My realm was a mess until my generation was born, I could describe it in 2 different ways, the nights and the children. The nights were to stay inside, windows and doors closed, locked. The children were born blind, or rather the eyes were shut until the child was ready to see. Usually, there would be a lot of crying whenever one of us first opened their eyes. I never did though, and I want to tell you why that happened, it's one of my favourite stories to revisit, let me take you back... To the day when Alva was born.

Everything seemed fine with her, she learned how to hear properly, she developed her touch quickly, she even learned how to say the first words before opening her eyes. Yet, when she was 5 her eyes were still shut, very unusual for us. A child opens their eyes around 3 years old, 5 is very late, but it has happened.

She passed the age of 10, and the people from her small village got worried and pressured the humble family to take her to the king. Her parents were terrified, they would wish to keep her a secret. They would wish that the village they lived in would accept their child just like any other.

But in this realm keeping a secret like this, could be very dangerous, a child unable to open their eyes could be considered an anomaly... Maybe this child could even be executed for it. They had executed more for less, anything different from a normal person, was to be outcast or killed.

Here's the thing about this child's village, these are very humble people with strong beliefs - day is good for hard work, night is bad for almost everything. These are small families that have grown with each other for years and marry in to progress in value, their beliefs and principles have no longer a beginning, it just is as it always was. No one ever questions anything.

I can only understand the pressure to go to the king and queen, if it's driven by fear. Between beliefs and fears, the line is very thin... Almost invisible. As I said before, this kingdom was a mess back then.

When the time came, that the family could no longer hide from the royal family, the hearing took place.

- Your majesty, our lovely daughter is a hard worker, she is extraordinarily skilled. She teaches the children of the village how to speak properly, how to identify smells, how to identify by touch. She is a blessing to us. Please forgive her late blindness. - The woman pleaded.

- Children in this realm are not blind. - The king said bluntly.

- Pardon my wife, your majesty. Both of my ladies have the purest of intentions towards this nation. - The man justified.

- Let me see the daughter. Rise, child. - The young lady rose from her knees, standing tall with sealed eyes.

- She is pretty. We do have 3 sons, that would be the only way to save her from execution. - The queen said, looking at the 3 handsome young boys at the king's right side, with a doubtful smile. She had never given any of her children to marriage just like that.

- Making her a princess, everyone would mock her and the crown. - The king exhaled heavily.

The new baby of the kingdom in the arms of the queen, made a few sounds, something along the lines of "I wanna see", but her words were still too green to be understood. The queen needed 2 more tries from her to understand what her baby meant, the baby hadn't opened her eyes either, yet she was freshly 4 years old. When the baby reached her tiny hand in the direction of the family in the hearing, the queen stood and walked towards the young lady.

- My baby wants to see you.

The young lady reached out her hand to tickle the baby's belly, the baby grabbed her hand and rubbed it on her face very softly. As opposed to every other child, the baby princess, giggled as she opened her eyes. The queen smiled as she spoke softly with her baby. Then she looked at the young lady in front of her:

- What do you call yourself?

- I'm Alva, your majesty. - The young "blind" lady said.

- Very well. - The queen returned to her throne, and whispered something to the king.

- All in the hearing, shall be informed and inform every single one of you in this realm of the proclamation about to take place. My dear, please speak. - The king spoke.

- As your queen, I proclaim you Alva "The virgin of sight", only your status could have made the future princess laugh. That's a blessing to our kingdom. You are to be treated as a blessing as a goddess that was born to help our kingdom. Walk out the palace as a new child, the one that can never see but provides vision, the one that never cried but provides laughter, the one that was hidden by difference and turned into a blessing of the realm. - The queen stated.

Years passed, the humble family of farmers had more than what they had ever seen in their lives, horses, milk, meat, clothes, even a lake made for them, that later housed fishes and ducks. All offerings from the people, from within the village and of all the realm.

Alva, was now 21, teaching the children of the village how to speak in the mornings and visited by everyone and anyone who wished to be blessed in the evenings. Fortunately everyone returned to their houses at night, if not, Alva would have had wishes spoken to her until dawn. That was usually her favourite time of the day, the night, when she could imagine what it would be like to look through the window to see the sky and the fields, forests, farms, the palace and the river. The only time of the day she could be alone and wish for all the things she would want. A blessing to the realm is something to be protected, so much so, that Alva didn't even have friends, nor could she understand romance, she couldn't even read a book. All she knew about the things she couldn't have, came from the children that read the books of such things and spoke about them as they played. Naturally, the younger children that learned from her how to speak, tried to say what the older ones read, which in a way taught Alva about wonders she could only imagine.

