Daughter Of Helios

-Present Day-

"Victoria?" Visenya whispered under her breath, her voice barely audible.

Victoria's condoling gaze swiftly transformed into a cheerful facade. "Emperor Lucian... the title suits you well. I am delighted to see that you are alive and in good health."

Lucian, engrossed in his own thoughts, cast a sidelong glance at Visenya. She quickly bowed her head in submission, assuming she had angered him by speaking out of turn. Little did she know, he wasn't actually angry, but rather intrigued by the history between her and Victoria. Observing their interaction, he couldn't help but wonder why every vampire despised Visenya, except for Victoria.

It was evident that their paths had crossed during Visenya's reign, as Victoria's existence had remained concealed until after Lucian had abandoned Visenya on that desolate mountain. Emperor Caden had planned for Ezra and Lazarus to meet the following day, hoping they would resolve their political differences and establish a peace treaty of their own. However, that meeting never came to fruition.

"Victoria," Lucian finally acknowledged, as she gracefully took her seat between him and Lazarus.

"I wasn't aware that you two knew each other, Victoria," Sebastian probed, his eyes shifting between her and Visenya.

Victoria let out a nervous laugh. "We don't know each other, daddy. She must have learned about me from our previous slaves."

"Hmm..." Sebastian pondered for a moment. "Of course."

Victoria briefly glanced at Visenya, a twinge of remorse crossing her gaze, before quickly returning to her apathetic facade. Though she may have successfully deceived Lazarus and Sebastian, Lucian saw right through her charade.

"Victoria's unique abilities have proven to be incredibly valuable to the royal family," Lazarus boasted. "The last decade has been... well, grueling to say the least, but our little dark angel here managed to keep her family fed."

"Oh, father..." Victoria dismissed his words with a nonchalant shrug. "No need to dwell on the past with yesterday's narrative. We wouldn't want to bore the Emperor."

"No, do go on," Lucian prodded, his curiosity piqued.

"Let's just say we greatly benefited by keeping her gift of day walking a secret," Sebastian elaborated. "Victoria crossed the Lycan borders more times than we can count, hunting down whatever animal she could find. It wasn't enough to nourish us daily, but it kept us alive."

"Victoria is an incredibly impressive hunter," Lazarus added, admiration evident in his voice. "Especially in the last few years... we still can't fathom how she managed it, but she never returned empty-handed."

"Interesting," Lucian's tone carried a hint of skepticism.

"We have every confidence that Victoria will make an exceptional ruler one day. Perhaps even a suitable Empress, if you know what I mean," Lazarus implied, a sly smile playing on his lips.

Jealousy immediately ran rampant through Visenya, her heart racing as she realized that Lazarus was offering Victoria to Lucian. As much as she detested Lucian, she couldn't deny the possessive inclination she felt towards him.

“I’m sure Victoria would be better suited for her beloved,” Lucian retorted.

"Victoria has yet to find her beloved," Sebastian sneered, casting a disdainful glance in Visenya's direction. "We've reached the conclusion that he might have been one of the countless innocent mortals who perished in Ezra's brutal attack."

"Yes, tragic indeed," Lazarus interjected with a voice tinged with curiosity. "I couldn't help but wonder, Your Excellency, why you never sought out your own mate. Should I gather all the women slaves for you?"

"No need," Lucian waved off the suggestion dismissively, not wasting a moment to entertain it.

Lazarus peered sympathetically at Lucian and his tone softened, “Just as I presumed… your mate is deceased as well, isn’t she?”

A heavy silence filled the room as Lucian chose not to respond.

“My deepest condolences for all that you have lost,” Lazarus expressed, his words laced with genuine sympathy. “Which brings me to ask, why is Ezra’s daughter still alive?”

Lucian's glare intensified as he locked eyes with Lazarus. “What I do with my pet is not your concern, nor will it ever be.”

“Pet?!” Delilah growled, her voice filled with indignation.

Lazarus fretfully cleared his throat. "My apologies, Your Grace. I have overstepped my boundaries. However, I still believe it would be wise for you to consider taking Victoria as a mate."

Lucian sighed wearily. "I see you're still holding strong to this little fantasy of Victoria becoming Empress one day, but I'm afraid my answer is the same as it was ten years ago. I need a woman who can breed me dragons, and a vampire's womb will not accept my seed."

Victoria let out a sigh of relief, but Lazarus was persistent. "Victoria is half mortal, there is a chance that she might be able to procreate with another species."

"My love..." Sebastian interjected gently. "The Emperor is the last of his kind. I'm sure he would prefer to procreate with someone who can give him purebred Dragons... not a bunch of crossbreeds."

Lazarus nodded in agreement, his tone understanding. "Of course... and you, Your Excellency, deserve to see your race repopulated. You deserve nothing less than that and more."

Lucian remained silent once again, and Visenya found it rather cutting. It was as if his silence sliced through her heart. Of course, she did it out of abhorrence, but she had been right to eat the emberberries. It was clear now that carrying Lucian's child would be the ultimate offense towards him since she could only bear him what he did not want... crossbreeds.

There was no better time than now for him to reveal that she was his complement, to acknowledge their connection. But he didn't, and it only served as a painful reminder that he never truly wanted her... not then, and certainly not now. It was a bitter pill to swallow, but she had convinced herself that they were nothing more than a cosmic mismatch. She had moved on from these futile feelings. So, why did it still hurt so damn much?

A few slaves gracefully entered the ballroom, presenting a mouthwatering array of delicious foods for the esteemed guest of honor. Lucian skillfully arranged a plate adorned with succulent meats, luscious berries, and delectable desserts. With a gentle gesture, he handed it to Visenya, only for it to slip from her grasp as an old woman dropped to her knees, sobbing in Visenya's lap.

"Save us, My Queen! Free us from these demons!" The old woman wept.

"I... I can't," Visenya whispered, her voice barely audible amidst the commotion.

"Yes, you can... I've seen it in my dreams!" The woman declared, her voice filled with conviction. "You are the daughter of Helios... you possess the power of a thousand suns!"

"Get this lunatic out of here!" Lazarus bellowed, unable to contain his frustration.

A member of his night-watch swiftly approached and forcefully dragged the hysterical woman away. She kicked and thrashed against the guard, her cries echoing through the ballroom, punctuating her nonsensical claims.

"You have always felt like a misfit here, as if you were not destined for this world! It is because you are a true deity!" The woman exclaimed, her words carrying a peculiar ring of truth. "You possess a power surpassing everyone in this room, tenfold! Please, My Queen, remember who you are!"

A solitary tear trickled down Visenya's cheek, her heart aching for the old woman burdened with a fractured mind. Strangely enough, the woman's words struck a chord within her.

Visenya had long sensed that she did not belong in this wretched and broken world.