ACT 3 - THE RETURN OF A PRINCESS

- 10 DECEMBER 1020

The sun's warm light of the evening was already fading as the day started reaching its end, but... it was just the beginning of something... very serious.

Drake and Sebastian continued following jezebel through the halls of the castle while feeling the gloomy, unsettling atmosphere, jezebel kept walking with fast steps while leading them to a side of the castle that was empty for nearly two years.

She stood beside a door and opened it, she kept looking at the royal brothers with a serious face and said "she' waiting for you..., drake-sama...", drake stuttered for a bit but he took a deep breath before entering, jezebel closed the door behind them...

They entered the room where they would find Sophia sitting on what's looks like a royal bed, Sophia looked like a young adult, she had long flowy black hair and a beautiful face..., but... she seemed thinking... a lot.

She kept looking through the window while drake and Sebastian were standing there, suddenly she let a slight sigh before saying "time passes really fast.... (she looks at them) it's really ironic for a vampire to say that isn't it...., I mean we can live forever... heh....".

Drake clenched his hands, he didn't like where this was going but he wanted an explanation, he looked at her with a serious face and said "what was the point of all this... Sophia?".

Sebastian stood by the door and brought a new cigar and lighted it up as he waited for the answer...

Sophia looked at them with a sad face and smiled as she said "it's been two years, drake...", drake's eyes widened up as she continued "it's like... we left her go yesterday... but.... Every bad story must come to an end... a good one perhaps..., right...?", drake stayed silent for a bit and said with a serious tone "what's happening...?".

Sophia put a sad smile and said "Sara is coming back tomorrow, drake".

Drake froze for a sec while sweating "h-huh...?", meanwhile... a worried expression showed on Sebastian's face, after minutes of silence, drake asked: when did she inform you?

Sophia: four days ago.

Drake put a frustrated face: and you kept it a secret....., I...I just can't...I...I'm...it's me...it's my fault...

Sophia got up and approached him saying "please, stop...., just stop....", but drake kept on saying ".... I'm the reason why she had to go through all of this...., I don't deserve her...., I don't want her to suffer anymore...., I thought that it was good for her.... But... I was doing it for myself... I can't....".

As he finished his sentence, drake was surprised by a slap from Sophia, Sebastian put an alarmed face while watching with open eyes, drake looked at Sophia's face just to see her tearing up...

Drake: Sophia, I'm....

Sophia (interrupts him): I hate it!! I hate to live with the fact that you blame yourself for the past 3 years, for been responsible for her condition..., that you can't give her love in her daring situation, because you think you're going to hurt her.

Drake kept looking at her with a sad serious face as she continued tearing up, Sophia continued with a frustrated sad voice "seeing your face every time someone mentions Sara...., the fact... that you can't look at our daughter's face breaks my heart, I hate it, I hate it..."

"I hate that we had to send her away because her health worsened day after day, the fact that you haven't read a single letter from Sara, the fact that I had to watch both of you suffer in front of me, I feel weak because nothing I do seems to work, I just can't take it anymore....., so please.... Please (she starts crying her heart out).

Drake warped his arms around her, hugged her close to him, and kissed her forehead and whispered: "I'm sorry....".

Sophia buried her face in his chest and said "don't be.... Just smile for her... that's all she needs in these times...", drake lets a deep sigh "I'm sorry...".

Sebastian took a deep frustrated inhale from his cigar as Sophia started crying her heart out for her husband and daughter....

- Somewhere in England:

As the sun is about to go down...., and at the front gates of a huge royal castle, an old person was being thrown aggressively by the guards and being yelled at "there's no need for you anymore, evacuate immediately", he looked at them with a frustrated angry face before getting up, he started dusting his clothes and immediately walked away without saying a word...

Fast forward a couple hours, and in the darkness of the night, the same person can be seen walking away from the castle, he was holding something warped in a cloth while talking to himself "I will show him, how dare he do this to me, I worked there for 50 years and this the apparition I get, have fun... for now...".

- Somewhere in Switzerland:

In the middle of vast beautiful fields, a small cottage can be seen, and through its windows... a little face kept staring at the millions of flowers dancing with the gentle breezes of the wind..., that face had a big cheering smile as it continued enjoying the breathtaking view.

It was a little girl, black haired, and her red glowy eyes kept on eyeing the flowers in amazement..., suddenly... the door behind opened as a mysterious figure entered her room, he kept looking at the girl and suddenly a soft feminine voice said "good morning..., Sara".

It's a beautiful morning, and a cheerful day waiting for the little lovely girl aged 799 years, short black silky hair, with eyes as red as a ruby, she turned around when she heard the door opening, and put a wide smile on her face when she heard "good morning, Sara!".

Sara opened her eyes in joy when she saw a woman wearing glasses with the red eyes and black hair, the woman looked at Sara and smiled "it's the big day, Sara!!!", Sara smiled as her eyes glow from happiness, the woman continued "remember Sara, don't move aggressively, your body won't take it..., now get up... slowly...".

Sara looked at her and smiled "yes!! Maria!!", that's the way Sara have being living for the past 2 years, battling illness..., an illness that made her so weak to the point where she can't do anything by herself..., every subtle move is exhausting and presents a real danger...

That's where Maria's role come into place, she would help her in every possible way from cleaning to changing clothes, suddenly, and from the other room, a soft voice calls for them, Maria looks at Sara and says "come on, your grandmother is calling...", Sara smiles and says "so, since we're going back..., Elizabeth-granny must've completed her research and found a cure, right?!!".

Maria stayed silent for a bit and smiled at Sara "come on now, your granny doesn't like late vampires!!!", Sara put a surprised face while holding her hands and said "oh, I forgot that!!!", Maria held her and the two went out...

That's how Sara lived, alongside her grandmother "Elizabeth" and her grandmother's assistant "Maria" for the past 2 years in an attempt to give Sara a better time with her sickness, but unfortunately, Sara's condition worsened day by day, to the point where walking from a room to another was exhausting and moving her limbs around made her suffocate.

As they started having breakfast, Sara kept eating fast, Maria looked at her and said "Sara, if you don't slow down, your grandmother will be angry....", Sara froze and kept looking at Elizabeth with a sweaty concerned face...., she's her grandmother, and we get to see the first glimpses of her face..., she has a young beautiful face that doesn't reflect her age..., but for some reason her eyes are closed...

Elizabeth looked at Sara and said with a calming voice "come on Sara, eat because we have a long day ahead...", as soon as she said that, a wagon stopped in front of the cottage, the pilot who looked like a little kid jumped down, he opened the door and got in.

He stood in front of them having breakfast and bowed down in respect and said "Elizabeth-sama, your ride is here", Sara started looking at him with a full mouth and tried to scream, but she couldn't since her full mouth muffled everything "eghhhghgwahgrd!!!!", Elizabeth smiled and Maria said "Sara, swallow your food, then speak...".

Maria spent the full day gathering their luggage and helping Sara to wear her clothes and to prepare for a long exhausting trip, Maria is a hardworking vampire aged 3200, who was a student for Elizabeth before becoming her personal assistant.

And thus... the princess was ready to return to her kingdom...