One day a beautiful young lady around 15 years old, came to see her, after a few commoners' wishes. As usual Alva stood silent to hear her wishes and bless her presence. Yet this time there was no wish, only a few words:

- You once made me laugh and you are truly a blessing. Time will come when your wish will come true. You too will taste your own blessing. Alva, you are beautiful, young and smart. I see people through the colours of their eyes, the best ones always have honey-tinted irises... I won't wish for you to have them. I know you will. You too are going to open your eyes, you are going to learn how to read, you will finally have a family and a man that will wish to marry you. The world will hate you... Be strong and kind. - The young lady smiled softly.

- I wasn't aware of a royal visit today, should I make you some tea? - Alva asked, connecting the dots to whom this little voice belonged, choosing to ignore the warning that came with it.

- No. Just walk with me. I have so few friends and I've waited so long to be able to come to you alone. Would you want to be my friend? - The young lady suggested as she took Alva's arm to walk beside her.

- I never had one... I suppose being friends with royalty isn't allowed for me. - Alva walked uncertainly, walking arm in arm with someone, always made her nervous, she trusted her instincts more than the ones with sight.

- Let's make that a little simpler. I'm Dahlia, and only Dahlia, when I'm out of royal sight. I hear people come to make wishes with you, so you could bless them. My wish is for you to be my friend. - The princess said as she kept holding her arm and walked slowly with Alva.

- I shall bless your wish, Dahlia. - Alva smiled as the comfort in holding a stranger's arms, grew more familiar at each step.

- Good, I hear it is great to play by the river, you have one nearby. Shall we? - Dahlia suggested as she looked around and spotted a nice place to enjoy some company.

Alva and Dahlia from then on, took long walks by the river, played in the water, ran in the forest, played with fawns and puppies, they became friends. The first friend both ever had. Dahlia would always come in the middle of the evening, allowing the people to make their wishes until a certain hour. Between Dahlia and Alva, a lot of the people's wishes were spoken aloud, which made the princess grant many of them to the people. Soon, Dahlia was the favourite royal figure, not that she minded that. She only did what she thought was right.

Dahlia would leave by sunset, no one in the realm would dare to be out in the night. Alva was a great blessing but she too was human.

One of my personal favourite moments, was the time when Alva felt a tongue from a fawn for the first time. They were both walking near the river and one of the fawns was drinking water. Both of them as always began jumping and running near the shore and this particular fawn took it as an invitation to join in. At some point Alva tripped and fell, laughing. The little fawn, bent his head closer to hers and licked her face, several times.

- Aaaah, what's happening? - Alva asked, Dahlia laughed hard. The fawn was either worried or once again took it as play time.

- He is worried about you. - Dahlia explained between laughs.

- Who is? - Alva asked.

- The fawn. - Dahlia answered, holding her belly from so much laughter.

- What is he doing? What is touching my face? - Alva asked trying to hold the fawn away from her. Dahlia helped when her eyes allowed her to see past laughter.

- His tongue. - She answered at last.

- I have animal saliva on my face?! Oh gross! That must stink so bad... Yuck. - They both laughed as Alva washed her face near the river, while the fawn observed very confused.

Alva was now 26 and Dahlia 20 years old, the routine was kept the same, however as the princess grew so did her responsibilities. There would be some days they couldn't meet each other.

One evening Dahlia wasn't able to visit. Alva walked near the river, as they both used to do, normally Alva knew when it was time to come home, the fog of the early night, came before the sun was fully set. But this time she was distracted by thoughts, the same ones that visited her every night, the memory of the first words Dahlia had told her "one day she would see, she would read and she would have a family".

As if stung by a wasp, Alva jumped out of fright and ran to her home, the first light of the moon, scared her, she only felt it through her window... Never outside. But she made it home safely, her parents were worried sick, it was just a bad scare.

Later in bed, Alva once again leaned towards the window, as if looking at what she thought to be the great outdoors with a view of the moon. As every night, she would wish to see the moon, or the palace, or anything. Something she would do behind a locked window. But after such a frightful evening, she had completely forgotten to lock it.

Within a few deep breaths and silent wishes, the window door silently opened, no squeaking to be heard or wind to be felt. Only a deep voice behind her said:

- Your beauty is even more delicate and refined than seeing it through the window. - The young man said.

