A/N: Before you read this chapter, I want to say that this is the second half of Eva spending time with Nagi, before she and the group visits Castle McDowell. This is the second to last chapter and in case you have not noticed, the story was written in a mirrored fashion.
So without further ado, let us continue with the story!
Nighttime with Nagi
As the sun began to set inside the glass sphere of Castle Lebens Schuld, Eva pulled Nagi back inside the castle to show him to his room for the night.
Since Eva's spell on the castle prevents anyone from leaving for twenty-four hours, she felt obligated and........ a little proud that Nagi would be spending the night with her in the castle.
After going through a series of corridors, and up several flights of stairs, Eva had one of her dozen servants open the door to the guest wing. Nagi was right in thinking that this part of the castle resembled a world-class hotel. The guest wing housed several bedrooms for guests, many of which were used by her apprentices as their 'second bedroom', there was a large sitting area towards the middle presumably so that guests could sit around and chat and have tea together, and had its own balcony looking over the waterfalls. Eva led Nagi down a central corridor and showed him to one of the 'smaller' bedrooms. The maid opened the door for the two and again Nagi's jaw just dropped in awe.
The room was rectangular in size and quite large, or at least by his standards. There was a large, queen sized bed on one side of the room, a sofa on the other end and a large wooden wardrobe beside the bed. The whole room looked to be finished like the rest of the castle, in limestone, marble and granite.
"This will be your room for the night. The other rooms are used by my apprentices so I......thought I should give you a fresh room. It may not be the best one we have here, but I hope you'll find it to your liking," Eva told Nagi.
"Are you kidding?! This room has got to be the best one I've ever stayed in!" Nagi exclaimed and was almost acting like a kid again.
Eva merely rolled her eyes at his comment.
"Just curious, how many guest rooms are there?"
"Oh, um....I think there are about twenty or so in this wing. I think there might be more in the other wing."
"And........ how many rooms do you have in total?" Nagi asked almost breathlessly.
"I don't know, I never counted. Over two hundred for sure," she said nonchalantly.
"You really are an amazing person Evangeline," Nagi said smiling to the little vampiress.
"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Let me show you to the baths," Eva said and led the way down the hall to the guest baths.
Nagi felt like he was going to faint from all the opulence. He was a simple mage who did not care or mind for fancy things, comfy beds and five course meals. He was used to sleeping on the ground, in a sleeping bag inside a tent half the time when he was on his travels. He was used to catching and cooking his own food by a camp fire and was lucky if he got three meals in one day.
While those were nice once in a blue moon, he felt that it simply was not for him. And here was this tiny girl who brushed all this aside as if it were normal for super-powerful mages to have fancy castles and servants at their beck and call.
For instance, a few hours ago at dinnertime, he was shown to one of the many indoor dining halls. This one was Evangeline's private dinning room, and it was, just like the rest of the castle, ridiculously large. The long table that sat in the middle of the room was equally ridiculously large.
A bell rang somewhere, and in came several maids came in carrying what looked like enough food for eight people, except that there was only the two of them. He took his seat on Eva's right hand side and was stunned into silence at all the food in front of him.
"I hope this....is enough food for you Nagi......." Eva half-heartedly told him.
What kind of question was that coming from a ten-year-old girl? Was this her idea of a joke? Nagi thought to himself as he started with his first course, which was bread and butter. Dinnertime was mostly quiet save for a few jokes of Eishun and Rakan. As he worked through his main course, he felt......somewhat guilty, a feeling he did not normally feel. For some reason he felt it.....wrong, that a small girl like her was feeding him and housing him. Since he missed out on being a parent, now that feeling finally started to sink in and he felt that she was already doing too much for him.
Nagi had to pull himself back to reality as he was shown around the large bath full of showers and bathtubs that were used by Eva's guests and apprentices. Again Nagi was in awe of the community baths.
"Wait until you see the Mistress's private bath," one maid said as if reading Nagi's expression.
"Private bath?"
"Yeah, c'mon." Eva tugged on Nagi's arm.
Eva held Nagi's arm like that of a small child and a parent, which, would look the scene for anyone actually looking at them now.
She led him through a pair of tall, double doors and behind it Nagi was stunned into silence. The room was supported by several marble columns, the tops of which were ornately carved and decorated. Right in the very center of the room was the bath, no..... swimming pool. Nagi could hear what sounded like an indoor waterfall and as he looked to the opposite side of the room, he could not one, but several waterfalls that drained into little niches on the side of the bath. All around, there were statues of gargoyles and angels, and the floor was studded with painted gold and the ceiling was set with precious stones and jewels. Above the bath was a kind of crystal sculpture that was lit, probably by magic and gave off a whimsical light to the room.
"Hahaha! I was right to say before that you really know how to spoil yourself Eva! This bath looks to be fit for a Roman Emperor! I am thoroughly impressed!"
