Love under the twilight sky

Amelia ran down the stairs barefooted as her maid Rosamund ran after her with Amelia shoes begging her to stop.

She was usually not this much of a nuisance. She was a quiet, polite princess who's daily life was directed by her father.

Her parents had gone out for a soiree so it was safe to run around. She ran into the garden and fell on the soft grass, enjoying the feel of the sun on her skin and the sweet smell of blooming flowers. It was spring, her favorite time of the year. She was going to betrothed on the night of the spring ball the palace held every year just like her sisters and she was excited and at the same time nervous.

" My princess." Rosa mode panted as she finally caught up to Amelia. " You should wear your shoes."

" Not yet Rosa. I want to feel the soft feeling of the grass on my feet. It's been so long." Amelia said smiling up at her maid. " You should join me."

Rosamund has been her personal maid ever since she turned thirteen an age when she had started her training on marriage. In the society they lived in, a woman was considered marriageable from the age of sixteen to the age of twenty any more than that was considered old and as of use. On that note must girls were are made to meet with different men before the age of sixteen so they are married of immediately they come off age.

" My lady, you should stop sitting on the ground and wear your shoes please. The king would be mad if he you meets you like this." Rosamund pleaded.

" He has never been my father but the king and his daughters are just assets given away for politics, his sons to keep the bloodline." Amelia said. She had always learned to fear her father.

" My lady." Rosamund immediately hushed her. " " You shouldn't say that out loud and please get up."

" He's not back now so..........."

" Amelia!!"

Amelia could not complete her words as a loud voice thundered her name.

Shocked to hear the voice she had not expected to hear in the garden, she quickly jumped on her feet and bowed her head not bothering to check who it was.

" Y.... You.... Your majesty." Amelia managed a greeting.

Her father stepped into the garden followed closely by Evelyn his oldest wife and Amelia's mother. He raised his hands to hit Amelia slapping her across the face.

" What a disgrace you are. A princess sitting on the bare ground. This is the sole reason you remain unmarried. I wonder why I pay a governess for you when it's of no use. Look at your sister all married to very prestigious family and here you are, you're already eighteen. No daughter of mine has stayed unmarried till that age. It's obvious you are of no use."

Amelia's eyes began to tear up.

" I'm sorry your majesty". Amelia managed to apologize as tears threatened to fall, her head still hanging low.

" You would be locked up in your room till the day of the spring ball. If I don't find a betroth for you by then, I will send you off to Heathfield. Heathfield was a far way land that was just like exile. The king said and walked away before Amelia could reply.

She raised her head to see her mother still standing there, eyes looking at her like she was a disappointment, like she was the worst mistake.

" Mother." Amelia called out her voice cracking at the end.

" Wear your shoes." came her mother's cold voice. " You are my only flaw Amelia, why won't you just behave yourself." Queen Evelyn said.

" Mother I'm sorry." Amelia whispered.

Ignoring Amelia, Evelyn said to Rosamund. "Take her to her room and make sure she stays there." she said and left.

The tears that pricked her eyes finally spilled. Her parents had always made her feel ever since she turned seventeen like she has overstayed her welcome in the castle

Turning to Rosamund, Amelia smiled ruefully seeing the worried look Rosamund gave her.

" My shoes." Amelia requested.

Rosamund bent to help the princess put on her shoes and asked worriedly. " Are you alright my lady?"

" Yes, I want to head back." Amelia said and started walking back to her room with Rosamund following closely behind her.

~

Amelia sat on her bed, her legs safely in the comfort of her mattress. She sat with a book in her hands deeply engrossed in it. The spring ball was the next day and the entire palace was busy but Amelia was not at all interested in taking part in any of it.

The door of her room opened and the queen stepped in. Amelia who was so engrossed in the book did not notice the Queen's presence in the room. Evelyn snatched the book away.

" Mother." Amelia quickly climbed down the bed to greet her mother.

" What are you doing with this?" Evelyn asked waving the book in the air. " You are supposed to be a princess not some governess. There is not a need for all this reading. Throwing the book on the floor, she continued " You are going to follow me downstairs. The seamstress has come with your gown. The smile on Evelyn's face was wide. Amelia could not remember the last time her mother had smiled at her so brightly.

" I had a new gown delivered yesterday." Amelia said confused.

Her mother was never interested in what she wore.

" No my dear, there is not a need for it anymore you are getting a new gown. Your wedding gown." Evelyn said her smile even wider. It took a while for the information to sink into Amelia's head.

" My..... My what?"

" Your wedding gown my love. You are getting married tomorrow."

" What? No!" Amelia exclaimed shocked. She couldn't believe what she was hearing.

" What do you mean by no?" Evelyn asked with a frown.

"I mean how? No, I can't get married tomorrow. It's tomorrow and I'm just being told today. I don't want to get married so soon. It feels like I'm being shipped off." That was what it was, she was being shipped off. " Besides mother, I don't know who it is I'm going to marry."

" You don't have to right to want or not want in this situation. You are getting married tomorrow and that is final. Your father and the council has done some talking and it has been decided. He is a prince of Mythvile and it is for the good of both you and the Kingdom.

What god damn good?

She was just some kind of link to a truce, a bait set to catch a bigger fish. Amelia was shocked beyond measure. Any kingdom but Mythvile. Mythvile was mostly inhabited by a different kind of being that were not humans, a kind that is top on the food chain, vampires.

" I'm being married off to a vampire?. Mother please I can't." Amelia begged.

Were they so fed up with her to ship her off to vampires? Amelia searched her mother's face for any sign of remorse, any sign of pain a normal mother would feel but there was none. Amelia felt her heart sank.

" Except you want to go to Heathfield, you don't have a choice. The sooner you accept it the better for you".

" I will rather be exiled."

Evelyn's face darkened. " You will do no such thing so get yourself to the drawing room, you have to test your gown." Evelyn said and exited the room.

Amelia stood frozen on the spot. No! she screamed internally, it was impossible. It wasn't happening. Amelia had once seen a vampire, the blood red eyes, decaying fangs, overly pale skin and black blood as it was beheaded before her eyes replayed in her head. Vampires are blood thirsty vile creatures that feed on human blood and over the years, humans had come to fear them. Now she was being made to marry one.