Far away from the city of vampires, the sun was rising above Equestria, a start to a new day. Princess Celestia was standing on the balcony, her horn glowing as she willed the sun to move across the sky, propelling it with her magic. Princess Luna was standing nearby, lowering the moon, guiding it below the horizon. The two sisters finished their morning routine soon and returned inside the castle.
Suddenly, their ears and tails twitched as a gust of wind blew past them. Their eyes widened as they stopped mid-step. A long moment of pause ensued, they looked backwards. Wordlessly, the two returned to the balcony and witnessed the last of the moon disappeared.
The moon was a sickly red, painting the horizon dark crimson. The sisters exchanged glances of worry and then continued watching the horizon. As the moon continued its way, the red glow’s hue slowly faded, only leaving the sky a pink tint. Soon, nothing indicated that there was an unusual occurrence. The princesses exchanged rapid glances once again and briskly retreated inside the castle.
They knew it, they remembered something like this had happened before, but they couldn't quite place it just yet. It was something from the past, left deep within their minds, on the verge of being forgotten; nothing but a distant memory, slowly fading into obscurity.
It was uncertain what that memory was about, but the princesses were sure it meant something far more than a simple colorful anomaly.
Daring Do was sitting idly in her cell when she saw a yellow beam shooting into the ceiling of the cavern. Dust fell from the ceiling as a rumbling and deep noise went through the entire cavern and all the buildings within. Vibrations traveled through the ground. Startled, she jumped from her place and dashed towards the only window the cell had. She could barely see it from the small window but she could make out Nicholas standing near the blackened obelisk she’d first seen when she first entered the cavern.
Her thoughts went over that moment. The excitement, the curiosity, it led her right to this very moment — sitting in a dusty, plain cell and awaiting the final judgement of the Vampire King. At the edge of her mind, Daring's sixth sense told her there would be a lot of trouble ahead for all of Equestria. It was apparent that this adventure of hers would not end up just in a new popular book. It would end in something bigger, something far greater than she would be able to figure out by herself.
Her eyes widened as shadows rose from the ground, turning into vampires. Multiple statues scattered around the city began to move, their stones cracking open to reveal more vampires. The city was beginning to fill with vampires, almost living like they had never died. The vampires were of a dull amount of colors, both fur and mane; black, shades of gray and red, dark or pale shades of other colors prevailed. Only a small amount of vampires had coats almost bright enough for them to be seen as lunar pegasi. They were the only known nocturnal kind of ponies that still inhabited Equestria.
The eyes of vampires were slightly glowing, the colors of red, yellow, orange, and green triumphed against other colors. Most vampires had membrane wings, but some had curved non-spiral horns, and even fewer vampires had neither wings nor horn, and none of them had both horn and wings. Daring Do instantly figured out that there were three kinds of vampires, much alike the existing pony tribes.
Her eyes shifted to Nicholas himself. He was standing proudly amidst his subjects, his head held high, and even from such a great distance, Daring Do swore she could see his eyes glowing. Soon, he started to speak in a language Daring Do didn't understand. Immediately, a desire to learn it came from the back of her judgement when she heard how many emotions the Vampire King expressed through the unknown language. He spoke with so much power, hope, and determination that the translation wasn't needed at all, for emotions was the language anyone could understand. His booming voice sent shivers down the mare's spine, making her ears twitch in the anticipation of something she didn't know. However, there was more to his words than just hope. His tone changed, lowering, adding a growl to it. There was something he said that was not directed at his own subjects. Daring Do’s ears lowered slightly as she listened. The words she couldn’t understand brought her a sense of fear, one that made the hair on her back stand up.
However, she was at no position to prevent anything from happening. There were hundreds of blood-drinkers out there, and she was just one pony with non-vampiric blood in her veins. Even if she got out, escaping the city itself would be a much bigger and dangerous challenge to take. Daring Do could do nothing but anxiously wait, hoping that whatever Nicholas had planned for her wouldn't put an end to her adventures and writing career.
