"Aina!" Rido's hand dropped to his side as he turned to see Kaname. Aina sighed and stood up to curtsey. Kaname was moving as fast as he could without running. "Yuki told me you were here alone, that Rido had locked the door to separate you two." He added and Aina turned her back to him, surprising him. "Aina."

"I believe Lady Hirano does not wish to talk to you." Rido spoke on her behalf when Aina still ignored him.

"I'm not talking to you, I'm talking to Aina." Kaname snapped at him.

"I ordered for the door to be locked." Aina spoke up but still not looking at Kaname.

"But why?"

"Because your sister is an annoying little brat who accused me of jealousy after she forced her way into my home. She then proceed to dress me in the most hideous of clothes. I'm just lucky your uncle hadn't sent back Shizuka's unused dresses!" She turned to look at him. Right now, she didn't care if Kaname hated her.

"She didn't tell me..." Kaname stated but was interrupted.

"Why would she tell you the whole story? She has always played the victim, do you remember when we were children? I always got the blame for everything." Aina snapped at him before taking a deep breath. Rido rested his hand on her shoulder, trying to help her stay calm.

"Aina, I'm sorry..."

"No, you sent Yuki to go for tea with Rido and me. I told you no but you still sent her. I told you about our conversation in confidence and you do this. I do not accept such a weak apology." She turned her back and looked at Rido for help. Kaname stayed silent, he hadn't calculated for Aina's change in character. He thought she was still the same as she was when they were younger. He still believed she would let Yuki do as she pleased and not say or do anything about it.

"I think it's time you left Kaname." Rido spoke up. Kaname didn't argue, Rido had won the battle but not the war. He would come up with another way to get Aina.

As soon as Kaname was gone, Aina sat down, shaking. She had stood up to Kaname, she had never done that before. Rido rushed to her side.

"Are you alright?" He asked her, kneeling down in front of her. He held her hands in her lap. She nodded and sighed.

"Sorry, I didn't intend to make a scene." She apologised to him.

"You have no need to apologise." He reassured her. "Kaname was in the wrong, not you. How about we get a drink and then I'll walk you home, how does that sound?" She nodded.

After an hour, Rido was walking Aina home. He had given her a black, fur lined hooded cloak to keep her warm on the walk back. "Aina, please don't take this the wrong way, but I would like to speak to your butler." He brought up as they walked.

"Why?" She asked confused as she held the cloak closer to her, she had already put the hood up to protect her from the growing winds as it tried to bite at her.

"I just want to discuss Kaname with him. To make sure he understands the seriousness of the situation."

"I'm capable of doing that myself." She told him, getting annoyed.

"I know but if I don't do it myself then I will worry." He told her. "I know you are more than capable of dealing with Kaname but you shouldn't have to." He added as he pulled her closer to him. "Let's get you back in front of warm fire." Aina smiled and nodded.

"Thank you."

"It's my pleasure."

In no time they were at Aina's front door and as always, Zero has the door open in seconds. Aina invited him while Zero help her with the cloak. He was surprised to see her change in dress. Rido took his chance to look over her entrance hall. He had noticed by her dress she preferred a more French style, but in her home, it was a lot more obvious. The oak flooring had been patterned a diagonal versailles parquet and appeared to run the whole length of the ground floor. The walls were painted white with simple yet regal moldings on each panel of the wall. There was a roaring fire in the pale pink marble fireplace, the flames helping the few gold candelabras on the walls glisten. The chandelier was easily an eighty plus candle, it's base made of gold with thousands of crystal glass droplets. The light reflected with a large mirror above the fireplace. There were two dark mahogany framed sofa with white upholstery with delicate floral embroidery. The dark mahogany staircase turned halfway before reaching the next floor, the curves of the white and gold balusters made the stairs it more pleasing than a square shape. The large windows had full length white curtains with pastel pink floral designs. It was clear she was a fan of the French style of rococo.

Aina lead Rido into her drawing room while Zero fetched some tea for them. As Rido suspected, the flooring was the same throughout, the same with the wall colours. The furniture was of a similar style in a pastel colours. She clearly loved pastel colours but her clothes were always on the darker side. Maybe she simply wanted to stand out against her pastel decor.

She invited him to sit with her at the small table and chairs in the middle of the room. "Your home is lovely." Rido complimented her and she smiled.

"Thank you, I find the pastel and light colours keep the house light and airy. I prefer the countryside over the city, I don't often stay here so I like it to look fresh every time I visit." She explained.

"Will you be going back to the countryside soon?" He asked, curious as to how long she was willing to stay.

"If Kaname continues the way he is going, yes. I will be staying for awhile, at least." She stated with a sigh.

"If I have an estate nearby your country estate, I don't mind moving away to continue our relationship away from Kaname." He reassured her.

"It's alright for now, we will see if Kaname has cleaned his ears enough to hear." As she said that, Zero walked in with a silver tray with their tea. He placed it down carefully and stepped back, waiting for any instructions before leaving the room.

"Kiryu, I would like you to stay for a moment." Rido told him. Zero hid his surprise.

"How may I be of service?" Zero asked with his arms behind his back.

"This is a delicate situation that my nephew has brought upon your mistress." Rido started.

"I will protect my mistress to the end." Zero interrupted. Rido blinked in surprise at Zero's forwardness.

"Kiryu, remember your place." Aina scolded him. Rido rested his hand on hers, making her look at him.

