Prologue

Vlad:

Merging with the shadow beneath the tree, I watch into the eyes that stares at me, like she could see me..

"Are you there? Father?" the very innocent little voice asks.

I sigh as I walk away from the shadow in my human form and walk towards her, "I am no Father, I am your king."

I say in a harsh tone to make her fear me, but I realize that it does not do the trick as I look at the blonde, blue eyed little human giggle at me.

I hold her tiny hand in a hard grip and pull her into the shadow castle that she looks at with complete awe, I take her along with me to the dungeon, I watch as the little human pulls her hand away from mine as she walks towards Tacet looking up at him but he ignores the little human and looks straight at the wall.

She turns around and looks at the human chained up onto the wall . His body covered in scars and his clothes partially torn.

"Look at him Avery, look at this useless human, Do you want to be like him?"

She looks at him with a confused expression as he looks down at the floor exhausted from the torture ready to die..

I lift my hand up to signal to Excitatus.

And within a second he swings his sword through the human's head and the head rolls on the floor and lands next to Avery's leg.

The girl stares at the human's head with her eyes wide open as she touches her face with her tiny fingers trying to remove the blood splattered on her face.

"This is what he deserved my angel, he wanted our kingdom to be ruined, and you did well today.. tomorrow I have another surprise for you, my beautiful girl."

I tell her as I wipe the blood of the human away from her cheek, I bend down and kiss her forehead but she moves away and holds onto Tacet's leg as he pets her hair.

I look at those bright blue eyes that remind me of Allen.

"My darling, you look so much like your mother and you are like her too, soft, gentle and kind.." I stare into the shadow.

"But she was brave even as a weak human, and I see it in you too, the warrior princess of our kingdom after you prove to me that you are worthy of your position."

After wiping the tears I held in for centuries. I turn back to look at my two best assassins. "Tacet take her to her room, she has a new day to begin with tomorrow and.. Take care of her." I say as I look at her hold onto Tacet.

"Ferox" I say from the shadows "You will be known as Ferox from now on, for your courage." I say as I look at those blue eyes stare into the shadow at the beast with no fear at all.

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

[Note: Tacet, Excitatus and Ferox are names given by the king according to what his warriors represent:

Tacet -Silent (Liam)

Excitatus-Awoken, rising (Damien)

Ferox- courageous (Avery)*]