Seraphine stretched as she stood up from her seat, her bones cracking audibly. She brushed her black hair back as she picked up her large handbag from the floor of the carriage. "Well!" she said cheerfully. "We're finally here!"
Helen did not move but sat motionless, her head hanging. Seraphine tilted her head slightly, "Oh, don't hang your head like that. I'm bringing you back to your father, and he'll probably buy you some fancy jewel or whatever it is you like. And before you know it, you'll have forgotten all about your little adventure!"
"My little adventure…" the girl murmured silently. She looked up. Her eyes were swollen from crying, but Seraphine could see the hatred burning within them.
"I will never forget what you did!" she said in a broken voice, "You will pay for this!"
Seraphine waved her hand dismissively, "What I did? I saved you, and I'm not paying; I'm being paid."
"You didn't save me!" Helen hissed, "Herald loved me, he promised never to hurt me!" Tears welled up in her eyes, but Seraphine's gaze became serious. "He lied!"
"THAT'S NOT TRUE!" Helen shouted loudly.
"Believe me, girl, I have met dozens of people like you who thought they were special. They can 'rekindle the dead heart of a vampire', but no vampire has ever truly fallen in love with a human. Their hearts are as dead as they are!"
Helen did not respond, but simply continued to stare at Seraphine, eyes burning with hatred.
Seraphine pouted. "Don't look at me like that," she said as she stepped out of the carriage. The sun burned down on her pale skin. She squinted against the light.
A tall person was leaning against a tree right next to the carriage. His entire figure was shrouded, a large hat concealing his lowered face. He wore a long, dirty brown coat, sturdy boots, and torn trousers. He did not react to Seraphine, who glanced at him briefly and then looked at her surroundings.
The carriage they had just traveled in had stopped before a gigantic white palace. Its great gates were guarded by four muscular wardens.
Seraphine let her eyes wander over the stunning chateau, instinctively counting every guard she could see. She wasn't really interested in architecture, but even she had to admire the craftsmanship of the building.
She turned back toward the carriage and poked her head inside, "Princess, stop sulking and get out. Or would you like to keep your father, the great and powerful and, above all, busy king, waiting?"
Helen snorted as she climbed out of the carriage. She showed no reaction to the figure leaning against the tree, instead went straight towards the guards.
Seraphine walked over to the coach box. She rummaged through one of the pouches on her belt and pulled out a silver coin. "Here," she said, handing it to the driver.
He waved it off. "Keep it. Who would I be to demand payment from you, Miss Al Kaeladon?" Seraphine raised a brow but did not argue, simply slipping the coin back into her pouch. "Very well. But it's Miss Seraphine."
The coachman looked at her in confusion.
"What do you mean?" he asked politely, but confused.
"You said Miss Al Kaeladon, which is incorrect. I can understand your confusion, but hunters only use their first names. Mine is Seraphine."
Proper etiquette would have been to greet Seraphine by her surname, but all hunters bore the surname al Kaeladon, so people usually just used their first names but the coachman looked at her, confused. Obviously, not everyone understood this.
Seraphine sighed, "Never mind. Just wait here a moment. I'll bring the princess to her father, and then I'll need your services again. Of course, then you may take payment."
As she turned, she saw the princess speaking with the guards. They stood in submissive postures, "M'lady, we cannot…"
"Are you refusing to obey my order? I said ARREST HER!" She flailed wildly, pointing at Seraphine.
The huntress sighed again, "Princess, I saved your life. Why in the world would you want me arrested?"
Helen glared at her, tears welling in her eyes. "You killed an innocent person!"
"A vampire is never innocent," Seraphine answered flatly.
"You know nothing at all!" Helen shrieked.
'It's like talking to a brick wall,' Seraphine thought to herself.
"ARREST HER OR I'LL HAVE YOU HANGED FOR DERELICTION OF DUTY!" she screamed at the guards again.
Seraphine almost pitied them. She forced a thin smile. "Would you mind letting us through?" she asked, addressing the captain directly.
He nodded. "Of course, Lady Seraphine." He gave the signal, and the great gates swung open.
"Come along now, Princess. Perhaps you can convince your father to lock me up."
Helen hesitated but eventually followed Seraphine into the palace courtyard. As she walked toward the entrance, Seraphine marveled at the beauty of the grounds. Flowers that grew nowhere else in the region bloomed in brilliant colors, stretching eagerly toward the sun.
The lawns were perfectly maintained, each blade of grass cut to the same height. Benches stood in small circular clearings, statues of the saints at their centers. Nobles sat on the benches or strolled leisurely through the garden, but whoever they were, they all stared at Seraphine and the princess.
Everything was so… clean. Seraphine stood out like a black sheep. Her clothes were torn and dirty, not the fine garments of nobles but scarred by battle. They were functional, granting her complete freedom of movement, and that was how she preferred it anyway.
