A/N: If you think- "Apple had written this chapter days ago, but I bet she still didn't edit before posting."— then you are right! Congratulations! I will come back to edit this chapter later :)
The guard stopped dead in his tracks before turning around. Lea as well turned her head to see the silhouette of a tall man standing at little distance from them.
The lantern which Lea was carrying shortly before now laid on the floor, still lit. It had rolled away, stopping near the tip of the man's polished brown shoes.
Under its balmy glow, his crisp black pant was visible. It was secured fast around his waist with a black belt, the silver buckle shining in the yellow light. Above it, with its hems tucked in, a blue satin shirt clad his chest. The light slowly failed in its purpose, however, by the time it reached his neck. From there and above, his features were shrouded in darkness. Yet, his eyes. Dark red eyes. They were like two rubies in the dark waters of the night.
A pure-blooded vampire.
Head slightly tilted to the side, dark red eyes studied the scene unfolding in front of him curiously.
Lea saw his one hand move out of his pocket. Running his fingers through his hair, he repeated his question."Who is getting dragged into a legal trouble?"
Lea studied him carefully, in attempts of locating the reason behind the uncanny feeling of a blurred sense of recognition.
"Your Grace." The guard beside her bowed and Lea followed the cue to do so.
"Neither the time, nor the place to be engaged in a lover's quarrel," he spoke gently, his voice soothing. She could not see him but she felt the tease of his smile from his lingering words.
She and the guard turned red.
"Or is it sibling's bickering?" He raised a hand. "Then I must apologize first for assuming otherwise and shall lead you to your mother for some disciplining."
The man bent down to pick up the lantern, not bothering to hear their answer. The light finally reached his face as he rose and extended his hand for Lea to take the lantern.
The darkness that engulfed his features subsided. A pale, well- built man greeted Lea's sight. His hair, black as moonless midnight sky, parted to the side, gently tickled the top of his earlobes. An equally soft smile rested on his lips.
The sense of recognition flared up in Lea again.
Taking the lantern in her hand, she bowed as best as she could with one of her arm still in the guard's death grip. She muttered, "Thank you, Your Grace."
The man nodded.
She started again without missing a beat, "Your Grace, we are not siblings—"
"She was running amok in the hallways in the dead of the night." The guard beside her cut her off.
"I was not." Lea looked at him sharply. "I was walking— dawdling, in fact."
She tried tugging her forearm out of the guard's paws again, receiving a painful squeeze. She clenched her teeth and heaved out a sigh.
"You may unhand her, soldier," the pure-blooded vampire spoke calmly. His gaze shifted to Lea as he continued, "And you must not be roaming in the hallways so late."
Should I let it go? Or should I embarrass myself and tell him why I was here in the first place?
She bit her lip. The mansion had been a site of deaths and despairs for the past few days. Especially since they arrived.
Might it be they could suspect the Lady and her company to be behind this?
Especially due to this situation I got myself in?
Respect be damned. They must certainly have such urges too. It is not like they have a foreign bodily mechanism where unnecessary water and food simply disappears.
"I was only here to relieve myself," Lea rushed the words out. Her face heated up and she reddened.
The pureblooded vampire raised an eyebrow. "Ah," he said, "Now, I can not possibly bar you from taking breaks for relief," he chuckled. "But I do advice you not to drink too much water before going to bed. That tends to disturb sleep at night."
"What is happening here?"
Count Monroe walked over to where the younger pureblooded vampire was. His strides long and poised as long red hair with streaks of grey tickled his bearded cheeks and neck. Lea and the guard again bowed at the sight of the middle aged aristocrat.
"Why are you standing here?" The Count ignored the guard and Lea, who were still bowing. "Marquess Edith, any issues? I would be glad to be of your service." The Count's hoarse voice had a tinge of coldness to it.
Marquess Edith.
Lea's head shot up in surprise.
Marquess Edith Monroe.
Marquess of Vamtip.
That is why he looks so familiar. With his strangely distinct Liaonic facial features among his ethnically Sorrainean pedigree.
Lea stared at the man in slight awe. This was the first time she had seen him properly; without it being a stray glance during the funeral of Duke Charles, which would simply vanish from her memory as the time passes.
Then her mind reeled back to his letter.
Did not think soon was this soon.
"It is nothing of that sorts, dear uncle," the Marquess chuckled lightly, his cheekbones raising higher than they already were. "And I wish you would not address me so formally. We are family, after all," he urged with a smile.
"Are we, Marquess Edith?"
Lea almost gasped at the comment. Sneaking a glance at the Count's face, she saw a sardonic smile playing on his lips.
