His Hidden Jewel

Chapter 18

We discretely sneak the two unconscious vampires into Dmitris room once the hallways was clear.

The vampires saw me; they could easily blow our cover. I nibble my lip worriedly, dragging Swee as Dmitri drags bent. Yeke locks the door, and we all share sigh. .

“What should we do with them?” I ask.

Dmitri scratches his head. “Well, we should at least tie them up. But short from killing them, I don’t know what else to do. They saw Bunny’s face, as well as mine and Yekes. Once news gets out of Bunny’s “death” we’re all done for.”

“I can take their memories.” Yeke offers softly.

Dmitri and I jerk our sole attention to her; her head is bowed and shameful.

“You can?” Dmitri asks incredulously and in no small amount of shock either. .

“Yeah… a few air elementals, including my father, have been taught the gift of the Air Memory Warp ability. Only those taught the gift, know about it; it’s a dangerous ability and can only be trusted to a select few. I can erase their memories.”

“Are you sure Yeke,” I ask worriedly.

“Yeah, this is important, and it’s the only option we have,” Yeke says determinedly.

I rest my hand on her shoulder, gaining her attention. “Thank you Yeke, I’m so sorry you have to use your secret ability,” I comfort sincerely. Dmitri, who’s finally gotten out of his shock of Yekes revelation, nods.

“You’re both right.” He cuts in, turning to me. “Bunny, would you please help me tie them up while Yeke does her mind stuff?”

I nod enthusiastically.

“All right, let’s do this.” Yeke walks towards Bent and squats next to his prone body.

“What should we tie them with?” I ask Dmitri.

He thinks for a moment. “I have some rope in my bag. I keep it in case of emergencies when I travel. We’ll tie them with that.”

I nod, “right.”

Dmitri digs through his bag and hands me rope. We tie up the vampires as Yeke finishes wiping the seconds vampires memory. She touches his temples, and a small white glow escapes her fingers into his skull. I stare in awe at her power, but in store away my curiosity at her ability. I’ve been hearing so much about other creatures having these powers and abilities, but this is the first time I’ve ever seen an ability in action.

It makes me realize: Marcel has never once flaunted an ability. He’s flaunted his uncles power sure, but only once to a lord that his uncle was convicting. But other than that, the fear and respect other creatures have of Marcel is purely gained by him alone.

Marcel… just who are you really?

“All right, I’m going to go request a second room, we’ll leave them tied up in the closet of this one so it’s tied to my name. I can knock them out till the morning.” Dmitri states, Yeke gives me a wry grin at the pixies bossiness.

The pixie holds his hand out to them and a shot of purple comes from his hand, encircling the two vampires. I stare in awe as it slowly dissipates.

Dmitri leaves to get a second room as Yeke and I grab our bags. When Dmitri comes back, he leads us to a new room farther down the hall. We all throw our bags on the floor, and slump into the nearest beds; we were all feeling the exhaustion of tonight’s events.

“So, what are you doing here anyways Dmitri?” I ask, sitting up from the bed I claimed.

“I was traveling back to Nebia. This is the usual inn I stay in,” he shrugs. “Where were you two heading?”

I glance at Yeke to be sure I can tell him, she quickly nods.

“We’re heading to Oxitopia.”

Dmitri whistles, “that’s a far trip. Especially since the easiest, and unfortunately, fastest way to go is the long way.”

“I’m going to bed you two.” Yeke announces while stretching and yawning in the bed she claimed.

“Sleep well Yeke.” I reply.

“Sleep well too,” Yeke murmurs, turning onto her side and instantly dozing off.

“We should get to bed too soon, we’ll have to be up pretty early tomorrow for riding time to Oxitopia,” Dmitri says with a grin.

“You’re coming too?”

The pixie chuckles, “I told you earlier I wanted to help you, didn’t I?”

“Well yeah…”

“So, I’ll come protect you in Oxitopia, with Yeke.”

I rub my neck unsurely, “I’m not ungrateful or anything like that but why are you doing this? We barely spoke to one another during the ball. We barely know one another.” Marcel and Yeke are different, but this Dmitri guy is basically a stranger.

Dmitris grin drops, his face serious. “Look, you’re an innocent creature. You don’t deserve some mad-headed vampire chasing after you just because he wants to stroke his ego. Besides, from what I seen and met, you’re a sweet creature. I like you...” The way his said the last part sounded like he meant to say more but stopped himself.

I don’t question it further.

“Well, thank you then. Sleep well Dmitri.”

“Sleep well, Bunny.”

In the morning Dmitri is back to his usual teasing and charming self. We hitch a ride before the sun rose on a carriage from Eureema(1) to our next stop: Kiru Kiru (2). Dmitri claims to live close to Kiru Kiru in a nearby city of New Nebia (3) and can help us around Kiru Kiru, which makes me more thankful to have him here. Even if his appearance was rather unexpected.

As we start a long ride to Kiru Kiru, Yeke constantly glances between Dmitri and I. As if she sees something I don’t.

OoooooooooooooooO

Bent groans, rubbing his neck.

“Are you all right sir?” A soft voice asks. The vampire looks up to find a non-binary vampire with brunette hair crouching in front of him, worry in their eyes. The front desk worker, Bent remembers.

Wait, what’s going on?

Where is he? He looks around finds himself on the floor of a inn room; neither his or Swee’s bags in sight.

Swee! He finds his friend passed out next to him.

“Are you all right?” They ask again.

“Yes. But what happened?”

“I was going to ask you that.”

Bent frowns. He remembers checking in, and then Swee and him heading to their room. But his memory after that is blank.

