@the-lonly-shadow
“Rosaline, calm down. You’re going to wear a hole in the carpet pacing like that,” her father said from where he sat behind his desk going over the last of the tax reports.
“I am calm,” she said when she stopped and her dress caught up to her smacking into her legs. “How are you not more concerned?”
Her father shrugged. “He’s been here before. It’s standard. King surveying his kingdom. We are polite. Things are quick, and he leaves. But if you’re that concerned go help your mother.”
Rosaline stood in front of her father’s desk looking ever more concerned. “But what if it’s a problem that I’m a-”
“A half breed?” her father finished. Figuring the tax reports could wait he got up and walked over to his daughter who looked like she was about to be scolded. “Rosaline you are an impressively terrifying vampire succubi blood and all and no one is going to hurt you or your mother as long as I breathe.”
“That’s what worries me,” Rosaline said looking at her feet. “What if they’re here because of me?!”
“Hey,” her father said putting a hand under her chin and tipping it up so she’d look at him. “You have done nothing to indicate you are not capable to succeed me. In fact you have done more than most. Don’t worry. Just be your appropriately awful self and things will be ok. Now if you’re not going to help with tax reports then go find your mother. I’m sure she can find some last minute touch up work to help you feel useful.”
Rosaline smiled slightly and stepped back. “Thank you. I’m sorry I bothered you.”
Her father shook his head as he went back to his desk. “No it is a lord’s job to hear the concerns of his subjects.”
“And be appropriately terrifying.”
“And that. Now go find your mother before she hurts herself.”
In much better spirits Rosaline left her father’s office to descend the stone steps to the common room where her mother looked like she was about to kill someone. Probably multiple someones. “How?! How did you--you know I don’t want to know just fix it!” she hissed her tail trashing like a whip behind her as she gestured to a set of terrified looking humans.
“Yes m’lady,” they chirped before rushing off to get what she had asked done.
“Imbicles. All of them. I swear to every Black God if they ruin this for us I will--”
“Have them all killed? I don’t father would approve.”
Her mother turned and smiled before she sighed. “No you’re probably right. We’d have to train more. And breeding them takes forever. Maybe I’ll just beat them.”
“Or withhold food.”
“No they get the shakes when you do that. How is he doing?”
“He seems calm,” Rosaline asked as she walked with her mother towards the enterance to their estate. “How are you?”
“I am...” her mother looked at her and sighed. “I don’t know why I bother to try and lie to you. I am nervous. But confident. And you?”
“Better.”
Her mother stopped and placed a hand on her daughter’s cheek. “Dear you’ll be fine. No one will hurt you.”
“You both keep saying that. I can take care of myself. And you.”
“We know,” her mother said as she put down her hand, “But oblige us. We’re your parents.”
“You’re sentimentalists.”
