♔
"Hold me tight, like the sun hugs the moon."
♔
"Tell me."
"Tell you what?"
"You know what I'm asking for."
"I honestly don't know."
"Come on, I'm not playing this sick again for the third time in a row boo, can you please tell me why?"
"Why what?"
"You know what."
"For God's sake, I said I don't know what you're talking about."
"Then why are you here?"
"Umm...to work? I have a schedule to complete? Hello?"
"No, why are you working?"
"Because I have to? What the heck are you on about?"
"I AM SEEING MY QUEEN GO BACK TO BEING A SERVANT WITH NO EXPLANATION WHATSOEVER AND IS ASKING ME WHAT I'M ON ABOUT?! What's wrong with you?!" Dahlia growled dangerously at me, while I cleaned the last library table and wiped my sweat off of my forehead and stretching my back.
Being a servant will prevent me from talking to them, that's why.
"Nothing is wrong with me you doofus, let me work in peace." I rolled my eyes and got broom in place, while she threw her dirty cloth on my head to vex me further.
"I WILL KNOW WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT! TELL ME WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU." Dahlia boomed furiously, while I deeply exhaled with a sigh, and nudged the cloth on my head off of me.
"Nothing happened Dahlia, you're screaming way too loudly. It's a library, you're supposed to be quiet." I hissed while shushing her.
"Don't tell me what to do! Tell me what the heck has gotten into you! What happened?! What's wrong?! Why are you out of the castle to be a servant?! The deal is off! You don't have to work anymore! You've earned everyone's trust! Why are doing this?! You should be in your castle and enjoy life with your mate!" She bombarded me with questions, while I huffed.
Don't talk about him please.
I hate myself for even wanting to go back to him, he made his choice very clearly.
And don't make me hate myself even more by tempting me.
"Because I was too bored in the castle, and I like working." I chirped brightly while dusting the shelves before tucking my hair behind my ear with my elbow.
"I know you're lying. Tell me the real reason for why you're doing this. You didn't speak to anyone since the party! Heck, you even sleep in the servant chambers! Can you please enlighten me on what the hell went wrong?!" She supplicated with and exhausted voice.
"Nothing is wrong for the hundredth time! Stop asking the same thing over and over again Dahlia! Trust me, I'm fine. I just missed working, and being a royal is boring as hell. That's it." I concluded while taking all my supplies to finish up my work in this room.
"Unbelievable! You've been working for a whole week! You're not talking to anyone from the castle! Something is definitely wrong Diana, I just want help you. Please tell me what's wrong, I can't see you like this." She pleaded while planting her hand on my shoulder.
"I promise you, I'm fine. You're worrying for nothing doll, now don't frown and smile! We finished this room after two whole hours!" I giggled before heading towards the door.
Faaaaake personality for the wind.
"You're even chirpy about work! Now there's definitely something fucked up here. Was it the party? Was it the presents? You didn't even eat your cake! You didn't open half the goodies! You just left!" She exclaimed while throwing her arms in the air.
"No! The party was amazing, best day of my life honestly. Please stop wasting your energy on these stupid theories, we have work to do." I grumbled under my breath.
"I..I seriously can't see you like this. Something about you is completely off these days boo. You're not laughing, you're not smiling, you're always distracting yourself with work and are completely avoiding any royal guard. Are you done lying to me and for once tell me the truth?"
So you know what's it like to be lied to too?
Well then great, now that feeling times two hundred is what I feel like right now.
"I am telling the truth doll. Tell you what, how about I cover the rest of your schedule so you can rest? You could use some sexy time with Philip." I wiggled my eyebrows in a tease.
"You're doing it again! You're changing the subject like every damn time! No you're not telling me the truth—"
"I'll take that as a pure yes. I'll see you tonight okay? Go and rest, leave the rest of your chores to me." I smiled before snatching her list of schedules away from her pocket.
"What the hell?! You'll exhaust yourself! You can't even breathe normally! Give that back." She ordered while following me outside.
"Thanks doll, please save me a sandwich tonight, I'll be back soon." I waved my hand.
"Come back here right now—"
"Byeee best friend!"
♔
I am incredibly bad with people. Trust issues is what my dad birthed in me, and if I don't get honesty, I flip out.
He was the only exception, out of all the people who would've lied to me, I could never be mad at him. Something inside me doesn't even believe what had happened that night in the bedroom. I don't know whether this is my heart, or my gut, but it's refusing to digest that he chose her over me.
