Under the vampire Lord's protection-Chapter 554: Running rumors

Within two hours into the night, Arabella was surrounded by the other girls, almost all at the edges of their seats with twinkling eyes as they listened to her stories from beyond the border.

Of course, some of them were very reluctant to approach and others busied themselves with other things in the training room. Tasks such as rearranging tools that had obviously already been organized, null doubt with the goal of listening in without nearing her.

Arabella did not fault them for their fears were valid. She had gotten carried away by the sweet memories of the sun finally rising from the right side of the world, the fact that if Zarah entered the room and saw them like that in the moment, terrible things were sure to happen and were completely eclipsed from view...

"Would you tell us more about the zimmerlarcks in their forests?"

It was the third time that same brunette had asked about Umbrarian animals since it seemed she was greatly fond of little creatures... Big ones too, but mainly the tiny.

"You’ve asked her multiple questions. It is my turn now. What about the spirits? Have you gotten to speak to one?" a blond chimed in.

"No, I have not," Arabella shook her head, a soft smile on her, "After their birth, they immediately followed their predecessors towards the cold country. They do not travel outside of it from what I understand,"

The blond pouted and settled down for yet another woman to speak up, with a steadier and familiar voice, "I’d like to know about the vampire that seduced you,"

"Luiza...," Irene sighed.

"You cannot tell me that you aren’t the least bit curious as well. Rumors course the halls that he’s been captured after attacking the prince and then... Here you appeared," the woman crossed her arms, eying Arabella intently.

"It isn’t-"

"Fair," Arabella stopped Irene, "Ask your questions. What is it you wish to know about my husband?"

All of the girls in the room, whether sitting close or standing far, froze in their spots, eyes threatening to pop out of their sockets.

It seemed hearing the word husband come out of her mouth rattled something at their cores.

"Were you forced into that relationship?" Luiza’s voice came a little more calculated, as though she weighed the words better in her mind before uttering them.

In response, Arabella let out a little chuckle and allowed her eyes to drift away towards one of the crevices of her brain. A corner that held the memory of Silas proposing to her, "He struggled to look me in the eyes when he asked me if I would accept the token of love he extended towards me. So, no. It was not forced upon me. Under that roof, nothing ever was,"

The girls stared in awe, dreamy expressions on their faces...

"Did you throw a wedding party and all?" another one jumped before Luiza could lay her next question.

"The whole nine yards," she smiled.

"What kind of person was he?"

The conversation snowballed without Luiza having to interfere. She was getting her answers with not much effort.

"Quite terrifying at first," another chuckle escaped her, "But that was only because I didn’t understand him. With time, I gathered that he simply wasn’t used to sharing much with anyone,"

"Did he drink blood from you?" another asked.

"I was his sole blood provider," Arabella nodded, "The deal, in the beginning was that I provide him with my blood in exchange for safety," 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

"Aren’t you afraid it’s the Mirari speaking in you?" Luiza interjected again, "If he drank straight from the vein then how do you know you are truly in love with him and not simply delusional because of that phenomenon?"

"What’s a Mirari?" Margarette chimed in.

Luiza’s knowledge about the Mirari took Arabella a little by surprise but in the end, Irene’s words about her background and her high intelligence came back to remind her.

"He did not drink from the vein to spare me that fate," the young woman looked away.

It was much simpler and safer to lie rather than try and explain how or why the Mirari did not affect her.

There was no more time to answer any additional questions however as the door to the training room opened on Arwa’s crumbling figure and Mira who did her best to support the pregnant woman with her.

The two of them seemed to have been worked to the bone... In such a short span of time. It had been less than three hours since their departure towards Cedric’s chambers. Usually, he spent nearly all night tormenting his pleasure girls.

As soon as they walked in, the others jumped to help, carrying Arwa to her bed.

"That didn’t take long," Asha pointed out.

"He was in a rush, it seemed," Mira took the gown off her back without any regard or shame, seemingly unbothered by exposure in front of the other girls, "He had an important meeting to attend or something,"

She too looked spent, but it was safe to assume she was able to stand on her own two feet since no pregnancy burdened her, unlike Arwa who immediately collapsed into her pillow and could not lift her head, her breathing ragged.

Asha rushed to her side with a bowl of water and a clean cloth to wipe at her sweaty face and neck.

"But I think the rumors running through the hallways were true after all. A group of nurses we crossed on our way back here were talking about it," Mira added, rubbing at her own body with a wet cloth.

"What rumors?" even though sheepish, Arabella’s voice made everything go quiet as Mira’s eyes snapped in her direction.

Though after staring her up and down, she turned back towards Asha and continued her speech, "About a war in the making. His highness projects to launch an assault against Umbraria very soon,"

That was good... Well not the war itself, but the fact that the news was spreading. It meant Ada and the others would have heard by then and would have sent a word about it home.