Vol1.Chap2: Beyond the castle.

I stood amongst the ball, my family members dancing a sweet dance from the momentous occasion that was forced upon me, they waltz without care to the music of celebration and the ringing bells of matrimony.

I stood by myself amongst the room of cheer, my hands on my gown, gripping at the dress as I thought about what just happened. 

"Hey Elisa," A girl walked up to me, her name was Letizia, she was about my age, and a vagabond like me though distant on the family tree. Her crimson red eyes glowed just like mine, her skin pale yet her face a bit chubby giving her a baby-like appearance, a stark contrast to my edged face and sharp features. 

Her smooth black hair ran down the shoulders, the pink running down the strands as well. I remember her mother and father telling her off about that but I assume they didn't get through to her. 

Which makes sense, she was a hard headed girl just like father, but unlike him she too feared humans more than anything else in the world, though still curious like I, one could only imagine.

"So? When's the next ball?" She inquired, her demeanor playful and teasing, her smile a contagious one but I dare not smile in a situation like this.

"You're already thinking about the next one? The festivities are hardly over," I pointed out, looking at the dance from my corner. 

In arranged marriages, us vampires normally have a ball for the spouse ceremony, and soon after we get comfortable with each other for marriage and to bind our ties forever. Looking back on it the old ways weren't so bad, but I know more than anyone it's only a means of giving both parties time to change their minds, regardless of what the spouses think. 

"Yeah that may be true," She muttered, her finger on her lips as she thought, "But, I need something to look forward to, everything is just so boring lately, in this huge castle."

"You kind of run out of things to do after living for 500 years." 

I sighed, though I got where she was coming from. Life had grown rather stale in the castle, always with the same old lessons at the break of every sunset and the same old habits etched into our minds until we inevitably took over the throne one day.

"Though I envy you~" She continued, her hand on her cheek, with the slightest hint of red on her ghostly cheeks. "Surely, with a man like that besides me I'd never get bored again."

"If you want him you can take him," I muttered, kind of wishing our roles were swapped. 

"Don't tease me like that!" Letizia hits my arm playfully. "You know you're not getting out of this one no matter how much you make it hell for him this time."

"That may be true," I sighed, "But this isn't my first, I'll get out of it somehow."

"Well you have my full support," Letizia smiled, giving me a thumbs up, 

"Really?" I asked, I was rather surprised, normally my family members try to talk me out of such an act.

"Yeah! You should marry who you want to," She continued, her arms folding into each other lightly wrinkling her black dress. "Besides, the more you do this the more balls I get to attend."

'That explains it,' I thought.

The rest of the night went off without a hitch, though I hardly spoke with my spouse, or any of my family members besides Letizia that night. I stood on the balcony watching as the moon slowly descended hiding behind the trees of the forest that surrounded this forsaken castle.

"It's dangerous to stay outside at this hour," I heard a voice called out to me as I stared off into the distance. 

"I did not send for any company, please leave me be," I muttered knowing exactly who it was, not bothering to hide my irritation from them at this time.

"Is that how you talk to your spouse? I'm quite hurt." I felt his cold hands wrapped around my crimson dress now tainted to his touch as he whispered sweet nothings into my ear, "We might as well enjoy each other's company, we're stuck together until death."

I didn't respond, I'd retaliate if I could but a woman laying a hand on their spouse is forbidden, an action punishable by standing in the sun if the spouse so demands it. My crimson gaze looked back at him, his slightly pale face against my ghostly skin.

"Kindly I'd ask you to refrain from touching me in private, even if it's just a mere hug," Jovian looked at me with a hint of shock, before pulling away from me. 

A smile adorned his face, my body soon turning to face him, my face laced with suspicion and his sudden compliance.

"Don't you fret Elisa Vagabond, you'll soon learn to love me, that's a promise I know I can keep." He announced moving the strands of hair away from his eyes. 

"I'd rather eat garlic!" I responded as he backed up into the castle once more, my hands grasping onto the rails as he smiled at me.

"Careful what you say Elisa, or you'll get something that you don't really want." He disappeared into the castle walls once more as I remained on the balcony, my gaze turning towards the descending moon once more, something lodged in my throat and I don't know what, my heart racing faster than it ever did in my sheltered 500 years of living.

"Is this fear?" I muttered, clutching the fabric that hugged my chest, a once relaxing experience turning into one of anticipation and dread. 

I tried to collect myself, closing my eyes and breathing slowly so slow my cold yet beating heart its panging ringing in my ears non stop.

A loud crash echoed through the forest, causing the nearby birds to flutter wildly into the sky, scared of what's to come. My eyes widened from the sudden noise, my heart skipping a beat, soon calming down once I realized it came from the forest. 

I bit my lower lip slightly, curiosity soon taking me over, I stepped on the rails, my crimson heels shimmering in the moonlight as I stood there, jumping off and landing in the forest.

My grandfather always told me to never leave the halls of the castle, its safety more so than the forest. The trees swayed slowly, the wind whistling a sweet song of dread amongst their branches. Creaking was heard through the forest along with the crunching of fallen leaves, though I pressed on. 

Soon my eyes caught what made the noise in my sights. It seemed to be an ordinary wheelbarrow, its parts shattered and its contents all over the floor.

Seas of human literature spread across this secluded area in the forest, their hard uninteresting covers hardly appeal to me, though it could pass time.

I raised my head, looking to the moon, my time quickly drifting away. 

"I cant bring all of these back," I thought outloud, my grandfather will surely pick up on this and promptly punish me.

I sighed, promptly picking up the books and hiding them in a spot in the forest,my hands on my hips, proud of my work, holding one of them in hand. 

I scanned the forest, before leaving making sure no footsteps were left behind as I returned to the safety of the castle.