"It's alright Aina. The boy is just passionate and I would be too." Rido said before turning to Zero to speak again. "I am glad to hear that. It brings me great reassurance. For now, I simply ask that you no longer allow either my niece or nephew anywhere near your mistress. If you are unable to keep him at bay, please do what you can for your mistress and send for me. I am not saying you are not capable, but Kaname will stop at nothing when he feels like it."

"I understand." Zero responded.

"Excellent, that will be all then." Rido said with a smile and looked at Aina as she served him some tea. Zero left the room, annoyed by Rido's presence. But at least now he knew that Kaname was really a real threat to his Aina.

A little while later, Rido said his goodbyes. Zero went to return Rido's cloak to him but he insisted that Aina could keep it, along with the dress as he believed that Shizuka wouldn't miss it. Rido didn't fail to notice Zero flinch at Shizuka's name. What had Aina's aunt done to them?

As soon as Rido left, Zero was at Aina's side.

"What happened?" He asked her as she tried to relax in her seat. He kneeled down in front of her and took her hand.

"I told Yuki what I thought after what she did when she came around. I made Rido lock her out and she went crying to Kaname. She told him that Rido was trying to get me on my own so Kaname came rushing by and started on the attack. I ended up saying what I thought to him and all." She rubbed her face. "Why can't I keep my mouth shut?"

"It's alright, I love that about you." He reassured her with a smile.

"I don't know why, it gets me into all sorts of trouble." She smiled back.

"I like trouble." He smirked and stood up, his hand reached her neck and he kissed her. She smiled back at him. "Where did this dress come from?" He then asked.

"Rido courted Shizuka for some time but they both knew it wasn't going to work. She had left some dresses and I found one she hadn't worn. I told his to burn that outfit Yuki put me in. I'm sure that dress was from Shizuka as well." She explained. "His maids helped me before you say anything."

"Come on, let's get you in something much more comfortable." He told her as he gently tugged at her hand. Aina nodded and stood up.

Zero helped her change from her dress to a silk nightdresses and a blue and silver dressing gown. As soon as she settled down on her bed to relax, a frantic knock echoed through the house. Aina groaned annoyed, she had had enough of everyone knocking her door, this was why she liked the countryside better, it was further for people to travel. Zero looked out of her window and saw Kaname looking up at the house. He knew Kaname had spotted him.

Zero went down to deal with him. He would not let Kaname anywhere near her.

He opened the door and Kaname went to step in. Zero pushed him back taking Kaname by surprise. "Lady Hirano does not wish to see you." Zero stated plainly. "Please leave."

"I must talk to her now. She is under my uncles influence and she is not safe." Kaname continued to try and push his way in. Zero had had enough and revealed a previously concealed pure silver flintlock pistol. Kaname paused. "Where did you get a weapon like that?" He asked curiously.

"My mistress gave it me after an incident with Shizuka left her feeling vulnerable. This is the first time I have had to reveal it." Zero lied. It was his weapon, his vampire hunting weapon.

"I need to confirm that." Kaname responded with a stern tone.

"Do so in writing." Zero hissed and slammed the door in Kaname's face.

Kaname stared at the door for a while before walking away. He was curious about Aina's relationship with her butler. He had never seen another member of staff, Yuki had told him that Aina didn't have live in maids. But he wondered if that was due to her not normally being in the city. Yuki had also told him where Aina's room as located. Interestingly, it was where Zero appeared in the windows. The gun had now made Kaname worried. He wondered if he could stir the pot some more with Rido to learn more.

"Kaname, I'm not letting you in." Rido stated through his front door as Kaname arrived.

"Then listen instead." Kaname told him with a smirk. "I've been wondering what is Aina and her butler's relationship."

"The boy admires her and she is stern with him but there is nothing there." Rido stated with a huff.

"He has a hunter's gun." Kamame told him, making Rido pause.

"Does Aina know?" He asked concerned.

"Apparently she gave it to him after something to do with Shizuka."

"Ah, then I understand." Rido said and left Kaname confused.

"What has Shizuka done?" He had no idea that anything had happened in Aina's family. Shizuka was Aina's mothers half sister and the family wasn't that close either. There was more than a few years between the sisters.

"If you were meant to know, you would know." Rido answered and walked away. This left Kaname with more questions than answers. He had to find out what happened.

Rido had started to stop by Aina's residence every other night to check up on her. He too was finding it strange that Aina's only stay in staff was Zero. He had also started to think more about Zero's gun. He decided to look back at what happened in the last century, he had written down everything he had been told by Shizuka and then later on what the family told, as to why Aina was a spinster.

Aina had a secret lover after she moved away from the Kuran's. It turned out that her secret lover was a human with a secret of his own, he was a hunter. Shizuka found out by chance and killed the hunter and his family. She also tried to kill Aina as she believed Aina knew and was aiding him. Since then Aina's family have distanced themselves from both her and Shizuka. But now they feel that it was time Aina moved on and married. Only Shizuka knew who the hunter was and Aina had stirred clear of Shizuka ever since. Rido started to wonder if the gun belonged to the hunter and Aina had kept it for both protection and his memory. Or if the hunter was still alive, if Shizuka hadn't full finished the job, Aina may have been able to turn him. Now he wondered if Zero was the hunter, why else would she have no other staff and try to live as far from everyone as she could.

One day, he decided to ask her. They were slowly becoming friends and Kaname had backed off since. He had to know if he should be worried about Zero being a hunter and if they were lovers.