Lady Dhampir
Chapter 8

"Is there nothing you can do? My daughter will not die because of your incompetence!"

"It's not about our skills, my Lord, but your daughter's biology is truly difficult to grasp. Since her body is hotter than a vampire's but colder than a human's, it is hard for us to see when she has a fever! Same with her diet: she eats everything - blood or common food so we need time to replace out her real requirements!" "You better replace out what is wrong with my daughter and save her, or I'll have your heads!"

Milena frowned a bit and struggled to open her eyes. Immediately, she saw Raphael and Valentin's worried faces, leaning over her.

"Millie! How do you feel? Are you in pain?"

"My tummy hurts..." she cried, unable to hold it in.

She was tucked under several blankets in her bed, and could feel a cold towel on her forehead. Her maids were waiting anxiously on the side, whispering and looking at their young lady with teary eyes.

"You're going to be okay, you... Blanche, enough, calm down!"

But Blanche suddenly appeared in Milena's field of vision, actually standing over her on her four paws, growling furiously at Raphael. No matter what, the silver wolf held her vampire brother back from coming close to Milena, growling or barking anytime he tried to approach her again.

"Why is she growling at you?" asked Valentin. "She's never done that before!"

"I don't know! Blanche, enough!" Raphael insisted.

"Young Master; the blood! I think Blanche isn't growling at you but at the... the Lady's blood on your jacket," suddenly said one of the maids.

Raphael frowned and took off the tainted jacket, which still had the blood Milena had vomited earlier. Indeed, as soon as he took it off his shoulders, it became obvious that Blanche was growling at that, not Raphael. Right away, the Duke stepped forward and grabbed that jacket, and sniffed the blood curiously.

"Father...?"

"Raphael, smell that."

The second son obeyed and took it to his nose, too, and frowned. Without warning, he took some of the blood on his fingers and licked it. He immediately spat all of it on the floor, disgusted. His expression was furious. "Poison."

"What? Milena was poisoned?" whispered Valentin, incredulous.

Raphael nodded and threw the jacket at the doctor.

"Our little sister was poisoned and you couldn't even tell!"

"I...I'll make adequate pre...preparation."

The doctor ran out of the room, terrified by the Duke's crimson glare. Valentin put his hand on Milena's cheek, with an apologetic look on his face.

"I am so sorry, Millie. Don't worry, we'll heal you soon."

"And we will kill the bastards who dared to do this!" hissed Raphael. "Father, whoever managed to poison her in our own manor!"

"Wait, Milena went out today, she had lunch with me," noted Valentin.

"She couldn't have been poisoned at the palace, could she?" asked Raphael.

"I'm leaving for the palace immediately. You two stay with her."

"Yes, Father."

Milena's father leaned over her to kiss her forehead briefly but left the bedroom right after that. One maid approached, visibly worried.

"Is there anything we can do for the Young Lady?"

"Bring hot water, and wait for the doctor's instructions."

"What kind of poison was it, Brother?"

"It tasted bitter, like black venom."

"Black venom? Isn't that a poison used on vampires? She should be dead if that's what it was!"

"We don't know how much Milena actually had, but it was definitely strong. My tongue is numb, and I only had very little..." grumbled Raphael.

One of the maids brought him a drink, something that smelled strongly of alcohol. Valentin gently smiled at Milena, who was still teary from the pain in her stomach. "Sounds like you're pretty strong after all," he gently said to her.

Milena nodded. She didn't want to die.

Had she really drunk poison? Why would someone give her poison? She was only nine years old, yet people wanted her to die? Milena slowly fell back asleep pondering about all these... When she opened her eyes again, it was night time. Her whole bedroom was in the dark. The only thing she could see were two red eyes, glowing silently.

"Big Brother?"

Raphael turned to her and came closer, taking her little hand in his and whispering.

"How do you feel?"

"It doesn't hurt anymore... Is it very late?"

"For humans, yes. Valentin went to sleep an hour ago, you were sleeping. The doctor is still discussing with Father next door, but he said you should be fine now." "Father went to the palace?"

"Yes. We are trying to replace how you were poisoned... Blanche is very smart, she understood right away."

The silver wolf was soundly sleeping, curled up next to Milena's leg. Raphael gently scratched her head, without waking her up.

"So someone tried to kill me?" Milena asked softly.

For some reason, her voice was very weak and hoarse. A bit itchy, too.

Raphel sighed and nodded solemnly.

"It appears so. Father and the Royal Palace are trying to replace who is behind this. The King has been informed too."

