The Bloody Wedding

I slip on my white gloves, the symbol of the royal family. As the fabric encases my fingers I think about how this marriage is pointless, the world is doomed either way.

A arranged marriage is the last thing I wanted, I tried for months on end to find a solution to my countries crippling state. The drought had almost suffocated the lands, and food was thinning out, as if the world was trying to end the human race.

I chuckled to myself, thinking how similar the situation is to the dinosaurs. I could definitely envision my dad as an angry T-rex stomping around. My humour died as I thought about my future that would be sealed in the next half-hour. The vampire race approached us, seeking an alliance, we needed magic that only the vampires could supply, and they needed a queen. And guess who gets to be their queen? Me.

I hated vampires, most people never met them, but I had, because I am the princess. A foul race, though they had perfect faces, beautiful eyes, and model bodies, I always found their perfectness repulsive. Most of them were also selfish and had awful personalities.

Now, in 10 minutes, I was to walk down the aisle and marry their soon-to-be king. Did I mention I had never met him? Well I haven't, I always dreamed of meeting someone and at first glance I would be in love. True love was always something I wanted, but my wants and the countries needs conflicted, and in the end, I chose my people.

I walk to the curtain, it was purple with gold detailing. I sigh at my surroundings, it was lavish, as to be expected from the royal families church, but I always felt like an outsider to the gold and pearls. As I awaited the music that was bound to start playing, I thought about the irony. Vampires were in this church, a race that was frowned upon by god, and now I was to get married to one under his eye.

Suddenly, before I was prepared, I heard the first notes of beautiful music, and the curtains pulled back. I saw rows of vampires on the right, and humans on the left. My father, the king, was at the front, he gave me a look, and I knew exactly what it meant. 'Don't mess this up'. I nodded my head in acknowledgment. My eyes traveled the room, then eventually I couldn't avoid it, I looked at my fiancee. He had shaggy black hair, and pale skin, not completely white, but he could definitely do with a tan. He wasn't as perfect, but he was still very handsome. Maybe this wouldn't be too bad?

I gracefully walk down the aisle, I had been practicing walking in this dress. If I was being honest, one of the only reasons I agreed to this was being able to have a wedding dress. I helped the seamstress design the dress of my dreams. A white sleeveless dress, huge skirt with diamond accents, a sweetheart neckline and beautiful lace on the top. My hair was in a fancy up-do and I couldn't help but smile at the look of my family reacting to me. None of them had seen it yet, I knew my sister would love it. I heard her gasp over the music, she was in tears but she was beaming, and had her hands were over her heart.

'If only she could have been getting married instead of me' I instantly regretted the thought. I put my hand up, I was the one helping my country.

I got the podium, and the Prince, Jeremy Luke Dracula, removed my veil. His hands grazed my face, they were cold.

After a painstaking long speech from the priest. We came to the 'I do's'.

"Do you, Jeremy Dracula, Prince of the Vampire Kingdom, take the Princess as your lawfully wedded wife?" He hadn't looked into my eyes once that entire time, until now. He turned his eyes to me, they were a blood red, but there was something calm about them, almost.... alluring.

"I do" With those words, the priest turned to me, I could see the pity in his eyes. He had objected to this wedding, refusing to wed a human to a race that God hated. But, here we were.

"Do you, Maria Diamante Strydom, take the prince to be your lawfully wedded husband." I heard the way he forced out the words. I looked to my father, I gave him a look that I knew only he would understand. 'Is it too late to run?' He looked at me with sadness, though he had forced me into this, I could see it was eating him up alive. A single tear trickled down his face, he nodded. I took a deep breath.

"I do." I could hear the priest sigh. He pulled out a bowl filled with my blood, the royal family had this tradition, we dip our gloved hand into the blood of both the wife and husband. Unfortunately, vampires didn't have blood, so all that was in the bowl was my blood sloshing around. I felt the room tense, and some guards came and stood near us, one of them handcuffed Jeremy, he let them. He was staring longingly at the blood, his eyes almost glowing, it made me uneasy, would he try to suck my blood from me? I shoved the thought away.

I dipped my hands into the blood, and the guards dipped Jeremy's hands, which were cuffed in front of him. He was shaking uncontrollably. I felt bad for him.

It was done. My future sealed.

I thought back to 30 minutes before.

'I slip on my white gloves, the symbol of the royal family.'

I take off my blood-stained gloves, the symbol of my new life.