Ava went to Annabeth's place, where they were received by Anna's younger sister who was groaning and whining on her phone and went to her room after telling them that there's leftover pizza in the refrigerator. The girls took pizza and drinks to Annabeth's room, upstairs, and both girls ate chatting with each other before taking turns with their shower and changed into their dresses.

Annabeth was dressed in a sleeveless Calypso nightfall dress; a lush tulle gown with skirt of lavender, inky black and grey swirling into darker shade of black with little leaves like pattern crawling up to transparent neckline. Her hair were pinned back in a bun, with a light make-up and waited for Ava to change into her dress. Ava walked back into the room wearing A-line applique faded dusty pink tulle dress, with V-neckline and deep back cut. Annabeth grinned and grabbed the girl to do her hair and make-up. She pinned her hair in half-up do and made loose curls of he remaining her. Anna did smokey black make-up with pink lip gloss and appreciated her work.

'I look ridiculous!' Ava complained raising her hand to touch the fake eyelash and Anna slapped her hand away.

"Girl, you look fine. If only we had a date to go with."

"I could have if Dad didn't end up ruining it." Ava grumbled looking sideways with crossed arms.

"Why?" Annabeth quirked her brow at the girl "What did he do?"

"My Dad followed him to the night club and it turned out he's interested in Dad."

Annabeth let out a bark of laughter and slapped Ava on her back.

"Sorry but it's hilarious." She wiped a stray tear at the corner of her eye, getting serious but then again burst out into another full laughter.

"I hate you." Ava shouted flushing in embarrassment.

"Love you too. Now let's get going before Aaron can have our heads on platter for being late to his parents' wedding anniversary."

The girls checked themselves in the mirror before going downstairs. Annabeth told her sister not to wait for her, but her sister was still yelling at someone on the phone and Annabeth left the house with Ava to Aaron's place in her car.

-

Somehow, Irina managed to walk on high boots without falling on her rear and losing her balance. The young vampire was proud of herself, and in excitement ended up taking more blood from the Tsarina than it was needed, leaving the queen drained and exhausted. The next task was to teach the girl about table manners. Madame Lilian sat on the left to Irina, and picked up the fork and knife motioning the girl to do same who mirrored Madame Lilian and handled the fork and knife in her hands. She watched Madame Lillian attentively who cut herself a piece of steamed beef from the dish and put it in her plate. Irina did the same, cut the piece into further tiny chunk to put it in her mouth imitating Madame Lilian but when she put it inside her mouth and chewed on it, her hand flew to cover her mouth ran towards the balcony to throw up. In the end Irina ended up sick, drained and exhausted like her master in the bed.

It turned out beside, beside blood or grape wine her stomach couldn't take anything.

-

They stopped outside a huge mansion, and were received by a butler at the hall door, who led them through the foyer of the house towards the main hall where the guests were to be entertained. Ava entered the hall room, and she gasped at the majestic sight of the room. It looked palatial; the entire hall was decorated with faded blue curtains draped on walls, Bannister of stairwell, and balconies of the upper floor along with strings of white fairy light hanging from the oak banisters. The polished marble of gold and white could reflect her own image, and white roses and lilies woven into between the knots of curtains and inside the blue vases placed on the white clothed tables gave a full sweet fragrance. There was fountain of champagne flutes in one corner and a butler popped open the cork of bottle, pouring the bubbly wine in the glasses.

Chris was talking to one of the guests, dressed in his dark blue Arminius suit with a blue tie. He spotted the girl's at the entrance door and gave Ava his sly smirk. With his hair combed back with gel, he looked devilishly handsome and Ava chuckled to herself because she knew would slay both men and women, and get slain by Aaron.

He walked towards the girls' direction with hand in his pocket, and full grin on his face. He went straight towards Ava and lifted her hand to place a kiss on the back of it.

"The lady is looking lovely tonight." Chris smirked making the girl tomato red.

"Aaron!" Ava shouted and Chris immediately dropped her hand turning to see Aaron standing behind them. He was dressed in black silk suit, with a charcoal black dress shirt but no tie.

