Chapter 32

Unlike last time, she wouldn't be able to deliver this plea to the King herself. She would have to go through Lady Laura as she normally would. In fact, the only reason she had been able to deliver her Mistress's message directly to the King before, was because he had been strolling along the hallway at the exact moment she had stepped out of Lady Zezi's room, he had also beckoned her to tell him about Lady Zezi and how she was faring.

This time around, the King wasn't strolling through the hallway, so to Lady Laura's door she ran.

Her hand rose to Lady Laura's door but before she even had the chance to knock, it flung right open.

"Gwen," she declared with surprise. "What are you doing here? You are supposed to be feeding." Her eyelids came together in a slant line and she said pointedly. "This is your break."

"I have something of utmost importance to be delivered to his Majesty, Lady Laura."

She held up the scroll and Lady Laura took it, moving it a little closer to her face before her nose scrunched up like a stench had just hit her nose, and she dropped her hand.

"The wolf's blood is on it." She commented with unfiltered disgust.

"It is a Plea and a blood oath, my Lady."

She smiled, an evil grin crossing her lips.

"I have supplies, packaged food," she added for further unneeded clarification. "You must be hungry. Will you snack on that while you watch the execution with me? It will be a wonderful sight from the part of the podium I will be sitting in."

Gwen straightened up.

It might seem like just an invitation but it was far from that. Lady Laura was inviting her to her side of the podium which meant a silent claim, an offer for Gwen to be able to gain her favours and those that others will give her knowing that she was associated with Lady Laura. All these would come at a price though, her absolute loyalty and submission.

"The fourth bang should be anytime now." She reminded urgently, her slim lips revealing her perfect teeth in a smile that showed that she hated to wait for answers, as a nail now turned into a claw was now playing with some strands of her black hair.

Gwen was thinking. Of course, she knew the gravity of her proposal. If she were to reject it, then she had officially signed herself into being an enemy. Picking that wolf over her would be the fine line she shouldn't have crossed. A fine line she would certainly regret.

"My profound apologies, my Lady, but my so--"

"You may go. I understand that you wouldn't even know how to conduct yourself standing next to such high Royalty. You only ever would be able to relate with the low-class wannabes like that wolf anyway. Stick to the dirt that you came from."

Gwen bit her lips, her face bland of emotions. Lady Laura never ran out of hurtful words, but she was very important to the King, not just because they were siblings but because of her unwavering loyalty to him.

Whosoever crossed would only be a thread away from crossing the King. Crossing her was bad enough.

"I am really sorry but my son is sick."

"So?"

"The scroll is of utmost importance."

"Just leave."

She slammed the door shut in her face, with a sigh of frustration.

These low-class vampires always found a way to piss her off.

As Gwen sprinted off, she couldn't help but think that maybe she should have gone to the Royal Adviser instead, but Lady Delice's position in the castle had been something shaken with uncertainty ever since her wedding with the King had been called off. Gwen wouldn't want to risk anything further than it already was.

She would just have to hope that the plea would reach the King before it was too late.

Lady Laura was the only way they had.

She could feel her fangs poking out through the corners of her lips again and her speed increased.

She really, really, needed to feed.

If she went back to her Lady like this, she would be nothing but danger to her.

"Laura," Delice called out as she pushed the door open.

Delice didn't really fancy Laura's aesthetic. Her room was always looking like that of a witch, with tables filled with countless little bottles, the smell of herbs and different concoctions thick in the air that already had an eerie aura to itself, and there was the furnace that Laura kept lit almost every second of the day. The room definitely had a heater; she just wasn't using it, not like any of it was really needed anyway.

In fact, this room always made Delice uneasy, like it was a Being conquering dark magic. Laura hated the mention of dark magic though. She said it reminded her of her mother's dark times, so Delice never said anything about it.

Laura turned to her with her rare sincere smile.

"Finally, she made it."

"I'm sorry, I'm late. I had to feed and--"

"Keep your excuses and help me with these earrings, will you?"

Laura had a couple of ear piercings, so this would take a while.

She stepped forward, helping her.

"I can't wait for the fourth gong. It's been so long since we've had this, you know?"

"The last one was barely a moon ago."

"Like I said, so long."

"Does it not just please you to watch--hey, careful--"

"Sorry."

"Back during the Dark Times, we had times like this every day, even more than twice a day when we got lucky."

Done with the earrings, Delice stepped away and Laura quickly handed her necklace over to her.

"You almost sound like you want to go back to those times."

Done with the necklace, she looked at Laura in the mirror. She was always excited for things like this, and just as always she had dressed the part. An exquisite blue long dress with long sleeves that swept the ground whenever she walked.

Laura was the Queen of extra.

"No matter how bad something is, there is always something you'll enjoy. That's enough. Let me touch up your make-up. With that bland brown gown and lack of jewelry, you just look sad."

"I have no intention to look glamorous. Unlike you, this doesn't excite me."

"Why not?" She asked, standing up and looking at her. "You will be sitting at the High Table."

Delice frowned.

"Your brother's mate's family is about to be executed."

"And why should I be concerned? She and those pathetic wolves came here, ruined everything, and took your place. This is a victory for us. Once he gets rid of her, she will lose her mind and probably even kill herself due to loss and grief. With her gone, you'll finally be Queen, and not just that, you'll also have the man you love."

"Laura...

"Don't you love my brother?" She looked at her through slanted eyes and Delice nodded her head.

"I do."

"Good. So shut up and let destiny play. Also, I'm older," she tapped her finger against the tip of Delice's nose playfully.

A bang.

"There it is. It has begun."

She held her hand as they headed to the door, tossing something quickly into the furnace as she giggled excitedly.

"Come with me now."

"What was that?"

"Nothing important." She said, ushering her out, then the door shut slam.

The scroll slipped deeper into the embers as the fire consumed it.