Daughter of Death -Chapter 8 (Patreon)

 CHAPTER EIGHT

The smell of this rarely explored part of the forest was intoxicating. Granted, Reina’s senses had slowly begun to heighten since her transformation had begun with Ferdinand. But even Baldric could smell the change in the air as they entered further into the trees that bordered upon royal land.

“Now normally upon a hunt you would ride your charge. However for now let us dismount and go on foot. I wish for you to observe the animals candidly before engaging them.”

The two dismounted and did as he’d suggested. After that it was not long before they came upon a wild boar. Baldric signalled that the two crouch down to avoid the animal sensing them. Reina did as she was bid and stared at the powerful, wild creature in silence.

Something did catch the boar’s attention and it looked in their direction. It sensed a predator –Baldric could tell. Reina on the other hand stared back at the creature until she could almost feel it being hypnotized to her stare. It then looked back down as though it had never detected something dangerous and went on about its business calmly.

For a moment the huntsman had been convinced it might’ve charged. He would have, then, feigned protecting Reina before it gored her and then he would have shot it dead and Reina too before going on with the intended plan of cutting out her heart. With this now avoided, he changed his plan of attack on her.

Noticing her concentration, he carefully slipped his knife from his belt without her notice and slowly adjusted himself to crouch behind her then without a moment’s pause put the knife to her throat intending to slit it.

“DON’T!” she shrieked, causing him to halt. This hesitation would be his undoing. “Please, wait. Why’re you doing this?” she begged –feigning absolute terror and confusion.

“You deserve death,” he muttered but before he could steel his nerves again to do the deed she spoke once more,

“It’s The Queen, isn’t it? My step-mother sent you?”

“She did,” he answered truthfully.

Reina smirked though he couldn’t see it. ‘You smell like her,’ she thought to herself. “Are you her brother?” she questioned.

“How do you know this?”

“You look like her,” she lied.

“Please,” Reina went on, “if I am to die, I would at least like to look you in the eyes so that I am not afraid. I know why she sent you; my beauty frightens her.”

“Beauty? No, child, you are an unholy spawn. You will die for this.”

Reina took pause feeling surprise overtake her. Did Queen Edeline know the truth of what Reina had become and would become still? 

Reina remembered well the day she had learned of Queen Edeline’s jealousy towards her –or at least that was what she had thought The Queen Dowager harboured.

Edeline had summoned Reina to her chamber for a little heart-to-heart. “I wonder, dear one, how your studies are going?”

“Quite well, thank you,” Reina replied politely.

“Is there anything you feel you are lacking?”

The girl shook her head. “All is as I wish it to be. I am accumulating much knowledge and experience. All who have provided me tutoring and shadowing and so forth have been most obliging and accommodating.” In truth, Reina had used her new found powers to ‘persuade’ anyone who dissented to her requests.

“I am glad of this. So then you do not find your day-to-day too stressful?”

“Indeed not.”

“That is well. I recall at your age only needing learn anything I wished to know by consulting books. I am glad to know that your immense tasks are not too burdensome upon you. Whilst experience in life is wondrous it can sometimes also leave marks.

Last year after your illness was through, your father had concluded it had taken the flush of joy from your cheeks. I said to him then what I say now to you: it has done no wrong to your complexion in fact it may have even made you appear even more beautiful than you were before –if such things are possible.”

Reina agreed; she loved the even skin she now had following the transformation she’d begun into a vampir. “Indeed. Though flush of a cheek displays a vigorous life lived I often found the crimson pallor of my cheeks a detriment. My evened complexion now serves well and much better.”

“You are very beautiful, Reina, as your mother before you certainly was also. I find her portraits so beautiful and refined and to know she was even more-so in person puts awe into my heart. Thus too your beauty is unmatched by any other means except when beheld in person.”

Reina smiled politely. Though secretly pleased she found her step-mother’s comments too thick with sweetness. There was no need for such laid on compliments. 

