Karmila smiled at Van’s flabbergasted face.

It would never have occurred to him that all that rough and tumble movement in the box he was being carried would lead to this. All that time drugged up and unable to sense the outside world must have ruined his sense of time. Either that or they got to Karmila’s domain far faster than would normally allow. Making him wonder what tricks were pulled off to allow such a feat to happen…

Karmila crossed her long seductive legs, her expression one of that of a child getting a new toy to break in with twisted glee. “Welcome my son… To your wedding day…”

Van could no more than blink before he was lifted roughly off the ground by two guards who carried him aloft like some sort of prize. They then proceeded to strip him of every article of clothing he had on him, much to the ugly delight of Karmila who watched on. She licked her lips as her eyes roved every nook and cranny of his body, finding what she found to be pleasing…

Soon Van had a new pair of clothing on him, a mix of gray slave attire and high end escort clothing in the fashion of house moonshadow’s colors with just a hint of flare and stitching for one's wedding ceremony. He was roughly turned to the side to meet face to face with an exceptionally beautiful young woman also wearing wedding attire looking right at him with a mixed look of dread, happiness, and solemn acceptance…

He stared at her for a few solid seconds.

“...Arkina…” His words were like a ghost.

Even changed as she was he could tell it was her. Somehow he was both surprised and unsurprised. But more importantly, he was just disappointed…

“Ah yes! That was the expression I was hoping for!” Karmila said with glee. “Meet your lovely bride… My daughter… Karina…” She raised her hands high and gave a clap.

Almost instantly lights blared into life, blinding Van for a few seconds as music began to play. A sudden rush of people wearing masks came onto the scene and started to dance around them. Trays of food were brought out and drinks were handed to every open hand.

It took him a moment to catch his bearings as he was finally allowed to stand up on his own. Looking around him he noticed that those dancing around him were not just there for the show, but were genuine nobles in their own right by the way they moved and carried their own clothing. Whether they were from minor or major houses, it did not matter, they all attended, even if they had to bring a mask to hide who they were.

Just another show of power by Karmila.

“Eat, drink, be merry!” Karmila announced. “For in one hour's time my lovely daughter Karina will wed Vanris from house Vran, tying our two houses and these two love birds forever!”

A subdued round of applause was had, but with a mere raise of a brow from her the applause became even louder and went on for several minutes, none daring to be the last to stop clapping until she herself had to raise a hand to end it all.

The party resumed and Van was left alone with Arkina, now Karina.

“Van…” Karina said, stretching out a hand as if asking for a dance.

He contemplated smacking it away, but in the end took it. They started a small slow dance, inching their way towards the band where the music was the loudest before a harsh and tense whispered conversation began between them.

“So… Karina Voltami… Or should I say, Karina Moonshadow…” Van asked, his expression flat.

Karina looked crestfallen but held in her pain the best she could. “I’m so sorry Van… I never wanted this to happen.” She began to tear up a little. “The time we spent together at school was the happiest of my life. If it weren’t for mother…”

“I don’t want to hear it.” Van said with a frown. “I trusted you, and you betrayed me.”

Karina looked deeply hurt. “You must understand, I didn’t have a choice! If I had betrayed her for you… We would both be dead... And I… I couldn’t bear that to happen to you.” Looking downward trying to stop herself from crying.

Van tried to not look too disgusted by her reaction. His anger getting the better of him. He knew logically that she might have a point, but at the moment the pain of her betrayal hurt too much for him, making it hard to sympathize.

A pregnant silence grew between them. He watched her, looking at her as if for the first time. As she did her best to keep to the rhythm of music in her beautiful wedding dress and not fall to the ground by the weight of all the emotions she was going through right now.

“Well, well, well… I thought today was to be a celebration?”

Van and Karina immediately spun to see who was addressing them, only to be taken completely by surprise by who it was.