Suddenly, the door to her cell opened. Daring Do swiftly turned around and saw a stallion in armor. His fur was dull gray and his mane was black. His orange eyes were looking at her without visible emotions. He wore polished steel armor of dark-red color. The helmet had horn-like spike which had a crimson gem in it. The gem was glowing, emitting an aura of sanguine. The mare's eyes shifted to the side and saw that a halberd was levitating near the stallion, engulfed in the same red aura.
Daring Do guessed that he came for her, and that he was a vampire guard. For a few moments, she thought about fighting him, but soon she noticed a few other guards right behind him. It would be unwise to fight, and besides, she had to save up her strength.
"His Majesty Nikolas requests zy prezence, Daring Du," the guard spoke, his voice heavy with a foreign accent Daring hadn't heard before. "Step out of zy cell."
She complied with the order, and the door was locked behind her once she exited. The guards flanked her and the first one led the way. The group ascended a stairway to come into one of the castle halls. Silently, they moved forward through the confusing pathway of stone halls, each looking not to different from the other. Daring Do had a feeling she was led through a complicated path so that she would have trouble escaping. She decided to look around to see if there was anything to note.
"Eyes front," The right guard commanded once she turned her head.
Soon they came to a hall, and it was filled with many vampires. The conversations had gone silent as soon as they laid eyes on her. They greeted her with glances or outright stares of interest, sending shivers down her spine, making her blood chill with ice-cold fear. When one of those vampires stepped in her direction, a guard stopped him.
"Regele are nevoie de ea în viață," the guard told the vampire. The latter nodded and continued on his way, his interest to the pegasus dropped. As he was going away, however, his ears were turned towards Daring Do.
The pegasus gulped, her eyes focused on the back of the head of the first guard. Even if she tried to fight her way through the castle, she would be quickly overwhelmed by the vampires. She had no chance of getting out of the castle alive, not even considering getting out of the cavern. So, she decided to wait. Maybe she would have another chance, or so she thought.
Finally, she arrived at the throne room. There was no one but Nicholas in there just like the last time. He looked at Daring Do with interest but remained silent until the group stopped just a few meters away from his throne. The first guard quickly reported to the king. Nicholas dismissed the guard, and he went off with a salute, leading the rest out of the throne room and closing the big doors behind themselves.
"Well," Nicholas spoke after a click sounded from the door. "How art thou, pony?"
"What do you need?" Daring Do replied with more aggression than she intended. She straightened her posture and looked into the crimson eyes of the king. She might've felt afraid before, but now she was certain she would stand her ground.
"Right to business, then," he nodded, looking back into Daring's own eyes as if challenging her to a stare contest, "But wouldst thou like a cup of tea first? I know you ponies like it very much."
"No," she huffed, her bravery returning and her mind filling with anger. She didn't know why she cowered before him last time. She was known as fearless, always ready for troubles, and yet the sight of the Vampire King made her weak that time. Not anymore.
"Fine then, no... familiarities," Nicholas nodded slowly, "I have a few questions for thee, and I would like to hear answers to all of them."
"And what if I don't tell you?" Daring Do challenged him, plucking up more courage to surpass her fear.
"Let us set this straight, thou hast no choice," Nicholas replied coldly, his gaze fixated on her. A moment later, he sighed wearily, "Either that, or I shall extract the answers by... forceful means. Thou shalt tell me the answers, but it is thou who decideth how it will be done."
Daring Do recoiled slightly. His words weren't meaningless threats, there was something behind them that made her rethink her approach to the situation. Recollecting her thoughts and rethinking her situation, she slowly nodded.
"Thou madest the right choice," Nicholas nodded slightly in return, his crimson eyes still fixated on hers as if digging straight into her very soul. After a small pause, he continued: "Very well… We met during rather… interesting circumstances. Allow me to formally introduce myself, then. I am Nicholas, the King of Vampires, the ruler of Vallaer. I’d like to know what thy name is.”
"My... name?" the mare was confused, expecting something different.
"Yes, indeed,” Nicholas nodded, “Thou art the first pony I’ve properly met since… a long time."