- Who is this? How did you get in here? - Alva's voice cracked in fear. Holding her blankets up in front of her. She had no idea how to defend herself, so anything that ever gave her comfort, was the one thing to pick and use as self-defense.

- Silly girl, you left the door open for me. I've been wishing for it every night. - He said with a soft short laugh. As his voice warmed up to her, she lowered the blankets.

- I never heard such a wish from anyone. Who are you? - Alva asked doubtingly.

- Of course you didn't. I can't reach you during the day. But indeed it's true what they say, the wishes are granted in this realm. It is also known that the one who blesses them will one day see... Do you wish to see, Alva? - He stated harmoniously as if telling a poem to a child.

- How do you know my name? Why are you here? - Alva asked screaming. Hoping her parents would hear her, still afraid but almost as if enchanted by his voice, she was calm too.

- No point in screaming, gorgeous. Haven't you been warned about the power of the night? Haven't you been warned to lock the doors? Now I'm here and this moment is for only you and me. - He said in the same calming voice, slowly turning into a seductive whisper. He sat on the bed beside her.

- Those are just tales told in children's books. There's no such thing as magic. - She said reaching an arm length away from him, yet she didn't feel him, he was far enough to give her space.

- Sure... Then go ahead and scream. Try to leave this room. Go... - He chuckled.

Alva screamed louder than before and waited for her parents or the neighbours to come. But the night was as silent as before.

- I'm not a tale, I'm Kaiza. Would you like to dance with me? - He said at last.

- Dance? No one ever asked me to dance. - She blushed.

- But I know you imagine how wonderful it would be to dance under the moonlight. - He said softly, many nights he had been at her locked window, looking at her and reading her mind as she wished to live the stories she heard the children say.

- How do you know that? - Alva asked embarrassed, each time she told her parents about the stories kids say, they would always laugh at it and exhale deeply. They themselves would also wish that to be true for her, they just always accepted that their little girl wouldn't be able to get that life.

- I know everything about you, I told you I see you every night. Ever since your queen proclaimed you what you are, I've been interested. For long years I've waited for a princess... - Kaiza stated.

- You're mistaken, I'm no princess. - She said in an exhale of relief. He chuckled, he knew exactly who she was, she was the one who didn't.

- Oh child, shall we dance? - He asked once again rising from the bed and touching her shoulder.

Alva wasn't sure whether to accept or try to run away. But this man was right... She had dreamed about balls and beautiful couples, dressed in detailed dresses, she had wished to be a lady in the court to dance with a beautiful man, that would look into her eyes and make her heart race.

Kaiza held her hand and placed the other on his shoulder, wrapping her in his arm, gripping her waist softly. He smelled like fresh pines in the early rays of sun, after the fog had moistened the bark and the leaves. He was cold as the winter nights without a blanket.

He spun her around gently, watching her every move, careful to not hit any furniture. Alva had heard about charming men through children's mouths, she always thought they were exaggerating... But Kaiza sang her a melody as they danced, saying beautiful words in an improvised lyric. Verses of love and romance, of friendship and loyalty, compliments to a beautiful woman... That dance made her wish those lyrics would speak of her.

Holding her close to his chest, Kaiza asked:

- I know you haven't been kissed. May I? - He whispered to her.

Alva's heart raced, her body burned in the desire she didn't imagine she could have.

- What should I do? - Alva asked, realising she had never heard the children describing what a kiss would feel or be like. But she wanted to know, what happens in a kiss after a dance.

- Relax your lips and follow my lead... - He said deeply. She did as told and a cold steam got closer and closer to her face.

His lips felt like ice cubes made out of soft silk, tender and pressing her own ever so slightly. Her burning body, created a mist against his frozen skin. Her mind spoke louder than ever before "Oh I wish I could see you". He heard that thought and kissed her more intensely, biting her lips here and there, her hands travelled his chest, pulling his collar closer. Her mind spoke once again "Is this what romance looks like? Oh how I wish I could see it."

A soft breeze, circled them, she didn't mind, in fact she couldn't tell what was colder, the breeze or the man she was kissing. She didn't want that kiss to end. But he did release her lips and whispered:

- Of all the magic I can cast... You are indeed a simple child. Open your eyes, Alva. - Kaiza chuckled in serenity.

As naturally as the words vibrated into her ears, so did her eyes begin to unseal, slowly as if wax had been melted and peeled from a surface. Her irises were like honey, exactly how Dahlia had mentioned. Her lashes sprouted dense and big, framing her eyes in a unique beauty increasing her stunning figure.

