Work Text:
You’re the young damsel of the Convalaria family, a well-known noble family residing in the Kingdom of Gerbera. One spring morning, while walking through the gardens of your family palace, a messenger arrives on horseback. The young messenger brings with him a sealed parchment with the emblem of Duchess Camelia of Amaranthus. The invitation is clear:
“Duchess Camelia requests the presence of the honorable Convalaria family at the celebration of the spring equinox, which will take place next Wednesday at the Amaranthus Castle.”
Your parents, the Counts of Convalaria, feel honored. However, on the very day of the celebration, they must depart for the distant Kingdom of Muscaria to attend an important meeting. Therefore, it is decided that you will attend alone, accompanied only by your companion lady and escorted by two trusted knights.
When Wednesday finally arrives, you feel nervous, but at the same time excited. It's your first official appearance at an event of such magnitude. As the afternoon comes, you get into the carriage alongside your lady and the two knights.
The castle rises over the cliffs of the Acropora Sea. Duchess Camelia, dressed in a black silk dress, greets you with an enigmatic smile.
- Welcome, you must be the daughter of the Convalaria. Your presence was expected.
The party unfolds amid laughter, drinks, and music. You, although dazzled by the beauty of the place, cannot take your eyes off the Duchess. There was something about her that caught your attention. It wasn’t just her beauty, nor her long silk dress. It was her mysterious aura.
During dinner, Duchess Camelia sits next to you and speaks to you in a low voice:
- You’ve been watching me. Not with curiosity, but with desire. That’s unusual among young noble ladies.
Your cheeks blush, but you deny nothing.
- If I may say so, I find it curious that someone as young as you is a Duchess. And even more intriguing that you live alone in such a huge castle. Would it be very disrespectful of me to ask your age?
- My age? - she repeats, as if the word were foreign to her - Twenty-seven, dear.
After the dinner, Camelia takes your hand and leads you to the center of the room. The music changes to a more intense melody. The guests’ gazes rise upon you two, but no one dares to interrupt. No one dares to comment. The Duchess had chosen her partner.
Camelia places one hand on your waist, while the other holds yours. You, although you had never danced a tango in public, let yourself be guided. Each step represents a silent conversation, each glance a confession. The Duchess danced as if she had lived a thousand lives and had loved in all of them.
When the music reaches its end, Camelia twirls you elegantly and holds you just before your bodies separate. The silence that follows is as deep as the last note.
The Duchess leans forward and whispers to you:
- Now you can no longer go back.
The night slowly faded away. The laughter diminished, the glasses emptied, the guests said their goodbyes. It's around one in the morning when you decide to approach the Duchess to thank her for the evening. Camelia stands next to a column, holding a glass of dark wine in her hand, her gaze lost somewhere in the hall.
- It has been an unforgettable night - you say with a slight bow - Thank you for your hospitality. I think it's time to leave.
The Duchess turns slowly, as if waking from her deep thoughts. Her expression is serene, but her eyes sparkle with something more than mere courtesy.
- So soon? - she asks with a soft voice - The castle is more beautiful when it sleeps. And there are plenty of guest rooms.
It wasn’t customary to stay without prior notice, and your parents had taught you not to accept unnecessary hospitality. But the way Camelia asked for it... as if it weren’t just a simple invitation, but the destiny of your travel.
- Wouldn't it bother you? - you reply.
The Duchess smiles, this time with an unexpected warmth.
- I would be more bothered if you left just when the night starts to shine.
- Then... I will stay. But first I must inform my lady and my knights that they may return without me.
The Duchess nods in approval. You head to the lobby, where your lady and the two knights are waiting for you.
- The Duchess has offered me to stay the night at the castle. It isn’t necessary for you to remain. Return to the palace and, when they return from Muscaria, tell my parents that I’m in good hands.
The lady furrows her brow, but you take her hands gently.
Trust me. It's not an impulsive decision.
The knights exchange glances, but do not question the order. With a bow, they withdraw to the carriage alongside the lady.
The Duchess leads you through a long hallway to an elegant guest room. She shows you the adjoining bathroom. Then, from the closet, she takes out a robe and some slippers.
- So that you’re comfortable. If you need anything, you can find me in the large room at the end of the hallway.
- Wait! - you exclaim before Camelia leaves - Don't leave me alone…
- Why? Don't tell me that... Are you afraid of the dark? - she says with a mocking smile.
- Your castle is very big and dark... - you reply embarrassed.
The Duchess smiles with a mischievous spark in her eyes and approaches slowly.
- Then... tonight you'll sleep in my bed - she says casually - Thus you won't have to fear the dark.
