The Vampire's Court

Chapter 26- Revelations

Two days had passed since the festival—two days since the brawl that had exposed the raw edges of Dimitri's character. Seraphine lay in bed, the morning light filtering through the curtains and dancing across the emerald stones of her wedding ring. The light caught the facets of the gem, scattering beams across the ceiling, a reminder of the complexities of her relationship with Dimitri. Her thoughts were a tangle of disappointment and lingering affection. She had hoped she was beginning to understand him, to see the man beneath the ducal facade, the man she met at Somerset Estate, but his outburst and possessiveness had muddied those waters.

Turning her head, she caught sight of her kitten, Stella, asleep on a pillow. Her pixies, tiny and ethereal, nestled softly in the kitten's solid black fur, their delicate wings occasionally twitching in their sleep. The sight coaxed a warm smile from her, a serene moment that felt like a soft whisper of peace amidst the storm of her emotions.

Pushing herself out of bed, Seraphine chose her attire for the day—a pretty green gown that complemented her red hair and brought out the green in her eyes, echoing the emerald of her ring. As she dressed, her mind wandered to Dimitri, holed up in his study since his apology. Interaction had been minimal, limited to brief exchanges that were polite yet strained. Every now and then, she felt his presence, a glimpse of him from the corner of her eye, adding a layer of silent tension to the already thick atmosphere.

Descending to the dining room, she found Gabriel, Andrei, and Mickey already there, enjoying their meal with a voraciousness typical of men who valued good food over table manners. They straightened slightly as she entered, an attempt at decorum that faltered under her gentle reassurance. "By all means, if the food's that good, chow down," she encouraged, her tone light but her smile not quite reaching her eyes.

They resumed their hearty eating, but the brothers were quick to notice Seraphine merely picking at her food. Gabriel, ever perceptive, leaned forward, his voice low and concerned. "You're barely touching your breakfast. What's on your mind, dragă?"

She sighed, placing her fork down beside her barely touched plate. "It's nothing specific," she began, hesitant. "Just... everything, I suppose. The festival, Dimitri, us... I thought things were getting better, that maybe we were understanding each other more. But after that night..." Her voice trailed off, the unfinished thought hanging in the air like a delicate, unsteady bridge.

As Seraphine tentatively picked at her breakfast again, the presence of Dimitri's brothers provided a sort of comfort, even under the current strains. Sensing an opportunity to understand more, she set her fork down and turned to Gabriel and Andrei. "What got into him that night? Why did things escalate so quickly?"

Gabriel exchanged a look with Andrei before answering, his voice carrying a weight of historical pain. "The term 'gypsy' that was used—it's a slur, especially among our people. We prefer 'Romani'—if anything at all. But many... let's say, less informed, parts of the world, particularly the West, they use that term to describe us, what we are."

Andrei picked up the thread of the conversation, his tone a mix of bitterness and education. "It's more than just a word; it carries centuries of stereotypes and discrimination. For Dimitri, and for us, it hits hard."

Gabriel leaned back, a faint smile crossing his face as he recalled a distant memory. "I remember once, back when Dimitri was in his youth, about seven or eight, a boy called him that slur. Oh, the whopping Dimitri gave him." His chuckle was low, tinged with both pride and regret. "It was the first time he really fought back against those labels. Stood up for himself in a way that... well, it was brutal but telling."

The story hung in the air, painting a picture of a very young Dimitri already burdened with defending his identity. Seraphine absorbed the story, her heart aching for the young boy who had to learn so harshly how to protect his dignity.