Under the vampire Lord's protection-Chapter 171: Empty

Once done with the official report concerning the succession of unfortunate events that had transpired the previous day, Silas folded the paper into a neat rectangle before placing it inside an envelope only to then stamp the Eleazar family crest on the wax that sealed it all.

After sending the missive on its way to the council’s quarters, the vampire allowed his own feet free reign to roam around the manor if only for a fresh breath to sort of, revive his senses before heading for the dungeons where the corpses of those kidnappers had been kept since their collection.

Moreover, Calistro and Ethendra who were supposed to be there in order to assist with the inspection hadn’t yet arrived, thus granting him some more free time to be with himself.

Although, far from relaxing, Silas would extend his hearing in search for Arabella’s voice from time to time while doing his best not to linger.

And all that he gathered was the miserable fact that the young woman shut herself in her room, refusing to even cross the threshold of its door.

It’d have been a little more reassuring if she uttered more than four or five words at a time but hoping for even that turned out to be too greedy of a demand, a luxury far beyond his means despite all of the riches at his very fingertips it seemed.

Occasionally, well, a lot more frequently than that, Ada’s words from the night before would blare unapologetically higher than every other screaming voice in his mind.

Then came the questions; had Cynric successfully marked Arabella? Had wolf folk uncovered another method to achieve that purpose without resorting to their teeth?

But more importantly, was it truly his own blood that eradicated the effects of the mark?

His train of thought was put on hold when a set of feet tapped the floor closer to him. From the weight of their steps alone, Silas gathered from the sound that it had to be one of the daytime maids.

But something else came with her. A familiar, light and entrancing scent, though not so dominant.

Gentle on his senses it was, very unlike many other perfumes that nature provided.

As anticipated, right upon turning one of the hallway corners, Silas came face to face with Estrid who carried a bouquet of fresh, white roses in hand.

A little taken aback, the maid immediately halted in place to courtesy before him.

"Master," she greeted.

He spared her not a glance and instead focused on the flowers she cradled.

"These are newly cut and groomed, meant as a gift dedicated to Miss Arabella, courtesy from the gardens," Estrid kept her eyes low.

"I’ll take them,"

Silas extended his hands and without a single question, Estrid passed the roses over to him, curtsied one last time then excused herself.

Left in his spot, the vampire stared long and hard at the white flowers in his care, as those were, null doubt, sent over by none other than Edgar, leading him to ponder the truth that he had the ability to do with them whatever pleased his heart. The delicate petals would have no alternative but to bend to its whims.

He’d crushed the beauty out of them once when he’d been under the influence of his cravings. The real question was, could he be so heartless as to commit such a crime against nature again? And that time around, with all of his head on his shoulders...

Silas opted not to and instead ascended the stairs to the first floor and marched straight towards Arabella’s room.

A soft mutter followed his knock for a pair of feet to rush at the door. Through the crack that was made, Ada’s little face peeked.

The maid took a sharp breath upon laying eyes on Silas before quickly pulling the door completely open, only to then curtsey the same way Estrid did moments earlier.

"Master," she too greeted.

At those words, Arabella who’d been sitting utterly still by the window, finally turned around.

When she tried to push herself up onto her feet in order to greet him however, Silas put a hand up, "Remain seated. There is no need for any of that,"

With very little energy and no protests whatsoever from her, the young woman merely sat down in her previous position and turned back to the window as though nothing at all had happened.

"Should I put these roses in water, Master?" extending her arms forward, Ada brought attention onto the roses in his arms.

"I shall take care of that," his eyes never rose back to the maid, "You may leave for now,"

The vampire neared the table where the old roses lay, after Ada had exited the room, that was.

He picked them out of the vase and settled them down. Taking the empty vase up, Silas made his way to the bathroom where he switched the dirty water with a cleaner one.

"I will take these back to the gardens as I am not sure what to do with withering roses," he said regarding the old ones.

"Hmm?" in response, Arabella simply hummed, offering a glance that lasted less than a second, "Withering roses are usually discarded as their fleeting beauty is all that people care for,"

From where he stood, the young woman had the likeness of a shell that begged for nothing but to be left alone, to not be explored or cracked open.

Even her timbre has somehow shifted to a duller one. One with almost no life in it. Steady, low and monotone, barely sounding human or... Was such a shift natural in people after such ordeals?

Perhaps it was, although, if Silas could be sure of one thing, it was that he did not like that tune on her in the slightest.

And as if that wasn’t enough, the look in her eyes stood as testament that there can always be worse.

Empty and void of any glint they harbored once upon a time.

The source of this c𝓸ntent is fr(e)𝒆novelkiss