Young Writers Society

“The Prince, Princess, and the Knights”

After Drake’s announcement of the vampire’s existence, everyone wanted to know about them. Everywhere you looked, every TV screen, every conversation was now about vampires. Some people were unsure about the vampires’ existence, they just didn’t believe that it was possible. The next day there was a press conference at city hall where the Princess, Cassandra Tepes, announced that vampires did exist. She also explained how that this wasn’t planned but since Drake went ahead and did so, it was necessary. She had one of her bodyguards transform as proof that they do in fact exist. Afterwards, the mayor announced that he welcomed all vampire kind into the light and that he will allow all vampire affairs to be handled by their government.

“Drake!” Rebecca yells as she walks down the corridor to the living room. She bursts through the door almost taking it off the hinges. “What do you have to say for yourself.” she says glaring her green eyes at Drake, who sat on the velvet couch with a book in his hands.

“Nothing to say. I was sick of being a secret. I want the world to know.” Drake says without looking up from his book. “So what if the humans know of us. What’s the big deal? There hasn’t been any negative results so far and it’ll make my job a lot easier.”

“The big deal is that you did it! It is not your place to decide whether our race should be known or not. It is Cassandra’s. She is the princess.” she calms down as she says it. Then, Cassandra walks through the door. Her long red hair flowing down her back. He silk evening gown glowing in the light from the windows.

“Rebecca, may I have a moment with Drake please.” she says in a polite tone.

“Yes you highness.” she says bowing. She looks over to Drake and sticks her tongue out and leaves. Drake just grins and looks back to his book.

“Drake, you know she does have a point. This sort of thing is my place to decide. I agree that it will benefit your role as prince but you should’ve told me first.” Cassandra explains.

“I’m sorry, but the opportunity presented itself and I wasn’t going to let it slip by.” Drake says closing the book.

“Well know there is your punishment I must decide on, which I have.” she says lifting a finger.

“What?! Punishment?!” Drake says jumping from the couch.

“Yes. I’ve decided that if you want the humans to know about us, then you should also let them get to know you as well. I’ve enrolled you, Stephen, Malcolm, and even myself at St. Anthony's
High School. The school opens on Thursday.” she says grinning.

“What?! I just wanted to not have to be a secret, not enroll in high school!” Drake says grabbing hold of his hair with both hands.

“Should’ve thought of that before you made a choice not for you.” she says grinning. “Your uniform is in on your bed.”

“Uniform?!” he says falling back to the couch. She gives a giggle before getting up from her seat.

“I know this seems harsh. But who knows, you may enjoy it. I’m going to find something to eat.” she says leaving the room

“Great, now I have to go to high school.” he says. He gets up from the couch, leaving his book behind, and heads to his room. When he arrives, he sees the uniform laying on his bed. Gray slacks, a black blazer with the school emblem on the right side, a short-sleeved, white button-up shirt, a black tie, a belt, a pair of black socks, and a pair of black uniform shoes.

He walks over and picks up the blazer. I hate suit jackets, he thinks to himself. He looks over to the emblem, when he realizes something. He dropped the jacket down on his bed and ran out to find the Cassandra. He runs till he bursts through the door of the kitchen, where he finds Cassandra and Rebecca talking, Cassandra holding a wineglass full of blood. “Drake, what’s the matter?” Rebecca says looking at him worriedly.

“The emblem on my uniform…it’s the same one as…the kid I killed…the other day…He had a school uniform on…” Drake explain out of breath. Cassandra and Rebecca’s eyes widened.

After Drake caught his breath, they called Malcolm and Stephen down to the kitchen. “Wait. The kid had the same uniform we got to where to the school?” Malcolm asks after hearing Drake’s story.

“Yeah. It was the same thing I have in my room exactly. It’s not something I’d forget easily.” Drake answers.

“So, either he was just a kid who got mixed up in this new clan or the school is where the clan actually started.” Cassandra says sipping her blood, a concentrating look on her face. “I guess this means I’ll have to give them to you now.”

