Resurgence

Chapter 7:

Another speech. I hated public speaking. It was one of the many turn-offs to being the ruler of a kingdom. Nicole intertwined her fingers around mine as we stepped out onto the balcony. She gasped in awe at the people and creatures below her staring back at her with curiosity. I felt her pulse in the water around me. She was frightened. I leaned and whispered in her ear. "They are curious of you as much as you are to them. Do not fear my people. They will never harm you. I will not allow it." Nicole nodded silently; her hold on my hand was in a death grip. I turned back to the waiting crowd. "I would like to introduce my wife, Nicole Marseille." Light whispering emanated from the people. "She would like to say a few things about herself. I'm sure you'll love her just as much as I do." Nicole looked like she'd seen a ghost. "It's ok. Remember if things start to go bad then use your power." She gulped and turned back to the people, releasing my hand to step towards the balcony even closer. She looked down and smiled. The crowd was surprised by that beautiful face. Her face was that of an angel's when she began to talk.

"I don't know where to start. My husband," She looked at me for recognition, "left me a few days ago. I feared the worst. I love Tetzuya with my whole being. I would never create a rift between his responsibilities and me. Please I want your trust. I am a vampire." There was the big one. My people shrank back a little from the balcony. The only stories they had ever heard of vampires were horrific ones. "I would never hurt anyone. I have control over what I am." All of a sudden in a flash of bubbles, a huge aqua and gold dragon was right square in our faces, blocking our view from the multitude. Nicole was taken aback by the sudden intrusion. She bared her fangs in defense, but quickly reigned in her expression. The dragon almost grinned. I knew who this dragon was now. Wonderful, just what I needed. Elaina Yania, my once betrothed. I stepped in front of Nicole in protection.

"Elaina, be at peace please. We've settled our situation long ago." Nicole peered around me, but stayed there.

"I am at peace, but not with this thing you've married." Her massive head swung back and forth in disapproval. I hissed and bared my fangs at her.

"She is not a thing, dragoness." I seethed. "She is my wife."

"She is a dead dark thing. How dare you bring her down to our city!" She roared. Nicole stiffened and I had a mind to transform. I was larger than most dragons and my father was even bigger. I think that went with the throne. The royals were always massive in size. Nicole stepped from behind me. I tried to push her back, but she used her unnatural strength to power through. Elaina's expression was one of amusement as Nicole went face to face with her again.

"I may be dead in a sense, but I am neither dark nor a thing. I was once human. I have gained my heart back through a good deed. I am just as alive as the next being. I beg that you see past the old legends and stories of my kind. There are many evil vampires out there, but I do not belong to that group. Please understand." Nicole bowed before the dragoness then much to Elaina's shock and confusion. Nicole had learned respect for the dragons and bowing was the surest way to get on their good side, but unfortunately Elaina was a different story.

"I understand, Vampire. Can you even have heirs?" I wanted to rip this dragon's throat out now.

"As far as I know, I am unable to bare children." Nicole replied.

"Then how is our heir, the next in line to the throne, going to create another heir to carry on his generation of Dragon Rulers?" Elaina countered. Nicole floated there on the balcony, frozen.

"I do not know." The look on her face was sheer sadness. I didn't think that thought had ever crossed her mind. It had crossed mine a few times when we first got together, but I didn't care about the politics. I would renounce my throne to the most loyal Dragon if it came down to that. I wrapped my arms around my wife to console her. She was letting her weaknesses show. Nicole hardly ever hid the humanity she still had. It was what made her a very unique vampire. It was one of the reasons I loved her so much.

"Elaina. Enough." I slitted my eyes and gave her my most menacing glare. I was having a little difficulty harnessing and controlling my urge to change. I growled and Nicole tensed from the sound. It echoed throughout the square. I could hear the merfolk and dragons murmuring down below. Elaina knew to leave well enough alone. I was the Ruler here today and not her.

"As you wish, but this is far from over. There are many of us who feel the way I do about this…arrangement." She snorted bubbles at Nicole in disgust before she turned tail and left. The crowd below floated there in shock from this private discussion. They knew Elaina was a short-fused dragoness. I couldn't help but think she was still wanting to be my Queen. She didn't love me, she loved my throne.

"I am sorry. I will explain that all later." I whispered to Nicole.

"It was pretty self-explanatory I thought." I could tell Nicole was shook up by that close encounter.

"No, unfortunately, there's more to that one." I turned my attention back to the waiting crowd. "I am sorry for that interruption. You have heard what my wife, you new Princess, and what she has to say for herself. I hope you can learn to trust and be a little more open minded about such things. Nicole and I plan on searching for my Father, the King, along with a few volunteers in the near future. Uno and her crew have yet to come home and report back to me on her findings if there are any. We will keep you informed. Until then please live your lives as normally as possible. If you have any information please step forward at any time. I will be here for you for at least another week. Thank you." I bowed to them and they bowed back, except for a select few. I noted who they were to keep a close eye on them. Nicole and I headed back into the throne room.

"Well, that was just about as fun as I thought it was going to be." Nicole said sarcastically.

"I'm sorry. I didn't think anyone would do what Elaina did."

"So, what's the story with Dragon Lady?"

"She was my betrothed before I denied her completely." I said as I sat on my throne.

"Really now? So, she's jealous?" Nicole smirked.

"I suppose so, but then again it might have to do also with the fact that you drink blood and are undead." Nicole snorted.

"I've never been so discriminated against in my life."

"I'm sorry." I said, truly regretful of how she was being treated by my people.

