The Royal Quest

CHAPTER 37. Disloyalty

"Moss," Dahlia whispers as she gently shakes the sleeping vampire.

"Hmm." Massimo whimpered and flicked his eyes when he suddenly smelled something sweet.

It was Dahlia’s blood he was sniffing.

“What happened!?” Massimo immediately gets up and grabs her shaky hand that has a medium cut on the palm that she curled to avoid the blood from dripping.

“Were you not being careful and cut yourself? I told you to be as cautious as possible. Why are you being so clumsy!?” Massimo scolded the lady who had a scowling face, annoyed by the vampire's terrible reaction.

Massimo is about to get up to pick some bandages when Dahlia speaks.

“I did it for you.” She let out.

“What?” Massimo was confused with furrowed eyebrows.

“I cut myself with this,” showing the small dagger in her other hand.

“Are you just going to gawk at me and let my blood be wasted?” Dahlia bluntly asked, while Massimo still had his furious face.

“You said that my feelings for you are not real, that I am only seeing Amaia in you. Then why are you trying to be her?”

“I am not trying to be your Amaia. I’m genuinely doing this to save you, to heal you because of the guilt that I am feeling. You sacrificed to let us escape and I feel like it is my responsibility to cure you.” Dahlia explained with a bit of irritation in her voice for mistaking her for copying the lady.

“But you know what, never mind. I’ll just wash the blood off with water and cover my wound.” She said, and about to move from the bed.

“You’re not going anywhere.” Massimo abruptly grabbed her wrist.

“I want you and your sweet blood, may I have it?” Finally, Massimo went back to his gentle voice.

“Apologize first.” Dahlia firmly demanded.

“I’m sorry, princess. I’m a jerk, but I would love to have your blood, please?” he implored.

“Alright, but no kissing after, understand?”

“I can’t promise you that. I might do more than just a kiss because of this generous blood in your hand”, the vampire teased the lady as he finally brought her hand to his mouth.

Dahlia blushed at his words while Massimo started licking the blood that kept on coming out of her palm. Their eyes were glued to each other while absorbing the astounding sensation they were giving to each other’s entire being.

“We should have an agreement, Moss.” Suddenly Dahlia spoke up.

“Hmm?” The vampire responded while still occupied with savouring her blood.

“I will offer my blood to you as long as I am living, while you have to be loyal to me in return.”

“You know, I never asked you to do this.” Massimo responded, still holding her hand.

“And you don’t have to. I cannot be loyal to you either, because I have my own responsibility. I can only be loyal to myself, Dahlia. However, I can promise to protect you no matter what, I will not let anyone or anything hurt you.” He said and gave a long kiss on her palm.

“But I want the truth between us. You’re hiding something from me, especially about the Vampire King. You keep on covering him up. Why? I want to know everything before we proceed on our trip, please.”

“Dahlia, I can’t. Not for now.”

Dahlia sighed, feeling defeated, and pulled her hand from his hold as he was finally done with his breakfast. She washed her wounded hand then dried it with clean fabric before she grabbed the bandage she had prepared earlier.

“Let me do it.” Massimo offered, but the lady did not respond as she continued to struggle while wrapping it on her own.

Massimo sighed as he was aware that the lady was upset with him.

“Where are you going?” The vampire asked when he saw Dahlia grabbing her pieces of stuff.

“Just around the town, I’ll try to enjoy the festival. I’ll be back soon.” Dahlia said.

“I’m coming with you.”

“No. stop making me feel responsible for every injury you will get.” Dahlia bluntly said, swallowing the lumps that were hurting inside her throat.

“Stay away from me.” she added before she finally stepped out of the door.

“What do you mean?” Massimo muttered, but was glued to his spot, as he didn't want the lady to get mad at him.

Dahlia made sure to stay under the sunlight so Massimo could not follow her. She walked along with the people passing on the road holding lanterns in their hands. While Massimo ran to the window to look at the lady walking down the road away from the lodge.

“I need to take her back,” Massimo started, walking back and forth.

“No, She wanted to be alone.” He argues with himself.

“Right, Dahlia said she'd be back. I need to trust her, besides this is Northriver. No one will attempt to hurt her.” He tried to convince himself, even the truth, his anxiety was starting to swallow him up.

Meanwhile, Dahlia took the opportunity to run away from the vampire as her trust in him suddenly went down after refusing her offer. She felt that something wasn't right. She continued to head straight to the north and stopped in a barn in the village outside the town of Northriver.

“Good day, Mister.” She greeted a farmer who was throwing some grains to feed the chickens.

“Yes? How may I help you?”

“Uhm, I need a horse.” She let out as Dahlia decided to leave their horses so the vampire wouldn't get suspicious.

“We don’t just give away horses here, young lady.”

“Of course, just tell me your price.”

“I have never seen your face before. Where are you heading to?” The man asks as he leads Dahlia to the stable.

“To the north.”

“But Northriver is the final town you can find on the north side.” The aged man was confused.

“I am aware of that, sir.”

“Then why?” The man couldn't help but ask.

“I do believe that I have the right to refuse to answer your question. It is kind of personal and I don’t want anyone getting involved,” Dahlia firmly said and stretched forward her hand with the pouch of shillings which the man slowly accepted.

“And you're wounded.” The man noticed her bandaged hand.

“If it is the Vampire king, the purpose of your trip, that’s fine. However, if you are planning to go to his castle, you have to cross the dark woods which is unsafe because of the roaming night creatures around. I suggest letting your wound heal first before penetrating into the forest.”

“Why did you say that it was fine to see the vampire king?”

“Because he cares about humanity.”

“How can you say that when he slaughtered his family and people more than three hundred years ago?” Dahlia started to argue with her still calm tone.

“He was manipulated by the true evils.” The man quickly responded.

“How did you know about that when you weren’t born yet at that time?”

“His lady servant has the full story and shares it with us, including the land you are stepping on is owned by the Gorgax. We were not that fortunate, but after the chaos, he shared everything he could offer and promised us safety. That’s why, every year, we celebrate this day to give thanks to the king and, in return, we provide him with livestock.”

“Livestock?”

“Yes, animals. To keep him living.” The man continued as he walked through the isle of the stable.

“Do you prefer a gentle beast?” the man asked, standing in front of a white horse.

“No.” Dahlia quickly answered.

“I need a horse that can take me to the Gorgax before sunset.”

“You mean this lad here is the one that you needed.” Showing a refined black horse.

“However, I’m afraid if you push to enter the forest. Why not enjoy the festivities in the meantime?”

“But I can’t stay here any longer.” Dahlia said, looking down at her wounded hand, afraid that the vampire would find her.

“Why would you want to see the vampire king, by the way? If you don’t mind me asking,”

“Our land was attacked by him and I want to seek justice, to avenge my people. He may be kind to you, but to us, he’s a monster.”

“I’m sorry to hear that. But I don’t understand why he would attack you.”

“Maybe because he still needs human blood, since the animal’s blood couldn’t give him the right supplement his body needed.” Dahlia said while getting the horse out of the cage by herself.

“I see. You seem to know a lot about immortals." The man commented.

"Well, I guess I cannot stop that desperate heart of yours, but at least let me help you treat your wound properly before you go.”

Dahlia suddenly looked at her palm and noticed the bandage was soaked with blood already and needed to be changed.

“Thank you,” She muttered sadly, thinking about the vampire that she left in the lodge.