Valerian Empire

Year 1847

She stood on the stool as she balanced herself on her tip toes to clean the shelves above her.

"Katie!" Aunt Sally exclaimed looking at Katherine's stance on the old wooden stool as it shook slightly, "How many times do I have to repeat myself not to stand that way? And where's Ralph?"

"I'll be fine, you worry for nothing and I'm almost done," Katie replied getting down the stool and dusting her hands together, "He said something about taking a break," the elder woman scowled hearing it.

"He's gone to meet Velma, hasn't he?"

Katie shrugged her shoulders in response as she went to pick the bucket from the ground. Her Aunt Sally had planned to clean the house with Katie and her son Ralph's help today but Ralph had escaped from work as usual.

"I'm so glad I have you. What would I do without you," her aunt said making Katie smile.

"Uncle Desmond and Ralph would have driven you mad?"

"That's right," her aunt swiftly nodded her head in agreement while Katie linked one of her arms with her aunt's arm, "Come, I've baked hot, sweet buns to eat."

With years that had passed, Katherine had grown into a beautiful person inside out. Her raven black hair that was just above her waist was tied into a bun right now. She was kind and a gentle person to be with that worried her aunt sometimes.

The Welcher's had loved and protected her when they had taken her into their family when she was young. They shielded her from any harm and helped her as any family would.

Though she had her relatives support as she grew up, there were others who were concerned about her well being and that included the two lords of the east and west.

Katie sat down on the wooden chair and grabbed the hot bun in her hand, tearing it to a small portion so that her mouth could hold it in. There was a knock on the door and her aunt went to answer it.

"Annabelle dear! It's been long since your last visit. Come on in," her aunt exclaimed as she greeted the slender women.

"Hello Mrs Welcher, I need to borrow Katie for few minutes if that's alright it's a little urgent," Annabelle said looking towards Katie, "It's nothing serious or troublesome I promise," she added quickly seeing Mrs Welcher's worried expression.

"All right dear but don't be late," Mrs Welcher said to which Katie nodded before being dragged out by Annabelle.

Annabelle linked her arm with Katherine as she pulled her away from the Welcher's house. Annabelle was one of Katherine's friend who was now married to one of the noble man in the estate, who was a vampire.

"What's the rush? You look to be in a hurry," Katie said looking at her friend as she looked her around searching for something, or perhaps someone.

"Let's just say someone isn't aware that someone came to this place without any notice and if someone else meets that someone, that might be a problem," her friend said hurriedly.

"You didn't tell your husband that you were coming here?" Katie asked a little taken aback as her eyes widen, "Wait does anybody know?"

Annabelle was married to her vampire husband, Donovan, against her wishes. Her family being the poorest had no choice but to go with the arrangement when the noble man had come and asked her hand in marriage. The man was scary to look with rough appearance he held and the gruff voice. But Annabelle had claimed later on that he was a decent man and a loving husband.

Though vampires and humans lived together it didn't mean they co-existed equally everywhere. There were vampires who didn't like the humans and humans who didn't like the vampires in the Empire. Annabelle's husband was not one of them, he only meant her well being. In the fear that a human would avenge him by hurting his beloved wife, he kept her away from the humans.

"That is why it's urgent," Annabelle rolled her eyes with a sigh, "I need some privacy with my Katie without any buff man hovering behind us to protect me from silly insects. I wrote a letter to him and placed it on his desk, so he should understand."

"So what's the urgent matter?" Katie asked as they sat down on the green grass.

"You know how every winter there's celebration in the main mansion which we wanted to go?" Annabelle asked glaring at a nearby tree.

"Which we couldn't because we weren't invited," Katie piped in.

"Yes, that one," she answered narrowing her eyes and then smiling slowly she continued, "But as I'm a noble's wife I have been invited and the better news is that Donovan's cousin needs a partner to go to the Winter's Celebration so I thought why not it be you," with an expression of ta-da!

