Under the vampire Lord's protection-Chapter 143: Odd mix ups

What followed were hours of pure confusion as Arabella put her best efforts into reassuring Katherine that it was a simple mix up that happened, but the vampire refused to concede to that point, constantly bringing up how impossible it was and that she’d made the tea with her own hands convinced it was done the right way.

"Katherine, please," the young woman attempted again, "These things happen to everyone. It really isn’t the end of the world," head slightly tilted to the side, Arabella offered her an apologetic look.

"No, no, no....," eyes frantically flickering between the teacups, "I mean, I know mix ups happen, but...," Katherine trailed off, seemingly at a loss of words, "But not like this. Why would I make and then bring you tea that was meant for Lady Persephone? She hasn’t even asked for any tonight...I,"

"Katherine...," Arabella had uttered softly, placing a gentle hand on Katherine’s shoulder, "It really is alright,"

Eventually and while Katherine did not appear the least bit convinced, she sighed and picked the teacups before settling them back onto the tray.

"I should take these back then," her eyes landed on Arabella, "It’s quite late. Tomorrow you’ll have to wake up quite early. I say it is best to call it a night and rest," the vampire nodded, took the silver tray then rushed out of the room barely allowing Arabella any time to reply.

"Right...,"

The young woman inhaled deeply and after a good few seconds of staring at the poem anthology, her hand reached out and closed it.

With the many threads and subject matters tugging at her attention, she thought a warm bath would inspire a resolution for a few.

At a perfect temperature, the warm water caressing her skin lulled her consciousness into a sense of security that encouraged the contemplation of images that would, under different conditions, intimidate her.

A picture of her father facing her under the moonlight was one of them, followed by questions her mind had already gone through time and time again, such as what were his future plans for her?

The fairies’ little wings in the valley came next along with every piece of information she’d learned about them in the previous days.

Her very recent encounter with Alpha Cynric and the heavy knot his words left among her guts.

Flashes of Katherine’s struggling to reconcile with the fact that she’d made an innocent mistake thickened that already hefty twist.

And lastly, the subject matter that had engulfed most of her thoughts... Silas.

Mainly what Katherine had boldly suggested about Arabella herself and him. What future could she possibly have seen between them?

Even if they did look good standing near each other then, it wouldn’t be long before her appearance changed while his remained frozen through time.

For her, it was a matter of a few decades at best, and that was being charitable since nothing guaranteed her a long, full and healthy life.

Putting things into perspective like that forced her to confront how fickle and fragile human life was.

At those thoughts, her right hand instinctively reached up to hold her pendant before quickly realizing it was not around her neck but instead resting on the side of the bathtub.

She picked it up and tightened her grasp around it, endlessly repeating to herself that none of it held the sliver of importance.

Even if Silas was infatuated with her then, he was experienced enough to see truth from delusion. For as long as he was satiated, that was.

Whatever feelings he harbored towards her, those too were as fleeting as her life as a human being.

A new knock on her door wrenched a little jolt out of her. Arabella sprung out of the water and quickly wrapped a towel around her body.

"Arabella? May I come in?"

It was Katherine’s voice. Only it was void of all the strain it involved when she first left her room.

"Yes!" the young woman picked the nightgown that dangled from the hanger and got ready to put it on, "I am in the bathroom, just please allow me a minute to get dressed,"

"Of course," came the response.

When Arabella exited the bathroom however, her mind was a bit boggled by the sight of a silver tray that lay on the table, holding two teacups from which flimsy steam ascended.

The bright smile on the vampire’s features pegged more questions in Arabella, "What’s... This about?" she asked very sheepishly.

"Well, after what you went through earlier, I thought some company and tea would do the trick,"

It was quite hard for Arabella to wrap her brain around the situation at hand, conflicted on whether Katherine wanted to make things right after essentially giving her blood to drink or... What even was the other alternative there?

"Is everything alright?"

"Well, I... Thank you," eyebrows furrowed while her irises went from the teacups to Katherine’s beaming face, "I went to take a bath because I thought you wouldn’t come back. That is all," Arabella tried to smile but a grimace was all that turned out.

"Come back?" Katherine narrowed her eyes, "What do you mean by that?"

"When you left earlier with the tea after the little mix up and you told me to get to bed... I am sorry Katherine, but are you alright? Did something happen with you?" she could no longer hold her concern.

"What in the name of Lord Ambrogio would be happening with me? Of course I am alright!" the smile on the vampire twisted a tad, but the efforts to keep it on were obvious, "And what do you mean earlier? I just came into your room for the first time tonight,"

That moment was the first time Arabella wanted to believe something other than a mix up had occurred earlier.

Two such incidents in the same night announced nothing favorable, but it was clear Katherine was ready to hear none of it.

"Right then, why don’t we just... Sit and have our tea? I am sorry, I may have gotten confused for a moment, it’s been an odd night," she pushed forward the best grin her features allowed her to in that instant.