Vampire Heart

Chapter 13

Spring had finally come and the morning air was full of bird song. Pale mist still lingered on the hills around Prague, but the sky was vivid blue and the trees were in bloom. The day of my crowning as Queen dawned perfect and cold, and I could not dread it more.
A mere few hours later, and witnessed by the entire royal court, I found myself kneeling at the rich altar of St. Vitus’ Cathedral, utterly overwhelmed by the most solemn moment and by my complete surrender.
When the Archbishop of Prague placed the crown upon my head and the scepter in my hand, the imprisonment was absolute. I felt lonelier and more exposed than ever before.
'Long live Irena Queen of Bohemia and long may she reign.'
'Long live Irena!' the entire congregation resounded.
The chanting and cheering of my name went on thus for quite a while and I could still barely believe it was me they were hailing for.
In angel-like choir song and happy applause, I rose to my feet, the heavy gold-and-ruby crown slightly slanting to one side when I turned. I caught it and adjusted it safely on top of my elaborate coiffure.
'Long live the Queen!'
'Long live Irena!'
'Irena of Bohemia!'
I began walking slowly down the aisle, with the nobles of the royal Council as my closest escort. Right behind me, Jan was keeping true to his role of the new Lord Protector. And oh, how I resented  him for it! It should have been Damian walking by my side, giving me strength and courage for the greatest task of ruling a country. Not Jan Turek.
The doors to the cathedral opened and the burst of light blinded me. In the next moment, a large gathering of people exploded in loud cheers and applause at my appearance. There were women and children, elderly folk, men of all shapes and sizes, all manners of appearance and social status. They were  throwing flowers and petals of flowers, their faces happy, some even shedding tears of joy. I stood still, confused by the immensity of the image before me, and a little bit frightened also.
From behind me, I felt someone touch my elbow and nudge me gently forward.
'Wave to them, Irena,' Jan's voice whispered calmly. 'Smile to them and wave.'
I did as he instructed, feeling my face stretch into a forceful smile.
'Let your eyes take all of them in,' Jan went on from beside me, he too nodding left and right. 'Let them see you. Show them you return their love.'
Love? These people did not even know me except in name. But then, as I began to look more closely, I could indeed discern expressions of true sentiment and affection upon their faces. The happy tears were proof enough.
My shield fell and I began smiling back at the people. They were my people after all.
'Long live the Queen!' they were shouting.
'Irena of Bohemia!'
'Long live our Queen!'
And I nodded and waved, my heart swelling with gratitude and love for them.
'Now step forward to the carriage, Irena. But slowly,' Jan kept murmuring, his hand cupping my elbow again surreptitiously.
Stiffly, I obeyed him word for word, fearful I may trip on my heavy gown and make a complete fool of myself in front of the entire capital. Jan must have guessed because he immediately tightened his hold on me, his hand gripping my arm firmly.
At last, we reached the carriages. The escorting guards gathered close around me, shielding me from the crowds. Jan was the only one permitted inside the circle.
'Put your foot on the first step,' he whispered, 'then turn and wave one more time.'
I glanced at him in panic.
'Don't be afraid. I won't let you fall,' he assured me, his usually severe features now soft and uncommonly vulnerable.
That stirred something in me. Holding onto him, I lifted my foot and climbed up on the carriage's first wobbly step. I looked back at the sea of yelling and cheering people and waved my hand once again, letting another smile light my features. At least, I hoped they appeared light in the eyes of the world.
Always mindful of the crown, I lowered my head to enter the carriage, when someone's face in the crowd caught my attention. It was an old woman's, and it stood out amongst the people closest to the perimeter allowed by the guards. She was not cheering along with everyone else, she was not even smiling. But she was staring at me without blinking, and her heavily-wrinkled features seemed other-worldly.
I thought I recognised her so I nodded curtly in her direction. Was she not the old woman from the village Damian and I had visited some years before? The one who had foretold that he would eat my soul?
Jan's worried tone brought me back to the present.
'Go inside, Irena. I'll follow you.'
The old woman kept staring at me but gave no sign of recognition. Jan nudged me gently once more and I tore my gaze from the crone's. What a strange, unnerving feeling. Was it my impression, or had her eyes really flickered red just now?
Moments later, Jan and I were safe inside the royal carriage and on our way back to Karlstejn. Surrounded by a tight contingent of our guards and followed by the rest of the nobility, we drove down the narrow streets of Prague, always in the people's cheering and applause.
I was again overcome with emotion at such unexpected display of affection from the Bohemian people. How many times had Damian and I ridden across the land to visit the poor? How many times had he and I delivered provisions in the coldest months of winter to those who had naught? The people remembered it seemed.