"Stop apologizing, Tetzuya. It isn't your fault."

"I know, but I just feel bad." She touched my face with her soft hand. "I wonder where Rhonus is. He usually follows me around like a lost dogfish." Nicole giggled at the simile. "Oh well. He'll find us soon enough. Why don't we grab something to eat?" Nicole's eyes lit up. "No not that type of food, love."

"Awww." She pouted. "I don't really like sushi, Tetzuya. I like my food rare, or well done."

"I know. Let me take you somewhere special." I took her hand and swam quickly through the corridors. I went upward into a darkened hallway. "My father still doesn't know about this place I've hidden. The palace is attached to an underwater cavern. There are many dry air pockets in it. I was bored and wanted to escape for awhile and I found the perfect place to hide my obsession." We wound in and out of the barely lit stone pathways. I felt along the top of the ceiling to find the opening to my hidden chamber.

"This is just as bad as my crypt at home only filled with water." Nicole commented. I had just found the smooth surface and then a coral handle that slid the door open. Yellow light filled the water around us as we looked up into the dry air pocket. I jumped out first and smiled when I saw nothing had been tampered with. Nicole lifted her hand out of the water and I lifted her out. "Ohmygod! This is incredible!" She looked around the modest apartment-like cavern. I handed her a towel from the towel rack that was mounted to the wall right beside the door. She patted herself down, but then threw her clothes off completely when she realized she wouldn't get dry. I hung the light clothes over one of the coral chairs. I handed Nicole a scarf I had laying on the dining room table. She tied it around herself, making a little almost see through dress. I smiled. She was so beautiful. The Vampiress walked over to little make-shift kitchen. "This is so quaint. I love this." She opened the cabinets to reveal the non-perishable canned foods. I had stock piled everything from canned tuna and chicken to brussel sprouts and mandarin oranges. I had a battery operated stove top and a few pots and pans to cook with. Above the mini kitchen counter I had a couple more cabinets that housed a few sets of old china and silverware that I had found in shipwrecks. I had of course cleaned them thoroughly. "How did you get all of this food down here?"

"I smuggled it carefully in waterproof plastic containers. I've had this all set up for hundreds of years….of course I've changed out the food. When I was younger I would sneak up to the human world and buy things and store them up here. When I collected all that I needed to create a dry human haven I set it all up like this. I come here when I come home. I don't really prefer sleeping in the water and I thought you wouldn't either. Here let me show you something else." I had a little library of bookshelves lining the walls of an informal living room. I had mats and rugs all over the floors for a warm cozy feel. I had two coral and sponge padded chairs in that little living room. But that wasn't what I was about to show my new wife. We walked into a little crevice only big enough for one person at a time. I went first, holding her hand. It opened up into my bedroom. I lit a couple of oil lamps and turned on another battery operated light. The bed was about the size of my bed in my chambers, but this was decked out in a rusty orange and red comforter with throw pillows. The room wasn't much bigger to put anything but a bed, but I managed to put a small wardrobe in there with some of my clothes. I changed into a dry robe and hung my royal one on a hanger. Nicole sat on the bed and smiled up at me. Yet another vision of loveliness I never thought I would see. I kissed her then not caring about what lay ahead of us. Not caring about my father. I love him, but not as much as my Nicole. She was everything to me. I knew that if I didn't stop now we would continue again and we needed to be awake and that would just make me tired. I stopped and she looked at me questioningly.

"Why'd we stop?"

"We don't have the time, love. I brought you up here to feed you and me. Let me cook you up some home canned cooking." I grinned. She laughed. I had mastered some interesting recipes from canned food. Especially some spam. "Have a seat." I motioned to the two chairs next to the bookshelves we passed earlier. She looked through the shelves and selected a book. All my copies were old, very old. Most of them were falling apart. Nicole handled Treasure Island with the utmost respect.

"This is a…"

"First edition. A lot of them are." I said as I headed over to the kitchen. I picked up a can of chicken and a box of spaghetti.

"This place is awesome, honey." She said as she gently skimmed though the pages. "I think I could stay here if the need occurred." I paused in my sautéing.

"Really? You wouldn't mind being wet 24-7?"

"That's what she said."

"Funny. But that's not what I meant. You could live down here with me?" I asked, returning to my stirring. I sprinkled some garlic salt on it and some oregano all the while boiling the pasta in another pot.

"I could live anywhere you are." She smiled as she looked up from her book.

"That's nice, but would you be happy?"

"Yes." The vampiress stated simply as she turned back to her book. "As long as you stay with me."

"Of course." I finished with my cooking and drained the pasta back down into the hole that was also our door. It was just hot water. I combined the chicken and noodles together and added some white country gravy for a sauce. I emptied the concoction into some bowls and set them on the table. Nicole came and joined me.

"Smells good." She said as she took a bite. "I like it. I'm sure it's better than sushi."

"Much better." I said as I ate. "So, we have to start planning our journey. It's going to take at least a week to swim to the Volcano Range where dad was seen last. Who knows what might be lurking there?"

"Sounds like fun. To go on an adventure I mean." Nicole said as she finished up her bowl of pasta.

"You've had your fair share of adventure, haven't you?"

"I suppose last time was a little crazy, but hey I'm a vampire. It comes with the territory." She shrugged, placing her bowl in the wash tub I set up.

"Well, you'll just have to pay attention and be alert when you're with me. Things down here can be pretty sneaky. How about we take a quick hour nap to recoup?"

"Sounds like a plan to me, my love."