Bambi and the Duke

Charlotte sat at the table with her parents, her hand had barely touched the food on her plate. Days had frozen in her life, time didn’t stop for anyone and it left her in a place she couldn’t go back or front.

The atmosphere in their mansion had turned dark and dull. Among the other children in the family, Julliard and Charlotte had always been the livelier from the rest. Since her brother, Julliard had passed away everything had changed. Charlotte spoke less, having only a few words to share.

It was hard to imagine that a person like Julliard who had meant no harm to anyone had died in the hands of a human. Going to bed brought nightmares, nightmares she had already experienced that took place right in front of her eyes. It was the time of midnight, she hadn’t fallen asleep, worried about her future when she had heard someone bang the door for only her brother to open it with blood spouting out of his lips. Floor and walls painted red with streaks of blood while her brother sat upright against the wall. His eyes had turned black and hollow, corner of his lips with blood with his chest having a hole in it.

”David Harrison is an excellent man, Priscilla. I don’t know why you don’t agree with the man. He’s a man of fine status in Mythweald, a pureblood just like us. He will make a decent husband to Charlotte.”

”She doesn’t see him in such prospect,” her mother tried reasoning to her father at the dining table.

”I cannot see Duke Harrison as my husband, papa...” Charlotte began to speak to receive a glare from her father.

”Once you marry him everything will fall into place and I hope you start living our ways, Charlotte. I hope you have forgotten that lowly man,” Charlotte felt her heart prick at the remainder of what had occurred a few days ago. When her parents had brought the topic of her getting married to Duke Harrison, she had finally taken the courage to tell them about Rory, the man she was in love with to only be slapped by her father on her face, ”Humans have no place in this family and I wouldn’t allow my daughter to marry that kind filth. Have you forgotten what humans are capable of? Julliard is dead because of them.”

Her father looked angrily at her, ”I heard from your mother that your cousin, Leonard wanted to propose another prospect but I have told her to send in a word to him that we have already found the groom for you. You will be marrying, David Harrison by end of this month and that’s the end of it,” her father stood up from his seat and her mother was soon to follow him, leaving her alone at the table.

She had been confined inside her house since her revelation about her love for a human male. Not allowed to step outside the mansion even for the briefest period of time. No tea parties, no trip to her relative’s house, nowhere at all. There was a constant caretaker that always followed her around even in the house and for a person like her who had lived her life to the fullest until now felt like she was being suffocated.

It had been close to four weeks since she had last seen Rory. Unable to take the grief of her brother’s death, Charlotte hadn’t gone to see him. How could she? She was lost and scared at the knowledge that someone whom she had known for years was responsible for her brother’s death. Men and women of her society had always warned them about human intentions, that how they would revolt one day no matter how much kindness one would show to them.

She had known Rory for nine months now, meeting secretly with the excuse of going to her friend’s house or to the market. He was a farmer, a man who earned his bread from looking after the sheep and goats. Their status had a huge gap but that never mattered to her. She didn’t care how much property he owned or that he wasn’t a pureblooded vampire like herself. She could always turn him into one. She loved the man for who he was, giving her heart and soul to him since the first time he had spoken to her when she had gone chasing a rabbit in the forest.

The last time she had met up with him, he had been angry yet worried for her as he couldn’t get in contact with her. She hadn’t mentioned the marriage thinking it would only worry him but now that her parents had decided to give her future to Duke Harrison, Charlotte knew she had to do something about it. It seemed that talking to her parents would get her nowhere.

There were hardly two weeks left for the month to end, she didn’t want to wait and watch herself marry a man who wasn’t Rory.

She picked the glass of blood that had been poured for her, looking at the red liquid that had begun to thicken slightly due to the open atmosphere. She had to keep her strength and her mind straight if she was going to meet Rory secretly. Stepping out of the house tonight was difficult but she could do it tomorrow. Tomorrow evening there would be guests staying in their mansion who was important to her father. It was an opportune time.

When the next evening arrived, one of the maids who often trailed not far behind her was tending to the guests as new blankets were being provided to them. Charlotte behaved, as usual, not trying to show any excitement and keeping her face passive in front of everyone. Smiling formally, she retired to her room.

She waited until the time of midnight arrived. The time where everyone had gone to their respective rooms to sleep while leaving the mansion quiet as no one lived there. Most of the candles were either blown out or had been exhausted after melting down.

With the curtains that were drawn and the door locked. She pulled out the empty trunk to place it on the bed. Opening it, she began putting her clothes into it. Clothes she could use and would call less attention to her, but hailing from an elite family there was nothing old or faded for her to blend in the lower society. Adding all the necessities she could, she closed the trunk, picking it from the bed to place it next to the window. She didn’t dare to open her door and stroll down to her parent’s room to check if there were asleep or awake. Taking the parchment from her desk, she took the quill and wrote a letter to her parents to not to worry about her and that she would return soon. Saying she needed some air.

She knew her father would be furious at her but she didn’t know what else to do. It felt as if she had come to a dead end where there was no way out. Pushing the window open, warm air breezed in, ruffling her hair which had been tied in a knot. Picking up the trunk, she turned to look over her shoulders where her bed looked as if someone was sleeping beneath the blanket as she had placed pillowed under it.

With a sigh, she placed her feet on the window sill before jumping down from her room on the ground.

Charlotte didn’t wait to look back and hurriedly walked away from her house, her feet carrying her quickly before anyone had the chance to look at her as she disappeared. The walk to the village took her almost half an hour, under the starry night where the moon wasn’t there to shed its light. She wore a hooded cloak to cover her face though there was no one in sight. It was a village that was populated by humans. Most of the southern empire of Mythweald consisted of humans with a human Lord who governed it.

Walking to the hut like a house which was made of stones, twigs and bricks, she put her luggage down in front of the door. Taking a glance around, she knocked on the door with her heart thumping in her chest.