Bride To His Darkness
Chapter 163: The Boy and The Flower

Chapter 163: The Boy and The Flower

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After getting some rest and having her meal, Samantha sat up on the plush mattress, and when she made attempts to stand up so she could step out of the room, her body automatically swayed, whilst she tried to gain her balance due to the unforeseen vertigo she just strangely experienced. For a fleeting moment, she had assumed it was just an effect from laying down for too long, but then like a hit to her senses, she heard the same whispers in her head again, the exact whisper she had heard the other day she tried to gain consciousness of herself.

"Samantha... come to me."

"Who’s there!" Swiftly turning around to see who had mentioned her name out of the blue, there was no one there, but the once closed window had mysteriously opened, letting in an eerie breeze that seemed to carry a faint whisper– one that did not suit well in her heart. For reasons unknown to her, Samantha could feel goosebumps rise on her arms and shoulders, and as if driven by a strange feeling to move closer, Samantha’s feet made their ways towards the window.

When she dared to peer out, there was no one in the garden except for a few male servants who were quietly trimming the shrubs.

"I must be hallucinating." Samantha readily concluded as she breathed out in relief. She didn’t know why she sensed someone’s presence out here but after moving closer to see it had been nothing but her own imagination, she could only blame it on her hormones. Closing the windows and locking it properly this time around, her soul nearly jumped out her body when she heard a firm knock on the door outside.

"It’s just a knock, Sam." She mentally convinced her alert mind, and after gathering her composure, she went to open the door to find Maurice standing outside with a warm smile gracing his lips.

"Did I interrupt something?" He asked, almost peeping inside the luxurious room until his sister shook her head in response, and she returned his smile before stepping out of the room. "My training began today at the court of celestial Valor," he informed her as they began their walk down the corridor, "I haven’t started physically but there was this man named Herbert who coached me. He’s really good, and I was surprised to learn he was human because his strength was something else. I was nervous, but after interacting with him, I think I’ve got the courage to handle this as long as I put in more effort."

"The registration takes place tomorrow," Samantha turned her attention to him, unable to hide how skeptical she still felt concerning the new event Ivan had planned. "Are you sure you really want to do this? I don’t have full knowledge of this event yet, I haven’t found the appropriate time to ask his Majesty about it but I can tell it’s going to be brutal. All the soldiers who normally go into the battlefield are vampires if I’m not mistaken, since the last rules considered humans as inferior or incompetent."

"Herbert’s human." Maurice added before clicking his tongue, "the only human to be precise, but you don’t have to worry as I’m not the only human participating. The registration forms will be sent to every eligible male who is at the right age for battle, and anyone interested will get to fill the form and join the event. That’s what the commander told us during training, and he made mention of humans being given the opportunity to fight for the kingdom... the way I see it, this event will forge an equality between humans and Vampires."

They both went down the spiraling stairs together. After listening to her brother, Samantha remembered the time when the four Lords came to an agreement to allow the Humans vote for whomever they wish to rule GreenHollow. It was an adopted rule as such has never happened in the history of GreenHollow, and now an event that will test the skills of vampires with that of Humans. Samantha really couldn’t predict Ivan’s intention here, and most importantly, why did he ask her brother to participate in such violence? She didn’t want to downgrade her brother but Maurice’s physical strength is barely up to the 40% strength a vampire can possess.

"I believe I can do this." Maurice uttered, as if debating with his sister on her silent thought. "I put a lot of effort into whatever I set my mind to, and this one will be no different. He promised me he’d give me anything I ask for if I can win, and I’m going to prove it to him that I can." Maurice’s tone held jurisdiction as the memories of the conversation he had with Ivan flashed in his mind.

The vampire King poured himself a goblet of blood wine in his Throne room. Watching the red liquid pour into the goblet had Maurice shifting uncomfortably. It was still difficult to accept that that red liquid wasn’t wine, but blood... was it an animal? Or a human? He didn’t want to know. That night they had tucked his sister in after her sudden pass out in the rain, and to avoid disrupting her sleep, they moved their conversation to the throne room.

"There’s a contest coming up soon." Ivan had told him, and with the snap of a finger, the butler presented himself with the parchment that had the rules of the contest written on them, handing it to Maurice. "In my reign, everyone will be granted the opportunity to participate in anything concerning the Palace and its activities. Be it a servant, Courtier, Minister, as long as they can prove themselves worthy then I have no reason to act unjust. However, I have a special reward for you. If you can win, I won’t only bestow an honorable title to your name, but I will grant you one wish... anything you ask for shall be given as long as it is within my power."

"Even my sister?" Maurice inquired as he finished reading the parchment to look at Ivan. "Will you give my sister back to me?"

"We’ll never know until you win, is that a yes?" Sitting on his Throne, Ivan’s fingers drummed rhythmically on the table beside him, the tapping sound echoing within the silent room as he awaited Maurice’s response, and a slow crooked smile arched his sinful lips.

"Maurice?" The sudden call of his name had Maurice snapping out his flashback, and he turned his head to look at his sister who wore a mixed expression of concern and confusion on her face. "Is there a problem?

"Ah.. no." He shook his head, but before Samantha could gain the opportunity to question him further, she spotted a few female servants who had gathered around Alain as they gazed at him with adoration, and their compliments were loud enough for anyone passing by to listen to.

"He is so adorable!"

"Look at that smile! Do you want some snacks? I can make one for you and your parents!"

"Oh shut up! You’re trying to get a glimpse of the Father again aren’t you?"

"What’s your name?"

"But have you seen the Father? I almost proposed to him till I figured he had a wife."

"And watch as his wife strangles you to death if you had done something so foolish!"

"Do you like flowers? Hold on." One of the servants immediately picked out the newly fresh rose she had plucked and gently slipped it at the top of Alain’s ears, another "Awwww" resonated within the lower corridor, and Samantha couldn’t help but shake her head with a smile on her lips.

When little Alain eventually noticed her presence, his eyes lit at the mere sight of her, but instead of returning his smile, Samantha’s smile faded when her gaze shifted between Alain and the flower on his ear. The feeling brought a sense of unease to her heart, she could hardly understand it until, momentarily, her pupils constricted, and before she knew it, she was seeing little Alain in the garden, mischievously running around as usual until a figure in dark clothing swooped down from nowhere to grab him.

Alain’s panicked scream rang in her head as the rose flower in his little grasp dropped to the ground, and Samantha was snapped out of it when Maurice patted her shoulder. The horrific look in her eyes didn’t go unnoticed by him.

"Sam?"

Samantha blinked profusely, her expression contorting into one of bewilderment. Glancing at Alain who gingerly made his way to her direction, Samantha squatted down as he ran into her embrace. They had only interacted once and the mischievous thing had already grown fond of her.

"Are you alright?" She asked him, unsure of why she was even asking, and when he nodded, she felt relieved to some extent. "Can you take me to your parents?"