"Um... my name is Daring Do," the adventurer replied, nervously shifting in place. The strangely friendly-cold tone of the Vampire King put her in a confusing position. She thought that perhaps it was his intent, but what was the reason?
She didn't like the situation in the slightest. She wasn't even bound by ropes, she was in no direct danger. No traps, no hungry animals, and no one else was in the room except Nicholas. He wasn't throwing words around, telling her his plan of any other nonsense most would do, he was a complete enigma, demanding answers but providing nothing in return... yet.
"Pleased to meet thee formally, Daring Do," Nicholas nodded politely, his expression neutral. "My first question is, what year is it now?"
"Three thousand and first since the Foundation of Equestria," Daring Do replied.
"So, I was out for more than two thousand, then," he frowned slightly. His face smoothened soon, however. "I've heard thou talking that I was defeated two thousand five hundred thirty-three years ago. All of it confirms that the last time I was here the year was four hundred sixty-eight since the Foundation."
"If you knew, why ask?"
"I tried to catch thee on a lie; It is but a simple thing, and yet many can't keep their lies consistent. Thou didst not lie, that is what I'm certain of," he paused and then explained; "The simple thing is, I abhor lies. In fact, liars I knew I executed personally. So, I ask thee to be honest with me for thine own sake. Honesty is one of a pony's characters your kind so valueth, is it not?" he asked rhetorically, and then, without giving her a chance to reply, said; "So, my next question. How large is Equestria nowadays and who is in charge of the country?"
"Equestria lies from the East to the West of Equus continent, from the Badlands to the Frozen North. Princesses Celestia and Luna are rulers," Daring Do answered without withholding anything. It was apparent that if not her, someone else would deliver the same information, and it could be any single pony in the land of Equestria.
"So, the Royal Sisters still live?" Nicholas looked surprised. He leaned in slightly, his eyes displaying more interest than before. "I remember them young... I wonder..." he paused. "But it is not for thine ears," he paused again. "Anyway, I think thou need'st to know — those two didn't defeat me. In fact, it was their father who I know lieth dead now."
"Their... father?" Daring Do was confused. "It is written that not much is known about their father, the last king of Equestria, but he didn't take part in any wars."
"Thy books are filled with filthy lies," Nicholas cringed, his nostrils flaring as he exhaled. "It seemeth like I shan't find true answers to most questions... Tell me, how old art thou?"
"Thirty-one."
"Then thou must know events of at least twenty years. Tell me the most important ones," he shifted on his throne, adjusting for a more comfortable position. "I feel like my return isn't the only thing that hath happened recently."
"Um, the first major event is the return of Princess Luna from her millennium imprisonment on the Moon," Daring Do answered. "Most considered her but a myth... The next important event is—"
"Tell me more about the first one," Nicholas cut her short, his ears now directly aimed at her. "Why was she imprisoned? What freed her? Why is she now a ruler alongside her sister?"
Daring Do proceeded to explain the events surrounding Nightmare Moon, her banishment to the Moon, and then her eventual return. Of course, she didn't forget to mention the Elements of Harmony, which might have been a foolish move on her side. However, she was sure the Vampire King would be able to tell if she was witholding anything.
"What are these elements?" Nicholas narrowed his eyes, leaning forward slightly once again. "I want to know everything about them."
Daring Do had no choice but to comply, telling the vampire all she knew about the Elements, who had them at the moment, and how they’re used. She also told the king that she had no idea where the Elements were discovered. She told him it was during the reign of Discord, the spirit of chaos that the Vampire King turned out to be familiar with.
"'Tis surely interesting..." Nicholas tapped his chin in deep thought, "I shall find a use for it," he paused, his eyes looking to the left of Daring Do but soon returned to her, "For thy cooperation, thou shalt be provided with a normal room instead of a cell," before the pegasus could say anything, Nicholas raised his hoof, silencing her, "However, thou must remember, cooperation is always rewarded... but non-compliance, on the other hoof, bringeth... certain troubles," he let his words sink in, "For now, rest. I have more question for thee, but that cometh later."