I never worked well with people when it came to punishment. If I want to make something clear, I speak before even thinking. I had so many words to scream at him, I wanted answers, closure, literally anything.
But even my own mind seized after seeing him touch another woman. It was stupid for me to leave and not say anything, it's against my character and morale. But to see the love of your life, the only person you allowed to crack open your heart under every single trust issue you've surfaced, only all of that for them to stab me in my weak point? I couldn't watch him touch her, it was so painful, so, so painful and agonising.
it's almost like maybe they were even together when I was here, and they faked everything just to toy with me.
Did...is that actually possible?
That they were together all this time under everyone's noses...and they played me?
"Diana! Wait!" A loud voice panted behind me, as I was rushing through the walls of the servant chambers to finish work frantically.
"Oh good evening Mr Caesar, how may I help you?" I gulped the saliva down my throat before scratching my itchy neck after turning around, while he stopped in front of me and frowned.
"You still haven't told me why you're back to being a servant dear, I've been trying to talk to you for a whole week. What happened to you? Did someone do something?" He asked kindly, while I shook my head and offered him a weak smile.
"Please refrain for worrying about me Mr. Caesar, I am perfectly fine, I assure you that. There's no need for coming to me everyday to ask me the same thing again, it's honestly not needed." I pouted while setting down the bucket of dirty water after cleaning the windows of the stables.
"Of course it is needed! You just made a literal u-turn in your life after this stunt, without any explanation may I add. You obviously are troubled by something, please let me help you. It's because of your request I haven't informed anyone about your whereabouts, and everyone is getting restless. Just please allow me to aid you." He pleaded while holding my hand.
"I just..realised that I never actually worked as a servant when the deal was commencing. I'm just filling in the promise I made to Mr Raphael, that's all." I quickly blabbered, while he shook his head in disappointment and looked at me with pained eyes.
"Again with the lies. Tell me the truth now." He ordered.
"But this is the truth!" I whined.
"No it's not! You work on grounds which is not visible to the castle windows! You always avoid royal guards and make up excuses for not wanting to clean anything in the castle too! Heck, you only tend to the things outside the castle! Do you have any idea what the King is going through without having you?! What the royal family is going through? What we all are having to endure? He's going insane Diana! Literally insane! He's becoming a grumpy and cranky crybaby who orders people non-stop to find you!" He lectured profusely.
Pfft, as if I'm supposed to believe that.
I don't trust anyone anymore.
"I..don't want to cause trouble, but please understand that I want to do this. I really want to work, it's by choice I'm doing this." I reasoned.
"I understand that dear, but why are you actually working? Your wish to gain everyone's trust has worked! Everyone likes you now! No one is having anything against humans, then why? Why are you staying away from him? Forget about us, think about him. He and his beast refuse to get any care from anyone. He has vowed to not do normal things like he used to until he finds you. He doesn't sleep, he doesn't drink blood, he doesn't live. He's becoming what he used to be a century ago and is shutting everyone out! He's outraging Diana, please come back." He groaned while adjusting his coat properly.
"But—"
"No buts! I am not witnessing my King have his twenty seventh breakdown of the week again! The whole royal family wants you back, we all want you back. You don't have to work, in fact, you're the queen. You shouldn't be working, please please please come back to us, we need you desperately Diana. He needs you desperately. Out of all us, he's suffering the most, and...it's heartbreaking to see him cry every night after every failed searches in all of Stormania. You even clandestine yourself when guards come to the servant chambers to search for you. Just please, I beg you, come back to us." He demanded seriously, making me flinch.
He..he's been looking all over in Stormania for me?
"I..well..we can—"
"DIANA! DIANA COME OUTSIDE RIGHT NOW OH MY GOD!" Oliver panicked after shrieking and screaming out loud, while reaching me with horrified eyes, making me and Caesar frown while looking at him.
"What happene—"
"YOUR BROTHER HAPPENED! He's on the verge of killing the King for some stupid reason! You have to stop him! COME WITH ME RIGHT NOW! PLEASE!"
What the epic hell?!
♔
"OH MY GOD STOP!" I yelled in fright at my raging brother, who was being held by guards back desperately before he threw another punch to the person I've been trying to avoid all this time.
No no no no do not look at him, hate him, hate him Diana, fucking hate him.
He's bad, he's mean, he's everything spooky and scary. He's...he's...
WHY CAN'T I HATE HIM?!
Oh my God everyone looked like a mess, especially him.
