Chapter 2: Quinton

The castle is silent, the halls devoid of life. The tapestries hanging on the walls sway in the slight breeze coming in from the open windows. I know I should be in bed, fast asleep, but this is the only time of day I can't be pestered by everyone else in the palace.

When I come to the window, I look out over the castle grounds and past the surrounding village. The forest stretches from the edge of the village all the way to the cliffs. The cliffs stand tall in the distance, hiding what lay beyond from my view.

The sun has almost fully descended in the sky, slowly falling lower and lower. I look around, making sure no one can see me. When I'm fairly certain no one is around, I climb out of the window. I walk vertically up the wall until I am standing atop the roof of the turret.

I dangle my legs off the side, sitting on the roof shingles. I look out to the cliffs, the sun sinking behind them. As the cliffs turn a dark shade of purple, the sun lights the crest a deep orange. The last of the sun's rays warm my skin as it sinks lower and lower. The sky turns a fiery shade of orange, bathing the land in and orangey glow. As the sun sinks behind the cliffs, the orange light retreats farther and farther back, until no light touches the ground. Now the sun's rays are just barely peeking over the cliffs, getting smaller by the second.

When the sun's light is fully gone, I know I must get back to my room before anyone comes in. I push myself off the edge of the roof. I dive head first towards the ground, my arms crossed in front of me. I plummet like a rock, the grass below fast approaching. I open my eyes and look towards the sky, the full moon bathing me in its blue light.

When I'm about to hit the ground, I change form, soaring upwards. My wings extend to either side of my body. I'm now a raven, feathers dark as the night sky. I fly back to my bedroom, through the arched window. As I cross over the windowsill I change form once more, landing silently in the center of the room as myself.

I know the maids will be in here any minute, as they normally wake up at sunset to be sure to wake me up on time. Of course, I'm always up before them, but they don't know that.

I close the curtains over the window and get back in bed, pulling the sheets up to my chin. I close my eyes, ready to pretend to wake up when the maids come in.

Just like always, three maids come in as soon as my eyes are closed.

"Wake up, my prince!"

"We brought you breakfast!"

"And some fresh clothes!"

I slowly pretend to wake up sleepily. I look around my room at the three maids standing at the foot of my bed. It's Veronica, Ellen, and Tesse, the usual. Ellen turns and walks to the window, pulling back the curtains to let moonlight seep into the room. Tesse brings me a breakfast tray, placing it on my lap as I sit up.

Today the menu is an egg omelette, with bacon and toast on the side. Next to my plate is a glass of red liquid. I quickly scarf down my breakfast, before asking about my drink.

"What kind of blood is it this morning?" I ask Tesse.

"It's deer blood, like you requested, Your Majesty."

"Thank you." I take a long drink from the glass, draining the liquid in one sip.

When I finish, Tesse takes the tray from me and I get out of bed, stretching my arms. When Tesse leaves, Veronica walks up to me holding a fresh pair of clothes.

"I can dress myself, Veronica. Why don't you go and get some breakfast of your own?"

"Of course, Your Majesty."

The three maids leave, and I now stand alone.

I pick up the clothes Veronica has laid out for me. I slip on the sleek pants, fastening the belt high on my waist. I pull my arms through the white collared shirt, buttoning it all the way up in the front. I take the blood red tie and fasten it below my neck, tightening it slightly so it will hang loosely under my collar. Over the top of my white shirt I slip on a black vest, the same color as my pants.

I walk to my bathroom, where I pick up a comb and rake it through my messy hair. I squirt a bit of gel into my hand and comb it through my hair. The gel will make my hair keep its messy form, just how I like it.

When I finish getting ready, I leave my room, heading to the throne room to meet my father.

The halls are illuminated in the moon's blue light, streaming in from the windows. The servants are bustling around me. I sigh as I walk down the hall. The castle isn't as peaceful once the sun goes down.

I arrive at the throne room, and the guards throw the door open. I walk into the room and they bow as I pass.

My father is sitting on his throne, watching me approach. When I arrive at the foot of the stairs leading up to the throne, I kneel down on one knee, bowing my head.

"Stand up," my father demands.

I obey, rising to my feet. I meet my father's gaze, his stern, condescending eyes looking me up and down. I stand tall, my arms held respectfully behind my back. I don't slouch, or give him any reason to criticize me. When he finds no imperfection in my posture, he looks right into my eyes, and a cold chill runs down my back.

