Friedrich

  " I ask you something?" King Heinrich approached him yawning. Friedrich stood in the corridor where his room was located and looked out of one of the windows. He had looked at the pictures in the hallway before the light fog outside captivated his gaze. It was restless in the castle. The first guests arrived and moved into guest rooms.

  "Shouldn't you be slowly preparing for the wedding?", he asked the vampire, yawning.

  "Are you tired? Adapting to imes is not easy for many. You should also prepare! The festivities will begin shortly."

  "That's true. What are you going to ask me?", he asked the Vampire King.

  "I wao talk to you in peace. Among men. I would like to get to know my future family member in peabsp; What is it like to be king of their try? You have no deaking power. Queen Agathe rules alone, right? For me, that wouldn’t be fitting."

  "I married her because it was beneficial. I was highly regarded among the nobility and owned several private i whiew healing spells were being worked on at that time. Successful. The hospitals of the were not sressive. Therefore, it was of io Agathe to ect our houses and thus the hospitals. Laws prevent panies from being taken over by others just like that. Laws to which my wife, on the advice of her advisers, had agreed. A long time ago. Her son Fritz now also takes care of the hospitals that were onder my responsibility."

  "And what advantage did you get from it?"

  "I ran out of funds. The research had swallowed all my money. Now the fihe hospitals, I am not insolvent and have gained prestige. So I've won a lot and I 't pin." Friedrich smiled desdingly. "Is that all you wao know?"

  "Do you love your wife?" King Heinrich frowned. "And your children?"

  "Why is this important?" What is this? Is this an interrogation?

  "My daughter told me about Prier's fatal wedding. I would never force my daughter to marry someone she doesn't like. I heard that the prince had disappeared? Together with your you? I hope you get your children back soon. Well, his fiancée? Babette? An iing young dy with an iing choice of clothing. Wouldn't this girl have made a mockery of your family?" King Heinrich ughed. "Annemarie said Prier looked more royal in his wedding dress than his fiancée."

  "Mockery?" Friedrich furrowed his brow. What does he allow himself? Does he want to get to know me or humiliate me and my family? "She is the daughter of my wife's best friend. An assertive, strong-willed girl illing to fulfill the duties that came her way. Agathe hoped she could brier under trol. My job was to support my wife's decision. I tried to talk to Peter sensibly, to prepare him well for his new role... He resisted. A prince should not walk around in women's clothes. This is not befitting. A prince ot afford that. Peter has duties and expectations to fulfill. We all have a lot to sacrifice for the . Surely you are no different. A young woman in fancy clothes is less problematic. What would you do if your son suddenly wore women’s clothes? He is the heir to the throne."

  "Nothing?" King Heinrich sighed. "I'm not sure Marlon would be a good king, even though he's our firstborn. Annamarie would be a better queen. Maybe your son will bee king one day. I think Torsten is suitable for that. He's smart. My wife and I want to abdicate in about twenty years. We will not rule until our death. Annemarie already suspects it. She has always been a very smart girl, even if she wasn't easy as a child. Because of her, some vases have been broken. Marlon was less difficult, but his sister was always mentally superior to him. She would be the better choice. However, my wife sees Marlon ohrone. He is the older one. And many in the nobility agree with her. But nothing is fixed yet. And, five me, but I just have to address it! I think Babette was pletely unsuitable as a wife for your soer. She seemed ridiculous and arrogant to me. Your son, oher hand? Peter? Somewhat etrid rebellious, but not ridiculous. Not like this girl. A very handsome boy. Just like your you. Julia. She's a very pretty girl, but they both seemed unhappy to me."

  "Are you saying I'm a bad father?" Friedrich crossed his arms. Did he e here to criticize me?

  "Certainly not. Our tries have different s. May I ask? Do you love your children? Your wife?"

  "Of course, I love my children! And I'm very worried about my you. Agathe is waiting for her return. As king, it is my job to prepare my children for their roles in the best possible way, not to coddle them. I don't know what yetting at with your questions!"

  "Don't get me wrong, I'm gd our kids are getting married... I just want to make sure you didn't force Priorsten here." King Heinrich looked at him critically. "It did not escape my notice that he had not known about your wife's pns. I would like to avoid a catastrophe. My wife sees above all the advantages of the marriage and Annemarie is impressed by the young man. Of course, this marriage is a great happiness for us. I was told that a few ho taurs attacked one of our vilges again. They stole grain. Our soldiers temporarily mao arrest two taurs of the group, but they were forced to release them. From another taur. Their mental abilities are superior to ours. We need your support. We hat e."

  "I don't know Torsten well enough to ahat question. Besides, my wife decided on this wedding. Not me." Friedrich wrinkled his nose. "It's not my responsibility."

