"Yo." It was Luke.
She shut the door but he was fast and strong enough to stop her attempt.
"What the —"
She was also shocked at what she did.
Her fear that he would ask her to be his dhampir is clouding her thinking.
"I'm sorry." She opened the door wide. "I had mistaken you for someone." she lied.
His expression changed. Suddenly, he was at full alert.
He looked at her while grasping her soldiers.
"Has somebody threatened you?"
She exhaled. He's over-thinking and over-protective once again.
"No one." She removed his hand from her shoulders. "Can you stop being so touchy?"
"Why? Are you affected?"
He teased.
She ignored him and just shook her head.
This man's hopeless.
"So, what brought you here?" she asked.
His face turned serious.
"I just wanted to ask if you want…"
His cheeks are red.
Is he blushing?
The tension built by her trauma of having a dhampir is slowly fading because of this man's unbelievable stupidity.
She knows what exactly he wanted to ask.
She can actually make things easier for him.
Anyways, nothing will change.
In whatever manner he asked her for him to become his dhampir… her answer will just be the same…
"What? Are you stuttering?" she teased him.
She loved seeing him flustered.
Now, his face was a little bit pissed.
"You see, I bet nobody wants to be your dhampir so I am kind enough to offer you myself as your dhampir."
"No." she bluntly stated.
"Why because of Olivia?" he bluntly stated too.
Her left hand automatically slapped him.
She was shivering.
Just who does he think he is?
Yes, he helped him during the past weeks but that… that does not give him the right to dwell unto her past.
"Get out!"
Her tears are falling down her cheeks.
He did not move.
He must be very thankful her elemental powers are not yet returning because if it did she would never ask him to leave he would have flied somewhere… somewhere far.
But the man did not move. Instead he continued tormenting her. "Okay, so Olivia died because you were stupid enough not to be able to control your power at the age of five."
She slapped him.
Her parents or his dad may have told him the story.
"Shut up."
She attempted to cover her ears but his hands stopped her.
She tried to fight back.
He fought back as well.
She tried to fight back that she didn't noticed he pinned her down at the room's bed.
"You're pet died. You went berserk. Olivia tried to stop you and you were stupid not to notice it was Olivia and burned her down."
She tried to break free from his grasp.
Her tears. The memory. Everything was all coming back…
She shouted. "How dare you?"
She was shouting… She did not know how long she shouted… How long she cried… How long had he loosen his grasp over her and how long… how long had she been hitting him… What she knows is that her energy was being drained… When he probably felt that she was so weak. When she has no more voice to shout. When she has no more tears to shed. When she has no more energy to fight.
He touched his hair.
Her energy was so drained. She can't even lift her hand.
He lied on the bed next to hers. He was staring at her with very caring eyes.
His actions were so gentle. No longer was the monster tormenting her earlier.
He pushed her body to his embrace.
She was numb.
He can't even feel the warmth of his hug.
He then hugged her tighter.
"You were five years old back then and now you are seventeen years old… for twelve years… for twelve years, you've been tormenting yourself with the guilt of killing Olivia. Don't you think, twelve years was enough."
He hugged her tighter. He smelled her hair and kissed it gently.
This man…
And again her tears are falling.
Not because she was mad... but because... this man...
"Can't you just for once just understand that her death was not something you wanted. That, yes, you're abilities… your fire power burned her to ashes but it isn't your mind who did that. And all those years, you did the right thing. You trained… You trained hard in order to control that monstrous power within you. Why? Is it not because you don't want the Olivia incident to happen again?" he exhaled.
"Listen, having a dhampir is not something that you should be afraid of. You are now a seventeen years old moroi capable of controlling her power. The stupid five years old who does not know how to control her power and had killed her friend her protector in the process is long gone."
He loosened her embrace.
He stared at her.
He wiped her tears and smiled. "Don't you agree?"
Her heart skipped.
why? how come... her mother... her father... everyone consoled her of the death of Olivia but never did she felt like this... never...
She reached for a pillow and throws it at his face.
With his face covered in the pillow.
She smiled.
This man...
Somehow, she felt a little better. Somehow, the idea of her having a dhampir isn't bad at all. Somehow, because of this man's arrogant and brusque nature…
...he healed her
...he saved her from her frightening past
When he finally was able to break free from her pillow suffocation attack… He sat on the bed and pointed his finger at me. "Just what the hell is wrong with —" he shouted with his face that shouts "I am definitely mad". His face was red because of the suffocation.
But before he finished his sentence, she hugged him and whispered in his ears.
"Thank you."
"—you" Luke finished what he was about to say but the difference is that his face was no longer mad but his face is still red. I wonder if it is still because of the suffocation. She giggled at the thought.
Moments later, he cleared his throat. "So now, can I be your dhampir?"
Yes! The fear was still there alright. But things are now different… This time she had her complete trust on Luke.
But instead of yes. "Why?" she asked.
He was dumbfounded.
