NIGHTS OF HALLOW

It was almost midnight when Sthena arrived at the castle with Marco. He teleported them directly to one of the castle’s rooms and lay him on the bed to rest.

Sthena’s face was still contoured in anger directed towards the dead Mr. Briggs who had tried to play smart with him.

He should have known the man was like other royal doctors he killed because of their recklessness and stupidity. And like those royal doctors too, Mr. Briggs was met with the same fate.

When he arrived in the clinic room of the royal doctor earlier, the first thing that greeted his nose was the smell of blood and holy water that slightly lingered in the air before his eyes found it on the table.

Someone who was not a pureblooded vampire that had a great sense of smell would never get to know or perceive the smell of holy water and blood in the room. That was when he noticed that something was wrong and that the royal doctor had done something grave he shouldn’t do.

Mr. Briggs was going to use Marco for something that would greatly benefit him and if he didn’t arrive on time, things would have escalated to a huge problem.

This action of Mr. Briggs, the royal doctor confirmed one of his suspicions of the siblings.

Sthena left the room and assigned a guard to stand outside the room and watch over him, lest any of his family members or anyone in the castle entered the room which he strictly warned the guard not to allow anyone in, be it the Prince or Princess. And even Lady Rosamonda was not an exception.

Sthena walked in the now quiet and deserted hallways of the castle, leading him to his chamber.

Almost before he entered the East wing of the castle building where his chamber was, he saw the Princess who was strolling in the hallway.

Princess Sarah was aimlessly walking around the castle unable to sleep because of the thought of getting married to Mr. Hans which troubled and worried her to no end.

Her always sophisticated and arrogant demeanor was replaced with a sober and worried look. Even her high and straight shoulders were dejectedly shrunken and her hands by her sides fiddled with her black night dress.

It was then she noticed the looming shadow of the king that casted on the floor of the hallway.

The light from the wall lamps that illuminated the hallway poured half of its light on Sthena while the other side was dominated by darkness that made him look more evil because of the long hood coat he wore.

Sarah panicked at first that someone had broken into the castle when on a closer look, she saw it was her half-brother, the king.

When Sthena walked near, Sarah bowed her head and greeted, ”Good evening, brother.”

”Good evening, Sarah.” Sthena replied and continued to walk past Sarah before he suddenly stopped and questioned, ”Anything bothering you, Sarah?”

Sarah was not the type to keep quiet whenever she saw him. She would always seek his attention and bother him with one thing or the other. And this action of hers now, meant that something was really bothering her.

”No. There is nothing bothering me, Your Majesty.” Sarah calmly replied with a bow.

Sthena frowned. He noticed how Sarah switched from calling him brother to calling him his title. He turned around and walked back to Sarah and saw how her eyes widened in surprise.

”What is, His Majesty doing? I said I am fine.” Sarah quickly interjected knowing what was coming next.

”Very well then. Since you said you are doing okay, allow me to walk my sister back to her chamber.”

Sarah shook her head negatively, avoiding to look at Sthena in the eye. ”I don’t want to go back to my chamber right now, Your Majesty. Do not bother yourself with such a trivial matter of walking me back to my room.”

”I insist.” Sthena remained adamant and refused to acknowledge Sarah’s excuse. He continued to say, ”I don’t want anything to happen to my lovely sister after she said that she is doing okay. I can hear the wolf’s howls.”

He added knowing Sarah was always scared of the wolves that were let out every night to add to the security of the castle.

Just like he expected, Sarah’s eyes dilated in fear and she subtly looked around and craned her neck as if to see or hear if any wolf will come out.

”The wolves won’t harm me. I do not want to go b...” Sarah started with her refusal speech again and saw the way Sthena narrowed his red eyes on her that immediately shut her up, making her follow him without more complaint.

The King and the Princess walked in silence back to the Princesses chamber which was in the West wing of the castle’s building where the Prince’s and Lady Rosamonda’s chambers were also located.

