Stolen Vows

Helena’s screams echoed throughout the passages of the castle while Victor paced up and down outside the door. He prayed to the saints that the baby survived this time. He no longer cared if it was a boy or a girl. They had already lost three offspring so far and, after his dear wife died, he took Helena as his only concubine with the promise to his late wife that he wouldn’t take another. He would be faithful to his concubine even if it was against the law for them to marry. He was the second in line to the throne after all. It wouldn’t make any difference whether he had a boy or a girl.

They would never rule the kingdom.

Dimitri’s sons would one day become the heirs to the throne of Ezorona. His brother had yet to find his vampire wife, but he had six concubines, which meant that one of them would probably soon be pregnant with a son. If Helena had a boy, she would not survive the birth. If it was a girl, they would both immediately be taken back to the convent where his daughter would grow up to face the dhampir trials one day. At least, he had a child then. He pulled his fingers through his hair. Their traditions had always seemed so barbaric to him, but since he was never born into the ultimate position of power, he would never be able to change any of them.

Silence fell and two seconds later he heard the cries of his child. He waited patiently for the doors to open and his heart broke the moment the midwife opened them and shook her head.

“It’s a female.” Her words were barely audible in the passage. Victor closed his eyes for a moment before turning to look at the waiting court and his parents.

“Lady Viktoria of Ezorona has been born.” He sighed. He knew that he couldn’t really call her Lady since she was a dhampir, but he hoped that he wouldn’t be punished for doing this just this once. His father scowled before storming away. His mother patted the sides of his arms and whispered that there was always the next time, but Victor knew there wouldn’t be. This was the only chance the saints had given him.

Viktoria’s POV

Flashback

I loved my mother and she loved me. Our days at the convent consisted of prayers in the mornings after breakfast. Some time outside in the gardens in the mornings. Prayers again after lunch and then my mother had evening chores while I spent my time studying with the other children living there. I was a bit of an outcast and I never truly understood why until the night before my tenth birthday.