Nicholas was sitting on his throne, his eyes looking at nothing in particular as his tail swished from side to side, his wings twitching slightly. His subjects woke up from their long slumber, everything there once was in the city was being re-established at a steady pace. Overall, the situation in the city was improving minute by minute as it began to fill with life again.
However, the king's thoughts weren't of his own subjects. He thought of the bigger picture that encompassed more than himself, his subjects, or vampires as a whole. Two thousand years had passed, and it meant that all connections he had created through years were forgotten. Perhaps, they were erased from the history entirely, especially with ponies reigning. He wanted to regain control of the situation and to find the truth about what happened in the world during his absence. To do it, he must find allies first. He also had to gather as much information as he could, of course.
So, Nicholas called for his best scouts. Three of them answered his call and stood before him. Each one looked absolutely identically to another — membrane wings, white furs, dark-brown manes, sharp green eyes. Their marks were different but had the same meaning — collecting information.
The best of the best, they were his elite. Their eyes were shining brightly, looking at the Vampire King, awaiting his orders. Standing stoically, they even breathed and blinked in unison, their postures identical and straight, their heads held high.
Nicholas recollected the names of the stallions. From left to right, they were Cloudburst, Thunder Cloud, and Moondust. Each had proven themselves in the years of service to their king as well as to the vampire nation as a whole. Disrupting assassination attempts, thwarting the moves of their enemies, performing sabotage deep inside enemy territories, assassinating high-value targets, the three were the masters of all things stealth. The Vampire King let himself form a proud smile, remembering how the stallions saved his life on quite a few occasions.
Their service was far from over, however. Nicholas had certain goals in mind, which had to be fulfilled in order to restore the vampire kingdom to its former ancient glory.
The orders were issued, the scouts took off to their destination, and it was now time to question the remaining prisoners. Nicholas was patiently waiting for the tomb raiders to be brought to him in the throne room.
Soon, the doors opened, revealing the four stallions being led by a squad of guards.
"Lasă-ne," Nicholas spoke. The guards bowed and left, closing the doors behind them. For a few moments, the silence reigned as the ponies and the vampire looked at each other. The silence was broken by the Vampire King: "I brought you here for one thing. I need information, as much as thou canst provide."
"We will tell you nothing!" Caballeron spoke, stepping forth. "You killed one of ours, and that can't be forgiven!"
"Thou art brave, pony, to stand alone against me," Nicholas stood from his throne, his crimson eyes fixated on the tomb raider, looking him right in the eyes. "But also quite foolish... thief!"
Suddenly, the three muscular stallions that accompanied Caballeron were engulfed in the bright aura colored the red of Nicholas' eyes. The stallions were swiftly lifted up and levitated to the ceiling. The gems in the crown of the Vampire King were shining brightly, adding to the glow of his eyes. The towering figure of Nicholas closed in on Caballeron as he stared wide-eyed at what was happening. Noticing the vampire walking closer and closer, the stallion stepped back fearfully, his ears flat against his head, and tail between his legs. He regretted his moment of bravado, for it was indeed foolish.
"I hate thieves, I despise them," Nicholas said with venom in his royal voice. "In fact, I think I should've just killed thee back then," he stepped closer to the pony while the other stallions screamed in fear, but their muzzles were quickly shut by magic, muting them. They moaned and groaned, trying to break free from the magical bonds with zero success.
"N-no, please don't!" Caballeron begged in fear, remembering how easy it was for the Vampire King to make one of the stallions disappear in an instant, leaving little behind.
"Of course I shan't kill thee," Nicholas's eyes flashed with hatred, "That would just be mercy, only in life canst thou suffer."
A powerful telekinetic hit sent Caballeron flying across the room, hitting the closed doors. A painful crack sounded, the stallion groaned in pain as he fell to the floor with a loud thud. Soon after, he tried to get up, his limbs shaking and sweat running down his forehead.
"Thou hast given no proper respect to the crown, wretched thief!" Nicholas yelled angrily; he delivered another hit at the helpless pony, breaking his muzzle, making the blood seep from the nostrils, "How did thou dare to wear it like it meaneth nothing! Thou would've just sold it to someone who careth not for its history! To someone who would have placed it on a shelf and never used! This crown hath history, and thou darest to think of it like 'tis but a big bag of gold!"