Karen swished the red wine in her glass with practiced ease, looking at it as the liquid flowed and moved as if it was the most interesting thing in the world before taking her eyes away from it and addressing them properly. “Why the sad faces?” She asked, taking a big gulp of her drink, her speech slightly slurred, indicating that this wasn’t her first glass.

“Karen…” Van said. The last he saw of her was when he was raped by her.

Even Karina looked surprised as the last she saw of her was when Karen had a massive hole in her chest.

Karen for herself didn’t look like the same arrogant and haughty bitch she was before. There were new wounds on her face and body that weren’t treated or healed, and her entire body looked frail and a little gaunt, her dress riding loose on her thin frame. Her eyes though look a little sunken and she carried her glass of wine like an old friend.

She took another gulp and finished her glass in one fell swoop before looking at them with a red vampiric gaze. She stared at them for a few seconds before motioning with her head to the side, pointing to a vacant stop near a pillar at the edge of the room. “Follow me.” She mumbled, and proceeded to walk away like a sailor walking on land.

Van and Karina shared a look wondering if they should follow, but did so anyway after a while, their curiosity getting the better of them.

No one stopped their path, and Karen took another few glasses of wine and downed them as she went her way until they finally met at the pillar where a beautiful woman was on the floor hugging and cradling herself as she cried.

“He’s dead again!” The crazed women cried. “He left me all alone! I should have loved him more! I’m so sorry! I’m so sorry!”

Van looked towards Karen with a silent question.

Karen looked between him and the crazed girl. “Oh, her? She’s my sister Karmina.” She began to explain, taking another swig of wine. “She used to be the prettiest and smartest of my sisters. But then mom found out about her secret crush on one of the palace staff and killed him. Even then she did her best to be a good dutiful daughter, but when she was sent in exchange for Luna, she learned what it was like to have a real loving mother…”

She took another gulp of wine.

When it finally came time to return. The thought of going back to mother broke her. In the end she would see her lover's ghost in the faces of a few random palace staff and take them as her new lovers, chaining them to her so that they would be… ‘safe’ But mother would always end up killing them anyway after a while… Which leads to a few days of… Well…”

She chugged the last of her wine, not even bothering to finish her sentence.

“Anyway, that’s not why I brought you here.” She then motioned with her head one last time.

Van and Karina turned and were met with the gaze of two old vampires. They looked haggard and wore worn out noble clothing, as if they had been wearing the same clothes for decades. By the looks of them they too had been tortured, though not to as great an extent. More importantly they looked old, very old, as if they weren't’ allowed to retain their youth. It was also a point of fact that they were the only vampires here not wearing a mask.

The old women of the two looked at Van with some trepidation, but her eyes also carried with it a fierce sense of hope and purpose. In an old raspy voice she asked him who he was. “Are you… By chance Van?”

He hesitated, but nodded, wondering who this old couple was.

“That means… You know Luna… Right?” She asked, her voice almost begging.

Again Van nodded slowly.

Tears began to well up in the granny’s eyes. “Is she… Is she okay?”

It finally clicked who these people were.

“Yes…” Van said slowly. “She's okay… She’s probably still safe and sound back at school.” He then added a few more details. “She is happy and healthy, and even takes after Thea a little in some regards. She’s still a little short but very strong. She’s an amazing woman, I'm proud to have her as my wife.”

Luna’s grandmother began to cry tears of joy as her husband also began to tear up and hold her.

Van and Karina just stood by as the old couple cried.

Karen studied the couple with inquisitive eyes, as if this was the whole reason why she brought Van over in the first place. After a while she gently shook her head. “I don’t get it…” She mumbled. “I just don’t get it…” She then gazed into her glass refilled with red wine with a forlorn expression, one filled with a sense of emptiness, then tried to drown that hole in her with the sanguine liquid that never seemed to run out. But the hollowness inside her will acquire more than just liquid to feel satiated.

