The Princess In A ‘Prince’ Disguise (Beasts of Wrath and Madness #1)

39. THE STORY OF GRAND LORD VLADYA

Chapter thirty-nine

THE STORY OF GRAND LORD VLADYA

The unknown mistress led Aekeira through the courtyard of the southern Wings, then deep into the western wings. With every step, Aekeira's dread deepened.

Slaves and soldiers alike bowed low as they passed, whispers rustling in their wake. This woman held power, a palpable force that thrummed in the air around her.

Finally, they stopped by the river, its gentle murmur a stark contrast to the tension crackling between them. "I am Lady Merilyn," the woman declared, her voice clear and cool. "Bondmate to High Lord Henry, overseer of domestic affairs. And—" she paused, her lips curving in the barest hint of a smile "—bloodhost to the third ruler of Urai."

Aekeira's eyes widened. "You are Grand Lord Vladya's bloodhost?” Now it all made sense, the deference – this woman was not only the closest to a grand lord but also the wife of a high lord of the court.

The mistress nodded. "And you are the human princess, Aekeira, am I correct?"

"Yes, Mistress," Aekeira confirmed, her voice small.

"I have been eager to meet you. My…condition has made navigating this vast fortress quite difficult." Her gaze swept over Aekeira, lingering in a way that sent a shiver down her spine. "You are remarkably beautiful for a human. Now I understand why Vlad is so… captivated."

The last word hung in the air, heavy and strange. Aekeira blinked, utterly baffled. "Huh?" What did the mistress mean? Captivated?

"I have heard that Grand Lord Vladya has taken a particular interest in you. Is it true that he has claimed you?" The question, while not unexpected, felt like a hand closing around Aekeira's throat.

"Uhm… I don't under—"

"He mounts you, does he not?" The mistress's bluntness sliced through Aekeira's hesitation.

Her cheeks burned, but the truth was unavoidable. She nodded, a single, jerky movement.

"And how was it?" the mistress pressed, her eyes glinting with an unreadable curiosity.

"Painful. He is not... gentle.” Understatement of the century. The fact that Lord Vladya hadn't killed her yet was honestly surprising. “He despises me.”

"I know he does. Vlad has his reasons for harboring a deep-seated hatred of humankind. That's why I find his desire for you...intriguing. You see, although Vlad may detest humans, he generally refrains from sexually engaging with them. Despite having countless human slaves over the centuries, he has never taken any of them to his bed." Lady Merilyn tilted her head, studying Aekeira like a specimen.

That revelation was unexpected. Confusing. At least now Aekeira understood why Vladya had accused her of witchcraft.

"So, you can understand my fascination." Merilyn's words hovered in the air like smoke. “How does a small human female like you manage to elicit such a loss of control in the mighty Vladya? If you were a syren, I would assume you were his Soulbond ." She stepped closer, her closeness stifling. Her nostrils flared as she bent towards Aekeira's neck, a predator scenting prey. "Not a syren, just a human. So what exactly is happening here?"

"I honestly have no idea, Mistress," Aekeira replied sincerely.

Silence stretched between them, the river's murmur suddenly too loud.

"Do you know why he hates your kind so ardently?" Lady Merilyn's question was softer, almost hesitant.

That was an easy one to answer. "It is because of the tragic fate that befell the grand king and his family. And his own people."

"Oh, if only it were that simple." A sigh escaped the mistress, and for a moment, the weight of power seemed to slip from her shoulders. “You see, Vlad has always had bad luck when it comes to forming bonds. Among all the rulers, he desired a family the most. He desperately longed for a bondmate. And out of all of them, fate was most unkind to him.” She sighed.

“First, he searched for his Soulbond . Even when everyone laughed at him and dismissed it as a pipedream, as Soulbonds were rare or even extinct, he didn't give up. Vlad traveled through kingdoms, crossed lands and oceans, searching for her. From the Urekai land to other species across the world." A faint smile graced Merilyn's face. "He used to be quite the hopeless romantic, always spinning tales of love.”

Aekeira would bet gold coins that her mouth hung open. Dumbfounded.

The image of Lord Vladya painted by Merilyn seemed entirely incongruous. She simply couldn't envision that grand lord in such light.

"Unbelievable, I know. But true." Merilyn said. “However, when he eventually gave up on his quest, admitting defeat, he mourned a Soulbond he never had. Centuries later, he experienced his first love. He was deeply in love with her, but after undergoing the bonding ritual, the bond failed to form within the customary seven days. Do you understand what it means for an Urekai bonding ritual to fail?"

