Lucille woke up feeling well rested. Glancing at the window, it was a light dusky blue outside. She was surprised at how soundly she must've slept. It felt as though she had just laid down in bed with him only moments ago.
Carefully she rolled over to look at Aleron. He was spread out on his stomach next to her, still sound asleep. He hadn't even moved an inch when she rolled over. Saving her must've really worn him out.
Staring at his peaceful, sleeping face still evoked strong emotions in her. The sight made her heart swell with love and it almost ached with how deeply she felt it. Tears pricked her eyes. She didn't understand why things had to be like this. She didn't want to hate him, she didn't want to see him and think of how many lives he had ruined with his business. It was like the near perfect image she had of him prior to Eranel had been shattered.
She loathed Eranel for everything he had done, but especially for saying what he had. That was said only to cause problems and to hurt her, she knew it. She wished she could have just gone on being clueless about everything for even just a little bit longer. She already had enough to worry about and deal with trying to heal with what Eranel had done to her, she didn't need this too. She was thankful for his death. Something she probably should have felt bad about, but couldn't find it in her to.
A few stray tears worked their way out of her eyes. Wiping them away, she rolled back over and closed her eyes, sniffling once.
The bed moved as Aleron finally shifted and he moved closer to her. His arm wrapped back around her waist. That only seemed to further drive the stake into her heart. She loved this so much, even with what he had done she still felt so safe in his arms.
"I am so sorry, Lucille. I am so sorry that you had to learn about my work this way. I knew it would be difficult for you to hear about it, even if I had prepared you and even if you didn't have to deal with so much to begin with." He whispered, nuzzling his face against her neck.
"I just don't understand why. What's so difficult for me to accept is the fact that you've played such a large role in ruining human's lives and I just don't understand how you could do that."
"I know, I know. I honestly never cared before I met you. I've been doing this for hundreds of years, long before I even had a clue that I could feel love, especially for a human. I never even stopped to consider a human's feelings before, it was just everyday life for me. Please understand, Lucille, that it was—is a lucrative business here in this world and its not in our nature to feel empathy and to concern ourselves with the emotions of others. Up until you stepped into my life I was leading a fairly typical demonic life." He paused. "If it makes it better at all, I haven't taken a large role in the past few years. I used to be far more deeply into it, but I have taken a backseat and mostly just oversee those working for me. A lot of lower demons rely on me and the connections I have to make a living."
"I do understand, it's just extremely difficult for me to accept. Even though I know you're a demon and I've known all along that demons are inherently 'evil' I still can't believe you could do something like that."
"I know. I did say that I've done a lot to hide you from the darker side of my life and the darkness of this world. I have such a strong need to protect you and if I had it my way you never would have found out about this. All I want is for you to be happy."
Hearing him say he cared about her safety and happiness and with such emotion in his voice made more tears come out of her eyes. She couldn't help it.
"I sort of wish I hadn't found out about it either. Even though it hasn't been the easiest and it's been sort of stressful, I am glad I chose to come here with you. I have been so happy to be with you. You make me happy and I love you, it's just not going to be easy for me to come to terms with this." Her voice was all wobbly from crying and she hated it.
"I understand. I had anticipated that the next few weeks would be rough, even before all of this transpired."
"Everything that has happened in the past day or two definitely is a lot to deal with, even without having to worry about your work and the great heap of news that is. But going back, what do you mean you've taken a backseat with your work?"
"Even before I met you I stopped doing a lot of direct dealings. Ages ago I used to be the one to directly deliver the humans to the buyers, but I do mean it when I say that that was ages ago. For the last, oh, 70 or 80 years I'd guess I have mostly just been connecting interested buyers with demons whom I know go the human realm to procur the humans. I get a relatively small portion of money from both parties as a courtesy. Though, it is important to clarify that even when I was starting out I never personally abducted any humans for this. I've always been the middle man, a connection for those who need it."
Lucille thought that over for a moment. She wasn't entirely sure if that made it any better.
"I guess that makes me feel less bad about it... But I still don't like what you have done. I just... I think about the girls, and the guys too I am sure, and I feel so sad for everything they had to go through at the hands of these demons they were sold to. It's scary and heartbreaking to think of."
"I know and I'm sorry. If I could go back and change what I have done I would. I dreaded the day you found out solely because I knew you wouldn't like it. But, while it won't be easy to do so, I can try to further pull myself out of future dealings. I can make an effort to make those that rely on my connections more independent. I've amassed more than enough money to keep us living comfortably for quite a while. I have a magnificent home with a great deal of land, as well as a few other homes in my possession. So I have no real need to continue bringing in gold, not for a long while anyhow. I am also certain that the demons I work with are more than capable of taking things over on their own. They can find other older demons to work with if they really need connections."
She was beyond touched that he was willing to stop his career for her, or attempt to stop it anyhow, all because it made her unhappy. In a way she felt sort of bad, seeing as it was something he had been doing for literally hundreds of years and now she was coming in urging him to change it. But it was an awful business and he was the one who offered to stop.
"I would really like that." She said meekly. "I am sorry to have made a fuss over it. I know it's ingrained in your life and it's not a big deal to you but I just... I have mainly seen you be so loving and caring and... for me you embody love and happiness and to think that you coordinate deals that takes people's lives in such a drastically different path, that is what's difficult for me."
He listened quietly, stroking her arm.
"You have no reason to apologize. I understand entirely where you are coming from and I understand now what I have truly done to these humans. You are so empathic and caring, even for people you've never met, and you feel so deeply for them. And somehow you've managed to rub off on me and you have brought feelings into my previously bland and dark palette of emotions to choose from. I had already been surprised enough when I felt love when you first entered my life. I can understand how this would be difficult for you and that it might be some time before you're completely comfortable again. So I'll do what I can to change and I'll be waiting patiently for you in the mean time."
