The Royal Quest

CHAPTER 30. News and Lies

The day had perished like a cold breeze passed and touched their skin as Dahlia tried hard just to avoid the vampire. She lay the whole day in bed with the thoughts of their kiss that couldn't keep her peace. While Massimo stood outside the door, waiting for her to come out and hissed at him. However, even the lady's shadow didn't show at all. 

Until nightfall came and Massimo was startled on his spot when suddenly the door, opens, revealing the lady. 

"Princess," he immediately ran to her, but Dahlia raised her hand to make him stop.

"Come on, don't do this to me." He complained but Dahlia just walked past him and headed straight to the kitchen to grab some food for her dinner, as she was currently starving for not having lunch or snacks earlier.

While preparing food in the kitchen, Massimo followed her. 

"Dahlia, please talk to me." He begged, standing behind the lady, but still didn't utter a word. He sighed.

"If you're mad, yell at me. Tell me what I should do so you can forgive me. Please, I can't stand it if you keep on ignoring me." 

"Just leave me alone, that's all I asked from you," Dahlia answered without turning to face him.

"Are you sure?"

"Do I have to repeat myself?" Dahlia bluntly countered.

Massimo sighed with so much frustration.

"But I can't," Massimo muttered, looking down. 

"I want to stay with you until we can talk about what happened earlier," Massimo insisted.

"There is nothing to talk about, Moss," Dahlia said, and finally faced the vampire. 

"That was a mistake and will never happen again. You are right, we should just forget about it and continue whatever we have started like nothing happened." 

"I didn't say it was a mistake. Did I?" 

"What?" Dahlia was getting confused.

"Ever since the moment I saw you, I can't get you off my mind. I know this sounds crazy but I like you," Massimo finally confessed.

"That's impossible, I just saw you staring at Amaia's locket. Don't make a fool of me." Dahlia answered, feeling upset about his confession and just grabbed a loaf and was about to leave again, but Massimo continued to speak.

"You are right, I always keep on reminding myself that you and Amaia are different from each other. That there will be no more human that could fall to a vampire like the love we used to share with each other and it pains me. It is like torture to have these emotions once again. I am fooling myself by expecting too much." Massimo said, but Dahlia just closed her eyes and decided to continue ignoring the man.

"What a beautiful confession you have, my dear King." Suddenly Alice came out from the dark corner. 

"Alice?" Dahlia was surprised.

"What are you doing here?" Massimo asked with his furious stares.

But instead of answering, Alice sniffs through the air and smiles.

"I love that scent." She walked closer to Dahlia but Massimo immediately blocked her way to the lady.

"What are you doing here? I already warned you to stay away from the princess, didn't I?"

"You can't make me obey your demand anymore, 'Moss'. Alice countered bluntly, emphasising his fake name.

"And oh, by the way, I came here to speak with the princess." She said, walking past behind the vampire with her sly smirk.

"If I may, Your Highness?" She said and made herself comfortable on a single couch.

"What is it, Alice?" Dahlia asked, while Massimo couldn't move from his spot, waiting if the lady vampire would dare to spill out his true identity.

"I just came from a friend living near the Haru border and I just heard some news that might interest you." She started, looking firmly at the princess.

"Go on." 

"The Vampire King attacked the market square just a few days ago and took a young lady." 

"What!?" Dahlia's heart pounded loudly, picturing the awful scene in her mind and the fact that the market square was just near the palace.

"That's impossible! You're lying." Massimo interrupted, fisting his hand.

"Oh, why would I lie? I'm just being kind and thoughtful to travel here just to deliver the news to the princess. Unless you have anything to share, maybe you knew something that we didn't that could help the princess with her adventure?" Alice continues, mocking the man.

"And why do you keep on covering that monster?" Suddenly Dahlia coldly asked Massimo with her furrowed eyebrows. 

"Dahlia, we will talk about this some other time," Massimo said, and turned to Alice. 

"We need to talk now." He demands and abruptly drags Alice out of the place and brings Alice on the roof of the lodge where Dahlia is staying. 

"What are you trying to do, huh? And how did you know that we are here?" Massimo asked with his clenching jaw.

"I'm a vampire, Massimo. I have my ways." 

"Then stop. Whatever you are planning to do, stop it. Leave Dahlia alone and stop telling lies."

"But there is no lie to what I have said, it is true that a vampire king stormed Haru's market square and took a fresh young lady." 

Massimo could feel honestly about Alice's words and wonder who could be that one forging his identity.

"Why do you have to tell Dahlia when you knew that it wasn't me? Are you really trying to get me in trouble?"

"Perhaps, because I want you and I will not let anyone take you from me, especially a human. If I need to get rid of that princess, then I will." Alice fiercely said.

"Don't you dare, woman. You know what I am capable of, so don't test me. Leave us alone."

Alice scoffed in annoyance.

"Do you really want to continue this lie?" 

"This conversion is done, Alice. I have made up my mind, so you should stop now. I want Dahlia, whether she returns the same feelings or not. I don't care anymore as long as she is with me," Massimo said, and turned to leave.

"You're out of your mind, Massimo."

"Maybe I am." Massimo responded without turning back and went back to Dahlia.

Alice swallowed hard, trying to resist the surging emotions while watching the vampire she cherished getting away from her.

Massimo went back to the lodge where he saw Dahlia waiting, sitting on the couch where Alice sat earlier.

"Sweetblood." He called for her attention.

"Stop calling me that and tell me the truth you are hiding." Dahlia seriously demanded, looking up to him.

Massimo walks closer to the princess and crouches in front of her.

"I can't," he said, looking up into her eyes.

"Baron is right after all, you didn't really come with us to help us defeat that monster. Tell me, are you planning to offer me to the vampire king when we get to the Gorgax?" Dahlia asked with welling eyes.

"No, I will never harm you, Dahlia. In time, I will tell you everything I promise." 

"Why not now?"

"Because I'm a coward and I'm afraid of losing you. For so many years I've been alone, I succumbed to darkness only thinking of how I could get revenge for losing the love of my life, but when I found you I felt alive again. I never lied when I told you that I'm not good at memories anymore, because I got stuck in the memories of my past. But you've changed everything and I am starting to gain new memories again with you. Your face has started to dominate my mind and it is making me forget Amaia's face." Massimo couldn't help the words that came out from him, as he badly wanted the lady to stay with him and never lose faith in him.

"Dahlia, I understand that you are still young for this kind of emotion. But I hope you can try to appreciate mine. Let me love you." Massimo let out without withdrawing his eyes from her, trying to analyse the emotion she had.

"You are making me confused, Moss." Dahlia finally spoke.

"You don't have to," Massimo raised a hand and caressed her face with his fingers gently.

"Try to remember the kiss and tell me what you feel," Massimo said with an almost whispering voice, staring at her lips.

"I-I do-don't know it was strange." Dahlia honestly said, which made Massimo smile with satisfaction.

"It's alright, we still have plenty of time to spend together. Let's set aside the pressure and give ourselves a moment to reconcile. We will find it out together." Massimo said as he tried hard to resist himself from kissing the young lady again. While Dahlia nodded in response, as her faith in the vampire never fades.