She subtly moved her eyes towards the younger man whose smile had dropped faster then the dip pen drops from her hands. He wore no expression on his taut face, only stared dead into the older vampires eyes.
A big grin broke out on his face out of the blue.
"Your sense of humor is especially strange, dear uncle," he laughed, flicking the stray hair strands which drooped on the side of his forehead.
She could hear the Count huff, only making the situation more discomforting.
Lea shuffled at the highly uncomfortable conversation between the family members, taking a look at the guard beside her who still had his head bowed.
"What is the havoc with this maid, though?" The Count finally acknowledged her and the guard. Lea immediately dropped her head respectfully.
"My Lord, she was—" the guard began to speak but the Marquess interjected.
"Nothing out of order here, uncle. It was but a trivial case of miscommunication." He tucked his hands in his pocket. Count Monroe's attention zeroed on him. "The guard thought she was ambling in the hallways but she was merely engaged in some—" he stopped mid sentence and looked over at Lea. "—how do I say it without making you uncomfortable— ah, yes!"
Snapping his finger, he faced the Count again. "Personal business. She had some personal business to attend to. Do not worry, dear uncle; I have this sorted out here." He turned to Lea and nodded at her with a smile, "You may leave."
Lea blinked at him. Despite standing on a higher rung on the ladder of hierarchy, was it acceptable? It was the Count's mansion, his grounds. Besides, he was a Marquess of another Dukedom.
But when the Count made no attempt at detaining her, she scampered away.
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The guard had one knee on the ground and one jutted up, close to his chest. His hands held the spear upside down and extended in front of him.
"In the light of recent developments, my humble being only wished to be vigilant, my Lord." He stated his case in a steady voice.
A long sigh escaped the Marquess's lips before the Count could respond.
"Marquess Edith?"
"I am desolate; it seems like it has been a bad day at the Monroe Mansion." He frowned.
The Count's jaws tightened.
"There is nothing to worry about." He smiled through his clenched teeth. The guard flinched lightly at the obvious sound of gritting teeth.
Marquess Edith walked towards the guard. "Are you sure, dear uncle?" He asked calmly. "Because if it is enough to alert your guards—" he circled the guard and stood behind him. "—I can not help but consider it to be quite grave."
The taunt and the teasing smile the younger pureblood wore increased the tension of the atmosphere.
The guard's shoulders jumped lightly as two palms splayed on them from behind. Not moving his head, he side eyed his right shoulder. A serpent ring shined, as it sat encircling the nimble index finger of the Marquess.
"You worry too much, Marquess Edith. This reminds me of Lady Kiara. Must be something in the Rothewardean soil," Count Monroe countered nonchalantly, despite the provocation.
Marquess Edith chuckled. "Maybe." He gave the guard's shoulder a squeeze before releasing him.
The Count gestured for him to get up and leave.
"Your name, soldier?" Marquess Edith asked as soon as the guard rose up from his bent position.
"Henry, Your Grace."
"Have a pleasant night, Henry." The Marquess nodded with a smile.
The guard was stunned and wary, but bowed and sprinted away from the two aristocrats.
"And you too bother yourself with the names of the underlings." The Count scoffed. He adjusted his coat as he said that.
"Alike Lady Kiara?"
"Alike Lady Kiara."
"Must be something in the Rothewardean soil." A coy smile dangled loosely from the Marquess' lips.
"Pray tell; what are you here for, Marquess Edith?" The Count ask, slighted from his nephew's airy attitude.
"Nothing but a visit, dear uncle. My beloved cousin is pursuing the dream of securing wife for himself. I am much invested since she is one of my subjects."
The Count stared at him, regarding the young man in front of him. "Very well," he stated guardedly after a minute of consideration, "I will buy that for your sake, dear nephew. I hope your stay here remains pleasurable."
Marquess shook his head on that. "You must buy that for the truth's sake, dear uncle. But more on it tomorrow." He twirled his ring with his thumb. "Also, it is always a pleasure to be around you. Would not want the opportunity as this to slip away."
"A pleasure? That is a first. I remember you crying your eyes out the first time you came here."
"I, as well, remember that." The younger aristocrat smiled at the memory. However, his eyes dimmed to the slightest.
The Count noticed and prodded. "You were eleven, were you not?" He tilted his head to the side. His eyes had brightened and they bore into his nephew's. "My brother was quite cross with you. As well as father." He shook his head.
Marquess Monroe still had a polite smile tugged on his lips. The Count could not help but chuckle. "You simply would not stop crying."
Then he waited for the Marquess to snap.
Instead, his smile quirked up. The tips of his lengthened canines slipped out of his mouth and pushed against the pink flesh of his lower lip.