His cherry colored eyes would instill fear into the bravest people. His facial features were permanently set in a glare. No matter who he looks at, you can just tell that he thinks he's better than all of them.

"You wanted to see me, father?" I say in a loud, clear voice.

He squints his eyes at me, trying to decipher any disrespect from my tone. He finds none, so he answers, "Yes. Your duties for today have changed."

I cocked my head slightly in confusion. "What do I need to do?"

"You are to go to the village today and visit the school. You must also take on an interview with the press."

I feel my palms start sweating. The public? I have to go out and speak to people? I feel my mind start to shut down, all of my willpower willing myself to focus. No matter what happens, I can not break down in front of the Vampire King.

"I thought that was your job?" I ask.

He fixes me with a stone cold glare.

"Do you have a problem with your assigned job?" he says in a deadly, quiet snarl.

I swallow hard. "No, sir. No problem here."

The corners of his mouth turn up into an unnerving smile. "Good. Now put on your crown and get down to the stables. The stablehand will ready your horse."

"Of course, sir." I bow to him before turning to leave.

As I exit his field of vision, I shudder. My father is terrifying, even to his family. Arguing with him is practically a death sentence. Personally, I don't want to die at sixteen. Well actually, I'm technically thirty-three in human years. Vampires age differently than most.

I head down the hallway to the royal artifacts room. It's where we keep any sort of crowns, staffs, scepters, and capes previously and currently owned by the royal family. Sitting in the center, high on a pedestal, is my crown.

The small triangles surrounding the sides are made of silver, hollow in the center of each. Hanging under each triangle and protruding from each point are small rubies. They catch the blue light, sparkling brightly.

I pick up the crown but don't put it on. I hold it by my side as I head to the stables. While I walk down the hall, servants and maids scramble out of my way as I approach. I can feel their gaze resting on me, and I refuse to make eye contact. I already draw enough attention to myself as it is.

I exit to the castle grounds, walking across the field to the stables. The dying grass crunches under my feet. With the recent drought, we don't have the water to keep the grass healthy. It's slowly been dying over the past year.

I arrive at the stables, located at the back of the castle grounds. It's wooden frame rises high above me, the criss-crossing beams giving it a woven look. I slide the stable door open, slipping in through the opening.

When I enter the room, the stablehand stops what he is doing immediately.

"Prince Quinton!" the stablehand exclaims. "I was expecting King Holsten! To what do I owe the pleasure, Your Majesty?"

My gaze darts away from him, and I clear my throat. "My father assigned me to go to the village last-minute. I was expecting him to be here, too."

The stablehand nods, bowing to me before turning back to the horse he was tending to before I arrived.

"Your horse is almost ready," he says. He resumes buckling the saddle on the horse's back.

I stand there silently, feeling the awkward silence get weirder every second. After a while, the stablehand finally clears his throat.

"Your horse is ready to ride. Would you like assistance on mounting him?"

"No, it's fine," I say.

I approach the silver stallion, looking into his deep brown eyes. I reach a hand out to him, stroking his soft muzzle. He leans into my hand, showing affection back towards me. I smile at him before mounting the saddle, hooking my foot in and swinging myself over the horse's back.

"Don't forget your crown, Your Majesty."

I roll my eyes. "Right. Thanks."

I place the crown on my head, adjusting it to the most comfortable position possible. I look down towards the stablehand.

"Is it good enough?"

He nods vigorously. "Yes, sir. It looks great, sir."

I try my best to hide my chuckle from the stablehand. He is way too enthusiastic. I'm sure his enthusiasm could be used for much better reasons than reassuring me that my crown looks good.

"Well, I'll be off, then."

"Of course, your majesty. Have a good night."

I softly squeeze my horse's side, and he starts moving forward. Soon enough we are out of the stable, trotting across the castle grounds. I encourage him to go faster until we are galloping across the field.

The cool wind whips back my hair, and I must bring a hand up to my head to keep my crown from falling off. I smile as I raise my head to the moon, laughing to myself. Away from the castle, away from people, is where I am truly happy.

We arrive at the village fairly quickly, and my joy wears off. I straighten my crown and sit up straight. I nudge my horse forward and he canters towards the gate slowly.

When we approach the gate, it opens immediately. I take a deep breath, trying to mentally prepare myself to face the people. As I enter the village, I am met with a crowd of villagers.

My heart drops, and I am barely breathing. The crowd of people is overwhelming, all cheering my name. I grasp the reins as hard as I can to stop my hands from shaking.