Camelia leaves the room and you follow her in silence. As you cross the hallway, you arrive in front of a large dark wooden door. The Duchess opens it, revealing a spacious bedroom. Without looking back, she enters, followed by you. She approaches the wardrobe and changes her outfit in front of you. Afterwards, she sits on the bed and removes her earrings, placing them gently on the nightstand. You, still a bit shy, take off your current clothes and wrap yourself in the borrowed robe. You settle at the edge of the bed and take off your slippers.
Without words, both of you slide under the silk sheets, surrounded by an uncomfortable silence. Camelia blows out the candle with which she had guided you here.
- Good night, dear - she murmurs.
- Good night - you reply, closing your eyes as darkness envelops you two.
After a few minutes, the silence begins to weigh heavily. You turn onto your side, positioning yourself in a way that allows you to observe Camelia, who, with her eyes open, stares at the ceiling in silence.
- You can’t sleep? - you ask quietly, fearing to disturb the Duchess.
- No - the Duchess replies after a pause - Actually... I prefer to sleep during the day.
- During the day? - you repeat, confused.
- You can't sleep either, can you? - replies Camelia, trying to divert the conversation.
Both women look at each other in silence. Finally, the Duchess breaks the ice by slowly leaning in to your lips and placing a gentle kiss on them. Camelia and you kiss passionately. Shortly after, everything becomes much more intimate.
After a fiery night, your eyes open as they meet the first rays of light shining through the window and filtering through the large curtains. To your surprise, the Duchess is not beside you.
You stand up, wrap yourself in the robe that was lying on the floor, put on your slippers, and leave the room. You walk through the castle until a mild metallic smell surrounds you. You stop in front of a slightly open door and cautiously push it open. Inside, large curtains completely block out the light.
The Duchess is there, dimly lit by a couple of candles, sitting in a black velvet armchair and holding a glass in her hand. In her glass, a strange red liquid glows with an unsettling intensity. Upon seeing you, she smiles with a calmness that chills the blood.
- You woke up early - she says before taking another sip.
- What... what are you drinking? - you ask with a trembling voice, unable to hide the fear.
- This? - says the Duchess as she elegantly raises her glass - Tomato juice. I heard it's effective against a hangover.
- Ma’am - you murmur with a doubtful voice - I must return home before my parents do.
- So soon? - she replies sadly - I feel very lonely here... Why don't you stay a few more days and offer me your company?
After a few moments of conversation, exchanging words full of affection, the Duchess manages to persuade you to extend your stay for a few more days. That very morning, you sit down to write a letter:
“Dear Father and Mother,
I will stay a few more days at the Duchess's castle. She needs company, and I... still have much to discover here. Don't worry. I’ll be fine.
With love,
your dear daughter.”
Once the letter is sealed and sent, you turn all your attention back to the Duchess, determined to get to know her more deeply.
The days go by in the castle, wrapped in an atmosphere of mystery and charm. You and the Duchess are getting to know each other more and more: you share laughs, secrets, and romantic moments. You have completely fallen in love with her.
However, there’s something that doesn't fit right. A silent unease weighs on your chest. You know that Camelia is hiding something from you, even though you cannot guess what it is. Every night, upon waking in the middle of the darkness, you find that she’s not by your side. Her absence repeats itself night after night.
One night, upon waking and not finding Camelia by your side, you decide to get up and walk through the castle in her search. The moon filters its dim light through the stained glass windows. Suddenly, you hear the creaking of the front door. The Duchess slowly enters, covered in blood, with her eyes shining in a bright red that you had never seen before.
The air becomes dense, your heart beats strongly and fear paralyzes you completely.
- What… what are you doing awake? - asks Camelia anxiously - Stay away from me… it's dangerous.
- What happened? - you manage to ask with a thread of voice.
- You shouldn't have seen me like this... - murmurs the Duchess, lowering her gaze.
-You are... you're a vampire - you whisper while taking a step back.
- Dear, please, listen to me... I'm sorry I didn't tell you before. I was afraid of losing you, because my feelings for you are real. I truly love you.
- All this time... have you been holding yourself back? - you ask with your voice full of wonder and fear - How have you been able to sleep next to me, to be intimate with me, without biting me even once?
Camelia closes her eyes for a moment.
- Every night has been a battle... but I refused to hurt you - she responds with a low voice.
You observe her, still paralyzed, confused between the love you feel and the fear that envelops you. The Duchess stares at you intently. The intense red still burns in her gaze, but there’s something more: pain, guilt…
- I'm sorry… I must feed myself, please understand.
You slowly approach the Duchess and raise your hands to gently hold her face.
- I understand… but it worries me that you put yourself in danger. What would happen if someone were to find out?
Camelia lowers her gaze. Her lips tremble.
- Then... they would kill me. There’s no judgment nor forgiveness for those of my kind. Only stakes, persecution and destruction - replies the Duchess with a sparkle of fear on her face.
- Feed on me - you say determinedly - Take my blood, if that’s what you need.
- Dear, I can't do that. I can't hurt you.
