Under the vampire Lord's protection-Chapter 82: Contrarieties

An internal sigh of relief coursed her entire body. It was as though a strong, steady hand had reached down for her to grip onto. One to extract her from the sinking boat she had not so willingly embarked upon.

"Silas!" Lord Dragomir started, "What a pleasure to see you. I thought you’d never show yourself," his eyes lingered on Silas’ unique features, from his silver hair down to the diamonds that served him as eyes.

"The pleasure is all mine. Forgive my intrusion, but I must insist, my Lord. The young woman is under my family’s wing, her safety and wellbeing are therefore of our concern," without skipping a single beat, Silas sent a message he hoped would be loud and clear. His voice remained stable throughout his utterances from beginning to end.

"Oh no, of course! It was never my intention to put her in harms’ way," there was neither warmth nor a shift of pitch in Dragomir’s tone, "Pardon me, I am afraid I’ve forgotten I was holding a conversation with a human. I have a hard time picking up on what I can’t feel myself. Don’t you too struggle with such a flaw?"

It was still there, that smile, plastered across his lips but never tugging his eyes along. To call it creepy would be an understatement. Especially after the exchange they had.

Silas approached the both of them and faced the Lord in a way that put Arabella right at their center.

The men engaged in a silent staring contest until something seemed to dawn on the Lord. It was subtle, almost invisible, but Arabella noticed the shift in his eyes. A glint that vanished. One so small, so faint the heedless would easily believe it was never there to begin with.

"Right, then I shall see you inside again," with that, Lord Dragomir turned towards the balcony window and stepped away.

"You certainly shall," very calmly, came the retort from Silas.

When he finally disappeared behind the curtains shielding the door, Silas said nothing. He never commented on Arabella’s state, never pointed out her shivering, her feral heart or the tears in her eyes that begged to finally be released.

He turned the opposite way and glared at the nothingness ahead, just like she did a few minutes prior.

"You may leave the reception," without a glance her way, Silas had declared dryly.

At first, her gemstones snapped upwards towards him, but then, the look of surprise on her withered gradually, "No, I may not,"

It was his turn to gaze at her with stupefaction. Although, much like her, he quickly recovered the ever-living impartial expression that usually dominated his face, "In that case, know that your father is just fine. Life has been treating him well even after your departure,"

Funny... She thought. Hilarious, even. No matter how many times Arabella tried to convince herself that she didn’t care about him, deep down the basis of her core, the young woman knew her feelings, her leniency towards her father couldn’t be helped and they sure as heaven couldn’t be erased.

Hearing that the man that had made her life so needlessly convoluted was alive and well, snatched yet another sigh of relief out of her. One that was more noticeable than the first.

"In fact, he remains in the royal family’s good graces to this day," Silas added, "I’ve kept an ear out for anything on this matter ever since your arrival,"

"Thank you," was all that she had muttered, the faintest of smiles claiming her features.

"Mother told me you didn’t hold the sturdiest of relationships with your father," he half asked.

"I did not," as weak as her previous tone, those words weren’t any louder.

"Then why would you even care if any harm was to befall him?"

No response. Not that she refused to give one, none materialized in mind. Not even half-hearted or insincere ones.

Why, indeed? Her father never did anything worthy of the love she always carried for him. That little spark she harbored, as small as it was. Arabella hoped that one day it’d grow, but it never did, because he never fed it. Reubon never... Not ever...

"I don’t know,"

In the end, that was it. The only answer she could muster.

"Perhaps it is a conversation best had inside?"

A warm, feminine yet controlled voice came from the balcony window, prompting both Silas and Arabella to turn around.

"Please head back inside," Lady Persephone added, looking strictly at Arabella.

"Yes, my Lady,"

The young woman curtsied then walked inside as instructed, leaving the Lady out on the balcony with her son alone.

"I wonder, just how close is too close?" she said, her hands clasped together.

"Nowhere near as close as you might believe," he retorted, eyes back onto the blackened sky.

"Then perhaps, you two can benefit from a bit more distance,"

His clenched fists and tightening jaw were quite notable. The words to respond failed him, however.

"Will you skip tonight’s gathering as well?" she asked, still in her spot.

"Well, isn’t it the clear contradiction?" he almost chuckled, "If I am to remain far from her, then why not start now?"

"Have it your way then," she sighed before turning around and following in Arabella’s steps.

The stars were shy. Well, most of them were as some lone few peaked from behind the thick veil of clouds that curtained the view.

The list of intrigues under Arabella’s name continued to grow. Answers even his superhuman senses failed to reach.

Silas would have considered Arabella different but then again, he never built any meaningful relationship with a human before. None worth the grief.

Besides the necessary exchanges between himself and his blood providers as well as the rest of the staff, there wasn’t much of value, nothing to consider more seriously or dissect under a new light.

Were they that complicated all along? Or was there something amiss with her in particular?