The crowd parts ways for me, and I ride to the school. When I arrive at the large brick building, I dismount my horse. I lead him over to a fence post where I tie his reins, being sure to leave him enough room to move around.

When I'm sure my horse is secure, I walk up the stone steps into the building. The principal is waiting for me as I enter.

"Prince Quinton! It is such an honor!" she bows down respectfully.

"Oh, please, the pleasure is all mine." I speak calmly, but inside I am panicking. I shouldn't have come. I shouldn't be here.

"Now, you wouldn't mind if the children ask you a few questions, do you? They want to know more about you."

"I'd be delighted to answer any questions they have."

A bright smile lightens up her face. "Perfect! Now, if you'd just follow me. The children are gathered in the auditorium. They were delighted to know that you'd be here today."

She opens the door to the auditorium, and the voices of the students come rushing out. They are all sitting on the bleachers, the youngest to the left, the oldest to the right. When I walk in, all the voices turn off instantly. The auditorium is silent, the only sound coming from my shoes against the floor.

I stand at the center of the room, all eyes on me. I can feel myself start to seize up, a cold sweat running down my back. I know I have to calm down. I can't let the crowd see what I'm actually feeling.

"Okay, students! Let's welcome Prince Quinton!" the principal announces.

Cheers erupt from the stands. The sound echoes, bouncing off the walls. I can feel it reverberating against my eardrums. I try my best not to panic. No matter what, I cannot let them see. I hold up my hand, and the students go quiet once more.

"Thank you for letting me come here today," I say as calmly as possible. "Your principal tells me you would like to ask a few questions. I will try to answer them to the best of my ability."

"How big is the palace?" someone shouts.

"Really? I come all this way, and you ask about the size of my house?" Everyone laughs, and I do too. Good. If they're laughing, they probably don't hate me. "The palace is really big. I even get lost there sometimes."

"What's the best thing about living in the palace?" someone else asks.

"The best thing?" I have to think about this one for a moment. The palace isn't my favorite place. In reality, I'd rather not live there. Living in the village would be better. If I wasn't a part of the royal family, I wouldn't be noticed so easily. That would be much better than all the publicity I face. "The best thing would have to be the food."

Again, they laugh.

"Do you like being a prince?"

My immediate answer is that no, I don't. But I can't just say that I hate my life. It would come across the wrong way, and then they'd want to know why, and then they'd tell their parents, and then the whole village would know that I hate being a prince. Instead of the truth, I say, "It has its perks."

"Have you ever been in a relationship?"

I feel my cheeks redden, warming my face. Do they really have to ask such uncomfortable questions? "No, I have never been in a relationship."

"Do you want to be in a relationship?"

"I don't know. I've never really thought about it."

"Will you-"

"If it's about anything romantic, then please don't ask. Is there any other questions besides my relationship status?" I ask in the politest way possible.

"Will you come play with us at recess?"

I cock my head slightly. Recess? I've never played with other kids before. I might as well give it a shot. "I would love to."

A bell rings from the loudspeaker.

"Well, it's recess time!" the principal says. "I guess you'll be staying a little longer, then, Your Majesty?"

"It seems so."

"Right, then. The students will show you where to go. You are all dismissed!"

The children rush up to me, each wanting to be the first one to meet me.

"Come on! Follow me!" a little girl says.

"No, follow me!" says another kid.

"I got here first!"

"Hey now, don't fight over me," I interrupt. They stop fighting. "How about I follow both of you?"

"Fine," they say in unison.

The students run ahead, out the doors of the auditorium. When I exit, the school yard stretches in front of me, at least four acres of dirt. Tables are lined up near the school building, the black paint chipping away. Lining the edge of the yard is a red stained picket fence, taller than average.

"How do you play tag?" I ask.

The students all stare at me in bewilderment. I internally panic. They're judging me. I know it. I can feel their stares, and my body goes rigid. My hands start sweating again, and I can feel my face flush slightly red. I know they can tell. They can tell I'm sweating, they can see my anxiety taking over.

"How utterly depressing," one of the teenagers says.

"His Royal Majesty, unknowing of the rules of tag?" another teen mocks.

One of the younger kids grabs my arm. "Ignore them. Tag is easy. One person is it, and they have to try and tag another person by touching them. Once the tagger tags someone, the person they tagged is it. The goal is to not get tagged."

"Sounds simple enough."

"Tag!" the kid yells. She dashes away, and the other kids scatter as well.