- You can - you murmur as you slide the nightgown off your shoulders, letting the fabric fall slowly until your neck is completely exposed and vulnerable.
She approaches. Her cold breath brushes against your collarbone. Once her lips rest upon your skin, you close your eyes and your heart beats strongly. The atmosphere fills with an absolute silence when you feel her fangs sinking into your neck and a shiver runs down your spine.
It's not pain, at least not like you expected. It's a strange mix of pressure and heat. Your breath becomes ragged, your heartbeat synchronizes with hers. Your legs weaken, but her arms hold you tenderly. Right now, there’s no fear, but an intimate and special bond.
After that, the days pass in the castle. Completely devoted to the romance with the Duchess. Once a week, she feeds on you with a mixture of desire and guilt, her fangs marking a pact of love and need.
Your body becomes more and more fragile, your skin paler. She watches you while you sleep, tormented by your sick appearance. The love that ties her to you begins to hurt her more than the hunger.
One night, without saying anything, the Duchess leaves the castle and goes back into the streets of the nearest village in search of food. But this time, she’s not so lucky. This time, someone discovers her.
The Duchess manages to escape into the shadows and returns to the castle. Soon after, the silence of the night is broken. First there are distant voices, then screams. An enraged crowd gathers in front of the main entrance. Shouts and torches. Stakes and pitchforks.
The loud noises wake you up. You stand up with your heart racing, and without thinking, you go down the stairs covered in your sleepwear. When you reach the lobby, the scene freezes your blood: Camelia is there, standing in front of the closed door, with her eyes filled with terror.
- Dear! - she exclaims upon seeing you - You have to run away. Now. Please.
But you don’t react. You can’t. The idea of abandoning her, of leaving her alone in front of that blind fury, is more painful to you than any danger.
- No - you reply with a broken voice - I’m not going to leave you. If you fall, I fall with you.
Camelia approaches and takes your face in her trembling hands.
- You don't know what they’ll do if they find you here - she whispers - They don't understand. They are blinded by fear.
- No matter what happens, I won't separate from you - you respond.
Outside, the hits against the door intensifies. Finally, the door bursts under the weight of the crowd. The shouts of enraged men and women fill the lobby. Torches held high, stakes in hand.
- There are two! Two creatures from hell! - shouts one, pointing with a trembling finger.
- Vampires! Monstrosities of the devil! - exclaims another.
Camelia stands between you and them, with her arms extended and a firm look despite her fear.
- She's not like me! - she screams - She's human! She’s not to blame for anything!
But her words are meaningless in front of a crowd blinded by fear and hatred.
- If she has shared a roof with a creature like you, then she has the demon inside! - A man answers as he lifts a stake.
The chaos bursts. Bodies rush in and torches illuminate faces filled with fury. The Duchess fights with desperate strength, bringing down several of them, protecting you with every move. But there are too many. Suddenly, a stake pierces her chest and the scream that escapes her lips is more painful for you than for herself.
Her eyes search for you one last time, shining with love and sadness. Then, they fade away.
You fall to your knees, the world crumbles before your eyes. You scream, but your voice gets lost in the rumble. They grab you by the arms and drag you out of the castle while they set it on fire. The flames begin to quickly consume it.
The night turns into a parade of horrors. They take you to the village, where they begin to prepare firewood and a large pole in the middle of the main square. There’s no trial, only the sentence.
- Witch! Devil's lover! - they exclaim.
They tie you tightly and the smoke begins to rise. As the flames approach, your gaze lifts toward the sky, wishing that Camelia's soul has managed to escape the claws of this cruel world.
You close your eyes tightly as tears burst from them. Not for the physical pain, but for the loss, for the injustice, for the love taken away. The flames begin to consume the pole. The heat intensifies and the smoke envelops you.
- Witch!
- Spawn of evil!
- May the fire purify your soul!
- For bringing darkness to our land!
Their words are like blades, but you no longer listen to them. In your mind there’s only her, Camelia. Her smile, her voice. You cling to the memory of her gaze before passing away.
The fire reaches you, and while the pain consumes you, your tears keep falling. Tearing screams of agony escape from your lips.
After that night when the castle burned and the square was painted with smoke and ashes, several days passed. The village returned to its routine, as if the horror had been just a fleeting dream. But the ashes didn’t take away the memory and the voices kept talking.
The news traveled from mouth to mouth: “A witch was burned in the square.” “She lived with an evil creature.” “That castle housed evil.”
When they reached your parents’ ears, it was as if the world stopped. Your parents were horrified, not by the true nature of the Duchess, but by the tragic fate that other humans had decided for their daughter. The horror didn’t arise from the secret, but from the injustice. What broke them wasn’t what the Duchess was, but how you were ripped from the world. To them, you were not a witch. You were their daughter, you were love.
THE END