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Life of Catherine, X century, before to be turned in a vampire.

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Chapter 1

Imperial palace of Constantinople, in the year 980 AD.

The Porphyrogenete Princess of Byzantium, daughter of the EmperorChristolamos Arsenki, walked, during this spring day in the corridorsof the Palace.She stopped a moment, contemplating the inner courtyard of the building inwhich she was.

The Emperor Cristolamos had summoned her as a matter of urgency, and shewondered what waited for her.Catherine knew very well that it had a link with " her disease ", as her fathercalled it.

Everybody, in the Palace, knew that Catherine was affected by a mysteriousevil, but the Emperor had given as instruction to not to look for what it was.

The young princess knew what she was protected her but how long still? This giftmore cursed than the other prevented her from living her life as any otherwomen of her age.

Catherine keep it her race in the palace. She said to herself thatas princess "Porpyrogenete", her life would never have been of an astoundingcommonness of all the manners, but it would have it taken advantage of this title.Approaching 22 years old , she was not married yet, and had not appeared to anyofficial ceremony. It did not bother her more than that.

She respected the will of Cristolamos, her father. He had decided that thebest means to protect her daughter was to hide her from the eyes of the world.So, Catherine lived recluse's life in her good city of Constantinople. She neverwent out of the Palace, staying outside the view of the suspicious courtiers andthe curious domestics.

For some time, rumours ran on " claimed disease " from Porphyrog n te princess . People felt that the disease had to be a gift coming from the Devil,because the princess didn't wore outer stigmatas of her claimed suffering.Catherine knew that the most crazy rumours began to spread out of the palace.People were afraid of her. He said that she had been cursed, she wasthedaughter of a devil and not theone of the Emperor. Catherine began laughingalone, by keeping her walking. How not to laugh in front of those absurd rumours?Only, she knew that if people discovered the source of the mysterious evilaffected her , daughter of Emperor or not, she would be directly led to thestake, and burnt lively.

To spare time and to protect his daughter, the Emperor Cristolamoshad used dissuasive and violent means. He had put back Iconoclasm to theagenda. It meant that he refused the images of religious nature. He had made

burned-out convents, monasteries. He had reduced to slave, the religious peopleattached to the images and attracted the hatred against him. Catherine knew thathe laughed at consequences of this gesture . He looked for a solution to protecther and divert the attention of his Subjects on her person. Catherine was for themoment protected by the fact that no rebellion had been committed against theEmperor Cristolamos.

We were afraid of him as much as we respected him. Cristolamos hadabout fifty years. He was severe but just. He embodied the imperial function withall the dignity for which it asked. He reigned over thousands of persons, manageda heavy administration and especially watched the provisioning of the city OfConstantinople, but it didn' t frighten him. He had given everything to his

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function and his family came later. Catherine was obligated to ask for anaudience when she wanted to speak to her father.

The young lady had arrived near the door of the throne room. Sheremembers that this room had been praised by numerous foreign personalities. Sheremembered the narrative of the ambassador of the Lombards, Liutprand ofCremone. She had been all in all, that twice present in this room. Today was herthird time. She appeared at the guards who were held in front of the door, anddeclined her identity.

The guards shook the head, then one of them visited the eunuch whotook care to decline names and titles of the persons whom the Emperor received inthe room. Catherine heard a small moment and heard suddenly the Eunuch to declaimin a strong voice her entrance:" Noble Princess Porphyrogenete Catherine, Highness S r nissime of Constantinople, asks humbly to meet Your Imperial Majesty."

She heard a noise like crumped clothes. Catherine supposed that her fatherhad granted the audience.

The heavy door opened with a rather important noise of mechanics.Catherine was really impressed. When the door was totally opened, she penetratedinto the room. That this was a pure delight, completely decorated with gilts andwith richly brocaded embroyderie , deserving of the Lieutenant of the Christ on,

because such was the titulature of her father.Catherine moved toward her father. In his tunic gilt, it was

really such as should always be the Emperors of Constantinople. She was dazzled.At the age of fifty, he was still impressive. He had a face printed by livelinessand by nobility. His dark eyes gleamed as those of a wise person who waited for aparticularly brilliant discovery. He had his red hair stuck to the neck. Hewore the heavy crown of the Emperors with such a nobility, as it seemed to havebeen made for him. Catherine was really amazed. Her father seemed to have tonever age. He had a silhouette proportionned very well, a powerful bust and hisarms were perfectly cut in the stone.

