Sinister Secrets

The Dark Lord Saved Me

"Why would vampires attack our Defenders?" A voice asked from somewhere in the back.

Relm watched the room silently beside the Elders.

"We don't know why the vampires chose us." Elder Crispin said. "Or why they may have been sent to us. What we do know, is that our protocols for security and safety measures need to be adjusted. General Lancourt has been working diligently to ensure that these adjustments are made and that we are safe always."

I snorted and someone beside me hushed me. 

"Do we need to be concerned about more vampire attacks?"

"No," Elder Crispin said, "to ensure there are no other issues, we are meeting with both Lords this afternoon. This brings me to my next point, we are happy to announce that for the first time, the Lords will be attending a meeting here behind The Wall."

Anxious chatter filtered throughout the room. 

"Quiet down," Elder Crispin yelled.

The chatter grew.

"Quiet, please."

No one made a move to stop.

"Enough!" Relm yelled and on a dime, the room silenced.

"Thank you, General." Elder Crispin smiled. "This meeting is a good thing and should be treated as such."

"What if the Dark Lord was the one who sent his vampires here?"

"He assures us that those vampires were a group of nomads living in caves among the Dawners. They were not a group designated to the Dark. We want peace and the Lords want us to feel comfortable again. Them coming here is an attempt to give us the comfort and security we're missing now."

I watched the conversation rage on, I stood against the doorframe in the back of the room and twirled the sword necklace around my finger. The last time I'd been in that room, I was assigned to be Relm's wife. Now I was the furthest from it. I ran a finger along the length of the sword, letting the point dig into my finger and then fall away again.

"Should you wish to see, we'll be welcoming the Lords in Center Court. I expect all of you to be there with your best welcoming smiles." Crispin said before he stepped down from the stage. 

Chatter filled the room again as my eyes scanned over the faces. I released the sword from my grip and shoved away from the room. I moved through the hallway and back out the door. I took in a deep breath of the fresh air before moving back toward Center Court. The group filtered out behind me. Some falling back to reluctantly join and others pushing forward to be in the front. We'd gone from never seeing the Lord's to being graced with a visit of apologies. This was their only chance to see a Lord up close and personal. And not just one, but both of them. Scared or not, they weren't going to pass up on the opportunity.

I moved away from the crowd, leaning against the brick wall beside the bakery as I watched the crowd file in. Amos was already there, sitting down on a stone bench, waiting the arrival of the Lords. A group of children standing among him giggling and laughing at his stories. I was once one of those kids, eating up those stories.

Relm leaned against the brick wall beside me. "Hi."

I didn't respond.

"I'm sorry."

"Honestly, I'm really sick of hearing your halfhearted "I'm supposed to say this" apologies, Relm. Let's just leave it where it is. The Jovie thing and the whole leaving me to die thing. You're my General, nothing more."