He looked like an awakened monster from what I could see, red eyes, messy hair, more growing stubble, disoriented attire, taut muscles, swollen eye bags, dark circles, and what not. Yet he didn't raise a hand at my brother, it's almost like he wanted to suffer, he wanted to get the pain for some reason, and a part of me broke down then and there.
He looked utterly decayed to me, as if he actually came out of a grave a few minutes ago after dying, while his lip bled with blood because of my brother's sharp punches, which were looking more powerful than ever.
I hated myself for wanting to comfort him, I couldn't help but feel my heart ache at the sight of him looking like this. And yet again here I am, with another war between my reality and everything in me once again.
I hate life.
"YOU FUCKING DID SOMETHING! IT WAS YOU! I KNOW IF WAS YOU! HOW DARE YOU HURT MY SISTER YOU FUCKING ASSHOLE?!" Elliot boomed ferociously while shoving two guards away, while I ran upto to stop him immediately, before he made Lazarus bleed even more.
Lazarus was too busy sulking and staying limp in front of him, he didn't even care that his face was being tortured with two sets of knuckles over and over again. It was seriously like he wasn't even awake, and that he was dreaming about something.
But as soon as he saw my figure approach after hearing my voice, tears fell down his cheeks as he parted his bleeding lips at my sight, and when he made eye contact with me, all the happy memories, all the kisses, all the hugs, all the cuddling, all the embracing, every single touch and butterfly came back to me in my mind, and even my own tears fell from my eyes after seeing him like this.
The mate bond was doing an excellent job in making me want go to him automatically and just be with him, heck, even if there wasn't a mate bond, I would still want to be with him again. A whole week without even meeting his eye or presence for that matter ruined me slowly and gradually, and to see him finally react to something after finding me present in front of him, ignited something in his soul because he did not stop staring at me.
"D-Diana? Y-You were..here all this time?" Lazarus broke in a cracky voice, sounding so broken but at the same time relieved, while I shoved Elliot away from him vigorously.
Jesus, that voice I've been wanting to hear.
Why is this torture?
"Oh my God there she is." Cynthia choked beside him too, while I could feel Micheal's and Luther's stare on my back with widened mouths on their faces.
Just great, unwanted attention sure loves me.
"STOP! You're going to explode! Calm the hell down." I ordered angrily while slapping his shaking chest in frustration, while he tried to push me away and grab Lazarus again who was a few feet behind me.
Why did I have to deal with the pain of his anger issues all these years?!
"YOU HURT HER YOU IMBECILE! I WILL FUCKING KILL YOU—"
"I SAID STOP! Shut your damn mouth and breathe!" I slapped him in the cheek this time, knocking him out of his senses, making my message come out very clearly, before he winced and rubbed his flesh to numb the pain, while I crossed my arms and huffed.
"What the hell are doing?! You can't go around punching royalty all you want! Are you insane?!" I hissed with venom at the glaring set of eyes set on me before looking behind me to eye his figure, while he growled dangerously under his breath.
"He did something, didn't he?" Elliot chuckled at me darkly.
"What are you talking about?"
"You know exactly what I'm talking. 'Hey there big brother, am I doormat? Be honest please, I have a shoe above me ready to stamp me.' Who the fuck asks that question on her damn birthday after trying to find her mate to celebrate?! What do you want me to think? I'm not bloody dumb to connect the dots, I know he did something." He sneered.
"W-What is he saying?" Micheal stuttered.
"I-I..what? You went looking for me? Why didn't I..why..I don't even recall..." Lazarus trailed off while clutching his head badly, making me clench my fists to stop myself from going to him as a natural instinct.
"He did nothing wrong Ellie. You don't have the right to punch just anyone because you're upset, you're making him bloody bleed! He's your king! Can't you control your fists for once?!" I frustratedly snarled seriously.
"If he did nothing wrong, then TELL ME WHAT HAPPENED THAT NIGHT. I SEE RIGHT THROUGH YOU DIANA WILLOWS, SOMETHING HAPPENED AND I WANT TO KNOW! You leave the party saying you went to bed, and then next morning we see a confused King asking where you were? He was hyperventilating! Do you know, that he went out of the castle that whole day, to scan every single corner of the nearby forest because he was worried about you?! We all were worried! You should be lucky I got the truth out of Caesar about your whereabouts. You slept in the fucking servant chambers all these days! Why did you go back there?!" He boomed.
