T H I R T Y-F O U R

Three years ago(from present)

A choir of birds sang as they perched on the branches in a tree, their bodies hidden by the thick leaves. The sky was cloudless and cerulean, so the sun shined down on the kingdom of Vridora. A golden hue was casted over the mansion.

Outside, two vampires wandered on the side of the brick walkway feet above them. They kept to the side because of the shade. Occasionally a few weak twigs would crunch under their feet.

When they neared the first garden, one of them stopped.

"You're not planning on going in, are you?" Kai asked Sage as she turned around when his footsteps died.

"Um..yes?"

Kai crossed his arms and leaned his shoulder on the wall. "You know the rules, vampires aren't allowed in the gardens after three."

"Oh, Kai, you and your rules. We're doing no harm just passing through." Sage sighed at his sternness.

"That's not the point. You have a right to follow their rules. I respect them, as should you."

"I do respect them. But some of these rules are, well, just begging to be not respected." When Sage turned back around, Kai shook his head and lunged forward to grab her elbow.

"Sage, it's just a garden. Nothing's special inside."

"Exactly. It's just a garden. And if there is nothing inside then why must they keep us out?"

Kai crossed his arms once again, "Because those are the rules."

Sage groaned and threw her head back, "I can't deal with your loyalty sometimes, Kai. It gets really annoying."

"You get really annoying."

Sage glared at Kai, but he saw the mischief in her eyes.

"I could be more annoying."

"Please don't."

"Is this annoying?" She then started walking backwards towards the garden, which contents were kept in by two large silver gates.

"Sage." Kai warned but by the time he uncrossed his arms the female vampire was running towards the gates. "Hey!"

He followed her laughter inside the garden with a scowl on his face. She was how many years older than him, yet she acted like a five year–old human child.

Despite feeling angry, Kai found a little peace in the garden he entered. It was littered with gently colored flowers and willow trees that swayed in the breeze. He enjoyed spending whatever time he could in here, which was obviously before three o'clock, because of the serene atmosphere it provided. Unlike the others that actually felt claustrophobic sometimes.

Kai directed his sight back in front of him as he slowed his pace. It was silent. And he was wary.

"Sage?" He called out to her, shielding the sun from his eyes as he walked on the peach colored stones. "Rules are not something you play around with. If we don't leave we're going to get in serious trouble. And you know how the King hates those who break the rules; which we respect, right?"

He purposely emphasized the consequences and stretched his sentences for a good reason. That reason was granted when he heard a quiet groan and he smirked.

He stopped walking and turned in the direction of the noise. Kai put his hands behind his back as he walked over with a slow movement. With one hand, he drew back a patch of leaves from the willow trees and peered inside the small shaded area it created. He looked to his left where a female sat hugging her knees to her chest.

She connected his gaze and sighed. "Damn. I hate you."

"I know."

Sage let her legs drop but she didn't stand. "Can't we stay a little longer? No one comes out here to check, anyway. It's quiet here."

"As much as I'd like to, we can't. Let's just follow their orders, okay?"

With another sigh, Sage held out her hands and Kai grabbed them, pulling her up with ease.

"Wise choice, guys."

The two vampires spun around to see the King holding the leaves out of the way so he stood in the middle of the opening he caused. He smiled at them but it wasn't out of amusement.

"I do have rules for a reason, you know."

Kai and Sage glanced at each other before Kai dropped his head lightly.

"I apologize for breaking this one, sir."

The female guard pursed her lips, not having the intentions to apologize until Kai elbowed her. She bobbed her own head.

"I'm sorry, too, sir. I simply wanted a quiet place to rest."

The King nodded, "That want is understandable. But I expect you to put aside your temptations to follow my rules."

"We understand," They both said at the same time. In all honesty, the King was a scary man; and neither wanted to be on his bad side.

"Great. You're good to go." The King turned around and left the vampires tilting their heads in confusion. Kai rushed ahead with Sage following close beind.

"Is that all, sir?"

"Yes. It was an harmless act. So it's okay this time."

Kai glanced at Sage over his shoulder and she replied with a shrug. When he turned back around she jogged so she was slightly in front of Kai and looking at the King.

"What were you doing in the gardens? If I may be curious, sir."

Arlo shut the gates when they exited the garden. He spared a small smile at her before it turned into a tired frown.

"I'm looking for a very stubborn person. They aren't making it easy for Allison or I. I almost forgot how well hidden he likes to be."

