Blood Lily

I already knew the answer, but it shook me to the core nonetheless.

“Oh,” I said in half astonishment.

“Mhmm. Ah, and if you’re worried where the blood came from, I assure you no one was harmed,” she said, setting one of my many worries at ease.

Speaking of worries, there was at least one more very important question I needed to ask.

“So… why am I a g-”

“Ah ah ah, we’ll be taking turns asking questions,” she said while flicking her finger back and forth, fully enjoying how much she’s teasing me.

“You were shackled. Why?” she asked bluntly.

Shackled? I wasn’t really sure what she was asking me about.

“What do you mean?”

She raised a brow, closed her eyes, and took a moment to think.

“Interesting… so, you weren’t aware you were shackled?”

“I’m still not really sure what you mean by that…” I responded.

“You had the mark of a shackled until I removed it after your programmed escape attempt,” she said, as if I was expected to know what that meant.

“I still don’t-“

“You were a slave. To who and for what reason, I’m not sure.”

“Oh,” I said, with more astonishment than being told I’m a vampire.

Is that what my birthmark was then? A shackle to… my “parents?”

She made a slight nod to me, indicating it was my turn for a question.

“Why would my parents, um, shackle me?”

She raised another eyebrow at that.

“I don’t know, but tell me, who are your parents, what are their names?”

“I don’t know,” I said, stating the honest answer.

Her eyebrow must have been getting sore with how high she was having to raise it.

She sighed, and asked, “Then, what do they look like?”

Now that I could answer, a little bit at least.

“My mother was … with … and … while my father had … and …”

She stared at me for a moment, quite impressed with my vivid descriptions I’m sure.

“Tch, not just any shacklers are they then… I’m afraid you’ve been silenced from speaking of them,” she said once again as if I have any idea what that means.

“Oh,” I said with a bit of disappointment, realizing my expert description of how … looked went unnoticed.

“I’ll have this investigated later, we have plenty else to discuss for now,” she said, inviting another question.

“Well, so, why exactly did I also turn into a g-”

“Ah ah, I believe it was my turn,” she interrupted with a smile.

I was slightly annoyed but I let her continue.

“How old are you?”

I didn’t really expect that question, but it’s probably important for her to know I suppose. It’s just that, well…

“I don’t um, I don’t really know. I think I was maybe around 16? Sorry.”

“Well, it’s inconvenient not knowing, but not something we can’t find out. I’m sure you’ve realized it by now, but magic very much so exists, and it can be very useful in situations like this.”

“Oh!” I said, a bit excited at the thought of magic and learning my exact age.

I realized she probably used magic earlier when she singed the shackle off the back of my neck, so if she can use magic then maybe…

“C-can I learn magic?” I asked hesitantly.

She smiled, “Good question. The simplest of magic you will certainly learn, things even a child could do. Anything past that, well, we’ll see.”

“Okay!” I said, with a healthy heart of enthusiasm.

Before I opened my mouth to attempt the one question on my mind, she reminded me it was her turn by asking yet another question.

“What’s your favorite color?” she said with absolute determination.

Really? My favorite color? That’s what you want to know?

“Yes,” she said undeterred.

W-wait did I say that out loud again? I need to stop doing that.

“Uh, w-well…”

I took a moment to consider this mundane question, I never really thought about stuff like this. I loved the endless blue of the sky, the verdant green of the grass and leaves, the dazzling yellow of the night stars, even the woody brown of the trees. But the color that really caught my eye was something I only really ever saw on passing strangers once in a while.

“Pink.”

“Oh,” she said with a modicum of astonishment.

Well at least I’m not the only one saying “oh,” I’m not really sure what she expected though.

Regardless, I finally had my opportunity at hand, and, after a moment of silence, I took it.

“So, why am I a… um, why exactly did I turn into a girl?”

She took a deep breath in and a deep breath out. I heard her heels click once again as she stepped up out of her chair, and, for the first time since meeting her, she frowned.

With a deep bow, she spoke, “I apologize… but I don’t know why. It’s not exactly what’s supposed to happen, but I promise you can return to normal, as a vampire that is. It will take time to prepare the necessary materials for the spell, a few weeks in all likelihood. I will have our best working on it. Forgive me.”

“Oh,” I said, not really sure what to think.

She returned to her seat and we sat in silence for a few moments, letting me digest what I’ve learned so far.

“Ah, and rest assured, I will ensure our household staff address you properly until we can reverse this err… side effect. I will not allow slip-ups, you have my word,” she said, shattering the silence.

“Oh, um, thanks,” I said.

“Ah! Of course, speaking of addressing, where are my manners?”

She stood up once again, her deep, scarlet eyes staring at mine.

Radiating grace and elegance, she lightly bowed. Her long, silver hair flowed and swayed smoothly and flawlessly as she did.

“I am Magnolia O’Sang, head of House O’Sang, one of The Four Great Vampire Houses. But you may address me as mother.”

Can’t say I’m surprised she’s such a prominent figure, I mean this gargantuan house doesn’t really suggest lower class.

But, the fact she just said she’s now my mother? That is bizarre to hear.

“O-ok,” I responded.

“Now then, what is your name?”

“The Ugly Goblin,” I said, straight-faced.

“Excuse me, what did you say?” she asked wide eyed.

“My name,” I stated back.

She had a mix of feelings in her face, pity being the most prevalent but anger close behind.

“Who or what in the world gave you the idea that that is your name?!” she asked with a tempered fury. “Your shacklers?”

“No, not them. They never really talked to me. I sat in that park bench a lot. People took notice of it and spread rumors. Sometimes when people passed by they would spit towards me, calling me 'The Ugly Goblin,’ but I didn’t really pay them much mind and not everyone was-”

“Look at me,” she demanded.

I was too busy reimagining my past social interactions to realize she had made her way to my end of the table.

I did as she told, looking up at her scarlet eyes.

She grabbed me by the shoulders, gently, and spoke, “You are my child now. You are an O’sang. You are NOT ugly nor a goblin and you never were, do you understand me?”

“But-”

She leaned down and hugged me tightly.

“I didn’t choose you to turn because you were something no one cared would be missing. I chose you because I could see the kindness in your eyes, the gentleness in your heart. As someone who has lived a long time, I can promise you that is one of the rarest things to be found in this world. I would choose no one else besides a person like that. A person like you.”

Hot tears were streaming down my face. I just hugged her as tightly as I could, sobbing into the fabric of her dress. I kept it all bottled up and buried for as long as I had lived, but hearing and feeling such genuine care dug it out and shattered it all in a heartbeat.

“There, there…” she said, stroking both my back and the top of my head.

A few minutes of me sobbing uncontrollably passed until I calmed down and she asked, “Feel better now?”

I sniffled a bit and responded, grinning.

“I thought it was my turn to ask a question.”