Today was an extraordinarily special day in the Capital of Valachia, and the excitent extended across the entire country. Valachia was ruled by one of the most ancient and powerful families, known for conquering their territory in Sancta Vedelia through sheer determination and fierce battles. This prestigious family was none other than the Tepes
House.
The Capital was buzzing with excitent, for today marked a montous occasion: the official engagent ceremony of the Second Princess, Elizabeth Amaya Tepes. This was no ordinary engagent, and the city was abuzz with anticipation.
Elizabeth was to be engaged to Amael, a figure whose true identity had been revealed just two weeks prior. Initially, many had believed Amael to be unworthy of the princess, thinking he was rely the son of Alea's sister who had moved to Celesta, a country they considered third-rate. However, they had recently discovered that Amael was, in fact, Alea's youngest son, long presud dead. This revelation was nothing short of earth-shattering, as most were unaware of his very existence until now.
With this newfound knowledge, any doubts about the match vanished. It was seen as a perfect union-the heir of the Olphean House marrying their brilliant princess. The people of Valachia rejoiced at the prospect of this powerful alliance.
However, not everyone was pleased. Among the nobility of Valachia, there were staunch traditionalists who valued pure vampire blood above all else. They would have preferred a match with soone of pure vampire lineage, even if of lower rank. To them, the ideal candidate would have been Cyril, the full-blooded vampire heir of the Raven House. Unfortunately, Cyril had eyes only for Selene, whom he believed to be the reincarnation of the Vampire-Witch. This peculiar obsession was rooted in a dark history, given the havoc the Vampire-Witch had wrought. Nevertheless, Cyril's unique taste dictated his preference, leaving those who desired a pure vampire match for Elizabeth disappointed.
In the end, Amael was chosen by the Supre Head Duncan himself, silencing any dissent. His decision was absolute, and no one dared to oppose it. The nobles accepted this union, even if reluctantly, for Duncan's word was law.
Despite their acceptance of Amael, so still held onto hopes for the future. They had Selene, the eldest sister, and Earth, the adopted son. Particularly in Selene's case, the hope was that she would find a suitable high-ranked vampire partner, as she was the one most likely to rule after Duncan.
The castle was more resplendent than ever, adorned in beautiful gold and red ornants that decorated the corridors leading to the great ceremonial hall. Today, this hall would host the grand engagent party, a significant event that required everything to be perfect.
About fifty staff mbers had been working tirelessly since early morning to prepare the venue, ensuring it t the highest standards. They hurried through the dark yet lavish corridors, their movents efficient and precise, reflecting the grandeur and nobility of the Tepes House.
In a secluded wing of the castle reserved for the Royals, a few won gathered in a peculiar room. Before a large mirror, which resembled a grand TV screen, stood the reflection of an exceptionally beautiful woman with a pale complexion. Her face remained impassive as hands that did not belong to her expertly applied makeup with brushes and other tools. Three beauty artists worked on her: two focused on her face, and one attended to her hair. Their movents were perfectly synchronized, ensuring that no one interfered with the others. This ticulous coordination was a strict order from Claudia Tepes herself. Despite her disdain for Amael, Claudia adored her granddaughter and ensured she always looked her best.
"You look ridiculous, sister," a cold voice suddenly rang out, startling the three won who were working diligently.
They turned around to see a girl who bore an uncanny resemblance to the woman they had been beautifying. Their hands froze in mid-air, their faces showing a mix of surprise and apprehension.
It was Selene Janet Tepes, and her words made the beauty artists shiver, fearing their work was being criticized.
"W-We have not finished, Your Highness..." One of the won quickly said, her voice trembling.
"It's okay, please leave us for a mont," Elizabeth raised her hand, signaling for them to stop.
"But Princess..." they protested, concerned about the strict schedule they needed to follow. "You will be on ti. If not, I will talk with my grandmother," Elizabeth assured them, calming their worries. Relieved, the won left the room.
Once the two sisters were alone, Selene approached Elizabeth, who was sitting on a chair wearing a white robe that covered her entire body to protect her delicate skin from any makeup residue. Her hair, still unfinished, was pinned with several clips.
"You look ridiculous, yes," Selene nodded, repeating her earlier statent.
"There was no need to repeat it, sister," Elizabeth mustered a small smile, trying to lighten the mood.
Selene crossed her arms and walked over to sit in a chair next to Elizabeth. "I don't think you need such shallow makeup to impress anyone. Just wear a decent ceremonial dress, and you can get any man you want, even your soon-to-be fiancé," she said, clearly hinting at Amael. Elizabeth sighed. "I don't think Amael is such an easy person. And as much as I find this tiring, I am doing it because Grandmother seems really happy about it."
Since their parents had died, their grandmother had taken care of them, and both Elizabeth and Selene felt very close to her. They were unable to refuse anything she asked of them. For Elizabeth, one or two hours of sitting idly while getting her face made up was a small price to pay for their grandmother's happiness.
Selene looked at Elizabeth with a small smile for a mont before speaking again. "I'm sorry, sister."
"Hm? For what?" Elizabeth asked, raising a brow in curiosity.
Selene averted her gaze. "You know... that potion I had kept for Victor. You drank it, and everything that happened because of it... It's all because of in the end. I caused you a lot of problems... again."
Seeing her sister lower her head lightly, Elizabeth sighed. "How many tis are you going to apologize, Selene? What happened has happened. By the way it was a great enthralling potion, what blood did you use? I was caught unable to fight it back..."
"Who knows I had reserved it for Victor since it works wonder in vampires but..." Selene
trailed off with a dark face thinking about how badly her plan ended up.
"You can't undo things, and as your sister, I don't mind taking care of your ss," Elizabeth
said trying to reassure her sister.
"I'm the older sister though..." Selene frowned.
"By what? Three seconds?" Elizabeth chuckled.
"Three minutes," Selene shot back with a pouting scowl.
Despite their different personalities, the twin sisters clearly felt more at ease and free with
each other around.
"Are you disappointed, sister?" Selene suddenly asked.
"About what?" Elizabeth replied, curious.
Selene hesitated before speaking. "If not for this incident, you might have likely been
engaged to Earth. That was what was planned and what Grandmother wished. Answer
honestly."
Elizabeth stared at Selene, the question hanging in the air. Even Selene couldn't tell what was
going on inside her twin sister's mind.
"May I join you?" A voice suddenly interrupted them.
Both Selene and Elizabeth turned around, startled.
"Earth?"
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