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n“Yes, that is the plan. If we get the delicate details of things the Duke has requested we can turn tables by having higher authority on their land,” said uncle Raymond.

n“The Lord isn’t going to find it suspicious?” Her father asked.

n“Our Lord? He is a pussy to even raise a revolt against the vampires. After he did get assigned to help of the Valerian Lord. Unlike him, we know how much of a threat vampires are going to be in the next coming years. They will try to take the entire control over the humans. ”

n“The vampires haven’t done anything to cause an unnecessary revolt against them. It is a wrong misconception,” Heidi stated boldly.

n“Heidi!” her father warned from where he sat, “We didn’t raise you to side with them.”

n“I don’t think you brought this one right, brother. After all I guess it is true, blood is always blood and outsiders are meant to be kept where they deserve to be,” uncle Raymond said a slight disgust in his voice and later scoffed, “Just because the actual news doesn’t come up in front of the common men and women, it doesn’t mean things are peachy. People are killed every day because of people with your thinking think they are harmless when in fact they pose the greatest threat to mankind. I was the one to get you a decent home, our family has been very welcoming. It’s time you repay our kindness girl.”

nHeidi clutched her hand tightly on the other side where no one could see. He didn’t have to tell her that she wasn’t related to them. If it weren’t for her mother Helen Curtis she would have run long ago. Her uncle didn’t stop his talk there though, he continued,

n“I have turned around your life. Don’t forget that. If it weren’t for me you very well know where you would be,” his malicious smile scared her. She felt the hair at the back of her neck stand due to fear creeping into her mind, “I do hope for your own good that you cooperate willingly. Okay?” and when she didn’t answer she heard her father’s stern voice to answer her uncle’s question.

n“Yes,” she answered making her uncle smile. She then heard her father speak, “We know you are smarter and responsible than Nora, sending her would not guarantee the Duke’s plan.”

nUncle Raymond then got up from his seat, “Very well then. I will be back in a few days to speak about the next arrangements.”

nThat night after everyone had gone back to their respective rooms, Heidi sat at the foot of her bed, rewinding the words her uncle had spoken to her. She was supposed to wed a man in less than a few weeks, a marriage which was for political convenience. To go to a land where she hadn’t been before, to be around people she had never seen, spoken or known.

nEverything felt so out of place in her head and confused she didn’t know what to do. She wasn’t comfortable going there. She wanted to marry someone of her choice. What hurt her was that her father had agreed to his brother’s suggestion of sending her in place of Nora. She knew she wasn’t his daughter in blood as she didn’t share anyone’s blood here. She knew if her mother Helen was alive she wouldn’t be put through this, she would have avoided the situation.

nLeaning back her head, she closed her eyes tired. She woke up earlier than usual in the morning, getting herself busy with the household work. After her father and brother left home, it was only Nora and her at home alone. Heidi was cleaning the kitchen when Nora came to fetch a glass of water for herself.

n“You are lucky aren’t you, getting married to a man of a high status,” she turned around to see Nora filling the glass with water, “Taking things that are meant for me,” she added with a sting-full voice.

n“If it wasn’t for the direct order given by our Lord, I wouldn’t be marrying. I am not marrying by choice here, Nora,” Heidi said with a frown and saw her sister roll her eyes.

n“Don’t try to behave like a victim here sister. All of us girls and women want to marry men like that, to have a life free of work while living a life of luxury. I doubt that you even uttered more than a line of refusal because deep down you want it.”

n“Don’t think that I haven’t noticed you being around Noah. I heard from one of the girls in town that you crashed against him on purpose to catch his attention, how much can you fall down?”

n“How much can your thinking go down? I would never do something like that and you should know that too!”

n“I know you well and that’s why I speak,” Nora made a sound of annoyance.

nSomewhat hurt by her sister’s words, Heidi spoke, “If you weren’t so clueless may be father would have chosen you. Stop acting like a spoilt child and start taking an account of your actions. Stop blaming someone because of your incapability,” this made her sister furious.

n“If it weren’t for my picture which I sat hours in front of the painter getting it painted while looking my best, the Lord wouldn’t have thought of gaining our family alliance. He will be in quite some shock seeing you in contrast to me,” Nora smirked at the thought.

nIt was as clear as day that both the sisters looked nothing like each other, not even close, not because they weren’t blood-related buy because Heidi with her almost straight black hair and brown eyes with a pale skin was no match to Nora’s beautiful blonde hair and blue eyes. Nora was much beautiful and an attractive woman which a man could notice from a far distance. Maybe the only good thing about Heidi’s eyes was that in sunlight, her eyes seemed light hazel in colour.

n“Daniel didn’t tell me everything but I heard that you are going to be a sacrificial sheep in the end if you get caught. Poor you. If that is the case, it is better you than me,” with that Nora stepped out of the kitchen leaving Heidi standing alone with both her hands tightly holding the edge of the slab.

nIt wasn’t that she didn’t know that she had turned to a sacrificial sheep like her sister had pointed out. Neither was the Lord of Woville nor the Bonelake Lord aware of the recent switch her uncle had made for the mere purpose of the Duke. She knew her father and her uncle had a strong distaste when it came to the vampires but it seemed like there was a stronger rift with the Bonelake lord as the other vampire Lord was never brought up much in light among her family member.

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