I stand there for a second like a deer in headlights as I try to process what just happened. All I have to do is touch someone, then not get touched again. Simple enough.

"Come get us!" a kid shouts.

I chase after the children, but they keep darting away faster than I thought they could move. Well, I guess I'm not the only vampire here. All vampires have great agility and speed. Duh.

After chasing the kids for nearly five minutes straight, I stop. I bend down, hands on my knees, catching my breath. When they notice that I've stopped, they slow down as well. Some of the kids just stand there, and begin talking to their friends. I take advantage of the opening. I sprint towards the nearest child. Before they realize what is happening, I touch their arm as I run by.

"Tag!" I yell as I run away. Everyone darts away from the new tagger, energy restored.

After we played for another fifteen minutes or so, I check the giant clock hanging on the bell tower in the center of the school. I instantly remember the interview I'm supposed to be at in twenty minutes.

"Hey, pause game!" I shout. Everyone stops running, and walks over to where I stand. All eyes are on me again, but I don't feel the pressure from before. Maybe I should hang out with kids more often. It might reduce my anxiety. "Thanks for letting me play with you guys," I say. "I have to go to an interview now."

They all whine, and my heartbeat speeds up. They actually like me. They want me to stay with them.

"Will you come back sometime?" One of the kids asks.

"I'd love to come play again. You can count on it."

"Thank you for coming, Prince Quinton!" someone shouts.

"Thank you!" they all chant in unison.

"Anytime. See you later!"

As I walk out of the school gate, the children resume their game. I smile genuinely for the first time since I arrived at the village this morning. Maybe I need more fun in my life.

I untie my horse's reins from the fence post and mount the saddle. I give him an affectionate pat on the neck as we make our way towards the plaza, where the interview will take place. When we arrive, the interviewers are already there. I straighten my posture in the saddle, trying to look as official as possible as I approach the interviewers. They watch me as I dismount.

"Your Majesty, allow me to take your horse," a man offers after I dismount.

I hand him the reins as I say, "Thank you, sir."

He bows, and leads my horse to a water trough nearby. I walk over to the interviewers. When I arrive at their makeshift studio in the center of the plaza, they all stand and bow respectfully. Who I assume is the man in charge shakes my hand, smiling ear to ear.

"Prince Quinton, we are honored to have you here."

"I am honored to be here."

"I'm Drake Batters, the interviewer," he says

"I figured. You look like the one in charge."

His smile grows wider, something I thought was impossible. Why don't you come and take a seat?" Drake offers.

"Right. Of course."

Only after I sit down does everyone else resume their positions.

"Would you mind if we broadcast the interview?" Drake asks.

My heartbeat quickens, though I try my best to not show my panic. "I wouldn't mind at all."

"Perfect! We will begin momentarily. Eddy!"

A young man stumbles up to Drake, his face flushed bright pink. "What do you need, sir?"

"Get His Majesty a cold glass of water."

"Of course, sir!" Eddy rushes off, only to return moments later with a large glass of icy water. "Here, Your Majesty!" he says as he hands me the glass.

"Thank you."

He bows and rushes off again.

"So, are you ready to get started?" Drake asks.

"Yeah, of course."

Drake reaches for a small black box sitting on a table between us. "Aaand… rolling!" he presses a large button with a white triangle painted onto it. The play button. The recording starts, so now everything I say will be broadcasted to any vampires with the radio on.

"Hey listeners, it's Drake Batters, coming to you live with an interview starring none other than His Majesty, Prince Quinton!"

I take a sip of my water, preparing my throat for the interview ahead.

"Okay Your Majesty, I have six questions prepared for you today. Ready?"

"Ready as I'll ever be," I reply, my tone loud and clear. My heart is racing, pounding in my chest. I'm just glad that no one can see me when we broadcast. Cameras and mirrors can't pick up on a vampire. Whenever a camera takes a picture or video of us, we just appear invisible. To avoid that happening, all interviews and programs are held through radio shows.

"Alright, let's get started right away. What are some challenges you face as a prince?"

Of course, he started right off the bat with a difficult question. I can only think for a few seconds, so I answer as truthfully as I can without giving away my hatred for being royal.

"I think the hardest part of being a prince has been living in the palace with hardly any interaction with other vampires my age. All the staff at the palace are older than me, so I'm on my own most of the time."

"Do you think this has had any affect on you as a person?"

