Nightwalker

Chapter Sixty

We rode until dark with a few stops on the way to water and rest the horses before we made it to the clearing that we had stopped at on our trip back from Enrique's castle.

"You don't mind sleeping out in the open do you, my lady?" Qoy joked towards lady Aviva as we dismounted our horses and started to set up camp.

Lady Aviva gave Qoy a dry, unimpressed look. "Of course not fool. We might be nobles but we know how to live while on the road." She drawled back at him making Beatrice and I chuckle.

"Whatever you say." Qoy shrugged while falling back onto the grass with his hands resting behind his head looking up at the stars.

"You're not going to help?" I asked him curiously as I set up mine and Beatrice's sleeping mats near where Beatrice was building the fire.

"What's there to do? We all feed off of blood here and don't need to hunt for food." He remarked.

I chuckled and gave in. "True."

"You may go to the cabin now. We'll start travelling again at day break." Lady Aviva dismissed us.

"Thank you my lady." I bowed to her before nudging Qoy in his side making him scowl at me. "Behave." I warned him then went over to Beatrice and nodding towards the direction we had to go. "This way."

"There's definitely something to say for the forest at night." Beatrice sighed as we walked, hands clasped together and all relaxed, though I had most of my senses spread out ready for any danger if there was.

"For sure." I agreed looking around at the forest that looked like it glowed from the light of the moon. "It's beautifully mysterious half shadowed as it is."

"Indeed. It's stunning." Beatrice sighed.

"It is in a way, but not as stunning as you, Zhilat." I replied while placing a kiss to the side of her head.

Beatrice scoffed lightly and rolled her eyes. "Charmer."

"I try." We laughed and finally made it to the cabin I was born and raised in.

I went over to the three graves that have now been completely covered by grass and even flowers sprouted out above them.

"This place is beautiful." Beatrice gasped looking around at the small clearing and of the cabin that I have been fixing over the years while I travelled as a hunter for lady Aviva. It was nearly completed actually.

Moss and vines still grew over the front of it but that only helped for the cabin to blend in with the surroundings. Inside there was completely new flooring, walls, refurbished hearth and a small kitchen. The ceiling was fixed and there was even now a loft above where the bedroom is.

"I'm glad you think so." I said happily smiling up at her.

"Is this where you buried them?" She asked kneeling down beside me.

"Yes, my mother, my father and Sylvia." I sighed sadly but it was also in contented understanding, they're gone but that's okay, I will always remember them. I stood up and brushed away grass from my pants. "Come, have a look inside."

We walked over to the cabin and I opened the door to allow Beatrice in first and was happy to hear a gasp of amazement.

"Oh Vaden this is lovely!" She exclaimed grabbing hold of my hand tightly, while her excitement that came down our bond fuelled my own.

"I'm happy that you like it because... well I was thinking, wondering, that when Athena is able to take over running the business from you and I stop hunting, we could, ah... you know move in here." I asked nervously rubbing the back of my neck while looking at the ground.