The Bloody Birds of Britain

Chapter 5

When the sun had finally gone down white faced men entered the room. They were all, Hortense noted, stunningly beautiful despite some looking like the back end of a horse. Perhaps it was an illusion, because of their perfect fresh snow coloured skin that hid all deformities to the human eye. As Hortense could clearly see some were born handsome and some ugly, but the humans of the court failed to notice. Whether deliberately or not, she couldn't tell for they circled around them like a bee with honey.

"Who are they?" She asked the Queen, whom she had the greatest pleasure to sit next to because of her witt and stunning smile.

"They are vampires, but they are much younger then you," she said taking a piece of ham from her husbands plate as he gawped at the vampires. "Emm, Delicious!" She squealed taking a bite of the ham.

"Does that mean they can't walk in sun light like me? Do they sleep?" Hortense begged eagerly, as the Queen took another mouthful of her stolen ham.

"I'm afraid to say I don't know my child," she confessed with a squeeze of Hortnese's hand. The Queen persisted to call her 'my child', despite Hortense being at least a thousand years older then her. It was as though she had taken the role of mother, having felt attached to this strange pale creature for some even stranger reason. However, she found that she did not mind the Queen's disposition towards her and that made her smile. She had after all never had a mother, her own mother dying in childbirth and her father never remarrying.

"Are they paler then me do you think?" The Queen looked at her for a minute then at the vampires, who now took places at the surrounding tables.

"Yes," she said glancing at them again, "I think so, perhaps it's because you can walk in the sun? Do you know why you can do that?"

"No..."

"No, no nor do I," she teased with a grin, returning to her stolen ham. "There is one man who might know."

"And who would that be?"

"The Venetian," the Queen said simply, she looked around the room and then pointed him out. A tall, well built mousy haired man with sharp features, who was surrounded by a number of women.

"Is that his name?" She asked the Queen politely with a tone of disbelief.

"No," the Queen said raising her eyebrows. "No one knows his name not even Charles."

"Then if you'll excuse me your majesty I should like to meet him," Hortense said standing up with a smile.

"Of course," Philipa of Hainuit grinned, "don't let me keep you, I must go and see Edward, he's only here for a week. And I do miss him so. You will have to meet him tomorrow of course."

"I shall your Majesty, I look forward to meeting the little prince," she replied with all honesty. She only seen a handful of babies but she had never seen a Royal one.

Hortense left the high table and made her way to the Venetian.

It was as though he was surrounded by beautiful, exotic birds with the different coloured dresses and headpieces the women surrounding him wore. He laughed in the middle like the cock, attracting the females with shiny white smile. The smile faded when he noticed Hortense simply staring at him.

"Excuse me ladies," he smiled devilishly kissing a few hands as he pulled Hortense away from his ahem, birds.

"My name is-," she began when they were in a quiet corner.

"Yes I know who you are," he snapped rather rudely at her in heavily accented English. "What do you want? Peasant," he added with a smirk.

"I am not-" she attempted before he interrupted again, this time grabbing her hands.