She smiled when she first saw him, she couldn't take her eyes off of him. Alva saw people by touch, she saw everything by touch, smell and sound. Her mind began to connect the features, his lips looked as soft as they felt, his muscles were as sharp and sculpted as her fingers could tell, his charm was as fresh as how he smelled...

- Can I touch you? - She said as she raised her hand to his shoulders. He knew that was the way she would recognise faces, that was the way she was comfortable to "see".

- Naturally, how else are you supposed to see me properly? - He said taking her hand and kissing her palm.

She smiled and tracked his face, closing her eyes she began with the nose that had a bump in its bridge... in the books children read, all the noses that look like parrots, are described as ugly, she felt that design in him, she was expecting to see an ugly man, but... It made him look exotic. She couldn't feel the lids of his eyes, which startled her slightly, every person that allowed her to touch their faces had a crease above the eyes and below the brows.

- You're not from here... - She murmured.

- I'm from everywhere and anywhere I want to be. - He whispered.

She continued to inspect his eyes, the inner corner bent down sharply, she chuckled at how different it felt in her hands. Then she touched his temples, this was usually how she knew what colour the irises were, by the touch she could feel that specific nerve that, depending on how it was positioned, was identifiable as brown, green or blue. No one taught her that, but she learned by touch. On herself she couldn't tell what eye colour she had, as her nerve was very weirdly positioned, she thought that it was due to never having opened her eyes. But when she touched his, his nerve was weirdly positioned too, high above the usual, not quite like hers, yet still different from all the rest.

- What colour are your eyes? - She asked.

- Grey, sometimes blue. - He answered. Each word, comforted her ever so slightly. Being able to touch a face so freely made her calm as well.

- What colour are my eyes? - She asked touching her temples, she had never known her own colour, nor anyone else's. Her temples were different from any other she had touched before.

- Sweet and beautiful. - He said charmingly.

- That's not a colour. - She giggled.

- I wouldn't know how to describe them properly. They are yellow, orange and brown, all at once, but never committing to just one of them. You have dragon eyes. - He said his cheeks bruising, almost as if he was blushing, but his cheeks didn't turn red.

- Dragons don't exist. Those are only from... - Alva interrupted her own answer, as the thoughts of the books children read, spoke about other magical creatures too.

- You start to understand? Books are imaginative, but they are true. I exist as much as a dragon or a mermaid. - He explained spinning around with her as they kept dancing. He was reading every thought she had whenever her mouth would stay quiet.

- I have so many questions. - She said. He knew.

- Ask and I shall answer. - He smiled.

- Why didn't I cry when I opened my eyes? - She frowned as they took a few more dancing steps. She was so tunnelled by his beauty and charm that she didn't even realise he had set up the room. Candles and candelabras outlining the centre of the room, with pink and red petals all over the floor and in the bed.

Grannies would not like that display if that was me inside that room.

- It's dark... And you opened your eyes with my help. It's both magic and common sense to ease that experience. Humans think to live is to suffer, so a baby has to cry at birth the same way it has to cry when opening the eyes. - He explained very well articulated, giving him another layer of charm.

- They cry because it hurts? - Alva gasped in disbelief.

- Oh yes. In time you will know how much it can hurt to look at the sun. - He exhaled deeply, locking his eyes on hers. He wanted to kiss her again, so did she, her mind was conflicted with desire and questions.

- How do you know all of this? How did you know how to open my eyes? - She asked. His smile was gone, yet his handsome sharp face was still very seductive to her sight.

- That's a long and old story... Ages ago, my kind would live peacefully amongst humans, before they grew fearful of anything different from them. We were the ones to help in medicine, to help a peaceful birth, cure diseases and also help to open the eyes of the people. In exchange, we would be able to live in daylight trading medicine with human energy, by connecting with them, a simple laugh or conversation was enough. - He kept his eyes framed on her, but his throat had a hard time swallowing the knot of history.

- You can't live under the sun? What happened? - Alva asked with wondering eyes, even disturbed, his face was enchanting. He smiled faintly at her, he could hear her thoughts of curiosity and compassion for his kind, as much as the subject tormented him, listening to her mind made him fall deeper for her.

