Chapter 6 3 B

Esmeray lifted it up and stared at it with keen eyes, it had been long since she had seen it. Maybe since when she was five years old when she was playing in this attic before she had it as a room. A small smile broke out on her lips as she fondled the ring, it was the most beautiful ring she had ever seen and now that she had grown up, it looked ancient to her.

"What's that?" Akasha asked out of the blue and Esmeray quickly hid the ring within the ruffles of her skirt as she lifted her eyes to meet Akasha that stood on the doorway.

"Nothing," She said awkwardly, knowing so well that she would never believe her and she feared that she would tell Yamla about this and even though she knew she might try to snatch it away from her unless she felt it was not important or the urge to hurt her wasn't there anymore, Esmeray had already had it in mind to fight until the end. "Why are you here?"

Akasha rolled her eyes, annoyed. "Why else would I be here unless it's something. Papa is calling you downstairs." She turned to leave and Esmeray sighed as she hid the ring she had mysteriously found on her bed the night she had turned five years old before she rushed downstairs, afraid that if she stayed long, Papa would be pissed.

She met them eating lunch, and that was when she remembered that she hadn't had her breakfast because today, Yamla decided she would starve her for waking up five minutes late than she had to, and to say she was the one that made her stayed up all night cutting the vegetables for her was a waste of time.

"Papa, you called for me." She said as she stood by the table, fidgeting with her fingers.

"Get ready to go to the market now. The King has announced a new order that the runaway should be done in two days instead of the three weeks it should have been held." A grin broke onto her lips as she heard those word. She tried to block out what Papa had said, hearing the King's name was the last thing she wanted in her life but the runaway had lifted her spirit, maybe, just maybe it was her time to get that someone Jezebel had always mentioned.

"What do I need to do in the market, Papa? Get a dress?"

He nodded his head with his mouth full as he handed her a bunch of money, certainly more than what she'd need for a dress as she wondered which god had answered her prayers today. "Yes, a very beautiful one. You're the same size, right? Get her the dress that will fit you, it'd fit her too. She won't be able to go to the market herself, so choose the most beautiful dress you could lay your eyes on, because, the King is going to choose a wife too."

Yamla looked at her with a mischievous grin, "Who knows? Our Akasha might be lucky to get chosen by the Vampire King."

Esmeray was sure she heard the sound her heart made when it fell on the floor and the grin that had taken over her face was turned into a forlorn expression as she tried all she could she make sure not to break into tears in their presence. "So, who am I buying the dress for?" She wanted to make sure, even though she needn't them to say it by their words directly.

Papa dropped down the spoon he was eating with and stood up, "Akasha, of course, what else were you thinking? Don't go and make a mistake, Esmeray. And you should hurry because I'm sure there will be a rush for dresses especially now that the King is going to choose a bride in the Virgin Runaway too."

The Virgin Runaway, Esmeray mused to herself. But she was a virgin too. Maybe she was even more pure and more authentic in the virginity aspect than her sister. For she had caught her times without number in the hands of her boyfriend before he left for school, kissing and doing all sorts of things and she had always threatened her not to tell Papa. Not that she would ever get the nerve to tell, anyway.

"Akasha, get ready now. We have to leave to the skin therapist office now unless we want to be late for our appointment." Papa's words brought her out of her reverie and she laid her eyes on Yamla that was flaring her a daring look, as though she was daring her to say what she wanted to, which they all knew what it was.

But instead, she turned to leave. And the moment she had turned her back on them, her tears cascaded down her cheeks in a rush and she rushed out of the house. She was running and crying, not caring about the weird looks she got from people, the vampires she was able to see now, the sounds that had always frightened her whenever she walked out of their house, as she brushed through a bunch of people until she stood in front of Jezebel's shop.

She wiped at her tears and walked in with a forced smile, Jezebel gave her last customer his order before she turned to her with a smile and it immediately dropped when she saw her. She brought her in and gave her a hug, "What's wrong, Esmeray?" She asked tenderly and no matter how Esmeray wanted to act brave, she broke into tears.

"The virgin runaway would be in two days instead."

Jezebel nodded her head, "I know, the King will be there to choose his bride too."

She wiped at her tears, feeling stung at the mention of the king before she continued. "Papa asked me to buy a dress for Akasha. They're taking her to the skincare therapist now because they think she might be lucky and that man will choose her. But he's not taking me there." Her lips trembled as she spoke and she broke into tears and when she heard Jezebel's laughter, she knew it was solely because she referred to the king as that man.

Jezebel brought her to her body and patted her head lovingly, "My ever stubborn Esmeray. Do you want to get a husband too?" She innocently nodded her head, she wanted to get away from her family as fast as she could. As Yamla didn't approve to her going to a university because Akasha was unable to pass her high school exams so she couldn't afford seeing her go where Akasha couldn't.

"Then let's get you a dress too, a very casual one that will certainly look great on you."

"But..." she started but Jezebel was already closing her shop.

"I know he won't take you there, but you won't stay home all day, right? Follow them with the pretense of just going to watch the show, maybe some gentleman will pick a liking in you by being just there. Who knew?" They were walking toward the dresses shop now as Jezebel teased her, "Or the King himself."

She laughed when Esmeray whined, "Jezebel!" She scrunched up her face, "I'd rather die than get married to that guy." She didn't know why she hated him, didn't even have a reason to, but all she knew was she hated him with every fibre of her being and had this insatiable urge to see him in pain and in desperate need of something that belonged to her so she could use it against him. But who was she joking? She was just Esmeray, the most helpless girl in the world, how dare she had something in her possession that the king would desperately need?

She shrugged her shoulders at that thought. But maybe like Jezebel said, who knew?