As soon as Vasilis felt the chains wrapping themselves around his chest, and his two hind legs as he was sitting on a chair, he try to jump out, and shrugged off the chains, but he was too late as the chains squeezed, and tightened their hold on him. As soon as he try to do a spell to undo the chains, he saw that they were laced with garlic, and that his powers were now neutralized, he couldn’t use them to save his life, and every time he move it made him feel weaker, and weaker that was when he heard a voice like an angel, a voice, which was very familiar to him, which came with good, and also some bad memories, and the one word he spoke was a name....”Shalana?”
“I am amazed that you remember me, my love, you left me trapped for two hundred years in that staff, my staff, and on the day before our wedding!” said Shalana smiling a bit evilly as she saw Vasilis’s paling quite a bit because of the effects of the garlic on the chains.
“My love, I had to do that, you have to understand, you were becoming more power hungry by the day that it was becoming too much for our love to bear it, and for that there are no words to express the sorrow that I have felt for all those years that have passed between us, would you ever forgive, a foolish, old feline with his many faults, and weaknesses?” asked Vasilis in a tone of sincere regret, and full of love towards this beautiful, purple-velvet haired feline, and bows his head to show that he is truly regretful for what he has done.
“You saw that I was changing, and yet you took the advice of your brother Arsalan to lock me in that temple!” said Shalana, then she fell on all four of her legs to the ground, and started crying as soon as her head laid on the lap of Vasilis, which felt soft to the touch, because she lay on one of his finest silk black capes that he uses only when he is in his palace.
“My Shalana, why do you cry so? Be glad, you are finally backed into my arms, my bride, and queen. Let us forget the past, my dear, and plan our true wedding, it will be one which will never be forgotten” said Vasilis in a caring, poetic, and yet soft voice as he softly stroked the top of Shalana’s head.
“Oh Vasilis, why are you like this with me? So forgiving after all I have done. And yet you are remorseful for what you did to me...That is all I have ever wanted from you, Vasilis” said Shalana smiling through her tears as she looked at him with a soft smile on her face.
Then as she let her head laid on his lap for a bit longer, the chains binding Vasilis to the chair in which he was sitting on disappear, then he looked at her sweetly as he gave her an old, ruby ring which was set in gold, a family heirloom that he wore on his neck in a gold chain ever since he trapped her in that old Staff of Wisdom. He wore it as a reminder for what he did to his lover, Shalana on the day before their wedding was supposed to take place, then when he saw her smile brightly to be given back her old engagement ring.....
In The Palace of Cairo...
As Nasir watched Kira still sleeping from her ordeal in the temple, he just smile at her lovingly, then he heard a knock on the door in his room, he looked toward the direction of where he heard the knocked coming from, then in a regal voice he said, “Yes who is it? State your business.”
Before the door open, Nasir tucked Kira into his bed, and then quickly cleaned his paws, then not a second sooner the door opened, and it was Sibella, who curtsy before him before coming into his room. When Nasir saw it was just Sibella, he sighed in relief, and then smile at her.
“Que pasa Nasir? You seem to be tense, and a bit stressed out, is there a way I could help you in this particular situation?” asked Sibella as she started cleaning the floor a bit with a mop that she summon with her vampiric powers.
“Yes, could it be possible you could serve me some blood, I am feeling a bit peckish” said Nasir as he sat down on one of his couches in his room looking through some scrolls from his desk, then as he was going through his scrolls, he found a letter from Vasilis to him, so he started reading it:
Nasir,
I have been hearing ‘from word of mouth’ that you are teaching those in your harem to become fine ladies. If this is so I will be sending my niece. Callena for some instruction; she is a high priestess to one of the vampiric gods that we worship, Sekhmet, the blood-drinker goddess. If you can do this, and arrange a marriage between her, and a wealthy, loving mate; I will be most grateful. Oh here is a warning; my niece is very prideful to a fault. If you can get her the King of the Southern Lands of the Vampiric Realm, I will be delighted to have an alliance with him, but this all depends on Callena’s manners, and you, my heir, and descendant.
Vasilis
“What an interesting letter from Vasilis, he wants me to cure his niece of her pride, and play matchmaker, this is going to be fun, I guess.” Thought Nasir as he took a sip from his goblet that Sibella served him with the contents from the blood pack that she put in his goblet. Then he looked at Kira again, and smiled, but was starting to worry about her, since she hasn’t woken up, since escaping the Karnak Temple with the help of Korisha, the ancestor of Twilight Sparkle....
Kira’s Dream...
As Kira opened her eyes, she was laying down in the middle of a picnic blanket that felt like velvet as she open her eyes, she saw that she wasn’t in Egypt let alone, her home or in Krios’s home. She was in a grassy field filled with tents, and blankets set out, and all Kira could think was, “Where am I? Where is everyone…?”