“Perhaps if I had been as beautiful as you in my youth I might have found more appropriate suitors. You are lucky in that your appearance serves you just as well as your crown to attract potential husbands. You are free to choose out of many admirers who adore you and not just your crown.”

“None of them would ever obtain my crown,” Reina argued, “I am heir apparent and when I am Queen they will be nothing more than a spouse unless I choose to give them another role or title.”

“This is also true,” Edeline agreed. “But you are still under the chance that one may wish to take advantage of you and your position. Your beauty deters such wickedness.”

“Do you truly think so?” Reina laughed shortly.

“I know so. When you are not as becoming as other young women, your prospects diminish. Any arrangement or courtship is then more likely based upon any advantage the coupling brings to either or both in the marriage.”

“Which is what happened with you and my father.”

Edeline was taken aback a little at the frankness of the young woman’s conclusion spoken aloud. However, she replied: “To some degree, yes. But we were both looking for companionship at that point of our lives and that respect and desire was mutual.”

“I see.” Reina tried not to smirk at the revelation that her step-mother was incredibly jealous of The Princess’ good looks and wished that she had such an advantage. She seemed unhappy in truth and that brought Reina some satisfaction and pride. She knew she was beautiful but to have other homely people tell her so and confess jealousy and envy brought her such joy.

It was this supposed envy that Reina thought had made her step-mother wish to dispose of her and also the fact that Reina had never allowed a closeness to exist between the two no matter the effort Edeline had ever made.

Reina found however that she was wrong. Or at least the motive for this crime of an attempt on her life was not entirely fueled by The Dowager’s resentment and greed. 

The girl came to this revelation and quickly set it aside to ponder over later. There was a knife to her throat now, after all.

“Please at least let me die with dignity then and face my rightful murderer.”

Baldric wasn’t going to do it but after another moment’s hesitation he realized it was too difficult to murder the young woman who pleaded in so innocent and young a voice by merely cutting her throat from behind like some bandit. He would grant her dying wish and look into her eyes as he stabbed his knife into her instead or put a bolt from his crossbow into her chest. This was his final mistake.

“You will not kill me,” Reina commanded once the two made eye contact, “Were you sent to bring back my body? Answer truthfully.”

“No Your Highness; only your heart that you are proved dead and disposed of properly.”

Reina felt slight annoyance that Edeline wished this upon her and furthermore that it was indeed the correct thing to do for Ferdinand had told Reina so; a vampir’s heart removed was not something it could come back from. “You will instead slay that boar that I have kept quiet for you. Then you will return its heart to your Queen; your sister and you will never speak of the deception to anyone not even your own reflection. You will remember killing me.”

“Yes Your Highness,” he replied.

“After you have obtained the heart you will leave, do you understand? And whatever plans you had made previous to this in regards to what will be told about my fate here in the forest will be carried through as planned. Now, go to your work.”

Without a word, Baldric went ahead and shot the boar with his crossbow then went and removed the animal’s heart. Just as Reina had commanded, he left without another word and made his way back to the castle.

Finding herself curious Reina waited until he was out of sight before she went over to the boar and knelt down beside it. Dipping her head low she placed her mouth to the bloody carcass and began to drink slow, tentative tastes of the blood. “Well that is certainly different,” she muttered as she sat up momentarily to consider this new experience with blood dripping from her chin. She went down again on the dead animal and began to drink more greedily of it. When finally satisfied, she sat up again and paused to think, licking her lips.

Reina now had a choice before her: should she return to the castle or no? The Princess weighed her options. She was uncertain of what she should do if she returned home. Should she murder her step-mother? There was a strong and dark desire within her to do so.

However the young woman recalled that The Dowager had begun hanging various branches within her chambers that made Reina feel sick to smell them. Reflecting further upon it now she realized that Edeline had been protecting herself against any vampir attack. Reina recalled seeing various religious articles within the room but furthermore she recalled suddenly that Edeline often wore jewellery of silver. “She knows exactly what she’s doing,” Reina muttered with distaste. “She probably drinks hawthorn brews to infect her blood to be certain.”

