NIGHTS OF HALLOW

As the King’s Horse galloped off a considerable distance away from the hunting ground and where the prying eyes of everyone were, Perdita straightened from her initial position of looking injured. The movement of the horse jolting her already startled body.

She glanced at Sthena, but the grim expression on his face made her swallow a lump. The tension from earlier hadn’t dissipated and more was going to come when whoever shot the arrow at her was found out.

The gush of wind whipping on Perdita’s hair and face helped ease the tension on her shoulders as they arrived at the castle’s entrance.

The guards rushed forward on seeing the King arrive just as he swiftly jumped down from the horse. Confusion and question crossed their faces when they saw the blood on Perdita.

One of the maids was quick to call Emily who was now on Sthena’s hot trail as he carried Perdita to his chambers. The look on his face didn’t make the tension he had created on arriving at the castle better by the sound of his shoes that clicked sharply on the hard, polished floor of the castle.

Once outside his room, he kicked the door open and Emily closed the door behind her with her head bowed. She dared not go close or voice any question lest she offends the angry-looking King.

”No, not the bed,” Perdita voiced when Sthena gently sat Perdita on the bed.

”Sit,” Sthena responded ushering her to relax. ”Do you prefer I sit you on the ground?” He turned to the maid just in time to see her walk towards Perdita with her hands over her mouth.

”My Lady! What happened to you?” Emily’s eyes widened in disbelief on seeing the blood smeared on Perdita’s dress. All along, the King had been blocking her from fully seeing Perdita. She hadn’t expected to see so much blood on her. She stepped forward in haste but was stopped by the cold voice of the King.

”Not an inch closer,” His voice clipped and his tone sharp. ”Prepare a warm bath now,” Sthena ordered and watched as Emily headed towards the door.

”Where are you going?” Sthena’s voice stopped her once more. ”I said, prepare, not build another bath in the hallway.”

”What?” A look of confusion crossed Emily’s features not understanding what the king implied. ”Oh, forgive my negligence, Your Majesty,” She bowed deeply and headed to the king’s bath, now aware of the King’s order.

”You scare her,” Perdita pointed out to hear Sthena say, ”And neither should I make her forget her duties,”

”How are you feeling? Do you feel any pain anywhere?” Sthena probed as he bent over her. He cupped her cheek and stared into her green orbs looking for any sign of pain.

Perdita’s lips stretched slightly as she regarded Sthena. ”I’m fine. You need not worry about me. I am a vampire and a witch remember? I’m all healed.”

”I must worry about you. A warm bath will help ease you off the stress of today.” Sthena leaned in and left a kiss on her forehead just in time for Emily to step out of the bathroom.

”The bath is ready, Your Majesty,” Emily bowed. ”Shall I bring my lady’s clothes?”

”No,” Sthena responded. He continued, ”You may leave. You’ll be called when needed.”

”Yes, Your Majesty,” Emily bowed again in obligation. She glanced at Perdita and bowed, her eyes for a moment betraying the questions that danced in her head.

Once Emily left, Perdita’s attention was drawn to Sthena who took off his cloak. He went on to unbutton his shirt, tossing it on the couch, casually exposing his upper body to the feast of Perdita’s eyes.

”W-won’t you go back to them? You asked them not to leave,” She stuttered slightly as her eyes focused on every movement from Sthena while unconsciously bringing her knee up to her face.

”They can wait. You are my priority,” Saying this, he scooped Perdita in his arms and walked into the bathroom.

Feeling her feet on the cold floor of the bathing room, Perdita took a step back, her hands crunching the sides of her dress. ”I can bathe myself you don’t have to do this...” Her voice trailed off, not daring to look at Sthena, who stared back at her.

”Shy?” Came Sthena’s question, which made her look at him almost immediately. ”Oh, darling,” Sthena chuckled, ”We have bared each other’s nakedness or you prefer your handmaid wash you?”

”No, no, it’s not that. You are the king, it isn’t right...”

”That rule doesn’t apply to you. You are my queen to wash and worship. Only you will I bow to. Come now, my sweet girl,” A smile slid across his face as he drew Perdita close to himself and not a second later, Perdita’s dress dissolved into a mesh of soft cotton leaving her bare against Sthena. This made Perdita question how vast Sthena’s ability was.

”Come before the water gets cold,” Sthena said, leading her into the bathtub, the warm water immediately soothing Perdita’s nerves and muscles.

Watching Sthena wash her was one of the things she had never imagined she would experience. A man who not only dots on her but also pays attention to everything that goes on with her. Such a man that only existed in her head was here with her.

