ZINA
Zina wandered the castle for the first ti as Luna Queen. The greetings and reverence given to her had changed, and her new elevated status certainly seed to garner her a certain kind of respect she supposed most won could only dream.
On her own part, that was one vision in her life being fulfilled. The vision told by Dawn when she was little that she would rise to heights won could only dream of in the dead of night.
At least, Daemon seed to have beco more reasonable. All thirty four guards that normally moved with Zina had been removed, and only Ablanch and Malik Zorch trailed after and behind her respectively.
Instead , it seed that what Daemon did was to reinforce the security of the Castle although that was far easier said than done.
The castle on its own was way too big to thoroughly ensure stern security. And yet Daemon had managed to pull it off by reinforcing tight security at high level places such as the wing of their residence and other surrounding wings. Then finally, he had dealt the last stroke by reinforcing the castle’s gate.
Zina could see n at work at various gates that barricaded the castle, and supervising them was none other than Caspian Vampage.
Curious to see the man who was the half-brother of the mate that rejected her up close, Zina’s legs carried her to the Castle’s third entrance where the man was stationed, grimly giving out orders.
He wore none of the east smiles that he wore back on the combat day.
She could see from the tattoo of the head of the Arctic Wolf branded on his arm that he, just like the other three winners, had beco part of the NorthSteed Pack and subjects of Daemon’s Wolf.
On seeing her approach, he imdiately bowed and the n behind him followed suit.
"Your majesty."
"Please rise and your n should not mind , Enforcer."
The n resud their work, stealing glances at her, while Caspian asked, "Have you co in search of sothing my lady?"
"I am rely curious about you, Vampage."
Caspian chuckled awkwardly, the grim expression he wore no where to seen and an away expression on his face.
"I and Jacen Vampage do not share good blood in any way." He said, scratching at his hair.
Zina rely curled an eyebrow at him lazily. "I do not believe I inquired about him."
"That’s true my lady. But I thought you would be curious to know about what happened at the Ball yesterday after you left...." He trailed, eyes swimming with suspense.
Was the man seriously baiting her? Fine. She would bite.
"And pray tell what happened." Zina asked easily, pretending to examine her pristine clean nails.
"A certain grown, albeit pitiful man was found drunk, boasting of how he should have been the man who has the honor of marrying the very beautiful woman that was the subject of yesterday’s wedding."
Zina scoffed lightly. "Is that so?" She asked, already ashad of Jacen Vampage’s shalessness. The man had so guts.
Even though the Vampage pack had attended her wedding, Zina had not been privileged to see them. As far as Daemon’s influence went, they were far inferior to the prestige of the NorthSteed Pack so they never got their turn to congratulate Daemon before Zina left the ball.
"My lady you should have seen this man’s shalessness for yourself," Caspian continued mischievously, "he even fell of the window of the ball room as he could not bear answering the question as to why he would dare reject such a beauty of the highest cut."
Zina scoffed harder at that. "Reject? I believe the woman also rejected him back."
Were people telling the wrong story about her and Jacen’s rejection? It was quite disgruntling that people had the wrong theory about their ill fated relationship .
"Who rejected who doesn’t matter my lady," Caspian said flamboyantly with extravagant gestures that caused Malik Zorch to narrow her eyes at him, "what matters is who ca up with the largest loss."
Daemon’s new Enforcer was quite glib tongued, Zina observed. Full of flattery even. Not knowing why she was engaging a total stranger in a discussion of one of the greatest embarrassnts of her past life, she smiled courteously and made to leave....
....but fate was not as courteous for standing right before her were the Vampages.
She had never seen them... and yet she knew it was them.
Perhaps it was the fleeting resemblance the older man seed to bear with Caspian, or perhaps it was the way the younger man guffawed at her like a prize he had lost, but Zina deduced as much.
One was the Alpha of the Vampage Pack, the other his son Jacen Vampage.
"The Vampage Pack are visitors of the North..." Malik growled lethally, "surely, you all have not forgotten your manners and how to greet the Queen."
Alpha Vampage cleared his throat uncomfortably, then outstretched his hand by placing one palm behind the other. "I greet her majesty the Queen."
Jacen Vampage recovered late from his shock. And as required of his low status, he made a full bow. "I greet her majesty the Queen."
Truly, Zina had no such ti to entertain them. She should be on her way, facing her more serious problems, but the petty woman in her decided to rear her ugly head.
So she smiled... gently, slowly, almost alluringly. "Please be at ease." She said.
Standing before her was the man who wanted to take her as a mistress. The man who rejected her at the point in her life when she had been at her lowest. How could she just pass without showing a bit of her teeth?
But she had no business with Papa Vampage that seed to be staring at her with eyes filled with regret. Eyes that said ’how did we miss out on a Great Seer?’ ’it could have been my family with her not the North!’
"Alpha Vampage, you can carry on with your business." She drawled, not looking at the man for once. Instead, her eyes was on Jacen who had such a look of yearning that she was sure Daemon would have killed him for.
Alpha Vampage understood well her intention, so he carried on into the castle with his n not before he shot his son a warning look that said ’don’t try sothing that will lead to your death.’
It only proved Caspian’s story to he true.
Facing Jacen Vampage, Zina realized she had not been counting her blessings well enough. Standing before her was the evidence of a blessing she forgot to count. The blessed rejection of the ill fated bond between her and Jacen Vampage.
Compared to Daemon... no, that was wrong, there was no single comparison to Daemon. They stood stark different as day and night. One far inferior and the other superior.
Was this what she might have settled with?
"M... my lady," Jacen stuttered, "is there anything you want from ?"
Caspian seed to have temporary abandoned his work and was now observing a far amusing display of his half-brother’s stupidity.
Zina took one step closer, and then another. "Rumors of your unruly behaviour last night have made the headlines all over the city...." Zina said seriously as though she had not just co upon the news.
Jacen fidgeted. Wide eyes darting to the people behind her before he whispered so low that Zina had to strain to hear him.
"I know this is comimg late, but I’ve missed you... my mate."
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