The Bloody Birds of Britain

Chapter 8

Alone in the corridor Hortense wondered where Charles' had gone.

The sun was shining brightly signalling midday. It illuminated the fairly dark corridor revealing all possible hiding spots. He was not there.

"Charles?" She called. He did not answer which caused her to panic.

She still stood outside the King's meeting, a room filled with the most important people of the land. Leaving them unprotected was not an option.

"Charles!" She called this time louder then before, still he did not reply.

She changed tactics, "help! Help!" She screamed invoking movement at the end of the corridor. Two large soldiers appeared, their swords unsheathed.

"What is the danger?" One of them asked in a gruff voice when they reached her.

"The King is unprotected, he needs guards...Charles has disappeared," she said watching as they re-sheathed their swords in relief.

'We thought the worst," the other soldier said, his voice was slight and far less manly then his companions. "A vampire attack perhaps,... There are so many now, Charles is the only one holding the monsters back don't you th-" The soldier stopped, perhaps having just put Hortense's pale complexion into context, his armoured hand went to his sword.

"Yes I am a vampire, but I'm not going to attack you I just want to find Charles," she soothed, raising her hands in defence.

"Excuse him my lady," said the gruffed voice soldier, "he's a bit simple. Dropped on his head at birth I think." She laughed breaking the near hostile atmosphere, as the simple soldier laughed too. "We saw Charles only moments ago with a young woman."

"That would be me," she smiled blushing. It was at times like these that she was glad for being dead. Mainly because her cheeks did not flush, they remained pale. So technically she only mentally blushed.

"I'm sorry but not with you," the gruff soldier said with slight embarrassment.

"Oh."

"He was pulling a blond lady down the corridor by her hair. He was so quick... I blinked and suddenly he was gone," the simple soldier added.

"I doubt you'll be able to find him," the gruff soldier consoled; "even with those Vampire powers of yours. But we'll guard the King if you want to look for him."

"Thank you," she smiled and left them to their job.

Hortense had only taken one step forward when the Queen suddenly came running down the corridor, her robes in her hands. She fell down at Hortense's feet just as her ladies appeared, they too were running erratically.

"Edward-Edward, is the King safe?" Philipa gasped as Hortense helped her to her feet.

"Yes your majesty, he's fin-"

"Oh thank God," she sighed embracing Hortense.

"Has something happened your Majesty?" The gruff soldier asked, his hand now on his sword, scanning for danger.

"An attack!" One of the ladies said, she pointed her finger at Hortense. "One of your kind," she spat with distaste. "One of your kind killed Lady Maud! Right under our noses! Kill her! Kill her now!" She screamed pouncing on Hortense and thus knocking the Queen to the floor.

The woman slashed at Hortense's curious face. The nails weren't sharp enough to cause actual bodily harm, it was like a severe petting then attack. Hortense delicately removed the lady, grabbing her wrists and rolling the crazed woman off herself.

"Lady Margaret control yourself!" The Queen scolded, clambering from the floor with the help of the soldiers. "Lady Hortense has done nothing wrong, please!"

"I'm sorry your Majesty," Lady Margaret sobbed into the floor. No one moved to aid her Hortense noted with a smug smile.

"I shall inform the King of the incident." The Queen swept past and entered the King's adviser room, she poked her around the door. "Hortense keep an eye on the corridor, the culprit may still be about."

"Of course."

The Queen disappeared before reappearing once more, this time followed by the King. A concerned look plagued his handsome features.

"Where is Charles?" He asked Hortense, his eyes narrowed analyzing her face for possible guilt, considering she may have been the culprit.

"He left," was all she said, darting a look at that soldiers to silence any possible out bursts.

"Where? That's a very ambiguous answer," the King said unfavourably as an adviser left the room behind him. "A vampire attack Jubert," Edward said to the adviser, as he surveyed the scene.

"No Charles?" The man called Jubert enquired into the Kings ear quietly. Not quiet enough for Hortense could hear quite clearly. Jubert looked up from the King's ear straight into Hortense's eyes.

His eyes were like very dark muddy puddles, there was nothing majestic about this man like the King or Charles for that matter. He was an unimpressive specimen but he wasn't hard in the eye either. A head shorter then the King, he was perhaps slenderer but his physique was more refined. The skin on his face seemed to be pulled over his jagged cheeks, so they looked hallow. His nose and mouth were slightly out of proportion, making them seem out of place on his narrow face. Jubert wore all black, that made the flecks of grey in his dark hair stand out even more.

"Lord Briar Jubert, Earl of Brandon," he said suddenly taking Hortense by the hand and pulling her to him. "I don't believe we've been introduced-"

"My Lord now is not the time," the Queen interrupted; "for such introductions, your wife is grieving yet you do not seem to care."

Lady Margaret lifted her head from the floor. Her face was covered with salty tears and dirt from the floor. She looks like a street urchin, Hortense thought as the woman crawled towards a disgusted looking Jubert.

"What did the vampire look like?" Hortense asked as Jubert helped his wife up.

"It was a she," the street urchin that was Lady Margaret cried. "She had blond hair..."

Hortenses' heart stopped beating for the second time...