After a few minutes the old couple finally stopped their crying and Althea, Luna’s grandmother, came over to give Van a pinch on the cheeks. “You are such a handsome young man. And with such kind eyes too! I’m sure you must be treating my darling Luna right. Tell me honestly, how many kids do you have?” Giving him a big smile.

Van blushed. “We uh… Don’t think we're ready just yet for kids…”

“Nonsense!” Althea said. “I’m not going to be around forever! I would at least like to see my great grandkids before I die.” Her smile implied she was joking, but her eyes carried with them a deep pain.

Van took that pain to heart and gently took her hand in his own. “I promise… Next chance I get I’ll have Luna pop out a few kids, just for you.” He said in a kind and joking manner.

“Oh you charmer you.” Althea smiled, wanting to pinch his cheeks again.

The two then started talking about everything that happened so far. Though it quickly changed to him just talking about Luna and how much she had grown and everything she accomplished. Althea and her husband Zeud, listened with great joy at the stories he told of his wife. They smiled, their eyes turning somewhat glazed as if they could see for themselves the picturesque scene of Luna running through fields of flowers in the forest, or training with Thea and making friends at school and generally just having fun. It was almost too much for them and near the end it seemed like they were going to cry all over again.

Sadly they took too much time and a gentle bell rang to indicate in just a few minutes the marriage ceremony would begin.

“Oh dear… I’m so sorry, we took up all your time.” Althea said looking very distraught.

“It’s okay.” Van said, though inwardly his heart skipped a beat when he heard the bell ring. He felt the dread come in like a wave now that he realized how little time he had left. “I’m just glad I got a chance to talk with you. Thank you… You don’t know how much it meant to me to talk to you two.”

Althea gave a sad smile and cupped his cheek. “You’ll survive through this, we all will. Don’t you worry, that bitch will get what's coming to her soon. Don’t give up hope!”

Van gently took her hand and squeezed it. “I won’t. Thank you.”

They parted and Zeud offered his hand. “Stay strong.” He said, his first words to Van.

Van nodded and gave a firm handshake. Then to his surprise Althea and Zeud turned to Karmina.

“Come on dear, let's take you to bed, it’s nap time.” The old couple then helped the now docile Karmina who had finally stopped crying, having been taken by Van’s stories.

“I want more stories…” She mumbled as she was helped up.

Althea gave a gentle smile. “Why don’t I tell you the story of the young prince who flew through the stars? You love that one.”

Karmina gave a small childish smile. “Yeah… I like that one…” She said dreamily.

Van didn’t know how to take that scene, but he knew a part of him was heartbroken to see it… He watched as they slowly walked away and out of the main hall.

Karina took his hand. “Come on Van. It will soon be time…”

Van looked down at the hand that held his own, then towards its owner. He looked in her eyes and saw a mixture of both hope and fear. Hope because they were finally going to be together, and fear that he would hate her forever…

“Please…” She said. “We should not anger mother by being late…” She squeezed his hand. “And I have hope… that everything will work out. I know it will…”

Van wasn’t sure he should believe that, but knew by her expression that she did. He gave a slow nod and walked out into the open. Everyone was staring at them, the music was off and only the lights leading them onward were lit. When they finally arrived Karmila smiled and had someone start the ceremony for marriage.

“Wait mother.” Karina said. Surprising everyone. A few even gasped and Karmilas eyes turned cold. But her daughter plowed through. “I don’t just wish for a normal marriage, I wish for a soul bonding.” She turned to Van. “That is how much I love him.”

The room froze and then a sudden wave of whispering hummed through it. Even Karmila did not expect such a thing. But then she gave a nasty smile. “Of course my daughter, but that might be difficult, after all, I'm not sure your husband to be feels the same. Which is a real shame since you are such a good match for him.”

Karina stared into Van’s eyes, as if trying to send him a message. He looked back wondering if she was crazy. Why would he soul bond himself to a woman who kidnapped him?

But with a quick look at those around him and to Karmila, he noticed only Karina seemed to have eyes filled with hope. He decided to trust her one last time. “I accept.” He said simply.