- The separation happened generations ago. Even if we reconnect, my kind can never live under the sun anymore. It was due to the royal family, the great-grandfather of the now king was greedy and arrogant. He thought he could learn everything and be anything he would put his mind to. He did learn all the medical knowledge we had, but his mission was more evil than he made it look. He ordered my mother to be his bath maid for one night, then he seduced and tricked her powers into having sex with him, not allowing her to do the needed procedure... So when he reached his climax, my mother started to burn from the inside, dead within a week, with an unborn son inside her. My unborn brother... Within that week, my mother was so weak that whatever he would do, she couldn't fight back or come back home. By the time me and my father found her... I got so mad. I tried to control my anger. But I saw my father standing still, with a single tear falling down his face... I lost it, that was enough for me. My father never cries, at least not in front of people. Even today, when he speaks of my mother he holds it together, but I hear him crying alone. The king died then with a few of his guards, taken down by me and some of my kind. Of course, we were all outcast from the realm, never to connect with humans again. I never understood why the king would do such a thing. My mother was married... What the king's son claimed to be his reason, was to reveal how ugly our ways were, how dangerous we could be... - He explained, shifting his gaze away from hers, still holding her and slowly dancing, yet he couldn't face her as directly as before. She frowned, a turmoil of thoughts filled her mind yet again, she grabbed his iced chin to make him look at her again.

- That's so cruel. Is that story connected to the reason you're here? How old are you? - She asked with wondering eyes and a worried frown. Her touch and her sight were now the hypnotising ones, casting yet another spell of love on him.

- I'm 120 years old. I'm here because, of all the people I've observed all my life, you are the first human I fell in love with. - Kaiza admitted, his cheeks bruised again.

- You are in love with me? Why? - She blushed.

- You couldn't see anything or anyone, yet you always chose to be kind. When you opened your eyes you weren't scared. You didn't even ask if it was normal for my skin to glow in the dark. You were just... You. - He explained softly in his lower seductive voice, like a siren to a pirate.

- I suppose I didn't. - She hesitated in words, but her mind filled the rest. He smiled and she continued. - The sun is yet to come out, what would you like to do?

- Wandering outside, can be dangerous for me, tonight I'm just one, any group of humans could take me down... Showing you my realm would be dangerous for you, every one of my kind is enticed to meet you ever since the word came out... - He explained, exhaling. He hadn't thought further on what that night could look like.

- We stay. But Kaiza, what will happen now that my eyes are opened? Dahlia said people will get angry... - She said. As soon as she mentioned her name his eyes filled with panic, which clouded him from being able to read her mind, he asked:

- Dahlia spoke another line of prophecy? What did she say? - He stopped in the middle of the room.

- She said, that my wishes would come true and people would be angry. That I had to be strong and kind... What disturbs you so much? - Alva asked as he released her from his arms.

- Dahlia has one of the rarest magics in the world... What would your wishes be? The ones she mentioned would be granted. - He asked, trying to calm his breath down, to sync with her mind, but he was tense, very tense. So much so, that he shrank a few centimetres in height and gained them in muscle.

- I couldn't tell you. They are quite naïve, I was told. - Alva explained exactly what adults would often say to the children that played the roles of the people they read in those books.

- Alva, please. What did she say to you? - He grabbed her hands softly but his eyes shone fiercely at her.

- If I can remember correctly... "You too are going to open your eyes, you are going to learn how to read, have a family and a man that will marry you. The world will hate you..." - Alva quoted.

- This is too quick... No, no... How could she possibly know this much? Why wouldn't she tell me? - He panicked a little more, pacing the room.

- What's wrong? - Alva asked.

- Dahlia said to me that, there would be a night that I would meet the love of my life. That I would change her life forever, that I had to change her forever in order to save her. Which makes sense, giving you sight... And makes sense to our kind too, but I never knew she meant you could be in danger within your own people. Of all the prophecies, this one she wasn't sure of, as it depended on the woman's answer, to come true... And she never told me your part of the prophecy. - He explained.

- Am I this woman? - She asked peacefully.

- You are the love of my life indeed. - He grabbed her chin and whispered the words while looking directly into her eyes. He could be nervous, but romance and seduction were what his kind was known for.

- What is the question? Will I die if I answer it wrongly? - She asked, her heart racing, he could hear it, it was then he took a deep breath and held her hands once again. Trying to calm her as he calmed himself.

- That's what the prophecy said. What Dahlia said. - Alva could very much doubt his words, the same way she doubted all the books she heard about. But his tone sounded real and believable.