Aekeira got the idea, but shook her head nonetheless.

"Very cruel. It is nature's, the moon's, Ukrae's, and fate's way of declaring, 'Your souls do not align, and thus, you two cannot be together.'” Merilyn had a sorrowful expression on her face. “It is an exceedingly cruel fate. We are not granted our Soulbond , yet we cannot be with the ones we love because our souls do not connect. And once a bonding ritual fails, it is impossible to become bondmates. Consequently, one must let go of the person they love."

"Truly heartbreaking," Aekeira murmured, the words barely a whisper.

"It's far more than that," the lady replied. "It is soul-shattering. With each failed bonding ritual, Vladya's heart grew colder and more callous. His soul fractured. It seemed as though both heaven and hell conspired against his happiness. He witnessed other lords and grand lords go through the bonding ritual successfully and have a bondmate. He watched as they struggled to bear offspring, a struggle all Urekai knew, yet in the end, they built families. And all the while, his own bonding rituals consistently failed.”

"When I became his bloodhost thousands of years ago, love and family were no longer dreams for him." Merilyn's voice cracked, just slightly. "They were the ghosts that haunted him. He'd closed those doors, hardened, and simply brushed off any female advances by giving them the cold shoulder. Our females adored him; they all wanted him, but Vladya had shut himself off. He was done." A shadow fell over Merilyn's eyes. "Then, I fell in love with him."

Aekeira's eyes widened. She hadn't expected that.

Merilyn offered a small, sad smile. "I did. It was incredibly difficult to break through those walls he built around himself. He pushed me away more often than he drew me close. However, as his bloodhost, we already shared a unique bond. Each bloodfeeding intensified my feelings for him and gradually eroded his defenses. It took two hundred years, but I succeeded. He fell for me, and he fell hard."

Oh, Aekeira didn't like where this was going at all. She felt a growing sense of unease. "The bond... it didn't form?" she whispered fearfully.

Merilyn nodded, her eyes welling with tears. "No, it did not. We knew that bonds between a master and his bloodhost rarely formed, but we were so in love. So hopeful… As his bloodhost, our souls were already connected, so it shouldn't have been difficult, right?"

At that moment, Aekeira felt pity for this woman and for Grand Lord Vladya. Especially for him. Aekeira had never imagined she would feel compassion for that male.

Merilyn let out a shuddering breath, wiping her tears. "After that, Vladya withdrew from the world. Secluded himself. He became unreachable. Impenetrable. You can't imagine what it's like... to want something so deeply and have it forever out of reach. He longed for it so desperately, for over three thousand years, and yet, fate seemed determined to cast him aside. As if the stars themselves were mocking him."

Aekeira couldn’t believe she was tearing up. Quickly, she dried her eyes with the back of her hand. "What happened afterward?"

"No one could help him. Not even I, his bloodhost and lover, could help him. But someone managed to reach him. Grand King Daemonikai. Only King Daemonikai kept him sane and anchored, preserving his sanity during those dark, dark times. Urekai Alphas are incredibly possessive of their belongings, fiercely guarding what they consider theirs. They are reluctant to allow another alpha too close, regardless of the strength of their friendship. However, the grand king integrated Vladya into his own family, making Vladya feel a deep sense of belonging. He was Vlad’s best friend.”

Merilyn's eyes, still glistening with unshed tears, locked onto Aekeira's. “Do you know why I'm telling you all this? Why this connects to his hatred of humans?"

Aekeira could only think of one reason. "Because of what happened to King Daemonikai and his family?"

Merilyn shook her head, her eyes brimming with emotion. "While that answer is not entirely wrong, it is only partially true. Six hundred years ago, after centuries of self-imposed exile, Vladya finally dared to open his heart to another woman. Her name was Tiara. She possessed incredible beauty and kindness, and she was adored by everyone. She was a child—barely eighty years old—but such a bright soul. It wasn't surprising she breached those walls and captured his heart. Initially, he fought it. Hurt her, badly, to try and push her away. The things he did, the words he used..." she trailed off, then added softly. "You must have noticed that Vladya knows how to wield words like a knife."

Slut. You whore. Oh, Aekeira knew that much. She nodded.

Merilyn sighed. "Tiara, stubborn, beautiful Tiara...Vladya would tear her down with words, leave her sobbing for days, screaming how much she hated him. And yet, she always came back. Couldn't help herself. She never gave up. Her light...it was too bright to be extinguished, even by someone as dark, as hardened as him.”

