Chapter 15
1104 Words
Year 1857
She stood on the stool as she balanced herself on her tip toes to clean the shelves above her.
“Lailani!” Aunt Nova exclaimed looking at Lailani’s stance on the old wooden stool as it shook slightly, “How many times do I have to repeat myself not to stand that way? And where’s Andre?”
“I’ll be fine, you worry for nothing and I’m almost done,” Lailani replied getting down the stool and dusting her hands together, “He said something about taking a break,” the elder woman scowled hearing it.
“He’s gone to meet Sonia, hasn’t he?”
Lailani shrugged her shoulders in response as she went to pick the bucket from the ground. Her Aunt Nova had planned to clean the house with Lailani and her son Andre’s help today but Andre had escaped from work as usual.
“I’m so glad I have you. What would I do without you,” her aunt said making Lailani smile.
“Uncle William and Andre would have driven you mad?”
“That’s right,” her aunt swiftly nodded her head in agreement while Lailani linked one of her arms with her aunt’s arm, “Come, I’ve baked hot, sweet buns to eat.”
With years that had passed, Lailani had grown into a beautiful person inside out. Her raven black hair that was just above her waist was tied into a bun right now. She was kind and a gentle person to be with that worried her aunt sometimes.
The Miller’s had loved and protected her when they had taken her into their family when she was young. They shielded her from any harm and helped her as any family would.
Though she had her relatives support as she grew up, there were others who were concerned about her well being and that included the two lords of the east and west.
Lailani sat down on the wooden chair and grabbed the hot bun in her hand, tearing it to a small portion so that her mouth could hold it in. There was a knock on the door and her aunt went to answer it.
“Rikka dear! It’s been long since your last visit. Come on in,” her aunt exclaimed as she greeted the slender woman.
“Hello Mrs Miller, I need to borrow Lailani for few minutes if that’s alright it’s a little urgent,” Rikka said looking towards Lailani, “It’s nothing serious or troublesome I promise,” she added quickly seeing Mrs Miller’s worried expression.
“All right dear but don’t be late,” Mrs Miller said to which Lailani nodded before being dragged out by Rikka.
Rikka linked her arm with Lailani as she pulled her away from the Miller’s house. Rikka was one of Lailani’s friend who was now married to one of the noble man in the estate, who was a vampire.
“What’s the rush? You look to be in a hurry,” Lailani said looking at her friend as she looked her around searching for something, or perhaps someone.
“Let’s just say someone isn’t aware that someone came to this place without any notice and if someone else meets that someone, that might be a problem,” her friend said hurriedly.
“You didn’t tell your husband that you were coming here?” Lailani asked a little taken aback as her eyes widen, “Wait does anybody know?”
Rikka was married to her vampire husband, Brooks, against her wishes. Her family being the poorest had no choice but to go with the arrangement when the noble man had come and asked her hand in marriage. The man was scary to look with rough appearance he held and the gruff voice. But Rikka had claimed later on that he was a decent man and a loving husband.
Though vampires and humans lived together it didn’t mean they co-existed equally everywhere. There were vampires who didn’t like the humans and humans who didn’t like the vampires in the Empire. Rikka’s husband was not one of them, he only meant her well being. In the fear that a human would avenge him by hurting his beloved wife, he kept her away from the humans.
“That is why it’s urgent,” Rikka rolled her eyes with a sigh, “I need some privacy with my Lailani without any buff man hovering behind us to protect me from silly insects. I wrote a letter to him and placed it on his desk, so he should understand.”
“So what’s the urgent matter?” Lailani asked as they sat down on the green grass.
“You know how every winter there’s celebration in the main mansion which we wanted to go?” Rikka asked glaring at a nearby tree.
“Which we couldn’t because we weren’t invited,” Lailani piped in.
“Yes, that one,” she answered narrowing her eyes and then smiling slowly she continued, “But as I’m a noble’s wife I have been invited and the better news is that Brooks’s cousin needs a partner to go to the Winter’s Celebration so I thought why not it be you,” with an expression of ta-da!
“The idea sounds intriguing, Anna, but I’ll have to refuse,” Lailani replied thinking thoughtfully while she played with a small flower in her hand making her friend frown, “I have to go clean up the library, remember?”
“What if I say there is a possibility for the Lord of Xeridia showing up at the Winter’s celebration?” hearing this the flower Lailani was playing with slipped through her fingers.
It was a year back when she fell spellbound with the picture of the man in the local newspaper, titled below with ‘The Lord of Xeridia’. He was handsome as the devil, not that she had met a devil but had heard people in her town talk about him. Lailani’s memories weren’t fresh but that didn’t mean she forgot him. She knew the Lord was the one who had saved her life.
Understanding Lailani’s silence, Anna spoke, “The carriage will be here at six to pick you up,” she hugged her.
“Wouldn’t it be rude if I left Brooks’s cousin searching for the Lord when I’m at the mansion?” Lailani asked worried to which Anna waved her hand.
“Don’t worry about that, Dan is going there on some official work and he’ll be occupied,” Anna replied getting up and dusting her dress while Lailani mirrored her actions.
- Writer
