Chapter-2 Marry the Vampire Prince

The next morning~~~~ 

The otherwise quiet and peaceful palace of the hunter's bloodline royals was quite chaotic today.

The girl with eyes as calm as an ocean sat on the couch elegantly as she witnessed the argument between her stepmother and father.

Last night, she had told herself that nothing she heard was true, but maybe it was a long-lost cause.

Now she understood why her stepmom was so happy to see her back, and why everyone was treating her like she was the legit princess.

They wanted her to be the scapegoat for Madeline once again. Once again they wanted to use her in the name of 'that's what family should do for each other,'

A hint of mockery spread across her lips.

"Try to understand, Marla. I told you this last night too, didn't I? The Vampire king has asked for the hand of our daughter Madeline. How can you even think about sending Elliana to them? Do you think they will appreciate it if we change the bride at the last minute?" The king, James, said for the umpteenth time.

He glanced at his second daughter briefly, but there wasn't even the slightest hint of expression on her face. 

Elliana just sat there as if she was just watching a scene from some old soap opera unfolding in front of her eyes. Her eyes were drooped and empty.

"James, darling, I understand what you are trying to say, but Madeline has an infectious disease. The wedding is tomorrow. The vampire royals have asked for Madeline's hand because she is beautiful and pleasing to the eyes. Do you think they'll appreciate her if she appears with a distorted face and body? They want her for her purity," The queen, Marla, retorted with a sad and mournful look on her expression.

All this mess wouldn't have started if they didn't belong to the hunter bloodline. Even though she was the illegitimate daughter, she was one of the inheritors of the hunter's blood.

Since only males could inherit the hunter capabilities, Elliana and Madeline weren't hunters but humans with only the bloodline genes.

A few days ago, for the peaceful co-existence of hunters and vampires, the vampire emperor proposed a marriage between Elliana's sister Madeline and the youngest vampire prince. Madeline was famous for her beauty and wisdom in the country, so it only made sense that she was the chosen one among all royal girls.

However, everyone has heard their share of bad things about the masked prince who was slowly taking over the kingdom.

The prince was known for taking without mercy, killing without a second thought, and having an ugly face, because of which he always wore a mask.

James, under pressure from the elders and council of other royals, could only say yes to the marriage even when they were not thrilled with the idea.

However, things took a turn when a couple of days ago, Madeline got infected by a disease.

No one apart from Elliana's stepmother, Marla, knew what the infection was about, but judging from the scared and fearful face, James and everyone were certain it was something that wasn't pleasing to the eyes.

That was the prime reason Elliana's stepmother urged her brother to do anything to get Elliana out of prison so that they could use her as the bride.

James had only thought that she was joking, but now that Marla was adamant on the matter, he didn't know what to do.

Though Madeline was his legitimate daughter, he loved Elliana too, and knowing how his kind and sweet daughter might not be able to survive in the hands of those evil people, his heart ached even at the thought of it. 

She was too pure and kind for those monsters.

She had already suffered for more than a year for something she didn't even do. It wasn't Elliana's fault that she was born illegitimately. They can't use her as the scapegoat every time.

How much more should she suffer? James knew deep down that the marks on Elliana's body didn't just appear because she fell from the stairs or got hurt in the sword practicing all the time. However, he couldn't go against his wife, the Emperor's sister. He wouldn't dare to break his family for his illegitimate daughter.

But… she was human too. James clenched his fists.

"James, how can you be so cruel? Think about our family, our community, and other royals. Will you be able to sleep at night knowing you could do something about it but chose not to? They just asked to have your beautiful daughter marry the prince. It's not like our Elliana isn't beautiful. Who apart from Elliana can compete with Madeline when it comes to beauty and pure otherworldly innocence? I know that he is the Vampire prince, but he is a royal, for god's sake. I am sure they won't do anything that will taint their reputation," Marla said with a concerned face.

"But, what if -" James started, but before he could say another word, Marla looked at him with tearful eyes.

"You don't trust me, do you? You think I deliberately want to send Elliana to them so that I can save my daughter, Madeline, right? You think it's because I am her stepmother that I want to send her to those powerful bloodsuckers. I didn't know all these years of trying to be a good mother would go down the drain like this," Marla said as she sat on the sofa, crying miserably.

"I know you blame me for sending Elliana to prison for something Madeline did. But I did it all for you. If I had let them take Madeline away, you would've never won against your brother and become the king. Can't you see it? Everything I do is for this family only," Marla reasoned more, wiping her tears.

"Honey, please don't cry. I know you are thinking for the nation, but think about what they'll do to her if they won't be pleased by her," James tried to reason again.

"Do you think I haven't thought about it, James? Our Elliana is such a sweet girl. She will win everyone's hearts in that kingdom. Her kindness can melt even the hardest stones, and to say they are living beings. Didn't you hear from Mr. Han? Even the bad prisoners in that feared prison started liking her," Marla held James's hand before looking into his eyes to convince him.

"Why do you think they would kill her? Isn't this marriage happening for peace? Do you think they'll kill the bride of the prince and risk it again?" Marla said before holding James' other hand when she saw a thoughtful expression on his face.