Caballeron was thrown across the room, hitting another wall. Whimpering, he fell, drops of mixed blood and tears streaming down his face.
"N-n-no, p-please, m-mercy!" he pleaded, his eyes looking at the Vampire King with terror. "I will d-do anyth-thing you w-want!"
"I would've respected thee more if thou foughtst back," Nicholas replied, calming down a little, but with sparks of hatred still present in his fiery eyes. "But thou art not only a thief but a coward!"
The pony was levitated into the air and closer to the king. Nicholas whispered into his ear: "And the blood of cowards hath much adrenaline... Delicious."
The vampire sank his fangs deep into the neck of the frightened stallion. Gulping loudly, he started sucking out blood, making Caballeron paler and paler with each mouthful of blood Nicholas consumed. The pony's weak attempts at resisting the vampire were unsuccessful. When it seemed like the unfortunate thief would die from the loss of blood, Nicholas let him go. With a thud, Caballeron fell on the hard marble floor, leaving a stain of blood in his wake.
"Finally..." Nicholas shivered in pleasure, blood dripping from his mouth, staining the marble floor with red. He licked his mouth clean, swallowing the remaining blood. "Thou hast given me something I haven't had in years..." he closed his eyes, savoring the taste for a few long moments. The pony was trembling on the floor, having no strength left. "So, thou shalt be well-fed, thy health will be taken care of. Thy blood will regenerate... And thou shalt be served to me as a meal for the rest of thy worthless life. Most importantly, thou couldst have evaded that by answering my questions. However, I have a more... cooperative informer."
Caballeron weakly muttered something incoherently, more blood seeped, now from his mouth. His three companions were let go, and they fell on the floor.
"As for you three," Nicholas turned to other stallions. "You shall be meals for others. Looking at those muscles I see nothing but brute force. But to train yourselves, you must've been healthy. And a healthy pony is certainly more than a decent meal."
Meanwhile, Daring Do was in the new room given to her by the Vampire King. It wasn't exactly big or luxurious, but it was fairly comfortable compared to the dull and bland cell of the dungeon. At the very least, the room had a pleasant combination of different shades of blue and red that surprisingly went together quite well.
However, the adventurer didn't care for the comfortableness of the room. She cared more for herself and was figuring out her escape plan. While Nicholas had a use for her as of that moment, Daring Do was afraid that someday her usefulness to him would expire, as would her life. She feared that her dry, bloodless corpse would be thrown aside, a look of pure terror forever etched in her face.
Shaking off the dark thoughts, the pegasus decided to escape the cavern and bring the news to the Royal Sisters. Daring Do understood that she had no chances if she were to face Nicholas alone. Not to mention that she was surrounded by blood-suckers that would very much like to sink their fangs deep into her neck given the chance.
Daring Do still had her equipment with her, as well as her clothes. She had a hammer with a claw, and she used it to smash the window to the outside. Instantly after doing it, she flew outside the castle, her warm clothes tucked between her legs, then descended to the ground. While her fur's colors were surely pretty bright for a gray color of the stone, Daring Do escaped worse in her lifetime, her skill of stealth was mastered by many trials she had to face.
She made her way to where she remembered the exit must be. She silently crept from stone to stone, from building to building. Fortunately for her, most vampires were in their homes, talking to each other, more focused on themselves than looking around and searching for the pegasus. A violin played beautiful music somewhere in the city, laughter sounded throughout the city. If Daring Do didn't know the city was filled with vampires, she would actually stop to enjoy the music and listen in to all the different conversations. If not for the pressing matters, she would certainly enjoy the lively feeling the ancient city gave off.
Fortunately for her, the guards didn't notice her as she passed them, but something was happening at the castle. Vampires were moving hastily there, the window of Daring's former room was already being fixed, guards started actively searching for her.