Eva said nothing. She loathed the fact that Nagi was able to compliment and insult her in the same breath. She hated being called spoiled.
Nagi was then left to clean up in the community bath while Eva herself went to her own. Nagi had not brought a change of clothes nor did he bring his toiletries along. That was not a problem as one glance around the room showed that everything that he needed was already there. Soaps, shampoos, towels, bathrobes, and sponges were all stacked neatly in one area.
Nagi grabbed one of each and settled himself down in a hot bath. At first the water was too hot, but as his body adjusted to the temperature, he realized how much he missed a nice, hot bath. He could not remember when the last time he took a bath like this, but it was like heaven for him as he let the hot water and soap suds wash over his body.
After cleaning himself up, he was led back to Eva's room for evening tea.
Evangeline's room in Castle Lebens Schuld was one of the largest and most ornate rooms Nagi had ever seen. It just seemed that there was no end to the grandeur of the castle. It stood in the middle of the central tower, and had a high ceiling with the bed, which looked as big as a normal sized bedroom, was plopped square in the center of the circular room.
Then again, the castle and the cottage themselves spoke (rather silently) volumes of its Master. The cottage for instance was a testimony to Eva's simplicity and her lack of desire for material things. It was simple, cute, and relatively unadorned. It was filled with dolls but otherwise devoid of any fancy decorations. The cottage, in a sense, was also a cover that hid Eva's true nature. Its log cabin exterior was similar to that of Eva's guise as a ten-year-old girl.
The castle on the other hand spoke of Evangeline's true self. The cottage was merely a cover and a holding place for this colossal structure. Just like the Palace of Versailles of France, or the Forbidden City of China, the imposing structures were as much an architectural statement, as it was a political one. Castle Lebens Schuld was no different. The scale of Eva's private chambers and bath, the opulence, was all a testimony to Eva's own colossal power and strength. The attention to detail down to the last jewel mirrored Eva's impossibly high standards of what it meant to be strong.
"So what kind of tea will you be having tonight Mr. Springfield?"
"Uh, something non- decaffeinated please. How about one of the peppermint ones?"
Evangeline was served her favorite tea.
"I figured you would be one to favor red tea. What flavor is that one?"
Eva took a sip, set her teacup back on her saucer and grinned evilly.
"My personal favorite and Chachamaru's own brand, we call it, Bloodline Tea."
"Uh huh........uh.....made with real blood?"
Eva did not answer but merely smiled again.
"Listen Eva......."
"Hmm?"
Nagi let out a sigh and said, "Nevermind........perhaps this is not the best time to say it.........."
After tea, it was off to bed. As Nagi laid down on his bed and stared out into the artificial night, he could not help but wonder how a person like Eva gets any sleep at all.
He tried to clear his mind and focus on sleeping instead. Ah, the bed was so comfortable and so warm...... he was used to traveling around and sleeping on the the ground in a tent, and now he was being treated like an honored guest of a queen. He closed his eyes and was asleep in less than twenty minutes. He was having a wonderful dream. He dreamt that he was back in his cozy home in Wales, sitting at the table with his wife, Arika, and seated across from him was Nekane and Negi. He was so happy. He always wanted a family, because it was with them, whose moments and times he treasured most. To be with the people he loved sitting around him was more than anything he could hope for.
Sadly, his dream was cut short because around 2:00 in the morning, he was woken up abruptly by a high-pitched scream.
Nagi instinctively shot out of bed and ran down the hall to Eva's room.
He burst through the large double doors and had to squint a little as the room was faintly lit by the moonlight creeping though the windows. There, in the very center of the large bed, was a tiny girl with the covers pulled all the way up to her face. He could not see her well, but had a feeling that she was the one who screamed just now.
"N-Nagi!! What are you doing here?!"
Ah, Eva's heightened senses never failed her. Figures her vampire sight helped her see him clearly in the doorway.
"I heard a scream just now and wanted to see what happened." Nagi said with much concern in his voice.
He moved onto her large bed and crawled over to the distraught girl. Nagi was......shocked and even scared what could have scared the infamous Mistress of the Night. He thought it must have been pretty bad if something could scare the scarer.
"Are you okay Eva? Do you......wish to talk about it?"
Eva hiccuped and was breathing heavily. Her small arms were trembling as she tried shifting her body to a more comfortable position.
"Here..." Nagi said holding out his left arm up to Eva's face. "...you can have a bit of my blood if it'll make you feel better."
Eva hiccuped again at the kind act. She steadied herself and carefully bit his arm and began to slurp away his magic-rich blood. He had already allowed her a drink earlier today, but she could never miss the the taste of blood, especially his. She wasn't used to people who willingly gave up their blood for her. Most of the time she had to take it by force.
"There you go! Are we feeling better now?" Nagi said after she drank her fill.
"A.....a little............t-thanks........"
"So.......are you going to tell me what could have scared the famous super vampire?"