"But if they won't kill the bride, then Madeline can go -" 

"The vampire prince is known for being short-tempered, James. Do you think he would appreciate an ugly human bride? Even if they don't kill her, they will torture her for her ugliness because it will remind him of his ugly face. We can only send Elliana," Marla probed more.

It looked like her words were finally having some effect on him.

"Darling, I have thought about it all, but you think I am a bad mother and deliberately want to push my sweet daughter into those devil's hands just because I am her stepmother, right?" Marla asked before crying more, her expression pitiful, breaking James' heart.

"Marla, don't speak like this. I understand you, but think about Elliana too. She has just returned from a cruel place. How can I send her to another prison?" James said, his heart conflicted between right and wrong.

"Madeline can't go looking so ugly, and you don't want to send Elliana. I thought you had sworn your loyalty to the emperor, but I'll just tell my brother that you have decided to back from your words, and they can execute our whole family or do whatever they want to punish us." Marla said, wiping her tears furiously, making James sigh as he stood and went near the window.

The last sentence caught Elliana's attention. The council would annihilate their family if they denied marrying the masked prince. What kind of forced tyranny was this?

  She finally raised her gaze, slight concern evident in her eyes.

Seeing her father hunched back, Elliana sighed before looking at her mother, who looked at her earnestly.

"Elliana, your father is not thinking straight anymore, but you are intelligent. Do you really want your family to die at the emperor's hand because we went back on our words? Even if you don't love me or your sister because you might still take us as outsiders, think about your father at least. Will you let him die like this?"

Marla walked to Elliana before holding her hand.

Marla was well aware of how innocent and sweet Elliana was since she had been using her as the scapegoat for Madeline for all the things and knew if Elliana agreed to it, she wouldn't have to force James. He would agree to it nonetheless.

There was no doubt that Elliana would do anything to protect her father from all the evil and problems in the world. Since her biological mother's whereabouts were unknown, her father has been the only family member she was left with.

She was ready to do anything for him, but was she ready to marry a vampire king?

She has already heard stories about them being cruel, dominant, and power-exploiting, and to say she was going to marry a prince, who will probably be ten times worse. Heck, there was no doubt. He was the worst. She has heard things from Mr. Han, and none of them were good.

Going to prison was different because she knew under her father's jurisdiction, no one would try to kill her, no matter how tough things became. However, this was a different scenario.

She hasn't even thought about it in her wildest dreams, so how can she just agree to it?

Seeing Elliana looking at her father earnestly, Marla knew that she was giving in slowly, and her resolution was breaking. Thus, she resorted to pestering her even more.

"Elliana, if you are worrying about your life and how your life is going to be if you marry that prince, I assure you we will make sure nothing happens to you. My brother is the emperor. He won't let anything happen to you," Marla said, and Elliana looked at her stepmother, her heart feeling heavy.

Now that Elliana thinks about it, she was worrying about having a loveless life ahead if she married that vampire prince, but then again, wasn't that what she had been living since birth?

First, she lived as an orphan, and then she lived her life as an illegitimate daughter. Though her father loved her, other members of the family, especially her aunt and uncle, never left an opportunity to treat her like dirt.

Does it even make any difference if she stays here as the daughter or goes there as the chosen bride? It's the same all over again, no?

At least this way, she would be able to be of help to her father and help him save the world. If she stayed here, she would be the victim of everyone's insults and a forever scapegoat for Madeline, not to mention the fear of annihilation of her father because of the denial of the emperor's orders.

She can't be the demise of her father.

Elliana sighed loudly and looked at her dad, who had a conflicted expression as he lit a cigar with his gaze clouded, and couldn't help but press her lips into a thin line.

"Dad," She spoke in her gentle and sweet voice, catching James' attention.

He turned around and looked at his daughter with a small smile, but even though he was smiling, Elliana could tell it was forced.

"If it's for the betterment and peace of the community, along with the safety of the family, then I am ready to do it," Elliana took another deep breath.

"Don't fight with stepmom regarding it. I am ready to marry the prince. If I don't say yes, then the emperor will kill all of us for going back on our words, no? It's better if I marry the prince than get tainted for not saving my family when I can," Elliana spoke in her sweet voice.

Hearing his daughter's gentle voice that quivered at the end, James was about to assure and apologize to her and tell her he wouldn't have let this happen if he wasn't pressured under the responsibilities.

However, before he could say any of that, Marla, who also heard her words, clapped her hands with delight.

"That's great. I knew Elliana would never let her family die. She is such a filial daughter. I am so proud of her. I am sure if your mother would have been here, then she would've been proud of you too -"

"That's enough," James said as he looked at his daughter's pale face.

He wanted to comfort her, but Elliana smiled, her smile not reaching her eyes, before nodding at her father respectfully as she left for her room.

Her leaving figure looked aloof and sad.

Elliana was indeed right. It didn't make any difference. Maybe it was time she paid for the love she had enjoyed all those years ago by sacrificing her interests one last time.

If luck was on her side, she might live longer than she anticipated. She thought tenaciously before lying on her bed as she closed her eyes.

"This would be the last time I will be the scapegoat," Elliana told herself as she lay in her bed, feeling uneasy.