The door creaked open as Tayfer swiftly entered the castle- her home. She trudged down the cold corridors and halls, only to end up at the end of a disserted hallway, with only a few battered, wooden chairs and a tall bookcase. She cursed loudly and her voice echoed throughout the empty halls of the castle, causing a maid to present herself before her.
"Your Highness called?" she asked, as the lady bowed nervously in front of Tayfer. When she straightened herself, Tayfer spoke.
"Sorry Mathilda, my sincerest apologies," Tayfer said politely, trying to hide her anger at more company, "I didn't call upon you. In fact, I was just asking myself where my father is. You may know, perhaps?"
Looking confused, Mathilda bowed again at her presence, and spoke shakily, "You're father is in his study, Miss Tayfer."
"Oh, thank you, Mathilda," Tayfer tried to say as politely as she could, but failed. Of course, she already knew this; her father was always in his study doing whoever knows what. She just wanted to make sure that she wasn't mistaken is all.
Mathilda then bowed slowly, and in a blink of an eye, vanished into thin air.
Tayfer stubbornly sat on one of the old chairs, and stared knowingly at the bookcase. She knew for a fact that her father was beyond it, and was reading or doing paperwork that didn't even concern her. The thought of it made Tayfer gloomy. Not only did her father shun her, but he despised her.
'He's probably in there not even bothering to think about me,' Tayfer thought, as she heaved a heavy sigh, 'He might have even been the one that invited Alex to stay here...'
Alex. Why would she even give him a second thought? It's not like she still had feelings for him after all he did... But what if she did?
There was a creak of wood that shook Tayfer out of her thoughts. Her father had finished his duties for the day. 'Thank goodness...' she thought wearily, as she stood up in front of him.
"Tayfer." her father said stiffly, as he walked out of the dark room behind the book shelf. He seemed to look stircter than ever. His features seemed to stiffen every day after both her mother and sister were gone.
"Father." she addressed him in a kind tone, all emotion was drained from her head, and her face seemed to stiffen as well as her posture.
"What are you doing up this early?" he interrogated her, like she was out looking for another victim to murder. But even if she was, she wouldn't bother to tell him. Like it mattered to her what her father thought.
"I couldn't sleep." she stated, not taking her honey brown eyes from his deep green's gaze. She knew that this wouldn't take long until he burst out. Unlike her, her father couldn't control his emotions as easily. Well, that's what happens when you're a human.
Of course, it's not that humans don't have self control. It's just that vampires need more self control than humans. With all of the blood lust of course. But Tayfer actually controlled her vampire instincts, unlike the idiots who go and get themselves slain because of their poor lack of self control.
"Oh..." he said unbelievingly, 'I thought that you vampires wouldn't stay out in the sun too long... Seeing as though it's noon."
"Well, as much as I despise the sun," she began, "I have other things to despise more." She gave him a stony stare, which caused him to wince. 'I don't even know why I let him live.' she thought disgusted, as she continued to stare her father down, examining his every hesitation to retort back.
"Very well," he said loudly-his voice echoing through the stone halls- authority in his voice, "Why are you here?"
"I would like to know why Alex is here." Tayfer said repulsively, she wasn't going to let this uncomfortable encounter go to waste.
"Ah, the boy."
"Yes." she hissed impatiently, "The boy. Why is he here?"
"He visited sooner than I expected." he said more to himself than Tayfer, "The letter said for him to come around Christmas, not autumn..."
"What letter?" Tayfer growled, insecurity in her voice.
Disregarding the question, her father asked her something that almost made her throw up, and faint.
"What do you think?"
"You can't be serious?" she asked taken aback. Never in a million years would her father ask her this. For her opinion.
"I am very much serious." he said in a strict tone.
"About Alex?" she asked stupidly. This was one of those times where she showed weakness, when she was caught off guard by an extraordinary question or answer. Never. Never in her life was she asked about an opinion. Even considering socks or food.
Noticing the confused look on her face, her father spoke again, tiredly, "Yes about Alex."
"He's... Alright..." she said embarrassed at this discussion. 'Why the hell would he like to know-?' Tayfer thought to herself. But then she widened her eyes in disbelief. 'How could they plan this so soon?!'
"Father," she began, "Please tell me that you're not seriously thinking of an engagement?" She feared for the answer, for this was the only thing that worried her the most. Getting married. Forcefully.
"Okay," her father said jokingly, "I'm not thinking of an engagement."
The sparkle in his green eyes made Tayfer rise in panic. 'This cannot be happening!' she desperately thought, trying to conceal her shock, but it was not use. Not in front of her father. She wouldn't allow herself to. But there was no hope left, and she dropped the charade of being calm and cool.
"Why are you doing this to me?" she asked, letting emotion flow with every word. She might as well vent off of him while she let her guard down.
"Because Tayfer, it's for the good of the-"
"Um, no it's not!" she said grudgingly, "I'm only sixteen, I have two more years left!"
"What if those years were cut short?" he asked, still keeping his cool, and raising an eyebrow expectantly at her.
"You knew didn't you?" Tayfer whispered, "About Vienna's plan, about everything..."
"Indeed I did."
"So you knew about the poisoning?"
"No, I didn't, unfortunately." he said embarrassed, flushing a light shade of pink, "When you left after you sister that night, I drank the wine..."
"Then how come you're-?" she asked appalled. How on earth did her father survive that poisoning?
"I'm not sure, actually," he flushed a deeper shade of pink, "But all I know is that I survived, and that I'm lucky."
"Fine." Tayfer said shortly after, "But that still doesn't explain why I have to look for a fiancé at this age..."
"They might attempt t kill me again, and when that day comes, I want you to take over." he said seriously.
'Me? Take over? Ha! That's like recruiting a child into the army!' Tayfer laughed inwardly, picturing herself taking over the entire kingdom and doing paper work in her father's study. She then resumed her hard stares at her father; she had gotten the information she needed. And as a bonus, found out that her father actually cared for her.
"Alright, father." she said quickly but politely, "I'll try my best if that day comes."
And with that she turned away, and started to run towards her room. Thinking about what to do about Alex, and what would happen to the kingodm if her father ever died. She already had enough losses in her life already, she didn't need another.