Until now, my family had never taken a direct interest in the matters concerning the ordinary folk. My father was always too preoccupied with building diplomatic relations with our foreign neighbours and the search for valid allies. In her own turn, Alzbeta appreciated her subjects’ existence only in the sum of taxes she could gather off their backs. The living and breathing people did not exist to her.
As for myself, I too was ready to disappoint them. I had made up my mind that, as soon as word reached me, I would leave everything--everything--and go to him. I would abandon crown and kingdom and roam the world in order to find the one who was the keeper of my soul. This would be my most selfish act, my greatest treason.
Inside the carriage, Jan was studying me closely. When I returned the scrutiny, his expression re-became guarded, but at the same time, there was a satisfied grin lifting the corners of his smooth lips.
‘You are happy,’ I noted, as our carriage crossed the Vltava River, leaving the capital behind.
‘You are mistaken,’ Jan answered, his eyes blinking rapidly. ‘I am far from happy, Irena, but you certainly made me proud today.'
‘Truly? I am honoured, then,' I chuckled quietly.
'You needn't be. You are the monarch. It is the rest of us who should be honoured to enter your good graces.'
I scoffed and rolled my eyes, glancing out of the window at the passing landscape that was not yet green. The fields were still empty of vegetation and the blooming trees were like small white clouds floating above the earthen browns.
The view of the day was indeed beautiful, with the gently rolling hills and the dark sap forests adding a contrasting edge to the otherwise empty countryside. I  willingly took all of that in. On our way to Prague that morning, I could barely see any of the beauty before me. Obviously, nerves and anxiousness had had an influence.
'What are you thinking?' Jan asked.
I turned to him and sighed.
'Only that I am relieved the ceremony went well and  we are going back home. I wish to rest.'
Jan gave half of an indulgent smile.
'You won't be able to rest for too long I'm afraid, your Highness. The celebration feast starts in no less than two hours. Your presence is absolutely required.'
I heaved a heavy sigh, my fingers fidgeting with the frills of my sleeve.
'I am aware. Johanna has been preparing my attire for the past three days very dilligently. But I do wish I'd had more time to get used to all this. I wish I were not alone.'
As I looked up at him, Jan's dark eyes were shining with devotion.
'You are not alone, my Queen. You have an entire country at your feet. Even the Council supports you. And you have me. I am your servant.'
His voice trembled slightly as he uttered the last words.
I should have nodded and smiled politely, thanking him  for his loyalty. Instead, I glanced away once more, swallowing thickly. Somehow, Jan's words had brought back to mind the events of the previous night and I felt myself blushing unnecessarily. I closed my eyes and shook myself. I should be blushing at thoughts of Damian, not of Jan. What was wrong with me?
At my clumsy lack of politeness, the atmosphere in the carriage changed dramatically. I attempted a glance back. His handsome face was hard, his jaw squared in evident displeasure.
'It's not my service you prefer though, is it?' he muttered, misinterpreting everything.
'What do you mean?'
'You will always prefer him. You will always want him to stand where I stand, right here beside you. I can never be good enough.'
I turned crimson at his words and an overwhelming feeling of guilt took hold of me.
'Jan, please. Don't do this now,' I vainly attempted a change of topic. 'It has been an eventful and tiring day. And as you well know, we both had very little sleep last night.'
He looked down with a deep frown and shook his head to deny my transparent excuse.
'I know your resentment, Irena. Things will never change for you, no matter how hard I try.'
The guilt instantly became anger.
'What is it you want of me, Jan?' I burst. 'It's only been two months and you already got what you wanted. You got me crowned. What else would you have me do? What exactly is the cause of your discontent?'
My corset was too tight and I was breathing heavily, feeling the sting of tears behind my eyes. I blinked them back quickly, not wanting them to overflow. Jan's teeth gnashed audibly.
'Rest assured I didn't get what I wanted,' he muttered, glancing out of the window at Kol's familiar dark shape flying above the carriage to welcome us home.
We were entering the castle courtyard and I hid a sigh of relief.
'I know you didn't, Jan. I know it's not me whom you'd rather serve as Queen,' I bit back.
'You are profoundly mistaken,' he breathed, taken aback. 'I have never wished for you to be like her. Never.'
Just then, our carriage came to a stop at the front stone steps. A vallet opened the door for me, but the Lord Protector held up his hand and stopped him.
'What are you doing?' I hissed, throwing Jan a glare I hoped was filled with the anger I still felt.
'Wait a moment inside, Irena. We may not have another opportunity to speak plainly.'
'It seemed to me you spoke quite plainly just now,' I retorted, full of spite.