They continued to walk in the courtyard of the Princess before arriving at the doorstep of her room.

”Go in,” Sthena said and watched Sarah open the door and she stopped midway from completely going in.

Sthena tilted his head in question. He inquired, ”Are you sure nothing is not bothering you, Sarah? You know you can always share it with me.” Sthena coaxed in a gentle voice.

Sarah stared at her half-brother and opened her mouth to say something but paused and rather said, ”I told you that nothing is bothering me, Your Majesty. I just miss my brother who is now the king lately. He is now unreachable.”

”I am always missed by everyone.” Sthena joked with a chuckle which Sarah didn’t find funny.

He went on to say, ”Your brother is always here, Sarah. Always ready to hear you out. You’re a grown woman now with many ambitions. And you and I know that the bond we shared when we were younger, which I miss too, won’t be as it was now. I’m in the castle if you need anything from me.”

Sarah nodded in understanding, a small smile etched on her lip and a speck of sadness in the rims of her dark red eyes which she hardly showed. She said,

”You’re now the king and you must be wanted by so many people who need your attention in several matters, so I perfectly understand.” The sadness laced in Sarah’s words and the look in her eyes couldn’t be mistaken by Sthena that his absence and nonchalant attitude towards her pained her. And this thought made his heart ache too.

Sthena raised his left hand and touched the head of Sarah and gently patted her head. He exhaled deeply and said, ”I know you are deviating from the real problem that is bothering you. But one thing I assure you is that you are and will always be my little sister.”

”There are situations and things in the castle that is hindering me from being my old self towards you, and I know you know these things too.”

”Though you now the arrogant and prideful Princess, I know you are still have that sweet self in you, Sarah. You act as the mean Princess during the day while at night you become the shy and quiet sister I know. We all changed, but you have to believe me when I say this, I would never let any harm come to you or any of the royal family members unless the person went overboard with me.”

Sthena gently explained to Sarah with a smile on his face that was not the evil glint or his plotting smile that was always plastered on his face. It was a warm smile he showed to people he cared for.

Sarah returned his smile, the sadness disappearing from her eyes instantly. Hearing the reassuring words of Sthena brought a heartwarming smile and happiness to her heart. She responded,

”I’m glad the brother I once knew is still here with me. I won’t ask you to play with me or sneak into my room in the night and read me bedtime stories like you did when we were younger. I just hope you will spare me your time. Spare your family some of your time.”

Sthena nodded his head in understanding and acknowledgment. ”I’ll try. Get some rest now. I had and still have a long day ahead of me.”

Sarah bowed her head and said, ”I’ll get some rest now, brother. And you should also do that too. You reek of blood.”

”Hmm,” Sthena hummed and watched Sarah enter her room and closed the door behind her.

Sthena went from Sarah’s chamber and entered his room where Perdita still lay unconscious and sleeping on his bed.

She must have inhaled the smell of the exorcism ritual in great quantity that would take time before it finally wore out. Maybe in the morning, she would finally be alright.

Sthena proceeded to remove his outer coat and went into his bathroom to have a dip in the cool bath with his clothes on.

As the king, so many responsibilities weighed on his shoulders which everyone was looking up to him to fulfill.

Having cooled his throbbing head, he discarded the rest of his clothes before having a proper bath.

Done washing himself and the blood he reeked of, he walked out of the bath dripping wet from head to toe. He used the towel hung on the stand to wipe his body before tying it around his waist and walked back into the room.

He slipped into his black night dress and went and sat on the couch since Perdita lay on his bed he rarely slept on.

He planned to take a short nap before the next day arrived and work and duties called for him.

Sthena stayed in that position with his head resting on the headrest of the couch and his eyes still wide open. The thoughts in his head swirled in different directions until he finally allowed his brain and body to succumb to the power of sleep, allowing them to rest for the short while he made out time for them before the morning arrived with its problems.