While she was looking around, she also saw that nothing looked Egyptian or Roman, before she could move a bit to start exploring, she saw a shadow coming toward her at first she thought it was a shadow because it was all black, but as this being got closer to her, she could see it was a slender feline wearing black velvet, and surprisingly enough he looked like he belonged there, then when she saw the red eyes of this feline, she knew it was ‘inner Nasir’, but she didn’t know why he was in this dream, so she let him get closer to her.
“See I told you, we will see each other again, my dear Kira. Tell me do you like what you see Kira?” asked ‘inner’ Nasir as he looked at her, and fix the black mantle he was wearing. Then he smiles at her, and offer a goblet of pomegranate juice, which she accepted from him, and started taking sips from the goblet, and smiling at him sweetly.
Then after a few moments, she answered his question, “Yes, I do, but exactly where are we, ‘inner Nasir’? This place doesn’t looked familiar, and yet I feel safe here, but what’s with all of this? The blankets, tents, food, and banquet tables, and no one is here having fun?” asked Kira looking a bit concern, and worry at the end before stretching her legs as she started walking around.
“Where are we? Well, we are in your dream, but to be more specific, this is an area in the vampiric realm in the center of the realm close by to Vasilis’s palace. You also asked why no one is here yet…They are welcoming their new young princess in the palace, she is quite a cute, little filly; her parents wouldn’t let anyone else see her till now, she is a new member to the vampiric family.” Said ‘inner Nasir’ as he smiles at her slyly, and his eyes had a look as if to say, you should know who the parents of this filly are. Then Kira looked at him, and then her face showed that she did connected the dots , and all that came out of her mouth was a gasp… Then ‘inner Nasir’ started laughing a bit, and then smile a sincere smile while he nodded his head once.
“She…She is my daughter? That can’t be! Why is she born here, and not in Egypt?” asked Kira, but before she could get an answer from ‘inner Nasir’, two beings started walking toward them, which made ‘inner Nasir’ go very quiet…
“You know the rules of time, Lord of the Vampires, one must not show the full path of one’s future. Time will flow, and everything that sure to happen will happen. She will know everything in due time, now is not the time to lax the rules of time to make sure everything goes according to plan.” said Ramla as she summon her Staff of Ra to her, before changing the scenery to a place that was full of fog, before slowly revealing what looked like Kira’s room.
“It’s nice to see you again Kira, and Nasir, or should I say ‘inner Nasir’” said Tamani as she was sitting on the couch in Kira’s bedroom looking at them with a smile on her face.
“Tamani, I haven’t seen you in my wing of the palace, where have you been?” asked Kira with a bit of her concern in her voice as she sat on her bed with ‘inner Nasir’ following, and sitting next to her.
“I have been in my room that you gave me to use in your wing in the palace, but I had to do some traveling to find my old friend, and mentor Ramla, something is amiss with the flow of time, and for some strange reason, ‘we’ feel something bad is going to happen in the nearby future” said Tamani as she summon the Staff of Anubis to her front paws, “We should prepare for whatever the future may hold for us…”
In Vasilis Palace…..
When Shalana stopped shredding tears of regret, and now joy, she looked at Vasilis, and Vasilis looked at her sweetly as he did so he started laughing as he saw that her dress looked a bit old, and dusty like a well-preserve artifact.
“Why are you laughing old king?!” asked Shalana looking indignant with a smile hidden in her lips as a purr escape her mouth.
Then Vasilis smile, and got off his chair before responding with laughter in his voice, “ Well Shalana, my bride your dress is old, and parts of it is in tatters, my darling”, then he kissed her forehead, while waiting for her reply.
“What?!”, as she said that, she looked at herself, then slumped to the floor as she saw how her explorer outfit look like, “Oh I am ruin! My poor outfit is destroy. Being trapped in that staff, and I didn’t even see how unkempt I was getting!” said Shalana looking a bit blue because of how she looked, then she sighed, a heavy sighed, and just stayed sitting down on the floor.
Then Vasilis looked at her with a raised eyebrow, and purred as he got up, and swooped her up onto his arms, then he transported them to his bathhouse, and dropped Shalana gently into his bathing pool, then as soon as the water covered her up, Vasilis sent her old explorer outfit to his seamstresses to have it fix. Then he called for some of his bath maids to help Shalana get cleaned up.
As the maids were washing Shalana, Vasilis stretched, and jumped softly into a chair near the bathing pool, and watched Shalana for a bit, overjoy at the thought of her being his blushing bride again, and Queen.
“So my Queen, I was wondering if you would like to help me with something, a small thing is all, nothing much, of course” said Vasilis in a very sly tone of voice as if he was planning a scheme, which, of course, he was doing.
“What do you want me to do, Vasilis?” asked Shalana as she let the bath maids do a thorough wash of her mane, and tail.
“I am planning a little ponynapping of a certain princess….” Said Vasilis as he was smiling oh-so wickedly at his little game he was planning to do to the princess.
