**Blood of My Blood—Ramin Djawadi**
The Palace of Thalor stood just as it always had ten years ago—tall, menacing, and untouched by time. Dark towers jutted upward like jagged thorns on a blackened rose, the architecture itself a warning cloaked in majesty.
It was a place of dread and dominion, where power sat upon its throne with bloodied hands. And it stood as the highest symbol of power of the most powerful Human Clan—the Huntsmen.
And yet, despite its ominous grandeur, no one who had ever set foot within its walls ever truly wished to leave.
No one but her.
Ten years ago, Serpentine Andal Thorne had fled those very halls with nothing but her newborn daughter, her five dowry handmaidens, and a ship.
She hadn't thought of her title, her duty, or even the kingdom she left behind. All that mattered then was the life she held in her arms—a child born into a game she herself had never agreed to play in the first place.
To run as a girl of sixteen was one thing; to run as a mother was another entirely. It had taken more courage than most could muster, and more madness than she dared admit.
Even when she questioned herself in the black nights aboard her ship, she had never once let go of her child. Not when Elara gave up on the world. Not when the world gave up on them both.
But now Elara was gone.
And in her place now stood a girl so hauntingly similar that Serpentine sometimes forgot what was real. Dressed in green velvet and cloaked in black, Ember looked every bit the royal daughter the people of Thalor probably believed had succumbed to her illness.
Together, they painted the image Serpentine had always imagined would be the case for her and Elara: mother and daughter, power and poise, blood and bone.
And hand in hand, they approached the gates of the Palace of Thorns to take the first and most dangerous step of a gamble that Serpentine was willing to play for years, decades even.
Provided it got her the blood churning revenge that was the only thing that kept her going and stopped her from drowning in the madness of her grief.
Serpentine swallowed, setting her thoughts straight while they inched closer to the gates of the palace where the KingsGuards patrolled relentlessly. The sounds of their armors clattering against each other made for a battle-ground kind of noise.
The commotion came to a complete halt when Serpentine stood wordlessly before them. Their eyes widened in surprise, for unlike their colleagues that patrolled the port of Thalor, they recognised her for who she was.
"Cr…crown princess? I mean your highness!" They quickly greeted, bending the knee like any ordained knight of Thalor would do when standing before their monarch.
"Rise." said Serpentine in a stern tone, noting that they shared the same unease and reluctance like their earlier brothers they met at the port.
"Where is Commander Zane?" She asked, gripping Ember's fingers in a way that drew attention to the girl. Commander Zane was the commander and lead of the Kingsguard. For that reason, he would be the man on top of the situation and the one in charge of coordinating the coronation.
The knights stared at Ember, taking in her features. In a few seconds from the way their eyes widened in horror, they easily drew the conclusion that she was Elara.
So easily.
The knight that Serpentine questioned shifted uncomfortably. "Your highness, commander Zane is at… is at… I mean, he is at the co… coronation ceremony your highness."
On cue, the largest bell in the palace rang seven times signifying that the coronation ceremony had just started.
It seemed she was just right on time, although the knights didn't share the same thoughts. As far as they were concerned, her sudden appearance after ten years was a most unwelcome and sudden one. An unplanned stain in a game that had thus been moving flawlessly.
Gathering her navy blue gown by the sides and tilting her head up ever so slightly, she breezed forward, deaf to their inchorent objections.
"I suppose I must make haste lest I be late," she said without emotion, "surely my husband must be waiting alone in the throne room for his Queen."
"Your… your highness…."
"You… you shouldn't…."
Serpentine locked her ears to their objections. Her heart set in stone as she bulldozed through the familiar, yet unfamiliar steps. Beyond the objections of the knights that trailed behind her, she beheld as all that met her in the castle cowered either in fear… or horror.
New servants whispered to old servants about who the crown princess Serpentine Andal Thorne was. The woman who wailed to the heavens in a terrifying, grief-stricken voice the night the royal physicians had pronounced her daughter lethally poisoned.
Some whispered that she was a dark hearted woman. Wicked enough to leave her husband for ten years.
Others whispered that she was a jealous woman… unable to stand and tolerate her husband's poor lover.
But they all echoed one thing… which was that she was back to take the throne of the Queen… a throne they believed she was undeserving of. Afterall, when her husband suffered, she had been away with her daughter, touring and enjoying the sights of the beautiful world.
How laughable.
But their whispers were instantly extinguished like a flickering candle in the flames when they beheld the red haired girl that trailed behind her.
Elara Thorne.
