I am sorry Maleth, it cannot be helped. It took all my strength not to have this look before the Queen burned me.” She reaches up to her mouth and feels her fangs. “It is such a unique feeling. My fangs ache and I feel my head spinning as if I had partaken too much wine.”

Reaching the door to her quarters, she stops and turns to Maleth. “Bring that one guard… that Demetri to me. I would have words with him.”

“No.”

Anger flashes across her face. “No?”

“In your state, I know you would feed on him.”

“His life is forfeit after the treatment he gave to me. He deserves death!”

“I will not allow it.”

She slams her hand into her door. “Then bring me someone worthy of death!” The glossiness that was across her eyes is replaced with red, bloodshot eyes. “If I do not feed soon, I will not be able to control what I will do next.”

A look of disgust crosses his face as he witnesses the true consequences of vampirism. “Very well. I will pull a death marked from our prison and have them brought to you. However, you will be responsible for disposing of the body and reporting the death to the proper people.”

“Very well.” Angrily, she opens her door, enters, and immediately slams it shut. “The fool! He has no idea how dangerous I am… the things I can do in my hungered frenzy.” As her eyes dart around her room, she notices a small boxed shape package with twine wrapped around it.

Reaching for the package, she quickly unties the twine and rips off the paper wrapped around it – revealing a simple wooden box. With a slight tilt to her head, she lifts the lid of the box, revealing four small and secured empty vials, along with a note.

Isolde,

If you are reading this, then you have survived the test that I gave you. Truth be told, I am actually fascinated with vampirism and what is involved with being a vampire. As I would have instructed you, you will meet with me in the dining hall, but I also want these four vials filled with your blood. I want my top scientists to examine your blood to learn more.

The Queen

A divisive grin stretches across her face as she finishes reading the Queen’s note. Suddenly, a knock on her door sounded through her room, snapping her out of a frenzied state.

“Yes.”

“We have brought the prisoner you requested, ma’am.”

“Good, leave the prisoner there and go back to your posts.”

“As you wish.”