Shadows

Explanation

The moment we got back, we marched our way to Roman’s study. He needed to know directly that hunters were closer to the grounds than first expected. I didn’t wait for the servants to lead the way but barged my way through the doors.

His eyes wide and his face gaunt he slowly rose from his desk and made his way over to me, I glanced momentarily at myself and noted that I was covered in grass, dirt and blood.

“Child, what’s happened?” he asked, eyeing me from head to toe.

“We were stalked and almost attacked” Dante grunted behind me

“Technically, they stalked me but I hid out of sight... I guess I didn’t take into consideration that Dante would rip them to shreds” the old kings eyes grew wide with shock at what he had done “They had something in their blood stream that drove Dante wild and primitive... his instinct told him to attack me but instead he fled”

“Did he do this?” He scowled

“No. This happened when we were on our way back, I fell down and it cut a lot of my body” I lied

“If he was so crazy... then why is he so calm now?”

“Because she forced me to drink her blood sir” Dante answered.

I walked away from them both to find them eyeing each other with hardened expressions. I didn’t know what to do at that point, they were both equally angry at each other, Dante was probably angry at Roman for allowing them to get so close, and I also presumed that Roman was angry at Dante for being so foolish and killing these hunters... with those hunters dead I was sure that more would be on there way.

“When you two are done I think we had better discuss what the hell just happened”

“I know what happened! He was foolish enough to let you be in danger!” Roman bellowed, but before Dante was able to respond I burst out laughing.

“It wasn’t his fault you naive old man, but more your own. You are meant to be guarding these forests that surround this castle. We only went out to hunt and that happens!” I screamed

“But child..”

“No buts” I breathed as Dante found his way to my side so that I could lean on him “This needs to be sorted and quickly. If they are already close to the castle then I'm afraid the War is closer than expected” “You sound so much older” Dante chimed in my ear “I love you” I glanced up at him to see him smiling contently.

“Roman. I may not be fully adapt to battle yet... hell I don’t even know where this strength suddenly came from... but what I do know is that this is urgent and must be dealt with”

“Your right child. But what can we do? If they have already breached the surroundings then we must prepare for battle”

“No!” I screamed “We need to be stealthy about this... send a few of your best soldiers, brief them on the situation and tell them to be stealthy... but also that they cannot bite any victims as their blood is somehow poisonous to us”

I wasn’t sure just how I managed to do that back there, I’m normally so quiet and unsure... but what I felt back there, that raw determination to protect those who were closest to me, even if I didn’t know them that well. It felt good, really good. Dante was quite for a while, he even distanced himself. I assumed he felt bad for what happened, but now wasn’t the time to dwell on such things. Now was a time where we all needed to be strong. I wandered up to my room and immediately stripped from the blood and mud stained clothing, once freed I walked over to the mirror to examine my body, half the blood stains must have been mine because right in centre of my stomach were trails of scars that weren’t self inflicted. It still shocked me now that I could heal so fast from such devastating wounds. I didn’t bother with a shower, instead I pulled the shower head from its holder and stuck my head over the edge.