When they finally reached the great doors, guards barred her way. "No weapons inside the palace!" one said, pointing to her sword and crossbow. Seraphine froze uncertainly as the guard demanded she surrender her arms.
"You can't ask an al Kaeladon to give up her weapons. Don't you know that they never put down their weapons, even if they bath or sleep?"
Seraphine turned. At the foot of the stairs stood a young man dressed in magnificent blue robes.
He was about two years older than Seraphine, who was twenty-two. His eyes were the same bright blue as Helen's, though his hair was brown instead of blonde. Still, even if Seraphine had never met him, she would have recognized the family resemblance at once.
"Jakob!" Helen cried, running into her brother's arms. He held her tightly.
"You gave us quite a scare," he said with a laugh. "But I am relieved that you're safe again!"
He looked at Seraphine, "Thanks to you, Lady Seraphine!"
Helen pulled back. "I was never in danger! Herald would never have harmed me!" she snapped.
"Herald?" He looked questioningly at Seraphine.
"The vampire," she replied simply. Jakob mouthed an "ah" but did not elaborate further.
"Miss al Kaeladon, I am afraid you cannot bring weapons into the palace. But if you wait a moment, I will fetch my father."
Seraphine, already growing impatient, nodded. She leaned against the railing as the prince, followed by his sister, entered the great palace.
While she waited, she noticed a group of middle-aged women staring at her and whispering among themselves. Seraphine smiled at them. The woman flinched and hurried away without another glance.
Seraphine chuckled just as her gaze returned to the strange figure by the carriage. It had indeed moved, for it was now standing in front of the carriage horses.
With one hand encased in an old leather glove, it was stroking the animal, which was moving nervously back and forth. The coachman desperately tried to calm the horse, but he didn't seem to notice why the horse was so agitated. Seraphine's smile grew even wider as she watched the spectacle, but the fun didn't last long because she heard noise coming from inside the palace.
"YOU MUST LOCK HER UP!" the princess was screaming. Seraphine heard the deep voice of a man answer, "She saved your life, Helen! I will not imprison her!"
"BUT FATHER…"
"Be silent!" the king commanded sternly. "We will discuss your little 'adventure' later."
Helen began protesting again, but cut off mid-sentence as the palace doors opened. The king of Solia stood in the entrance, flanked by two guards, with Helen behind him, glaring at Seraphine with pure hatred.
"Greetings, King Siegmund," Seraphine greeted politely. She did not bow or straighten up, but he took no offense. He even smiled friendly at her,
"Miss Seraphine, I must thank you for returning my daughter and saving her from the vampire's clutches, but..." he hesitated, "But my daughter claims that you injured her with your sword." He cast a meaningful look at his daughter.
Seraphine straightened and dusted off her clothes. "She is right," she said. "It was my sword that cut her hands."
The king eyed her. "I'm sure there's more to this story, because if you attacked my daughter, things would get uncomfortable for you."
"I was trying to kill the vampire she had fallen in love with, and she thought it wise to grab my sword with her bare hands. She caused me no small amount of trouble, so I had to…" Seraphine paused and thought about her next words, "Render her harmless."
The king briefly considered whether he should believe her, but decided to take her word for it.
"You have not disappointed me, Miss Seraphin al Kaeladon. You honor your name."
"I'm just doing my job, Your Lordship," she said dryly.
The king laughed heartily. He drew a small pouch from his pocket and handed it to Seraphine. "Here is your reward. I added a little extra for a job well done."
Seraphine opened it, quickly checked the contents, then slipped the pouch into her belt.
"Thank you, your majesty," she said, still without bowing. "If there is nothing else, I will take my leave."
"There is one more thing," the king said, pulling a small letter from his pocket. The envelope was beautifully adorned and sealed with the royal crest. Seraphine raised her brows as she accepted it.
On the front, in elegant handwriting, it read: Seraphine al Kaeladon.
When Helen saw it, her eyes widened in shock. "Father, you can't…"
But King Siegmund cut her off. "Silence, Helen, or there will be consequences. Without her, you would already be dead!"
Seraphine opened the letter and read its contents. To her surprise, it was an invitation to Prince Jakob's wedding, one of the grandest and most expensive events of the year. Counts and lords from everywhere would attend, and even neighboring kings had been invited.
That Seraphine had received an invitation showed the king's regard for her and her family. But many powerful people sought to stay on good terms with the Kaeladons. If she did so, she would tarnish the king's honour.
Seraphine wanted to refuse, but she knew that even she could not decline such an invitation.
"Thank you," she said with a forced smile. "I will be there."
The king nodded. "I am sure you still have much work ahead of you. You may leave now."
Helen muttered angrily that they should lock her up, that they could not just let her go. But the king pulled her back into the palace with him, ignoring her grumbling.
Seraphine returned to the carriage. "Where to now, miss?" the driver asked politely.
"Do you know where the nearest Kaeladon branch office is?" she asked.
"Actually, I do. It's just outside the city," he replied.
"Well then, take me there," she said and climbed back into the carriage.