For the first time in weeks, the palace was no longer silent.
The loss of Prince Lucien still hung heavily over every corner of the kingdom. Black banners remained outside the palace, reminding everyone of the royal family they had lost.
But today...
the kingdom needed a king.
Inside the Royal Blood Hall, hundreds of vampires stood in complete silence.
The massive hall had been prepared for the most important ceremony in the kingdom.
The **Crowning of a King**.
At the centre stood the ancient throne.
And before it...
rested the royal crown.
The same crown that had once belonged to King Valerius.
---
Adrian stood alone in his chambers.
For once, he wasn't dressed in his usual black armour.
Today, he wore royal robes.
Dark, elegant and heavy with the symbol of the vampire bloodline.
He stood before the mirror, staring at his reflection.
A king.
The word felt strange.
He had never wanted the throne.
Lucien had wanted it.
Everyone had expected Lucien to wear the crown.
But now...
Lucien was gone.
Carl was gone.
And Adrian was the only one left.
A soft knock interrupted his thoughts.
"Come in."
The door opened.
Zara entered.
Adrian turned toward her.
And immediately forgot what he had been thinking.
She was dressed in a royal gown.
Not the gown of a human princess.
Not anymore.
The dark fabric fell around her gracefully, carrying the colours of the Vampire Kingdom.
A crown rested carefully in the hands of the royal attendant behind her.
Adrian stared at Zara for a second too long.
Zara noticed.
"What?"
Adrian immediately looked away.
"Nothing."
Zara narrowed her eyes.
"You were staring."
"I wasn't."
"You were."
Adrian turned towards the mirror.
"I was thinking."
"With your eyes?"
He looked at her.
Zara tried not to smile.
"Don't start."
For a brief moment...
the room felt normal.
Almost peaceful.
Then Adrian's expression changed.
Zara noticed.
"You don't want this, do you?"
Adrian looked at the crown lying on the table.
"No."
Zara slowly stepped closer.
"Then why are you doing it?"
He gave a small, bitter smile.
"Because there is no one else."
Zara became silent.
Adrian looked at her.
"For most of my life, I thought I would never wear that crown."
His eyes moved towards the throne waiting outside.
"And now that it's finally mine..."
His voice became quieter.
"...I would give anything for it to belong to them instead."
Zara understood immediately.
Carl.
Lucien.
She gently placed her hand over his.
Adrian looked down.
"You don't have to become someone else just because you become king."
Adrian slowly looked at her.
Zara gave his hand a small squeeze.
"Just don't become the man you were when I first met you."
Adrian raised an eyebrow.
"And what exactly was wrong with me?"
Zara smiled.
"Everything."
Adrian almost smiled.
"You're very supportive for a future queen."
"I never said I wanted to become your queen."
His expression changed.
Zara immediately realised what she had said.
For a moment, both of them remained silent.
Then Adrian quietly said,
"You don't have to call yourself anything you don't want."
Zara looked at him.
Adrian's voice was calm.
"But when we walk into that hall..."
He paused.
"No one will make you feel like you don't belong there."
For a moment...
Zara couldn't speak.
She remembered the night she had cried in his arms.
**Every time you make me realise that I don't belong here...**
Adrian hadn't forgotten.
Zara slowly nodded.
"Then let's go, Your Majesty."
Adrian looked at her.
"Don't call me that."
She smiled.
"Fine."
Then she walked toward the door.
"Your Majesty."
Adrian shook his head.
And for the first time that morning...
he smiled.
---
### The Crowning Ceremony
The doors of the Royal Blood Hall opened.
Everyone immediately turned.
Adrian entered first.
The entire hall lowered their heads.
Zara walked beside him.
Not behind him.
Beside him.
Queen Seraphine stood near the throne.
She had not attended a royal ceremony since Lucien's death.
Her appearance alone silenced the entire hall.
She looked tired.
The grief was still visible in her eyes.
But today...
she had forced herself to stand.
Not as a grieving mother.
As the Queen Mother.
Adrian slowly walked toward her.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Seraphine looked at her last remaining son.
Her hand gently touched his face.
"You were always the one who ran away from responsibility."
Adrian smiled faintly.
"I still want to."
Seraphine's eyes filled with tears.
"But you can't."
Adrian nodded.
She took a deep breath.
"Your father would have been proud."
Adrian's expression softened.
"And Carl?"
Seraphine smiled sadly.
"He would have complained that Lucien deserved the crown."
Adrian let out a quiet laugh.
Then his expression changed.
"Lucien?"
Seraphine looked toward the empty space beside the throne.
"He would have spent the entire ceremony telling everyone how magnificent he looked."
For a second...
both of them smiled.
Then the silence returned.
Seraphine picked up the crown.
The entire hall became still.
She stepped toward Adrian.
The royal priest spoke:
> **"By blood, by sacrifice, and by the ancient law of this kingdom..."**
Adrian slowly lowered his head.
> **"We place the crown upon the final heir of the royal bloodline."**
Seraphine's hands trembled slightly.
Then she placed the crown upon Adrian's head.