“How do you want me to help, Vasilis? Where do I fit in this plan of yours?” asked Shalana as she lay on one of the smooth, stone slabs in the middle of the pool as she was getting ready to have a massage from one of the bath maids…
“Your part of my little play, game, whatever you want to call it, is this: You, my dear Shalana will enter the dungeons in the most regal attire, you will then go to the cell, where I have put Kira in. Your job for this part is simple act like a high, and mighty queen, tell Kira that Nasir has already been betroth to you, the idea here is for her to learn to swallow her pride, and beg you to reconsider going on with the ‘suppose’ engagement, when she is on the floor, on her knees begging tell her that you will stop the engagement, then leave her there, in the dungeon. But before you leave, give her this…” said Vasilis in a scheming tone of voice as he pass to Shalana with diamond bats dangling from it.
As one of the bath maids was massaging her back gently, Shalana was looking at the necklace, before saying, “It sounds like fun, Vasilis, but why are you doing this to the Princess Kira, what are you trying to find?”
“Shalana, you have read many books during your lifetime including those in my palace’s library, you do know the legend of the legendary rulers of the Vampiric Realm?” asked Vasilis as he decided to slip into his bathing pool, and to also have a bath with his future wife, and his only love.
“Yes, I have…The legendary rulers were Lucas Lebeau, who you personally handpicked as your heir, and his faithful, pure-hearted wife Kiraichi, a daughter from the Light Realm, and the princess of that realm. Their love was undying, and so was their love for their people. They were the kindle to the Golden Age of both realms. Then during their prime, the goddess decided that it was their time, both realms mourn the passing of those two.” Said Shalana in a tone that indicated, she was reciting the information she has read in some books.
“ Very true, Shalana, very true indeed. I believe that Kira, Nasir’s mate maybe the reincarnation of Princess Kiraichi, when I first met Kira; I saw her aura while I was in Nasir’s body dancing with her at her Coming of Age ball, it had the most unusual glow, I felt the warmth of the sun on my skin, or in other words on Nasir’s skin, and the warmth didn’t hurt me, it comfort me. Shalana, Kiraichi is here on our doorstep, I know her aura from anywhere. She was the ‘sun’ of the vampiric realm, and she was like a daughter to me, although she was Lucas’s mate…” said Vasilis starting to feel very nostalgic as he was taking a small trip to ‘memory lane’.
“So do you have anything else plan to see if the essence of the ‘pure heart one’ is still within the Princess Kira?” asked Shalana as she was enjoying a nice backrub from the bath maids.
“Yes, I do, after you come back, and tell me if she pass or not, I will have two options to choose from if she succeeds then I will take her out of the dungeon, and feign ignorance on what happen to her, and give her my sincere condolences, and move her to a room close to my room, which I had my maids made up for her, and I have added my own personal touch to her room by decorating it with only the whitest of roses. But if for some unforeseen reason she fail her test I could sell her into slavery, keep her as a harem girl, or kill her, which I will hate to do…”said Vasilis as he sat down to let a maid of his wash his legs with some smelling oils.
“So this is your whole plan?” asked Shalana as she walked to Vasilis, and looked at him curiously while showing off her newly washed fur, which was emanating the smells of lavender, and of rosewater.
“Not quite milady, after the first test, and if she succeeds, you will then turn into an older looking Nasir with the crescent moon mark on his flank, and explain to Kira that ‘Nasir’ wants to stay for the rest of his life, here in the vampiric realm. The idea is to let Kira decide what is more important to her: the crown of Egypt, or her love for Nasir, if she chooses to stay with Nasir here in the vampiric realm, then give her these set of keys, one is for her room, the others are for rooms that I think she will like to look through for her own amusement.” said Vasilis as he was fixing the rusted old keys, and use a spell to restore, and polished them back to their golden glory.
“So you are going to lock her up in the bedroom, you made for her? Why?” asked Shalana laughing a bit as she started to love Vasilis’s elaborate plan.
“Well I can’t let her find out about my plan because if she did then I won’t truly know if she is the reincarnation of the princess Kiraichi, and besides I don’t need anyone trying to clue her into my plan.” said Vasilis as some of his maids were helping him to choose his next outfit to wear, “Besides, she won’t think it is a prison with all the fineries, and amusements I put in there for her.”
“So in other words, you will put her into a gilded cage?” asked Shalana as she was getting her nails filed.
“Shalana…cage is such a dirty word, my queen think of it more of protecting Nasir’s jewel” said Vasilis in such a sly, and delicate tone of voice as his laugh sounded like it came within his most evil, vampiric core in his body that hasn’t shown up for hundreds of years except for now.
“So that is the whole plan, or do you have a scheme up your sleeve?” asked Shalana as she was getting out of the bathing pool, and was being dry by some of Vasilis maids.
“My Shalana, I have one more test for Kira, if she succeeds with the previous two test, this final one will be my masterpiece, I will change my appearance, and pretend to be a foreign prince on vacation here, then I will try to get Kira to trust me, and also try to make her be unfaithful to Nasir with the use of my silver tongue, and shower her with gifts. If I succeed then her fate is sealed, but if she sees through my disguise, and stays loyal to Nasir, then I will know that Kiraichi’s essence is intact within Kira, and I will reward Kira with riches beyond her wildest dreams, she, and Nasir will want for nothing in my realm.” said Vasilis at first with a tone that imply his sneakiness in his plan before going back to his normal, what one might called cheerful tone of voice.
