Under the vampire Lord's protection-Chapter 552: Irrational

That evening, after being made to crawl behind Zarah, Arabella was simply left in the training room without any other remarks or subsequent orders.

The hag seemingly had other fish to fry, calling upon Arwa and Mira to serve the prince that night.

Despite the fact that those two had shown her no mercy, it still ached her heart to see the dejected looks on their faces. Especially Arwa who put both hands under her pregnant belly.

They glared down at her when passing by, but the young woman just looked away, wrapped her arms around her legs, pulling her knees to the chin and settled an inch away from the nearest wall.

The door to the dormitory of the pleasure girls opened on Margarette and Irene. They immediately plastered faint smiles on when noting her.

"Dinner has been served. I will get you some-" Irene started.

Though Arabella stopped her, "Thank you, I have already dined with the General," she then turned to Margarette, "Are you alright? You weren’t punished or anything of the sort," she half asked.

"Thankfully, no. Not yet at least," she shook her head slowly.

"I... I wanted to thank the two of you for standing up for me yesterday. I genuinely do not think I would have survived had I been worked more than my bones already were and... I truly am sorry for any inconvenience I may have caused you all,"

Margarette dragged a wooden chair that seemed designed for another purpose than simply sitting, "You shouldn’t put your body right on the cold stone. You will get sick," upon noting the look on Arabella’s face, she addressed the hole in the middle of the chair, "This chair is meant to train us on how to pleasure the prince when in a seated position. You can ignore the hole. It shouldn’t bother you too much if no tool is placed at its center,"

Arabella took it without any comment and sat. The edges of her bottom settled but the middle of it felt the cool breeze as it swung by.

"I meant what I said yesterday, you know," said Margarette.

"You truly have nothing to apologize to us for, and even if you had known about us, I wouldn’t have blamed you for choosing yourself. I would have probably done the same," Irene settled on one of the tables nearby.

"Still, thank you," Arabella nodded, "I truly am sorry for what happened to your sister,"

"Would you tell us what life is like on... The other side of the border?" Like never seen before, little stars were born in Margarette’s eyes.

"Well, it was quite terrifying at first. I didn’t know whether I was going to live or die beyond the night I escaped, but when the sun rose again, I was lying in a cosy bed, under a safe roof," she nodded, tears already forming in her eyes, "I was so extremely lucky to knock on the right door. I found very kind people that took me in...," her face lit up, "I got to meet fairies and goblins! I got to see witches from up close, and I walked through the square of the great town that is KasselMoon where, you know, the moon always shines! Oh! And the birth of the angels during the spring Equinox! The great caverns inhabited by a pack of wolf folk!" after a short pause, during which her windpipes contracted further, "It was a blessing while it lasted,"

"Nobody said it was over for ever," a new voice had spoken.

One that hadn’t been in the room at the start of the conversation. It was Luiza and two other women that walked in the training room without the three others even noticing them.

They did not seem particularly pleased but spewed no venom or degrading remarks. Not to mention, Luiza’s words held nothing negative. On the contrary, even.

"Well, I hardly see a way back to those days," After the initial shock of a third voice rising, Arabella looked back down at her lap.

"You would have us believe that you thrusted yourself back here without a backup plan," Luiza half asked, "I know the reputation us girls go by around here but we’re not that stupid, you know,"

"I never said that!" the young woman retorted hastily.

"I know you didn’t," the strawberry blond crossed her arms, "But fine, keep your secrets,"

No, Arabella could never have dreamed of thinking any less of those girls... Not even when she still held the title of a Lady.

Luiza was quite the smart one. No one else had brought that idea fourth. Not even Zarah doubted Arabella’s intentions.

Either that or they discussed the possibility among themselves and were biding their time until one of her friends slipped up.

"Asha and Arwa will come around," Luiza said while moving back towards the dormitory doors, "The others are just scared and rational or not, they are still holding a grudge. Even though we all know, deep down, that you had no hand in the way our fates turned, but it’s easier to just hate you and take it out on you,"

That was almost word for word what Irene had told her before, both during the auction ball and in the castle...

The other two women accompanying Luiza simply nodded before exiting after her.

Something shifted within her as if a weight... As small as it was, had been lifted, unclogging a small bit of the gall swelling up among her guts.

"Both Luiza’ parents are great strategists," Margarette brought their attention onto herself, "She claims she’s learned a lot from them. Even her mother who only participates in her husband’s business secretly. She says that was how they met and fell for each other in the first place,"

"That is such a lovely story!" Arabella smiled.

"I bet they still can’t sleep at night, knowing where their beloved daughter is being kept," Irene’s face remained grim however, "I empathise," she sighed, "There was nothing my parents could do to protect me either,"