Jan's features cringed for the slightest instant, then he reareanged them to appear calm and smooth once more.
'The matters are indeed related,' he conceded, 'and I do apologise for my outburst. It was most unseemly from my part.'
He cleared his voice and glanced at the gathering castle guards that were forming lines for the official welcoming.
'Yes, it was unseemly,' I snapped back childishly.
Jan's eyes became dark and cold as they stared directly at me.
'But it is all the more unseemly for a newly-crowned Queen to send out messengers throughout Europe in search for two monsters that have almost decimated an entire castle.'
He knew.
How?
I squared my shoulders, feigning composure.
'Damian is no monster. You and I have had this discussion more times than I can count and, already, I am bored with it. The only real monster was Alzbeta--who murdered my family and friends, whom I hate with all my heart and whom I would never suffer stepping foot on Bohemian ground ever again.'
Jan wanted to reply, but I held up my hand and went on heatedly.
'To answer your accusation. Yes, I sent out scouts to gather intelligence on Damian's whereabouts, and I did so the same day he and Alzbeta disappeared two months ago. My reasons are entirely personal and I needn't explain them to you, since you seem to be accutely aware of them also. What I can tell you is that, so far, none of my messengers and scouts have sent word back. I expect it is yet too soon.'
Jan began shaking his head long before I ended my utterance.
'No, they will not send you any word back. I took care of that,' he murmured darkly.
I stared at him confused.
'What did you do, Jan?'
'Only what I thought was right.'
'What you thought!'
'Yes, what I thought, Irena. We had just been under siege. My first duty as Lord Protector was your safety. All the guards were strictly ordered to report to me for any movement in and out of the castle. Did you honestly believe you could inspire absolute loyalty with your beauty alone and a few kind words?'
'There was never any question of that--I p-paid them!' I spluttered, out of myself with indignation.
'Not enough, it seems,' he scoffed derisively. 'The captain of the guards found the ten messengers sharing a tankard of ale at Crown's Inn just outside of Prague. It didn't recquire much persuading for them to abandon their mission. Apparently, they are all family men.'
'You had them threatened, didn't you?' I muttered, fuming with rage.
Jan tilted his head.
'Merely shown their priorities.'
'I can't believe you!' I breathed. 'I've never thought you capable of such a thing.'
'Just as I've never thought you capable of purposely endangering your subjects for your petty fantasies.'
'Fantasies?' I shrilled. 'Was your Queen a fantasy?'
'Yes!' he raised his voice. 'That's all she ever was--a mere fantasy--a sorceress that weaved her occult magic and enslaved me to do her bidding. She was never real.'
Jan fell silent and sighed heavily.
'I'm sorry it was that way for you,' I muttered, still mutinous. 'I'm sorry for what she did to you. But Damian was never that. What he and I had was very much real indeed.'
Jan scoffed derisively and hid his face in his palms, groaning tiredly.
'What's done is done,' he resumed quietly after a short while. 'Your scouts were handsomely paid into silence and they each returned home. Of course, Captain Vasin is sworn to secrecy by his very occupation, so the matter is closed.'
'If it's closed, why did you feel the need to bring it up now?' I bit back.
'Because I wanted you to begin your reign with a clean slate--'
'No, you just wanted to make this day miserable for me--'
'--to show you your priorities! You are the Queen, for God's sake. Cease this mad obssession and start ruling your country!'
'I will, as soon as you cease lecturing me at every step!'
Our voices were so loud now, that we were attracting the guards' attention. All the other carriages had returned and Jan and I were the only ones everyone was waiting for.
'We have lingered long enough,' Jan said, once again lowering his tone. 'Naturally, I haven't brought the matter to the Council's attention, nor do I intend to do so in the near future. However.'
He stopped meaningfully, his eyes boring into mine.
'Yes?' I challenged, my chin jutting forward daringly.
'If I hear you attempt to seek him out again, I will be forced to inform the nobles without delay--for the good of the Bohemian people and yours.'
I squinted my eyes at him and gazed with suspicion.
'Are you jealous, Jan?' I murmured and emphasized the word.
He stared straight at me, his squared jaw ticking.
'Yes. I am.'
I blinked in complete surprise. I had not expected frankness.
'Your Majesty?'
Count Boreslav opened the carriage door without waiting for my answer. Everyone had lost their patience.
'I apologise, Count,' I said quickly, hurrying to take his hand and climb out of the carriage. 'Lord Turek and I were having a heated debate about...this year's crops.'
I threw Jan a spiteful glare over my shoulder and accepted the Count's arm, allowing him to escort me inside the castle.