Thread: The Truce (Nekrosilisk88 & darkangel76)

Estella felt no warmth when Jameson leaned close to kiss her. Instead she felt cold bitterness, the barest brush of his lips against her own. It was as if he was afraid to touch her. Either that or disgusted, more than likely it was the latter given the way he almost spat at her earlier on the stone steps of the cathedral. His venomous words still stung at her halfbreed heart. Though her genetics caused her body to turn vampire, she would always have that essence of humanity. Horace had explained to her that it was a direct result of her lineage thanks to her human mother. It was something that could never be changed no matter how old she became. Whether that was a curse or a blessing was yet to be learned by her. But right now, it hurt... it stung deeply, terribly. As he watched his daughter take the lycan's arm, Horace stood up to watch the processional. His heart sank. He had seen the deed done and given up his daughter, losing her to the lycans he'd fought for centuries on end. Perhaps giving up his most precious possession would end the bloodshed if even only for a time. Time. Time would surely tell. It always did and now surely would. But it never eased anything, not truly. Vampires were passionate creatures, more so than others would give them credit for. They could be cold when it served their purposes, but they were often passionate about their kin. Detachment was a difficult process and not easily achieved. Meanwhile, in the shadow of the doorway, Claudius slipped inside unnoticed by all, even Horace who was too preoccupied with his daughter and his loss of her to see him enter the building at all. He remained concealed in the darkness, a trick and art that he excelled atalways had. He sneered as he watched Estella walk arm in arm with the loathsome lycan. He didn't even want her, had no appreciation for what she'd done. So typical. And Horace. He was blind to the charade, the game that was being played underneath his nose. His daughter was about to be used and before long all his wishes would be for naught. And for what? A meager attempt at peace with a race of beings lower than their own! It was abominable! What was worse was the fact that Estella was afraid, didn't want to be doing what she was doing at all. She was merely doing her duty, what she felt to be right given her lineage. Claudius licked his lips as his eyes lingered on Estella, her rosy flesh turning paler by the second. He tsk'd silently. She needed to feed more than she had. The sad little sip she'd obviously been given had hardly been enough and the man she was now with would hardly understand that nor care. It disgusted him. His eyes shifted to the lycan for a moment and they narrowed into slits. There was something about that lycan. His scent... Just then he shrugged it off, his eyes going back to Estella once more. If Horace hadn't been there, he'd tear that lycan apart and take her far away, make her his own as was meant to be. Estella felt the heaviness grow from within as she walked up the aisle, her eyes barely glancing at her father as she passed him by. What would happen now that she and Jameson were married? What would become of her? Her lonely days were about to start, that much she knew. This wouldn't be the wedding night she'd hoped for or dreamed of. She wouldn't have the future she'd longed for as a child growing up before the vampire from within took its hold and finally transformed her into what she was. No. Loneliness. That was what awaited her. For now she was eternally bound to a man who didn't love her. Once they'd reached the door of the cathedral, Estella looked to Jameson and tried her best to give him a warm smile. She knew the carriage was waiting for them. Their destination? She wasn't sure, but she knew she would soon find out. Sir, she said softly, giving him a curtsy. Our carriage is outside. Are we to take that somewhere?