Julia

  It was early in the m when there was a hustle and bustle in the vilge. Fiete and Josefine had left before dawn and Flora was making breakfast when they heard loud voices.

  "I'll see what's going on out there." Hanno yawned ahe kit where they had all gathered in arm.

  "I'll get gage!", murmured Leopold and hurried away.

  Finn looked at Marko. "Soldiers?"

  "We don't know yet!" Flora put a few buns o table. "But we should expect it..."

  Julia took a bun and ate it standing, while Flora ed some buns in a cloth.

  When Hanno came back, he seemed tehere are no soldiers, but refugees."

  "Refugees?", asked Peter.

  "Yes. From another vilge. The soldiers are on their way. The elder is sealing off the vilge and calling on everyoo defend our homend. They want to hide the children in the big shed."

  Julia shook her head. "This is madness."

  "We 't leave?" Flora put the bundle of rolls oable. "Everything will be sealed off?"

  Hanno nodded grimly. "I don't think so."

  "So, you don't know?" Peter looked out the window. "We should at least try!"

  But they didn't get around to it. Instead, they heard a loud crash and two elves stormed into the kit. They had broken down the front door.

  "We he princess!", said an elf with short, brown hair. "She is our means of exerting pressure." Her gaze fell oer. "And the prince. Elder's and. You've resisted long enough!"

  The other elf crossed his arms. "You give them out voluntarily, or..."

  "Or what?", hissed Flora. "What do you want to do? Kill us?"

  "That would be a possibility", the elf replied. But it was clear that he did not feel fortable with the thought.

  "We should all flee", Julia spoke up. "Tell the elder. You have no ce against armed soldiers! This is madness! Ask the refugees, I'm sure they'll firm that! You have no ons! You have no magic!"

  The elf looked at Julia curiously. "You are a seer? Like the Queen? Surely you tell us how we win? Ilse said you had seen the fight?" Her gaze became challenging. "So? How do we win?" The other elf snorted. "We should take her into custody and not chat with her!"

  "But you won't!" Marko stood in the way of the two elves. "We have to flee. That's the only way!"

  "I want to talk to the elder!" Julia stood up and pushed past Marko.

  "Julia!" Leopold rushed to her and stood protectively in front of her before the two intruders could grab her and drag her out of the house.

  "I want to talk to him!", she repeated. "Now! Take me to him!" Julia was tired of this drama. She had to do something. And if that meant running into the hands of the elder, then so be it. She had to vince him. Time was running out!

  The two elves looked at each other puzzled, but then they agreed. They didn't care how, as long as the princess came along. However, they insisted that the prince also leaves the house with them.

  In the end, the whole group went together, as they did not want to let Julia aer go alohe eldest was not allowed to imprison her. Flora took her buh the buns.

  Torsten

  He was nervous. Terribly nervous. When the su down, the festivities would begin and then, at midnight, he would say 'yes' to the most beautiful vampire. He had never been so nervous.

  So that's it. The beginning of his life. Everything before this had only been the prologue. Now, now he was ready for whatever came his way!

  He missed his mother. Her death had e so suddenly. He wished she could see him. The future king of vampires. (Hopefully.) A simple mortal. The illegitimate son of the king. Born freat things!

  Amazing things!

  From the window of his room, he looked at the forest. The dragon was gone. But that didn't matter. Like this Prince Marlon at least did not get his hands on the animal. Although, maybe he wouldn't have survived his insanity. But... No. That would have been terrible, even if it mend that he was no longer around.

  "Well? Excited?" Said prince had e into his room without knog. "Most vampires only bee active iernoon and sleep before then. This must be a terrible ge for you. If there is breakfast iernoon?"

  Torsten looked at him angrily. "e in, please", he murmured sarcastically.

  Marlon grinned. "I did. And? Why are you still awake?"

  "I'm not used to sleeping during the day. And? Why doesn't the Prince of Vampires lie in bed asleep?"

  "To talk to my new family member in peace!" Marlon wi him.

  "Oh, yes?"

  "Well. About your iions, of course. I want to make something clear: I am the heir to the throne. YOU are just a delicay sister until she is free again and choose a vampire. She will not be queen, no, and if I am king, her of you will be part of my cil. I take the throne. I don't care how. A human will never have political influen my kingdom! My sister will never have any influehe only thing I care about humans is your blood. My parents and my stupid sister may see it differently, but as soon as I am king, I will send you and my little sister far away!"

  No matter how? Did Marlon pn to murder his parents? No. He's not smart enough for that... But the humans... Torsten just shook his head. "Is that so?" Monster.

  "You don't take me seriously? Good. Py cilor as long as my parents let you. But believe me, it is more of an appearahay. You are human. A small, miserable person. Inferior! Ihing! Don't fet that." Marlon grabbed him by the colr and pushed him against the window. "This is where your journey ends! No matter how you got here, you won't get anywhere. Worm! Remember this" Marlo go of him ahe room.

  "Certainly not. I'm sure I won't fet that." Torsten banged furiously against the window. ceited vampire! He had to fight for Annemarie to be named heir to the throne and not her brother. Nothing good would e out of him being king. No. Torsten had to protect the human inhabitants of the marshnd! Yes. He would be their protector.

  The marshnd had to remain a safe pce for people, even if he did not like some ws. And he had to warn Annemarie.

  Agathe

  She wanted her child back!

  She wao make all the elves regret it!

  She wanted Julia by her side.

  She wanted her power.

  Agathe had already sacrificed too much. She wouldn't lose more. She had tried to see if the shadows had already found Julia, but again she saw her owh.

  No. She was not allowed to die! She would not die. The kingdom was hers! It was her possession. Her life was her possession. Her children were her property. All power was her possession.

  Every leaf, every raindrop, every speck of dust, every ent wrinkle on her faithless husband's face, every hair on the heads of her magically gifted children. ALL OF IT!

  It beloo her and she would lose none of it.

  Not like when her parents were snatched away from her and everything she loved went up in fmes when an elf set fire to her home. When she was seriously injured and just mao save herself. When her life almost ended. No. Never again.