Castle Devonshire. Home to the infamous Jasper Jarvis. The duke that disappeared suddenly one night and now will only greet people after the sun has set. His empire has suddenly shifted into reverse. His bride has left him alone with his whipping boy alone to serve him company... and he's invited the Princess of Havenwood over to meet him and Lapis to see if she would make a proper fit for the new Duchess. He was slightly confused why a princess would have chosen to go after a duke. But he was rather always full of himself and just assumed word of his looks had reached her ears.



The interior was quaint. Filled with many more reds than it used to have. Though it was rather splendorous. It was apparent that these halls and rooms had seen brighter days. Although the Duke was determined to bring more brightness into his life, it even said so on the letter that he sent to the Princess. It was only signed by him but it was apparent that it was written from two minds instead of one. Even it it was just one hand. There was a rumor that Jasper kept his whipping boy as his pet long after his parents died and he no longer had use for him. Even stronger rumor that he showed up with this whipping boy in a leash and collar the day he met his former bride. No one had been allowed into the castle since the date the duke disappeared. Not, at least, until now.



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Jasper paced. His footfalls deafening to the ears of the dust mites that lived in the lush carpeting. He was watched by a man that looked like his twin but was not. A man that had a lot more than the single whip mark that displayed on the duke's back. A man with a collar around his neck. He stayed quiet while Jasper paced. He knew what he was like when he got like this and he didn't want to ruffle any feathers. Jasper stopped and looked at Lapis for a moment. Stepping toward him long enough to play with the lock around his collar. Then he went back to pacing.

"She should be here by now... the instructions were very specific...." Jasper was more anxious and nervous than anything else. No one but Lapis and his former bride knew what had really happened to him and he was determined not to hide what he was anymore.

"You know how girls are. Maybe she got caught up trying to make herself look dazzling..." Lapis responded. "You should sit down... you're not going to make a very good impression on her pacing around like that."

Jasper sat down... bedecked in crimson and black.. the finest of silks he could find in his wardrobe... he ran a tongue across his newly formed larger canine fangs and pitched a nervous smile towards Lapis. "Please tell me I don't look hideous.."

"You're gorgeous..." Lapis smiled and brought his master's hand up to his lips. Being a servant took an entirely different twist when the word human was added to it. "Stop worrying so much." Jasper nodded... so he stopped fidgeting and waited for her arrival.

name: yazelina sabrina paige

Age: 20

Occupation: Princess of havenwood

Personality: Funloving and friendly. Happy most of the time. She loves to read and to hang out with animals. She loves most animals and people. She loves to hang out in the woods by herself alot.

Picture:

Yazelina walked up the steps to the castle. It was so lovely. It was built upon a large cliff so it would be safe from attacks. She glanced at her maid who followed after her. She was a nice lady by the name of Helga and treated her well. She was told to come here from her parents. They had arranged for her to meet this duke and hopefully become his bride. She only hoped that he would be kindly to her. The last few she had met had been rather course. Also with her were two handpicked bodyguards just in case she had need of them.

Helga knocked on the large doors and waited for an answer. Yazelina watched from a step below her bodyguards on either side of her. Her outfit she wore was nice but comfortable. She wondered what this strange duke would be like.

One of the castle's few remaining servants answered. A kindly old gentleman with withering white hair who used to help the boys escape into the wilderness when Lapis' punishment for Jasper's sins had been unusually cruel. He smiled at the group and bowed low to the princess, cracking his back as he stood back up, before escorting her through the hallways and into the room where Jasper and Lapis were waiting. He made small talk along the way.

"I trust your journey went well Princess Yazelina. The duke and his... friend are waiting for you in the main study." He directed them to a room with several couches and warm inviting fireplace. Jasper and Lapis were waiting there for her. There was tea that had just been set out by a serving lady that was hastily exiting the room. Jasper stood and Lapis dropped from his position on the couch to the floor. What looked like a surprise fall he turned into a well balanced kneel extremely quick, his head bowed low. Jasper bowed as well, not as deep as the doorman, but deep enough for his rank. When he looked up he was smiling a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Welcome to my home, Princess Yazelina."

