I remained where I was for a few minutes, then slowly got up and left the room. I ambled aroundaimlessly, unsure what to do with myself. Then I remembered my secret place. the only place where she found solace in the rather terrifying castle. I started down the winding steps, thinking of the first time I'd found the Garden.

It was a couple of months ago, and I was lonely and still greiving for my family - after all, they were as good as dead to me. - Nicholai had dissapeared off to handle some bussiness or other, so I ambled around, exploring the immense castle. I had reached an unfamiliar area when I began to hear the music, and that scent!

I was captivated by the garden from that first night, and so, at every oppurtunity, I returned.Probably the best part was the fact that for some reason or other, Nicholai has remained completely oblivious to my frequent visits.

I don't know how long I spent in the garden, sitting on the inexplicably soft ground, reveling in the sights, sounds and heady scents all around me.
At some point I must have fallen asleep because I was awoken by Nichlas shaking me gently.
"Wake up Celia.... I knew I'd found you here.." He added when he sawmy eyes flutter open.
Stifling a yawn, I mumbled. "you knew I'd be here.. but.. how?I.. I thought you didn't know about here..."
My voice thick with sleep, rubbing my eyes. I was awake enough to realise that with him leaning over me,I was close to him in a way that slightly disconcerted me..

"Darling, how would I not know about a garden in my own castle?" He asked, amusement evident in his tone.
I blushed slightly under his gaze.. "I.. I guess I just... I dunno, you never showed a sign of being aware of me coming here."
He shugged lightly, "I guess I saw no reason to deny you something that so obviously made you happy.

His revelation was followed bya slightly akward silence. Then he rose from the ground and slowly walked over to a paticularly beautiful plant. Quite like roses, but different both in their strange colour - black and indigo with gold gems on the petals. He simply stood there with his back toward me.

Eventually I got up and went to join him, feeling strangely lonely without him next to me.

"You shouldn't spend so much time here, you know, It's not good for you... " seeing my panicked expression, he quickly went on.
"No.. It's not dangerous - well not to you anyway-.. just the flowers.. well the garden itself aactually, It feeds off life force.. not enough to harm, but It does severely weaken, and in the case of vampires, it temporarily nullifies abilities." he explained slowly.

"Like the Elixir?... wait.. if it does all that, then why is it still here?.. how come you didn't block it up or something?.."

He didn't answer me, just continued staring at the flowers. then he spoke, In a voice so quiet I had to lean in to hear .
"I thought of that.. more than once, but I couldn't. See, this garden, and all the flowers in it, were created by my mother"..
Seeing the question in my eyes, he continued. "Using special magic.. "

I stared at him waiting for him to elaborate, when he didn't.. I prompted, "er.. magic?"

"yes magic Celia.. she was rare.. unique even, both pure-blood vampire, and a direct descendant of the fallen gods." suddenly his eyes grew cold, and his voice bitter. "And for that reason, she was hunted!.. they said her blood was special.." he spat the words.

taking deep breaths, I dared to prompt him further, "so..what happened to her?"

"My father was constantly by her side, ensuring her safety... until one day, after a particularly blazing argument, he left her and came in here to cool off. not long afterwards, the garden weakened him, so he fell into a deep sleep, when he woke, My mother was gone.
He hunted down her captors and killed every one of them.. but it didn't matter, my mother was still dead...
My father never forgave himself and soon he killed himself. In a rather poetic manner actually," he laughed humourlessly, "he drank a slow actingpoison, the sat in this garden, among my mother's favourite flowers, and waited around for them to sap him of his immortality... he died right here, inthis very spot."

I could feel the pain emanating from him, he seemed almost vulnerable in that moment.
I wanted so much to reach out to him and comfort him, but I couldn't, It was imperative I remember who he was, the enemy....
After a paticularly stifling silence, he turned to me, his eyes strangely glowing.
"Celia.. I have something for you.."

I held my breath as he lifted my tiny wrist in his large hands, I felt him fasten something cold onto my wrist. I looked down at it gasping, It was a stunning bracelet, white gold with stunning emerald and ruby gems set in the fine chain.

"It's not just jewellelry, the stones have special magic, my mother's magic... It deflects my mind - reading ability."

"why are you giving me this?"

He held my gaze for what seemed like hours, when in reality, It couldn't have been more than a few seconds,

"It was blatantly obvious all your thoughts being on display were un-nerving you."

He sighed, then dropping a light kiss on my cheek, turned to leave the garden.

right, the enemy...