- What's the question? - She asked firmly. He began to explain calmly:

- First I need to explain what it means to you, if you answer yes or no... If you say no, I'll leave and tomorrow morning you... - She interrupted to complete his explanation:

- I'll be hated by everyone. Probably killed. People get mad whenever they can't be in my presence. I can't fake sealed eyes, I never had lashes before, now I do. They will know and the royal family would wish to know why. If what you say is true, then I'll be executed by tomorrow evening. No matter how much you are in love with me, evening is not night, you won't be able to save me, nor will I be able to run away. So I ask you. What is the question? - She asked again.

- Will you marry me? - He asked, with a very neutral face, but inside he was racing from one possibility to another.

- Will you still love me when everyone will hate me? - She asked with sparkly eyes.

- Yes. - Kaiza answered confidently and hopefully.

- Then yes. - Alva answered at last. He looked deeply into her eyes, as if consuming the last few seconds of her shape as she was right in that moment.

- I'm sorry for how scary this may get, but it's the only way my kind marries. - He explained.

- What is it? What is going to happen? - Her eyes widened when she saw that his were shining. Only the children mentioned eyes shining, from stories, tales, magic... Her heart raced.

- Show me your neck. - He asked.

She took all her hair to one side of the neck, in that moment, his eyes shone, his mouth opened ever so slightly, his teeth grew into fangs...

- Vampi... - Her voice broke as he took her neck.

He bit her and sucked her neck until she became as pale as him. She screamed, so loud until both her voice and her life drained away. The transformation started right there and then.

His excitement to finally bite a woman's neck, this woman's neck, was so strong that he didn't realise what his distress made him do prior to the procedure.

He held her hand waiting for her to wake up, smiling out of joy and happiness, something he had craved for so many years. Kissing her hand and tracking her every reaction to the transformation, he slid a ring on her finger. A true born kind doesn't need a ring, but whenever a human becomes a vampire by proposal and marriage, the ring is their way to weave both together.

When Alva began to mumble loudly as her body adapted to the new her, her parents woke up. That's when Kaiza realised his mistake, when he understood the prophecy would take place that night, his distress messed up his focus on his bubble of silence, bursting it to just a normal room.

Her parents ran upstairs. The door opened wide, revealing Kaiza sitting next to her, a bunch of candles and candelabras dressing up her room, and Alva in the bed, pale as death.

Kaiza looked "deader" than the dead, than what he usually looked like. Still charming, but "deader". If I'm allowed a joke in such conditions.

Her parents ran outside to the armoury of the village waking up everyone, to gear up and kill the beast inside the bedroom of "the virgin of sight".

Kaiza held her hand for as long as he could, but once people started to scream and approach the house again, he ran out the window, leaving her a promise to come back the next day, warning her to stay out of the sunlight.

The villagers ran the whole perimeter to find the creature, leaving Alva unattended for the whole time. They searched the whole night until morning. When her parents returned home to provide aid to her, she was gone, leaving behind splotches of blood.

Alva was now awake in a room with a massive window with a view of the river, the fields and the forests. More breathtaking than she could ever have imagined. She looked around in her room, to see everything her mind could register... Alva could see the dark rocks that the walls were made of, she could see what a soft fabric looked like even though she wasn't cold to cover herself with it. A familiar voice came from the slightly opened door:

- I'm glad I reached you in time. I didn't know when it would happen. But I knew I had to be prepared. That's why I haven't been able to be with you all these evenings. - The girl explained. A grey blond girl with very pale skin too.

- Dahlia? Oh Dahlia, is that you? I can finally see you! - Alva's eyes filled with joyful tears as she embraced her and the beauty she had only imagined Dahlia possessed.

- Hello, Alva. How does it feel to have the sun touch your skin, but not warm your body, to be in the cold and feel strong? To see when the world had begun yet again to be ugly and dark? - Dahlia asked as they both sat on the bed looking through the big window.

- Oh wow, I knew your eyes were blue, but I didn't think they would glow. Everything is so beautiful. I feel so... Happy and... Free. - Alva spoke with a very chaotic but very joyful speech. Dahlia smiled, yet she had to explain the hard part to her now:

- The world as you know it is about to change. Are you ready to be strong?

- I've always been... - Alva stated.

- I know. The first thing you will learn today is that, you are now bound to the prince, betrothed to marry. You are younger than me and you are my sister. - Dahlia tapped her hand as if the fact that she finally had a sister in the middle of 3 older brothers was the best part of her life.

- I would love to be your sister, but that's not how it works... I can't possibly be...