How Merilyn talked about Tiara sent a sharp pang through Aekeira's heart. For some reason, she envied this obviously incredibly female she had never met.

"It took fifty years, but he fell in love with her. And one thing about Vlad is that once his heart opens up, he loves with his entire being. Tiara became his entire world.” A pause. A sniffle, “And you know what happened?"

Aekeira's heart was already aching. "The bonding ritual...it failed again?"

“Oh, it was successful."

"What!?" Genuine joy, a flicker of warmth filled Aekeira. “But that's wonderful news!" Despite the tragedy of this story, Aekeira found unexpected happiness in this good news.

"For the first time in his life, the bonding ritual succeeded. Their souls intertwined, becoming one. I remember that day like it was yesterday. The joy on Vladya’s face when he announced that he could feel the bond. The sheer happiness in King Daemonikai’s face. It was one of the happiest moments of our lives. The entire Urai rejoiced for the grand lord. Everyone.” Merilyn's voice broke completely, a faraway look coming into her eyes. "That was a week before the Eclipse Moon night. "

"Oh no..." Aekeira's heart sank. Tears burned her own eyes.

Merilyn's tears flowed freely. "Their bonding ceremony was to take place after the Eclipse Moon. But that night...he watched her die. Murdered by the human King Memphis.” The words were choked out, almost inaudible. "Right in front of Vladya."

Aekeira couldn't hold back the sob that tore from her throat. Grief for Lord Vladya twisted within her. For what was given, and ruthlessly stolen from him. Her heart broke, a brutal force tearing it apart from the inside. By the gods, no wonder... it all made sense now.

Merilyn wiped her own tears, but her voice was thick with distress. "The screams he unleashed that night... His cries of anguish... It was a sound that pierced the hearts of all who heard it. But even that...was not the end of it."

There's more...!?

Aekeira didn’t know if she could take more. She felt overwhelmed. It was simply too much for her to bear. All she wanted was to curl into a ball and weep until she fell asleep. A strong urge to find Grand Lord Vladya and give him a tight hug overwhelmed her, even if he might behead her for it. In that moment, Aekeira was willing to risk everything.

"As Vladya watched the life drain out of her, he grew desperate to save her. So, he chanted the Hav'zie de Baah ," Merilyn whispered, the words like a curse in the air.

Aekeira struggled to even pronounce the words. "W-what does that mean?"

"The words translate to 'The giver and the taker.'” Merilyn's voice was barely above a whisper. “ Hav'zie de Baah is a potent and dark spell. Its incantations are known only to a few. It is one of the forbidden magic of our people, deemed too dangerous to be practiced. Some have dedicated centuries to studying the book of spells, yet cannot master a single spell. But on that dreadful night, Vladya, consumed by desperation, uttered the incantations."

Aekeira attempted to comprehend the magnitude of it all. "So, this magic grants wishes but something is taken in return?"

“Yes, in a way, it's a bargain. If you are desperate enough, you must offer something truly valuable. However, the drawback of this spell is that it can take without giving what one wishes for. Which is one of the reasons it was forbidden. Vladya knew the risks, but..." Merilyn's fist clenched, knuckles whitening with the echo of old grief.

Dread washed over Aekeira like icy water. "What did it take from him?" her voice quivered.

Silence answered her. The river babbled on, oblivious. A breeze rippled the water, and Aekeira shivered despite the warmth of the day.

"His soul." The words fell like stones into the silence. "During the chanting of Hav'zie de Baah , Vladya offered his soul as a sacrifice. The spell claimed his soul, but Tiara did not return."

"Gods!” Aekeira gasped in disbelief, stumbling back. She had heard Grand Lord Vladya mention that he had no soul before, but she had assumed it was metaphorical, not literal. "He has no soul...!?"

Merilyn nodded, eyes filled with a haunted sadness.

"And do you know the most tragic part?" Her voice was raw now. "Our souls are...everything. The very essence of our being. They ground us, keep our beasts in check, maintain our sanity, and so much more. A bond is an intertwining of souls. without a soul, one has no hope of ever finding a bondmate. No hope of ever knowing that connection. One would never recognize their Soulbond even if she miraculously appeared, and worst of all…” Merilyn stopped, fresh tears trailing down her chin. “Without a soul, one will go feral eventually. There is no stopping it. It is only a matter of time."