"My, my, dear uncle. It warms my heart you remember so much in detail." He sighed, as if relieved. "I read somewhere— your memory holds the most what you love the most and if that statement holds any truth, I can never doubt your fondness for me."
Count Monroe was not surprised. He would have been if he had left the Marquess speechless.
"I would let you know—" The Marquess continued, a hand on his chest, a fairly teasing glint in his mannerims, "—I respect you just as much as you do."
"You hold no doubts, Marquess Edith? For I happen to respect myself a little too much from what you would like." The Count countered with a raised eyebrow.
"Your Grace, Your Lordship—" Mr Thompson came from behind, interrupting them. He bowed."The guest room is ready to accommodate your stay, Your Grace."
"That sounds terrific." Count Monroe nodded at the butler before glancing back at his nephew. "You must be exhausted from the journey. He will show you the way to your chamber."
"I am not exhausted per say, dear uncle. In fact, I was rather enjoying talking to you."
"Young blood does that to you. The exhaustion will catch up to you by tomorrow morning. I recommend resting."
"You speak from experience. I will take your advice as well as your leave then, uncle. Have a good night." The Marquess nodded at the elder man with a smile and left with the butler.
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In the dark hallways, Lea made her way back upstairs to her room. Occasionally, she would pass a guard— generally a half-blooded vampire— as she meandered through the darkness. She tried not to linger get gaze on their faces. Night made the bloodlust in them grow a bit stronger and their expressions rarely hid that.
Rounding the corner, she saw the base of the staircase leading to the floor of the mansion they were residing in. A single guard stood on his post, almost asleep. She shook her head and walked on.
Better a sleeping vampire then a hungry one.
Finally reaching the staircase, she stepped—
A shadow whizzed in front of her.
Lea froze.
Someone was on the platform of the staircase.
Her hands searched for her pocket and she cursed silently when they found it empty. She had forgotten to bring her dagger with her.
Maybe it's a guard.
Yet, if it was not one, then going after it was dangerous. But Lady Kiara was sleeping without a care in her room. The guards would not be an issue to get rid of.
Lea bolted upstairs.
Heart pushing against her ribs, it threatened to spill out.
Lady Kiara is in danger.
Foot thumped against the marble floor beneath her feet as she raced.
Lady Kiara is in danger.
The platform was clear of anyone's presence as she reached there.
Lady Kiara is in danger.
She stumbled in her ascend twice as she finally reached the hallway.
Lady Kiara is—
The guards stood as alarmed as ever on either side of her mistress' room. From the distance, she could see them scanning the area timely. Lea stood there for some moments, running her eyes all over the area herself. The long curtains hanging on the large pillars on both side of the hallway made a perfect hiding spot. As casually as possible, she chose a pillar arbitrarily and inconspicuously checked it.
No one.
"Ma'am?" A voice from behind her startled her. She whipped around to see a guard.
Did he leave his post beside my Lady's—
Lea threw a quick glance at her mistress' room. The two guards still stood there. Lea felt a rush of relief.
"My apologies, sir. I thought I saw something here."
The guard nodded in understanding, before he asked, "If you don't mind me asking; why are you— what are doing outside your room in the middle of the night?"
I am so sick of answering this one.
"Ma'am?"
Your Grace had me covered downstairs, but I have to answer this one here.
"Oh, I don't know how to say it without embarrassing myself—" Lea's ears turned red. How many people she needs to tell she had to release some of her bodily liquids? By the morning, everyone in the mansion will know. "Nature's call? If you—"
"I get it!" The guard exclaimed. By the light of the lantern, Lea saw his cheeks acquired some shades of red too. "My apologies for asking such a rude questions."
"Oh, it's— it's not an issue. You were doing your job." She smiled at him and noticed the lack of red eyes. Most probably he was a werewolf. "I will take your leave, sir."
He nodded. "Yes, of course. Good night, ma'am."
"You too, sir." She turned around to leave for her room. It was on the opposite side of the hallway from Lady Kiara's room.
The silver pin dangled at the mercy of the ends of her red curls. Rubbing her back, she reached her door— her pin fell down on the floor. She bent down to pick it up—
Crash!
A loud crashing sound startled her. It came from behind her. From the opposite end of the hallway— Lady Kiara's end. Lea swivelled around to see the guards alerted and already rushing towards the end.
My Lady— she was about to run for her mistress' chamber when a hand held her shoulder.
Before she could scream, a palm was pressed against her mouth and she was dragged inside her room.
A/N: Had to cut this one in half for it was getting too long, next chapter might be up a little sooner if things went right :)
What do you think of Marquess Edith?
Thanks for reading XD