The Royal Quest

CHAPTER 39. Found

Alice took Dahlia to an old stinky tavern, where they were welcomed by the other vampires who seemed to spend their time drinking and drowning themselves with alcohol and blood. Dahlia wonders about the blood and where it came from.

The place gives Dahlia a strange feeling, unsafe for a human like her. She couldn’t even roam her eyes around the place as their eyes were already melting her alive. 

“Is she the owner of the smell?” One asked while sniffing in the air.

“Definitely, but you will crave to death as she is a king’s guest. He will damn you all if you act rumbustiously against the lady.” Alice informed them with a playful smirk.

“What a daring human to enter our territory. However, it’s been a while since a mortal step in the woods,” the other said, sitting on a round table while sipping on his glass with a dark liquid inside which Dalia believes is blood.

“Warm.” 

Dahlia startled and quickly stepped backwards when suddenly a cold hand caressed her face. 

“Oh no, don’t do that again, Fara. That is not a nice gesture,” Alice scolded the other lady vampire that stood beside the Princess.

“Why does Massimo invite a mortal lady to his castle by the way? Or is he planning to feed himself with her blood? What a greedy monster.” One commented.

“Or maybe he has finally found someone that could replace his late servant?” another interrupted.

“Poor Alice.” Fara playfully mocked the vampire.

“Stop it. Stop it all of you.” Alice said with a bit of annoyance, while Dahlia was confused about what the vampires meant by their words.

“Anyway, Dahlia will stay here for the night until the sunrise.” She announced.

“Stay here? While torturing our appetite?” Fara unbelievably said.

“Dahlia, I hope you don’t mind if I ask for just a few drops of your blood, will you?” suddenly the vampire that was drinking blood stood up and asked, stretching his glass forward.

“Cut it out, Marlu,” Alice interrupted.

“What? But why? I’m just asking for a little payment if she wants to stay.” Marlu explained.

“Stay back if you don’t want Massimo to end your life,” Alice countered.

“Come, Dahlia. I’ll show you your room for tonight.” 

Dahlia followed Alice to the basement.

“You’ll be safe here for the meantime. Those vampires you met earlier will not harm you, but those who are outside of this place do not fear Massimo as they don’t value their lives anymore. They have totally lost their memories of being a mortal and now living like animals who just hunt and consume blood,” Alice explained while lighting up the torches in the chamber.

“Alice, I'm confused.” Finally Dahlia found her words.

“About what?”

“You keep on talking about the vampire King. Does he already know that I am coming for him? Why would he not let me get harm? Did he send you to give me shelter for tonight?” Dahlia couldn’t help but ask continuously as her brain started to twirl thinking about the possible reasons.

“You know what, princess? If I were you, I'd just be thankful for the King’s attention. If not because of his fondness towards you, I don’t think you could still breathe by now.” Alice bluntly responded.

“Get some rest already. I’ll just be around.” Alice said and turned her heels,

“Alice,” Dahlia called her name, which made her halt.

“Thank you so much for helping me tonight. I will not forget this.”

“Let me just be clear, Your Highness. I’m not doing this for you, I’m doing this for the king and a little bit for myself.” She said before she finally left the lady alone.

After hours of lying down in bed, Dahlia couldn't bring herself to sleep as many things in her mind kept bothering her including the Vampire King and Moss, trying to connect some things. While also trying to guard herself against the creatures that surround her which she knew anytime could possibly attack her.

Suddenly, her thoughts were cut off when she heard a commotion outside the tavern. Sounds of grunts and cries rambled all over that made Dahlia feel terrified. 

‘What is happening?’ She asked herself and decided to have a look.

She immediately picked up her silver blade and the bottle of holy water before opening the door. Dahlia cautiously takes the same path she took earlier when Alice took her to the chamber in the basement. Undeniable fear spreads throughout her system, but she keeps her stand firm as she has no plan on dying before she can reach Gorgax. However, Dahlia didn’t realize that she gripped her sword too much with both hands and the blood started to soak her bandage again and that didn’t escape from every immortals’ senses around the place. Until one daring vampire suddenly jumps through and breaks the window beside Dahlia. The Princess gasped and quickly swept her weapon in the direction with her head bent down and eyes closed as she isn’t sure how to react. She only felt something splash on her face. But when she realized that she hadn’t hit anything, she slowly opened her eyes and saw Moss, staring down at her.

However, Dahlia couldn't react to the scene in front of her. It is definitely the vampire she left at the Northriver. His body is showered with blood, his eyes are dark and below him is a corpse with a blown head and a hole in his chest. She slowly moved her eyes and saw Massimo holding something in his bloody hand; the heart. 

Her body suddenly felt weak, as she lost the grip on her hands and dropped her sword, but still no words came out from each of them. Until Dahlia’s vision became blurry and felt the place like turning around her, she took a glance at the man in front of her before she finally passed out.

When Dahlia woke up, she felt the flossy mattress underneath her body while the soft and smooth blanket covered her body, keeping her warm. She felt relaxed as it'd been a long time since she had a wonderful and peaceful sleep, not worrying if danger would suddenly appear. She thought herself dreaming, but not until a glare of light passed through the slit of the curtains and touched her eyelids. She moves to sit up and scratches her eyes with the back of her hands.

"Where am I?"