“That sounds like the most elaborate plan, you have ever created, my king, and sovereign. I am impress, and I will help you to test the essence of Kiraichi in Kira, milord” said Shalana as she bow before him before kissing him on the cheek, which made a small purr escape from his lips.
Sunset, close to evening in the plaza of Cairo…
“Mommy, mommy! Look at the shops, and stalls with candy, and toys can we go to them, please!” asked Yasmin with her cute ‘puppy eyes’ look, which for Nexa, unfortunately was very hard to resist, especially when Yasmin use that sweet, ‘little old me’ voice.
“Okay, okay we will go, and have a look see before we head off back to our hotel room, okay Yasmin?” asked Nexa sweetly as she nuzzle her little filly as they walked to the stores, and stalls that have candies, and toys for little Yasmin.
As Nexa, and her family were looking at the shops, and such, a small bat was flapping its small wings, and kept watching the small family before leaving to report its finding to its master. As the bat flew back to its master, another small family enters the plaza. This family had a slender, black-furred mare, who always wore red ribbons on her black mane, and tail, and on her forehead was a white four-pointed star, then with her was a filly, who had silver-white fur body with a black mane, and tail like her mother, and with white ribbons there were cherry blossoms on her mane along with an early cutie mark with a butterfly sitting on a cherry blossoms….
Outside Slavia’s Camp (an area near the border of the camp)
As their shelter was a cave made by a small pile of stones two male felines came out of their hiding place just as the sun was setting, and the moon was rising. One of the male felines was a burgundy color furred feline with bright red stripes that look like bloody slashes on his fur, and with dark, coffee color eyes, he was looking at a female feline, whose tent was right in the center of the encampment, and he just smile at her longingly.
“Aah Kratos isn’t she a gem? I know that she made looked rugged right now, but just imagine how she would look after I done with her. Now what is the plan for catnapping her, since she is the leader of the slavers, I am responsible for first punishing her for that crime before I can make her my mate.” Said Axel at first in a dreamy voice as she watched Slavia fixed her hair, and gold tail ring, which she always wear, before using an almost serious yet business-like tone when he was talking about punishing her first.
“Axel, you know that ever since Vasilis found you close by your family’s house, he has told me to take care of you after the accident? Are you sure you want her as your mate because if not by Vasilis orders, I have to take her in, and he will choose a suitable punishment for her, since she crossed the line catnapping a seeress, and turning her to a slave. From what I hear the seeress is going to be sold to the noble that try to kill your brother, remember the news that Vasilis’ servants pass on to us?” asked Kratos as he got some ropes ready to use to tied Slavia up.
“Yes I know about her crime, and her association with that particular noble pony Kratos. That is why when we catnap her, I want you to transport us back to my room in Vasilis’s palace, I have some ‘plans’ for her, one being training her to be a worthy mate for me.” said Axel with a smile, and a look of scheming in his eyes as if he already knew what he was going to do to her…..
In Vasilis Palace…
After Shalana left to have some tea with some dignitaries of some of the other royal families, Vasilis started walking to the seamstresses’ wing of his palace to get outfitted into one of the costumes that he requested to be made for him for Nasir’s royal ball. As he was walking through one of the hallways to get to that particular part of his palace, a hooded feline slightly brush his side without any care whatsoever that it was the king of the vampires that his body touched. Then Vasilis stopped walking, and turn his head slightly, and with a raised eyebrow he watched to see if this hooded feline would have the decency to apologize for bumping into him.
As Vasilis stopped the feline smile before he undid his hood of his bright red cloak to reveal his face that had mischievous orange eyes, a fair, and dashing face with a smile on his face, his fur a reddish color with dark brown highlights complementing the main red color of his fur. Then he turn around, and saw that it was indeed, Vasilis who he bumped into, then he laughed as he did an exaggerated bow with a flourish, and didn’t even looked remotely concern that he bumped into Vasilis.
Then when Vasilis saw that the cat who bumped into him was none other than Gillian his old friend, and personal minstrel, he just shook his head as if to ‘it just had to be him’, then Vasilis let a small chuckle escape his lips.
“Aah it seems someone almost forgot me, I don’t think my poor heart could bear it, if you of all people Vasilis forgot about me” said Gillian as a few crocodile tears came sliding out of his eyes, before he wiped them away with a silk handkerchief that he expertly hid under one of his front paws sleeves.
Then Vasilis looked at Gillian’s performance, and for a moment there he started feeling guilty before remembering it was just an act his old friend put on, and just shook his head as if to say nice try. “Gillian, my old friend tell me, when did you arrive to my palace?” asked Vasilis as he smile at Gillian pleasantly, truly happy that his old minstrel came back during this time.