She glanced at him with her green eyes. She had some very entrancing eyes. She motioned to her bodyguards to wait outside the door. The duke was handsome indeed. But there was something about him that puzzled her. She curtsied and Helga bowed respectfully.

"Thank you. It is indeed a lovely place to live. I only hope that you will be kinder than the other suitors my parents picked out for me."

Helga frowned at her and stammered.

"I apologize sir. The child knows not how to keep her tongue still when in the presence of a respected man."

Yazelina smiled puzzled as to what exactly she had said that was so wrong.

"Nonsense... if the Princess' wit is as sharp as her tongue she will fit right in. Isn't that right, dear Lapis?"

Lapis looked up then, smiling and blushing deeply while looking into Yazelina's entrancing eyes. It was at this angle that the light glinted off the lock around his collar and made that the most prominent piece of clothing on the boy. Jasper looked from the Princess to Lapis and back to the Princess again. He made a motion for her to take a seat wherever she liked and started pouring the tea for her... waving Lapis away when he attempted to get up and pour it himself.

"So, sweet Princess... what brings you all the way down to Devonshire?" He tilted his head slightly to the right and gave her a full on inquisitive look. His eyebrows raised slightly as if he already knew the answer, but was truly interested in hearing her side of the story.

Yazelina stared at the collar a moment and frowned. How odd. She thought to herself. It is very strange that he keeps a man locked up like a pet.

She looked back at the duke shaking her head so her hair went behind her ears.

"My parents have been trying to find me a husband and everyone so far has displeased me. They are so spoiled and act like I am there slave and I will not go for that."

She looked downward at her tea for a moment thoughtfully and then smiling she brought her head up and took a sip.

"I apologize if I seem abrupt but my parents have said that I am to marry you whether or not you please me so here I am."

"Well, your parents will learn rather quickly that my most important concern is that of the happiness of my future bride. So if I do not please my bride... then she shall not be forced to marry me. And I would never treat anyone as a slave... not even my own servants. Even Lapis is here of his own free will." He gestured once towards Lapis.

Lapis remained quiet, kneeling in his same position on the floor. They looked remarkably similar. The major difference was that even in the few months between the attack and now... Lapis had been spending more and more time outside in the gardens and was getting more tanned than Jasper. The duke's pale skin was starting to contrast with his pseudo-twin and it added to the mystery that surrounded them both.

"So I'd honestly like to know... What would please you the most, Sweet princess?"

She had never been with someone who had cared for her happiness. This was startling to her.

"Well I would like to get to know you. The real you. Before I have to be wed to you. I would also like it if we had some time to really spend time together in private."

She glanced maliciously at Helga who frowned at this.

"Well princess you must stop this running off with your tongue. I apologize my lord. I thought she had learned much more manners from me. Apparently she needs to go back to finishing school. If you wish to be alone dear I am sure the dukes manservant would like to show me your rooms so that I can make sure they are to your liking."

"As long as you are on my property and inside my castle you may have whatever you wish.... this includes... getting to know the REAL me before we wed. AND..." He spoke the next words as he looked directly at Helga "... getting to spend time alone with me.... as long as my MANSERVANT..." At this he looked at Lapis. "Is all right with it."

Jasper turned to Lapis and suddenly put on the spot like that he turned as red as the chair he was kneeling next to. He opened his mouth to speak and the closed it with a snap... He looked up at Jasper and then to the Princess and then back to Jasper and then Helga and finally back to Jasper before he opened his mouth again to finally speak his mind. "Master... whatever pleases you is what I wish for our princess." There was a look that passed between them only for little that spoke volumes about a conversation that would happen when the two of them were alone. Had you not been looking at one of them then you would have missed it. Had you blinked you would have missed it.

"Then it's settled." He extended his arm out to the princess so she could take it, should she so wish, "May I escort you to your room, madame?"

She grinned widely. She stood up and extended her arm to him with a small curtsy.

"Thank you for the consideration. It is rare that a man would even think of doing anything for a woman let alone let her speak her mind."

She glanced at Helga who was frowning. She knew that this child had had more manners before she had come here. What was wrong with her?

"Helga be a dear and fetch my bags to my room so that I can unpack and be ready for my stay here."

Helga nodded and walked outside. Yazelina looked over at the duke and smiled at him gently putting a hand on his arm.

