The Royal Revenge
Chapter 211: Attachments

Chapter 211: Attachments

Elys sat down on a plush armchair as she processed the things the noble vampire had revealed to her about.

"What you said about the vampire clergy, you could have just tipped one of the knights under the investigation," Elys waved a disinterested hand, "What you have done today has been a waste of time. Time as precious as your life."

The noble vampire stood her ground and met Elys’ condescending eyes with determination.

"I firmly believe that I have not wasted your precious time, your majesty," Lady Beatrice spoke. "What I have said about High Priestess Naya not being involved stays true no matter what you might think."

The young queen’s brows raised at the comment she made, "Did you just imply that I am biased against the High Priestess Naya?"

Lady Beatrice could only smirk.

"Word travels fast with ears as sensitive as a vampire’s, Queen Elysianne," Lady Beatrice said, "All the more was the fact that during High Court meetings, your expression shows much contempt when the High Priestess Naya speaks."

Elys kept her face blank at the accusation thrown at her, but in her mind, she was slightly disturbed that someone had seen through her mask of indifference towards the vampire clergy.

Especially when it concerned the High Priestess Naya.

"Also, your majesty," Lady Beatrice continued, "My family hasn’t been one of the strongest among the other families for the longest of times. If I had tipped anyone aside from you, wouldn’t you think the real enemy would most definitely try to find me, and shut me up permanently?"

"That is true," Elys agreed sarcastically, "it is not a farfetched theory."

The noble lady crossed her arms and frowned, "You aren’t taking me seriously, your majesty."

Elys waved a disinterested hand and said, "Why are you even defending the vampire clergy with this, Lady Beatrice? What do you gain from all of this?"

"I gain nothing, your majesty," the noble vampire’s eyes lowered, "I gain nothing but a chance to speak with you alone. I guess it is high time that I did what I lost the chance to do when we first met."

The young queen was piqued at the change in tone the noble lady used in her voice. Elys gave her a quick side glance, and their eyes suddenly locked.

Elys couldn’t start to guess what the noble lady really wanted with her. It was true that the information she had given to the young queen would have been alright to relay to the royal intelligence unit.

But why did she insist on talking to Elys alone?

That was the real question right now that the young queen needed an answer for.

On the other hand, Lady Beatrice stood straight as she held Queen Elysianne’s cold gaze as long as she could. What could she really have in her mind?

"Speak not in riddles, Lady Beatrice, and get on with what you really came here for," Elys scowled at the noble vampire.

Lady Beatrice inhaled deeply, and then released the air she took into her lungs out of her body as she exhaled slowly.

"Your majesty, I humbly ask for you to accept me to be your lady in waiting," Lady Beatrice finally spoke.

+++

Aleksander left the palace to return to where everything started.

He wanted to clear his mind and the young king escaped the suffocating air inside the palace for those same reasons. His head was all muddled up since the moment he learned of Cordelia’s betrayal.

But most of all, Aleksander’s mind was running a marathon with how Elysianne had chosen to still protect Cordelia right after that.

"Why did she choose Cordelia?" he asked no one at all.

He couldn’t believe that the person he chose as his queen had turned around just for a mere maidservant. A traitor maidservant at that!

"Your majesty, why have you come back in this place?" Henry asked the young king.

The old man was called all of a sudden and he rushed over to the king, leaving behind everything he was doing before Aleksander called for him. The attendant had accompanied Aleksander up until now.

They had taken two horses from the stables and quickly made their way out of the palace. Aleksander didn’t even hide his face and the fact that they were returning to the old manor.

All of the vampires and human slaves and servants that they passed by from the main palace, capital, and then to the outskirts of the main city.

Eyes were turning as the king and his human attendant rode on their horses through the kingdom’s capital.

Murmurs rose in the air as whispers and hearsays were exchanged behind his back.

"Why is the king by himself?" someone asked.

"Should he not have a trail of servants and knights with him when he goes out?" another added.

"He seems to be in a pretty sour mood," a man commented.

"Are you pretty stupid? When you are trying to run a kingdom and repress a pending war then wouldn’t you be in a sour mood as well?" another man corrected him.

There were a mix of people who supported the young king and a pretty handful who clearly do not. Aleksander really didn’t pay heed to much of this.

Aleksander’s ear suddenly rung and his head dizzy. It was a good thing that he did not faint due to the vast and deep oceans of heads around him.

He continued to move forward and disregard all his people who at times run up to his horse to beg for gold or food. The old attendant would sometimes throw a few coins their way, but there was not much to his pockets as their excursion had been out of a whim.

The moment they entered the old dilapidated manor, Aleksander immediately turned from the great hallways and down to the room where Elys had awoken after their wedding.

The place where his wife had tried to kill him with a broken glass mirror.

"King Aleksander?" Henry called out to him.

The old man was worried of his master. Aleksander hasn’t spoken much since they had gone out of the palace. Henry had heard of what happened with Elys’ room and the commotion in Aleksander’s office, but he still had not even learned of the real reason his master came all the way to return to their rundown manor.

"Henry, in what way do you think I lack as a king?" Aleksander asked the old attendant in a slightly unusual manner. "More importantly, as a husband to my human wife."

’Has he lost his –’ Henry thought to himself but was ultimately cut off.

"I have not lost my mind yet, Henry," Aleksander read his mind.

The attendant merely frowned. He had found it quite disturbing that Aleksander has started yet again to tap into his subconscious. But nevertheless, Henry still remained quiet and didn’t take it too seriously.

He had survived many of Aleksander’s fits of rage before, and this time around was just a quick visit to the past self of the young king.

"Answer my question, Henry. Is it a yes or a no?" Aleksander sighed in exasperation about what he asked for.

Henry mulled over Aleksander’s question for a short while, and the old man even hummed as his mind ran around in circles.

"I don’t think that his majesty lacks anything thereof when it comes to serving the people," Henry began after a long time thinking about what were the right words to say.

Aleksander merely scoffed at the servant’s reply. He knows that his question had been absurd. Of course, in the eyes of the people, if not for being a bastard and rumored as cursed, what Aleksander had done for the kingdom was mor than enough.

He recalled that for most of the decisions he had made as the Western Kingdom’s king, Aleksander had heavily relied on Elys’ wisdom.

But then again, he was here at his old manor because of Elys herself.

Aleksander released a heavy sigh and then said, "Pour me a glass of blood, would you?"

The old attendant smiled and then bowed at Aleksander. He exited the room and just as Aleksander heard the door clicked close, the giant grandfather clock chimed to indicate the passing of one hour.

The young king paced inside the room and found the activity relaxing. Perhaps he should have tried to walk instead of riding a horse.

A knock came from his door and then Aleksander turned around to see Henry come in with a wine glass full of blood.

He came over towards Aleksander and handed the glass to the young king.

"Hopefully this would help ease your worries, King Aleksander," Henry said softly, "if you are ready to talk about it, then please know that I would always be available to talk to."

Aleksander smiled and brought the glass to his nose.

"I know, Henry," Aleksander said, "I know very much."