He should have taken an early retirent when he had the chance, thought Hers to himself. At the age of forty-nine, all his hair had turned silver and most of that had happened within two years of serving Prince Edward.
And now, having witnessed what he had just witnessed a mont ago, the attendant looked up at the ceiling.
He was well inford about the high-profile n of their land and their families, especially those whose children would one day co to serve the royal family, just as their fathers did. Lord Slater was one such man, working closely with the ministers and rarely appearing without reason.
Hers had heard many rumours about the Lord’s two sons over the years. One of them had a rumour that he had a line of people buried sowhere, though no bodies were ever found. The other had killed n openly to end up behind the bars of the dungeon for it.
Now that he thought about it, that incident was probably the only ti he had ever seen Lord Slater personally visit King Septimus.
"Hers, are you dying?" Edward asked, glancing at his attendant, who appeared to be muttering sothing under his breath.
Unfortunately, not yet, thought Hers.
It seed that the young Slater did not mind showing his affections, nor did he appear inclined to hide them. Hers might have preferred to remain ignorant of the matter, but as the prince’s attendant, ignorance was a luxury he did not possess.
"No, Your Highness, not yet," answered the attendant.
At the sa ti, the bell rang loud enough to signal the end of the classes for the day.
"It looks like you bled quite a lot, Ruelle," Edward said as he returned to her side, his eyes catching the bloodstain at the back of her dress.
"I am fine, truly. Lucian gave so dicine and it feels much better now," Ruelle assured the prince, though she could feel Hers’ gaze on her. She asked, "Is the ministers’ courthouse far from here, Your Highness?"
Edward shook his head with a nonchalant expression. He replied,
"Not far. Two hours, perhaps. I would have returned sooner, but I stopped at the castle as my father wished to talk to ."
"It must have been nice to see your family again," Ruelle said softly. "I imagine they were glad for your visit," and in ti she caught a bitter smile touch the prince’s lips.
"My father cares for his family in his own way. My brothers, however, do not share his generous view. They have always considered the rest of us... unnecessary complications where the throne is concerned," Edward replied with a dry tone as a yawn escaped from his lips.
"The King hasn’t chosen his heir?" Ruelle asked him as the heat in her face started to subside.
"Not yet. Though if you ask , neither of my elder brothers is particularly suited for it. They have already thinned the family tree more than necessary." Edward lifted his arms and rested his hands behind his neck, fingers loosely interlocked. "Sotis I think my father enjoys watching us compete for his approval, seeing which of us proves the most capable. So I make it a point to do the opposite."
"I think that requires a great deal of strength," Ruelle said softly.
"That is without a doubt! Do you know how exhausting it is to be a disappointnt to so many unimportant people?" Edward let out a long sigh. "So days I feel it is the only thing I truly excel at."
His words seed to hit ho as Ruelle lowered her eyes while her fingers absentmindedly adjusted the edge of her scarf. She studied the prince and she saw soone who was also trying, even though he was too proud to show it.
"I do not think you are as much of a disappointnt as you believe," she said thoughtfully. "If soone tries their best, that should count for sothing. No?" and she offered him a smile.
Edward did not respond to her. He looked at her as if he hadn’t expected that response from her. The usual amusent in his expression faded slightly, replaced by sothing more thoughtful. He then cleared his throat.
"Of course I am not hard on myself. I am a remarkably impressive person. My brothers are simply too blind to recognise it and ugly. I am the most agreeable of my brothers, the most handso and unquestionably the most pleasant to be around."
"I believe you," Ruelle said with a small smile.
Edward gave a nod before he said, "I brought you so things that you might like. They will be sent to your room in the new quarters."
Ruelle was brought back to the main issue in hand and she carefully pressed her hands against her cheeks as if to ground herself. She then said, "Edward... about the new quarters. I don’t think I will be moving into it."
"Why not?" Edward asked nonchalantly. "Are the quarters not built to your liking?" He then turned to Hers and said, "I told you we should ask her what kind she likes. Now look what happened."
