Her Eyes Burn Red (INCOMPLETE PROJECT)

Chapter 6

We left at dusk, our caravan moving rather quickly than I expected. I rode beside Vlad, and Bram beside him while my brothers trailed behind. We went easy into the night, quietly making our way back to the kingdom with soft tread.

Upon arriving to the walled entrance Vlad took my hand, giving it a gentle squeeze as I felt myself shaking; with anticipation to be back home. It felt like we were seeing it for the first time all over again, rushed with fear that there may be something wrong with going there. I had to trust myself despite how uneasy my stomach tossed.

"Your majesty's, I suggest you take the south road to the castle, accompanied of course, in discretion. The people think you two are still here, it would be unwise for them to see you in the early hours of morn." Bram stopped his horse in our path.

"So be it." Vlad lead the way, I followed closely, my horse keeping to close to the wall as the path was rocky. Every once in awhile I feared the worst, my horse was awfully skittish and nearly everything made it flinch. "Almost there." Vlad said gently, his voice barely made it over the breeze.

Once at the end I dismounted and walked my horse the rest of the way down and across the bridge. Vlad walked beside me, our hands held tightly to one another, but we didn't say a word. It may have been that we each thought the other would speak first but then who's to say that we both had nothing to talk of. 

The castle casted it's looming shadow across the south entrance, the guards took the horses to their stables and Vlad and I ascended the short staircase through the garden. "Home at last." He muttered, kissing the top of my head. "You can breathe easy now."

I stifled a laugh and hiked up my skirt to step through the servants doorway, turning around make sure Vlad wasn't going to leave me to take care of business. Then I turned and took the spiraling staircase up to our corridor, leaving the servants passage and stepping out into the hallway. Together we walked to our chambers, once through the doors I finally felt at peace.

Water was drawn so that I could bathe, it was hot and steamy, relaxing the muscles in my back that had been strained from sitting up for so long. I wasn't sleepy, nor very hungry, all I wanted to was to take everything at ease and relax. Vlad sat with me in the washbasin, holding me close to scrub my skin and me doing the same for him. After a while we sat in silence, listening to each other breathe, he stroked my skin and I looked deeply into his eyes, admiring how bright they were for being so brown.

"I will not leave you anymore," He told me softly, "I will be at your side until you cast me off."

"When would I ever do that?" I smiled and he caressed my cheek, I kissed his hand. 

"One day you may grow tired of me, of my affections. But my love for you will flourish and thrive no matter the circumstance." 

I kissed his forehead and he pulled me up onto his lap, holding my body to his chest, my fingers raked through his wet hair. "Don't fret, I will never not love you, Vlad. I carry that proof within me, evidence that it is strong and alive." He lifted his head from my chest and graced my belly with his hands.

"I cannot help but worry that there will come a time when I lose you. I hate myself for thinking it." He lifted his saddened eyes up to mine and I kissed him quickly. His sadness bore into my heart, upsetting me just as it was him. Before I knew it we were both crying, holding one another like our lives depended on it. 

Whatever came over us then did not dissipate as we sat together in front of a fire, we were never not touching one another for reassurance or to remind us that we were there. There was comfort in the little things, reminding me that this truly was home and always would be; by his side or in his arms, was where I belonged.