"I said why. Why do you want to be my dhampir?"
"Nothing in particular."
"You're lying."
"Do you have to know why?"
"Yes."
He stared at anything except her. "I really don't have a reason."
She walked out.
"Hey" he called her out.
"Talk to me when you already know why you want to be my dhampir." I shouted.
She exhaled. Yes, she already know the reason. But, she wants to hear it from him.
"That's his problem he had such a huge ego. She was afraid protecting her might be too much for him too handle." She thought aloud.
She smiled. Who are you kidding? You just wanted to help him don't you? You fear that his ego may put him in danger in the future. So you are helping him in your own shrewd way just like what he did to you earlier.
She just shrugged at the thought.
I wonder… since when did I considered him a friend?
At the Royal Court Library…
"I knew it." She said upon seeing him.
Two days left before her big decision and the stupid Luke still acting so tough.
Instead of giving her his reason he just kept on pestering her.
Stupid...Stupid Luke!
Luke was waiting for her.
"I don't understand why you have to know why. Isn't the answer simple? I want to be your dhampir. Period. No questions asked."
"Then, just go protect yourself and that big ego of yours." She glared at him. Her self-control was pushed to its limits. "I do not need a dhampir who does not know what he is protecting and why is he protecting someone!"
He was dumbfounded.
He opened his mouth.
She smiled. Will he finally say it?
And he closed it again.
Just like that. He walked away.
The night before the day she will choose her dhampir. She heard a knock on her window.
It was Luke.
She opened her window.
He entered her room. While facing the moon, he can hear his long deep breaths.
"Don't come near me." He said pleading.
She stayed silent because seeing this other side of Luke surprised her.
He exhaled. "I know, you concluded that I want to be your dhampir because Arthur is my father." He exhaled.
Was she wrong?
She stayed silent.
"I know you because I always visit the palace in the woods every school vacation. You were always training or you are locked up in your room at the highest floor of the castle. I watched you silently while you were practicing your elemental powers. You never give up despite the danger you face every day—that one day your elemental powers will consume you and it will be the end of you—you were always so positive. I always ask about you to my father. He will continuously tell me stories about you. You were 6 years old then and I was also 6 years old."
"Wait. Please don't tell me you are in love with me. That is all the more reason I will not make you my guardian." She stated. She was not kidding. She is dead serious. She does not need a lover. Yes, they've gotten closer. But she just can't imagine them as a couple. She shivered at the thought.
He faced her. He approached her. She stepped back. "Do I look like I love you?" he asked sarcastically.
I don't know the look on a man in love, moron. But instead she replied. "No."
He approached her. This time she did not step back. He held her hand. Her heart skipped.
She immediately shoved his hand away from her hand. "No touching." She said feigning irritation on her face. What was that?
He giggled and shrugged. "Going back, that time…. my dad kept on telling me of goons, strigois, morois and other bad people who will try to abuse of your power and will definitely put you in danger. Honestly, I do not know if during that time I loved you. I do not know." He was looking at her with so much honesty, she can't look away. "What I know is that I truly admire your courage. At that time, I was bedridden. When I was young I got into an accident. The doctor's told me I can never walk again."
"Oh! So, the kid in the wheelchair was you?"
He nodded. "I never thought you noticed me."
"I did notice you but during that time I can't control my power and the Olivia and my pet incident was so fresh I felt that approaching you will just put you in danger and getting to know you without spending time with you is rude. So I decided, to act like I do not know you." She paused. "But wait, if the doctor's told you can never walk again how come—?"
"When my father told me of the danger that may come to you in the future. I accidentally told him, that if I was not bedridden I would die protecting you from danger." She opened her mouth and then closed it again. She was speechless. "The next day, I can walk again. I do not know who healed me. I really do not know. I might sound crazy and I might sound like I make them all up. But it is the truth. From that day on, I worked hard to be the best dhampir because I have only one goal…"
He cupped her face. "and that is to be your guardian... your dhampir. I do not want to protect anyone else just you." He pressed her cheeks. He, then jumped to the tree and vanished in the night leaving her pondering on his words.
A minute had passed and she was stupidly staring at her window.
She approached the window. As she walked towards the window, she was enveloped by an indescribable feeling. What could this be?
From that day on, I worked hard to be the best dhampir because I have only one goal… and that is to be your guardian... Your dhampir. I do not want to protect anyone else just you.
His words kept ringing on her ears… it's… it's so…
She shook her head. "It's so annoying!" she shouted.
"That's it. It's annoyance. For having no choice at the trial. For being feared. For everything that has happened. It's annoyance." She whispered.
Before closing her window, she looked at the tree. His gone. But the tree… the tree near her window are sprouting fruits despite the autumn season.
Why? Why am I so happy?
A/N: Finally! Love is in the air! (Demonic Laugh) I do not know if it is very romantic but please bear with me for I do not have an inspiration as of the moment. *giggles*