"I appreciate the respect. It truly means a lot to me."

As Jasper was walking out with Yazelina on his arm, he blew Lapis a kiss. Lapis managed to blush even deeper and shrink out of view of everyone after and he kept walking down the hall and to the place where she would be sleeping at. They passed so many rooms and each one of them held different things in them. None of them seemed to be in any order. There would be a bedroom right next to the ballroom or a library next to the kitchen. The room they were going to was a floor above where he would be sleeping at and he was careful to be very gentle with her on the stairs. He wanted to make light conversation on the way but every time he looked at his bride-to-be he just couldn't form the right words. He cleared his throat and then looking out the window, he said "I hope you know you're gorgeous." He turned back to her and smiled, closed-lipped to hide the fangs to judge her reaction, his eyes glowing with just a hint of red.

She looked at him a moment. She noticed his eyes but decided to keep quiet about it for now. He would tell her in time she was sure.

"I often hear that but coming from you it means a lot. I do not try to achieve good looks and yet here I am. Your home is gorgeous by the way. Why is it that no one comes here? You have so many rooms and before I came here I did some asking around. People have rumors that you are a ghost or something like that."

Jasper laughed, deep and genuine. "Something like that is more like it. But I'm certain that if you grow to love the place so much and you don't find my presence and quirks too uninviting that I'll eventually trust you enough to explain why my halls are so devoid of people. And why, dear princess, I asked you to come here in the night instead of during the day." He paused for a moment at a set of ornamental doors. It was just the kind of thing that you would think would lead to a secret garden or something like that. "Aah... we've arrived. I do hope you'll find your room most accommodating. If you need anything at all, please feel free to ring for one of the servants." As he said that, he opened the door to the Queen's room.

She looked at him a moment and then walked into the room.

"I think you are a nice enough person and if you have a secret I am more than happy to wait for you to let me know what it is."

She walked around the room thoughtfully and looked around. It was all such a pretty color and decorated so nicely.

"I must say this place is beuitiful."

Jasper nodded. "I'm glad you like it." He looked at her thoughtfully for a moment, then grabbed her by the hand and started pulling her toward the end of the hall. "I'm sorry for the abrupt change in plans, but there's something you just have to see." He smiled at her and let go of her hand, caressing it as his hand departed, when he was sure she'd start following on her own. He got to the end of the hall and threw open the double door entry. Brilliant light flooded through the hallway so fast it blinded for several seconds, but after his eyes adjusted, he walked out into the inner garden. There were several kinds of animals here and the place was vast enough that they didn't feel the need to escape. He turned back around and smiled brightly. "What do you think?"

Yazalina gasped when she saw the garden. It was so beutiful. She had never seen anything quite like it before. She walked around in circles for a moment. She bent down and smelled some of the flowers. This place was great. She noticed birds in the trees and butterflys all over.

"I have never seen anything so pretty in my life. How long did it take to do this?"

"Most of it has been the work of the Gardeners... but the more recent additions were all Lapis' idea. He's started working out in the garden because it gives him a place to work out his frustrations and a creative way to expel his excess energy." Jasper looked at his future bride. She looked completely at peace and wonderfully happy in this place. He would have to talk to Lapis about sharing the garden with her. A rabbit hopped by and disappeared into a nearby bush. "I'm glad you take such joy in it. You can come here whenever you like, stay here all day even. Unless, of course, you'd rather be spending time with me." He smiled at her again and caressed her face.

She looked at him a moment before running up to him and wrapping her arms around his neck.

"This is the best thing you could have ever told me. I have never met someone who cared what I liked or wanted to do. I could not be happier if I tried."

She broke away from him and keeping her arms around his neck stared up at him thoughtfully.

"I appreaciate everything you have done for me."

Jasper smiled and laughed. For once breaking out of his colder exterior and actually letting his smile reach all the way up into his eyes. He held her back and breathed in the scent of her. Stopping dead for a moment to try clearing his head of images of taking her blood while she was so helpless and ...when she smelled so good. He froze... then peeled her arms off of his neck and made a mad dash back towards the castle.

