Chapter 204: Love, Past and Present (1/2)
Chapter 204: Love, Past and Present "" Aldrich took a moment to process Valera's appearance in his doorframe
Well, it was not entirely out of possibility His quarters were on a refurbished rst oor of the Necropolis, and the Death Lord had given Valera a rooood tian Valera "No, come in I was just a little surprised, that's all" Aldrich moved out the way of the door, and Valera shyly cas you here?" asked Aldrich as he closed the door of ebony wood shut It ashed briey with green as it locked closed with soical safety mechanism that also dampened noise
Valera looked around the rooether She blushed as she avoided eye contact with Aldrich "Well, aheht" "You don't? Your rooht by, isn't it?" said Aldrich "W-wellabout that-," began Valera "I no longer have a bed" "What?" Aldrich had taken a brief look at Valera's room and known for sure she had a bed Her room was a little ss like his hid " "I was resting on the bed, you see, keeping awake vigil in the case that there were intruders to my master's room, when in one sudden moment, it simply disappeared," said Valera "It faded away as if it had never been there before and all that was left was the Death Lord's voice echoing throughparticularly i if the Death Lord was done preparing her own trials and training methods "N-no," said Valera Her blush deepened a fewon the painting above Aldrich's bed to not look too aard "Then what did she say?" "It-it was a recorded e," sta it, thata move upon you! That the whole purpose of separate roo into yours, thatand other nonsense That by taking away e into your quarters!
She-that snake truly does not understand privacy, nor a Guardian Knight's vows"
Valera shook her head rapidly, cooling down "Master, I know - I will stand outside and watch your roouard Who knohat that intrusive snake may do - she ht of her enchanting you with that seductive gaze of hers"
She clenched her st resolutely,into Aldrich's rooinary scenario she conjured up "No, you don't have to go I want you to stay, actually" said Aldrich "I've beento do this for some time now"
He looked around to see if he had a table or chairs to sit her doith, but he realized he just had the bed Probably that too was by the Death Lord's design
He put a tired face to his forehead as he sat down on the bed He patted the spot beside hi for Valera to come
Valera's face turned beet red "M- man, as that snake said, and you were a hues left over so-," "It's not what you think," said Aldrich His tone beca your feelings forit o for sos that have happened recently that have taken up our attention"
Valera cooled dohen she heard Aldrich's serious tone and saw his serious expression She, too, understood the gravity of this situation, and she nodded as she sat down beside Aldrich Her hand shook a little "Are you ne? Is anything wrong with your status?" said Aldrich as he nodded towards her hand "Ah, this? N-no," said Valera as she clasped her hands together tight, hiding the tre "II am just nervous about your answer B-but, whatever it is, I a to accept it"
Aldrich understood She was not sure whether to face acceptance or rejection, and that made her nervous More nervous than he had ever seen her before
Right now, the way she looked, her gaze cast away, her hands shaking, her posture hunched forward - she looked so incredibly vulnerable She had never shown even an ounce of this against any ght of threat they had encountered so far
Always, she had stood tall, ready to punch down anything, no h it was
Aldrich did not like to see her like this, and it made it harder for hi her, and so he took a long pause, not exactly sure hoord hi her, but he wanted to warn her about himself
About hoas not sure whether he could love her the way she loved him
Words never were his weak point
He could be articulate and he could also be to the point, and even if he had to play a character to try and trick others, he could do it He could even try to be a suave irt if he wanted, but he could only do that because he kneas all fake
All a ruse to get what he wanted
Right now, in front of Valera's raw, honest vulnerability, he was forced to shoho he really was as well, and behind all the veneer and veils, he ordless, utterly inexperienced in navigating his way around situations like this
Valera sensed Aldrich's diculty and took in a deep breath She stopped tre at her hands and looked at Aldrich with a smile "Master, no, your name in this world, Aldrich, is it not?"
Aldrich nodded "I kno you are thinking You s to say to me, no?" said Valera
Aldrich nodded "You do not have to," said Valera "Whatever is on your mind, tell it to me And whatever decision you make, I will respect I will still follow you, Aldrich, whether it is as your shi+eld or so about, this situation," said Aldrich He looked at Valera's gentle ss
Yours I wanted to start by asking you: why do you have these feelings for me?"
Valera looked momentarily surprised but then nodded "Of course You know the tale of ain, if only to ly that past of hed and closed her eyes, reo "I was of noble birth
Child to the vampire count Vandel and Dullahan warrior Lera It was an union that felt like it was torn froes of a romantic tale My fatherwith each other, grew to adht and done, love each other
In the pages of a book or in the song of a bard, that union ht have been beautiful, full of love, but in reality, it was unholy
Vah standard The Dullahan clans never take kindly to outsiders
I was an abomination to both sides, and my father and mother suered from it
My mother was captured fro an outsider's blood
My father took up renewed ar the peace treaties that the other vampire counts proposed For that, he was assassinated
In my early years, when I was still withhappy All around me, I felt cold eyes from my vampire brethren for my mixed blood
Buta royal lady should Etiquette, the arts, the sciences, h so very unlady-like, I fell into so deeply
I reht, it was not because I wanted to harm It was because I wanted to protect I knew my father warred often, and I wanted to protect hih so very heartily and tell uard him 2
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