9: Asphyxia

When breakfast was finally over and done with- much to my relief- Sebastian decided to take me around the palace.
"As the Queen's daughter, it would be so disappointing if you did not memorise every single room in this palace." He said sternly and began walking at that same unbearably fast pace.
"Stop-" he paused outside of what seemed to be a doorless doorway, leading to a beautifully decorated room with a circular, mahogany table surrounded by red cushioned mahogany chairs in the centre. To the side of the room was a dark silver fireplace built into the wall and across most of the walls were paintings hung up in a systematic function. Here and there placed on the floor were a few standing ferns which seemed quite cheery and, as a result, out of place.
"This over here is the drawing room in which we receive many of our guests." He said pointing around. "Please do not enter here unless you are specifically instructed to. The maids have enough trouble as it is after clearing up Liam and Xavier use it."
He then began walking away, gracefully running a pale hand through his hair and flicking it to the side. My heart thudded at the sight and I looked down to hide my blushing cheeks from the handsome man.
He abruptly stopped again, further down another dimly lit hallway. I neared him and was surprised to see a larger room than the one before. This one had a flat-screen television against the wall, four, large soft sofas and a fireplace built into the wall. Below the television was a coffee table upon which lay a game console and a few remotes, and on either side of the room stood a large, black speaker.
"This is the lounge area. It is one of our more 'secret rooms' as it does not comply with the sophistication of the rest of the palace. Again, do not use this room too often." I nodded at him, and he began walking.
Sebastian managed to show me the entire palace, from the kitchen, the great hall and even the grand, masterpiece of a throne room. Eventually, by the end of the day, we made our way outside and onto one of the balcony's overlooking the outside of the palace. It seemed to be a place kept to perfection with bright green lawns cut to perfection, a large pond in the distance, a lake glistening further away, more grand rose bushes and it's fair share of more garden areas growing what seemed to be lilies, foxgloves, bushes of lavender and even lilacs.
"This is by far the most beautiful place in the entire palace, and quite frankly my favourite." Sebastian said, glancing over at the scenery. It was then that I looked up and was caught off-guard by the beautiful intensity of his gaze as he raked his eyes across the beauty of the yard. His eyes then met mine, and I looked down immediately, silently gasping at being caught staring.
"Well, I will take a visit to the kitchen to see if they could provide any snacks for you. I'm afraid we have missed lunch. You will be able to find your own way back once you are done here?" He asked.
I nodded, and he growled, frustrated, "Speak, girl."
"Yes, Sebastian."
He nodded in approval, "Good. I see it will take quite some time for you to develop quite the sharp tongue. But not to worry, once the other nobles start swarming in, I'm not sure even you will be able to keep your composure."
With that, he left, leaving me standing alone at the balcony. I took a deep breath in, and shut my eyes, enjoying the cool air against my skin. It had seemed to grow sensitive throughout the course of the day, and now felt softer and colder as I ran my hands up and down against the surface. I also realised that I'd begun to develop quite the pale complexion. Slowly, my wolf blood was beginning to course with vampire blood, and I was beginning to worry regarding whether or not my body would be able to house the blood of two different species.
"So, you're out here?" A gruff voice said, pulling me away from my thoughts. I turned around to be met with a pair of blue green eyes which eyed at me distastefully.
I said nothing, and looked down, nervously playing with my fingers underneath the scrutiny of his gaze.
"Do you not know how to speak?" He asked, taking closer steps towards me. I began backing away, with eyes still on the ground as I gulped and began to breathe heavily. The aura he gave off was terrifyingly dark and dangerous and it had my skin breaking out in goosebumps.
"A mute queen. How interesting that would be." And then suddenly I felt cold hands on my throat, forcing me to stare up into the blue green eyes. He glanced over at my own eyes, taking in the two different colours, and then shook his head.
"An impure mixed breed. You disgust me, you know that."
I began trying to grip at his hands and pry them off of my throat, but he was so strong, and his grip was deadly.
"Tell me, Phoenix... was it? Are you immortal?"
I shook my head, panicked and unsure myself while he chuckled and gripped tighter at my throat. His eyebrows began to furrow deeply as he concentrated hard on blocking my airway.
I clutched and gasped and attempted begging for him to stop, but he refused, and none of my words could even be articulated.
"I will enjoy watching the life leave your eyes... and I'll enjoy watching you die like your pathetic mother."