"The King?"

She was a bit confused. Why would the King be alerted of the poisoning of a little nine-year-old girl? Was it because it might have happened in the palace? Was he going to question their security measures then? "Milena, you're nine years old, so there are some things you need to know for later. Because you are a Duchess."

She nodded, and for a few seconds, struggled to get up. Raphael helped her sit, putting a lot of cushions behind her for support. Someone had changed her into her nightgown and braided her long black hair, though she couldn't remember it. While she drank a bit of the water the maids had left on her bed table, Raphael took a few seconds to light up some candles. Unlike him, Milena couldn't see in the dark and needed this to actually see him. It woke up Blanche, who opened her eyes but lazily put her head down on her mistress' legs, where Milena could reach and pet her.

"Your teacher has explained to you our family's status, right Milena?" asked Raphael while sitting down, facing her on the bed, opposite to Blanche.

She nodded.

"We are one of the four Ducal Families, the House De Crescent. The only ones with higher status are the Royal Family members, to which we are also related by several of our ancestors. Under us, there are nine county families and twelve barony families. All the other nobles are called aristocrats, who are not nobles by blood but rich families or important individuals who have been elevated with special statues given by the King."

Raphael smiled, his fangs shining in the dark.

"Someone has been a good student it seems."

"This is very basic, brother," said Milena, a bit offended.

Lucian was the one to skip his lessons, not her! She actually loved to hear about their country's history, even if it was hard to remember all the noble families' names and members by heart.

"All right, all right. Since you've been careful with your lessons, you know our family members have a lot of rules to respect, right? We cannot marry whoever we want, or do any job."

Milena nodded. There were a few exceptions, of course, but their family history showed mostly marriages with other noble houses or within the Royal Family itself. The latest being their great-grandmother, who was actually also the great-aunt of the actual King. "Did Brother Valentin get engaged to Lady Eugenie against his will?" asked Milena. Raphael chuckled.

"No, no, these two chose their partner. They were introduced young, that's true, but if one of them had wanted to call off the engagement, I doubt our Father would have opposed it. This is also why we are introduced to other young nobles when young, so we can replace our partners among the right social circle."

Milena nodded, but she knew her case was different. If she had grown among her family like the other noble kids, she should have attended a few tea parties already, and know the other noble children around her age, not only her brothers.

"Will I be able to choose my husband if I am introduced late?"

She wasn't really worried since she didn't care much about marriage for now. However, she didn't want to be dead weight to her family or seen as the useless Duchess, who couldn't do anything. Valentin and Raphael were already working, and she knew their Father was very busy too. As a girl, she only started studying but was looking forward to how she could be of use to them later.

Raphael sighed.

"Your case is a bit particular, Milena."

"Is it because I'm a Dhampir, Big Brother?"

"Yes and no. Valentin said you met one of the princes earlier today?"

She nodded.

"Well, since you are around the right age range, and of high noble status, you could be engaged to a Duke or a Count, but you could also be a possible match for one of the Princes." "Really?"

"Yes. The twin princes are only a couple years older than you. Actually, all the young Duchesses, you and the daughters of the other Ducal Houses, will be the most plausible brides for the Princes. But that also means you could be the future Queen of this Kingdom, Millie. And being a Queen, or a candidate to the throne, is a very, very dangerous position, Milena. You understand?"

Milena understood that. In all of the history books she had read, there were countless examples of dark strategies, killings, and conspiracies for one family to get more power than another, and get closer to the throne. There were wars taken to the battlefield, and fights that stayed behind closed doors like dark secrets. She had read too much about it not to know how serious this was.

"...Is that why I was poisoned today?"

"Possibly. We don't know yet who will be elected as prospective brides, but there are only three girls in all four of the Ducal Houses including you, Millie, which means you would be a strong competitor, and people do want to eliminate some concurrents." She frowned. So, people not only had really tried to kill her that day, it also meant this could happen again in the future as well, and multiple times too. It was a truly scary position...

"So, should I renounce?"

Raphael couldn't help but smile at his little sister's cute frowning.

"On the contrary, little sister, people will try to get rid of you because you would be a very good choice for one of the Princes. You are a Duchess from a very powerful house, and a Dhampir at that, meaning you could be a good match for either the Human Prince or the Vampire Prince. So, we will all do our best and train you from now on."

Milena was a bit confused.

"Trained? To be a... possible Princess?"

But Raphael shook his head.

"No. We will teach you how to survive."