Under the vampire Lord's protection-Chapter 609: Home not sweet home

The road back to the Sterling manor promised to be a long one and so, Arabella went with comfort rather than beauty.

Not that the gown of her choice was any less elegant than her usual style.

To think she had fought so hard to escape that place... Yet there she was, facing a mirror, dressing up to go right back where everything had started.

Her heart did not exactly beat in her throat, but it was not the calmest organ in her either, her brain beating every other in terms of agitation and activity by a landslide.

"The carriage is ready," Silas stood behind her, just watching as she attached her wedding brooch to her chest.

"Wonderful," she cleared her throat, "I am all ready to go,"

Whereas her eyes refused to meet his, the vampire’s expression was just solemn, "Are you sure?"

"It does not really matter whether I am ready to set foot in that place or not," her lips pressed an otherwise sweet smile that did not reach her eyes, "I still have to go and face those walls... Bid it proper goodbyes, so to speak,"

At those words, Silas marched forward, closer to her but did not touch her. Only their warmth intertwined, practically communicating their unspoken thoughts.

"Do not strain yourself," his voice always found a way to reach every crevice of her ears and brain, soothingly so.

"I will try," she pushed yet another smile.

Silas did not seem to dwell on the matter any longer as his attention turned towards the curtains seconds before a small knock landed upon their door.

The two of them marched its way, only to find that it was none other than an already dressed Ada.

"Lord Arthur is ready and has been guided out to the carriage. We all are ready to go," she curtsied and waited for a response.

"Thank you, Ada," Arabella’s smile dimmed a tad, "But are you sure you wish to go back to Lustris so soon after everything that happened to you there?"

Ada’s head tilted a little to the side, "I will always be more than ready to stand by your side,"

That response sealed it and they could finally move on outside where the car awaited their arrival.

Much like their return from the castle, Arthur faced his sister but kept his eyes strictly on the window.

Ada faced Silas, but aside from exchanging a few glances with Arabella, she too focused on the window.

The silence in the carriage was nowhere near a stifling one as each of them appeared to retreat back inwards as the shape and size of the trees shifted on their way.

Calling it the road back home seemed less than fitting. Indeed, the Eleazar manor won that title in her heart by miles.

Despite having most of her memories in the Sterling manor, it still felt unfair for it to share its spot with the place that had gifted her with a new life without any strings or conditions.

All of the strings she attached to herself under that roof were of her own choice and volition.

The warmth and love she found there were everything that was missing in the place that should have given it all to her.

Everything in it, even the decoration was her father’s doing. A man that never sought the opinion of the people he forced a life upon.

Oh, how odd it was to think... That the same man that did all of that. The one that had, albeit unintentionally pushed her to lead the life she did... Was gone and no more part of their world.

Although, after nearly twelve hours of traveling, the brother and sister entered the manor to find their father’s shadow lingered everywhere.

In every corner, every piece of furniture he insisted upon picking himself without anybody else’s input. Not to mention, that bluish tone he was hellbent on smearing across the walls of his home.

Nobody had ever dared say no to Reubon Sterling under that roof... Once upon a time, the siblings shivered to their bones upon hearing his very voice across the halls.

The one thing the man had miraculously failed to taint were the staff that sweat their fair share of body water in order to satisfy his every whim.

"Oh, dear Lord! You have returned!"

The maids broke all protocol and scampered out of line, leaping into Arabella’s arms.

"You were supposed to greet them properly," the sigh that Rubius pushed did not go unnoticed.

"Forgive us, my Lord," one of the older maids held her mouth while sniveling, "The pull is too strong. I thought... I feared we had lost them forever," she cried.

They did not fear showing their true emotions in front of her grandfather which was a good sign.

That dynamic switched the instant Silas had cleared his throat. 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

Watching all of their eyes grow wide, hearing the little breaths hitch in their throats was certainly something...

It was as though they had just been reminded of his presence there. The presence of a vampire.

"Oh, forgive our insolence, my Lord," they curtsied and ran back to the line they originally stood in and kept their eyes down.

The sight of those beet red faces swept the thorns that had latched onto Arabella’s lungs and heart.

The kind and familiar faces that made life within those walls a little more bearable.

It was thanks to those sweet women that she had cried a lot less than if they hadn’t been there with her to distract from all that hurt.

"Welcome home, my Darlings,"

It was finally Rubius’ turn to come forward and without any notice took both Arabella as well as Arthur in his arms.

"I am so glad you’ve had a safe trip," he held onto them as though they were dear life.

Even though Arthur stood there without reciprocating, Arabella did put her arms around her grandfather and for the first time ever... She actually embraced him, taking his essence in.