Epilogue

Alina

Six months later
The Royal Castle was abuzz.
Flowers were being brought in, curtains were being changed, fancy dresses and glittering diamond jewellery were donned by pretty maidens, and elaborate attires were worn by the gentlemen. It was a day of celebration and a day to rejoice. After all, Erick and I were being crowned today.
We had to go through another one of those cleansing rituals and then ushered into different rooms to get dressed. Come to think of it, Erick and I had been too busy for the last six months that we barely had a proper conversation with each other; me with lessons after lessons on vampire culture, dancing, and etiquette, and Erick with learning statecraft from the nobles.
It was in these six months that I had come to learn exactly how attached I have become to Erick. It was like he was so near, yet still far enough that I couldn’t reach him. Both of us had to pull all-nighters sometimes, and we often slept without each other. The only thing that prevented me from going completely insane was the mating bond that pulsed with his presence all the time. At least, I could hear his voice from time to time and feel his warmth through the bond.
“You’re awfully quite,” Selene asked from behind me as she curled my hair into ringlets with a curling iron.
“I don’t think I have the strength to speak,” I said. “I have to revise that damned script for over fifty times already and still, Kenna seems to disapprove.”
“Well, you can’t really blame her. It’s the coronation ceremony! She wants everything to be perfect.” She let a few curled strands of hair hang around my face.
“Plus, I keep forgetting the whole thing over and over again.” I sighed. “Honestly, if I were her, I would’ve given up on me already.”
“Too bad I’m not you then.” Kenna stormed in at that instant, her glittering sky blue skirt flying behind her as she moved in an incredible speed. “Are you done, Selene?”
“Almost, Your Highness.” Selene moved away to show Kenna the results.
Kenna gasped. “You look wonderful, honey!”
I thought of that, too even though nothing could compare to Kenna today. I was given a peach coloured full-sleeved, floor-length gown for today’s event. It was encrusted with diamonds and gold threads, and to be paired up with diamond danglers and bracelets. My hair was pulled up in a messy bun, but the curls made it look sophisticated and stylish. Selene did a pretty simple makeup since I didn’t need any nowadays. Ever since turning into a vampire, I seemed to have acquired that naturally glowing flawlessness to my skin that was a trait of the immortal race.
“Thank you, Kenna.” I looked around the room. “Where’s Emiel?”
“Oh, he’s with Erick. He said they had some last-minute preparations left.”
One of the best things that had happened after the fight with the Ancient was Emiel getting reinstated into the Royal Family. Marcellus’s descendants did complain about it, but in the end, the king overruled their decision, and the Royal Family became whole once again. Erick wasn’t thrilled at the idea but neither did he object to it. In fact, he fought for Emiel along with the king. And ever since Emiel was back, he had never left Kenna’s side.
The injury to his psyche might never heal, but a vampire’s lifespan is far greater than any human, so we haven’t lost hope that he might one day recover and become the man he was supposed to be. In the meantime, he seemed content trailing behind his mother and basking in all her adoration, but still, almost everyone remains wary of him.
Trumpets sounded all throughout the castle at that instant, followed by the cheers of thousands of vampires that have gathered to witness the coronation of their beloved prince. The nobles were all inside the throne room while the majority of the crowd stood outside the castle gates.
“It’s time, Alina,” Kenna told me as I stood up from the chair in front of the mirror. “Wait at the entrance to the throne room. You’re to enter with Erick once your name is announced.”
“Yes, mother,” I told her and was rewarded with a blinding smile before she left.
Selene and I exited the room together but parted ways when I made my way to the throne room entrance and she went to a different doorway. The hallway was empty when I arrived, so I stood in front of the huge metal doors admiring the delicate designs that ran along its sides and middle. My hand was firm around the gift in my palm. I intended to give it to Erick today no matter what.
“Were you waiting too long?” Erick’s arms came around me an instant later, the dark chocolate of his scent engulfing me. “Sorry, it took me a while.”
“I think it’s okay for the star of the show to arrive fashionably late.” I smiled up at him as he moved to stand beside me.
“You look beautiful.” He took my hand and kissed the back of my palm.
“You don’t look too bad yourself!” I joked. Erick looked stunning in his white coat and pants and a royal robe of vermilion red that was draped around his shoulders and secured in the front with a jewelled pin.
“I have something for you,” I told him just as the sound of applauses came from behind the door.
“What is it?” Erick looked genuinely curious.
Instead of answering, I picked up his left hand and slid a ring onto his ring finger. “I ordered it the day you first took me to the Constantium. Kendrick brought it back on our wedding day, but I just couldn’t find a suitable time to give this to you,” I told him as Erick brought the ring closer to his eyes to study it. The design was simple with just a single red stone in the heart of a platinum band. It was the best I could do at that time, but I really wanted him to like it.
“It’s beautiful.” He smiled down at me. “Thank you for this lovely gift, my love.”
Suddenly, the world around us came to a standstill. It was like we were the only one in it. Words weren’t enough to convey what we felt for each other. We’d come so far from that fateful night five years ago, and I’m glad that it was all in the past now. We were moving towards a bright future.
“I love you,” I whispered just as the buzz of noise returned all around us and I heard our names being announced.
“And I, you.” Erick leaned in to plant a lingering kiss on my lips and raised his head just in time as the huge doors in front of us started to open.
“Shall we, my Queen?”
“After you, my King.”

