——
The sun had started to set and it was now golden hour. Caius had sent Felix and Demetri out to look for Alora but he was rather inpatient.
So he threw on a cloak, pulling up his hood to cover his face and exited the castle. He could smell her which mean't that she wasn't very far. She smelled like candy apples and cinnamon. Like an autumn simmer pot.
He noticed that there weren't many humans out today. Most likely because of the large amount of mosquitoes flying around due to the heat. But nonetheless, he was still careful as he didn't want to be seen by anyone.
Caius squints, seeing her beautiful brown hair as she crouches down next to a random man, a basket in her hand.
Slowly, he approaches, concealing himself behind a wall as he listens.
"Here. I know it's not much but—" The man grabs her hand, offering her the ghost of a smile.
"Thank you, truly. Earth was blessed with someone like you." That sentence causes Alora to smile softly as she stands up and starts to walk through an alley to get back to the castle, empty basket in hand.
As she's alone in the dark alley a voice echoes, the sun now having set.
"It's not wise to venture alone." Alora blinks, spinning around and making eye contact with Caius whose expression was blank.
"Oh. I was just giving away the extra food that the chef had prepared." She says sheepishly, suddenly intimidated by his gaze.
"Why would you do that? It was for you." He states, an edge to his voice. He couldn't believe she was feeding those imbeciles with her extra food. It was hers, not theirs.
"Because Caius, although you may not see it there are many who need it more than I. I don't need an entire buffet that I won't finish. It's a waste and I don't want these people to starve. Don't be so heartless." It was almost as if she forgot who she was speaking to. Caius. The heartless, cold king. Her words cause Caius to smirk, clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth as he nears her.
"I am heartless, Cara Mio. You'll see eventually. But now, we must head back." She sighs, nodding her head and following the alley towards the castles back entrance. She hums a little tune as she walks, once Caius was unfamiliar with.
He listens intently, liking the way the tune sounds.
"What is that?" Alora ceases her humming, stopping and turning to look at him.
"What?"
"That tune. I've never heard it." She makes a sound of understanding before speaking.
"It's a lullaby. My mother used to sing it to me when I was a child. Is it pretty?" He nods his head with a hum of agreement, continuing their journey back to the castle.
"Did your parents ever sing to you? When you were human?" Caius thinks for a moment, staring intensely as Alora as she slows her walk to be next to him.
"My grandmother did, I think. I don't remember much." She nods her head, grinning as she points towards the sky.
"Isn't it beautiful? The stars, I mean. They're rather fascinating." She speaks, pointing towards the sky.
"They are."
"That's Cassiopeia, my favorite constellation. Do you know about greek mythology?" From what Caius had seen, she's rather intelligent for her age. Most people, fresh out of highschool, usually party until they can't walk. But she wasn't like that. She was intelligent and made smart... ish choices with her life. That's what Aro had told him, at least. She spoke Italian, English and Greek. She loved to read and write. She loved to admire and find the real story behind art pieces that nobody even knew had a story. She was somewhat like him. It made him smile.
"Yes. I am aware of greek mythology. Though I don't tend to look into it." Caius finally answers, opening the hidden entrance and letting Alora walk inside.
"Well, Queen Cassiopeia is the mother of Andromeda, a beautiful girl. Cassiopeia was rather boastful and arrogant. She boasted that she and or her daughter were more beautiful than the Nereids." Caius scoffs, shaking his head lightly.
"How rude of her."
"I know right! So then.." They continued this conversation all the way up until she was in front of her room. She hadn't noticed how fast time flew.
"She was then chained to a throne and was placed into the heavens, forever stuck. That's why there's a constellation named after her. The Lady of the Chair." Alora finishes, not having noticed that Caius was now watching her intensely.
"What? Do I have something on my face?" She questions, swiping her thumb against her lips.
"No. There's nothing on your face." Caius answers, not breaking his gaze as she smiles. Oh, that perfect smile. When she smiled Caius felt his undead heart stop. It was almost as if she was dropped down from heaven. An angel walking this earth. He hated humans, despised them. But she was different. She was worth everything and the others weren't. She was beyond them.
"You should head to bed. It's getting rather dark outside." Caius finally speaks, causing Alora to nod her head in understanding.
