Rido knocked at the door and Zero answered straight away, he was waiting for Rido to come by. He took Rido's hat and greatcoat, hanging it up. As he did, Rido looked at anywhere Zero could have concealed the gun. He did this every time, but never managed to find it. Zero then lead Rido up Aina's room, this was rather unusual. Normally, he would be asked to wait in the drawing room until Aina came down to him. Zero knocked the door and waited for Aina to call them in.
Rido stepped in and saw Aina sat by one of three large windows with a book in her hand. She was wearing a simple light blue dress. The dress looked like it was a wrap around dress over a corset and hooped skirt. It was something comfortable and simple. Her hair was loose, she hadn't yet styled it.
"Rido, how good to see you." She said with a smile and stood up, placing the book down. The door shut behind Rido, Zero had left them both alone, something he had never done before. Rido wondered if he got it all wrong. "What's wrong?" She asked as Rido's face seemed to twist slightly in confusion.
"I came to ask you some questions." Rido told her. "But I think I might be wrong." He then added as she stepped closer to him.
"Questions about what?" She asked as she stood in front of him, looking up at him.
"I wanted to know more about Kiryu." He told her as his hand slowly reached out for waist. He wasn't sure if she was inviting him to more than friendship.
"What would you like to know about him?" She smiled allowed Rido to rest his hand on her waist. She looked into his eyes.
"Kaname told me he had a gun, a hunters gun." He told her and Aina looked confused.
"I would never give him a gun like that." She reassured him. "What exactly did Kaname tell you?" She asked confused.
"He said Kiryu had a gun and he claimed you gave it to him."
"Well, I have never given him a gun and he doesn't have one." She reassured him. "It's probably Kaname trying to cause a rift, after all, he was very upset that you invited to the party." She then added, stepping even closer, almost touching his chest with her own. Rido tried hard to ignore the clear view down her corset.
"That would probably be it." He took a deep breath. "When did Kiryu come into your service?" He then asked.
"After Shizuka's attack..." She turned her back to him, upset about the attack. "I looked at getting a bodyguard and I knew Kiryu through someone I thought I..."
"The hunter?" Rido asked in a gentle tone and Aina nodded.
"I didn't know..." She let a small sob. Rido walked around her to face her and held her tightly.
"It's alright. You don't have to say anything more if you don't want to." He told her and she shook her head.
"No, I need to tell you what happened, it's only fair." She told him.
"Why is it only fair?" He asked her confused.
"Because... Because I think, I think we could try more." She whispered.
"You want more than friendship?" Rido asked, trying to hold back his joy until she confirmed it.
"I would like to try, it will be my first relationship since..." She started.
"I understand." He told her and kissed the top of her head. "We can take it slow." He then told her.
"I need to tell you what happened." She told him again.
"Shizuka told me." Rido then told her. She paused and looked up at him.
"What did she tell you?" She asked, stepping back to look at him better
"That you had a secret lover after you moved and Shizuka found out he was a hunter. She killed him and his family." Rido told her.
"That's true. But I didn't know. I just thought he was a human. It started out as a bit of fun but then..." She paused.
"Love is a strong and stranger emotion. You don't always get to choose who you love." Rido told her, trying to reassure her. "I believe you didn't know. No pureblood would willingly have a hunter anywhere near them."
"Kiryu approached me after the attack, he told me that he found them and that my lover was holding on some how. He asked Kiryu to protect me, to watch over me. To make sure I find love again." Aina tried hard not to cry.
"Did you turn Kiryu?" Rido asked and she nodded.
"He asked me to so he could keep his vow to his friend." She admitted. "He's not a hunter, never was. They lived on the same street and grew up together." She took a deep breath. "I trust him, he has cared for me and helped me. He convinced me that I need to let someone else into my life..."
"I have Kiryu to thank?" Aina nodded. "Well, I will thank him before I leave." She smiled and hugged Rido for the first time. Rido smiled and help her tightly.
"What happens now?" She asked nervously.
"What ever you want." He told her.
"I don't know." She admitted with a shy smile. "It played out a little more confidently in my head but its very different in real life."
"That's alright. We can just sit and talk like we always do." He told her and she nodded.
This time Rido stayed longer at her home than he had done before. As the sun started to come up he stood up. "I best be getting back. But can I ask you one thing before I leave?"
"What is it?" She asked, standing up.
"Can I have a kiss goodbye?" He asked and Aina blushed, nodding. She gently placed her hands on his shoulders to help bring him down a little. She closed her eyes as she leaned up to kiss him. Rido's hands held onto her waist, supporting her. There lips met and Rido's right hand moved up to the base of her neck, holding her to him. She pulled away slowly before Rido could do anymore. "Goodbye." He told her with a smile and left the room.
Zero was waiting for him at the front door and help him with his coat. Before Rido left, he turned to Zero. "Thank you for helping your mistress." He said with a smile.
"I only did right by her. If I felt there was someone better for her, you wouldn't be thanking me." Zero told him.