****

Erick

The coronation ceremony was perfect. Alina and I walked into the room hand in hand, and instantly, everyone knelt before us in honour of the future king and queen. Everyone seemed to be mesmerised by Alina’s beauty. Immortality had done her justice. Now that she is a vampire, everyone fought to catch her attention. More so now because they could feel the power that she emanated wherever she went. I didn’t think anyone had realized it yet, but being transformed by a very powerful Ancient along with having my blood in her system would one day make her a power to reckoned with, and I’ll be gratified to stand by her. I would proudly say that she’s mine.
We knelt before my father and mother who then recited the ceremonial rites. After that, the crown was placed on my head, its weight heavy with the responsibility of keeping in line thousands of vampires around the world who could turn bloodthirsty and destroy all of humanity in the blink of an eye. That responsibility had been my father’s until today. Now, it belonged to Alina and me.
After the coronation, we recited our vows to the witnesses; pledges to protect our secrecy, to defend the innocent and punish the nefarious, and to stand by our people in times of need. In the end,Alina had nothing to worry about. Her recitation of the vows was flawless.
After the coronation, we walked out the castle’s balcony to greet the crowd of vampires that have gathered only to get a glimpse of the new king and queen. I haven’t told Alina yet, but as we stood here waving at the crowd, Emiel was making preparations for our getaway.
Lately, we weren’t able to spend much time with each other, and Alina was pretty depressed about it. Even though she didn’t say it out loud, I could feel her hurting through the bond, and I wanted to eliminate anything that hurts Alina. That’s why I let Emiel help with the planning. It will be my gift to her, I thought while tightening my fingers around the band she gave me.
Emiel and I were nowhere near patching up our relationship, but it was a start. We had yet an eternity to live.
“This way.” I took Alina’s hand as we were returning to our room after the ceremony ended and led her to the direction where a car was waiting for us. Right now, I didn’t care that people would think I’m an irresponsible king. Alina and I earned this vacation.
“Where are we going?”Alina asked as we made our way down a set of spiral staircases to where our car was parked.
“Somewhere where we can be alone,” I told her as we reached the car and held open the door for her. Emiel sat at the driver’s seat. He would be driving us till we reach a portal that would take us to where we need to go.
“But we didn’t pack anything.”Trust Alina to think about all the minute details.
“Already packed and in the front seat,” I said as I got in the car after her.
“Thank you.”Alina leaned in to kiss me. She then placed her head on my shoulders and drifted off to sleep.
It would take a while to get to the portal, so I placed my head on top of hers and closed my eyes too, but not before warning Emiel to wake me up when we cross the portal.

****

Erick.
Erick.
“Erick, it’s time to wake up.”
“Miaka?”
Startled, I snapped my eyes open only to find myself surrounded by complete darkness.
Looking down, I found myself sitting on top of a throne wearing the same attire as I was when I fell asleep. Everything around me was completely shrouded in darkness, but somehow, I could still see myself.
I looked up when I saw something materialise before my eyes, but I wasn’t the least bit surprised to find Miaka in her royal robes sitting on a similar throne in front of me.
“Where are we?” I asked her.
“That’s not important.” She shook her head. “What’s important is that by becoming king, you’ve not only endeavoured the responsibility of your people, but you now represent an entire dimension.”
“What do you mean?” I frowned. “I thought the initiation will occur with another ceremony.”
“The council doesn’t bother with such carousing, Vampire King,” a voice spoke from my right as another person materialised and sat on a throne. I didn’t recognize the dark-haired male with onyx eyes, but I had a vague idea of who he might be, Rihero Von Palestin. “Here, we take our responsibilities seriously.”
“I would expect nothing less from the Dragon King.” The slight twitch at the corner of his lips was the only indication of his surprise.
“Gentlemen, let’s not be dicks right away, shall we? Leave the best for the last.” The white-haired woman with translucent eyes could be none other than the Mystic Queen.
And just like that, the darkness was filled with ten of us immortals, each representing their own kingdoms.
“If everyone’s done bickering,” Miaka’s voice rang out loud, “we have important matters to discuss.”
The Dark Council was in session.