There was silence in the great hall. They let the days and nights pass them by, calmly. It was not uncommon for them not to realize the sun and moon loomed above.

Bastian was sitting idly by the table, yet he was not paying mind to the food on it. He kept nudging a grape back and forth, letting a crow peck at it. There was a faint smile on his lips, for the animal did no longer show any apprehension for the castle, as long as he was nearby.

While he kept his mind busy with optimistic thoughts, another one was less positive. Nerys was standing tall, holding a manuscript that she read with obsessive focus. She did not really need to ponder the words of the note. It was an ordinary report. Her land had recovered greatly, now that it was no longer sieged by the insurgence. Farmlands were keeping a steady production for all humans, and there was enough blood for all vampires to stay sated.

There were barely any important matters for her to attend, everything was calm. Sadly, that allowed her thoughts to wander. Every day she awoke, she hoped it would be the one in which she would see her again. Consequently, when she would lay for sleep, she had to accept that the sun would rise again without her. She was prey of a paradox. Although she feared her return, there was nothing she wished more than to hold her again, even if she would do so with her twisted claws.

“How many times have you read that thing by now?”

His casual question finally made her lower the note. She had been holding it for an hour.

“I don’t even know anymore.”

He chuckled and leaned slightly to give her a look.

“Stop overthinking, that’s my thing.”

She frowned and stared at him.

“Perhaps you are a counsellor, but as the ruler of this land, I am obligated to ensure its wellbeing. I need to ponder carefully, more than you.”

“You are not only thinking about your land but others that are far as well, ones you can’t go back to.”

He did not even blink when she sighed and growled under her breath.

“Can you blame me? What if she-?”

“Oh please, if she considered that your rule was tyrannical she would not have helped us. We would be dead.”

“She has not seen anything yet.”

“Right, because she did not march through your entire domain, and she definitely did not see how you shielded the humans that fled from her raids. As well, she did not sneak into the castle through an empty unused dungeon, but climbed a damn wall to get to us.” He dropped the sarcasm, to affirm more gently. “She saw enough to let go of her hate. Trust me, she won’t come back to judge you. Maybe she will grumble about some things, but she has always done that.”

Nerys took a deep breath, but that did not keep her from worrying. Bastian rolled his eyes, hearing her go at it again.

“How will I explain the fact that I killed your squad and kept you captive? You have been scarred and mistreated! Furthermore, I failed to shield you once I swore to it, allowing that beast to wound you. Then, I afflicted you with vampirism. I have been blind, all ever since I stepped into those ruins, and I don’t think she can forgive-”

“Watch it.”

His remark made her blink and then look down. She blushed in embarrassment, because she had been clenching a claw around one of her arms, enough to rip her robes slightly. A sigh escaped her as she tried to bury those thoughts, but it was not easy.

He tried to calm her down, once more. Her worry was unneeded, because he was the one who could condemn her actions the most, yet he had forgiven her.

“Nerys, if I understood, she surely will. Look, I am anxious too, but worrying will not take us anywhere right now. Only when she gets here will we be able to see what she feels.”

He grew quiet, for his own dark thoughts returned, even though he had been trying to ignore them. And so, he nudged Nadiya, who let go of the grape to peck at one of his nails instead. That was enough to keep his mind busy.

They had been alone in the hall, trying to enjoy some tranquillity. That changed when one of his scouts ran in, to approach him reticently. Even she looked up when their subordinate spoke, because he did so nervously.

“Sir, I bring news from the border.”

Nerys usually relegated the control of their lookouts and emissaries to Bastian, for he always made sure to relay the most important details to her. Still, if she could, she listened to the reports personally. When he asked dreadfully, she was paying as much attention.

“Don’t tell me that more insurgents have ventured into our domain… We established many patrols by the forests, none should have managed to cross them.“

“Well, sir…” The messenger smiled nervously, for his report was unusual. “A lookout did in fact spot insurgents crossing the borders, but there was no pursuit or confrontation. They were only two, and they approached our sentinels willingly. One of them did show hints of hostility, but he was stopped by the other. The guards would have apprehended them if they had not recognized her. They have been let through, as instructed.”

Nerys bolted away before the scout could finish. It took a minute for Bastian to process those words, but then he dashed as well, following her fast into the courtyard. By the time he got outside, she was already on her steed. He barely had time to take his own mare before she stormed out the gates. She headed directly for the far fields, without a word, for she could not wait.

——-

The two looked around, finally setting foot into a village. They had seen it before, but it had been engulfed in flames, void of life. Now they could see its people roam, without fear or worry. Vampires and humans stood in the main plaza, browsing through the many stalls of the market.

Her ochre eyes watched curiously below her hood, while he glared furiously. She did not condemn the fact that some vampires wandered freely between humans, while he despised the fact. It did not help that there were a few guards, who donned the banners of the clan proudly.

Lyssa noticed well how Sergius had a hand on the handle of his weapon, a long whip that he always engulfed in flames. He was keeping an eye on every single vampire, and his stance was everything but calm. She knew that he was barely containing the urge to lunge, and so, she grasped his hand, to pull at him gently.

