Valerian Empire

Year 1834

A gusty wind blew across the land of Mythweald, picking up dried leaves from the ground to rise and fall down with the same velocity before it was blown further South where Myhweald was situated. In the mansion of Norman who was given the responsibility to look after the lands of South, a young man with black hair and grey eyes walked through the corridors which had been secured with guards at every interval and space. 

His physique was tall with broad shoulders and his grey eyes dull, not bothering to look at the guards as he passed them he made his way outside the mansion. Walking to the garden, he saw his family who were seated under the wide umbrella which was placed above the table. 

Though it was told to be family, over the years that had come to pass by Malphus felt more detached with the word and the people who sat there. Maybe not all. His brother Silas sat there with the married couple who laughed at something he had said. His brother was seven years younger to him, now being in his fifteen who had no clue about the outside world.

"I am serious, you should have seen the horse kick him. It was hilarious when he fell on the ground," Silas, his younger brother iterated the story to their parents. 

"That must have been quite a scene, dear. But we hope you are taking your horse riding lessons seriously," the woman next to him responded back with a wide smile, her blue eyes twinkling with affection for Silas. She made the tea by pouring the tea leaves water into the cup and pouring milk. Handing it over to Silas when Malphus only arrived.

His father, Norman came to his young son's aid, "I am sure he will. Silas is a young boy. I am confident he will pick up horse riding soon just like his older brother, isn't that right, Silas?" 

Silas nodded his head excitedly, "Just like brother Malphus. Brother told me he would teach me how to gallop up the hill, didn't you brother?" the young boy who shared similar grey eyes which they had acquired from their father's side look up at him.

The woman who was swirling the teacup with a spoon pulled it out to clink at the side of the cup to say, "I hope that is all you will be learning from your big brother, Silas. Not all his qualities will suit you," she gave her son a sweet smile and continued, "You need to build your own identity than follow him like a shadow." 

"But that's alright. I want to be like brother Malphus," Silas responded back without holding back his fondness over his older brother. 

Malphus ruffled his younger brother's hair and then grinned with a lopsided smile at the woman who didn't react but the way she held her teacup in her hand, he could tell that she didn't like the closeness the two of them shared. 

With the elder son who took a seat at the table, he didn't receive the treatment like his younger brother where the mother poured the tea and gave it to him. But then Malphus had never bothered about it since his own mother had passed away. 


His beautiful mother, thought Malphus to himself as he picked up the kettle and then the teacup that sat lonely on a saucer waiting for him to pour the tea into it. The woman that sat now, she had blonde hair and striking blue eyes which looked like crystal stones. Her name was Ester Norman who had married his father when his mother was still alive and was driven away from this very mansion which was once a home. A home that had been promised, a home where the man she married was to take care of her. 

As they lived in Mythweald, the humans were densely populated compared to the lowly vampires and the pureblooded vampires. In his eyes, his human father was a scum, worse than the blood-sucking creatures and this woman who now had claimed his mother's position was a bitch whom he didn't approve of since he had first met her. 

His mother had been pregnant and at the same time, his so-called father had fathered a child with this woman named Ester. He had discarded his mother for this woman, not only kicking her out but also letting her live her life alone when she needed her family the most. His mother had died and it was almost fifteen years now yet he could still feel the pain and fear that lingered behind his eyes on how his father had treated her. 

"Malphus, what happened to you going to the council?" he heard his father ask, "Weren't you going to enter the exam?" Find authorized novels in Webnovel，faster updates, better experience，Please click www.webnovel.com for visiting.

"I have applied the form." 

"And when is it?" asked his father.

His step-mother unable to keep her long nose out of his business, commented, "With the way, I see I don't think I have seen him touch a single book from the library that we have. Such a shame to have something yet not utilize it. You should be thankful, Malphus," she taunted. 

"I am thankful," Malphus replied back as he sipped the tea he had made to finish it one go and he placed it down, "I am thankful for you not being my mother. How shameful would that be?" he retorted.

His step-mother's face fell before she put back a smile while his father had begun fuming in his seat, "Malphus! Apologize to your mother right this instant!" his father roared to have offended his beautiful wife.

Malphus rolled his eyes, too tired to deal with this family early in this morning which he was hardly interested in. Getting up from his chair, he retorted, "That's where I am going. To apologize to my mother," turning his back he heard his father yell at him to come back but he was done with the morning formalities with them to show that he was part of the family when actually he didn't want any part in it. 

On his way to the local cemetery, Malphus had rolled his eyes several times before walking past the graveyard gates where the people had been kinder than his father to offer his mother a grave with a better headstone. 

Taking the kerchief from his pocket, he began cleaning the dust and dirt that had formed on the gravestone since his last visit. Once he was done with it, he placed the flowers he had bought from the village florist on his way here. Money was hard as he had to work for it. Though being the son of the Mythweald lord, it was his step-mother who handled money matters which only made it difficult for him to utilize more than a penny. 

But Malphus had grown to learn that a penny when gathered could earn a ticket outside this hell hole. Feeling the guard's eyes on his back, he ignored it knowing his beloved step-mother had sent the man to follow him. The woman hated his presence yet she kept an eye on him which made him wonder what was it about.

And he offered the same service.

After all, she was neither a human nor a vampire.