Chapter 13
1252 Words
The following day in the capital, Ann was executed in front of the Xeridian crowd while Lady Daniella lost her hands. Nobody knew what happened to the other two vampires as they weren’t seen after what happened in the chamber. A vampire couldn’t regain or regenerate limbs and it was an absolute punishment, a remainder not to go against the Lord of Xeridia. There were murmurs in the crowd as the punishment took place. Word had passed from one person to another about what had occurred in the castle and they were now curious. Curious if their Lord had chosen the human instead of a highly classed pure blooded vampire woman.
When Ralph had bitten the girl, a mark had appeared on her neck but by the time of dawn the mark was gone. The servants in the castle who were eager to look at the mark, found nothing on the girls neck. They wondered if the Lord had pulled a trick in front of everyone.
It had been more than three months since Ralph came back from the counseling in the assembly. In those three months Lord Edgar planned to show the Xeridian Lord that he was smarter and stronger, even if it meant a little.
“Lord, this is the information we have found. It’s said that the human lives in the castle,” one of Edgar’s men said giving a parchment to him.
Looking at it Edgar smiled, “How nice...Treating a human so badly right in the castle of Xeridia is what we need. Send this to the assembly and make sure it reaches,” he said handing back the parchment, “He thinks he’s better. I can’t wait for the assembly to take action on him,” he said laughing.
In the Xeridian Kingdom, Lailani walked with Maya in the meadow as Sel and Ralph walked behind them. The meadow was situated next to the forest behind the castle, covering a part of the estate with grass and flowers.
Maya looked at Lailani as the little girl spoke about her mom. She noticed the smile and happiness that seemed to be returning back on the little girl’s face.
Though Lailani was weary about few vampires in the castle, the Lord was someone whom she trusted the most. He was a hero in her eyes, a saviour.
“Are you planning on letting her attend the school like other children?” Maya asked Ralph when they sat down to eat something from the basket they had got prepared from the castle.
“I have prepared a tutor for her to come to the castle. It’ll avoid any unwanted situations in the future,” Ralph replied drinking the wine from the bottle directly.
Sel who was talking to Lailani glanced at her neck to see the mark gone, it made him doubt if Ralph had really bound her to him. The Xeridia Lord had himself said that he had bound her for life but then what did it mean now with no mark?
“That’s right Maya. The school we have now has a lot of children,” Sel spoke throwing a piece of fruit in his mouth, “Regardless if it’s vampires or humans, there are some who are like the little minions of devil.”
“Protecting her like a shadow is not going to go well, she needs to experience things. I think you should let her go to school after all she needs to socialize with people of her age. She is young,” Maya voiced her opinion.
“Let’s see about it later. I’m going for a walk,” Ralph said yawning as he stood up walking towards the forest, making both Maya and Sel exchange looks with each other.
When he came back, he had a little wolf in his arms. Seeing it, Lailani ran towards him to take turn in holding the wolf.
“Easy there,” he said as Lailani managed to hold the grey and white patched wolf, “He is yours now,” which made the little girl look up at him.
“Mine?” she asked in a soft voice.
“Yes, yours,” Ralph said looking at her.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
“Awe! I knew you had a heart in that hollow chest of yours,” Sel said bending down to pet the animal in Lailani’s arms.
The following morning, a tutor appeared to educate Lailani with other five children of her age in the castle. Considering what Maya had said, Ralph didn’t want to isolate the girl therefore had made arrangements to let other children study with her for company.
It was late one night, when Ralph found Lailani sitting at her desk and writing something on her book. Going up to where she was, he peeked into her book to see words scribbled on it.
“Aren’t you supposed to be sleeping?” he asked her, startling her from his sudden presence.
“My handwriting, Andre,” she said looking at her book sadly. She had seen her other mates with neat writing while hers was always a mess no matter how much she tried.
“Here, give me your hand,” he said taking her hand while she held the pencil. He guided her by moving his hand with hers to show how it went, “You don’t have to feel bad about it, you have plenty of time to catch up. So no rush. Sleep now,” he said before shutting the door of her room.
He stood outside her room for few fleeting seconds and when he heard the click sound inside the room that indicated that she had turned off the lights, he went inside his room. In two days things would change, he sighed thinking about it.
Two days later as predicted two members of the assembly showed up at the Xeridia castle to meet Lord Ralph.
“Sir, the assembly men are here to meet you,” one of his servants informed him.
“Let them in,” Ralph ordered the man who obliged bowing his head slightly to bring the men inside.
The door opened to reveal Loren, Kace and the head assembly’s right-hand man Baron. Baron was a tall and extremely lean vampire. He had a grey beard and wrinkles surrounding his eyes. He was a man well known for his strict conduct when it came to the law, not overlooking the tiniest details.
“We are sorry to intrude your day without informing you, Lord Ralph,” Baron spoke taking a seat in front of Ralph’s desk.
“That was no trouble at all. I was expecting you sooner or later,” Ralph said due to which Baron looked a little taken back before he composed himself.
“Then you might know why we have come here to see you for?” Baron confirmed making Ralph smile.
Ralph knew a spy was sent to the Xeridian Kingdom to collect information by that i***t of human Lord. When it came to the Kingdom he kept himself aware of what went behind the scenes. If he didn’t know, he would be the i***t. He knew the assembly was on its way to take action on what happened. It was also because he had a man of his own inside the assembly. Even though it was a minor issue Lord Edgar might have added enough details to show a small gentle breeze to a full-blown storm.
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