Bambi and the Duke

Reaching the Rune mansion, the old butler who had served Lord Nicholas’ father came to take the overcoat that he had worn. The lands of Bonelake was covered in mud which was wet and dirty, yet Lord Nicholas’ shoes were clean as if they had only been bought from the Isle town which was the main hub of the market for the elite society of the pureblooded vampires.

”Was your visit to the council successful, milord?” the old butler asked with his coarse voice, following Nicholas into the halls.

The old butler had served most of his years at the Rune mansion, even before the current Lord had joined his father. Though he had spent most of his years to Wilhelhum, the current Lord was whom he favoured. His age was catching up and for an average vampire like him, time was cutting close. His bald head had very few strands of grey hair that were combed to the side. Bright red eyes which he possessed during young age had dulled out. There were times when he didn’t understand Lord Nicholas’ motives but he helped in succeeding whatever it was to completion.

”It was. Lest I am hoping it was. The councilmen are very troublesome,” Lord Nicholas pulled out his white gloves, handing it to the side which the butler was quick to take.

”They have always been in the past. It must be advantageous to have master Leonard on the council,” commented the butler following his Lord like a shadow.

”Indeed it is. The case which was given to Leonard was moved to the home department as we haven’t found anything in there but today was a fortunate visit. Knowing Reuben he will be extending the time period. Did you know who visited today?” Lord Nicholas hummed with a twinkle in his eyes.

”No master Nicholas,” came the plain answer of the old man who showed no excitement.

”Lord Alexander,” answered the Lord with a smile, ”Could you please prepare a gift or two to him, it would be bad if we lost the opportunity to be friends. He is after important,” the butler nodded his head in agreement.

”You should refrain from creating trouble in other lands if you’re going to want to keep the image you have built. Suspicion of doubt is always around, milord,” Nicholas had reached his room. A chuckle escaped his lips, a chuckle that was dry with no humour in it.

Sometimes no matter how much one hid their crimes, tracks usually followed them somehow and somewhere. Lord Nicholas had his own, things that were hidden and unknown to all.

”You don’t have to worry about it,” he smiled at his butler, ”Send me my lunch into my room. Younger the better, just like last time.”

”Yes, milord,” the butler bowed his head and retreated.

The brunette haired Lord smiled softly before stepping into his room, beginning to unbutton his shirt he threw it on the bed. He had received the title of Lord in his early twenties of vampire age after his father passed away in an unfortunate accident. Like the rest of the events that had taken place in the history of all lands of the four empires, this one had begun to be forgotten just like how one day the way Leonard’s parent’s death would be washed away from people’s minds.

Lord Nicholas was a smart man, smarter than most of the pureblooded vampires, so much that before he was even given the title of Lord, he had been offered to work under the head council, Reuben, due to the intelligence he possessed. Then intelligence wasn’t what he only carried, there were others who helped and accompanied him.

Out of the lot of purebloods, the only one he felt who levelled to him was the Lord of Valeria. Lord Alexander Delcrov who held a distaste against him. Unlike himself, who hid behind the beautiful mask he had built with years of experience, Lord Alexander didn’t bother to keep one. This often led to disagreements with certain councilmen.

Lord Nicholas going to his bath, stepped into the water, immersing himself completely after he had shed all his clothes. Lord Alexander wasn’t always unfriendly towards him, thought Lord Nicholas with a chuckle. It was only that the recent activity done by Nicholas had been found out by Alexander. Seven months ago when Nicholas had been to Valeria, as dinner during a stroll at night, he had picked a towns boy who was barely eight to drink blood. Drinking the boy’s blood until there was not a drop more to be drawn out; eventually throwing the boy on the ground with disregard. It was a habit he had picked by living with his father.

Lord Nicholas might have everything now, a power that needed to be used to command people, blood that was served to him of high quality but years ago it was never like that. Life was strange, thought the Lord as a maid was sent into the bath for him to drink blood from. The woman was docile, not a word spoken as she stripped herself naked, getting into the bath where he laid with his back resting against the cold marble.

Completing the bath, Lord Nicholas stepped out of the bath with water dripping down his taut body such that every step on the ground covered with water to imprint his footsteps while leaving the bath with a light colour of pinkish red with the maid who sat still with eyes that no longer held a light.

On the lands of Bonelake where the Carmichael mansion stood, Vivian waited for Leonard’s who was yet to return. She stood at her room’s balcony, waiting and watching the gates where the carriage would enter.

Now that she wasn’t a maid anymore, she realized time was difficult to pass when there was nothing particular to do. As odd as it would sound, she missed cleaning the mansion, the stables, talking the animals and the maids. After her belongings had been moved to the guest room, the maids had turned hostile towards her immediately. The ones she talked to before only gave her a smile before moving forward to do their work which the housekeeper had given them.

She missed it yet somewhere she enjoyed the new position in front of the servants who didn’t get along with her just because she was closer to Leonard. Now even a word against her would get them into trouble. Vivian had always grown up hoping to get along with everyone, to like and be liked by everyone but Leonard had taught her that she couldn’t expect it from everyone when one of his cousins had mistreated her during his absence after he had moved out.

Her hands gripped the railings of the balcony as the wind blew across the lands, rain which had temporarily stopped threatening to pour on the already wet and muddy ground.

The rain didn’t wait for Leonard’s return and began pouring down, growls of thunder coming from the sky. With water coming in her direction she stepped back into her new room which she was getting used to. With time in her hands, she had begun to knit a new sweater for Leo, this time it was the colour of white. The colour matched his skin and him, a man who was direct and pure in her eyes. It was only half done and she would need a few more days before it would be complete.

Not wanting to sit cooped in the room, she went out of the room, her hands touching the top of the staircase railing as images began flashing through her black eyes.

Blood. Blood was everywhere. Her staggered form broke the vase that was next to her.

Even after she moved her hands away from the railing, the images continued to run through of the time when Leonard’s parents were killed. Her breathing got shallower when she saw Mrs Carmichael standing not far across her which felt real. Her hands were covered in blood, blood Vivian didn’t know if it was others or Mrs Carmichael’s.

When Mrs Carmichael took a step, Vivian took one back.

”M-Mrs Carmichael?” but the woman didn’t respond. Vivian had forgotten for an instant that Mrs Carmichael was only a fragment of memory right now. An evil memory which was repeating itself.

Just before Mrs Carmichael could get to her, Leonard stepped between them by pushing his mother away. But the woman was long gone, her black eyes stared at her son before shifting very slightly at Vivian before ready to attack her. At the same moment, Leonard attempted to stop her this time only for both the mother and the son to slowly slide down on the ground with Leonard hugging his mother.

With shaken breath Vivian stood there looking at them, red liquid slowly inking the floor around them. Leonard had killed his mother. To stop her from doing any more damage than what had been done and caused.

As the memory passed away, Vivian couldn’t help but let her body fall on the ground on her knees. Silent tears began pouring down her cheeks, one after another.

Leonard had killed his own mother when Mrs Carmichael had tried to get to where she was.

”Vivi?” Leonard who had only arrived back home hurried to sit next to her. Confused and worried in the state she was, ”What happened? Did someone hurt you?”

Vivian shook her head as more tears began pouring down her cheeks.

”I-I am s-sorry!” she hiccupped, ”I-”

”Sshh,” he cooed, taking her into his arms and finding a glass vase behind her on the ground to be broken, ”If its the vase you’re worried about we can replace it with a new one, Vivi,” he rubbed her head gently wondering what had caused the tears in her eyes.

The gentler Leo’s words were towards her, the harder Vivian cried in his arms.