Said to surely die one day, she breezed past them with ashen eyes and squared shoulders like a ghost. Just the breeze of her green dress past them sent goosebumps over their arms, and they cowered, whispering that something unnatural walked the walls of the palace of thorns.
The once fragile peace that once inhabited within their walls was sure to be shattered that night. They were almost sure of it… but Serpentine was confident of it.
Commander Zane was standing right in front of the door of the coronation room, and just before Serpentine descended upon him, a red-face squire who arrived moments earlier whispered dreaded words to him.
"The captain of the twelfth order of the Kingsguard just sent a delayed report. The crown princess Serpentine Andal Thorne is back… the Serpent of the Seas is currently berthed on our shores."
"What?!" The middle-aged commander roared, eyes furiously descending upon the squire as if to sniff some crude joke. But he saw no signs that it was some misplaced comedy and prank being played on him at such a critical time.
Especially when he guarded the very door where the crown prince, soon to be king, was being crowned alongside the love of his life and crown companion, Thalara Thorne.
"Should… should we barge in and ask that the coronation be halted?" The captain of the first order of the Kingsguard who guarded the coronation room same as he said, glancing uncomfortably at the empty pathways that led to the coronation room as if it would suddenly conjure up the crown princess.
Commander Zane glared at him. "Captain, do you not understand the wishes of his soon to be majesty? Halting the coronation ceremony for a crown princess who has been missing for ten years and is not even here would only raise his ire. The coronation ceremony must proceed… I am sure his majesty would thank us for not interrupting him when he later steps out of this room as king, and the crown companion as his queen."
The captain swallowed, nodding solemnly. That seemed to make sense… that was until another red faced squire approached them, panting hard.
"Co… commander," the squire stuttered, "the crown princess is here."
"She has already reached?!" The commander billowed.
"Her carriage was led by that rogue knight, Captain Asborne. That animal commands a horse better than anyone" The squire spat.
The captain of the first order blanched, glancing at the commander.
"Commander?"
"My allegiance is to the crown prince soon-to-be king," he growled, "captain take your orders—the crown princess must not be allowed inside until the coronation ceremony is over. After that, we can talk about repercussions and all that."
"Are…are you saying that we should use force on the crown princess? She remains the princess of the seamen after all, commander." The captain muttered, unsheathing his sword hesitantly.
"Of course we are not going to use force against the crown princess," the commander muttered like that should be obvious, "she can't exactly fight us. But say should Knight Asborne fight for her, then we can use force."
The Captain swallowed, gripping the hilt of his sword in unsteady hands. The second squire looked around uncomfortably.
"I forgot to say something," he said, still breathing hard, "Princess Elara Thorne is back as well… on her two legs in fact."
"What do you mean by that?!"
"What he means," Serpentine drawled, appearing with Ember and Knight Asborne in tow, "is that my daughter is now as healthy… as a horse." She finished with a daring smile.
Commander Zane swallowed, "Your highness…."
"How dare you order your captain to unsheathe his sword before me." Serpentine spoke in a threatening tone, inching closer until she was right in front of the six feet tall knight.
The commander stared at the woman who now seemed unfamiliar to him. Even though Serpentine hardly aged in the ten years that passed, it was clear that she was hardly the same as the sixteen year old girl that wailed in those palace walls before she left them behind.
"Your highness…."
"And how dare you stand before me when I stand." She interrupted coldly.
The commander stared on, probably debating whether to still keep his loyalty with the man in the coronation room, or give in to the woman who was standing before him… unfamiliar yet oozing an irresistible flow of power.
He soon made his decision. "Captain of the first order, hold your position. This is a command."
The captain, initially hesitant, gripped his sword tightly, the blade poised against Asborne to attack.
But Serpentine wasn't yet generous enough to give him the chance to think through his stupid decision.
"Captain Knight Asborne of the BloodSworn Brothers!" She called, her voice an earth shattering command.
"Your highness!" The knight answered, knee bent and sword unsheathed from the sheath that was always on his back, against his shoulders.
"You've your orders." Serpentine gritted, "The captain dares to unsheathe his sword before me. Take him down, and should his commander interject, take him down as well."
No further command was needed for Asborne acted swiftly and lethally. In three moves, the captain's throat was slit, his blood dripping to the floor even before his body crumbled. And all commander Zane did was watch on in horror, not daring to unsheathe his own sword.
For while the kingsguard might be well trained to protect the king from his traitorous people, the Bloodsworn brothers were an order trained to battle a more horrifying nightmare—
—the ones known as the creatures of the night, or vampires as many would love to call them.