I hope you all like this chapter! And thank you my readers for all the lovely reviews and many thanks to your compliments on my writing! I have other fanfictions if you'd like to see them.
And if I don't have a pairing that you'd like to see, then let me now in a review or private message and I'll do my best to make a story you could all enjoy!
Without further babbling, here is Chapter 7!
Chapter Seven- Ignorance
"WAIT!" Yelled one of the men whom had been listening to Aldo's story of the woman in his care. His name was Ciro, he was a man in his mid-thirties and much wiser than most men. He stood at six foot four, towering over the rest of the group in front of him as he stood. With him being the son of a blacksmith, he grew up in the work as soon as he could begin working with his father.
By the time he reached to being a teenager, to young adult, he had moved on to begin building homes for the villagers and collecting the normal fee for such a task. He was a well built, and well respected man in the village to mostly everyone. Though unmarried and nearing the time where he should come upon himself to have a wife, he made a living for himself that gave him a comfortable living. His opinions were important to this group of men.
All of the men looked up at him in silence and he gave a low sigh. "We...cannot murder her without such evidence."
"It is not murder Ciro if she has the diavolo, she cannot be saved from that fate." Remarked one of the older men of the group, Desi. He was in his later fifties, he usully ran some of the market and made sure things stayed in proper order for others who sold items there as well.
"Gentleman, may I make a suggestion?" All the men turned to the door of the barn they had met in, seeing a younger man whom they did not know. Aldo though, recognized him as the aquaintance of the royal, having a better look at him he realized this man was also a royal.
Caius walked forward with his hands held behind his back, looking between all of the men but his eyes lingering on Aldo. "Who are you?" Snapped Desi. He was not the type of man to like anyone who interrupted their meetings, no matter who it was.
"I am a royal passing through, that is all you need to exactly know. I am sure that this Sir-" He said with a glance towards Aldo- "knows me as the companion of the man who's been going near the Lady Sulpicia quite often. Now, if she is such a woman who has the diavolo, then she has made a contract and is a witch. I do not need a thing like this near me or my friend out there." Caius paused briefly, nodding his head towards the door, where the outside would be.
He imitated a few breaths and then continued when he was sure no one would interrupt him. "Aro and I have seen many witches, sirens, or sorcerers throughout our travels and they all have been put through trials to be found guilty or innocent. I believe, the less harmful way to the Lady would be the lake trial."
Ciro watched Caius curiously, there was something about this man that he did not like, but he couldn't ignore how well his words were making complete sense. He looked between the men and noticed Aldo was saying nothing.
"If we did this, she may be as good as dead. If she doesn't drown, the villagers will be sure she is the one causing all of this."
Desi, who had been silent and glaring towards the royal was now having a different attitude towards the new man in their 'private' meeting. He liked how he thought, and thought it would take care of a problem no matter the outcost. "Ciro, be reasonable. If we do nothing and murders continue to happen, how else will we know if she is really innocent?"
"Perhaps...there is another way." Caius suggested with a frown. The men turned their eyes on him again and he sighed. "You could...lock her away for a certain amount of days and see if the killings stop, or see if she can practice such powers from her prison. If the killings stop, then continue with another trial, if not, set the woman free."
A thoughtful look crossed Ciro's mind, he finally sighed as he looked at the other men who were nodding in agreement. He didn't want to seem like he was defending Sulpicia too much, that could reflect badly onto her and they would think he could not be trusted. He finally nodded his agreement and walked out of the barn.
Desi turned to Caius with a appreciated smile. "Perhaps you could continue to help us with this matter?"
Caius, chuckled at this. How humans were so easy to manipulate for him, in some ways it was good and in others, it was sad. Sad at how easy men and women let down their guard when they heard everything they needed or wanted, though it did make his job easier. He wished for a real challenge, but then he remembered his wife and shook his head. If he had more challenge than Athenodora, especially in a human, then he'd be very concerned.
As manipulative he maybe, Athenodora was even more so. She'd use her looks, her seductiveness to get what she wanted, and she'd usually use these tricks on him in order for her to travel with him, but he didn't mind as much as he pretended to. Which reminded him of something he had to do...
"It would be an honor." He finally said to Desi who seemed to be beaming now from the accomplishments of the days meeting.
Sulpicia awoke in a fright but was no longer laying against Aro. She was in a home she did not recognize and in a bed that was slightly softer than hers at home. She looked around curiously then called out for Aro.
She heard voices and then saw him enter the room with a soft smile on his face. "Forgive me, but you seemed too exhausted and I couldn't continue with us in the open from the looks they were giving us, I brought you here where Caius and I have been staying."