"Were you girls received properly?" He asked and Ava nodded.

"Your butler showed us here. I didn't know you were quite a prince in the town." Ava commented looking around the working both male and female butlers.

"I'm all humble about it." Aaron answered completely ignoring the presence of Chris beside him.

"Well, he is a handsome prince, doesn't he?" Chris tried to flatter but Aaron also knew how to play his own cards when it came to the other male.

"And you're a prince's dog aren't you?" Aaron retorted visibly irritated at the other man.

"Well...only the time will tell who is whose pet." Chris grinned which made Aaron cough to death.

"Well if you put your shenanigans aside for minute being, I'd rather like to meet your parents and congratulate them on their wedding anniversary."

Annabeth made a bored face and Aaron flushed leading both girls to his parents who were talking to the town's police captain.

"Mother, father...this is Ava our friend and, Ava, these are my parents."

Aaron introduced Ava to his parents. His mother, Mrs. Rachel Yanez was a charming and nice lady who hugged Ava and kissed her both cheeks. Her golden locks pinned at the back of her hair and with a red high neck Victorian styled gown, she looked like a fairy tale queen. But Aaron's father, Mr. Arnold Yanez was a man of exterior gruff and posture; a quite intimidating personality with black hair, bushy brows and mustache and his presence seemed to overshadow others around him. It didn't escape Ava's notice how Mr. Yanez gave a stern look to Chris who bowed his head and maintained two feet distance from Aaron. Ava and Annabeth congratulated the elder couple, and gave them bouquet of flowers.

"If you have done idling around, Chris mind if you check on cooks? I wouldn't want to disappoint our young guests who are Aaron's friends."

"Yes, sir." Mr. Yanez excused himself from there and Chris disappeared to check for the dishes. Mrs. Yanez went to greet other guests and Ava frowned at Aaron's father's behavior towards Chris.

"What was that man's deal?" She asked Annabeth and called waiter for the drink to cool down her anger.

"Mr. Yanez? You don't know that Chris lives in their house, do you?" Annabeth sipped her drink and took a seat at the table.

"Chris is the adopted son of Mr. Yanez."

"What?" Ava spluttered, coughing on her drink and stared at Annabeth in bewildered shock.

"Then...then...Chris and Aaron are?"

"No, he was son of Mr. Yanez' loyal butler who died in an accident, burned to death. Mr. Yanez took in Chris and since he's close to Aaron, they both grew up together under the same house. Chris was treated as a member of the Yanez family but it doesn't mean Mr. Yanez is treating him any better now."

"Because of the Aaron?" Ava reasoned.

"Aaron is next heir of the Yanez estate, the most notable family in the town and Yanez wouldn't want his son to be associated with a man of low birth like Chris, and most importantly to be called less of a man. So it's not a surprise that they are not in a relationship or Chris maintains it like this that he doesn't not want Aaron in that way."

"It must be hurtful for Aaron." Ava commented looking up at the Aaron and Chris bickering over something, with Aaron sighing in defeat and walked past Chris who made a non-committal grunt and went back to look over head butler bringing in the cake. It's buttercream cake with bouquet of champagne and red roses, with white flowers and 'Happy anniversary' was written on it with red in a curvy style. All the guests gathered around the elderly couple, as they cut the cake followed by the congratulatory claps and fed each other the cut piece. Ava noticed the fake smile on Chris' face.

-

Averinka paced in her chamber anxiously waiting for the maids, but stopped when the doors opened and Irina entered with the Madame Lilian along with the other maids. Averinka turned towards Irina, eyes widening in surprise and gasped when she took in the girl's appearance. Dressed in a long black dress; with golden embroidery running from the cuff of long sleeve up to the elbow, deep V cut neckline which had golden lace at the rim running to the low cut back she looked like an Egyptian princess with doe eyes which had tint of red in them. Long locks of hair, were curled at the end and half of her hair were pinned back to the crown of her head with a golden clip. Her ruby lips, curled up in a coy smile when she caught the Tsarina's gaze upon her.

"Shall I escort you to the meal hall, your majesty?" Averinka blinked few times before gaining her composure completely speechless by the behavior of Irina.