“I just arrive not two hours ago, my friend. My travels have been smooth, and I also have done the favor that you have ask of me.” said Gillian as he gave Vasilis a stack of scrolls, and books.
“I see, so you have found the poems, and stories about Lucas Lebeau, and his faithful mate Kiraichi, thank you Gillian. This should help me a bit more with the plans that I have plan for Nasir’s masquerade ball” said Vasilis as he kept walking to the seamstresses, and costumer’s wing to be fitted into his ‘bloody knight’ costume.
“You are welcome Your Highness, it is the least I can do after you took me in, when I impress you so much with the stories I had to offer; I will always be indebted to you.” said Gillian as he kneel before Vasilis to grab one of Vasilis’s front paws to kiss it as a way to show respect.
“You are a good friend to me Gillian, and loyal….And for that I thank you. Also there is a small favor you could do for me, I need you to keep an eye on someone for me, and to also be my eyes, and ears in Egypt, since I will be here in my realm getting everything ready for Nasir’s ball.” said Vasilis with a smile on his face as they enter the seamstress, and costumer’s wing of the palace.
“And who is this someone you want me to keep an eye on sire?” asked Gillian looking very curious as he was fixing his cloak, and sleeves, before cleaning his paws as he watched Vasilis entering one of the dressing rooms to try on his costume.
“This ‘someone’ that I want you to keep an eye on is Kira, Nasir’s mate, also it would be good if you could divert her attention to you for a while, since I need Nasir to try on his costume. Since during the night of his Coming of Age Ball, I will be giving him full reins for that one night, whatever he says goes, and so if he has any ideas and/or events he wants to happen in his ball I have to know as soon as possible, also Kira has to remain in the dark of all of this; if my testing of Kiraichi’s essence within her will work.” said Vasilis as he pulled the curtain to exit the dressing room as a tailor of his came rushing towards them to alter a bit of the back side of Vasilis’s costume.
“As you wish, Your Majesty, also if you want to know the ‘abandon’ castle of Lorenzo’s family, the Medici’s has been use in Cairo as the annual treasure hunt competition location. It’s funny how they just left everything as it is, and let the royal family of Cairo maintain it…” said Gillian in a very casual manner while shrugging the notion off.
“Are you implying something, my friend?” asked Vasilis as he was sitting down very still praying that Percy, his personal tailor wouldn’t prick him by accident with his sewing needles, then shudders just slightly as if remembering some previous incidents.
“Yes, I am, since I know that for every new heir to the vampiric realm, as is tradition, the new king has to drink the blood of an innocent. But ever since you sent me with the task of finding the stories of Lucas Lebeau, and Kiraichi that task has also led me to the scrolls that talks about “The Pure-Heart Prophecy”. Now tell me what do you think about that prophecy, I thought it was just an old vampire tale that we have told to our kids to give them hope to a peaceful future for our kind.” said Gillian as he was admiring a costume on a mannequin that a seamstress was working on earnestly, the costume was a golden robe made out of the finest damask with small black colored designs on the damask fabric. Then Gillian watched as the feline added the peacock feathers that he brought with him from India onto the backside of the robe’s collar.
“Admiring the costume for Nasir, I see? See, I wasn’t kidding when I said that I will let him be king for the night just for his party, and I know he will love the costume. Also I am going to let him choose the costume that his mate will wear to the party. Now, back to the “Pure-heart Prophecy”, I was there when it was written Gillian, those scrolls were written right after the death of Lucas Lebeau, and Kiraichi. Also the Goddess came to me, and she told me that when we truly need them again, our legendary leaders will be reincarnated once more in forms which at first we wouldn’t recognize. I have to say this, poor Lucas being reincarnated as a thief, but I guess ‘you just have to deal with the cards of life that fate sends you’. Then there is the reincarnation of Kiraichi, who I would have expected to be reincarnated again through her original royal bloodline in the Light Realm, but ever since her death the Light Realm has been close for us in the Vampiric Realm, and everyone else, so for her to be reincarnated as the princess of Egypt is a miracle, indeed that she was reborn as a royal just like her past life so she knows how to rule a kingdom, which is a good thing. On the other hand Nasir still has a lot to learn about being a prince, and ruling a kingdom, though my sources say that in the Underground of Cairo, he is the Prince of Thieves.” Said Vasilis as he also started watching the seamstress feline fixing Nasir’s costume as he was doing so, he was also remembering his younger days, and his Coming of Age party, and smile sadly as he thought about all the years that pass him by, and the heartache of seeing Lucas, and Kiraichi dying, and he wasn’t able to do anything to help them nor save them for the Goddess told him that their deaths were meant to happen to usher a new era of peace, and prosperity for the vampiric realm…..
In Altiar’s Tent…
“It’s an honor to be in your presence, milord. So why did you want us to meet you here in your tent? And what was that deal you were talking about, sir?” asked a black-furred unicorn, who stayed in his bowing position out of respect, since he was a gypsy, a level below that of a commoners. Also this male unicorn did knew that if he could get in the good graces of a noble that he will become well known in the gypsy community, but most importantly it will be able to take care of his family more, which was his only desire, and wish that his family would have a better life, and even settling down.
