Prelude
Lauren stood tall, her sword in her hand as she faced an army of fifty to her one. Tears of anger and loss streamed down her face as she thought of the bodies of her loved ones and friends laying now dead in the snow, their blood making sludge of the once white blanket. She waited for them to attack, staring at the black demon upon the sable stallion. It was black on black, even the man's hair was the color of a raven's wing and his eyes like burning onyx. The men around him were much the same, all dressed like night descending and wearing grim expressions. The wind blew then, a blistery cold gust the sent her sable and white streaked hair flying around her. Her normally ice blue eyes were now glittering midnight blue from the rage boiling inside her. She was close to using the Gifts she had been given, but knew better. This army had Gifts as well and could pull her apart easily, but she would not surrender, even if they were her own people.
The thought that her family would send these killers to come and get her made her feel betrayed. Now families suffered or were all dead; people that had taken her in and protected her, people she had come to love, all laying with their lives draining away. The little boy next to her, Richard, she had known him for the six years of his life. He had called her his big sister and she had held him as he struggled for his life. His blood covered her white pants and green shirt, his last words burning in her ear, 'I love you sister, and do not count this as your fault.'
Thinking of these words, hearing them again, Lauren's hand tightened on the hilt of the sword. No one, with their last breath, blamed her for this; they all loved her as a sister, cousin, and friend. These people, who had never done anything wrong in their lives, had been slain for a war that never should have touched them. Looking again at the man astride the horse, she again wanted to kill him and send his soul to Hell, instead she spoke loudly, making sure everyone could hear her words, "Commander Craven, tell King Straus, my father, that I will never go through with his plans! May this dark deed haunt you all and may you pay on the day of your deaths!"
"Princess Lauren, if you had not ran six years ago, this would not have happened. You brought this tragedy here to these people, if anyone shall suffer for their lives being taken it is you. Come with us now." Commander Craven said coldly showing no hint of remorse.
Lauren shook her head, doing her best to keep a reign over her frayed temper. "I am not going to my father's land. I will not be used as a pawn in this war."
"You are not going to the King's holding; we are taking you to that of your betrothed lands. Even if he does not except you in the mating ceremony, there are others that will. You are here by sentenced, by decree of our King, to be banished forever to remain with the Lavern Clan."
Lauren shuddered and almost fell to her knees at the news. Her father, a mortal king, had banished her to live with creatures of nightmares. Vampires, Weres, and every other manner of creature of the mythical realm made up the Lavern Clan, but the Vampires and Weres made up the royal family. Looking down again at the body of little Richard, Lauren finally understood what was happening; she was to be a sacrifice from the mortal realm, a gift to stop this war. If she did this no other families and towns would have to go through what this one did. Sheathing her sword and lowering her head, Lauren came forward and allowed herself to be lifted onto Craven's horse. As he wheeled the great beast around, Lauren allowed herself to look back one last time on the village where she had spent the happiest six years of her whole twenty-one year life. Tears rolled down her cheeks again as memories assaulted her, strengthening her conviction that no matter what, she would not fail in the Lavern Clan. She would assure that no one ever felt this pain again, and she prayed to the Gods that these families would rest well, and then drying her face on her sleeve, she stared straight ahead, ready to meet her fate.
Chapter 1
Two Months Later...
"We have arrived Princess."
Lauren poked her head from carriage she was sitting in and looked at the looming gothic style castle in front of her. She grimaced a bit but managed to sit back into the carriage ad heave a sigh. In the two month journey to reach to Lavern Clan, Lauren's personal guards had spared no expense collecting clothing and fabrics, gold, and everything that was needed and more to make a good dowry. She also had sixty-seven more people with her that were going to be given to the Lavern Clan for whatever use they wanted. Lauren could imagine all types of horrible things and the only thing that protected her was the simple order that no matter what she was to be for the royal family only. Then again that didn't necessarily mean that she was any more safe then the other mortals with her. Leaning back against the cushioned seat she fiddled with the dress she wore. It was split to the hips on both sides, allowing her to be able to ride when she wanted to.
After several more minutes the carriage stopped and the door was opened. Lauren stepped from the carriage and took in her surroundings. She was in front of a set of large stone stairs that led to a high archway were several robed figures were standing. From all that she had learned in the past weeks, she knew that vampires could go into the sunlight, but the afternoon sun was the strongest and they had to wear cloaks. She looked over at Commander Craven and waited for him to stand beside her and take her arm before she started walking up the stairs to the shadowed entry way. She stopped in front of the figure wearing a deep purple robe and lowered her head in a bow as the commander dropped to one knee.
"I bring to you Princess Lauren Halturi, she is a gift from King Straus to seal the peace agreement we signed. We also brought the number of humans you asked for and all things that were requested for the dowry. She also has her own personal belongings. She is now yours to do with as the Royal family pleases, for as long as you wish to keep her."
"Commander Craven, you and your men are to take her stuff to the room you are led to and leave immediately." The woman said her cold and smooth like silk, yet edge with impatience.
Craven nodded and stood keeping his head down as he walked back to the carts. Lauren looked at the figure refusing to kneel, daring them with her eyes to order her to. Instead the figure took her arm and led her inside, turning down several different corridors before they stopped in front of a set of metal doors. The figure then turned to her and removed the hood to show a beautiful woman.
"My name is Lily. I am an advisor to the Royal family and so I must warn you before we go in that they do not take insult well. Behind these doors, the entire family has assembled to meet you. Be polite and you may just make a match with one of the princes. For now you may keep your sword, but do not draw it unless told. Do you understand this?"
Lauren nodded and Lily smiled, clapping her hands together for the door to be opened. Lauren followed closely next to Lily and found herself a bit surprised as she looked over the thrown room. It was done in shades of reds and purples, mostly of the dark verity though it was still not the completely dark image she had imagined for weeks. Instead it was done with a sense style and taste, though it was a bit on the morbid side, but that suited her just fine, she no longer believed in the brighter side of life. Not after the events of how she was found and brought to this place. Lords and ladies were lined up on either side of the room, looking at her with faces showing mainly disgust, though a few did look a bit curious to see her. The royal family was all on the dais, the king and queen seated at the front, the princes standing next to their father and the princesses next to their mother. Lauren counted a total of six ladies next to the queen and four men next to the king. She didn't know why this made her a bit nervous, but it felt like something was going to happen and she wasn't sure she wanted to know what.
When she reached the edge of the dais, she took off the cloak that had covered what she was really wearing. Underneath was a deep crimson corset dress that she had split to her hips, complete with fishnets and high heeled boots. A hematite choker encircled her neck with a pentacle bearing fangs on it, the crest of the royal vampire family. Her dangle earrings bore rubies in onyx, as did the circlet that sat on her head. Her hair was unbound and rolled to her hips in waves of black and white; a few ribbons matching the color of her dress ran through it. On her left bicep was a silver band that was the vampiric crest again this time rubies and hematite ran around it. Her sword sat on her hip and a dagger could be seen on the outside of her right thigh that showed while she knelt, right hand over her heart and head bowed. The audible intake of breath did not surprise her, she knew that the warrior's bow she made and the symbols on her belongings would raise this reaction. Her blade was not named Screaming Death without reason and the incantations had not been done by another. Instead of coming as the lady her father had wanted her to be, she came as she was, and by wearing this family's crest on her chocker and bicep band, she had already sworn allegiance to them. She only hoped that she didn't offend these people, otherwise she might just become their dinner.
