The Royal Quest

CHAPTER 50. Steel Barrier

"Good morning, sweetblood." Massimo whispers, waking up Dahlia.

"Hmm…" Dahlia whimpered, and when she realized it was the vampire she finally opened her heavy eyes and embraced his torso.

"I brought breakfast for you," Massimo said as he caressed her long hair.

"I'm sorry." Dahlia apologized.

"Shh… let's just forget what happened last night, can we?"

"Okay." Dahlia said and gripped his body tighter while biting her lower lips to prevent herself from bursting again.

"Here, I made breakfast for you." Massimo said, and stood up, taking the bowl of porridge that he placed near the fireplace. But when he turned to the lady again he noticed her swollen eyes, evidence of how the princess suffered from emotion last night.

"How are you feeling now?" He asked and sat on the edge of the bed.

"All good." She answered with a forced smile.

But Massimo heaved a deep sigh before he scooped a spoonful of porridge and was about to feed the princess when suddenly she stopped him.

"Let me do it myself." She said, but Massimo looked at her with cold eyes.

"No. Do you really have to reject everything that I am offering to you, even doing this?" The vampire argued with his furrowed eyebrows, but he didn't realize that his tone affected the lady whose eyes were starting to well up again while biting her lower lips a bit harder.

Massimo can't control his rage as he accidentally grips the bowl harder, which causes it to break.

"Damn it!" He cursed loudly, which even made his sharp fangs even more visible when he howled.

"Just, just go downstairs, there is more in the kitchen." He said, standing up while avoiding his eyes to look at the lady before he turned and walked out of the room. That is when Dahlia's tears also finally rolled down her face freely.

After composing herself, Dahlia took a bath and soaked herself for hours as her mind was occupied by many things. Until finally she finally decided how to end what's bothering her.

Dahlia went to the study, hoping to see the vampire to talk with him. She slowly twisted the doorknob and pushed the door to open. She peek a little at first and when she saw the vampire standing in front of the window behind the shadow while staring outside, Dahlia stepped her first foot in.

"Do you need anything?" Massimo spoke up without looking at her.

"I-I just want to talk to you." Dahlia said, looking down as if she was afraid to look at the vampire.

Dahlia took a deep breath before she finally spoke up.

"I want to go back to Haru." She courageously started.

"What?" Massimo didn't expect the lady to say it.

"I've been staying here for a long time already, waiting for an answer. I think it's time for me to face my fate in my kingdom." She explained with their eyes that they still hadn't met yet.

"What about the betrothal waiting for you?"

"Like I said, I am ready to face my fate and that includes everything."

"Nonsense!" Massimo suddenly slammed the table with his hands and that made Dahlia startled.

"You came this far to avoid it from happening and now you are suddenly giving up?" Massimo asked, but Dahlia just stood on her spot, looking down.

"No, I'm not letting you go." He added and turned to the window again.

"But I'm not here to ask your permission, I'm only here to let you know that I am leaving tomorrow." Dahlia announced and turned to leave already, but before she could reach the door, Massimo blocked her way.

"What is this? Why are you doing this? Is it because of what happened last night? Tell me," Massimo continously implored while Dahlia was still avoiding his eyes as she kept on diverting her stares to the other direction.

"Look at me, Dahlia. Why are you not answering?"

"Massimo," finally Dahlia met his golden flared eyes.

"We don't belong to each other, we will never be. I can't give you whatever Amaia could or Alice can. I just can't love you. If I need to marry a stranger then I have to embrace it if that's my destiny wanted me to, because that is my fate and not you." Dahlia took a deep breath before she continued.

"Alice can live forever like you, you should try to open your heart and mind to someone like her, not to a short-living mortal like me, just because I possess the same scent of blood as your first love. I will only leave you alone like what Amaia did to you, because that's what humans do."

"So, this is all about what I said last night?" Massimo muttered, looking down.

"But I don't mean every word I said. I was drunk and anxious when I saw you bleeding, that's all."

"No. I've been thinking about this for days now. I tried to comprehend the feelings I have for you and every time I tried there is always a barrier that keeps me away from you." Dahlia confessed, with her teary eyes.

