Under the vampire Lord's protection-Chapter 612: Round

The line of maids and butlers that had greeted them earlier that day was back in form, facing the main entrance of the manor. Arabella, Silas, Ada and Edgar stood next to each other, awaiting the arrival of Persephone and her daughters.

Arthur and Rubius too were present although a little ahead of the rest since they were the owners of the land to welcome their guests.

Persephone came through the doors first, closely followed by Katherine, Grace and Allegra who had changed back into a gown instead of the white fabric she donned in the caverns.

"On behalf of my grandson, Lord Arthur Sterlin, allow me to welcome you under this roof, ladies," Rubius bowed before the Lady, "May your stay with us be remembered fondly after your departure,"

"Thank you," The four women curtsied, "I hold the certainty that our days here will be most cosy. If we exclude the funeral, of course,"

Katherine and her sisters wasted no time and gathered around Arabella before hugging her tightly.

"Will you lead our guests to their respective chambers?" Rubius turned to the staff, "The rest of you are dismissed,"

Three maids remained, Helena being among them. Allegra followed after them whereas Persephone took Edgar’s arm then walked forward.

Grace, on the other hand, stopped in front of Arthur and cleared her throat which left Rubius a little perplexed until Arabella came and pulled him away.

"I would let those two be," she chuckled.

"Did she take a liking to him?" the old man asked, eyes on the beet red face of Grace.

"I am not sure, but she sure does enjoy chatting his ears out,"

Rubius made a hissing sound as though witnessing something gruesome, "I suppose, vampire or otherwise, women are women across all species," he sighed.

Arabella left his side with a pout to join her husband, watching as Grace immediately launched into a monologue after taking Arthur’s arm.

"Not even in his own home can he be safe," Silas followed their figures as they ascended the stairs.

"Not you too!" she nudged him.

The vampire did not even react and followed along wherever she was that she dragged him.

They ended up in the gardens. Neither the rose hedges nor the flower beds were as impressive as the ones back at the Eleazar manor.

The gardener always did his best, though ultimately, despite having a longer experience than Edgar, his efforts couldn’t compare.

Past the gardens, the couple carried on until their feet reached the burial grounds where many Sterlings had ended before her father would.

Eleanor Burchard for instance was put to rest next to all of the previous Eleazars that had met their fates.

Right next to her grave, an empty space, dug up and ready to welcome the remains of her husband in life.

"Loving wife and mother" her gravestone said... That was no lie. She truly was the most loving and caring.

The gravepine tree hugging the stone seemed well taken care off despite the years that allowed it to grow.

Once again, Arabella’s heart was not beating in her throat, but her stomach could not stop expanding, rendering the ever-growing pit consuming it stronger.

"Tomorrow, both of my parents will be underground for good," she whispered.

Instead of a verbal response, Silas’ hand came and wrapped around her arm, pulling her closer to himself.

"It is so strange," more words escaped her.

"I understand," he said.

"No, I mean... It is strange that I knew all along my mother would die first,"

Silas’ face remained completely expressionless, but his eyes darted onto her, clearly demanding answers.

"I just knew...," she shrugged, drawing nearer to her gravestone, "I knew her heart wouldn’t last very long. It couldn’t go on for as long as it should have like that," her hand took to fondling one of the cones that dangled over Eleanor’s grave.

Those words brought memories of his last heart to heart with Rubius. The one they had in the library about the curse of the Sterling women.

They always died much earlier than their husbands or fathers and brothers...

"When you put the words in that order, it does make a lot of sense," he nodded.

"I hate that it does," Arabella knelt down, allowing her fingers to graze the engraved words across the stone, "I asked Edgar and grandfather if we could use some of the gravepines from Umbraria. I would have asked Arthur too but he... Well, you know,"

"I know," his diamonds followed the motion of her hand.

After a minute of gawking at those markings, Arabella finally straightened back to a standing position and returned to Silas, "Anyway, they agreed,"

The air caressing her skin was neither too warm nor was it too cold... Very similarly to the one Umbraria had to offer. The climate was not so different either.

The stars that shone above their heads were the same too. The moon graced everyone and everything with its silver light as well.

The world went round just the way it was always supposed to and not sideways like it used to under Reubon’s hold.

"The day she was buried was the first and last time I ever got to see her grave," her eyes remained on the gray stone, "In fact, tonight is the first time I see that gravestone on it. So, I feel as though I cannot take my eyes off it,"

"Your father didn’t allow it," Silas half asked, following her gaze.

In response, she merely nodded.

"On the day of her funeral, I was to don a veil that fully covered my face. That was the only way he allowed me to attend my own mother’s funeral," she chuckled, "Can you believe that?"

To that, he said nothing at all.

"I miss my mother," she nodded again, "But Lord do I not miss most of my days in this place!" she breathed.

Arabella stared at the grave and the hole next to it for a while longer before turning around and marching back towards the manor.

Silas stood there for a second after her then quietly followed in her steps.