52__Yin and Yang

*The sunlight twinkled behind her as Viktor watched Emma’s silhouette dance about in the field before him.*

*She held her dress with the tips of her fingers and pranced around him. “I’m thirteen! I’m thirteen!” Emma sang happily.*

*Viktor didn’t understand what the big deal was. He’d been thirteen not so long ago and he hadn’t been this happy. His parents hadn’t even celebrated his birthday before. Because birthdays were meaningless. Emma’s celebration was only an exaggeration.*

*Emma jumped to a stop in front of Viktor, her bright ginger hair haloing her beaming face as she lowered it to his.*

*“I’m finally thirteen, Viktor!” she said for the hundredth time. Viktor only looked up at her from where he sat. “I can finally do a lot of things! Like…” Emma’s smile dimmed as she thought about it. “…sew my own clothes!” She said with a giant grin. “Aannd… go home a little later! And… get a bigger chunk of bread!” She squealed with delight and lay herself flat on the ground to stare at the blue sky.*

*Viktor silently watched her as she smiled up at the clouds, still puzzled by how he was so perfectly content to spend all of his time with this human who, most of the time, made little sense to him. She was always smiling and got extremely excited over the smallest things, then tried her best to get him just as excited.*

*Viktor didn’t know why she tried so hard when he wasn’t accustomed to smiling that much and therefore didn’t. Born Vampire Kings didn’t do such trivial things, as his father had taught him.*

*But this human… Viktor tilted his head as he studied her. With her bright red hair and those freckles sprinkled across her nose like fairy dust… she stubbornly put all of her energy into getting the slightest smile out of him, sticking by his side like glue and making him feel… loved. Valued. Seen and appreciated. She made him feel like he existed.*

*Emma suddenly sighed happily and Viktor snapped out of his own thoughts.*

*“I’m going to do plenty now that I’m thirteen,” she said quietly, still looking at the sky with the most blissful expression.*
*Viktor didn’t know how she managed to look so at peace. The bliss and happiness that she had in her face… he envied her of it. And he didn’t know why he should. Why should he envy a human when he was going to be King?*

*“In a little while, I’ll do everything I want!” said Emma with a grin. She clutched her hands together and pressed them against one cheek. “Oh, just think! Once I’m bigger, I can wear the prettiest gowns!"*

*Viktor watched her scramble up to sit before him and she looked at him with eyes filled with the most excitement and anticipation he’d ever seen.* *“I’m gonna go riding with a fine gentleman!” she said with a giggle. “He’ll have the most dashing smile and he’ll take me riding around the county on his fine horse! Oh, how perfect.”*

*Her words struck an emotion into his heart that Viktor didn’t recognize. All he knew was that he terribly wished to tear her fine gentleman to pieces.*

*Emma sighed, her eyes shining with fantasy as they looked off across the vast field. “He’ll bring me flowers like my Dad does for my Ma and care for me all the time, like a true gentleman. My very own Prince Charming. How very perfect. Do you think I’ll look very nice in a wedding gown, Viktor?”*

*Her question went unanswered as Viktor stared at Emma, his heart thumping too hard in his chest. She carried on speaking even as his silence became deeper and his gaze heavier.*
*Viktor swallowed hard.*

*Why should this human make him feel this way? Why should she make him wish he wasn’t who he really is? A Vampire. One she’d truly find monstrous if she ever saw his true side. She made him ashamed of himself. But why?! He was going to be the Vampire King!*
*Why should she make him wish he was human for her?*

*Why should she make him wish he was her Prince Charming?*

*************************

Rena slowly opened her heavy eyelids and immediately saw three exceptionally beautiful faces hovering above hers.

“She’s awake!” whispered Kamilla.

Rena blinked sleepily at them. “Vampires…” she whispered.

Damon narrowed his eyes. “Are you trying to be offensive, sorceress?”

Charming straightened and turned his nose up. “I, for one, am not a Vampire.”

“Vampires are so beautiful…” Rena whispered, still staring at them.

Charming leaned over again. “We are, aren’t we?”

Damon gave him a look. “But you’re not a Vampire, remember?!”

Charming straightened and brushed invisible dust off his collar. “Kamilla said the owner of the body is, thus making me a Vampire by default. Come on, Damon, what don’t you comprehend?”

“Can you two stop?” said Kamilla as she helped Rena sit upright on the sofa.
Charming and Damon looked at them as Rena stretched her neck.
Kamilla put her hands on her knees and regarded the woman. “Well?” she questioned. “What happened? I thought you died back there.”
Rena sighed and swung her legs off the sofa. “Scared you, didn’t I?”
“You *did* appear like a tornado from hell,” Kamilla stated.