The princess advanced up to the throne and knelt down beforeher father. She sees that he wore a tunic embroidered with gold and with green

and mauve color, with a slogan registered on a brightly coloured silk scarf. Shelowered the head because she didn't want to cross the eyes of this father somagnificent.

" We want to see our beloved daughter . Raise the head that we can contemplateyour face. "

The young princess raised the head. She was able to feel the glance full ofkindness of her father put on her.

Catherine would have been able to shed tears . She was happy to spend a littleof time with her father. When he had learnt the nature of his talent, he had

gone pale, going as far as breaking several vases in this room exactly. But hehad then regained the mind , feeling the young lady terrified as much as him.He had sworn to protect her up to the end. He had fulfilled since this time hiswish.

" The Deaths come to address You these days? Do you see them always so sharply?Asked the Emperor Cristolamos to his daughter.

Catherine frowned very shocked. Her father had his own way to speak so directlyabout her "illness".

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_ Yes father, answered Catherine. This time, I see them almost every night. Itis more and more powerful. At the beginning, their voice were only a weak rustle,as a groan which I could not seize. Those days , their pale silhouettes becameimpressive, and their rustles more powerful. They are more and more numerous tocome to send me their request , to beg to achieve something that they were notable to make of their alive.

_ Do you sleep a lot? Continued the Emperor.

_ Not, My Father. I spend time conversing with the Deceased. I register theirname and their request in a notebook. I try to make what I can to allow these poorsouls to join the Creator. Learnt Catherine, with a strangely sad glance.

The Emperor Cristolamos contemplated his daughter with anxiety. Heremembered when he had seen the notebook of the visits of the deaths, held theconcerning princess. He had trembled violently, knowing what it implied.

If it came out, his precious daughter would be burnt alive. Hecouldn't accept it. She was the portrait of the deceased empress. She held ofhim by her physical appearance. She had inherited his dark, highlighted red hairof brown, from his big dark eyes. She had a face with a charming oval ,

attractive and pink lips,a small turned-up nose.She wasn't very tall , wasn' t a great beauty, but her

mystical air made her fascinating. Made well of her person, without being eithertoo big or too thin, ishe was of a pleasant and soft nature. Of the deceasedEmpress, she held her calm personnality, rather melancholic. She was a veryfine spirit and endowed for the musical arts.

She had artist's temperament which would have been able to develop,if this cursed gift had not shown itself in her.

He had made everything to protect her, going until the persecutionsagainst the religious. He had strengthened his defences to prevent a rebellion.Up to here it had worked. Nobody hadn't tried to discover what was the evil whichate away her precious child. Only, it could not last. He had made a painful

decision. He had to take her away afrom the Palace and from the city.

_ Our daughter, please listen to us attentively. You go to have to leave thepalace and begin a new life far from Us.

Catherine reacted violently:_ Father, I believed that I was protected here! I don't want to leave!

_ We are sorry, but several events forced to us to make this painful decision.

Catherine was about to become enraged:_What events? What do you try to hide me?

_ The Pope of West send us an embassy. If these legates discover your evil, it'sfinished of you. We can make nothing to prevent your Death. Declared her father.

Catherine kept silent. She was in the grip of a deep panic. She understoodthat it would be necessary to her to leave this life protected for the other onewhere it would be necessary to her to learn to defend herself.Her father left her the time to accuse the blow. Then he started again:

_ We received for you a proposition of marriage, and we accepted. We thought thatto take away you from the Palace would be the best possible protection. The man

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who wants to make of you his wife is a recent ally. He will treat you wellbecause he knows that he marries a "Porphyrogenete" princess of Constantinople.

Catherine had a sardonic laughter. Her Porphyrogenete's title wouldguarantee to her , her safety. It confirmed that she was a legitimate daugtherof the Emperor because she had been born in the room of Porphyres. To be born inthis room, it was to prove to the eyes of the world that she was totally thelegitimate heir of the Emperor,Lieutenant of the Christ on Earth.

_ Who am I going to marry, Father? asked Catherine.

_ The Prince of Kiev, Igor. He is pagan and behaves barbarically, but oncethere, the power of the Church doesn't take place. You will be safe. We send toyou there under the pretext to convert him to the Christianity, but don't takeyour mission too much in heart. Suggested her father, an understood smile onhis lips.

Catherine dreamed that her father had made things as one needed.He would continue to stay up her, even if she was far from the eyes.

The young lady withdrew. She should leave in the days which come because the

papal legates had announced their next arrival. Once returned in her room she(it)took out the notebook which she held, hidden in a secret compartment of hersecretary. She went through them. There were some deceaseds' requests whichremained to fill. She decided to subscribe to it before leaving for exile forKiev.