- You mentioned my eyes shining. They don't usually... I suppose Kaiza didn't tell you... Allow me to explain. There are 2 kinds of vampires. His kind and my kind. His needs human connection to survive by the sun, they are magical creatures, but with some limitations. My kind is more human-like, visually. I look human, I can walk in the sun and I can connect and disconnect from them, I'm part of the rarest kind there is... For the longest time, me and my mother, the queen, we couldn't figure out who and what we were. Until I found Kaiza one night, at my window. He said he smelled, a different scent coming from the palace. That's when I knew and understood my prophecies towards you. - Dahlia explained calmly.

- This is a lot. You knew all along about me and what would happen to me and... Why didn't you tell me? - Alva asked with a soft caring look in her eyes, she only sought an explanation. Of all the emotions, anger wasn't one of them.

- I do get prophecies of my own. I have to admit, I always wanted a sister... I acted selfishly... If I had told you everything I knew, your prophecy would change and you would be dead, or very far away from me. I'm sorry. - Dahlia lowered her head.

- I suppose I wouldn't want to die or be away from you either. So I'm the youngest in vampire terms? - Alva giggled to make Dahlia look at her. All these years not being able to see with her eyes, having the opportunity taken away to see Dahlia's face when she was right in front of her, felt unfair. Dahlia giggled in relief and answered:

- Precisely. 1 day old.

- That sounds so wrong! - Alva shook her head and laughed, so did Dahlia. Then she continued - But wait, wait... Hasn't the king ever suspected? - Alva asked.

- My mother was always careful to have her skin touching his in a steaming hot bath, that's how I was told I was conceived. My father never suspected, since royalty is always heavily dressed. Until yesterday, when I arrived at the palace with you in my arms. He found it strange how I could hold a full body weight in my arms. Then he started to connect the dots, why my hands were always cold, why I understood his words better than anyone in the realm as if I was reading his mind, I was, so was my mother... She hid it better than I, I must confess. - Dahlia chuckled in the good kind of rebellion.

- What happened when you brought me here? And where am I? - Alva started to realise that she needed more answers, as the memory of the night was sinking in her mind. Dahlia took a deep breath and continued the explanation as well as she could, for someone new to that world, it could get very overwhelming to be familiar with all that was now available as knowledge:

- My mother transformed my father, to be officially married to her in the ways of our kind. He didn't have much choice, either he would accept her, or see the love of his life gone from it and live a life of loneliness... He would have to explain to the people why the princess and the queen left, that would mean...

- To admit you were both forbidden creatures in the realm. - Alva finished the thought.

- Thus, magical creatures that most folk don't believe exist. As my mother took care of him, I took care of you. You see, the neck means marriage, the wrist means family, the inner thighs before marriage mean sexual servant, after marriage mean sexual bonding... Pretty sure my mother is taking care of that exchange right now... the ankles mean solely a servant. Your mark on the neck would mean that you are engaged to Kaiza, you will have to bite him to seal the marriage. The mark on your wrist was from me... - Dahlia concluded.

- Do I have to bite you as well? - Alva asked, ready to hold her hand, yet feeling weird about how all this new bonding thing worked.

- Only if you really want to, but it's not required, you are my sister now, whether you like it or not. - They both laughed.

The next few days Alva was considered lost to the kingdom, lost to her parents. As predicted everyone hated her for being gone, for being selfish and not being present to bless the wishes of the people. The palace was closed to anyone besides the royal family. The king and queen had spent the whole time having fun and engaging in bondings...

Kaiza didn't appear in the village for the next 2 weeks, as he had been warned by Dahlia to stay hidden. She also promised him that she would make her realm safe.

- Alva! It's time. - The queen said to her.

That night, her parents would meet her again and say goodbye to their lives forever.

- Hi, mom. Hi, dad. - She said as she unlocked the front door and walked in.

- Alva? - Her father asked from the kitchen.

- My sweet child, you're alive! - Her mother's voice came from the same place. As they walked to her, her mother was the first to say:

- Your eyes, they are... You are so beautiful with such beautiful lashes. You are indeed a blessing. So beautiful... and she's my daughter.

- Mom, I... something happened and I think you will be mad at me. Please don't be, I love you two so much. - Alva held her parents' hands, afraid of what was about to be known, but so happy to see them again. Never in her life had she been away from them for so long.

- Oh my baby, I won't, I'm just happy you're here. You're so cold, sit down, I'll make you some tea. - The mother disappeared into the kitchen.