"Because I wanted to! Jesus Christ, can't a girl work in peace?!" I complained with a nag.
"W-Wait...y-you became a servant again?" Lazarus sneered, completely loosing his sad expression and started to become angry again, making me groan.
"Oh my God I'm not dealing with hothead testosterone right now—"
"I swear I will murder you for what you did that night." Elliot threatened.
"Even I would want to murder myself if I fucking knew what happened that night you idiot, I don't know what I did wrong that caused this. I don't even remember one single detail about what happened that night! All I remember was being in my office! That's all! I didn't even see her while she looked for me! I was even about to leave for the damn party to come back to her!"
Wait....wait wait wait wait what?
He doesn't remember anything?
"YOU'RE LYING! You intoxicated yourself! Lucien told us everything after testing you!" Elliot protested with a reprimand.
He..intoxicated himself?
Heh? Lazarus doesn't even have a...taste towards having more than two glasses of alcohol...I know that...
That's..not convincing.
"I didn't intoxicate myself for the last time! I don't like to drink much of anything if it's not blood! All I remember is being in my office and maybe even...calling out Diana's name. THAT'S IT." Lazarus growled.
Heh? He called out my name? Why didn't I hear him?
"Do you...not remember anything that happened in our bedroom?" I whispered hesitantly while looking at him in confusion.
"Wait..I was in our room? When did I even..go there—I don't even remember that! I can't remember anything Goddamnit! I'm trying! I'm trying so bad, I-it's not happening. I am trying so fucking hard here love, I don't know! Can you stop accusing me for shit?!" Lazarus groaned sincerely at Elliot, not even giving off the aura of dishonesty, I could feel that properly at while he was grabbing his hair to tug on it.
Wait..
Okay first of all, do not call me that if you want me to survive this 'being mad' phase.
Do not call me love if you don't want to see me jump on you.
Fuck you Diana for even wanting this.
"What do you mean what happened in the bedroom?! SEE?! I KNEW IT! YOU DID SOMETHING YOU FUCKING—"
"If you want to hit him, cross me first. You will not hurt him on my watch, no one will." I demanded with a low tone while pushing him away again, as he stared at with me widened eyes before snarling at me.
"I can't believe you're even protecting someone like him." He scowled.
"He did nothing wrong, stop this attitude." I ordered with poison in my tone.
"Then why? Why did you leave the castle? Why are you a servant? Why Diana?" Elliot questioned with his own poison, making me gulp.
"I—"
"Finally! I've been looking for you everywhere!" I heard a new voice chirp beside us, before seeing Lola approach Lazarus with a deadly smile, while the guards around us hissed at her.
This bitch—
"What the hell are you doing? Don't touch me." Lazarus shouted in protest while backing off, using his vampire strength to keep her away while signalling the guards to grab her making her whine.
"How are you out of the cells? Take her back now." Lazarus hissed again, confusing me even more because he treated Lola's touch like a disease and brushed off the area of his clothing which she had placed her hand on.
"But I have to tell you something! It's important baby." She pouted.
"Excuse me? Don't you dare call me that, you are not in a place to even be near me, nor call me names. I don't want to even see your fucking face." He barked.
"What are you saying? Don't do that baby, I thought you'd love to see me, and I have something really important to tell you Laz, it's actually important for everyone. And all of you are here, great." She smiled.
"Did she just have to nerve to call me Laz?" Lazarus spat.
"But that's what you wanted to call me that night."
Crack.
What did she just say?!
"What night?" Cynthia growled.
"The night when you came back from Goldania? When we..you know..had our fun?"
"What the hell are you talking about? I don't recall ever having this somewhat fun with you." Lazarus deadpanned.
Just wait...what again?
"What the hell did you do?!" Elliot panicked.
"We had se—"
No. please no.
No no no no no—
So universe...am I in your bar people list that you're doing this to me?
"YOU FUCKING HAD SEX WITH HER ON DIANA'S BIRTHDAY?!" Elliot accused while clenching his fist again.
"I DON'T REMEMBER EVER TOUCHING YOU! You're lying! I never touched you! I would never touch any other woman, you're fucking poisoning this with your lies! I never even saw you! ARGH WHY CAN'T I REMEMBER ANYTHING?!" Lazarus screamed into the air, making everyone flinch at the hiss of his voice.
"There there baby, it's okay." Lola cooed while trying to near him.
"Keep your filth away from me." He ordered.
"But you're going to become a father! I'm pregnant!"
♔