Several months previously. The court of the president for life of Basingstoke ( aka the Badlands)
"High" shouted Hannah.
She held large figure made of well packed straw. Victoria moved her arm up unblocked the strawman's arm with her fore arm. With her free hand she stabbed the strawman with her boot knife.
"Well done" said Hannah freezing "but look".
Hannah had pushed the head of the strawman down to Victoria's neck. The implication was clear. Bite strike.
They stood panting for second recovering their breath. It had been a long melee.
"You didn't... say... he was a vampire" said Victoria.
"They like to hide amongst the familiars.... The senior familiars dress like ... them. They even feed off each other.... sometimes... so even presents of bites isn't an assurance that they are human."
Victoria took both hands and pulled her knife out of the straw figure. She turned and walked away. Hannah dropped the strawman to the ground.
"What's wrong?" said Hannah has Victoria walked away.
They were standing on the wooden practice floor. It had been an old barn that the president had secretly converted as a training area for his oldest daughter. For the past two months Victoria had been a recluse. The president did not want her visible to any vampire spies in case it was necessary to swap identities with Hannah. Hannah in turn, had been with Victoria almost constantly, she slept in her bed room.
"I'm never going to get this. I'm never going to be good as you. Dad is sending me them to die" said Victoria. Hannah could tell when she was on the verge of tears.
"or worse still they will make me one of them" victoria continued almost on tears.
"No, look," Hannah started "you're going to be fine."
Just then the doors to the barn opened. Hannah instinctively pulled her knife and dragged Victoria to the side. As her eyes adjusted to the day light she saw it was just the president of Basingstoke, Victoria's father.
"I was nearby I heard the clash of steel and wondered how do training was going Victoria"
"I need to use the bathroom dad I'll be back in the moment" said Victoria leaving tears swelling in her eyes.
Both president and Hannah waited until Victoria was out of earshot.
"How is it going?" asked the President.
Hannah could not stop her eyes from rolling "it's okay she masters the basics but she doesn't have the confidence to be a real fighter."
The president twitched his lip "I blame myself. I wanted to protect my family from the difficult choices we sometimes have to make. I now realize this was a mistake" said
Hannah spoke to him like a counselor "You know fine well no matter how you think you govern the vampires treat you like a kingdom. I saw this in Lincoln they said it was a council but the vampires only spoke to the head of the council. When he retired they still kept coming to talk to him and only him. When he died they then just spoke to his son. They know nothing except inheritance and the blood line. No matter what you say they will be coming back to speak to her when you're gone."
The President looked back he knew Hannah was right. "aye that's true but I'm hoping that will play to our advantage. If I am forced to be the king then she will be Princess and she will be treated as such"
Victoria's sobbing died down from the stalls. The two new they didn't have much time left to speak without Victoria listening.
"I've been thinking more of your alternative" said Hannah.
"What thought have you?"
"Perhaps this Duke could be seduced. I don't see your daughter doing it but the right woman might be able can make him believe he was loved. Perhaps they could become lovers and from the bedroom he might be willing to give the barren lands more time to prepare."
The President continued "More secrets more weaknesses, our Mata Hari."
"I don't really believe in far Eastern religions but sure." Hannah said and noted the confusion in the president's eyes "I know Marta Hari was a World War I sex-spy"
"People remember her name when I doubt they could name a single princess from that period" said the president.
Victoria came back, she looked at her.
"We get knocked down, but we get up again" said Victoria quoting Hannah.
"We do." said Hannah. Despite the weakness Hannah was coming to like Victoria. The president looked at them, same height, same hair, similar round face. Hannah was picking up Victoria's accent. He wasn't sure Victoria noticed she was being mimicked.
"On guard" said Hannah grabbing the straw man and holding them up"that's more notice than you will get from them".