As Altiar was listening to this unicorn, he was mildly impress on how this unicorn address him not believing that a gypsy would be so well-spoken, and he was also a bit impress on how this gypsy was bowing as if this unicorn could have been a noble himself. Then he sat on his bed in his tent, and nodded curtly toward this black-furred unicorn.
“Well having this meeting in my tent here in the slaver’s encampment should be obvious, in other words for privacy, but I guess you already deducted that thought through your mental processes of that brain of yours. The deal I propose to you is simply this: retrieve the princess Kira for me, and I will reward you richly, this is my deal.” said Altiar in a casual tone of voice even though at the beginning he used a bit of sarcasm mocking this unicorn’s intelligence for a moment.
Then the unicorn ignore the part of Altiar’s response that was an insult to his intelligence, since even though he is a gypsy, a traveler, and a commoner without a ‘true’ home, he won’t lashed out, and give the satisfaction of those who think they are right about how low, even ‘homeless’ people act. So he just smile politely at Altiar, and nodded his head to their agreement, before saying, “But isn’t that….well…I don’t know…illegal?! Are you out of your mind?! If I get caught I could be sentence to death or thrown into the dungeons for trying to ponynap the princess!” With a tone that show that he was a bit frighten on what could happen to him.
“Aah yes, there is that small risk to think about also, but you also have to think of the reward that you will get if you succeed in capturing the princess for me, riches beyond your wildest dreams, your family never need to beg for alms again,” said Altiar in a tone suggesting that this unicorn should take the risk to have a chance to better his life, and that of his family, the gypsies.
“Okay so if I really am going to do this, what do you suppose I should do? To at least have a chance on being successful? Anything in particular you want me to do? By the way before I forget, I think some introductions are in order, my name is Corazon Oscuro, or in other words Black Heart or Dark Heart, which is a literal translation of my name.”
“Dark Heart has a more edgier sound to it,” said Altiar in an interested tone of voice, and then he smile slightly as he walked toward a table filled with perfumes, and such as he was looking at the contents on the table, he continue talking, “well, here is an idea, take this perfume, yes, you don’t need to ask the question that I am guessing is boiling inside your mind. You are thinking why I would give you such an innocuous looking item, a bottle of perfume, or is it? Inside this bottle is a bit of jasmine perfume, a sweet smell, but also a substance that if one has the misfortune to smell it can knock them out for a good, few hours.”
As Dark Heart was listening to Altiar, he thought this plan of his was fool proof and all he needed to do was to get Kira alone with him to use this ‘perfume’. “So all I have to do then, is to get her into one of the gypsies’ carts, and use this on her. That should be easy to do, since my family, and friends have heard that Princess Kira likes to listen to stories from her family’s minstrels, but also from the gypsies, but not just that, she likes her fortune to be told. That is my plan, you will have your little princess soon. But now I am curious what are you planning to do to her after I deliver her to you?” asked Dark Heart in a curious tone of voice, which also imply that he was a bit worry about what would happen to the princess, but he still took the ‘perfume’ from Altiar’s hoof, since he needed the money to help his family.
“So we are in accord then?,” asked Altiar as he watched Dark Heart take the small vial, and then he smile a bit as if he understood how Dark Heart felt trying to help those he care about before resuming back to his business composure, “Well, when you deliver Kira to me, I will make her my bride, she will be my mate as she was meant to be.” With that said Dark Heart took his leave with the perfume bottle, and was getting ready for tomorrow’s carnival celebrating the Iron Pony Competition…
Then Lilia went inside Altiar’s tent, and kept her eyes looking down onto the floor as a way of showing respect as she bow before him, which Nero recommended her to do so as a way to stay in Altiar’s good graces.
“And who might you be little miss? A long way home aren’t you, my dear?,” asked Altiar in a sugary sweet voice, since Nero already informed him about Lilia.
“Home? I wish…I don’t have a home, I am just an orphan, a street orphan to be precise, sire. My family, I never knew them, I was left in an orphanage, but no one ever adopted me, after a while I left the orphanage in search of my family, and the answer of why they left me. But it isn’t if you even wanted to hear my sob story. So what can I do for you milord?” asked Lilia after she regain her composure of telling him her desire of wanting a home, and the desire on finding her family.
“I see…Well the job that I want you to do for me….That I sent for you, specifically is this: Tis a simple job, I want you to become my spy in Kiya’s palace…I want you to spy on them, the royal family, in any way you see fit, my dear. If I am impress by the information you gather, and in your job performance, I will give you a mansion for you to call your own, a home only for you, and I will also try to find some leads about your parents, and family as payment for this service that you will do for me, my dear girl”, said Altiar in a surprising caring tone of voice, since he did feel a bit of compassion for this female feline, who was trying to look strong, personality wise, even though she didn’t have a home nor a family to go to that even cared for her.
