Vol1.Chap 18 A royal decree 

"Vampires, you say?" a man with blonde hair spoke, his bangs running over his marine blue eyes as he listened in to the report of his guard.

"Yes, my king, vampires apparently they killed a few workers on their way back to Alderfield," One of the guards announced the paper in front of his face as he read it out loud to the king.

The king leaned back into his throne propping his head up against the armrest, his blue gaze narrowing as he heard the news being recited, a robe adorned with red and golden silk cascading down his figure, a white high-collared dress shirt with flared sleeve cuffs and a cravat hidden directly underneath.

"This is truly a big issue," he muttered, his palm reaching for his face covering it as he was deep in thought, his slender lips and sharp features only enriched with age, his long slender fingers lightly tapping the side of his jaw hoping the answer would just come into being. "So, where was this incident." he inquired raising his head slightly to look at the guard as he gave his answer.

"Mysthaven Woods sire," He responded to the king's inquiry folding the newspaper and pinning it to his side, the king thought for a while longer before giving his judgement.

"Send guards there, I want you to search for survivors, anyone who resists should be executed on the spot," He ordered.

"And what about the other factions sir?" The guard asked, looking at the king with concern.

"What about them?" He muttered slightly irritated, his slender fingers rubbing away at his forehead trying to calm down. "They too should know this is the better course of action, seriously, what objections could they possibly have with exterminating the threat?" 

"W-well sire, I think it's best thou contact them less they start another war with the Aldric's faction specifically," The guard suggests, his body stiff from nerves after giving the king his opinion a risky move in this day and age.

After a while, the king sighed and nodded his marine blue eyes looking over to the guard waving his hands dismissively at his presence.

"Very well, leave me, I'll give my answer later," 

"Y-yes my king," the guard nodded before leaving taking the paper with him, in the distance a young girl listened in on the conversation between the two, his flowing blonde hair cascading down her back, a pure white Rococo dress concealing her figure, her marine blue eyes identical to her father's.

"what a pain," The king rubbed his temples once more, "Vampires, again? I thought we exterminated every last one of those thin-" The king had a weird feeling jolting through his entire being the feeling of a gaze on him, he turned his head his marine blue eyes looking out for anyone who might be near, but there was no one.

The young princess swiftly made her escape running down the halls of the castle avoiding the stern gaze of her father, her escape came to a swift end as she bumped into someone causing her to fall.

"O-ouch," She muttered as she collided with the floor, her pure white dress slightly soiled by the grime of the castle floors, the sun reaching in through the windows to shine light around the room, its golden walls and silver pillars that ran through the huge castle halls.

"Where you spying on Father again, Damara?" A boy with short blonde hair spoke, his bangs hanging over his green eyes and body adorned with a white waistcoat with a subtle hue of gold lined in with the fabric, golden buttons, and a white dress shirt underneath, "You know he doesn't like it when you mind his affairs."

Damara got up from the ground her bangs a mess hanging in front of her eyes, a slight pout forming on her lips. 

"Just mind your own business, what I do is none of your concern!" Her brother pulled her up from the ground his face slightly irritated by her words.

"That's rich coming from you! Maybe I should tell Father about what you've been doing it would be fun to see him punish you,"

Damara flinched at his threats her once opposing and defying demeanor quickly whittled to that of a little girl on the verge of tears, her hand gripping down to the hem of her dress trying to hold back her emotions the fear of her father finding out.

"H-hey calm down I only jest," Her brother tried to comfort her, going in to comfort her but his hands just hung there not knowing what to do as she cried in front of him, her tears rolling down her cheeks like a waterfall. "I'll give you sweets," He declared clear bribery to his sister's emotions, her tears stopping almost immediately, wiped away by her hand.

The boy was left dumbfounded by her sudden recovery but soon sighed, folding his arms in front of her.

"So where were you going anyway? You looked like you've heard something shocking." He muttered his voice now filled with concern and intrigue to what his sister could possibly have learned.

"Vampires, a group of workers were killed by vampires," Damara responded, her voice slightly raised due to the urgency, "And father is going to have a meeting with the other factions soon,"

"Factions? What are you talking about?" His brother asked a bit confused as to what she meant.

"You're two years older than me and you don't know? Factions is another word for the different royal families! They all help govern different parts of Alderfield, each part separated by the stone walls! There's us (the Aldrics), the Nocturns, and the Serenelakes it's a system that's been put into practice a thousand years ago!" Damara was left awestruck by her brother's stupidity in this regard, being a royal it was quite embarrassing that he did not know the structure of his own future kingdom. 

"One. no one says factions we just say the royal family only you and Dad do that," He stated in a matter-a-fact tone "Two. I'm three years older, my 19th birthday is tomorrow."

Damara rolled her eyes at his words, "Whatever the case may be, Liam, we need to prepare ourselves!"

"Prepare ourselves?" Liam muttered under his breath as his sister walked past him, his gaze shifting towards her when he put two and two together, "You aren't dressing up for the Serenelakes' son, are you? " He called out his eyebrows furrowing in concern.

Damara looked behind her, her eyebrows furrowing at his remark, "Of course not," She bluffed turning her head back in front of her with a hard huff, her hair quickly following her movements like whiplash. "I just want to look good as the future queen of Alderfield, even if I have to share that position with three others."

"But on that note, come along! You owe me sweets remember?" 

Liam sighed at the hole he dug for himself reluctantly following his sister to give her the reward he had promised mere moments ago.