"I swear, I'm really happy about this, I just have to go to the gentleman's room for a moment. I apologize." He said the words as he was running and they got lighter and lighter as he got farther away. He only hoped that she had heard him and didn't think he didn't want him.

She fell back as he took off running. She watched him with a frown. What was going on? What did she do wrong? She sighed and put her head down. She thought she heard a sound but then she was sure she was wrong. She sat down in the soft grass and a bunny hopped into her lap and she picked it up hugging it to her and kissing its soft head.

"At least you like me." She could feel tears falling.

As soon as he was out of sight, Jasper used his super human strength to fly down the stairs and past the room where Helga was certainly still waiting and sped towards the end of the hallway where his bedroom was. The guards at the door were slightly surprised, they knew he was capable of such feats already, but had rarely seen them in action since he was still attempting to demeanor of a duke. He threw the doors open to find Lapis waiting on his bed, reading a book. He had half a second to look up and say the word "Master?" before he pinned the other man underneath him and tore his shirt open to sink his fangs into his supple flesh. A moan and a whisper was all that escaped from Lapis. "She smells that good, huh?"

Normally the words and the tone would have driven Jasper into panic over his friend, but the blood-lust was so bad he thought of nothing else. And his body relaxed over Lapis' as he drank enough of his blood to keep himself from attacking anyone else. The transformation was so new he was barely able to rip himself away from her and he knew that if he had stayed there any longer it would have been her neck instead of Lapis' that was punctured and bleeding right now. He closed his eyes and kissed Lapis' neck gently before releasing him to the bed. "I am sorry, dear friend."

Lapis chuckled and lazily stroked Jasper's arm. "I told you that you should have taken from me before you met her... you should listen to me more often, sir." Jasper pressed his lips together in a thin line before nodding in assent. "You really should go back to her now, she's probably confused." He nodded again. "You're probably right.." He got up and squeezed Lapis' hand once before walking out the door. "You should put some other clothes on so they don't worry.""Yes sir." He replied. Jasper was more careful on the way back.... only rushing when he knew he wouldn't be seen and ended up back in the garden... with a bloodstain he didn't notice on his sleeve. "I apologize for that. Nature calls, you know."

Looking up Yazelina frowned a moment. She put the bunny back in the grass and wiped the tears from her eyes.

"What did you do to your arm?"

She was over next to him examining the bloodied sleeve.

"Your not hurt but you have blood on your arm. What is going on?"

She put her arms across her chest and glared at him.

"You run off without a word suddenly all because I hugged you and then you come back without a scratch and yet your sleeve is bloodied. I demand you tell me what is going on."

Jasper, anger in his eyes only for a moment, resigned himself to the idea that she was going to have the same reaction as his last bride... softened his eyes and turned away from her to speak. He made sure his voice was loud enough, if the words were sounded with a harsh tone, he was past the point of caring. "I apologize for bringing you to tears and even more so for what I have become. I told you before that I would not keep you here. But I cannot help who and what I am. I'm fairly certain you've heard of the sudden upheaval of my estate. A land where day is night and night is day. If that and the blood on my sleeve does not tell you what I am, then I am afraid that it may be too much for you to handle." He took a deep breath and turned back around to look at her. A look that was a mixture of pain, loneliness, sadness and betrayal.

Yazelina stared at him a moment. SHe went up to him slowly and pulled his hand into hers. She gazed up into his eyes.

"I do not care if you were a slimy frog I would still feel the same about you. You are sweet and kind. You care about me and I care about you. I want you to be happy and not sad anymore. I want to learn to love you and I want you to love me. I want to be with you but before I do I need to know everything."

Jasper chose his next words carefully. Women were often unpredictable, specifically so when they were confused about things. He wanted to make things perfectly clear about who and what he was without scaring her completely away. He thought about a few ways to do this and struck down every one of them as a negative. Showing her his fangs would hinder more than help. Biting her would be even worse. He didn't think turning into any kind of animal would help either... even if he wasn't too young to actually do it. He did the only thing he could think of at the time. He told her the truth.

"I am a vampire." He shrugged. "My whipping boy Lapis, is my human servant." He tilted his head as he looked at her, attempting to judge her reaction to the new information. "Keep in mind that you are still here of your own free will, and will be for as long as I have control of this domain."