The autumn wind carried the scent of damp earth and fallen flower petals slowly beginning to rot. Silence seemed to embrace the sorrowful atmosphere of a girl carefully weaving sentences with each stroke of black ink on white paper as teardrops fell and leaving faint trails, Thalia Cerynth Lioraen.
"…I'm sorry."
The words slipped out as Thalia wrote a paragraph that pierced the heart, birthing grief. Thalia gripped the pen tightly in her hand as she recalled the words of her grandfather, Theo Delmaris Maeron.
"Your grandfather wants a grandchild."
Words spoken from lips weathered by age, lined with time. A string of letters that awakens the imagination, always present in the mind's corridors when memory and emotion intertwine.
If only the man Thalia loved weren't illegitimate, or if only she believed fate would be kind, perhaps the desire to grasp the universe would've been pursued for happiness. That is the space where "if" and "what if" linger, shadows cast by the dim light of human longing.
"Weren't you born to carry on our bloodline?"
Ah, indeed the words so painful they cut like blades, inflicting wounds deep in Thalia's heart.
Her hand paused as the period marked the end of a sentence, and Thalia gazed at it with a glimmer of melancholy in her eyes.
[I still hold on to hope for us.]
Thalia kept a small spark of hope in her heart, for a love she could never embrace even as the world awakened, beginning a new tale with hands once wrapped around a bouquet of beauty.
"Before the silent heavens who bear witness, we whisper a deep and sacred hope to the day and night that cannot coexist."
A sacred melody escorted Thalia's every step as she walked through that holy place. Her red lips parted slightly as her eyes fell upon the figure of the man who held her heart not the groom who stood waiting. Her grip tightened as she tried to calm her trembling soul, turning away from the one she longed for and reaching out to the hand of the man who would bind her in sacred vows.
The priest smiled upon seeing the bride and groom stand side by side, ready to be joined in holy matrimony. The sacred words marked the beginning of a new destiny.
"O Lord, You who bind souls in eternal love, under Your vast sky, bear witness to Your children who come to unite in Your name."
A declaration for the lonely soul, a sacred utterance in the ceremony, spoken by the priest to invoke the divine presence in the union of two beings.
"Before you take your vows, I ask you in the presence of God and these witnesses."
Silence offered space for the priest to speak aloud a destiny that could no longer be denied between mortal bodies and the bond of love.
"Now I ask you both. Do you agree to love and remain faithful through joy and sorrow—"
Thalia masked the sorrow in her eyes as the word 'love' echoed through the sacred vow. If only she could choose her fate, she would have chosen the one who owned her heart or maybe she was just afraid to possess.
"—in health and in sickness, in wealth and in poverty, for the rest of your lives?"
A single word of agreement slipped from both bride and groom, responding to the sacred question.
"Alaric Chael Mournveil, do you take Thalia Cerynth Lioraen as your wife and vow to love her, honor her, and protect her through all circumstances, through joy and sorrow, light and darkness, with every breath of your life?"
The priest looked at Alaric, his gentle voice echoing through every corner of the room.
"With all my heart, soul, and the blood flowing through my veins, and with the destiny that binds us, I willingly take Thalia Cerynth Lioraen as my wife. I vow to love her even in eternal darkness, to protect her, and to face every hardship, through joy and sorrow, in light and despair, until time ceases to exist."
No doubt was heard in each word. Alaric seemed to affirm the sincerity of his soul. Thalia hoped there would be no trembling in her heart as she heard the resonance of fate in his vow.
A symbolic binding took place, a cold touch felt as the ring slipped onto her right ring finger.
Thalia and Alaric exchanged glances even though no smile graced Alaric's lips, Thalia's smile appeared only as a formality.
"With God as our witness, I now pronounce you husband and wife. May your love continue to flourish in togetherness, filled with understanding and immeasurable joy for the rest of your lives."
The priest officially declared the union of Thalia and Alaric as the melody of celebration swelled, joined by cheers and applause from the witnesses as the couple shared their first kiss as husband and wife.
Thalia's true love, Ashen Rowan, watched with eyes full of pain, betrayal, hatred, and sorrow clinging tightly to his heart. He exhaled slowly, wishing for Alaric's death. A warm yet painful greeting from a love that could never be his was felt through the meeting of hands between Thalia and Ashen.
"Congratulations on your marriage, Thalia."
No, from the very beginning, Ashen's birth was a rotting fruit in the eyes of many. Ashen only uttered a single word when addressing Alaric, his face expressionless.
"Congratulations."
One word left Ashen's lips before he turned and walked away. Words of joy filled the air, while symphonies of celebration from musical instruments echoed through the space, marking each step, each movement, each word.
The moon replaced the sun, turning the bright blue sky into a dark and beautiful expanse dotted with stars. Thalia watched Alaric, who silently ate his dinner, the clinking of cutlery filling the emptiness.
"My grandfather wants a grandchild."
Thalia voiced the true reason behind their marriage, drawing Alaric's gaze.
"I know."
He set down his utensils, walked to Thalia's side, and extended his hand, "Come with me."
They walked through a hallway inside Alaric's mansion. Thalia thought he simply wished to consummate their union in a prepared room. But the space felt more like an altar beneath the moonlight's glow.
"Alaric."
Alaric pulled her until she stood before him. Thalia stepped back, unsettled by his predator, like gaze his eyes now glowing with a crimson hue.
"Didn't your grandfather want a grandchild from your womb?"
Alaric wrapped his arms around Thalia's waist, halting her movement. Footsteps echoed as someone entered, carrying an ornate chalice, then left after handing it to Alaric.
Blood dripped from a cut on his wrist, each drop filling the emptiness of the chalice. Thalia ran toward the door, only to find it locked, trapping her in a situation she had never imagined, even in her wildest dreams.
The sound of her fists pounding against the unyielding door echoed, but no one responded for those who heard were instructed only to remain silent. Alaric approached with the blood-filled chalice in hand.
"Thalia, if you truly want to fulfill your grandfather's wish, drink my blood. I could do it myself, but to ensure my bloodline continues, the ritual must be done this way."
His expression blank, Alaric's eyes glowed crimson. Thalia's fear deepened. He smiled at her terror an expression that revealed two deadly fangs. Thalia held her breath as Alaric leaned close to whisper a chilling truth.
"Because vampires have undergone complete cellular death, and I will satisfy your body afterward."
Alaric forced her to drink his blood. She choked, coughed, and felt nauseated at the thought of blood now flowing inside her, her digestive system working to process the vile substance.
Tears streamed down Thalia's face. Alaric moved closer, pressing his lips to her neck and inhaling the scent of her flowing blood. His fangs pierced her skin, sinking into her vein as Thalia wept from the pain and fear. He held her tightly, driving his fangs deeper.
That night, beneath moonlight and starlight that painted the sky with beauty, the two beings so different were joined once more.
Human and vampire.