“Give us what?” Drake says look over to Cassandra. She then waves a hand to Rebecca and she walks out of the room without a word. “Cassandra, what are you up to?” Drake says giving her a glare. She just returned a childish smile to him, she appeared to be a thirteen maybe fourteen year-old girl but she was much older then that, with a mind to match.

Rebecca return to the kitchen carrying three rectangles of wrapping paper. At the sight of the gifts, Drake let out a sigh of frustration. It’s not that they don’t ever get him anything he wants, they usually do well with that, but he hates when people but him stuff. He can’t stand when someone goes out of their way to pick something out for him and then spend money on it. He turned to Cassandra to give her another glare. “You just love being a pain to me, don’t you?”

“Oh come now. You haven’t even opened yours yet and your already starting.” she says waving her hand at him.

“I don’t care. You know I hate when people buy me stuff.” he says feeling like a turtle that wanted to go into its shell out of frustration.

“Well too bad.” she says giving Drake the smallest of the three. He stares at the white and red spotted paper and then begins to tear it away. Underneath is a black box with two locks on the front. He unclips them and opens it and almost jumps out of his chair when he sees what is in it. Inside lies a pair of revolvers. One is silver, the other black. Both have a sapphire in the handle. They are about fifteen inches long, light weight, and both can hold about six bullets.

Drake looks over to Cassandra with nothing but a surprised gaze on him. Out of everything he would expect from her, this would not be on the list. He had wanted a gun to use but Rebecca convinced him out of it. She said they were to dangerous and they would make him vulnerable when he reloaded. At first he thought she was just being protective, but she went on to tell him that he might shoot Stephen or Malcolm or even a by-stander. He thought about it and realized she might be right.

“Where on Earth did you find these?” Drake says gazing at the pair, lifting the silver one out to examine it.

“I had them specially made the day I enrolled us in school. I figured it would be weird with three boys carrying a sword, an ax, and a pair of crossbows in school, so I had these made for you.” she says.

“Wow! Check this out!” Malcolm exclaims lifting his gift from the box, a pair of SMG‘s. They are solid black, rubies decorating the handles, and a six inch blade stretching out from under the barrel.

“Now this might do some damage.” Stephen says lifting up a shotgun out of his. It's short with an emerald on the bottom of the handle, a short, black magazine coming from the bottom just in front of the handle, and a retractable ax blade at the head of the barrel. Drake looks back at his new weapons and examines them both.

“They also come with holsters and I’m having vests fitted for you tomorrow, you’ll need all the ammunition you can carry.” Cassandra says getting up from her chair, setting her glass on the table and kneeling down beside Drake. “I hope you guys enjoy your new weapons.” she says looking at him while he looks at them.

Drake looks at Cassandra. “Believe me, we will.” he says smiling.

“Yeah, with these, no rogue vampire will stand in our way.” Malcolm says lifting his guns to his shoulders.

“For once, your cockiness might actually be the truthful.” Stephen says with his gun on his shoulder. Malcolm turns and levels his face with Stephens, standing on his tip-toes, and gives him a nasty glare. Stephen looks him in the eye and gives him a grin.

“Why you…”

“Now now boys, no fighting in the kitchen.” Rebecca says gently pushing Malcolm down on his feet and stepping in between them. Malcolm steps away and walks over to Cassandra.

“Thank you so much for the guns Princess.” Malcolm says giving Cassandra a hug. She pats him on the shoulder and smiles as he releases her. Stephen walks over and faces her, towering over her, him standing at six foot eight and her at only five foot three.

“Thank you Princess.” Stephen says bowing his head slightly and walks out. Cassandra smiles as he leaves without another word.

“Thank you Princess.” Drake says without taking his eyes off the guns. He then lays them down and gives her a hug. She closes her eyes and hugs him back.

“I’m glad you like them.” she says smiling. He releases her and returns the smile.