Secret Meetings [Kieran]

The short owl had been sent sometime earlier in the day, it was hidden in the elaborate collar that was worn by her Norwegian Forest cat. It was a hidden compartment that only Kieran would know to look in, so she had little fear of it being intercepted. It had simply read, 3rd floor forbidden corridor, 2am. -N. Short and sweet. Then she just had to wait for the time to come, to pass time like there was nothing going on that didn't happen on a normal day. She went to bed that night like she always did, but she made sure that she was up and sneaking out of the dorm in time to make it to the corridor. She knew that there was probably somewhere that they could meet that would be closer, but she thought that the forbidden corridor would at least not have prefects or anyone else run across them as they were meeting. It would be more difficult for them to get there, but then her hope was that they wouldn't be caught together at least.

She made it to the corridor without incident then hid back in the shadows to wait for him to arrive.

@Kieran Count

He shouldn't have been surprised when it came to getting a letter from Nikki in a way that only he would know. He always made sure to give her feline a small treat here and there to show his gratitude for coming to find him. He really didn't fall asleep, he had waited in his room and pretended he was asleep before flashing out of there. Perks of being a vampire.

He made his way to the forbidden corridor, it was sad to say he thought it would be more heavily guarded but it didn't seem like it, oh well. Good for him really. When he spotted the lovely Nikki, he smiled. "Well well, look what we have here, the little rebel you" he teased.

@Nicoleta Miller

Nicoleta had done her research before she had decided on a place to meet Kieran. They weren't supposed to be seen socializing, they weren't supposed to know each other. But she was feeling a little cut off from everything that she had ever known and she just needed a familiar face. Maybe she was meant to be wed to his brother, but his brother wasn't here at this point in time when he was. So, he was the one that she turned to.

She heard steps approaching the corridor as she stood there in the shadows. She didn't make herself known, though. Not until she could see who was entering the corridor. Of course, her hiding in the shadows wouldn't hide her from someone like Kieran, but she was betting it would work for a normal person. Sure enough, he spotted her and she stepped out from the shadows. "Everyone has to be a bit of a rebel sometimes." She said with a small smile. "I checked this place out numerous times before I found it safe enough to meet in." She assured him. He may be teasing her now, but she knew it was his job to look after her.

@Kieran Count

Kieran couldn't help but roll his eyes at her. "You may have yes but you do realize that if we get caught here together my brother will hear about it right? But I don't mind that, my brother doesn't seem like the angry and jealous type if you ask me" Kieran responded to her.

@Nicoleta Miller

Nicoleta bit at her bottom lip when he spoke about his brother finding out about them meeting. She knew that she was supposed to be eventually married to his brother so that they could combine their families' power or whatever. She was the last in the royal lineage as far as her own family was concerned. His family was much larger, it was thought to be for the best and something that had been planned since she was just a child. "I doubt your brother would mind all that much. I think he is only agreeing out of duty more so than anything else." She had nothing against his brother, she actually rather liked him in a friendly way. But she never got that he felt anything romantic for her. And he had always kind of sidestepped any kind of advances she had ever made. "So, I think we're safe on that level." She said, knowing that they had bigger things to worry about than his brother's non-existant jealousy.

@Kieran Count

That was true, Kieran's older brother gave little care in the world about what was going on, he only sent Kieran here to act like he cared but there was something about it, there was just something in his brother's eyes that showed that he didn't really care if he was there or not. Their parents wanted the marriage not his brother. "That is true, don't get me wrong my brother means well its more of the fact of getting him to actually bring out that caring side" Kieran said.

@Nicoleta Miller

Nicoleta sighed. She had known from the time that she was a child that she was destined to marry someone from one of the other royal families. It was how all of this worked. And the fact that she was the only child in her family line made it even more important. Of course, vampire lines were a bit more progressive as things went. They didn't see her as merely a pawn in a grand scheme. No, she was set to be the next ruler. They just thought it would be even better if they tied together the two lines. And that was only more important now that she was the only one left alive.

She still wasn't completely thrilled to be paired off with someone who barely seemed to care about her, though. At least Kieran was someone she could talk to, someone who she got along with well. "I've known him for some time now, I doubt I'll be able to drag out that caring side if I haven't been able to yet." She said with a sigh. She hated the thought of being caught in a loveless marriage. But unless something better came up, she was kind of stuck.