“Come on, we bought enough food. Let’s keep going.”

He glared again at the vampires around them. It did not matter to him that they coexisted with humanity in these regions, for he only saw beasts. Still, he followed her towards an outer street, where fewer people roamed.

The two left the town and marched calmly towards a field, where they had tied their horse to a tree. Now that they had more supplies for their journey, they could keep moving towards the capital. She began to unlatch the reins, commenting.

“You should leave behind that whip.”

When they reached the border, he had almost dashed to kill the first vampire that stepped close. It was her hand that kept him from acting, and only her tactful words allowed them passage.

Right now, he had his hand over his weapon, hidden below his long coat. He looked all around them like if a vampire would jump at them, at any moment. She would be paranoid too if this was not her territory and domain. While she felt safe, he didn’t.

“This whip shall hang from my belt, for you are not keeping your guard up.” He growled, angered by her trust. “I wish you would let me rip apart these filthy creatures. They are nothing but parasites, leeches.”

She was done untying their horse, and due to it, she was able to cross her arms firmly.

“Are they wounding the humans that live in this land?”

“They demand blood. If it was not given, they would take it by force. It’s disgusting.”

She was going to say something, but she saved it for herself.

“I would be a hypocrite if I condemned what you just said.”

“You should have not surrendered your hate, not for blind care.”

“You have yielded due to care too, you know?”

“Don’t make me reconsider it. I won’t doubt to slay them if they show any trace of hunger near you.”

She refused to argue, because she had done it already. He had agreed to come to this land, even if he still hinted his abhorrence for it. It had not been easy to explain what she had seen in the fortress, for he could not accept the notion that vampires allowed humans to live in peace.

She had trouble believing it too, but at the same time not. Warlords were always cruel and vile, yet Nerys was not such thing, not even now. The situation was perplexing and slightly dreadful, but… it was better than death.

Her mind stopped pondering what could have been, because she heard something. She let go of the reins and looked at the distance, shivering as she saw a figure far ahead.

Sergius snarled, for Lyssa ran off, hastily. He saw a group of horsemen approaching them, much like her. They were vampires, yet she did not doubt to head towards them, fast. There was the ruler of this domain, riding on that black steed, followed from afar by her personal entourage. Even though she was headed for the village, she quickly noticed them in the field and promptly redirected her advances.

Lyssa cried and ran faster uphill, because Nerys jumped down her horse, to greet her with open arms. There was no armour, no longsword. The only thing she displayed was her love. And so, she was not embraced, but tackled.

Nerys huffed, falling back against the soft grass of the field, with Lyssa in her hold. After the tumble, she opened one eye and smiled, hearing soft laughter, something she had been dying to hear again.

The human chuckled and sobbed at once, her grip on the vampire intensifying with each second that passed. Neither could believe that they were living this moment, and their emotions were not easy to keep down.

“Nerys, you don’t know how much I’ve missed you!”

“Lyssa, I-”

“The wait was unbearable! I prayed day and night for you to be alive, yet I had to leave you when I finally found you!“

Nerys sat up, propping her up as well, with ease. She brushed away Lyssa’s tears, feeling hope when she saw no trace of dread for her sharp nails. Her next whisper was gentle, caring.

“I couldn’t wait either. I’ve also longed for-“

She could not finish. A hiss escaped her when a sharp swish and crack echoed. Lyssa gasped, because Nerys let go and stepped away, holding one of her claws with a grimace. There was a snarled threat, which made them both freeze and tense.

“Don’t you dare lay a claw on her.”

Her green eyes looked away from the faint cut, to meet that hateful gaze. She took a deep breath and stood tall, knowing she had to take heed of his warning. He was not bluffing. She had known him for many years, and she had not forgotten his passionate scorn.

Lyssa was the one to confront Sergius, outraged by how he lashed at Nerys. She pushed him slightly as he edged closer, admonishing his hostility.

“Sergius! I told you to not hurt her! Give me your whip!”

“I don’t want her fangs near you!”

“She has no intention of biting me, you stupid senile fool!”

Nerys sighed and kept her distance. She tugged at her long red hair and averted her gaze, understanding that she would not be able to hold her as she had wished. While the two argued loudly and she lamented silently, someone finally reached them.

Bastian made his mare halt by Nerys, and then he got down with a worried frown. The two stood there nervously, watching as Lyssa smacked Sergius with the back of her hand, while he snarled and pointed at them.

This was not the kind of reunion that they had expected. Bastian was the one to comment on it, leaning closer to Nerys with a weary and shaky smile.

“I better not try to hug her, right?” Nerys nodded twice, brushing the cut on her claw. Due to it, Bastian sighed and held his hands instinctively, apprehensive. “Well, this is going to be… more challenging than thought.”

They had not considered that Sergius would follow her. When they were human, they had seen constantly how much he loathed vampires. Their hope for her arrival had made them forget it.