Her heart swelled in her chest. Just that alone was enough to bring her closer to forgiving him. She rolled over in his arms to face him.
"That alone makes me feel so much better, Aleron. I'll still need some time, but thank you for being willing to change and make an effort. I don't like your past, but that will make it easier for me to come to accept it. And I can understand why you did it."
He had changed quite a bit from the time she first met him. Now he was so sweet and soft with her, letting her sleep in his bed every night and pulling her close against his body if she strayed too far from him. He seemed to crave her affection as she did his, and it was a far cry from the cold, uncaring demon he was when they first met. For the longest time she could see his internal struggle with his own instincts as he gave in and gave her more of what she wanted, and learned how to deal with all the new feelings he was experiencing. Feelings that made him go against his very nature to not become attached and to be loving. To care about anothers feelings outside of feeding.
All of that change made her truly believe that he had certainly come to understand the human emotions a lot more. Perhaps now he had learned empathy, something he seemed to lack before when it came to humans.
It was true that she couldn't fault him for living the life he had, seeing as that was all he knew prior to her coming into his life. If it was all he knew, and in this world it wasn't seen as bad. And how was he supposed to know that hundreds of years after he started this business he would come to fall in love so deeply with a mortal girl?
"I would gladly do anything to keep you happy, Lucille." He said with a smile. "I can't change my past, but I know for certain that I want you in my future and I want you to want to be there. So I will do whatever I can to create that for us."
She smiled back.
"That means so much to me, Aleron, you don't even know." She said quietly, fighting back tears of joy now. "Also, if you're willing to do anything to keep me happy... Could we start with breakfast? I am starving."
Aleron chuckled warmly, surprised by the change of pace in conversation.
"Of course. That is a wish I can easily fulfil."
Unwrapping himself from her he climbed out of bed before he reached down, helping her out of the bed. She felt twinges of pain as she moved up, all the cuts on her body protesting. She was sort of relieved that the old medical demon would be coming back to change her bandages and clean her up. She realized she didn't want to be the one to pull off these bandages and she also didn't exactly want to look at them either.
It was the first time in a long time that they'd taken up a seat at one of the many private booths in the mansion's dining hall. After Aleron had summoned a servant so Lucille could request what she wanted for breakfast, he pulled the thick curtains around the booth closed, giving them some privacy from the other servants eating their breakfasts in the room.
"I got word from Pharzuph last night that he would like to speak with us whenever it is most convenient. If we wish to." Aleron said, crossing his arms on the table.
"Oh. Well that's kind of perfect, since I wanted to talk to him about learning to protect myself. Maybe he will be receptive to it?"
"Perhaps, but there is no need for us to go rushing to his house. He didn't seem to be in any rush himself, and I think it would be best if we took the time to relax and to let you heal before we potentially jump into another level of training for you."
Lucille shrugged.
"We could go today, but I'd rather go tomorrow. I don't really mind though. I am sort of interested to see what he has to say. Just cause we go soon doesn't necessarily mean we have to start training right away."
"Again, while I am also eager to see what he has to say, there is no rush. We could wait until next week and then go over there."
"We can just go whatever day we feel like it." She said with another shrug. Now that she thought about it, after all she went through the day before she didn't exactly like the idea of transporting again so soon. Aleron might be able to resist his curiosity for an entire week, but she wasn't that strong.
There was a knock on the edge of the barrier between the two booths. Aleron reached over, sliding open the curtains. A servant stood holding a full plate of eggs, sausage, and a stack of two english muffins. Nodding his head to them, he leaned over and put it down in front of Lucille and stepped back respectfully.
"Thank you!" She said as he walked off and he turned and nodded again.
He was oddly quiet, Lucille thought. But she shrugged it off. There were probably demons that suffered from social anxiety too.
She was silent as she dug into the plate, enjoying the hot breakfast. She hadn't really realized how hungry she was until she had seen the steaming hot food coming her way. Her stomach practically roared when the smell of it hit her nose. These servants were pretty impressive when it came to cooking human food, especially for not usually eating the food that came from her world.
"I was thinking that once you are healed and feel up to it, perhaps we could take another vacation. I think one is more than needed for both of us." Aleron seemed oddly tense and hesitant suggesting this. It was odd compared to his usual cool, confident demeanor.
She looked up from her food.
It was almost as if he was afraid that she would turn down the idea. He almost seemed genuinely nervous. She supposed it made sense though, he had known that her learning about his business had been a huge deal and he probably expected to be on thin ice with her. Even if she was deeply unhappy about it, she couldn't bring herself to be mean to him when he was suggesting something as nice as a vacation.
"That would be really nice." She said quietly, giving him a sweet smile.
"I thought we could go back to the one vacation home I have, that first one we went to. It might be nice for just relaxing, enjoying the sun, as well as enjoying each others company. After all this bullshit I think getting away from others would be best."
"Getting away from others? What about the spirits on the island?" She asked with a small grin, taking another bite of her food.
Aleron chuckled.
"You have nothing to worry about with the spirits. They won't bother us during the day and at night the inside of the house is completely safe. I'll have all of the chairs moved off of the deck so they don't wake you in the night."
Lucille laughed back.
"Perfect. I think a trip to the island vacation home sounds great. Most definitely after I heal, though, because I'd hate to be there and not be able to swim."
"Of course."
Aleron sat, watching her as she devoured the food on the plate. Already Lucille was starting to feel some of the stress dissolve away. She had a feeling that she would struggle with anxiety and other fears in the near future and it would take time before she could completely relax, but she was gladly going to enjoy the momentary peace her mind was giving her while eating her breakfast.
She would just have to take it for what it was, day by day, hour by hour, minute by minute.