Verrian sent glance to the others entering the throne room, then turned his eyes back to Etxli. "I'm allergic to coconut." He said, then held out his hand in greeting. "I am Verrian Villita, of the royal family Villita."
Etzli sealed up the bottle. "Sorry. It's my replacement for blood." Etzli hesitated before shaking his hand lightly, hers pale and tiny in his. "My name is Etzli. I'm the niece of the Master and Mistress of the Glenwood family. My aunt wanted me to come, but I don't know why. I generally don't leave the house."
Ver blinked down at her, before letting go. "May I ask why you don't drink regular blood Ms. Etzli?" He asked. "Or at least a better replacement that holds more nutrients. You look almost sick."
Etzli looked down, trying to shove the trauma back but failing. It showed on her face. She chewed her lip, breaking skin. When she smelled her blood, she hastily grabbed a kerchief, sopping up the crimson liquid, panicked.
"Ms. Etzli, breathe. In for one, two, three. Out for four, five six." Verrian instructed, going to her side. He knew not to touch her, she already seemed in a panic and he did not want to make it worse. "One, two three" He counted, hoping she would listen.
(Verrian's adopting her, it's official)
Etzli took a deep breath according to Verrian's count. She tried not to vomit.
Klaus swept into the waiting room of the other vampires in silence, his long best cloak swishing around his neat feet. He plucked a fancy handkerchief from his pocket and wiped down his somewhat sweaty face, nearing a corner like a haughty, tall shadow as he waited.
"Let's go inside, you can sit next to me." Verrian offered, he would protect this small vampire, whether she liked it or not.
Etzli shook her head. "I'm scared of crowds…" she whispered, fidgeting. "Aunt Vice told me to stay out here so I wouldn't freak…"
"It's only a few nobles, you'll be alright." Verrian assured the smaller vampire, "You won't freak out."
(alrighty then I hope everyone has arrived because I'm going to get this party started for real.)
(Sweet.)
Etzli took a deep breath and shakily stood up, brushing her dress off. She wrinkled her nose at it. So uncomfortable… She looked up at the bigger male and asked, "M-may I bring my coconut milk p-please…?"
(alrighty then I hope everyone has arrived because I'm going to get this party started for real.)
(Apparently not…)
group
(I'm home from college now so consider my attention yours)
(I'm home from college now so consider my attention yours)
(Ooh! How's college going for you?)
"I can't stop you, just keep it a little bit away from me." Verrian said, standing up and brushing past the doors, into the throne room. He took a seat in his own… Seat, let's go with throne right now.
Klaus watched the others walk into the throneroom and followed only behind after a soft prompt from the messenger. He looked around for his own seat, deciding to take one that didn't look too royal yet out of the way.
group
Dominik strode into the throne-room with something of a proud smile, Ames silently followed behind him. The lord took his place on a comfy seat directly opposite the king's throne, his butler stood loyal by his side.
"You needn't look so terrified," Dominik whispered to Ames with a soft chuckle. "What's the worst that could happen here?"
The butler didn't respond with words, the glimmer of doubt in his eyes told Dom everything. Dominik scanned the room, he personally knew a few of the others present, including Klaus, Verrian, and the Glenwoods, but there were a couple of odd souls whom he had not had the pleasure of meeting. He'd have to keep an eye on those ones.
The throne room was as still and quiet as death, Cambria wanted to scream to break the oppressive silence. Not a greeting, not a smile passed between any of them. They were all there. The Great Noble Families of the vampire race.
Waiting. Not even breathing.
Waiting in a vast room that may or may not become their tomb.
Cambria remained still as the stone beneath her feet as a secret door opened behind the throne and the King stepped into the room. His gaze flicked over each and every one of them, as if they were nothing but dust. No expression showed on his one handsome face. It looked as if he had aged drastically from the occurring events. Youthful features now haggard, rough, and cold. The King sat upon his throne before them, silent as he continued to stare. The rumble of his power a brewing storm threatening to break over them all.
Finally he spoke taking them all in. "One of you have done this." He hissed, bearing his fangs at them all, voice promising a gruesome death. "One of you have taken my wife from me. One of you, traitorous leeches would plunge our world once more into war and violence after I have given us peace!" He was shouting now his eyes glowing as red as the blood he consumed. Leaning forward and slamming his hands on the arms of his throne he roared, "I will have all of your heads if the traitor does not come forward! How dare you betray me."
(Verrian's adopting her, it's official)
(Frick yes. Wonderful development!)