@Kieran Count

He could sense the frustrations from Nikki, he didn't like that she felt that way and quite frankly was kind of peeved at his parents for allowing this. It was quite pathetic actually, yes they wanted royal blood to stay in the family but for what? To have loveless sex and children?

"I'm sorry love that you're having such a horrible time and life right now, maybe it will get better, maybe your parents will allow you to marry for love and not blood advantage" he sighed as he rubbed her shoulders.

@Nicoleta Miller

It was all about power. His family and hers were thought to be some of the most powerful among their kind. It was why they were considered royalty. So, it only made since that a marriage between the families would result in children that had the qualities of both families. Or that was what her parents had explained to her when this had all first started and she had asked questions. "My parents are gone now, Kieran. What's done is done. It's my duty to continue with this marriage." Just because her parents had been killed and she had been sent into hiding didn't mean that anything had really changed.

She leaned into his hands a bit as he rubbed her shoulders. "I don't mean to complain. Your family has been good to keep the agreement even after my parents' murder." She didn't want him to think her ungrateful or anything.

@Kieran Count

Kieran sighed, he didn't want this marriage to happen because he knew that his brother didn't love her and knew for a fact she didn't love Luther. "Look I know you loved your parents and I am sorry they passed but I really think you need to not be in a loveless marriage, you owe it to yourself and my brother" Kieran said to her.

He hated this marriage thing and was kind of glad to know that he didn't have an arranged marriage either. "Still sucks" Kieran responded.

@Nicoleta Miller

Nicoleta didn't like the idea of being in a loveless marriage either, especially since she knew that they would both be around for much longer than normal people could even conceive. That was a long time to be unhappy and stuck without love. But what choice did she really have? It was her parents' dying wish that she go on with the marriage. Or at least, she assumed that it was since they had been so sure about the union in life. "They didn't just pass. They were killed. I just don't want to disappoint them now." Because she believed that somehow her parents were still watching over her. She had to believe that to deal with their deaths.

She sighed. "It does suck. Not that your brother isn't good enough or anything." She ran her fingers back through her hair that she had left down when she had come here. "It's not like I have many other choices anyway. I'm the last of my family alive." She didn't have much choice but to marry into another royal family to make sure that the power remained with her family as well. It was how things worked. Especially with her being as young as she was. She was sure things were in turmoil with her in hiding as it was.

@Kieran Count

He knew that her parents had been murdered, it was a given really, he tried his best to help her as much as he could and hell he understood loss, he had lost his brother to the same people that killed her parents. "I know that Nikki, hell I understand loss as much as you think. I've experienced it as well" his once little brother who was gone but always remained in his heart.

"Who cares about royal blood, yes it's hypocritical since I am royal too but love is love you can't help who you fall for Nikki, hell we both know my brother is only marrying you because he believes what you do" it may have sounded harsh but the truth.

@Nicoleta Miller

Nicoleta felt absolutely horrible when he spoke of his own experience with loss. She knew of the loss of his sibling, but she had been callous. She had only thought of her own loss. As if she were the only one who had ever lost anyone. "I know, Kieran. Sometimes it just hurts so much when I think of them and how I never got to say goodbye that I forget that other people have experienced the same loss." She ducked her head slightly in shame that she would forget the loss he had suffered as well.

She frowned at his words. It was true, she knew full well that he was only marrying her because he had to. Because it was what was expected of them. And they were both duty-bound. "There would be civil unrest if I were to ever try to marry someone who wasn't of royal blood." She pointed out. She was trying not to let her feelings get involved. Did it hurt to know that she would be stuck in a loveless marriage? Of course, it did. But if it was what was best for her people then she would have to put her own feelings aside.

@Kieran Count

Kieran didn't want to make her feel worse then she already was, it was not like him to do that really. Nikki was his friend and that meant something right? Couldn't have her thinking he was always coming at her or something like that. Pulling her in for a hug and he held her. "I know and I am sorry that I made you feel horrible. Look I am here for you if you ever want or need to talk, we both experienced it. And I am sorry you didn't get to say goodbye, hell there are times where I wish I never had to say goodbye to my brother, it was horrible watching him die and I really think you would be hurting a lot worse then you do now if you see them being killed" Kieran knew he did and it hurt.

He nodded, there were other royals but he understood what she meant. What happened if she fell for a non-royal? Would be frowned upon. "That is very true" he responded, he also knew she didn't want to disappoint her deceased parents which also made sense.

@Nicoleta Miller