"Thank you for walking me. Goodnight, Caius." She turns and walks into her room, the door shutting behind her.
"Goodnight, Cuore Mio."
—
Alora had woken up the next morning in a rather good mood. The sun was still rising and she took this time to sit in front of her arched window, admiring the sunrise. It was rather quiet in the castle, something she enjoyed. It gave her time to think. She wished there was a piano or some type of music. She loved playing the piano and she was rather good at it, though she'd never admit it.
She had eaten her breakfast and now she was on her way to the library. Jane was her escort this time. Caius didn't want Alora to escape again.
She sits on a comfortable lounge chair, legs crossed with an ancient looking book in her hand. She hadn't realized that this library huge. Books dating back to 1000 years in the past could be found within these shelves and it interested Alora. She was reading history from thousands of years before she was even born. She was holding history.
Her eyes moved from line to line quickly. The book she was reading was written in Green. Although she knew Greek and was somewhat fluent, there were some words she wasn't aware of. Then again, the Greek language wasn't the same as it is now.
"Jane?" She questions, looking up at the witch girl.
"What?"
"What does... this mean? Do you know?" Jane glances over at the word before shaking her head.
"Unsure. You'll have to ask the masters." Alora nods her head, continuing to read.
"Do you guys have a piano?" Alora wonders, her eyes still glued to the book.
"No. Why?"
"Well, I like to play the piano. I was thinking of composing a song." She hums, flipping the delicate page.
"If that's what you'd like, I'm sure we can have one purchased, my dear." Alora lifts her head at the unknown voice, making eye contact with Aro.
"I'd like that. Thank you." He nods his head, ushering Jane off before taking a seat across from her.
"Are you enjoying it? The book?" She nods her head, glancing up at him.
"Yes. It's rather fascinating. It's like I'm reading a piece of history." Aro hums, squinting at Alora slightly. In the end, Alora would be turned. But before she was he was wondering if she would possess a gift. So, Aro being Aro, decides to investigate a bit.
"Alora, dear."
"Yes?"
"Do you have any special abilities, talents maybe?" Alora closes the book, thinking.
"Not really. Besides by intelligence, I have never possessed anything worth noting." This causes Aro to slightly deflate. He replies with a hum before continuing.
"Come, dear. I came to collect you as Marcus needs to have a discussion with you. Let us depart."
—
"Come." Marcus' gravelly voice states, motioning towards a seat. She takes a seat, flickering her eyes around the room. She was in his office. It was rather beautiful. Though her eyes spotted a painting that grabbed her attention. So slowly, she rises from her seat, making her way in front of it.
"I see that this is you, but who is that?" Alora questions, glancing over the shoulder, making eye contact with Marcus. She watches as his eyes slowly glide over to the painting, sorrow in his eyes.
"Someone special." He answers with an unknown look in his eyes.
Alora steps closer to the art, smiling softly.
"You both seem to be rather happy. From what I can tell she was a very special person. What happened?"
Marcus waits until Alora takes her seat before speaking.
"She died." Her expression drops, a frown pulling at her lips.
"Does it still hurt?" Marcus nods his head, a small smile on his lips.
"It will forever hurt my heart. She was my mate." Alora raises a brow, leaning forwards in her chair.
"Mate? What is that?"
"A vampires mate is their other half. Their soulmate. It is every vampires wish to discover their mate. When away from them you don't feel complete and are left longing. You feel a pull when your mate is near. But if your mate were to die or reject the bond you would want to simply perish. You would never be the same. A shell of who you once were."
Alora sits, looking down at her feet, putting the pieces together. Now thinking about it, she felt empty. When she was with Caius she felt complete and comfortable. She couldn't help but smile when near him. Alora remembers why she had stayed in Italy. She felt a pull that was keeping her here. It wasn't a pull keeping her here, it was him.
"Do I have a mate?" Marcus nods his head, a slow yes exiting his lips.
"Who am I mated to?" He smiles softly, taking her hand within his own.
"I think you already know, dear." She nods her head, her mind hazy. That's why she was still here. She was his mate.
"It's Caius. I'm his mate."
——
AUTHORS NOTE :: Ooooo. Now she knows that Caius is her mate. I wonder what happens next, muahahaha. I hope you guys enjoyed this longer chapter. It's mid but it has some key points.