Chapter Six

Three years had passed since Emma came into this world. Merek had granted my request to spend the summer with the girls, taking Juliana, my third born daughter with me. Cecily was five now, and Merek was already trying to secure a betrothal for Cecily, which was another reason we had to keep up appearances. No one would pledge their son to the daughter of a disgraced Queen, for there sake I kept up appearances. I spent the next five summers with my girls, they were the best times of my life. 

As much as had grown to hate Merek, I still did my duty, praying that this time I would bare the son he so desperately wanted. I found that I was with child soon after, The child I was carrying truly was the last chance for Merek.  Part of me blamed him for not having a son yet, I gave him one, though it was true Merek was not the father, he still could have claimed him, no one would have needed to know other wise, yet he threw him away, and now asked for another.  I gave birth after a long and difficult labor, my trusted midwife brought my second son into this world. Merek was thrilled, for the first time in years, he looked at me with love in his eyes. Our son was given every comfort, and wanted for nothing. As I sat rocking my son, my thoughts drifted back to Tristan. He would have been Fifteen, just becoming a man.

Alice did what she could to raise Tristan, though the older her got the more apparent it was that he was different, he could no longer consume food, making himself sick if he tried. He has a craving that couldn't be explained, nor could it be satisfied. Cradling her crying ward, Alice soon found out what exactly he was, when he snuggled close and sunk his teeth into her neck, not stopping despite her screams, until he had drank his fill. When he realized what he'd done, he sat down next to Alice and cried until there was nothing left to cry. The smell of her blood had attracted something worse than all the animals of the forest that had gathered outside. The man entered the house, heading for the boy, seeing the features that were so like his own, Tristan went willingly and the two of them left the village.