a/n: Ok ok so maybe I'll continue this. I was randomly in the mood for it again today. (I'm supposed to be taking a break from writing so much but here I am, still writing)

Slaine opened his eyes slowly. It was mostly dark around him, save for the soft glow of a candle somewhere nearby. His head was resting on a thin pillow and coarse linens were over and beneath him.

"Are you awake, Slaine?" came a dulcet voice. She was very close.

He turned his head. Sitting by the bedside was a girl. Her long, blonde tresses were partially tied up in a delicate mess of braids, the rest cascading over one shoulder. Green eyes watched him worriedly. He recognized her immediately, and a faint smile appeared on his lips.

"You're alive... I've been searching for so long," he answered softly, finding it an effort to speak. "Where are we?"

"Please rest, dear," she insisted, slender fingers brushing the hair back from his eyes. Her pointed nails tickled his forehead as they grazed his skin. "This is the home of a mortal family who has kindly been concealing me."

Slaine cast another look about the room. His eyes were adjusting to the dim lighting, but it was still difficult to make anything out. Aside from the small, rough bed, the only other clue that this was a commoner's home was the wooden bedside table with its single candle.

He had no recollection of coming to this place, but there was a vague memory of another person, and a dark corridor… ah, yes. He had been bitten. Was all of that… what had happened, maybe it was just a dream.

The weakness in his body as he tried to roll to his side said otherwise. It had definitely happened, but what had occurred after he passed out he knew not.

"I'm… sorry about before," said the Princess, "Neither of us meant for that to happen. He's… a little unstable right now."

Slaine was suddenly aware of another presence in the room. A shiver up his spine, more like.

The Princess took Slaine's hand, "I had meant to awaken him properly, but then you appeared and…" she trailed off as his eyes looked past her.

How he had missed the dark form seated in the corner of the room was a mystery. It was now very obvious that there was another person there, watching him quietly from the shadows.

The Princess grew anxious as neither said a word to the other.

"This is a bit of a problem, you see…" she fumbled for the right words, "unlike vampires who are born as such, those who were originally human must be awakened by taking their first blood. It was supposed to be mine, but we got separated at the castle. Now his body is confused, because you awoke him instead, and he will seek you out."

"What?" Slaine's eyes snapped back to her, "You mean he'll keep coming after me now? I'm not a kitchen cupboard."

"I'm very sorry," she apologized again, pressing his hand to her cheek, "I believe… if I offer my blood, as I should have before, it will be enough to reverse this."

Slaine looked at her in horror. No one, absolutely no one, was allowed to taste the blood of the Princess, the one and only heiress of Aldnoah. And here she was going to offer it freely to this mere human, once again to protect him. He wouldn't stand for that. He would stuff that bastard so full of his blood that he wouldn't even think about the Princess's.

Inaho approached slowly and knelt by the bedside. He seemed to be back to his normal self – the version Slaine had known before their last fateful meeting. "Please accept my apology. It will not happen again." His tone was devoid of feeling, much less of remorse, but he looked sincere enough.

He would not fall for that again.

The two of them had only met briefly a few months ago, not long after the Princess had gone missing. In an attempt to express goodwill to the humans living beyond the borders of the small kingdom of Aldnoah, Princess Asseylum had sallied forth with a small band of attendants. And then they had all vanished without a trace. That was what had sparked this war between vampires and men. Slaine couldn't bear to stand around waiting for her safe return and set out to find her on his own. Instead, he had met a boy named Inaho, who had been very much human at the time. The two ended up fighting side-by-side against a particularly malicious vampire who was after some mortal children. After their victory, and believing Inaho to be a trustworthy person, he had ventured to ask about the Princess' whereabouts. To which Inaho had not replied, but rather turn on him and vanished. When Slaine regained consciousness, he was back in Aldnoah and being accused of consorting with humans and killing vampires. As a human himself, he was the perfect one to blame for what had happened to the Princess. He was the traitor in their eyes and deserved no less than the most painful of punishments.

And it was all because of Inaho. He was the traitor.

Now here he was, ruining his life again, and now with the nerve to apologize like everything was fine. It was obvious he was putting on a show for the Princess, whom he was probably manipulating. Where was the apology for the first wrong Inaho had done him? That was long past due.

Even as the boy was kneeling penitently by his bedside, there was a hungry look on his face. Disgusting. He was nothing like the refined royal family. Only the basest vampires let their appetites show so plainly.

"Back for a snack?" he said with less sharpness than intended. He was too drained to speak with any force. Literally drained. Still, there was the Princess to consider. He would not let her offer herself to this vile human.

He flung an arm at the boy, like tossing a bone to a dog.

"Ah ah!" Asseylum fretted, standing up in alarm, "no no! You'll pass out again. If you are hungry, Inaho, please let me know. I will supply you, and set this mess aright."

There she went again, spouting nonsense. It was indecent, unheard of.

"That will not be necessary, Miss Seylum," said Inaho, standing up. "He is awake, so please rest now. It's nearly midday, and I know this bright land is tiring for you."

She smiled at him. "Yes, that is true. Alright, I will sleep a while. Please look after him, Inaho. I trust that you'll be careful with him…" she added with stern motherly look.

Inaho dipped his head respectfully, "Of course."