Another wave of gasps and shocked whisperings rocked the room, but a quick glare from karmila shut everyone up. She then gave a suspicious look towards Van and Karina, wondering what they were up to. Unsure if this was an unexpected present, or a trap in the making.

“Alright then… But just to make sure…” With a snap of her fingers someone came by and placed a powerful seal on the back of Van’s neck, making him cry out in agony. “Once the marriage ceremony is finished, we will be looking to a more permanent solution for your soul realm. So I suppose this is your only chance to soul bond… I hope you two are happy.” Giving another nasty smile.

Van gritted his teeth and looked into Karina’s eyes. What he saw was one filled with determination and a plan.

He nodded and the marriage ceremony began. It started with addressing the crowd, then explaining who the parties involved were, finishing with the exchanging of blood and a vow of love and marriage. Though tacked on at the end was Karina’s soul bond vow.

“I, Karina Voltami Moonshadow, do swear to obey and protect my master and husband. To have no other than him, to give mind, body and soul, to his needs. To offer my life in exchange for his own. My heart in exchange for his happiness. So do I swear on my blood, so do I swear on my soul. Now and forever, and in every life.”

It was practically word for word the same vow that his other soul bonded wives gave him. Making him wonder how much she had learned from Luna. Even against the seal he felt the connection form between them. It was painful, unbelievably so, but it was made and he sensed Karina as an extension of himself, even though he still couldn’t access his own soul realm like he wished he could.

Karmila frowned at the words that Karina had chosen, her anger palpable. “My dear daughter… I cannot help but be displeased by your choice of words… I’m afraid as punishment I’ll have to collar you.

“Yes mother…” Karina said solemnly.

Karmila then turned to Van with a leer. “Now Van. Let us head to my bedchamber and consummate your marriage. Trust me, I’ll be gentle…”

Van tried not to glare.

“Wait mother.” Karina said, earning a deep frown from Karmila. “I have one more thing to do.”

Another few gasps were heard. Not only had Karina stopped her mother once, but twice!

“Dear daughter…” Karmila practically hissed the words out. “Just because it is your wedding day, does not mean you can push your boundaries.”

“Forgive me mother, but I have a wedding gift I would like to give to Van before you take him away.” She said, her head down like she normally did when she wanted to appear like she had accepted whatever fate her mother gave her.

“Hmm…” Karmila looked a little suspicious. “Show me.” She demanded.

Karina walked up to her mother and brought out a large curled up piece of paper from her soul realm.

“What is this?” Karmila asked, confused and annoyed.

“It was a gift from a friend…” Karina said, her voice suddenly sounding dangerous. “She used it in one of her stories to help explain her exploits, I asked for it so I can study it.”

Karmila frowned, picking up on the tone of Karina’s voice and giving it back. “Open it.” She commanded.

Karina did so and Van had to try his hardest not to gasp. It was the prototype him and the fairies made to access his soul realm safely.

Karmila tried studying the magic circle in the center but couldn’t comprehend it. “What is it.” She demanded again.

Karina smiled like a snake. “Like I said. It was a gift. In fact I enjoyed this gift so much, I even had it etched onto my body.” She then took one hand to rip off her dress, revealing her upper torso and a large bloody magical circle on her back.

Karmila stood up as she immediately sensed something was about to happen as Van’s eyes bugged open. He sensed it now…

Karina was soul bonded to him. That circle reinforced that soul bond making her a conduit for his soul realm. Through Karina he could activate the magic circle.

“Mother… I also have a wedding gift for you. I hope you like it.” Karina said with a devilish grin, raising the wedding gift high up and towards her mother.

Karmila raised her hand to kill Karina at the same time Van raised his to spiritually reach out to her. The magic circle began to glow and with a massive tear and shockwave Karmila’s attack was stopped in its tracks.

“Hey mom. It’s been a while.” Karmine said with an evil smile.