"The idea sounds intriguing, Anna, but I'll have to refuse," Katie replied thinking thoughtfully while she played with a small flower in her hand making her friend frown, "I have to go clean up the library, remember?"

"What if I say there is a possibility for the Lord of Valeria showing up at the Winter's celebration?" hearing this the flower Katie was playing with slipped through her fingers.

It was a year back when she fell spellbound with the picture of the man in the local newspaper, titled below with 'The Lord of Valeria'. He was handsome as the devil, not that she had met a devil but had heard people in her town talk about him. Katie's memories weren't fresh but that didn't mean she forgot him. She knew the Lord was the one who had saved her life.

Understanding Katie's silence, Anna spoke, "The carriage will be here at six to pick you up," she hugged her.

"Wouldn't it be rude if I left Donovan's cousin searching for the Lord when I'm at the mansion?" Katie asked worried to which Anna waved her hand.

"Don't worry about that, Toby is going there on some official work and he'll be occupied," Anna replied getting up and dusting her dress while Katie mirrored her actions.

Before leaving Anna gave the Winter celebrations invitation card to Katie as only the one who had the card was invited in.

At thirty past five, Katie was getting her hair done by her aunt. Katie's hair was a mix of light curls and waves which she didn't like. It was difficult to keep it tamed and neat, unlike the females who possessed straight smooth hair. She envied it.

"You have beautiful hair, do you know that? Now shush," Her aunt chastised her when she grumbled with disagreement, "Are you sure you want to go to tonight's Winter celebration? There are going to be many kinds of peop-"

"Oh dear, mother. Katie is going to be fine at the main mansion," Ralph interrupted walking in with his hands in his trouser pockets.

Ralph had grown taller than Mr Welcher though falling two inches short for a six feet frame. His brown hair that had been combed while he had left home was now ruffled up making his mother sigh. She didn't even want to know what he was doing.

"Don't worry, auntie. I'll be meeting up Annabelle once I reach the main mansion and will be in her company along with an acquaintance of hers," Katie assured her aunt looking at her aunt's reflection and saw her nod.

"Alright, dear. There, your hair is all done," her aunt said putting the hair brush down on the dresser table.

Her curly-wavy hair was put up in a loose bun that was slightly messy but at the same time looked elegant. Feeling one of her hair strands pull her scalp she went to touch it to only get her hand swatted away.

"You're going to spoil it if you touch it. Go now I have dinner to prepare, enjoy your evening," her aunt said before heading out of the room and she shouted, "Ralph, get me the logs will you. All woods are exhausted and I'll need it for the night."

"Sure, ma," Ralph replied loudly and then asked Katie, "So you excited?"

"For the Winter Celebration?"

"Not that one. You're going to see him, aren't you my little sister," Ralph asked her as Katie pulled out the jar she had put the currency of coins as savings.

The Welcher's weren't fond of the vampires as they were the reason one of their family was killed. Ralph was apprehensive of sending her knowing the political conditions that were going behind the curtains of the world. At the same time, he had seen the adoration her eyes held when she heard something about the Lord when she was a little girl.

"I well, not exactly but you know. I mean-" Katie began to speak but Ralph raised his hand for her to stop.

"I got it. Just be careful and safe alright," Ralph said with a smile before her aunt came into the room with hurried footsteps.

"The carriage is already here! Here, I brought this," the woman said showing a dark red rose in her hand that was half bloomed. She stood next to Katie and pinned the flower to the messy bun.

When the carriage left with Katie in it, Mrs. Welcher turned towards her son to speak, "Honey, are the logs on the way walking towards our home?"

"No, it might take an hour for them to walk. Don't worry I'll go help them get here," was the smart reply from Ralph

"Please do," she replied and a worried crease formed on her forehead as she looked at the carriage.

Seeing this Ralph placed his hand around his mother's shoulder, "She will be fine. She's not little anymore."

"That's one thing to be worried about," she murmured to herself making Ralph look at her in question to which she shook her head, sending him off to fetch the logs.