Little did Reina know that was exactly what her step-mother had been doing: she even slept with silver and had been taking in berries from the plants that were toxic to the vampir. They had made her feel a little unwell herself but Edeline thought it was better to be slightly ill than dead.

“I could attempt to place her in prison,” Reina considered. “Yet this would not fully satisfy me.”

The young woman suddenly wanted the council of her long-time mentor Ferdinand. He was away and she did not know the method by which to go to locate him in his home. She recalled he’d told her he’d return eventually and so she felt slightly placated by that.

So then should she wait in the forest until his return? She decided it wouldn’t be terribly difficult with the powers she had over animals and with the ability to drink of them when the time came that such an action was needed. And should anyone see her, she could bewitch them to forget what they’d seen. Then when Ferdinand finally found her the two could make a proper plan on what to do.

A detriment to this plan of waiting however was not having the comforts of a chamber: a bed, clothing and even servants to assist her. Reina had been quite spoiled all her life; the idea to have to take care of herself on her own seemed much beneath her. And yet, she was independent enough in spirit that she wanted to do it to spite her evil step-mother and all those who had let this happen to her. Reina also felt too much pride in herself and her abilities to simply ‘give up’ and seek help. She knew she was strong, powerful and resourceful and she knew she could prove as much.

So, Reina decided to remain alone in the forest.

Somehow, she managed it and for three weeks she lived alone in the forest that bordered her former home in the castle. However, though it had been more than a fortnight there was still no sign of Ferdinand of Moravia. Reina waited a few more days –thinking that he may have been delayed or that more likely she had merely been mistaken as to the length of his journey. Yet there was still no sign of him. 

Determined to find out whether he’d sought her at court, Reina formulated a plan and entered the castle grounds. Using her powers of persuasion, she obtained a cloak and after making the owner forget he’d seen her she made her way to see the steward. The cloak prevented more people to recognize her than was necessary and put a restriction on the amount of people she’d have to talk out of having seen her at court.

“Begging your pardon milord,” she addressed him when they at last had an audience together, “I wonder whether the noble Ferdinand of Moravia has announced himself; rather has presented himself at court yet?”

“And who are you to ask such things?” he inquired.

She momentarily pulled back the hood of the cloak to look him in the eyes, “You will answer my question truthfully and then forget that anyone was ever here asking about Ferdinand.”

“Yes,” he responded, “I can honestly tell you that the man of whom you speak has not been at Bayern Court since last month before Her Royal Highness’ birthday.”

Reina was instantly disappointed. “If he should come, encourage him that I may be found in the forest. Tell him he need not be discouraged for he shall find what he seeks in the forest. Do you understand this?”

“Yes. I will tell Ferdinand of Moravia that he needn’t be disheartened for he shall find what he seeks in the forest.”

“Very good. Now, carry on with your duties. I was never here.”

“Yes, Miss.”

Once she’d assured that her visit would go unremembered, Reina went through the forest once more feeling distraught. What if it were another fortnight or more before Ferdinand returned and found her? She felt miserable at the idea of carrying on as she had for even a day longer. She had want of a bed, of food and of shelter. She’d sustained herself upon the blood of animals and various berries and other recognizable foods that the forest had to offer. But she was very tired of it. She was born into royalty after all and she was used to much more refined things.

Perhaps she ought to make her way across the forest and seek another village or another kingdom where her appearance would not be recognized on sight. Yes, this was a good plan. She’d use her powers of persuasion to be taken in at some manor or inn of reputable means and live out her days there for a time.

Only, she found nothing after a day’s worth of travel. Princess Reina was reluctantly forced to spend another night sleeping without a bed. 

When she woke, a furious determination seized her and she moved much more quickly than the day before resolute on seeing the other side of the forest as hastily as possible. But, she never made it.