"Attention all citizens! A pegasus prisoner by the name Daring Do hath escaped the castle! Sand-colored fur, grayscale mane, bright violet eyes. She was dressed in warm clothes that are in color of her fur. Any citizen that seeth her must attempt a capture or call a nearby Royal Guard if they are unsure of their own capabilities." a powerful and loud voice sounded from the castle, instantly getting the attention of all vampires. "But remember, our king Nicholas wanteth her alive and unhurt!"
Daring Do however, couldn’t understand the words, but she recognized her name. She understood the meaning — the vampires were after her. Hastily, she moved to the exit, often looking around, being aware that any number of possible traps or ambushes could be already waiting for her around every corner.
As she reached the entrance to the grand cave, she went up the stairs. She was sweating and panting hard when she reached the top, finally stepping from the last step onto the solid and flat floor. Dull pain in her legs told her that descending the stairs was much easier than ascending them. She slowly walked to the exit, trying to control her breath and racing heartbeat, but something stopped her as she hit something with her muzzle. She blinked, then brought her hoof fourth, touching an invisible barrier. Her eyes widened in realization, but her thoughts were cut off when she heard a voice behind her.
"Daring Do."
The mare quickly turned around and saw Nicholas himself standing at the base of the stairway, grinning at her.
"Nothing is ever as easy as thou thinkest," he said rather triumphantly, "Thousands of years have given me so much knowledge... some call it wisdom. I learned many tricks and traps, in one of which thou'st fallen," his grin widened slightly, "However, it was expected."
Daring Do growled at him, standing in a battle stance, throwing her clothes away to free herself from the burden. Her body stiffened as she snorted, her eyes looking straight at the Vampire King.
"So, thou wantest to fight?" Nicholas tilted his head. "This bravado is stupid and shall lead to nothing... but thy death."
"I've been through worse," Daring Do replied through gritted teeth and narrowed eyes.
"Perhaps," Nicholas straightened, his grin diminishing, "However, there is no way out of here, not by this stairway. There are no hidden passages here. Thou art trapped."
"I always find a way."
"Thou dost not have to search for it, adventurer," Nicholas continued, "Thou hast the only way — going back here. It is not a way out of this cavern but a way out of a certain death. Thou dost not want to die of thirst or starvation up there, dost thou? Come down, thou shalt not be harmed."
"I've heard that too many times," she forced an exhale through her nostrils, "I will fight, even if it costs me my life."
"Thou art devoted to a great cause of preserving the past, Daring Do. Thy death would be such an immeasurable waste," Nicholas let out a sigh, "Thou art one of a few ponies I do not despise, for I see that thou hast this desire... The desire for knowledge and discoveries is inside thee. Thou canst be so much more if thou dost not sacrifice thyself for the sake of foolish stupidity.”
A pause ensued. Daring Do remained silent, looking at the Vampire King, waiting for his move.
"Thou thinkest I would hurt thee,” he continued; “No, and no one here would. Would I lie to thee? Hast thou not heard me telling thee that I despise lying? If thou comest down, thou shalt be unharmed unless thou provokest us," he let her digest the information once again before he continued, "There is a simple choice. Either thou comest down now... or later."
With that said, Nicholas left the adventurer alone to her thoughts.
Without a moment of wait, Daring Do started searching the cave for a possible secret exit. She knocked at the walls, expecting to find a hollow in the stone. She pressed various small rocks here and there. And yet, there was nothing. Neither the stone walls nor the invisible barrier budged. Her efforts were absolutely futile.
It seemed Nicholas wasn't lying to her when he said that there was no way out but returning to him. It was something Daring Do had to accept, unfortunately. She could not stay up there forever, not without food, and it would be easy to capture her. She was just a pegasus, and her flying abilities were nullified by the cave.
She slowly descended the stairs, her mind working like never before. If the vampire king didn't outright kill her, then she still had at least some chances to get out. She needed time to explore the cavern and maybe find an escape route. So, she had to bring Nicholas' guard down until he no longer cared about what she did in his kingdom. And only then she would have a good chance of escaping.