"Ah, sound frustrating, sir. Could we help in any way?" Sage offered. Before they got to one of the back doors, Arlo shook his head at them.

"Thank you but I believe I got it handled. You can return to your posts, now. And I can be reassured you get there?" He quirked an eyebrow at them.

"Yes, sir." They nodded in sync, and the King left them alone after giving them a thankful smile.

Why couldn't his son be as corporative as them?

††

The King glanced up the clock hanging high upon a wall in their foyer and sighed. He leanded against the wall near the entrance of the hallway with his arms crossed. He tapped his index finger on his arm in an impatient way. Thirty minutes and counting, but he knew it was a matter of minutes when his escapee would return.

Change that to seconds.

When Arlo looked back ahead from checking the clock again he witnessed a boy speed walking his way to the stairs. He watched, his brain slow at processing, before he quickly pushed himself off the wall.

He cleared his throat loud enough to make the boy pause. His head dropped, as though he was already excepting his defeat. The boy turned around and raised his eyebrows at the King; he appeared innocent.

"Oh, hey, Dad."

The King frowned at the boy and walked up to him. "Where were you?"

"Out."

"Out?"

"Mhm. I just needed a break from the work."

"A two hour break?"

"I have a lot of work," The boy shrugged like it was no big deal but it was major in Arlo's eyes. The boy diverted his gaze when his dad stood in front of him on the stairs. He felt his eyes study him for a long time. Then he sighed.

"You were outside. I knew it."

The boy glanced back, "No, I wasn't."

"Oh really?" Arlo reached out and seemingly plucked something off of the boy's shoulder. He watched the King hold a small leaf in front of his face.

"Huh. How'd that get there?"

Arlo rolled his eyes and flicked the insignificant thing away.

"Iris."

"Dad."

"You can't keep running away from your responsibilities, son."

The boy returned the eye roll and started climbing up the stairs with a frown. He ignored his dad when his name was called out again and continued ascending up the steps until he reached the second floor.

Their corridors were long, wide, and seemed unending. There were multiple paintings on the walls, some so vintage not even the maids could touch them, and occasionally the prince would see a small table holding a thriving plant. They never died.

When the boy got to his room he slammed his door shut and flopped onto his bed when he got to it.

Regardless of what his dad said, he was especially good at hiding from his responsibilities. As he rolled over and peered at his desk near his large window, the intimidating stack of papers sitting on top of the dark oak made him groan.

Why couldn't his dad just do all the work? How did doing this prepare him for becoming a King? The prince often asked himself this daily. Maybe it was a little selfish not completing his part and making his dad do it, and half of the time he did feel guilty. However, recently he's had a careless attitude towards life.

The prince rolled again and looked at his door when two small knocks came from it. He didn't say anything while it opened and his nurses head poked inside.

"Please don't tell me you were in here the whole time." She stepped inside the room and shut the door. She wandered over to the bed and sat down next to Iris.

"No."

"Were you in that garden again?"

The boy purses his lips and turned his head so the woman gazed at the back of his head. She chuckled and laid her hands in her lap.

"I can't blame you for wanting a break but you know how important it is to your dad. He wants you to get used to the work so you're not suffocated by it later."

Iris didn't say anything after she finished. They sat in silence, in a thoughtful quietness, until he shuffled onto his back and gazed up at his ceiling.

"Why can't the vampires be in the gardens after three?" His change of topic made his nurse frown but his question made her frown harder.

"Why do you want to know? Did you see any in there?"

The prince didn't reply.

"Iris, if you did you know you should tell your dad about it."

"But they aren't doing anything wrong."

"So you did see one."

"No. I am just...metaphorically speaking."

The nurse, Allison, crossed her arms and puffed her chest out with frustration.

"Why must you be so difficult to understand?"

"Because I can be."

"Because you can be," The nurse repeated with a shake of her head, "Well. I'm glad you were found. Now get your work done, please."

Iris sighed, "Okay."

Allison stood up and smiled down at the prince. "Thank you." After that she left the boy alone with the annoyance of his ticking clock.

Iris glanced at it, then to his door, then to his papers on his desk, before returning his eyes on his door. Thoughts, a million of them, flooding his mind like an aggravated ocean wave. The weight blurred his sight and made him huff out.

He jumped up and walked over to his desk. Tomorrow, he mentally noted. Tomorrow he will engage in his own search. Tomorrow..he will find him.