CHAPTER 24

**AMELIA**
We spent the afternoon together, talking about the past and the future, laughing and crying. It was a day of silent goodbyes and unspoken promises, a day when we tried to ignore the approaching shadow as the sun began to set.
After lunch, my mother got up and walked to the room where she kept her threads and fabrics for her work. I watched as she opened the chest and took out a red and black fabric.
"I made this for you, but they wouldn't let me see you, so I think now is the perfect time to give it to you.", she said, approaching me with a beautiful long red dress in her hands.
My eyes widened at the beauty of the garment.
"Mom, this is beautiful.", I said, touching the soft, fine fabric.
"I knew you would like it. You can wear it at the castle.", she replied with a loving smile.
I nodded and stood up to hug her tightly, closing my eyes as I did so.
"Thank you, but you didn't need to spend so much money on fabrics, Mom."
"Don't worry about that, dear.", she said, caressing my face.
The hours passed quickly as I helped my mother prepare dinner. My eyes fixed on the sky through the windows, noticing that night was almost upon us, but I still had a few hours. I felt a pang of sadness at the thought that I would soon have to leave.
After we finished dinner, I laid my head on my mother's lap, feeling her hands stroke my hair. Tears welled up in my eyes again, and I couldn't hold them back.
"I would run away with you to a faraway place where we would have freedom, but we wouldn't live more than just 362 days, Mom."
"I know, I know...", she responded softly, continuing to comfort me.
"I don't want to lose you; I don't want you to have just less than a year of life.", I whispered, my voice breaking with emotion.
I opened my eyes at the sound of the guards knocking on the door. I knew what it meant.
"Your Majesty, we must take you back to the castle."
I hugged my mother tightly and, with tears in my eyes, took the precious necklace from my neck.
"Sell this if you need money; it should be worth a lot.", I said, handing the necklace to her.
"Amelia...", she began, but I interrupted her.
"Please, Mom. I won't be able to bear it if I know you're not well."
"I love you so much, Amelia.", she said, tears streaming down her face.
"I love you more than anything in this world.", I replied, also giving her the bracelets I was wearing. I knew that life in the village was difficult and that she might need the money.
The guards knocked on the door again.
"Your Majesty.", they insisted.
My mother placed the cloak back on my shoulders.
"Go and save everyone.", she said, her voice firm despite the sadness in her eyes.
My vision was blurred by tears as I felt my mother's hand holding mine tightly.
"I will give you more than just 362 days of life, Mom.", I promised, hugging her one last time before opening the door.
I turned my head to see her one last time, crying as she watched me leave.
"We must go now, Your Majesty.", one of the guards said.
With one last look at my mother, I left the house, feeling the weight of responsibility return to my shoulders. I mounted the horse, feeling the tears wet my face. As the horse began to walk, I kept looking at the house where I grew up with a heavy heart. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, trying to calm my feelings before wiping away the tears. The guards accompanied me as we rode back to the castle, but something strange happened along the way.
In the dark and deserted streets, I saw two figures emerge in front of us. The horses stopped suddenly, and I frowned as I tried to identify the men with faces hidden by the darkness. The guards were on high alert, ready for anything.
Before I could say anything, the two guards dismounted from their horses, and horror seized me when I saw their red eyes glowing in the darkness. Vampires.
The vampires advanced quickly, and the guards began to fight with their swords. Fear took hold of me as I watched the battle from atop the horse.
"Protect the queen!", one of the guards shouted, approaching me. I saw the other guard transform into a large wolf, ready to face the vampires. The horse was frightened by the scene, and I held the reins tightly to avoid falling.
One of the guards mounted the same horse as me to protect me. We began to ride quickly towards the castle, but soon I heard a scream. I turned my head to see a dagger flying through the air, hitting the heart of the guard, who fell from the horse, dead. My heart raced as I saw two more vampires blocking my path.
"Capture the queen!", one of them shouted.
In panic, I forced the horse to run in the opposite direction. My cloak flew in the wind, and as I looked back, I saw the vampires running towards us. I was alone now.
I rode into the forest, tears filling my eyes again as I realized the vampires would not give up. My mind thought of Aaron and the safety of the castle, but he wasn't here to protect me.
I continued riding quickly through the night, hearing the rapid footsteps of the vampires behind me. I screamed in pain when a dagger flew through the air and cut my arm. I lost my balance and fell from the horse hard, hitting my head on the ground. A groan escaped my lips as I opened my eyes, feeling intense pain all over my body. I turned my head and saw the vampires approaching quickly.
With my heart racing, I began to crawl on the ground, desperate to find something to defend myself. My hands searched through the dirt and dry leaves, looking for anything that could give me a chance against these monsters. The pain in my arm throbbed, and my vision was blurred by tears and pain.
One of the vampires got closer, his red eyes shining with a mix of hunger and malice.
"You can't escape, queen.", he growled, getting even closer.
I kept crawling, refusing to give up. I felt desperation grow inside me, but also a fierce determination to survive.
Finally, my hands found a large stone. I gripped it tightly, preparing to fight for my life. When the vampire leaned over me, I lifted the stone and struck with all the strength I had left, hitting his head. He recoiled with a cry of pain, but I knew it wouldn't be enough to stop him for long.
The other vampires were getting closer, and my heart was beating so fast it felt like it would explode.
"Kill the girl!", one of them commanded.
I stood up, staggering, and tried to run, but my legs were weak, and my body ached with every movement. I knew I didn't have much time. I felt a cold hand grab my ankle, pulling me back to the ground. I screamed in pain and frustration, trying to break free.