"I......I-I........" Eva hesitated telling Nagi. Although she knew he was one of the few, if not only person who would listen to her troubles, she also hated showing weakness of any kind to any one.
"Look...." Nagi paused for a breath, "...I know you don't like showing any weaknesses but....it's just the two of us for now. But I promise I won't tell a soul about your troubles. If I do, you can beat me up over it okay?"
"O-okay. Well......I-I....I had a.....nightmare........" Eva began.
"I figured as much, go on please."
"And um.....it was all dark....and.....I....I saw my parents again......"
"Is that not a good thing?"
"Well........they said........they did not wish to see me in the afterlife.......they said.......that I could.......
"Yes...." Nagi dreaded her answer.
"...that I could rot in hell.....for the rest of my life!!!" her voice became noticeably louder as she finished her sentence. Before she could say any more, she broke into sobs and tears again.
A maid appeared at the door and asked what just happened. Nagi asked that the maid bring a pitcher of water, some glasses, and a few handkerchiefs. The maid nodded and hurried back out. Nagi could not keep track of the number of gynoid maids Eva had. Every one of them who has served them so far were different from what he could see.
Nagi couldn't help but feel sorry for the little vampiress. Actually at this point, she looked more like a scared child than a scary vampire, which was a nice change for once. Heh, even in this state she still looked as cute as a button in his opinion. He refrained from commenting because of the rather sensitive situation right now. This could not have been the first time she's had that nightmare. He wondered how long has her parents' ghosts have been haunting her, and then realized it must have been ever since she left her home. She probably blamed herself. She blamed herself for not being strong enough.
Eva could not understand why she felt this way, or even had nightmares still to begin with. She was supposed to give other people nightmares, but not get nightmares herself. She could fight off a hundred demons all at once and survived through countless years of wars and turmoil, yet she could not fight off the demons in her own mind, no matter how powerful she was. She was very frustrated.
Nagi too, sensed this frustration. It bothered him that he could not do more for the little girl other than stroking her hair and giving her a bit of his blood.
"Eva?"
Sniff, sniff. "Yes.........what do you want?"
"I know this may not mean much but.......have you ever thought about going back to visit your parents' graves?"
"N-no......and....I don't ever want to go back to that place!"
"Perhaps it might be good for you, you know? I'm sure they miss you very much, and........it might even give you a bit of closure as well."
"Maybe......."
Nagi could understand why Eva was so reluctant on going back home. He was no expert on this, but he felt she might have PTSD, post traumatic stress disorder. It would be no surprise after the loss of her parents and having to live with the responsibility of the countless lives she took. It was a wonder how Eva did not crack or go insane with that much pain and suffering. Then again, no one had Eva's will power and strength. He figured that a combination of that could be what's causing her nightmares. And here he was, being treated by and taken care of by her. It felt wrong to him. He didn't need any of this! It should have been the other way around. It was her that lost everything she held so dear, it was her who ran away from home and it was her who was lonely. He should have been the one taking care of her.
It seemed that after she lost everything that was dear to her, she just drowned herself in power.
She immersed herself deep in it.
She became one with it. Hoping that it would make her feel better.
And it did.
She loved the feeling of strength.
She loved the feeling of magic coursing through her blood.
She loved the feeling of being able to hold a person's life in the palm of her hand.
She loved the feeling of superiority, of being stronger than anyone of her kind.
And yet, those feelings were not lasting.
He felt he finally understood why Eva became so obsessed with being strong and powerful. She had no other choice in the matter, and perhaps felt that being strong in her still naive mind might make her parents come back. She perhaps felt that being evil like this was her punishment. But for better or worse, he couldn't help but shed a tear for Evangeline.
Nagi did not think. He started to instinctively pat Eva's head and stroking her fine platinum blonde hair. He held her small frame close to his body as if protecting her from any more physical harm. For several minutes, there was silence save but Eva's sniffles and occasional squeaks and hiccups.
Nagi sighed to himself and thought, I am being too nice for my own good right now. And before he knew what happened, his mouth opened up and said, "If you'd like, I can stay here with you the rest of the night."
Eva's face lit up as he said that and almost immediately stopped crying.
"You'd really do that........for me?"
"Yes I would. Besides, its the least I can do after you treated me lunch and dinner."
Eva smiled the tiniest of smiles, wiped her face as clean as possible and crawled back underneath the covers.
Nagi too crawled under the covers with Evangeline and laid his head on the large pillow next to her. He continued to stroke her hair as they laid there in the dark for several minutes.
It's a good thing no one else is here to see this, lest they see me as some sort of pedophile. Nagi thought as he drifted off to sleep with the little vampiress next to him.
Nagi immediately regretted sleeping with her the next morning.
Please read and review!
A/N: I wish to take this time to thank all the reviewers and readers who have read this story so far! I am almost done and I wish to take the time to acknowledge them. I also want to thank Donkeykong75m once again for helping me to proofread and beta this chapter!