He hears a groan next to him, Swee starts to wake. “Ugh, my neck is killing me.” Swee growls.

“Rise and shine Swee,” Bent greets sarcastically. “Do you remember what happened?” Swee finally looks up and around, taking in the scene. He frowns, scratching his head.

“How did we even get here? I don’t remember a thing since we checked out.”

“Huh, that’s weird.” The worker comments with a confused frown.

OoooooooooooooooO

Corrin Blasmire was not expecting a visit.

So when a servant ran in on his leisurely reading time, to inform him a friend was at the door for him, he was shocked. Especially since the said friend wasn’t the type of make informal, sudden visits without good reason.

And here his friend Marcel stood, in his doorway. Surprisingly, not accompanied by the human girl he’s so fond of.

“Hello Corrin, sorry to come with no notice.” Marcel apologizes swiftly.

The elemental grins lightly, “it’s not a problem, you’re a friend Marcel! Come in.” Corrin opens the door farther for Marcel to enter. “Servant! Go get Lord Verdinin and I drinks on the patio.”

“Yes my lord.” A random servant responds, scampering off.

“Let’s go to the patio,” Corrin says, waving Marcel to follow. They make their way to the patio of Corrins manor which is cream colored with marble accents. When they sit down, a servant sets a cup of wine in front of both lords.

“Thank you, you’re excused,” the earth elemental orders sharply. The servants bow and make their leave. Corrin turns back to Marcel curiously.

“So, what caused the sudden visit?”

“I learned something new, something that changes everything.”

Corrin perks up, “oh?”

Marcel smirks and regales his friend in the true story behind the Crimson Wars. Corrins face settles into a serious stare, not changing once during the vampires story. And when Marcel finishes, Corrin closes his eyes thoughtfully.

“So I’m guessing this new knowledge is the reason why you don’t have that human girl with you. I can’t imagine after all the work King Volkari did to exterminate humankind, he didn’t have something planned when he kept the human girl alive.”

Marcel grins wryly. “You would be correct. Volkari knew he couldn’t kill her immediately, her story was too innocent to paint her as a villain. So he figured he would let Bunny tarnish her image for herself.”

Corrin frowns, “but that isn’t working. I’ve heard more lords, ladies, and even peasants mention how they would like to meet her. The story going around is that she’s gentle and quiet, unlike what we were taught in the past about humans.”

Marcel chuckles, “and what a ridiculous conclusion they have made. Though it is better than them all fearing her for no reason.” He add with a thoughtful chin rub near the end. Corrin looks at his vampire friend curiously.

“How is it ridiculous? I know I may not know her as well as you or Yeke Uzui, but from what I’ve seen she seems to be that way exactly. Whenever you address her she gets all red faced and barely says two words.” He chuckles.

Marcel chuckles, “she can get adorably shy sometimes. But I’m sorry Corrin, I must disagree with you. You know, I find it funny that so many people, myself included, keep forgetting she’s a slave. She’s never gotten the chance to learn about herself, to have her own personality, or to grow as a creature. How could we know who she truly is when she doesn’t even know herself?”

Corrins flabbergasted; not only at Marcels slip up as Marcel is not the kind of man to use “adorably” but but also at Marcels statement. He never thought about it like that, and the truth of the statement struck him. The human never got to learn who she is, she never got to have a life or a personality. She has always lived a live serving and following the orders of others.

“So, where is she?”

“She’s going into hiding,” Corrins eyes widen, “Volkari noticed that Bunny was only gaining curious eyes, and… he noticed my affection for her,” Marcel admits softly, darting his gaze away from his friends sheepishly. “So he decided to have me kill her to prove my loyalty to Silvonya.”

“Oh Marcel,” Corrin breathes, turning his eyes down. He lets out a long sigh, “you know, I’m not surprised. She’s the one, the one you want to life mate, isn’t she?”

“Yes.”

The conviction in his instant answer is strong.

“You know I could tell,” Corrin admits softly, a gentle smile on his smirking face for once. Marcels eyes widen a little but he quickly schools himself.

“How-“

“At the ball, the way you looked at her; it was as if she was the only person in the room. And I saw your jealous scuffle with Dmitri. You can try to play it off as whatever you want, but I saw the jealous look in your eyes when you approached them. Hell, even Heo noticed the closeness between you two at the ball.”

Marcel blushes at that. If naïve Heo noticed, than Marcel had really acted careless. And here he thought he was being subtle.

“So, how did you fool him,” Corrin askes casually, taking a drink of his wine.

A devilish smirk spreads across the vampires lips, flashing his sharp, pearly fangs, “the old fool was dumb enough to “put in faith in me” if you will. I didn’t have to execute her in front of him, but I had to bring proof of her death. So, Bunny gave up one of her fingers, and she left to go into hiding in a far kingdom.”

Corrin laughs, “what a fool! A clown! So now that she’s safe, are you planning something against him?”

“Now why would you assume that?” Marcel chuckles, but his smirk stays present, giving away his true intentions. Corrin matches Marcels smirk.

This is why they’re best friends; they’re quite similar in their cunningness and ambition.

“Because, I know you Marcel, you wouldn’t like the old king ordering you around like that, especially pitting you against anpossible life mate. And I know you were already planning to reconstruct some of your uncles rulings once he passed it down to you. So, what is it?”

Marcel smirks, and when he opens his mouth, Corrins eyes widen, but in glee.

(1)Eureema: a Photarium (the earth elemental home kingdom) city.

(2)Kiru Kiru: a Nebia (the water elemental home kingdom) city.

(3)New Nebia: a Nebia (the water elemental home kingdom) city. Near Kiru Kiru.