Morgan and I arrive at the castle where the gathering will be held.  If anyone came across this castle, they would immediately think evil.  The general design may as well have been in the shape of a skull.  I guess being discreet doesn't appeal to Crystal.  Upon reaching the gate, I pull out the invitation.  It is beautifully decorated with flowers rolling over the envelope.  Much less ominous looking than its contents.  The guard at the gate, though guard is a little generous, looks at our invitation and ushers us inside.  As we walk towards the throne room, where the gathering is taking place, I look over at Morgan.

"Morgan"

"Um yes mistress Isadora"

"While you're inside here... don't talk, and don't make eye contact ok?" Morgan gulps

As we pass through the grand door leading inside the room, the smell of blood hits me.  Inside pure bloods stand around; some talking, probably gossip, some drinking, wine glasses of blood, and some are trying to approach the queen, who sits upon the throne, although they fail miserably, the aura she's putting out is to strong for those without will. 

I walk up to Crystal--as most of the other pure bloods have never seen me before, they draw a breath as to why I don't feel the aura--Crystal looks bored, but with a hint of playfulness dancing in her eyes.  I ask the only question that mattered, the reason I was here...

"Where's the milk?"

Crystal giggles silently and points her slender fingers over to a waiter with a glass of milk, her every movement exerts a theme of royalty.  As I leave her side and approach the waiter, I hear comments by the pure bloods

"Who is she?"

"I've never seen her before"

"Did she just approach the queen so casually?"

"And why did the queen treat her so casually?"

"Who is she?"

I ignore the comments.  Morgan, who is following close behind me, pales beneath the heavy stares of the vampires.  Though, they weren't really directed at her.  Before I reach the waiter a large, fat, pure blood blocks my path.  He is wearing red and white linen robes, clearly expensive

"So, I do not know who you are, and I really do not care, but... how much for the elf?" he asks, stray spittle flying from his mouth.

Disgusting.  Morgan has a look of fear on her face, as if she truly believe I would consider it.

"Not for sale" I say matter of fact like

"Oh common, a child like you should listen to your elders, what would your parents say?"

"Who knows"

"Just give me the fucking girl" anger rising in his voice.  He releases his aura.  I'm sure he thought it was strong, even a few people around him took a step back, but it did nothing to me.  Before I could respond I hear

"Isadora, come talk with me"  I look over to see Crystal walking out of a door on the side.  As I don't want to talk to this pig anymore I follow.  Morgan, not wanting to be left alone in this room, followed close on my heels.

As I followed, the three of us Crystal, Morgan, and I exited onto a balcony overlooking the courtyard.

"Isadora, it's good to see you again, how have you been?" Crystal asks sensitively, not wanting to bring back memories

"I'm fine" I reply not wanting to talk about it

"I see"

We stand in silence.  Morgan, who is clearly feeling really uncomfortable, fiddles with her fingers.  Crystal looks over at Morgan.  Under Crystal's penetrating gaze Morgan uses what I told her, being silent and not making eye contact.

"She's cute" says Crystal "She reminds me of her"

"Can we not talk about it please" I ask almost begging

"Of course, anything my queen" Crystal says curtseying

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As we left the castle, Mistress Isadora and myself, I reflected on what happened.  Some creepy vampire tried to buy me, mistress said no.  I guess she is a good person.  I feel my loyalty to her growing with every event, is it because I'm her vampire bride?  Or something else?  Well no matter.

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But the queen called her the queen what does that mean?

"Mistress?" I ask

"Yes?"

"Why did she call you 'my queen'?"

"Well, Crystal isn't actually a queen blood, she was my mothers vampire bride.  She is able to put of an air of authority though so after my mother died, and I was the next queen, I let her take my place.  The pure blooded vampires never learned of me because it was against the current queen, my mothers, wishes"

"Oh I see" I think about it.  That would make sense.  But one question still resides in my mind.  Who did Crystal mean when she said I remind her of 'her'.  Should I ask.  Mistress doesn't seem very inclined to talk about it though.  Maybe I should just let it go for now.  If she wants to tell me she will.

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I stand with my wife in the throne room.  Mind games are being played.  Political fights are being held over scraps of land.  The once great race of the vampire has fallen.  Pitifully.  I sip my blood, it is fresh, and gaze at the queen.  She has been ineffective and useless.  Maybe with this gathering some conclusion will be reached.

Not to long after this thought.  A girl arrived.  She was a vampire, that much was obvious.  Behind her was a vampire maid.  An elven vampire maid.  Not many people would make an elf a vampire, especially not a child.  Elves were very touchy about their children.  Quite over protective.

She approached the queen, who was at the time putting out her 'do not talk to me' aura, completely ignoring it.  She said something, something I couldn't hear.  The queen pointed to a waiter in the back, the girl making her way over there. 

A pure blood blocked her path.  I was close enough to the conversation to hear it.  He wanted the elf.  Probably just wanted to get his hands on a child, the freak.  She turned him down naturally.

"Isadora, come talk with me" that voice... it's the queen.  The queen called this 'Isadora' out personally.  Intriguing.

"Honey" I say to my wife "Do you know who that girl is?"

"No clue, but whoever she is" says my wife "she seems important

"I think it's time to hold a council dear wife"

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We sit around the large round table.  All of us have our hoods drawn, shrouding our identities in darkness.  It's time to discuss.  Time to decide.  The vampire race has slowly been weakening.  We agree it is the queens fault.  She doesn't have the attributes of a queen.  We are beginning to suspect that she may not even be the queen.  The vampires always have one queen, that is a face as old as time.  However it doesn't mean that one who claims to be the queen is as she claims.

Who is that child?

Who is the queen?

Why are the shadow hunters on the move?

We wonder, we ponder, we scheme.

We agree that we should follow that girl.  We will send out a vampire to follow her.

We agree that the current 'vampire queen' needs to die.  The vampires need to unite, to make decision together.

We decide that the queen will die... tonight

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AN - Well I got it done.  It took a very long time to write, even though it's short, because it's and expositional chapter.  Sorry for the delay I would have had it out an hour or two ago, but whatever it's done now.  Let me know about any grammatical errors and leave a comment on what you think.  Thanks.