Barracks (War of Hearts)

8- Solace

Our enchantment is abruptly broken as he turns his back to me. He rubs his temples, a sign of frustration, before facing me once more. His voice softens as he continues, "I make no promises, Leizabeth, but I shall seek the aid of a witch on your behalf."

A witch? I find myself questioning, "What realm is this?"

"Thine duty is to amass as much knowledge as thou canst. Employ thy cunning and thy speech with wisdom." His voice lowers and changes from a command to a statement. He looks at me cold. "I will introduce you to his potential consort. Befriend her, learn from her. I desire his downfall...and soon."

Fear creeps into my voice as I admit, "I don't know if I possess the strength for such a task. I am filled with fear."

He tilts his head, as if weighing my words. "Fear not. He is not as terrifying as he seems."

"But I am merely a human," I remind him.

He shakes his head in disbelief. "Ah, I had nearly forgotten."

After a moment of silence, curiosity gets the better of me. "Do all vampires feed...you know..." I gesture towards my neck.

His laughter echoes through the room. "You are indeed a source of amusement. No, the royals do not feed in such a manner. That is the way of the rogues. It is one of the things that sets us apart."

Yet, he fed on me, did he not? Confused, I press on. "I do not understand."

"We have...volunteers who donate their blood."

"Are you joking?"

"Far from it."

"So, they are forced volunteers then."

"Why must you always cast aspersions on my kind?"

"I state the obvious. And what of the hunting impulse? Do you slay humans?"

The memory of the man being tortured in the courtroom still haunts me. His screams echo in my mind.

"If we do not kill them for sustenance, why would we kill them for sport? We hunt beasts in the wilderness."

"Unbelievable!" The more I learn, the more my thoughts darken. Why can't they be wholly evil? It would make it easier for me to decide whether to fear them or not.

"Of course," he stands away from me, "the rogues have their own feeding habits."

In silence, we make our return. I slow my pace, hoping he will advance, but he matches my stride. "I shall to introduce you to her as soon as possible," he declares as we halt at my doorstep.

I offer him a curtsy and retreat inside without uttering a word. Once the door is secured, I realize the gravity of my actions. What was I thinking? I chastise myself, striking my forehead as I stoke the hearth with more logs. 

Later, I find solace in the rocking chair by the library section.

Moments later, a knock echoes through the room. Peering through the peephole, I spy the maiden from the previous day, standing outside with a tray of food as promised. That's after my stomach betrayed my hunger in his presence.

She places the tray on the table, her eyes cast down to the floor. For a moment, I fear she might stumble.

"Greetings," I smile, finding comfort in the knowledge that Melissa is human. "I am Leizabeth. You are Melissa, correct?"

Her head snaps up, a look of bewilderment crossing her face. It takes her a few moments to respond. "Yes, that's me. Would you like me to light some scented candles? His highness instructed me to assist you with any needs."