And those words finally struck a chord in me. Immediately I gripped hard at his hands and, with some sort of new, angry and raging force within me, began prying his fingers off of me. His eyes began to widen, and in a matter of seconds, my throat was free from his grip. But it seemed I was not done with this new fit of rage. I reached up and gripped at his throat, letting out a low, deadly growl dripping thickly with malice. I could feel my teeth extending, forming fangs, and both my eyes began to pulse and swirl with burning rage.
"Don't." I began to grip tighter. "Fucking." Even tighter. "Talk about my mother."
By then I was so overcome with rage and power that I was lifting the vampire off the ground, allowing his feet to dangle in the air. He gripped at his throat, trying to grasp at my fingers, but just as I struggled with his fingers previously, he struggled with mine as they tightened even more. Eventually, his eyes began to roll to the back of his head, almost half-lidded. That was when I heard Sebastian's voice.
"Good God! Put him down, Phoenix! Put him down this instant!"
But I didn't listen. I wouldn't... I refused. He had crossed the line and my animalistic instincts were clearly not appeased.
It was only when Sebastian's hands grasped at mine and his body was placed against me, that I began regaining my senses, slowly loosening my grip.
"Come on Phoenix... remember who you are..." He whispered gently against my ear. It was then that I finally let go, causing Xavier to fall hard onto the floor as he gasped violently for air and gripped at his bruised throat.
Immediately I was filled with regret and embarrassment.
"I-I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to hurt you."
Xavier looked up at me and scowled. "You bitch! You nearly fucking killed me. Sebastian, you better keep your mutt on a leash. Otherwise next time, I'll make sure to kill her first."
Sebastian hissed at him, still with me against his body. "You better watch your tongue. Otherwise next time I won't come looking for you, and I will let her kill you, you filthy mouthed, spoiled little brat!"
Xavier huffed, but not before pointing a quick, dirty glare at me, and then continuing to exit the door.
When he left, I turned around and looked up desperately at Sebastian who suddenly looked down at me with a raised brow.
"I'm sorry Sebastian. I keep on messing up and disappointing you."
He shook his head and sighed, "Believe it or not, what you just did was probably the least disappointing thing you've done yet. In fact, I might even be proud. But please, do try to refrain from killing the nobles. As much as they deserve it, it is not worth putting your stake to the throne at risk."
I nodded at him, and he finally let me go.
"Come along now, I've managed to steal a few snacks for you from the kitchen. We will eat together." He said, holding out an arm for me to interlink. I did so but could not shake the feeling I once had flowing through me. It felt so... empowering and so... right. It was as though, for a second, I'd unlocked a part of me that was itching to be released, itching to be set free. But I brushed it off, labelling it as a one-time personality fluke.
As we walked, I noticed that one of the hallways to the right of us was strangely lined with portraits against either side of the walls. It, however seemed to end in a dead-end.
"What's down there?" I asked curiously.
"Ah yes, I forgot to show you this corridor. I beg for your forgiveness; it is quite hidden. Let me take you through."
He then turned left, leading us into the passage. Across the walls, were the grandest painted portraits of men and women donned in the grandest of attire.
"These are the previous monarchs, right from the beginning of time itself, and here-" he paused in front of the last three portraits, "-is your grandmother, then your mother, and finally the now-deceased King, your uncle."
"Uncle?" I stared at the handsome pale faced man in the last portrait, and then at my beautiful blue-eyed, red haired mother in the previous portrait.
Sebastian nodded and hummed. "King Dionysus Azazel Lorenzo."
"Sebastian..." I called out curiously, "how did he die... in fact, how did my mother die. I thought that vampires lived forever?"
He sighed and fell quite sorrowful before he began, "Both your mother and your uncle were strong believers of the unity between the vampire and werewolf races. The nobles and vampire council (ironically also run solely by nobles) did not like this idea. The common rumor is that the Queen died during childbirth, and that the King died of sunlight exposure in the human world after forgetting to sip from the Cup of Obumbratio- an enchanted chalice which allows us to become immune to human sunlight temporarily. They began blaming his commonly known forgetfulness as the source of this tragedy. But, if you ask me, I believe the nobles are solely responsible for the deaths of both the monarchs. That is why I need you to snap out of this timid, mild and meek attitude of yours. It will do you no good, and it will surely be the death of you."
I gulped, and looked up at him, now certainly white as a ghost as the realisation set in. If I was not careful, I'd surely share the same fate as my mother and uncle.

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Hello lovely people out there! I know I've been slacking off on my updating, but I will try to do better! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, feel free to share your thoughts on the novel so far.
Stay healthy! Stay safe! Sending you all my love!