The Last Vampire: A War of Worlds

28:

Alora was laying in her bed gazing at the ceiling. She heard a knock at her door. She walked over to the door and opened it. "Good day Lady Alora!", said the man at the door, "The emperor sends his greetings and he hopes you slept well in your new room."

Alora was charmed by the Emperor's sudden hospitality. Moving her from a cell in the bottom of the tower to a comfortable room with a king's sized bed, a toilet free from diseases and a window view of the mighty Vallathian Capital in all its glory.

"I enjoyed my sleep thank you very much.", Alora slowly shut the door. The man put his foot in between the door. Alora opened the door.

"Yes?", she asked.

"I'm sorry to interrupt but the message doesn't just end at salutations.", he walked into the room and shut the door behind him. "My lady, the Emperor would like to have you accompany him to his meeting with his council."

Alora was baffled by this odd request. She paced around the room in disbelief. The man looked on as Alora was trying to compose herself. The man gathered the courage to speak without being asked to, a rare thing in the abode of the Emperor.

"My lady is everything alright?", he asked.

"Help me understand what's going on?", she sat on her bed as she looked on at him. He scratched his head and took a look a round. He stared at the window with the beauty view of the city and got lost in the scenery.

"Excuse me!", Alora shouted.

The man returned back to the reality. He laid his eyes on Alora and took a deep breath. "You see my lady the emperor is a very forward thinking man.", he said, "Sarania is the latest addition to this beauty empire of ours. All he is trying to do is create a stronger relationship with the colony by inviting its former ruler to a very engaging meeting about the future of this great nation."

She paused and listened to the dozens of voices screaming in her mind. 'Was he to be trusted?', she thought to herself. "I will come.", she said.

The man bowed his head and was on his way out. He had his hand on the door, he turned back at Alora. "I forgot to tell you the meeting is in the next hour. I would advise you get ready my lady. It's all the way up on the top of the tower in the Lords Discussion Room."

"I certainly will.", she said. The man walked out of the room. Alora spent the next hour getting ready for the meeting. She took a cold bath while waiting for her clothing to be brought in. She got out of the bath and found a traditional Saranian Lasa on her bed. A sleeveless dress in various shades of red and an embroidered red mighty dragon flying around every each of the fabric. She put on the Lasa and marched out of the room with her head held high.

As she was on her to the top of the tower, she saw Jade walking to a room. She had a large book in her arms with an eye catching cover of a pulsating dark eye in the centre. Jade stopped and felt Alora's eyes locked onto her.

"What are you looking at?", she asked sarcastically.

"Nice book.", Alora said.

Jade quickly tossed the book into the room and slammed the door shut. "Where are you going princess?", Jade asked.

"Your father invited me for one of his council meetings.", Alora smiled, "You know Jade maybe you could learn a few lessons of hospitality and kindness from your father."

Jade broke out into complete laughter. "My father? Kind?", she continued to laugh, "If you thought I was bad wait until he is done using as his stepping stone then you will come to the sad realisation that I have always been the better devil to dance with."

Alora stormed off. As she climbed up the long flight of stairs, she couldn't help but think about what Jade said. That moment played before her eyes over and over again until she found herself on the last floor of the tower.

There was a large wooden oak door at the end of the hallway and two imperial enforcers guarding the door. Alora walked down the hallway and felt the chilling breeze crawl beneath her skin. Her heart was racing and thoughts of eminent doom ran through her mind like a wildcat. She kept her brave face on marched to the door with all the confidence in the world.

The enforcers opened the door for her. She walked into the room and there was a dark enormous round table in the heart of the room. The walls were full of paintings of the conquests of The Vallath Empire throughout the years. At the table, there were six seats. Alora walked over to the table and took a seat. She noticed that the table had an entire map of the world with markings of the territory the Vallath nation has assimilated. The Emperor walked in and behind him were his four council members. They each took a seat and the emperor had Alora right by his side. He stood up cleared his throat and began to speak.

"I know we haven't met here in a while but today's meeting is of most importance. I'm sure as you are aware we have a vacant position in our great nation, the Lord of The Vallath nation.", he said, "My second in command and the most essential member of this well functioning machine and this machine has been out of hears without a Lord."

One of the council members raised his hand. "So who do you have in mind my good sir?"

"Jade.", he said, "She has her faults don't get me wrong but her loyalty is unrivalled. Looking at the times we are in, loyalty is the most important thing right now."

Everyone at the table had their eyes locked on Alora. She tugged on her collar and looked elsewhere nervously. Emperor Sebastian stood up and put his hand on her shoulder. Her heart sunk. "The princess here is an ally of mine and this nation.", he said, "She should be treated as if she were me."

The female council member stood up. She had snow white hair that ran down her shoulders and bright blue eyes. She was a stunning natural beauty. "If you forgive me my emperor I would like to raise a few concerns about....", she paused and cleared her throat, "A lot of things actually."

"The floor is yours councillor Nande.", the emperor extended his hand out to her.

"Thank you your grace for letting me have the floor.", she bowed her head in gratitude, "On the issue of Jade being the Lord of Vallath, I think that's a great choice and the rest of the council share my belief that she will serve our nation with honour. She has done this for the better part of this year and I strongly believe she's ready."

The other council members applauded her. "Thank you!", she said. They slowly stopped clapping. "I would also like to acknowledge the presence of Alora, former princess of Sarania. You are most welcome here."

The Emperor smiled while all the other council members were sulking. Nande had a tendency of sucking up to the Emperor, she had always been his favourite. She would whisper every little thing he wanted himself to hear. This was one of those instances.

"We have made advancements on project Saviour coming from the northern camp.", she said, "In a few months time we would have completed our studies on the test subjects."

Alora raised her hand and Nande pointed at her. "What is project Saviour?", she asked softly.

"That's nothing for you to worry about princess at this particular time.", the Emperor said, "Anyway councillor Nande I believe we have gone through the entire agenda, so this is where we part ways."

The Emperor stood up and Alora walked right besides him. There were whispers coming from the table. "No you tell him.", "I'm not going to be the one to do it."

The Emperor turned around and everyone was silent. "Tell me what?!", he shouted.

All the council members were looking at each other. Councillor Nande stood up.

"There is actually one thing we did not make mention of.", she said.

"Go on."

"Reports came from deep in the city of a man who violently murdered one of our officers. Later on, he was approached by a squad of enforcers and beheaded one of the enforcers and let the others live."

"I want that man killed on the spot!" , he put his foot down.

"That's the thing he isn't a man.", she paused. She looked at her colleagues sitting besides her and they had their heads down. "He is a vampire."

The Emperor's jaw dropped in disbelief. "Impossible!", he shouted, "There are no vampires left."

"According to the witnesses he possessed all the abilities of one.", she said, "Given the nature of the case and the laws we have in place, you have to make the call to what must be done with him."

"I want him apprehended and brought to me here.", he said, "Not a fucking word gets out about this or I will all have your heads."