Sleep came quickly, and the memory came even quicker. My armor clinked as I made my way through the castle. I was dubious as to how my bulky form had been missed in the blue twilight. I was not the first knight the king had sent against the vampire realm, but I was hopeful to be the last.

I pushed my way farther in, keeping my sword low but unsheathed. If I were caught unawares I would only have a moment to act. My shield was protecting in my blind spots, ensuring I wouldn’t be sucker punched. Even with these precautions in place, I moved carefully through the torch-lined halls. One wrong move and I could be food, or worse become one of them.

As I made my way closer and closer to the throne room, I recalled my assignment. Go to the vampire realm and kill their monarch. Simply said, but regicide was never a simple task. There should have been more guards. They should have been alerted to my presence. Yet the gates had been left open and the places guards were normally stationed were left abandoned. They couldn’t be incompetent, otherwise the knights before me wouldn’t have failed. And the flickering torches told me it wasn’t abandoned.

I didn’t have the time to finish all my thoughts, as I had come across a grand door. Inlaid with silver no doubt stolen from human fiefs, it looked almost gaudy. I pressed my hands against the doors firmly, exerting myself slightly to open them. They opened smoothly and without resistance, as if the doors themselves had been expecting my presence. And the scene that stood in front of me surprised me.

At the other end of the long room, a single vampire sat on the throne, illuminated only by the strips of blue light filtering through the window slits. Her silvery hair was braided, flowing over one shoulder to make her dress appear it had nothing holding it up. In her hand was a glass of what looked like red wine that she swirled before taking a sip casually. Was she blind? Someone just intruded into her throne room and she sat there drinking wine. She started to smile at me.

My head shook, almost involuntarily. I had to remind myself I wasn’t here to admire a queen’s beauty. I was here to kill them. I just wasn’t expecting a matriarch to be sitting on the throne, that’s all.

“You’re trying to convince yourself you aren’t enamored by my body, aren’t you my dear little knight.” Her smile widened into a smirk as I steeled myself. I didn’t want to deign her with a response, but it seems my body language was enough of a response for her anyways.

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“Oh, I’d almost feel bad seeing the life drain from you. But, I can’t tolerate those who wish to have my head now, can I?” She uncrossed her legs and stood from her throne before making an overly dramatic curtsy.

I took my opportunity immediately, charging forward to close the gap before she had a chance to react. I had almost made it to her when I felt a sword pommel strike me from the side and send me toppling to the ground. In a flash, I found myself surrounded by guards in gilded armor, each holding a sword expertly positioned to penetrate a weak spot in my armor. I had let my guard down for only a moment, and that’s all they needed.

And yet, they didn’t kill me immediately. The guard in front of me stepped aside, giving me a clear view of the queen once more. She stepped closer to me, her high heels clicking on the marbled floors. I tried to tighten the grip on my sword, hoping I could possibly get a sacrificial strike in against her. Her guards were wary though, and it was smacked out of my hand.

“Well, it seems your attempt is at an end, little knight,” her smile was almost a sneer at this point as she enunciated each word so clearly. That cold voice of hers penetrating deep into my soul. “Any final words you wish to say? Perhaps something to clear your conscience before your death?” As she said it, I faltered mentally. Did she know my own thoughts? No, she had to just be giving a courtesy to me. There’s no way she could know that. I had never told anyone. I could barely say it to myself without feeling like a fool. But, as I stared down one of the many blades poised to take my life, I realized it wasn’t something I should’ve kept hidden. It wasn’t a thought I should suppress by trying to prove myself a man.

It was difficult to even form the words. My mouth dried and I hung my head in defeat. “I… I wish I had lived a woman’s life.” I bit my tongue as soon as the words had left my mouth. How could I be so careless. Here I was, at the mercy of a vampire queen, and my final words would be admitting to my most shameful secret. Yet it felt right to finally say the thought that had plagued me since I was a child.

I didn’t see her gesture to the guards, but I did see their lowering blades. I looked around me to see that they had all taken half a step back. They could still kill me in the blink of an eye, but they no longer commanded my attention. The queen did.

“Would you take the chance to live that life? Would you abandon your post to become that which you desire?” Her voice wasn’t as sinister now, but there was still that cold undertone. I wanted to avert my gaze from her, but I couldn’t help but stare up into her crimson eyes. They drew me in, and drew the truth almost unbidden from my lips.

“Yes, I would.”