The Vampire's Moonlit Throne

The following morning, the castle awoke to a hushed, tense atmosphere. The sun's rays filtered through the tall windows, casting long shadows that seemed to cling to the walls of the grand structure. Ravenor Frostveil, already awake, continued his brooding in the study. The room was silent other than the faint clink of a silver cup as he sipped on his morning drink.

The drink only his private chef knew the ingredients of.

His advisors would soon arrive, and the matters of state were pressing, but he wanted them to sort out the matter of the refugee girl firsthand.

In the guest chamber, Elara was slowly regaining her strength. The night had been the longest one of her life as she tried hard to surrender to the peace of sleep. However, it was far away from her reach. She spent the time turning sides on the plush bed. Her eyes were red and swollen from crying and the lack of sleep but the pain from her injuries had dulled to a manageable ache.

Now that the sunlight was illuminating the chamber, she sat on the edge of the bed, anxiety bubbling inside her chest.

What was going to happen next?

Ending her misery of the unknown, the door to her chamber opened, and Lady Seraphine entered, her demeanor as composed and formal as the previous night. "Good morning, I trust you slept well?"

Elara glanced up, her red eyes announcing the lack of sleep. "As well as one can under the circumstances."

Lady Seraphine's gaze softened for a brief moment before her professional mask returned. "I understand your distress. However, it is time for you to meet with the master's advisors. They will want to know more about the attack on your village and your presence here."

Elara nodded, rising slowly. "I'm ready. Where should I go?"

"Follow me," Lady Seraphine instructed. "I will take you to the council chamber."

As they walked through the grand corridors of the castle, Elara couldn't help but feel the weight of the castle's atmosphere. The palace seemed to pulse with its own hidden life, and she could sense that beneath its elegant exterior lay an inexplicable sense of dread.

They reached a large wooden door, ornately carved with intricate designs. Lady Seraphine opened it, revealing a room filled with several figures seated around a long, dark table. The advisors, dressed in dark robes, looked up as Elara entered. Their expressions were a mix of curiosity and skepticism.

"Please, take a seat," one of the advisors, a man with a sharp, angular face, gestured. "We've heard about your arrival. I am Lord Varyn, and these are my colleagues."

Elara sat down, feeling the weight of their scrutiny. "Thank you for giving me refuge. I am Elare Celine, daughter of Draven Celine. I belong to the village of Moon Wardens."

Lord Varyn nodded his head as he asked, "We need to know more about the attack on your village. Any details you can provide will help us understand the nature of this threat. What exactly happened?"

Elara took a deep breath, her mind racing as she recalled the events. "It was a sudden assault. Dark forces, not like anything we've seen before. They came out of nowhere, and there was no warning. My parents were… maybe killed while trying to protect me. I barely escaped with my life."

"Maybe?" one of the advisors raised an eyebrow.

"I am not sure. They sent me off but the dark shadows…they were very near." she managed to say without choking on the knot of tears forming inside her neck.

The advisors listened intently, their expressions growing more serious. Lady Seraphine remained by the door, her gaze fixed on Elara with an unreadable expression.

"Is that all?" Another advisor asked and Elara nodded.

Lord Varyn leaned forward. "You failed to mention the whereabouts of the necklace you showed up here with. I would suggest you don't hide anything if you want us to help you. Is there anything unusual about it?"

Elara hesitated, then held up the locket. "It's a family heirloom. My mother told me to keep it with me."

The advisors exchanged glances. "This locket," Lord Varyn said, "might be significant. We will need to examine it closely."

Elara nodded, feeling a mix of hope and apprehension. "I don't understand any of this, but I want to know who is behind the attack. For that, I will do anything to help you."

"We will find out," Lord Varyn assured her. "For now, you are safe here. But be cautious and never lie to us under any circumstances."

As the meeting concluded, Elara was led back to her chamber by Lady Seraphine. The advisor's words had done little to ease her anxiety, but she felt a glimmer of hope that answers might come soon.

Before leaving, Lady Seraphine turned to Elara. "Master wishes to speak with you personally but you'll have to wait for that. For now, stay in the chamber and don't come out. Roaming around the castle is strictly prohibited."

"But I want to go back to the village to look for my parents." Elara retorted. "I will come back before sunset."

"Listen girl, now that you have crossed the gates of this castle, you will not cross them again without Master's permission." Lady Seraphine's tone was way colder than before.

"I am not a prisoner here!" Elara's brows furrowed. "I seeked refuge and I am very grateful to your master for letting me in but I don't need his permission to leave."

Lady Seraphine let out a humorless chuckle before her voice turned into a whisper. "Don't try to jump bigger than your height. This castle has its rules. You have to pay a price to utilize its shelter so don't even think about sneaking around until you are allowed to leave."

With that being said, she left.

"What in the world?" Elara muttered, standing there bewildered.

She bit her lower lip trying to weigh the choices of leaving to look out for her parents or staying until the meeting with this unknown 'Master'.

Why would she need his permission to leave in the first place?