"No, no, it is not that—the quarters are wonderful, almost too fancy," Ruelle replied with a faint smile that wavered. And when her eyes t the attendant’s, the older vampire was watching her carefully as to how she was going to break it. "I just think I should stay where I am right now. After all, in a week the bidding will start and I will move."
"But Lucian shares your room," Edward pointed out with a frown.
"Actually, I share his room," Ruelle corrected him.
Edward was going to say sothing when footsteps were heard once again outside the infirmary and soon ca Hailey and Kevin.
"Good evening, Your Highness," the two of them greeted him with a bow.
"Ah, Ruelle’s friends," Edward acknowledged with a soft harumph.
"Did he forget our na already?" Hailey muttered, only to be nudged by Kevin’s foot. "Your Highness, we missed your presence greatly last evening."
Edward clicked his tongue. He remarked, "Tsk, only if I knew I wouldn’t have left and rescued you all. Who were so dim that they dared try to harm you and Ruelle?" His voice then lowered and he asked, "Who stabbed her?"
"Your Highness," ca Ruelle’s stern voice as if telling him to drop it, while her friends stared at the prince.
Hailey gave it much thought before she replied, "He died. Lucian," she made a slicing action against her neck and raised her hand up.
"Lucky bastard," Edward murmured, while Kevin stared at Hailey, who gave him a sheepish smile in return.
"I should go beat the minister one more ti for dividing my attention uselessly between him and Sexton. Wasting my precious ti. Anyways," the prince said, before his gaze returned to Ruelle, and he said, "Now getting back to the new quarters. Call the servants and have the trunks moved."
Ruelle offered a bow and replied, "I appreciate your thought and action but it would be troubleso to move now and then move again so soon. I would rather not cause unnecessary work for anyone."
"If that is what you are worried about, there are servants for it," Edward laughed as if the solution was simple.
But Hers already was aware that nothing was simple here. He began, "Your Highness, I think—"
"Hush, Hers," Edward raised his hand. "Don’t interrupt us. I have to catch Mortis for this. Why are people so useless?"
"Your Highness," Ruelle addressed Edward, which made his ears perk up at the distance she put. "Would you rather move where my decision is not included?"
Edward looked tongue-tied at Ruelle’s question as if he couldn’t agree or disagree with it. He sighed before muttering, "I built those quarters so you would have a place where no one could decide things for you."
"Your Highness," Kevin said respectfully, drawing everyone’s attention to him. "Ruelle has always been soone who thinks carefully before making a decision. If she says she wishes to stay in the sa room, then I believe she has thought it through."
"Of course, she has thought this through," Edward looked at Ruelle for a long mont before he nodded. "It is just a week and I want to respect your decision. But if at any point you change your mind, you are to inform imdiately."
Ruelle released a breath she had not realised she was holding. "Thank you for understanding," she bowed.
"I told you I was the most understanding person you will et. You wouldn’t et another in this world," Edward crossed his hands across his chest.
When Hailey turned to say sothing, she realised Kevin was no longer standing beside them. Her eyes moved quickly across the infirmary before she spotted the door still gently swinging on its hinges.
"I will catch you in the library later," she said to Ruelle, already stepping away before anyone could answer.
By the ti she reached the corridor, Kevin had already turned the corner at the far end. Hailey gathered her skirt slightly and hurried after him, her footsteps echoing softly against the stone floor.
"Kevin, wait!"
He stopped, but not imdiately. He slowed first before finally turning around. He asked, "What is it?"
Hailey reached him slightly out of breath, her eyes imdiately searching his face, as if checking for sothing he might be trying to hide.
"Back there..." she began, still catching her breath. "I just wanted to make sure you were alright. You know... about Ruelle." She did not say anything more after that, but her expression said enough.
"I am fine, Hailey. You don’t have to worry about ," Kevin assured her.
