Under the vampire Lord's protection-Chapter 611: Rightful place

Much like hers and Arthur’s room, their parents’ room hadn’t changed at all. Everything was right where it was the last time Arabella had stepped foot inside.

Some of her mother’s jewelry even still hung on the vanity mirror, repelling that insufferable bluish hue against its bling.

Arthur just stood there, at the center of the room, doing nothing in particular. Expectedly, the man did not react to his sister walking and stopping by his side. His eyes remained glued onto the painting of his parents posted over the bed frame.

By all means, it stood as one of the only paintings of them together. Most importantly, it was one of the rare memories featuring a smile on Eleanor’s beautiful face.

"Nothing has changed at all, hasn’t it?" she murmured, irises on the canvas.

Arthur said nothing, of course.

"It is quite pathetic that the only voice I remember around the manor is father’s yelling," she took a deep breath, "He never had much grace behind closed doors. His business partners never knew what they were getting themselves into by signing any type of contract with him,"

The young woman marched forward, allowing her fingers to paint invisible lines along the wooden bed frame.

"He was quite brash now that I think about it with a clearer mind," her head tilted a tad to the side, eyebrows furrowing slightly as though she had just made the oddest of discoveries, "You know... I realize I have never said this out loud. Not to you, at least, but I am oh, so glad you did not turn out like him,"

Her next stop was the jewelry box of Eleanor which lay open upon the vanity desk. Similarly to every other room and piece of that manor, only a few specs of dust had settled atop the surfaces.

It was clear that staff made a point of keeping everything tidy and clean just... In case.

Rings, necklaces, bracelets, earrings... Gold, silver, diamonds and rubies, Reubon sure had a particular taste when it came to jewelry since he picked everything in that box himself.

No, of course, he couldn’t stop at the color of the walls and style of furniture. No, the man needed to control what his wife donned on a daily basis too.

The same went for his daughter and son as well as not even Arthur, a man, had earned that luxury with him.

Arabella took an even bigger breath, shutting her eyes momentarily, "I thought it was only the case in my room, but I can’t seem to capture mother’s scent here either. It is as though she never lived here at all,"

Upon turning around to look at her brother, a second figure stood behind him, by the door. Rubius kept quiet, null doubt wishing to give the siblings their space.

"Grandfather," she smiled meekly.

"I did not mean to interrupt," he advanced inside the room, "I only wished to have a word with you if that is alright,"

"Yes, of course," she nodded.

After debating for a second on whether they should leave Arthur alone in his parents’ room, they opted to take that chance and let him breathe as he chose to since his own feet had led him there unprompted.

"I just spoke with Silas. He’s being a great help. I am quite grateful," Rubius stared ahead as they ambled the hallways.

"He is one of the most reliable people I’ve ever had the luck of meeting," her smile remained sweet.

"He sure is," the older man nodded slowly, "I won’t take much of your time. I merely wanted to ask about Arthur. Will he be returning with you to Umbraria or stay here?"

"Frankly, I’d be lying if I said I made any sort of progress with him since we parted ways at the castle," she shook her head, avoiding his gaze. 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

"He hasn’t said a word, has he?"

"No," she replied in the littlest of voices, "In fact, him walking over to our parents’ room of his own accord now is the most he has done on his own,"

"Then...," Rubius cleared his throat, "Perhaps being here is what’s best for him,"

"I was thinking... I am also afraid that breathing under this roof does nothing but trigger old, bitter memories. The same ones that pushed him to leave and never look back,"

They marched in silence for a few seconds, mulling their recent words over.

"I have no problem holding the reins of this place until he is ready," he spoke again.

"For that I thank you, grandfather,"

"Alright then, do tell me if you are in need of anything," after a small nod, Rubius turned around and started walking the opposite way.

"Grandfather," Arabella called for his attention again, stopping him in his tracks, "I am so glad that you’ve turned over a new leaf. What I mean is...," her chin quivered, "I am glad that you stand on our side,"

The glistening in her eyes gave her state away. The tears that threatened to spill if left unchecked gathered around the corners, making themselves visible.

Rubius froze in place for a good moment, just studying her features before his own softened, "I am glad I saw reason as well,"

With that, the two went their separate ways. By the time Arabella returned to her parents’ room, Arthur was nowhere to be seen.

She took the opportunity and made another round across the chamber, ending her tour in front of that same painting where Eleanor appeared to smile from the heart.

The golden lines garnishing her brown hair spoke of the sun that graced their day when she posed to eternize that moment. Reubon had, null doubt, ordered the painting be made, but on it, Eleanor looked so much younger than the woman that raised Arabella.

Her traits were missing the rough lines that plagued her face on the days she cried while holding her daughter for comfort. On the days Reubon made it hard to breathe.

For many nights since her escape, Arabella had fantasized about getting the chance to pick another item to remember her mother by, but given that chance right then and there, the young woman opted not to touch or move anything.

Everything seemed in its rightful place as it should have been.