When Lilia heard that Altiar will help her look for her family, she looked surprise, and smiled shyly a bit, but also in a grateful manner too. Then she said, “ Thank you sire, that is all I have ever wanted, and yes I will do this job for you, it does sound easy enough to do.”
“That is good to hear Lilia, I am confident that you will do your best” said Altiar as he smiled at her, and gave her leave to go back to her tent to rest up for the night before she starts her job tomorrow.
In The Ballroom Of Vasilis’s Palace…
“Oh this will be fun! Being the decorators for Nasir’s coming of age ball! But I wonder why Vasilis is soo adamant about it being decorated in the old fashion way with coffins being place around the ballroom, and lest we not forget that…”, said Brilla Azul as she pointed at a stage in the southern area of the ballroom, which was not even finish yet.
“Who knows, I have never seen our king this excited before…Which can mean only one thing, he is planning something big.” said Katrina as her dark brown fur with black stripes was getting dirty because she was cleaning the marble, black columns of the ballroom ever since Vasilis told her to make them shine like the exterior of his castle.
“Oh come on, it shouldn’t be too bad for us, remember what we have to do for our mistress, the princess Callena. Remember the plan just one small setback needs to happen to see how Nasir, and Vasilis will react, since our poor mistress is still sore that Vasilis didn’t pick her as the next ruler of the vampiric realm.” sighed Safira as she was walking towards the center of the ballroom were the main blood fountain was at. Then Safira smile as she did a couple of spells, and use a wench to closed the area were the blood was supposed to flow to the other smaller fountains around the ballroom, without blood this will become the most disastrous party of Vasilis that it will ruin his good reputation, and that of his heir apparent, oh, she thought how Callena will love that.
“Safira, are you sure that is going to work, remember we only have one shot at this, and if we fail Vasilis, the vampiric king will have our heads, or worse he could turn us into his slaves. Besides if we succeed then Callena will award us with jewels, and shopping for new clothes, which would be very nice, if we do succeed” said Brilla, who was still a bit nervous about what Safira was doing right now even though she knew that as soon as Safira was done with her handiwork, she will go back, and start working on the stage before extra help will arrive to finish building the stage for the play, Vasilis was planning to host for Nasir…
In A Ruined Castle’s Mausoleum (In The Vampiric Realm)
As Shalana enter the Mausoleum, she had a moment of nostalgia as she started going down the stairs of this particular mausoleum, when she reached the last step, and enter the tomb chamber room, she set a red rose on Ruby’s tomb out of respect, before saying, “Old friend, it has been a long time, too long.” Then she smile, and set white lilies on top of the tombs of Lucas’s old friends, his knights although at the end of the ‘Old War’, a bit more than half sided with Ruby, and so they were lay to rest in this mausoleum.
“Has it really been this long, look at them they look like they are just resting, don’t they? It’s sad what happen in the ‘Old War’, especially when Lucas, and Kiraichi gave their lives for the safety, and peace of our realm” said Shirana as she came out of the shadows, since her talent is traveling through shadows, and she came here mostly to pray over the body of Ragaku to make sure he will always be at peace.
“Yes, it has been a long time, Nasira’s sister, Shirana, many have been wandering were you have wonder off too. You have disappear too frequently,” said Shalana looking a bit concern as she lay the last white lily on N’s tomb.
“Here we are once again, the past has call to us, and we have answer accordingly”, said Azeriana in a singsong voice as she came down, and landed on her hooves from one of the columns, she was sitting on, then giggle a bit too happily as she sat down in one of the empty spots of the small circle, which they were making by accident surrounding the tombs.
Then Almirah showed up while yawning after she fixed her hair with a spell, she told them that the realm was giving her messages through her dreams that it was time to awaken of those from the past meaning Ruby, and the knights. Everyone whispered in agreement as the blood moon was slowly rising in the sky. Then Callena skittered into the tomb looking like a small kitty late for class, but was able to regain her composure, and greeted each, and every sorceress there, who were her elders.
Then they were waiting for the final person of their circle Morgana to arrive before doing the resurrection spell. Then as they were waiting, Morgana has just arrive to the entrance of the Mausoleum singing a little song of hers, “He is my sun, and soon I will see him again, and he will remember all of our times together, he is like the sun, a son of a powerful noble. Oh Altiar, you have always been in my mind, my one true love for you, I will even give my life, and soul for you”….
Outside of Altiar’s Tent…
There was a mare, who wore a purple ribbon on her mane, whose fur is as dark as the night sky, and her mane as bright as a flame was looking through a loose area of Altiar’s tent that made a small peek hole with her cut-looking red eyes, and then she sighed as she thought about how much she had fallen for Altiar, and how he will never even give her a second look because he is a noble, and she was a peasant, not even that a street rat, who was lucky enough to be given a job as a servant to Altiar as a honest way on earning money, on earning her keep there also.
“Is he a son of a king? Like the sun, he shines so brightly, and his rays will never touch me. I have fallen for him, I am in love with him, and he will never, ever know about me, or the way I feel for him.”, was the small, sad song, which she sang in her head as she watched him conversing with some of Slavia’s workers….