Rena looked at them. “I’m sorry… I must have used up all my power to get here. The spell weakened me.”
Damon crossed his arms. “Was it that hard?”

Rena nodded. “Yes. For me to get here without Rogan knowing and tracking me, I had to use all my power to create the right spell. It’s a wonder I’m still alive.”
Kamilla studied her. “Well…? What was important enough for you to risk your life over?”
Rena glanced cautiously at Damon. “Uhm…”

“Damon knows all about this,” Kamilla informed her. “I told him everything. So, I’d like to remind you that if this really is a ploy you’ve cooked up with Rogan, Viktor certainly will do away with you because Damon *will* tell on you, even if I don’t.”

“I know that,” said Rena tiredly. “One way or the other, I die. I’ve got nothing to lose. That’s why I’m doing this.”

Charming nudged Kamilla. “Don’t terrorize her, she’s destressed enough as it is,” he murmured. Turning to Rena, Charming got on his knee before her. “Would you like some tea, my lady? You seem rather upset.”
Rena smiled sadly at him.
“Yeah, we’re not doing that,” said Damon, tugging Charming back by his sleeve.
Charming gave him a look of outrage as he straightened and immediately bowed to Rena. “Apologies, my lady. It appears I’m the only person in this castle who has any empathy.”

“Oh, just stop,” Kamilla said. “We all feel sorry for the little enchantress, but not to the expense of our Kingdom which her boyfriend is currently trying to ruin, might I add!”

Damon blinked at her, silently noting how firmly she’d said “our” kingdom. His mouth curved. She’d come a long way from the girl determined to escape Onyx, come hell or heaven.

“He *is* trying to ruin it,” said Rena with a nod.
Damon blinked. “What? He is? Is that his plan?”
Rena slowly nodded. “Yes. Rogan wants to be king just so he can ruin Onyx.”
Damon’s eyes narrowed. “That son of a bitch!”

Charming blinked. “Dear God, the profanity!”

“He’s got a very deep rooted hatred for this Kingdom,” Rena told them. “His plans of destroying Onyx are all he lives for.”
Kamilla frowned. “But why? What does he have against Viktor? That’s the question.”
Rena pursed her lips with a nod. “Well, his dislike for Viktor might be only because he stands in the way of his plans to destroy Onyx. If that’s not it, I’ll find out what it is.” She gazed up at them, biting her lip. “Well…?”
Kamilla looked at her. “Huh? What?”
“Last time, Rogan tracked me before I’d gotten your answer. So I came here today to find out if you’ll do it. If you’ll help me.”

Kamilla turned her gaze to Damon and raised a brow. Damon nodded and crossed his arms. “Well, as you know, you are a sorceress. Viktor does not like sorceresses. Onyx does not like sorceresses.”
Rena lowered her gaze.
“But,” continued Damon. “If you swear to use your power to help us and thus, help yourself become free… I promise to talk to Viktor to help you.”
Rena’s face lit up with relief and she smiled at them, her eyes showing gratitude. “Thank you so m—”

Charming suddenly crossed his arms. “We shouldn’t need her help to crush that bastard,” he muttered darkly.

Kamilla’s eyes went wide as they all looked at Charming.
The moment he’d spoken the words, Charming’s face slackened and he slapped a hand over his mouth.

“What did you just say?” asked Kamilla, stunned.
Charming lowered his hand, staring back at her. “I… w-what did I just say?”

“We shouldn’t need her help to crush that bastard,” repeated Damon. “That’s what you said.”

Charming gasped. “I c-cursed?” He shook his head in horror. “No, but I couldn’t have! I didn’t want to say that! You *must* believe me, I am a gentleman of the highest order! Curses are *not* a part of my vocabulary!”

Rena stood up straight before Charming and stared into his face. “That…” she said in a chillingly grave tone. “Was Viktor.”

Kamilla’s mouth dropped open. “What? How?” She looked back at Charming and laid a hand on his shoulder. ‘Is… is he waking up?”

Damon pushed back his hair with a frown as he studied Charming’s face. “Do you mean to say that Viktor’s thoughts have just made their way out of Charming’s mouth? Unbelievable. That would mean that the two of them are present at once.”

Rena narrowed her eyes on the slow change in Charming’s eyes. His one iris darkening to a rich sapphire blue while the other stayed and bright, cheerful sky blue. She nodded. “Exactly.”