Hailey studied his face as if trying to read what he was not saying. She did not look convinced and after a mont, a small smile appeared on his face. He admitted,
"It did sting last night and I am worried about her. But even you can agree... Lucian is a better choice for her."
Hailey felt sothing in her chest tighten at his words.
"We are humans," Kevin continued after a mont, his voice quieter now. "We don’t have a proper standing in this world. People like us... we don’t get to choose much." He paused, as if weighing his next words carefully. "I cannot take her out of the bidding. I cannot even take myself out of it. And whether she realises it or not... the choice has already been made."
He hadn’t forgotten that afternoon at the river, when Ruelle had bled and the pureblooded vampire had carried her out without a word.
"I don’t know what to say..." Hailey wasn’t sure how to comfort him and she wished she could help him feel better. It was obvious that he was hiding the dejection. "So she will never know then."
Kevin inhaled deeply before exhaling and giving a nod. "I guess that is what it is and I would like you not to ntion it."
"I won’t," Hailey answered. And when Kevin turned and began to walk, she questioned startled, "Where are you going?"
Kevin shook his head at Hailey’s worry. He answered, "Near the maze. To attend Jinxy’s special class so that I have a better standing in the future. I will see you later," he smiled, turning and walking away from there.
After a minute, Ruelle arrived with Edward at the spot where Hailey was waiting for them. Ruelle asked, "Where did Kevin go?"
"To learn to fight better," Hailey raised her hands and Ruelle nodded.
"What is this fight? Perhaps I should go and give so demonstration," Edward replied as they continued to walk down the spiral stairs with Hers behind them. "By the way, one of the lords is hosting a tea party. All of you should co. It is on this weekend."
Ruelle and Hailey exchanged quiet looks between them, as they weren’t up for another party with the vampires, as they were still recovering from the last one.
"We actually have plans this weekend. We plan to visit the town’s fair," Ruelle let him know, and the prince replied,
"Hers, tell the lord I am busy," before saying to Ruelle, "I have never been to a fair before. I shall be happy to accompany you!" he decided by himself.
When Ruelle reached the end of the stairs, she noticed Lucian standing a short distance away, speaking to a man who appeared to be in his mid-forties. The man didn’t seem to be part of Sexton.
The two of them were speaking in low voices, their expressions serious. A mont later, they turned and walked away together in the direction where the carriages were parked.
Away from Sexton, in one of the towns, an official carriage finally ca to a stop before a residence where snow had begun to fall. Within the span of a minute, the door was knocked on sharply.
After a few seconds, the door opened, and Mrs. Belmont appeared with a polite smile. She inford,
"Mr. Henley isn’t here. He is at Sexton."
"We didn’t co for Mr. Henley, Mrs. Belmont," Lucian said, his tone calm. "We are from the courthouse."
Mrs. Belmont pursed her lips before asking carefully, "Have you co to help us find the person who burnt our house?" It was past evening for the officers to visit, she thought to herself.
"Who is at the door, gan?" Mr. Belmont’s impatient voice ca from inside.
Lucian glanced past her into the house before saying, "Shall we speak inside?"
Mrs. Belmont gave a cautious nod and stepped aside. "Please, co in."
As the two n stepped inside, Mrs. Belmont’s eyes lingered on the young man who had just spoken. She felt certain she had seen him before, but she could not rember where.
The mont Lucian stepped into the Henleys’ cosy living room where the fireplace burned brightly to keep the place warm, his eyes t Mr. Belmont’s, whose eyes widened in horror.
"Y-you—what are you doing here?!" Mr. Belmont stamred, nearly stumbling as he pushed himself up from his seat. "gan! Whom did you open the door to?!"
"What?" Mrs. Belmont looked at her husband in confusion.
"That is the person who burnt our house!" Mr. Belmont said in panic. Mrs. Belmont’s face paled instantly. That was where she had seen him before! "Why are you here? What do you want?!"
Lucian’s gaze dropped briefly to Mr. Belmont’s hands. He remarked, "Your hands seem to be healing well."
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