However, there was one problem. Nicholas would certainly be less willing to let her loose after her failed escape attempt. It was apparent that the Vampire King was not the one to be trifled with. Despite having been out for many centuries, he had not lost his grip on reality and he was just like he was described in the books; he was calm, collected, and thoughtful. A formidable opponent to the pony kind back in the day, that was what Daring Do knew for certain. How Nicholas acted in life proved it, at the very least.
She entered the cavern and immediately noticed many slit-pupil eyes fixated on her. Vampires surrounded her, and for a second she thought that she had made a wrong decision. Sweat rolled down her forehead as she frantically looked around, afraid to make the slightest wrong move. She had no escape, and there were way too many vampires for her to handle by herself.
In front of all vampires, their king stood. He looked at the adventurer with a victorious look on his face. His posture was relaxed, his eyes looking directly at the pegasus, expressing domination. A smile crept onto his face as he opened his maw to speak.
"Wise choice," he praised the mare without a trace of mocking in his tone, "Indeed wise. Come with me now, adventurer."
Daring Do followed Nicholas, often looking around to see if she was going to be jumped by other vampires. They silently watched her but stood still, without even the slightest movement. It chilled the pegasus to the bone, but she tried hard not to show it. The only thing that betrayed her was the amount of sweat rolling down her face.
"I am surprised it took thee so little time to make this decision," Nicholas spoke. "Others who found themselves in the same situation took much longer to decide. Some tried to fight, too. To say that it was stupid is to say nothing. While bravery is a trait I respect, bravado is something I can never understand. Only a fool will stand against hundreds of vampires all alone as if they are trying to impress someone. However, all they do is make themselves seen as unreasonable and, quite frankly, pathetic...Putting up a show for no reason is foolish. We have minds, and unlike wild animals, we can reason, come to an agreement. Surely there is an agreement that will fit both of us, is there not?"
Daring Do decided to stay silent. She looked straight ahead, trying not to even glance at the Vampire King. The gears in her mind were turning, trying to come up with something safe and yet reasonable to say.
"Thou art silent. Dost thou think I am some kind of a fool to not understand that thou hast surrendered only to try to escape some other day?" Nicholas asked with interest. Daring Do's ear twitched as she gulped almost involuntarily. There wasn't a hint of malice or aggression in the voice of the Vampire King. "You ponies are like books for infants. Simple and predictable. But worry not, thou shalt not find thyself bored to death here," he let out a chuckle. "Keeping thee for the sake of it will not be beneficial to any of us."
The two entered the castle, and the large gates closed behind them with a soft thud. There was no one around them but the vampire guards, who kept to their posts and didn't even glance at the two.
"I know these walls cannot keep thee here, and thou shalt not stay because of being locked up here," Nicholas said. "But thou shalt stay not because of restrictions but because of something thou canst find only here in this city...
“...Thou art an adventurer, seeker of knowledge and secrets; mystical, hidden artifacts, lost in time. All of that is what thou desirest, is it not?" he paused, letting Daring Do consume the information and think about it for a moment. Daring Do's ears were perked up at Nicholas’ words; "Only here thou shalt find anything and everything related to us vampires. If thou decidest to leave... Thou shalt not get thy hooves on any of our knowledge ever again as long as vampires are here. And we shall not be gone for a very long time, believe me. Surely even thy grandchildren won't be able to lay their hooves on our history and knowledge."
Obviously interested, the ears of Daring Do were turned to the Vampire King as she tried to resist asking questions.
"So, I shall give thee access to the Royal Library," Nicholas continued. "There, thou shalt find the most accurate description of our history, customs and traditions, and our everyday life. Is it not the reason thou camest here? If not, I shall surely be disappointed. Thou art not like those tomb raiders, art thou?"
Daring Do was still silent, resisting the urge to talk to him. A flash of disappointment crossed Nicholas' face as he opened the door to the guest room. The window had been repaired by the time the two entered.
"Try not to smash this window again. Each one is a work of art, it will be a shame if this one is lost forever."
With that being said, Daring Do entered her new "home", and the door closed behind her. Tired from the recent events, she flopped onto the bed. Surprisingly, it was cleaned of dust and was very soft. The adventurer sighed and slowly drifted into a more or less peaceful sleep.