Some minutes later, Perdita stood while Sthena wrapped the towel around her after drying her wet body. In the same way he had carried her into the bathroom, he did so when he took her back to the bedroom.

”Wait here, I’ll get your dress,” Sthena said and apparated to Perdita’s room and was back some minutes later with a white dress in hand. ”Lie down and rest. Emily will bring you food later on.”

”Why are you crying? Are you hurt?” Sthena’s hand holding her arm searched her body looking for any sign of injury, even though he knew she was a vampire-witch who could heal, he was still worried.

Overwhelmed with the care and love showered on by Sthena, Perdita didn’t know when a tear slid down her eye. ”I’m not hurt. I’m just happy. Happy to have you in my life. Thank you, Sth.” Saying this, she leaned in and kissed Sthena’s lips.

Sthena reciprocated and deepened the kiss, pouring his love and fear of losing her into every nib and suck until Perdita’s lips became tender under his lips. ”I’ll be back shortly while I take care of what happened earlier.”

Perdita nodded, her heart beating fast from the kiss and what might happen later on because of today’s event.

Soon after, Sthena left her in the room and went back to the forest where the others were, the culprit undoubtedly unaware of what was coming their way.

Left with nothing to do, sleep, however far from her eyes, even after the warm bath she had, Perdita walked to the balcony when out of nowhere a bird flew and landed beside her on the railings of the balcony.

Surprised, Perdita took a step back in doubt if this was also sent to kill her. The fear from earlier hadn’t fully gone from her body. However, the bird, unmoving from its spot, shifted on its claws to reveal a piece of paper attached to it.

Perdita’s eyes widened slightly, surprised. Was this for the King? She questioned herself. She was, after all, in his room.

The bird moved again, signalling with its beak at the letter. Hesitant, Perdita took it from the bird’s leg, her eyes still suspiciously staring at it. She proceeded to open it and her eyes widened faster than her fears had consumed her.

Looking at the paper, she stared at the words her eyes couldn’t believe she would see so soon.

”Marco?” She whispered her eyes skimming through the words again.

’Dear sister, I’m saddened my words will have to be short. I want you to know I am fairing well. Do not worry about me. We will soon meet. Soon. Love, your little brother, Marco.’

”Oh no, Marco,” Perdita broke down, a wave of emotions surging inside of her. Marco wrote to her. She repeated in her head. Her little brother is alive and he wrote to her.

Seeing his handwriting alone made her heart ache, and the realisation she hadn’t seen him for so long broke her heart. This alone made the fears of today wash away with the wind. Hearing from her brother was everything she needed at the moment.

”Oh, I must write back to him,” Tears brimming in her eyes blurred her vision as she turned to see that the bird was gone. ”Where did it go?”

Immediately, Perdita turned on her heels and walked out of the balcony and out of the room, her steps quick on the hard floor.

Rounding a corner of one of the corridors in the wing of Sthena’s chambers, she met Emily standing beside a window looking outside, or so it seemed.

”Emily, you must come at once. This came to me just now,” Perdita spoke on seeing her guardian witch and hastily walked towards her.

”Y-yes, My Lady!” Emily spoke a little too loudly, unlike how she usually spoke. Her hands moved behind her back as she bowed, ”My apologies, My Lady, I didn’t hear you come. You should have waited for me to come. His majesty asked you to rest.”

”What was that just now?” Perdita quizzed, her gaze briefly went to Emily’s hands behind her back. She hadn’t missed the hasty movement that came from her as though she was hiding something.

”My Lady?” Emily called out confused at the question.

”Were you doing something you shouldn’t do, Emily?” Perdita continued to ask to see Emily shake her head while muttering a no.

”Of course not, My Lady. I dare not! I was viewing the scenery and I lost track of what was happening around me. That was why I got startled when I suddenly heard your voice.”

Perdita’s gaze remained fixated on Emily a little longer before saying, ”Okay, I merely wanted to know why you reacted that way.”

Emily nodded and bowed. ”Forgive me, My Lady. You mentioned something coming for you?”

”Ah, about that. It’s nothing relevant. Come, I need you to get me the books I wasn’t able to finish reading the last time. Bring a glass of blood tea as you come with it,”

”Of course, My Lady. I’ll be right back.” Emily responded with a bow.

Perdita’s hand clutched the piece of paper she held as she watched Emily walk away from her. Her initial thought for looking for Emily was to inform her about the letter from Marco but she had only felt something off from the way Emily acted as though she was hiding something from her.

Was she overthinking things because of recent events happening? She questioned herself. Perhaps, yes or maybe not. Could she still trust Emily?