The Fates

Part XLI: Dating Advice

Demetri looked at his Master. Marcus was smiling whilst he was in deep thought. He and Renata had returned from Rome after their festival, two days ago. He wondered why Marcus had gone to visit Makayla and why he had kept it secret from his brothers.

He understood about the guards; some were transitory so could not be trusted. He could not very well ask him. So, he stood still as a statue and studied Master Marcus.

"Are you going to ask me yet, or shall you continue gawking?" Marcus said.
Demetri sheepishly laughed.

"No, Master I am not gawking."
He held his feet tighter against him. Marcus smirked.

"Well, I expected everyone to be curious; soon all will know where I ventured to. I shall tell you, but mark my words this may not leave this room."

Marcus' smile momentarily evaporated. Demetri bowed to his knees.
"Yes, Master."

Marcus smiled again.
"I am waiting, Demetri. Ask." Marcus told him.

Marcus' hair was in a ponytail and he wore a black silk shirt and chino pants.

"Master, thank you for permitting me to go see Makayla. She told me something curious that when you went missing Friday evening, two weeks ago, that you went to her home. Is that true?"

Marcus had a clear face.
"What do you think?" said Marcus.

Demetri shook, messing his man-bun. He looked at his shoes.

"I believed her. Master, you have since changed ever since she has returned. But it is good to see you happy but what do you plan to do with her?"

Marcus leaned up.
"I was going to keep my distance but now I see that will be an impossibility."

Demetri looked at him with wide eyes. That did not answer his question.

"I need assistance. How do you court women of this age? It has been so long since I have courted anyone." Marcus said shyly.

Demetri's eyes were wide. Was he asking for tips on asking a girl out?
"Master, I don't understand."

"Demetri, I have decided to court a woman and I do not know how to go about it."

"Well, you simply tell her, Master but it has to be romantic."
Marcus thought. Was romance still the same as it was millennia ago?

"Tell me what I should do."

Demetri shook his head.

"I cannot tell you what to do because that woman may assume that what I advised you to do, should be your norm and she may be disappointed with what you do thereafter."

"I could make a fool of myself. I do not know how to romance."
Demetri grasped Marcus' shoulder.

"Be yourself and if she truly loves you, she shall see your authenticity and appreciate it."
Was that true?

"Demetri, I wish I had told her what she wanted to hear, but I was not ready to forget Didy."

Demetri reassured him with a smile.

"But are you ready now?" Demetri asked Marcus.

"She caught me off guard and I do not think I will ever be able to say I am ready but I want this relationship. I want her."

Demetri knew. He meant Makayla...

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Aro paged through a clothing catalogue and saw the ridiculous jackets Marcus had started wearing. He sneered then he discovered a beautiful dress.

Makayla would look lovely in that. He called the boutique and purchased the item. He instructed how he wanted the card to be written along with the package.

He closed his eyes and remembered her address from Demetri's memories that he had once seen. He smiled confident that he would win Makayla over with his gift this time around. He told the boutique assistant to deliver it to his home, in Volterra.

He was alone in his room. He wondered what Marcus was scheming.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"My love, Dora, how are you?" Caius said ardently.

He was lovingly holding onto her frail hand. Her mind was in the clouds. She was hyped up on Corin's magic of contentment inducement. It was addictively sweet.

"I missed you my darling. How is business?"

Caius set on the love-seat with his mate.

"Business within the castle has become vexing. Marcus has changed."

Sulpicia anxiously waited on a recliner adjacent to the couple. Where was her husband?
It had been many moons since their last rendezvous. She missed his jovial personality.

"Where is my love?" she whispered to the vampires in her company.

Caius patted Athenodora's hand gently.

"Your husband has taken to his room these days. He has experienced a paradigm shift."

The glass door was slid open. In came Marcus with vibrant energy.
"Good day, my family."

Caius immediately became sullen. He acknowledged his brother.
"Marcus."

"Caius," acknowledged Marcus.
He bent and pressed his lips against Sulpicia's cool hand.

"My sister, you look lovely."

She wore a black gown and draped a loose, ruby cloak against it. Athenodora turned in her royal blue gown.

"What of me?" said Athenodora pouting.
"Not as lovely as your sister."
Marcus and Sulpicia laughed. Caius pouted.

"Jokes aside, how do I coax my husband from his chambers."

Marcus smiled sensing an opportunity. He saw Felix mailing a package and it was from Aro. Aro was still trying to woo Makayla, to no success. He probably planned to visit her home that night. He had a plan.

"My Sulpicia, you only have to visit his chambers."

Sulpicia lowered her shoulders and curled her lips downward.

"Without his instruction?"
Marcus nodded.

Caius did not know why Marcus was involving himself but he wanted Aro to pay more attention to his sister in law.

"What did you have in mind, brother?" said Caius.

Athenodora nodded in interest. A diabolical smile leapt onto his countenance.

Aro, your games are through.

Caius, Marcus and Athenodora aided their coven mate. Athenodora styled Sulpicia's hair and dressed her in a pale custard mini.

Caius suggested that she wear a muskier fragrance and that she give Aro a full smile when they met. Marcus ordered red roses, carnations and forget me nots.

He helped Sulpicia arrange Aro's room with dark candles and flowers. Then he dimmed the room using the light dial newly installed by Aro.

The plan was in motion and he would now have no interruptions between him and Makayla. He would make clear his intentions, with or without Aro's consent. He had caused this great divide and so it would be Aro's own undoing.