"Then I would rather be alone if I can't have the person I truly love. You know, you don't have to push me towards someone just because you want to refuse my desire for you." Massimo retorted and turned his heels to leave.

"I will ask Jeremy for a horse later for your journey back." He said before finally leaving the study chamber.

"Jeremy?" Dahlia muttered and was left alone.

Dahlia heaved a deep sigh and just sat on the couch that was facing the tall window, gawking at the sky.

"I've been a good daughter to my parents. I did my best to share kindness with everyone, but why do I have to experience these hardships? Why can't I love him without worrying about the future?" Dahlia mumbled, letting her tears free until she noticed something glimmering in the sunlight where Massimo was standing earlier.

Dahlia wiped her tears out with her hands as she slowly stood up, walking closer to the direction of the sparkling thing and saw the golden pendant of Amaia. She picks it up and opens it.

"Amaia, why me?" She whispered, tracing the image of the lady with her finger.

Dahlia and Massimo keep avoiding each other after their conversation in the study. While Dahlia is strolling round the palace, she sees Alice and Massimo talking about something. They are both laughing but she just keeps herself hidden and ignores them even though she is truly affected by the scene.

The sun was still up brightly in the sky and Dahlia suddenly just thought about what was outside and behind the enormous steel gate of the castle that was covered by thick vines. She has fully observed the maze-like garden of Gorgax but never had the chance to open up the gate and now she wonders if she will.

Dahlia started to step her feet out of the shadows of the castle and started walking forth to the direction of the steel barrier.

Later, Massimo wondered where the princess was and walked to the balcony to see if she was down, attending the garden again, but his eyes widened and suddenly felt terrified when he saw Dahlia in front of the palace's gate trying to find a way to open it. With his quick ability, he immediately ran to the front door but halted when he noticed the sun's rays were firing up. Until his mind travels back to when he last saw Amaia and remembers that Dahlia also has an open wound on her palm. His breathing became heavy with his chest pounding so loud, especially when he heard the creaking noise of the steel gate opening. Without thinking twice, Massimo stepped out under the fiery heat of the sun.

"Dahlia!" He growled out loudly as hard as he could as the lady suddenly vanished when she successfully stepped out of the gate. While he is having a hard time smelling her scent because of his burning skin, which becomes worse after not consuming any blood since he returned to the kingdom.

"Massimo." Suddenly he heard the lady's voice appear and dropped the flowers she was holding in her hands because of shock to see his burning condition.

Massimo quickly grabbed and carried her back to the castle.

"Urgh!!!" Massimo groaned after he put down the lady and leaned on the wall with so much pain in his skin.

"Ma-Massimo," Dahlia was shaking badly as she tried to reach the wincing vampire, but Alice suddenly appeared and stopped her.

"Stay away from him!" She shouted as she struck harsh eyes towards her and walked closer to the vampire.

"Your Majesty, come with me." She said, supporting his still smoking body.

"Da-Dahlia, Do-don't le-leave." Massimo hardly speaks, as he lets Alice take him.

Dahlia barely hears him while she stands like a statue in her spot, not knowing what to do, can't even stop her hand from trembling.

'Was it my fault again?' She asked herself, feeling so down and agitated.

Dahlia stood in front of the door of Alice's chamber, curling up her body on the floor with her head down on her knees while waiting for the lady vampire to come out, until Dahlia heard the door opening and she quickly stood up. That made her stumble a bit. Luckily, her hand found a grip on the wall to prevent her from falling.

"Alice, how is he? I'm sure he needs my blood, I can provide him with as much as he needs, just-" Dahlia hastily said, but she was cut off by the lady vampire.

"Stop." She said and stood firmly in front of the princess, looking down at her.

"Will you stop flaunting your blood around? If you want to give charity using blood, then go to the forest and let the hungry immortals feed you." She started with her hostile tone, making the princess feel small.

"You want to save him? Go back to your own kingdom and never show your face ever again." Alice told her before she went back inside her room, locking the door in front of the princess.

Dahlia goes back to the tower where Massimo's room is and there she spends another batch of emotional night under the thick blanket.