"You did a beautiful work, Madame Lilian." The queen complimented Madame Lilian and the woman made a silent nod of acknowledgement.

They left the queen resting chamber to the meal hall, accompanied by Vladimir who walked them to the hall where the royal family was seated. Vladislav, Averinka's uncle sat at the table with his wife and his son, Alexander who were waiting for the queen to join them for the dinner.

"Uncle, this is Irina from the Northern Cruliana and she'll be staying with us for the time being." Averinka imtroduced the girl to her uncle who stood with his family to greet her.

"I shall entrust myself to your hospitality, your Lordship if my stay here doesn't cause you any discomfort." Irina spoke offering a bow to Lord Vladislav.

"Northern Cruliana?" The man raised his brow. He hadn't ever heard about Cruliana in the entire life.

"It's a small City near the border of Northern Ran kingdom which I happened to see during my travel last month." Averinka made up a lie hoping her uncle takes the bait. The man narrowed his eyes at the queen not trusting her but instead said.

"Then it should be wise to say that she's the envoy of Cruliana."

"No, I'm not an envoy, the simple matter to be stated that I'm here to meet a friend."

"I hope you find our hospitality at it's gratuitous. Please join us for the meal."

Vladislav motioned at the seat and the maids drew out seat at the table's head for Averinka and the chair to her right for Irina. The dinner was served, but Irina poured herself drink and cut beef piece into small chunks pretending to eat and hid the chewed meat behind her molars, a thing she had practiced past two weeks.

"Is the meal not up to your taste?" Vladislav's wife Natasha asked concerned for their guest eating so little.

"Oh, No I assure you the meal is very delicious but I have had some supper before joining you at for the dinner."

"Very well."

Alexander, the young tsarevich around fourteen, and next heir to the throne of Russia after Averinka, kept his eager gaze on the young vampire and leaned over the table.

"Are all the women from Cruliana beautiful? I haven't seen such a beautiful thing in my entire life." Irina choked on her wine and her pale hand flew to cover her cough.

"Even sister Averinka can beat a hag when it comes to her looks."

"I'm the queen here child, and why are you calling me ugly?" Averinka shouted slamming down the chalice of wine on the table.

"Because you're rotting yourself and still have gotten no suitor."

"Is a peaceful dinner too much of ask these days?" Vladislav groaned massaging his aching temples as his wife patted his shoulder in consolation.

"And Averinka you're the queen, how can you act so childishly?" He scolded the young queen who did nothing but pout, and coughed to tell him that they had a guest with them.

"If only you can teach some mannerism to the young tsarevich, I wouldn't have my peace of mind disturbed after the council." Averinka retorted putting red grape in her mouth.

"The council demands nothing but a heir from you."

"And the heir demands a suitor which no one is suited for me."

"If you are not so prude for the state..."

"Are you to dethrone me, Duke Vladislav?" Averinka slammed her hands on the table and stood up at her seat.

"I-I..." Vladislav face suddenly deflated and he bowed his head.

"I apologize, Queen Averinka."

"If the council continues imposing it's decision on me, I'll consider it as a brewing act of treason against the throne for you to crown the new heir."

She gave a glimpse to young Alexander who was bewildered by the sudden turn of events, and left from the hall. Irina wanted to snap at the Lord Vladislav, but she kept her canines inside her gums and excused herself from the table thanking for the meal and left to look for the queen who was no in her sleeping chamber. She asked Vladimir about the whereabouts of the queen when she didn't find Averinka in her study chamber, and went to check the stable only to find her horse present there. The only place which she hadn't checked was the garden.

The vampire wandered through the moonlit garden, and found Averinka sitting at a small pond dressed in her white night gown. Crouched at the pond, arms hugging her knees without the weight of royal gown and jewelry, she looked like a frail girl crumbling under weight of her entire kingdom and expectation from her as a crowned. Irina's heart clenched at the sight of her master, and she walked closer to the other woman, whose hair were loose on her back, and nose hidden in the crook of her elbows and Irina could only make her thick eyelashes.

"Master..."