The Vampire King's Possession
Chapter 646. Jean Heads Back

Chapter 646: 646. Jean Heads Back

"Why won’t you leave the room? The burns aren’t that bad. I am sure no one would have issues with you appearing at the table."

"I’d rather not appear in front of anyone looking like this. It is only for a few days. No one would miss me," he explained. "And they can use the time to rest too."

"I suppose they won’t but surely, it’s not fun to be all cooped up in here. We could go for a walk out if you’d like."

"I would rather not do that," he replied. "It’s not a problem. I am not against the alone time," he mumbled.

Mauve nodded her head. "Okay," she replied. As much as she rather pester him. She knew better than to push.

"What would you like to do here?" She asked instead.

"Nothing, I could stay here in silence all day as long as you would just stay in my arms.

Mauve giggled at his reply and leaned against him. He buried his face in her hair and did her best not to bother him.

***

The next couple of days passed pretty quickly for Mauve, maybe it was because she was busy with Louis and Jean. Jean gave her lessons and helped her with the plants by planting some of them in her garden and as soon as he was done with this and she had learned all that she needed to, it was time for him to be on his way.

The night he was supposed to leave was a bit tense. She could tell Jael wasn’t happy about it but he didn’t stop it and didn’t complain and since he would leave the room, she had to leave Jael and go all by herself.

"Mill," Mauve called as she answered the door.

"Are you ready?" She asked. "Jean is about to leave."

"Yeah, I was just on my way out."

"Alright. Shall we?"

"Yes, let’s," Mauve replied, giving Mill a tight smile. She took one last glance back at the room where Jael was staying before stepping out into the hallway.

As they walked towards the stairs, Mauve couldn’t shake the feeling of unease. Jael’s reluctance to leave the room, his insistence on staying hidden, gnawed at her. She wanted to do more for him, but she respected his wishes, even if it left her feeling helpless.

The main hall was abuzz with activity. Jean stood near the door, his bags packed and ready. He looked up as Mauve and Mill approached, offering a warm smile.

"Jean," Mauve greeted, trying to keep her voice steady. "I wish you didn’t have to go so soon but it would be cruel of me to keep you here any longer."

Jean chuckled, though there was a hint of sadness in his eyes. "I wish I could stay longer too, at least until you have completely been rid of the marks but duty calls, you know how it is."

Mauve nodded, swallowing the lump in her throat. "Thank you for everything you’ve taught me. I’ll take good care of the plants and make sure to not fall sick. As much as I enjoy your company I’d prefer you didn’t make the trip here too often."

Jean laughed, "I have no doubt you will," Jean replied. He then turned to Mill, who had been standing quietly beside Mauve. "Take care of her, Mill. And yourself."

Mill nodded, her expression serious. "I will. Safe travels, Jean."

Jean gave one last look around, his eyes lingering on Mauve. "Goodbye, Mauve. My regards to the vampire King and thank you for the letter, Rosa would be thrilled."

"I will let him know and tell Rosa to write me a letter when she can. I would absolutely love to hear from her." Mauve smiled softly as she spoke.

"I will," Jean promised.

"I wish your wife a safe delivery and I will be so happy if you let me know when your child arrives," she said.

"Of course," Jean said with a bright smile and she could clearly shed the pride in his eyes. She tried not to think about this and what it meant for her.

Mauve watched as Jean stepped out into the night, his figure quickly disappearing as the doors of the castle closed shut. Someone she wasn’t scared for his safety but she couldn’t help the pang of loss she felt.

As the door closed behind Jean, Mill placed a reassuring hand on Mauve’s shoulder. "He will get back safely. The guards would make sure of that."

Mauve touched her palm, "Surprisingly, I am not too worried about that. I just think I might not see him for a while. That’s a good thing but still.

Mauve smiled gratefully at Mill. "You’re right. Let’s go check on the garden."

"Oh, I haven’t done that today," Mauve said. "Jean did say to watch the new plants closely and water them properly."

"I could help you with that. Two hands are better than one," Mill offered.

"I am sure you have other things to do," Mauve mumbled. "You don’t have to," she said.

"Mauve," she called softly.

Mauve nodded and said, "Alright then."

They made their way to the garden, the cool night air a welcome relief from her choking feeling. She was happy for Jean and his wife but remembering that made her remember the fact that she might never have Jael’s child and that had stung a little more for some reason.

She should be happy, she had better than she had ever expected. Things were a bit fuzzy now but she knew they would be fine in no time. Once Jael was all healed up, he would be back to normal and less gloomy. She was also really glad he survived the attack, she couldn’t imagine what she would have done had the worst happened.

The plants Jean had helped her with were thriving, their leaves vibrant and green. Mauve felt a sense of pride and accomplishment as she looked at the flourishing garden. It drew away from her glum thoughts.

"I think we’re doing a good job," Mauve said, her spirits lifting as she surveyed the plants.

Mill nodded. "Absolutely. And it’s only going to get better."

They spent the next hour tending to the garden, talking and laughing as they worked. For a while, Mauve was able to forget her worries about Jael. The garden had become a sanctuary, a place where she could find peace and clarity.

Eventually, they finished their work and headed back inside. Mauve’s thoughts returned to Jael, and she found herself drawn back to his room. She knocked softly on the door before entering.

Jael was sitting by the window, staring out into the night. He turned as she entered, a faint smile playing on his lips.

"That took a while," he said, his voice didn’t reveal much.

"I went up to the garden with Mill," she mumbled as she closed the door behind her. "I wanted to check on the new plants."

"I see. How was Jean’s departure?" he asked, his voice low and steady.

"It was okay," Mauve replied, crossing the room to stand beside him. "The garden looks a little bit different. Well, more plants is a good thing," she mumbled.

Jael reached out, taking her hand in his. "I’m glad you like it."

He pulled her into his legs and Mauve sat down without any fight. She leaned into him, savoring the comfort of his presence. "Jael, I wish you would come outside with me. Even just for a little while."

He sighed, his grip on her hand tightening. "I know, Mauve. But I’d rather do that when I am all healed up."

She nodded, accepting his answer even though it pained her. "Okay. I suppose it is fine," she turned to look at him. "Just a little more time and all the redness would be gone and you would be back to your pale old self," she giggled.

"Yeah," he said, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

They sat in silence for a while, drawing strength from each other. Mauve knew that Jael’s healing would take time, luckily not as long as it would for a human. For now, she was content to be by his side, supporting him in any way she could.

Besides, she had other things to worry about. Louis had found all the books and he was willing to let her recite the spell she had first started with and others but to be safe he had requested they continue her lessons on the rooftop. At least to prevent an accident like that from happening.

Mauve was worried someone might see but at this point, she just wanted to learn some magic, she didn’t care too much about the risks. Hopefully, this time around things would go right.

She hadn’t fallen ill since then even though the marks on her body didn’t seem to be going anywhere. But maybe the scars weren’t so bad. Lord knows she already had enough of those.