She thought about Silas, her beautiful escape. His ever growing loyalty to her. She wanted to scream. She never thought her life would look like this. But slowly, she was learning that some things are out of your control.
***
After what seemed as if it’d been ages, finally the ride had been coming to an end. The dragon carriage that the Vampric soldiers were on, was suddenly descending. She adored how the beautifully pale orange clouds had flashed by like fast-forwarding a film.
The reflectance of the angry lighting from the sky gleamed in her eyes, as she gazed in wonder. Her orbs woke themselves up in astonishment, as the reflection of the scenery flickered back and forth, absorbing the new atmosphere.
She’d never been to the land of the Fey before. It was West of the Vampriclands, which was more North. Western Impala was a lot different. The new sense of uncertainty both frightened her and amazed her. More than ever, she was happy that finally she’d be on real ground again. She hated traveling by sky. She liked travelling by vehicles, she was more in control and she felt safer. Flying was only fun to her when she’d shapeshift into a bat.
When the dragon began to descend, and slowed to a stop fully, almost instantly there was a rush of increased chatter amongst Scarlett’s peers. She looked to her left, out the window again. She lifted her eyebrows at the breathtaking sight. The palace of Endlaysha was covered in jewels and crystals that gleamed vigorously against the sun. It was nothing like the metallic and dark structure of the Gothic Vampric palace that was in Crimsroseyn.
Everything seemed to be lighter there. Endlyasha was enchanted, magical. Most of the Vampriclands were dark.The clear crystals and jewels were green and gold colored, with a tall silver gate that stretched around the entire perimeter of the palace. She could see hills and hills in the back of the castle where it’d extended with towers and greenery. There were trees that dominated the entrance of the palace. Sluverdraft trees, to be exact. They smelt of sweet nectar. Scarlett could sense them from inside of the dragonplane.
This was her life now. She’d never thought she’d ever be in a position like that. All her life, she was under the impression that she was working to become a Vampric royal knight, tied to the Vampric kingdom in Crimsroseyn. She didn’t think that she was actually going to fight in any wars. She only thought that she’d be loyal to the Kingdom, and protect it. She looked at her hands.
“I heard about your family. Are you alright?” A voice spoke. It was high-pitched and calming, similar to the melody of a beautiful song that Scarlett would hear in those old vintage films that she loved. She shifted her body awkwardly from gazing out the window, and peered at the Vampric girl that’d spoken to her. She stretched out her hand.“I am Leona.” They sat across from one another. Scarlett didn’t feel like speaking.
Scarlett tucked a strand of dark hair beneath her ear. “Weird.” Scarlett pointed out, and crossed her arms. She raised an eyebrow, “Strange, I guess.” She spoke, as she looked back up at the raven-haired girl.
As she smiled, Leona somehow frowned too. “I know how it feels.” She said softly, as she gazed out of the window. Here eyes peered into Scarlett's clear ones. She smiled slightly. “I appreciate it, but nobody does,” Scarlett said to the dark-skinned girl. Clearly, she was privileged. Scarlett could tell by the way that Leona spoke; all of the upper-classed sounded the same. They sounded like poetic garbage, she thought. They were taught to speak differently. It was something Scarlett had observed since she was only a little girl. She could tell from Leona’s clothing that she’d probably come from a family with money. “No offense,” Scarlett said. Not that Scarlett didn’t come from money, but there was a sense of in-authenticity that was often plagued upon the wealthy Vamprics.
Leona narrowed her eyes, and folded her arms. “Just because you are suffering, does not mean that you are the only one in pain.”
Scarlett looked at her and rolled her eyes. “You, in pain?”
Leona bit her bottom lip, her eyes distant. “My Father perished, twelve years ago. He was a Vampric Knight himself, living at the royal palace of Crimsroseyn. As a Knight’s wife, my mother and brother and I lived in great happiness. My mother, she was just like any ordinary wealthy commoner in the city of Crimsroseyn, but her family soon grew to be poor. I think my father saved her, in a way.” Leona’s eyes had a glimmer of adoration in them, when she spoke of her mother. She shook her head slightly, and rested her hands neatly over one another as she looked up at Scarlett. “I had everything I could ever want, all because my father was loyal to the throne. We were very abundant.” She smiled, but it then faded. “However, when he died...we lost everything.” She shook her head, as her eyes began to burn. Leona licked her lips, as she absently began to play with her fingers. She looked down at her feet.“We lost our relevance at the Vampric palace, and we were banished. Although, the one thing I took with me was my ability to fight.” She crossed her ankles. “However, I did not expect to be drafted. I do not want to die like my father.” She gazed into the dark-haired girl's light eyes. “So yes. I very much understand you, Scarlett.”
Scarlett remembered how her mother died, how terrified Liveria was, how the horrifying thought