The moment the crown touched him...
the entire hall bowed.
> **"Long live King Adrian."**
The words echoed through the palace.
Again.
And again.
> **"Long live King Adrian!"**
Adrian slowly raised his head.
For the first time...
he was no longer Prince Adrian.
He was the King of the Vampire Kingdom.
But before he could fully turn toward his throne...
the royal priest spoke again.
"One crown has been placed."
The entire hall became silent.
Zara looked toward him.
The priest turned toward her.
"But a king does not stand alone."
Zara's eyes widened slightly.
She looked at Adrian.
For a moment...
Adrian simply looked at her.
Then he walked toward her.
The crown meant for Zara was brought forward.
Zara stared at it.
She remembered her Human Kingdom.
Her father.
Her mother.
The princess she once was.
And the person she had become.
Adrian stood before her.
For a brief second, his voice softened.
"You can still say no."
Zara looked at him.
"And then?"
"I'll deal with the council."
A faint smile appeared on her lips.
"You'd do that?"
Adrian looked at her.
"Yes."
Zara stared at him for a moment.
Then slowly lowered her head.
Adrian carefully took the crown.
And placed it upon her head.
The hall watched in complete silence.
The priest raised his voice.
> **"Before the Vampire Kingdom..."**
Zara slowly lifted her head.
> **"We welcome Queen Zara."**
The hall bowed once again.
> **"Long live the King."**
Then—
> **"Long live the Queen."**
Adrian and Zara stood beside each other.
Both wearing crowns.
Both belonging to kingdoms that had once been enemies.
Zara looked toward Adrian.
Adrian turned toward her.
For a moment...
neither spoke.
Then Zara whispered,
"Looks like we're stuck with each other."
Adrian raised an eyebrow.
"You accepted the proposal."
"You threatened my kingdom."
"And you still married me."
Zara smiled.
"And now I'm your queen."
Adrian looked at her crown.
Then back into her eyes.
"That you are."
For a moment...
his voice became softer.
"And no one will take that from you."
Zara's heart skipped.
But before she could respond...
a loud voice echoed through the hall.
"Long live King Adrian and Queen Zara!"
The entire kingdom repeated the words.
And together...
for the first time...
Adrian and Zara walked toward the throne.
Not as a vampire and a human.
Not as enemies.
Not even as two people forced into marriage.
But as...
**King and Queen.**
And neither of them knew that the crowns placed upon their heads that day...
would eventually lead them toward the greatest war their kingdoms had ever seen.
Shi_bee 🐝
**The Crown and the Queen**
The entire Vampire Kingdom had gathered.
For the first time in weeks, the palace was no longer silent.
The loss of Prince Lucien still hung heavily over every corner of the kingdom. Black banners remained outside the palace, reminding everyone of the royal family they had lost.
But today...
the kingdom needed a king.
Inside the Royal Blood Hall, hundreds of vampires stood in complete silence.
The massive hall had been prepared for the most important ceremony in the kingdom.
The **Crowning of a King**.
At the centre stood the ancient throne.
And before it...
rested the royal crown.
The same crown that had once belonged to King Valerius.
---
Adrian stood alone in his chambers.
For once, he wasn't dressed in his usual black armour.
Today, he wore royal robes.
Dark, elegant and heavy with the symbol of the vampire bloodline.
He stood before the mirror, staring at his reflection.
A king.
The word felt strange.
He had never wanted the throne.
Lucien had wanted it.
Everyone had expected Lucien to wear the crown.
But now...
Lucien was gone.
Carl was gone.
And Adrian was the only one left.
A soft knock interrupted his thoughts.
"Come in."
The door opened.
Zara entered.
Adrian turned toward her.
And immediately forgot what he had been thinking.
She was dressed in a royal gown.
Not the gown of a human princess.
Not anymore.
The dark fabric fell around her gracefully, carrying the colours of the Vampire Kingdom.
A crown rested carefully in the hands of the royal attendant behind her.
Adrian stared at Zara for a second too long.
Zara noticed.
"What?"
Adrian immediately looked away.
"Nothing."
Zara narrowed her eyes.
"You were staring."
"I wasn't."
"You were."
Adrian turned towards the mirror.
"I was thinking."
"With your eyes?"
He looked at her.
Zara tried not to smile.
"Don't start."
For a brief moment...
the room felt normal.
Almost peaceful.
Then Adrian's expression changed.
Zara noticed.
"You don't want this, do you?"
Adrian looked at the crown lying on the table.
"No."
Zara slowly stepped closer.
"Then why are you doing it?"
He gave a small, bitter smile.
"Because there is no one else."
Zara became silent.
Adrian looked at her.
"For most of my life, I thought I would never wear that crown."
His eyes moved towards the throne waiting outside.
"And now that it's finally mine..."
His voice became quieter.
"...I would give anything for it to belong to them instead."
Zara understood immediately.
Carl.
Lucien.
She gently placed her hand over his.
Adrian looked down.
"You don't have to become someone else just because you become king."
Adrian slowly looked at her.
Zara gave his hand a small squeeze.
