Endgame and New Beginnings

As they pulled into the drive at the base of the mountain, Arabella felt the rumble in the ground. The guard who had come back to lead them pointed toward the summit of the mountain where oily smoke seemed to ooze from the opening. Arabella bolted from the car and ran toward the summit.

She did not care if the others were with her. She had to get to Cassia. When she reached the summit, she froze. Cassia was kneeling at the precipice, looking withered from the heat. As Arabella stepped closer, Cassia saw her and rose to her feet, motioning for Arabella to stop.

“There was an attack. I was bitten. I love you too much to risk your health so I have to do this.”

Arabella stopped and pleaded with Cassia.

“There must be another way Cassia. They are working on a cure! They might even have one for humans already. Please…don’t leave me alone…”

Cassia looked to her with tear filled eyes and whispered “I’m sorry” before turning and leaping from the precipice into the molten core below. Arabella screamed out and lunged for the edge, but was too late. She watched as the only thing she cared about fell and went to ash. She stood there, contemplating joining her for a long time. Slowly, she turned to see Lucian standing a few feet away from her.

“I’m sorry, Arabella. If I had known what she planned, I would have forced her to return to the castle myself. If there is anything I can do…”

“Silence Lucian. I made you a promise concerning Cassia. I will show you one kindness and give you the chance to follow her into oblivion here before I make good on the promise I made. If you jump, I will not stop you. You swore she would be safe and you failed. You will never see another night, wither by my hand or by your queen’s hand, you will face True Death.”

Lucian sneered when she mentioned the queen.

“I own to my flaws but there is something you should hear before you return to her royal bitchiness. Return to the car with me for a moment. Hear what I have for you. If you still want my death after listening, I will march up here and let you throw me in.”

She watched him turn, blood tears in her eyes, as he started back to the car. It took her quite some time before she reached the car. She could feel her strength waning. She climbed in as Lucian started the car.

“I did not expect you to walk at a human’s pace. I will hold to my promise but we must find shelter for the day first.”

Arabella was sitting stone still as she listened to the recording on repeat. She slowly sipped from the goblet at her side as she thought carefully on what she wanted to do. She had been betrayed, and by the one person she thought she could trust above all. She set down the goblet and looked to the man sitting across the room from her.

"I am not going to let this stand, Lucian. You have two choices now and only a short time to pick between them. You can follow me loyally and faithfully no matter the choice I make, or you can take the walk you promised. I give you ten minutes to decide."

She walked from the room, leaving the recording playing. It implicated him as much as it did the Queen, but she was the one making the choice. He followed her but since he recorded her, he obviously was not loyal to her. She walked across the room and examined the weapons while she waited. It took him far less than the time provided to join her in the main room. She turned to face him and waited. He walked over and knelt down in front of her, looking up to her face.

"I am yours to command, my Duchess. You have my loyalty, and my pledge."

She lifted a small knife from the table and cut her wrist, holding it out to him. He smiled as he took her arm in his hands and drank from her. After a moment, she pulled her arm from his grip and looked down at him as her wound healed. She motioned him to his feet and nodded.

"We have much to plan, Lucian, and only a short window in which to do it. The stroke but be perfectly timed and without flaw or my plan will not come to completion an we will meet the True Death. Do you understand?"

"Of course, my Duchess. I am yours to command, as are all who are loyal to me."


She smiled as they sat down to plan things out.

Constance walked into the throne room with a smug grin on her face. She had just received the confirmation that Arabella's little human was dead. What was better than that was that Arabella witnessed it. She was certainly going to be emotionally shattered and easy to control. She was careful to temper her expression to a gentle smile. She took her proper place and waited as Lucian moved to her side and Arabella moved to the foot of the steps. She nodded to Arabella and waited for the coming breakdown.

"You may speak freely, Lady Trillo. Always in my Court may you speak your mind."