In The Mausoleum….
Then Morgana skipped happily down the steps, then fixed her dark green, velvet dress that she was wearing that Vasilis gave to her as a welcome back gift. After a few moments, she took her place in the small circle around the tombs, and nodded her toward the others sorceresses, and witches there.
“Tis time for history to repeat itself, isn’t it Shalana, you know the story of, and before the ‘Golden Age’ of the vampiric realm, and it seems the blood moon has come, once again to signal a dynastic change to the realm. This ‘Nasir’ of Egypt, from the rumors we have all heard is the reincarnation of Lucas Lebeau, the old king of the ‘Golden Age’.” said Azeriana as she looked at Shalana only for confirmation that these rumors were true, and then Shalana gave her a curt nod as if to say yes, everything you have heard is true.
“So it is time to awaken Ruby Star, and her knights, the moon alignment is just right”, said Morgana as she saw the moonlight hitting the ruby in the center of the stone top of Ruby’s tomb, and the others nodded their heads out of agreement.
Then they stand up, and took out, and/or summon each of their staves as they walked around, and then stood still around Ruby’s tomb, then each of the sorceress turn their staff to a horizontal position to make a circle with the staves. As they were doing so, the glow of the moonlight magnify around Ruby’s tomb, before hitting the other gemstones on top of each of the coffins of the knights.
“Awaken to those of the olden world, to those who have roles still left to play in this world. Let’s see if this realm deserves to have another golden age, indeed!”, said all the sorceress in unison as the moonlight was blinding them as each of the tombs were being engulfed by the moonlight, only the eldest of the sorceress try to get a peek on what their spell was doing, the eldest of these witchy felines, her name is Malifica…
In an old noble’s house in an old, but restored neighborhood in Cairo…
In a sitting room in this old house was Aminta laying on a couch covering her body with a blanket, reading a book of hers as she was reading, she wasn’t checking the outside from her window, and didn’t notice that an uninvited guest enter her home…
“Oh so this is how you treat a poor, old feline by ignoring him so much” said Jake in an oh woe is me voice, when he enter the room, where he saw some candlelight coming from one of the windows from the outside.
Then Aminta jumped a bit on the couch, and dropped her book on the floor by accident, since Jake surprised her. “Now why would I ignore you my dark prince? How have you fare without your precious mare?” asked Aminta in a singsong voice as she smile toward him, and invited him to lay with her on the couch, and started to nuzzle him.
“I have fare not so well, with my heart being heavy with sorrow because of this mission Tamir assign me, my sweet, caring Aminta” said Jake in a sadden voice as he hold her tightly as if he will never let go.
“There is something, which made make you feel a bit better, a few nights ago, while I went shopping, a mysterious female feline came to me, and talk to me as if she knew me, after a few moments, she left me with an amulet telling me to give to the person that I most care about”, said Aminta as she gave Jake, the amulet, which had an amethyst embedded in a circular, silver ankh on the necklace.
“Now why would someone give you this, and how did this person know you, and us, but especially knowing about our relationship?” asked Jake as he put the amulet on, after he did that Aminta kiss him right on the lips, and while he was kissing back, his whole form was being transform into that of a noble cat. His dark color fur was changed into a reddish fur with golden highlights in a circular design on his fur, then his clothes were change into golden armor with a dark blue mantle connected to the armor.
“Oh…my…Jake, what happen to you look at yourself in the mirror, you looked very handsome, and more dashing than ever before”, said Aminta at first with a surprise tone of voice, before laughing a bit at the end while she was complimenting him.
“Oh, ha-ha! But yes you are right I looked different, I don’t even look like myself…I could get close to Nasir, and the palace, and see what Nasir thinks of me without knowing it is me…Ever since I signed that work contract with Altiar, it was mostly because Tamir wanted me to do that to get close to Altiar, but to also spy on Altiar, but now I am guessing with everything I have done to keep my cover, Nasir, more than likely will want my head.” Said Jake sighing a bit after his initial shock of his transformation wore down after he saw himself in a mirror hanging in the wall of the sitting room in Aminta’s house…
“Then we will have to go together to the palace, my dark prince…Hmm… How does Lord Velius sound as a cover name for you, darling?” asked Aminta as she touched his ‘new’ face with her hoof as he stroke her mane gently.
“That name sounds like the perfect name, Aminta, the perfect cover name, indeed! And yes I like the sound of that name, it sounds very smooth, and sly” said Jake as he smile at Aminta’s cleverness, and kept holding her as they went back to laying on the rug, which was very soft, and took almost half of the sitting room’s floor, then they kiss….
In Kira’s Room...
“Wake up, little princess, you have slept for far too long, and have wasted the day away. It is time to get up!”, said a voice in Kira’s mind after a few moments Kira slowly open her eyes from her long, recovery nap from the incident in the Karnak Temple. Then, Kira blinked her eyes a bit wandering who was calling her to wake up, and why the voice sounded so familiar to her….