"Just don't become the man you were when I first met you."
Adrian raised an eyebrow.
"And what exactly was wrong with me?"
Zara smiled.
"Everything."
Adrian almost smiled.
"You're very supportive for a future queen."
"I never said I wanted to become your queen."
His expression changed.
Zara immediately realised what she had said.
For a moment, both of them remained silent.
Then Adrian quietly said,
"You don't have to call yourself anything you don't want."
Zara looked at him.
Adrian's voice was calm.
"But when we walk into that hall..."
He paused.
"No one will make you feel like you don't belong there."
For a moment...
Zara couldn't speak.
She remembered the night she had cried in his arms.
**Every time you make me realise that I don't belong here...**
Adrian hadn't forgotten.
Zara slowly nodded.
"Then let's go, Your Majesty."
Adrian looked at her.
"Don't call me that."
She smiled.
"Fine."
Then she walked toward the door.
"Your Majesty."
Adrian shook his head.
And for the first time that morning...
he smiled.
---
### The Crowning Ceremony
The doors of the Royal Blood Hall opened.
Everyone immediately turned.
Adrian entered first.
The entire hall lowered their heads.
Zara walked beside him.
Not behind him.
Beside him.
Queen Seraphine stood near the throne.
She had not attended a royal ceremony since Lucien's death.
Her appearance alone silenced the entire hall.
She looked tired.
The grief was still visible in her eyes.
But today...
she had forced herself to stand.
Not as a grieving mother.
As the Queen Mother.
Adrian slowly walked toward her.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Seraphine looked at her last remaining son.
Her hand gently touched his face.
"You were always the one who ran away from responsibility."
Adrian smiled faintly.
"I still want to."
Seraphine's eyes filled with tears.
"But you can't."
Adrian nodded.
She took a deep breath.
"Your father would have been proud."
Adrian's expression softened.
"And Carl?"
Seraphine smiled sadly.
"He would have complained that Lucien deserved the crown."
Adrian let out a quiet laugh.
Then his expression changed.
"Lucien?"
Seraphine looked toward the empty space beside the throne.
"He would have spent the entire ceremony telling everyone how magnificent he looked."
For a second...
both of them smiled.
Then the silence returned.
Seraphine picked up the crown.
The entire hall became still.
She stepped toward Adrian.
The royal priest spoke:
> **"By blood, by sacrifice, and by the ancient law of this kingdom..."**
Adrian slowly lowered his head.
> **"We place the crown upon the final heir of the royal bloodline."**
Seraphine's hands trembled slightly.
Then she placed the crown upon Adrian's head.
The moment the crown touched him...
the entire hall bowed.
> **"Long live King Adrian."**
The words echoed through the palace.
Again.
And again.
> **"Long live King Adrian!"**
Adrian slowly raised his head.
For the first time...
he was no longer Prince Adrian.
He was the King of the Vampire Kingdom.
But before he could fully turn toward his throne...
the royal priest spoke again.
"One crown has been placed."
The entire hall became silent.
Zara looked toward him.
The priest turned toward her.
"But a king does not stand alone."
Zara's eyes widened slightly.
She looked at Adrian.
For a moment...
Adrian simply looked at her.
Then he walked toward her.
The crown meant for Zara was brought forward.
Zara stared at it.
She remembered her Human Kingdom.
Her father.
Her mother.
The princess she once was.
And the person she had become.
Adrian stood before her.
For a brief second, his voice softened.
"You can still say no."
Zara looked at him.
"And then?"
"I'll deal with the council."
A faint smile appeared on her lips.
"You'd do that?"
Adrian looked at her.
"Yes."
Zara stared at him for a moment.
Then slowly lowered her head.
Adrian carefully took the crown.
And placed it upon her head.
The hall watched in complete silence.
The priest raised his voice.
> **"Before the Vampire Kingdom..."**
Zara slowly lifted her head.
> **"We welcome Queen Zara."**
The hall bowed once again.
> **"Long live the King."**
Then—
> **"Long live the Queen."**
Adrian and Zara stood beside each other.
Both wearing crowns.
Both belonging to kingdoms that had once been enemies.
Zara looked toward Adrian.
Adrian turned toward her.
For a moment...
neither spoke.
Then Zara whispered,
"Looks like we're stuck with each other."
Adrian raised an eyebrow.
"You accepted the proposal."
"You threatened my kingdom."
"And you still married me."
Zara smiled.
"And now I'm your queen."
Adrian looked at her crown.
Then back into her eyes.
"That you are."
For a moment...
his voice became softer.
"And no one will take that from you."
Zara's heart skipped.
But before she could respond...
a loud voice echoed through the hall.
"Long live King Adrian and Queen Zara!"
The entire kingdom repeated the words.
And together...
for the first time...
Adrian and Zara walked toward the throne.
Not as a vampire and a human.
Not as enemies.
Not even as two people forced into marriage.
But as...
**King and Queen.**
And neither of them knew that the crowns placed upon their heads that day...
would eventually lead them toward the greatest war their kingdoms had ever seen.
1 month ago | [YT] | 120