Arabella smiled inwardly as she listened to the arrogant bitch 'grant' her permissions. She nodded and rose to walk closer. She wanted to be in reach when the time came. She spoke slowly, telling the Queen of Cassia's infection and subsequent death. She did not yet mention the recording as she wanted the Queen to dig in deeper. She spoke of promises of protection and pleaded for an explanation of how Cassia came to be harmed while under watch. She fell silent now and looked to the Queen.

The Queen smiled to her, and to the attending Court before speaking.

"My dear girl, humans are so frail, and she insisted on the guard being limited despite my command. You have my assurance that all will be investigated and the culprits will be dealt with most harshly. I offer my personal condolences on your loss."

She smiled down to Arabella, confident that all was according to plan.

Arabella almost laughed out loud when the Queen offered her condolences. She stepped up, embracing the Queen and speaking a soft thank you before taking a step back. She nodded to Lucian who motioned for the doors to be secured. At the same moment, Arabella grabbed the Queen and pinned her to the throne. One of Vincent's men brought silver chains and bound the Queen in place. There was a loud murmur from the Court and more than a few shouts of alarm. Arabella stepped forward and raised her voice to be heard above the crowd.

"It may seem that we act without cause but let your own ears judge her complacency. Her oath was given to protect my companion in front of all of you. You all heard it so now you will hear the proof."

She nodded to Lucian who started the recording, playing the conversation that implicated to Queen in planning Cassia's death. As the recording played, the tone of the crowd began to change to one of moral outrage. She knew the timing had to be perfect here. She lifted her voice again, this time to address the crowd.

"By her own voice is she convicted and proved false. What is more, you all heard her claiming sorrow at my loss. She betrayed the trust I had in her and betrayed all of you when she cast her own oath into the dirt. For what did she do this? To protect me? To protect you? No...for simply jealousy. For the jealousy that would embarrass a child in school. For this I condemn her. She swore on her life itself that my Cassia would be safe. I come to take that promise and hold her to it. Will any here claim I do not have the right?"

She looked at the crowd and waited, listening for even a single voice. She looked back at the Queen and waited. No one, not even Constance bothered to raise a protest. She walked to the Queen, backhanding her across the face and spoke so all could hear.

"Do you have anything to say, you royal bitch?"

"Only that I did it because of the love we have for each other. She was preventing us from being together."

Arabella shook her head and laughed.

"You stupid cow. Even now you cling to arrogance. Your own words have sealed your fate and I will see justice here today. I considered throwing you in the same pit where Cassia died, but I would not taint her memory with your foul remains. I claim for your vanity and arrogance that for taking what was mine, all that was yours is now mine."

She reached behind the throne, pulling a silver tipped stake from its holder. She looked Constance in the eyes and shoved the stake into the Queen's heart. As Arabella felt the stake pierce her heart, she watched almost detached as Constance burst from within, covering the throne with blood. She turned to Lucian and motioned him forward.

"You are not blameless, Lucian. You knew her plans and could have warned me. Not only that, but you took Cassia into town yourself. However, for you, I am tempted to show mercy. You revealed Constance's part in Cassia's death and helped me say goodbye before she died. For this I will let you love, but you will suffer for your part. For The next month, you will receive silver injections in small increments. You will report there of your own choice and request your injection. In return, you will not be destroyed. You will serve me from now on without fail. One mis-step means your True Death. Do you understand?"

"Yes, I understand. I will have someone clean the throne immediately."

Arabella turned to the Court and spoke clearly.

"What was hers is now mine. Unless there is someone here who feels they have more right, I claim the seat of Queen. I will be fair and just, and you will never have reason to doubt my honor. My first decree is that a strike be made to the surrounding lands. Wipe out any vampire who is infected and any humans with them. I will not have this plague infecting my lands."

Lucian was the first to take a knee.

"Hail, Arabella Trillo, Queen of Italy, Ruler In Ancient Rome."

The sound of 'Hail' echoed through the hall. Arabella watched as the throne was carefully washed of every trace of blood. Once it was done, she stepped back and sat on the throne. She looked around the room, locking eyes with every person in attendance.

"Now...shall we begin the night's proceedings?"

She smiled as the first of the supplicants approached the throne. She was home, and she knew that this was were she belonged.