Sulpicia rubbed her eyes and slowly climbed out of the bed, straightening her gown as she looked at Aro. "Thank you.." There was an awkward silence that followed her thanks, she looked at Aro then at the floor as she was unsure of what to say.
Aro studied Sulpicia and bit his tongue. There was something about her that seemed right, her personality resembled part of his, it made him think he could speak with her about anything and that he'd in return get positive remarks or brand new ideas to his plans. He saw a different kind of light in her, and a darkness that was being hidden.
He knew he wanted her, that was an obvious fact. But he was unsure if she wanted him. He knew by her thoughts that she felt safe with him, but feeling safe was far different than wanting to be with someone. He tilted his head while he studied her, she was beautiful to him, she had flawless skin and an innocence that would shine out of her. But with the innocence, came something vicious just hiding underneath the surface.
He wanted to make that come out, he knew it would in time especially if she became his wife. He smiled at the thought and decided to finally break the silence by stepping forward. He decided not to read her her thoughts again, unless he absolutely had to. His curiousity was mounting at what she must be thinking now, but he refrained from touching her skin.
The temptation was strong, she tempted him in many different ways, but he controlled himself...for now at least.
With a quiet unneeded breath, he broke the silence and the tension between them, speaking gently to her. "I should take you home, it'll be safer than being away from home towards the night."
She scoffed at him, like he was either insane or completely ignorant. This made his temper flare, not only did she scoff at him, but she rolled her eyes! He narrowed his eyes at her and bit his jaw to not say anything.
When Sulpicia looked at him, she could clearly see the anger she put there and couldn't deny the little thrill it gave her, she didn't know why, but she began to speak to him in a way that would challenge him. It was such a way that she'd never speak to a man in a status like him, speaking to a royal like a peasant would usually have her whipped or worse.
But then again, she knew Aro was not that cruel, at least to a woman with how she has seen him, she stepped forward and softly placed her hands onto her hips, a little smirk coming across her face. "Aro, have you lost your only mind?" She said in her sweetest tone, but her face clearly showing how unsweet she was being. "Pray tell me, why you believe I'd be much safer at home where a cruel man lives with me, where his anger of his own wife's death as brought him to treat me like a low lived peasant in the ruins. Upon my word, how dare you suggest I even step foot back in such a place, it would be like I suggest you throw your royalty onto the next low life from the hollows that walked across your path."
She saw his expression change, and she continued. "For out of everything Aro, royal or not, you are sometimes very ignorant to what you think I need to be safe. Perhaps it is because you do not know Aldo's character, perhaps it is because men think too highly of themselves, especially royal men. Is this why kings need a queen, aside from having an heir, to make sure their ignorance is maintained to a proper level? I can only imagine it would take such a strong Queen to maintain your ignorance."
Aro let out a breath at this. No one had ever said so much that had insulted, yet tested him before in his many years alive as a human and vampire. Instead of showing his temper, he simple just smiled at her and stepped closer, stopping so only a foot was between them.
"And these are the words of a Lady? My, my..." He trailed off, tsking at her which he saw began to make her angry. He saw it in her thoughts, Sulpicia could not stand to be tsked at in anyway shape or form. "Perhaps us Kings, do need our Queens for more than an heir, perhaps...we need them to maintain our ignorance, but we also maintain theirs." He saw her eyes narrow and he continued.
"My precious Sulpicia, we Kings, no matter the kind, know what our Queens do for us, but we also know what they would gladly do, especially if we save them from a low life from the hollows and ruins of a damaged home. You test me, out of everyone I have ever meant. But pray tell me, royal or not, if you'd be honest to deny or admit that you'd be down on your knees for me in an instant if I could change everything for you. If I could make you into something more, because I have more power than you? You may be able to help me with my ignorance or pride, but I know I can do much more and you wouldn't want to refuse." He couldn't help the smirk he sent to her shocked face at his remarks, though him quoting her was meant to rub against her in a wrong way and she knew it.
She breathed in quickly and straightened her back as if to challenge him. "How dare you." She reached up as if to slap him, but he simply caught her wrist and pulled her forward to him.
"How dare I? Oh no, you are not allowed to play innocent with me Sulpicia. I can see the thrill this gives you, do not deny it."
"I do not deny it." Said Sulpicia, though she did not make any attempts to pull away from him.
"You do when you hide it instead of embrace it." He said, looking into her eyes. She let out a low breath, her face felt hot and she could only guess it was because of the quick temper that happened because of his words.
"Aro..." She began, but was cut short by a bang on the door which resulted in it flying open. There stood two men, one of which were holding rope.
I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, I couldn't help but keep Aro's "on your knees" comment in it. Haha.
Leave me a review so I know what you thought! =D
Oh! And what do you think of the new cover image? I did it myself! :)