Etzli walked slowly into the throne room, and eyes widened when she saw Verrian take a throne. He had said he was part of the royal family, but it hadn't registered until just now. …He was so nice… But all she had heard was that they were snobby and stuffy… She shuffled into a corner, away from Verrian, not wanting to intrude. She trembled pitifully under the stares of the other vampires at the fact she had walked in with the prince. But the stares were quickly averted when the king spoke. She flinched and cowered at the harsh voice. Her eyes were starting to fill with tears. She shouldn't have come in here…
Victor instinctively wanted to shout out that accusing his subjects was unlikely to accomplish anything but he contented himself with rolling his eyes covertly. He sighed silently. t was annoying to see the royalty losing composure. One would think he would know how to control himself.
group
Dominik covered his mouth to oppress a laugh that was trying to fight its way to the air. He hadn't seen the king this furious for many years, it was somewhat amusing to him. However, deep down, he knew the king meant business. Dominik cleared his throat, rising from his seat to address the king. "Your highness, how can you be so sure that one of us had killed the queen? What evidence do you have that would point your suspicion in our direction?"
Edith's eyes widened. This was shocking. She had come across the country….to be accused of murder? No- High treason! Her silvery eyes narrowed. "My king…" She started, her voice low and rough. She bowed her head to him. "We have been ever-loyal and ever-faithful to the crown. None of us could commit such an abomination."
Well, at least I wouldn't… Edith thought with an accusatory glance at the others. She had to take into consideration that His Majesty was convinced it was one of them, he wouldn't have called them here if he wasn't. He would've sent a name and set price.
So, we have a murdered within our ranks….
Cambria stared at the King, too shocked to say anything. Gone was their peaceful ruler. Here was the male that rose to power with blood and chaos millennia ago. She was not ashamed to admit that fear sliced through her body, along with an equally violent slash of anger. How could he think that one of us did this?? She looked quickly around the room to gauge the response of the others, pressing her lips into a hard line. She was nothing but honorable. Had been her entire life…. to a point. She was a shield maiden of old after all. Sometimes things must be settled in blood. It was their nature.
And yet…To be accused of something so terrible as to murder the queen… A queen that everyone had loved. It was unthinkable. The male is lost to grief. She stood silently and placed a hand over her heart. "My King, I will swear on the old gods and the blood granted to me by my father, that none of the House Voccorix would ever think to partake in such a crime." She paused, swallowing Her anger, "To have so little trust in us, your lieutenants, your nobles, your council, is disconcerting." Cambria remained in her bowed position for a moment longer before seating, mentally preparing herself for the shouting match that was about to begin.
The King's red eyes met hers with a grimace. "Indeed. Trust." He sneered horribly at the court. "This is something I thought I had of you all. Only to be betrayed most dearly. As for my proof, the assassin was so kind to leave this beside my wife's dust." The King pulled out a oblong shaped object covered in a piece of worn cloth.
Dread filled Cambria's gut. This cannot be happening. He tossed the object onto the table where it clattered loudly, the cloth pulling away to reveal a thick stake tipped in deadly sharp silver.
Cambria jerked away from the table with a hiss, her fangs elongating to deadly points. Although, a stake through the heart was just a myth that they had passed on to the humans, the silver was a real threat. Putting them together and leaving it next to the ash of a loved one….an ancient challenge. One older than even Cambria herself. A challenge that was passed along frequently between the noble families during the old wars.
"This is how I know." The King spat.
Verrian surveyed the crowd of nobles, trying to get each of their reactions to the news. He saw Cambria doing the same and sent a brisk head nod her way, he didn't necessarily like anyone in the room, but he would say that if he had to line them up Cambria would be his favorite but also the one he kept far away. She was wicked ambitious, he had to give her that and by the looks of it, she was also trying to deduce who was a suspect just by their reaction to the news. He, of course, had already heard it, as he had been the first to discover his own mother's ashes.
group
Dominik's eyes narrowed at the silver tipped stake. "I thought only I had one of those." he cursed to himself. After a moment of silence, he shoved his hands into his trouser pockets and sighed. "With all due respect, your highness, I was under the impression that the remaining silver tip stakes were locked away in the palace vault. If my assumption is correct, then wouldn't it be safe to assume that only someone with direct connections to the vault would have access to it?"
It may have sounded like Dominik was accusing Verrian or the king himself, but unless someone had stolen his own tipped stake, he couldn't think of who else would have access to such a weapon.
Victor recoiled slightly at the sight of the hated silver. But he looked around not understanding. Many of the others looked shocked, but a few like him just stared in confusion.
Klaus listened intently, like a scribe at an important formal event, rather than a house noble sitting at the table.
He almost sneered at Cambria's rise and pledge at loyalty. Only a fool would bring themselves out like that, susceptible for all kinds of rage and suspicion.
However, his faint traces of a sneer disappeared at the silver and even he jumped back a little.
Etzli's tears disappeared as she saw the stake. Instead of fear, her eyes were now filled with curiosity. She heard various conclusions. She murmured to herself, "What about if they made their own…?"