Close to what she figured was midday, Reina picked up some unfamiliar smells. Curiosity overtook her and she went in the direction they seemed to be coming from. She knew she was on the right track when the smells grew more concentrated. Soon, she recognized at least two of them: fire and smoke; the kind from a fireplace. Was a domicile nearby?

Within another minute or so, the answer was revealed to her eyes: a cottage.

“Who might you be?” Reina muttered as she approached.

She could see the cottage had an upper floor of some sort with a thatched roof. The rest of the cottage was made from deep red and stone grey brick or rock. The door was deep mahogany and had engraving of some sort upon it. She could also see that the smoke she smelt came from a fire that must have been burning only embers for not much smoke or heat rose from the tiny chimney. She took this to correctly mean that whoever lived here was not at home presently.

Reina walked up and immediately tried the door which was to her pleasure unlocked. It seemed that living out in the middle of the woods was security enough for the inhabitant for there was not even a lock to secure on the other side once she entered.

Immediately she noticed the metal hooks lining the wall to her left and to her surprise they all lay at the height of her hip. There were two rows one above the other each row containing five hooks. 

Upon further entry into the home, Reina discovered that the cottage was actually much larger than she’d anticipated. There were small chairs in a living space totalling ten once again and when she found her way to the kitchen which lay just beside, a large table holding enough for ten people stood there vacant. “It is as though ten children live here,” she noted with confusion and amusement as she saw that everything was on a smaller scale and set to the height of her hip at most.

Yet the smell of the place implied not children but fully grown men. She crinkled her nose in repugnance. There were ways to manage this, she knew, but for the moment she felt abhorrence.

Curiosity overtaking her she moved back to the living area to the staircase where she then explored the second level. It appeared entirely devoted to sleeping quarters; one large room filled with ten beds lined upon the walls and wardrobes as well as nightstands, wash basins and chamber pots. A half smile appeared as she exhaled in amusement.

Whoever these small inhabitants were they kept the domicile quite tidy she was pleased to notice. Yet this didn`t stop her from formulating a plan on convincing these peasants that she should stay in exchange for helping to keep their home tidied.

It didn't much matter to her since she could just demand to stay but over the past day and a half ideas had come to her regarding how to take revenge on her step-mother. If she were to return to court later on playing a victim forced out of the castle into the forest out of fear it would work best to keep this story consistent right from the get-go. Whoever lived here would be told this story, she decided, and she would garner their sympathies so that when the time came they could play witness at Bayern Court of all that Reina claimed had taken place.

She smirked happily at the idea.

She hoped too that Ferdinand would like her handiwork when they were reunited. Although she had started their acquaintance letting him take the lead upon all matters of plans and scheming, Princess Reina was beginning to feel like she was coming into her own and was more than capable of being manipulative and devious without her love`s help. Meanwhile she would live here a short while before seeking him out once more.

Reina amused herself for the next couple of hours in exploring the cottage more thoroughly as well as its surrounding grounds before staying inside and taking a bite to eat from the food reserves. She was, for one, hungry but she also thought it would do well to appear so desperate for food and safety that she`d ignored all rules of propriety.

Then, she had a bright idea and waited upstairs for the inhabitants to return home. She pushed three of the beds together and sat upon them waiting patiently.

Reina heard them before she saw them outside. It was indeed ten men who returned home all of them standing no more than half the size of any average man at court. She chuckled to herself at the sight; she`'d only seen such people in travelling shows when she was much younger. They generally played fools or did tumbling tricks. To see ten of them dressed in work clothing walking up to their home as any other peasant of her village made Reina amused.

At last, she heard the door open downstairs. This was it. She lay down across the beds and closed her eyes; feigning sleep. Her little charade was about to begin. Reina felt a surge of excitement and arrogant pride knowing that soon she’d wrap all ten of these tiny men around her finger with her charms and alluring demeanor. Soon, she’d have ten willing servants to her will. She couldn’t wait.