"Definitely. I mean, earlier today, I was at the school, and the students invited me to play with them. I realized that I didn't grow up even remotely similar to the students I met. I mean, they had to explain to me how to play tag. I think that if I had more interaction with other children when I was younger, I would have become a different person." What I failed to add verbally was that maybe if I had more social interaction as a child, I would have less anxiety.

"So if you had interacted more among the village children in your childhood, then you would have a different personality?"

"Yes, I think so." I take another sip of my water, my throat already dry from all the talking.

"Now, Prince Quinton, how do you feel about one day becoming the king?"

I nearly choked on my water. Being king? I wouldn't be king for a long time. "Well, I guess I feel like I don't want to let my people down. My father is very stern with his ruling, but that's also kept nearly all crime away so we can live in peace."

"So you are afraid of the kingdom breaking into chaos?"

"Yeah, I guess you could put it that way. I don't want our kingdom to crumble while under my rule. I want us to be able to stand strong, but I don't know if I'll be able to uphold my father's legacy."

"You make a good point." Drake leans in a bit closer, getting intrigued in the conversation. "One part of being a great ruler is to have a strong connection with your people. To build that trust, you start with the smaller things first. What is the first thing you will do when you are king?"

Man, this guy was good with connecting questions together.

"The first thing I would do is improve the school yard."

Drake squints at me curiously. "Why would that be your first action?"

"When I was playing with the students in the school yard earlier, I noticed that the field they play on is just four acres worth of dirt. It's pretty much an empty dirt lot."

"So what will you do to improve it?"

"I propose we build a large play structure in part of the lot. I would also spread out the lunch tables, maybe add a few more, so students would have more freedom on where they can sit. Additionally, I would implant a garden, so the students can get some hands-on learning experience with plants. The garden would also help them learn to be kind to others."

"And how would the garden teach them that?"

"By caring for the plant, It teaches you to care for others and provide them with their needs. Similar to a plant, a child has certain needs that can be provided from their peers, like friendship and kindness."

"I see. What about the other part of the school yard? What would you do to the rest of the space?"

"I would implant some sports areas in part of the remaining yard, so they can learn how to play different games. In the remaining portion, I would plant grass once the drought is over."

"This seems like a very ambitious project. Did you come up with this today?"

"Yes, I did."

Drake chuckles. "You certainly have a creative mind. Now, how old are you currently, Your Majesty?"

This question is the simplest he's asked yet. "I'm sixteen-and-a-half."

"As you near seventeen, I believe I speak for myself as well as the village when I ask, have you thought much about the law stating that you must marry by age seventeen?"

I should have expected this to come. I should have been better prepared. The question catches me off guard, and I lose my focus momentarily.

"Your Majesty?"

"Right, sorry. I haven't thought of the law that much. I know I only have about one human year until I must marry, but I have not started meeting any potential partners. I believe my father will be arranging their arrival, though I do not know much about the subject."

My father hadn't told me much about the law. I had completely forgotten about it until now. I wish I didn't have to marry. Like I told the students earlier, I've never been in a relationship before. I don't really wanna start by being thrown into one for life.

"I see. So, in the meantime, will you be coming to visit us in the village more often?"

"I plan on it, yes. The next time I come, I want to visit the hospitals, as well as the school once again."

"Do you feel it is important to establish a connection with our children?"

"Yes. They are our future, so it is important to ensure they grow up in a stable environment to be able to contribute to our kingdom in a good way some day."

"I can't agree more. It's important to preserve our future. Alright, we are nearing the end of this interview. One last thing before we sign off, what would you like to say to your subjects?"

I think about this one for a moment. The entire kingdom is probably listening, hanging on to my every word. What should I say to them?

"To the entire kingdom, young and old, I want to tell you that I look forward to working alongside you one day to make the kingdom the best place it can be."

"Wise words from the heir to the throne. Well, listeners, that about wraps up this interview. Thank you for joining us while we spoke to Prince Quinton. This is Drake Batters, signing off."

Drake pressed the stop button on the recorder, shutting off the broadcast.

"Wonderful, Your Majesty! Great job! I look forward to more interviews to come."

"Yeah, me too."

We both stand and I shake his hand. I turn away and walk over to my horse. The man who took him from me before handed me back the reins.

"Have a good night, Your Majesty."

"Thank you, sir. You as well."

I mount the stallion and ride off, back to the palace. The ride gives me time to think to myself. The encounters with the public today weren't that bad. I managed to speak to them without giving way my anxiety. I even began to feel slightly comfortable around them. Coming back here more often wouldn't be so bad.