"I would, I have learnt that I love Ania. I would do anything to make her happy, even if that means seeing her with another man." He explained.
"Even if the man she has an eye for someone who isn't pureblood?" Zero asked.
"Even then but she would have the vampire world to worry about." Rido said confused. "Is she in love with someone?" He then asked.
"I can't say, she ordered me not to." Zero told him.
"Is she only doing this to keep everyone happy?" He asked worried.
"She's doing to make herself happy for once." Zero sighed. "I told her to stop trying to make everyone else happy. She knows she can never have the man she loves but she can at least try to love and be happy again with someone else. Even if it's not the same." Zero explained. "But I don't think she would be truly happy until Shizuka is dead." He then added.
"Kiryu, if she decides that she is not happy but won't tell me, tell me. I will not hold her back from happiness and I will protect her from the vampire world if I have to so she can be happy." Rido told and Zero nodded. With that Rido left.
As soon as he gone, Zero went straight up Aina.
"Anything happened?" He asked as soon as he entered the room.
"Just a kiss, nothing else." She admitted to him.
"He claims to love you and would even let you go if you loved someone else and even protect you." He then told her.
"Maybe we can use that." She sighed. "Are you sure this is a good idea?" She asked concerned.
"Yes, it keeps your family at bay and by moving slowly, you can avoid sex or letting his drink from you. We need more time to figure out a solution and the vultures were circling." He told her. "Do you think they would have continued to let you have freedom if you turned down Rido? You would have been forced down the aisle instead."
"I know, it just feels wrong." She admitted.
"Aina, you are mine, you always will be." He reassured he as be pulled her to him. "And I want you now." He told her, making her giggle.
They helped each other undress before he carried her to the bed. He would make love to her for as long as he could, even under Rido's roof.
Rido was smiling all the way home until he saw Kaname waiting for him at his front door.
"Can I help you Kaname?" Rido asked annoyed, he should have known better than to think Kaname had backed off.
"You where at Aina's for a long time." Kaname stated.
"Spying on her now?" Rido asked, he wasn't surprised. "Are a peeping tom?" He then teased him lightly.
"No, I have been keeping an eye on who's been coming and going."
"Right, and now you have a problem with how long I visit?" Rido asked with a sigh.
"Yes, until I can talk to her. She hasn't responded to any of my letters." Kaname admitted.
"She doesn't want to talk to you. You have done enough to upset her." Rido snapped at him.
"I know what happened with Shizuka." Kaname told him with a smug look.
"Really, how about you tell me and I can tell you if your right." Rido walked past Kaname and gestured for him to follow as he entered his home. Rido lead him to a study, although it looked more like a library with a desk and few comfortable seats.
They both sat down opposite each other, the desk in between them. "So, what do you think happened?" Rido asked with a sigh.
"Aina had a hunter for a lover and Shizuka found out. She killed him and then tried to kill Aina for betraying her race." Kaname answered and Rido scoffed, as if it was simple.
"Aina didn't know he was a hunter." Rido told him. "She thought it was some harmless fun with a human. It's not the first time a vampire has had a human lover." He then added with a sigh. "Even Shizuka has had human lovers before."
"Rumour has it, the hunter didn't die. That Aina found him in time and changed him, the hunter is her butler." Kaname smirked and Rido sat up.
"He's not. I know who he is." Rido told him with stern tone. "He was a childhood friend of the hunter. He was the one who found him not Aina. The boy promised to look after Aina and even made the stupid vow to make sure Aina would find love again." He added with a sigh. "She changed him to help him keep his vow, she truly loved that hunter, even after she found out his secret. That's the kind love you have once and Shizuka destroyed that for her."
"Who told you all of this?" Kaname asked, he had to pry the information from the council.
"Aina, her butler told me the rest when I was leaving."
"Why would she even tell you?" Kaname asked confused, she had no reason to tell Rido or anyone else. She could just keep moving around and hide until every forgot about her.
"Because it would only be fair to me to know." He answered. "So I understand why affection from her would be slow. Her butler had to convince her to let someone in after the pain of the hunter."
"Wait a minute, you mean, you're courting?" Kaname asked surprised, he had never expected Rido to get that far with her. Rido looked at him with a smug grin.
"Indeed. Is that a problem?"
"No, but I can certainly make it a problem." Kaname threatened.
"Are you threating Aina's happiness?" Rido asked. Kaname looked surprised that he suggested the threat was harmful to Aina rather than himself.
"Only you. I would not harm Aina." Kaname stated.
"By threatening me, you threaten Aina and I will not stand for that." Rido stood up. "I will not allow you or anyone else hurt her again. She has been through enough as it. I already have to keep Shizuka away, I hope I don't have to keep you and your sister away as well." He warned as Kaname stood up.
"I'll stay away." He walked towards the door. "For now anyway." He added before leaving. Rido sighed and sat down, rubbing his face. Kaname wasn't going to drop this.