  King Heinrich turned pale. "Your son is not your responsibility? Well, he's grown up, but... If my wife wao marry our children to the wrong person, I would stand up to her. I would never be willing to sacrifice the happiness of my children. If you excuse me. I'm getting ready for the wedding now." King Heinrich said goodbye with a nod.

  Friedrigrily smoothed out his jacket. Sacrifig the happiness of my children... The duties of the have nothing to do with being happy. Ahe words of the other king did not leave his mind. Did my role as king make me a bad father? Was Babette really unsuitable?

  "Oh. Hello!" A woman stood in front of him. "You must be the father of the bridegroom?" She smiled and showed her sharp vampire teeth. "I'm Coletta. Franka's younger sister. Well. What does young mean? I'm already three hundred!" She was beautiful. Fair skin, blonde curls, and the red eyes of vampires.

  "Friedrich. King Friedrich. Torsten is my son." He smiled a his gaze wander over her dress. It was tight-fitting and made of a slightly transparent, light fabric. "You look wonderful."

  "Thank you. You too!" She wi him. "I'm not a friend of weddings and I'm looking for a distra!"

  "Distra? What kind of distra?" He smiled even more. Was she making him an offer?

  "I'm open to suggestions." She pyed with one of her curls. "Your wife didn't apany you? I am sorry. I heard some of the versations."

  "Did you listen?" He looked at her with feigned severity. What is it like to be with a vampire?

  "You caught me." She ughed softly and chewed on her lower lip. Her poieeth shone in the light.

  "Would you like to keep me pany?", he asked her. The Queen's sister. That was more than just tempting. There is still enough time for some distra until the wedding starts. "Or would your husband mind?"

  Coletta was amused. "I'm an adventurer. Getting married? That doesn't suit me. I’d like to spend time with you if you want a distra as well?" Coletta pyed with one of her curls again.

  "I’d like to be distracted by you!" He held the door to his room open for her and Coletta slipped in. She ran her finger over his chest. Friedrich followed her and closed the door.

  Peter

  He was married. With a dragoer thought about all the times he had made dragon jokes about Babette. He had fled his marriage to a house dragon, only to marry a real dragon while unscious.

  The group walked on in the meantime. Josefine walked o Julia and talked with her a little excitedly. His sister smiled amusedly. Leopold also walked alongside his sister. The two held hands. Behind them, Finn rode on Marko. The young wolf looked tired. Most of the group remained silent. Only now and then one of the children whined. Normally, this would have annoyed him, but he was too tired to be annoyed. He almost died. His life was almost over. He looked at Fiete, who was talking to the two elves, Gisele and Lavinia. He hadn't spoken a word to him after learning of the marriage. Peter didn't know how to respond. Or what he should say to the dragon. The situation overwhelmed him.

  Married to a dragon. At least acc to the ons.

  A dragon.

  Otherwise, I would have died...

  He was grateful to be alive.

  But...

  Julia

  "You remind me of Mom", Josefine said quietly. "You smell simir. You know?"

  Julia had to swallow. "I remind you of your mother?" Is that good? Or bad?

  "Yes." Josefine nodded. "Your smell... It's f. That doesn't bother you, does it?"

  "No, certainly not." Julia put her arm around the girl.

  "How are you? Josefine?", Leopold wao know. "You were unresponsive for a while."

  "Not good. But I 't do anything about it. Are you afraid of me?"

  "What?" Julia let go of Leopold's hand to hug Josefio her. "Of course not. Plus, you're part of the family now! You are my little sister now! In a way! And my little brother. I won't give you away voluntarily anymore!"

  That made Josefine smile. "That's right. Because my uncle married your brother. But then, we are not siblings... But..."

  "No. I'll stick to 'little sister'. And that has nothing to do with your uncle. No. You are my little sister now! I am grateful to your uncle for saving my brother. No matter how." Julia turo Peter, who in turn was watg Fiete with a furrowed brow. "Whether they want to be friends or more. That should be decided by the two alone. Don't you think?"

  It did not escape her notice that Fiete nodded gratefully to her. Obviously, he had heard what she had said.

  "Maybe." Josefine sighed. "Fiete said it doesn't have to be marriage. Although it is o least fons. How long will it take us to reach the steppe?"

  "I don't know. Leo?" Julia looked at her boyfriend.

  The elf shrugged his shoulders. "It depends on where we're going. I go and ask my parents which path they have chosen."

  He made his way to the front, where his parents led the group. Julia looked after him and reached for Josefine's hand. "I hope it won’t take long."

  Josefine clutched Julia's hand and looked restlessly among all the elves. "Me too."