Adela stood alone, letting the two Lords leave her presence as she tried to collect her thoughts. Her father was a man of quick precise methods. She would have to start immediately, but where? She couldn't recall ever planning a party before; in fact, she was struggling to think of anything she did well before, other than disappoint her father. How was she to please Kres in his place? She put a smooth hand to her forehead.

"Adela."

She flinched almost jumping despite the reflex telling her to remain calm. She inhaled as her father did, though she doubted he ever did so to regain lost composure. After reapplying her facial mask she turned to face another female vampire. The vampire was cursed with slightly darker skin, serving as a sign of servitude or that she haled from another vampiric house completely, both of which seemed likely. Her hair appeared brown and wavy which differed from the greasy black hair of the Kres House or her silky straight and silver hair. The woman stepped closer, out of the shadows and into the light of the torches and Adela saw it. Her  queue.

The long braid swayed gently behind her, the tips not quite reaching the middle of her back. She was Augustan? Adela wore the same hairstyle as did the rest of her house which was customary. The queue was a symbol of honor and status amongst the Augustan, her own hung far enough to just caress her ankles as did her fathers. Growing one longer than a High Noble was disrespectful and not tolerated. The commonly found queue typically reached the middle of one's back, this vampire wasn't permitted to grow one even that long. Was she a handmaiden? That certainly seemed likely given the simple and plainclothes that she wore. It wasn't unheard of for her father to bring a servant along. It was just odd to find one lurking silently in the depths of Master Kres's private arena.

"I am Zeva, and I can tell you don't remember me."

Adela eyed her suspiciously. She most certainly did not remember this vampire, who spoke with a foreign accent. The Augustan princess kept her guard up, she wouldn't put it past the vampires of Crichton to send an assassin after the only daughter of Aquilo.

Zeva shook her head from side to side as she walked past Adela. "These awkward reintroductions could be avoided if only Aquilo would not keep so many of us in the dark."

What a bold servant."You dare speak ill of the supreme ruler of the vampires?" Adela asked, sounding less threatening than she meant and more bewildered.

Zeva turned to look her right in the eye before continuing down the hallway. "I dare to speak my mind."

She noticed that Zeva's feet hardly made a sound as she walked away from her, showcasing how she crept up on her unheard. Adela followed and Zeva continued speaking. "I may not be of Augustan lineage, but I am a member. Whether I like it or not. But make no mistake princess, being pressed into servitude does not mean I will forfeit my freedoms."

Adela smiled, she liked this vampire. Not only did she get an air of strength and independence from Zeva, but she also seemed to share her disapproval for her father's methods.

"So, what are you doing here?" Adela asked.

"Simple. I am here to assist you with the planning of Kres's party." She replied.

"How did you-"

"-Know?" Zeva interjected. "Your father told me before we left Teyrnon."

"He knew all of this was going to happen before we left home?"

Adela's cold blood began to boil. She clenched her fist. He could have saved Cassius. Stopped him, or convinced him not to fight, but instead, he was secretly planning to throw a party, celebrating his death since day one. No, it was worse than that. His design was to have her plan it all along!

Zeva stopped, turning around to face Adela. She said no words but instead reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder lowering her head. Though she was a stranger to her she brought some comfort. An ounce of warmth, that was sucked out of her when Cassius was killed returned momentarily. Her un-beating heart ached and her aching suspicion about her father was confirmed. He was cruel, even more so than Master Kres, and he was planning something bigger. He needed to be stopped and she was on her own.

Adela looked up unaware that she had been staring at the ground lost in her own thoughts. Zeva's strong hazel eyes looked back into hers. Perhaps she had one friend. Something shifted in Adela's head like a puzzle piece sliding into place. That's right she had met this vampire before. Though she couldn't remember exactly when or how long ago, she knew she was there to help. Adela grabbed Zeva by both her shoulders and pulled her into a hug unable to feign strength any longer and cried.

"He was a strong and capable warrior. No, friend. He will be missed." Zeva said softly.

Cassius was her love, and Zeva's friend the three of them shared a special connection and now he was gone and he wasn't coming back after all the time they...

Adela pulled away from Zeva. Her memories were hazy, vague, it was almost as though she didn't have any at all. None of Cassius, or Zeva. She could hardly remember anything about herself. Nothing she could think of was whole, not even her hatred for her father. She looked in Zeva's face searching for answers.

"Your expression has changed princess, do you remember me now?"

"On the contrary, I remember nothing. Zeva what's going on? Why haven't I any memories? If we are truly friends, tell me, what's going on." Adela tried to keep the panic from her voice as she spoke.

Zeva slipped her hand into Adela's and led her down the corridor this way. As far as she could remember it wasn't customary for vampires, or humans of the same gender to hold hands, but she allowed it.

"Princess, you suffer from memory loss. Happens near every full moon."

"The full moon was only four days ago!"

"Yes. Though your condition isn't exact it is persistent. But have no fear, you've weathered it time and time again. Nothing will change who you are Adela. And I'm here this time to help you through. The first step is staying on your father's good side. Now wipe your tears, no one can see you cry. After all, you're a High Noble."

Adela nodded, doing as she was told, and Zeva pushed open the large black doors, letting candle light pour into the dungeon-like room. They had a party to plan.

Adela Augusta Blood Famine