Alva didn't even complain about the care. She wasn't cold nor was she hot, but it felt nice to see her parents happy to see her.

- Mom... Dad... The village... The realm will change tonight. I've been receiving training for this long... I need to know if you want to still be my family, even if that means being anything rather than human. - She finally explained when they all sat at the small humble table in the middle of the kitchen she had known all her life.

- Alva, what is this rubbish you are speaking of? - Her father asked.

- Let me light up some candles so you can look at me...

As lights began to shine details in her face and her body, the joyful faces of her parents began to drop in horror. Alva explained what Kaiza had told her about the history of the realm, that didn't seem to convince them to accept the transformation, but a new level of horror filled their chests.

- I'm not a vampire by blood, I'm still weak in the eyes of the true borns. For me to be strong enough to marry, I need to transform a few... I would love them to be my true parents, we would become brothers and sisters. - Alva explained with tears forming in her eyes, fear in her chest and a smile of hope on her lips.

- You are my baby, no sister of mine, I was born alone and the one to give me a sister has passed... Do not insult the soul of your grandparents, young lady. - Her father was always very logical and respectful of the afterlife and spirits, these types of conversations were very hard to have with him.

- I figured you would say that. There's another reason... For me to enter the realm of my husband-to-be, I need someone as sharp and articulate as you are, someone who would dare to come close to me while I walk down the aisle. I need you both to keep the other thirsty vampires away, that's how a marriage is sealed, to survive a walk and bite. Mom... Dad... I always lived my dreams through stories of books I could never read, now I can and I need your help.

- If you don't get strong enough to seal the bite, what could happen? - Her father asked, as her mother just jumped her sight between him and her.

- I could die. Neck muscles are strong, so is the blood flowing, I need power to take in the strength of my husband. If I don't... I can choke, from lack of power and experience. I can get weaker as I bite and drain all my strength away from me until death... Many women vampires had died in marriage, I know the risks now. I just need your help. - Alva explained with a trembling chin, on the verge of collapsing with anxiousness. Her mother could never bear seeing her chin tremble, she never saw Alva's tears, but she did know what she looked like when she could have been crying. Seeing it now was almost unbearable, she held her daughter's hand and said:

- My sweet girl, I will allow it. As long as I can see you live a happy and peaceful life like the one I tried to provide for you.

- Thank you, mom.

- I'm going nowhere without your mother.

Alva began with the mother, her first bite, her second sister, then her father, now a brother. The transformation lasted for a few hours, as tends to happen in older people, as the bite rejuvenates them to a middle-aged adult. Anyone younger than the middle age, gets no rejuvenation, but the elderly do.

The same that had happened to the king and queen, happened to her parents. As they woke up from the transformation, the desire burned within the two of them, the respective bonds were exchanged.

Oh I almost forgot! A procedure passes on the strength to handle only night, or both day and night light. That is true for humans. A true born like me, inherits whatever mixture their parents had given.

The marriage was set for a week from then, that week was reserved to transform the whole village. The ones refusing to transform, could stay if they accepted the creatures, if none of those options were selected, then they would be killed.

By the time the marriage was due, the whole realm was safe, no deaths. Only pretty people and gorgeous vampies.

We are vampires, not saints. We are kind, not stupid.

- Young lady, it's time to visit the grave.

- I was just reaching the marriage day.

- You can come back to it later, you have all the time in the world to finish the story.

My uncle, or grandpa (both work for me, he just prefers the family to evolve from where he left off... so it's grandpa), gets really mad if we miss the time to visit mom's grannies.

The paintings of the day of the marriage are my favourites to look at. Mom looked beautiful, my grandparents were as fierce to walk her down the aisle as they are today whenever a rascal tries to seduce me.

- ELARA!!

- I'm going, 2 more minutes!

I really have to go, but my mother was one of the weakest marriages to survive the bite, she didn't die, only fainted afterwards. Sadly for my father he had to wait around 5 hours to be able to do the fun stuff, me that is.

I'm Elara, daughter of Alva and Kaiza, I can look into the past and the glimpses of the future. I have uncles that are my grandpas and a grandpa that is older than the usual human granny. This was part of the story of my realm, we are "alive" in day and night time. My aunt Dahlia, rules the day and her 3 brothers dedicated their lives to medicine, waking up children's eyes with laughter. My father rules the night. Me as well as my mother, rule both day and night, but mostly the in between.