A/N: The aftermath, part 2: Changes. He used to think that if he were to live this unlife at all, it would be with her or with no one, never.
Not long after, Sarah leaves.
She says it's because of "the lack of trust". Obviously she means that night. She's still jealous and angry of what happened between her sire and Alfred. She doesn't say it out loud, but somehow Alfred understands. He's not sure if that's because he's finally starting to learn to read minds or just because he knows her so well, but that night when she and Herbert found them, she saw something on Alfred and the Count's faces she hasn't seen on either of them when they've been with her.
And that is something Sarah can't live with, not as long as she stays. One could say she's finally growing up.
It doesn't mean Alfred doesn't love her. Of course he does, but he is also discovering that loving her doesn't necessarily mean he can't have feelings – different than what he has for her – for others. It's really complicated, and he doesn't understand it himself either, but he muses it's something that comes along with living forever. Only, these feelings seem to be for the completely wrong people. But still, he can't feel regret.
Before, Alfred would have tried to make her stay. He would have begged and pleaded on his knees, and if it looked like she wasn't going to change her mind, he would have asked to come along.
Now he doesn't. A small part of him feels that it's a reason on its own for her to go. He used to think that if he were to live this unlife at all, it would be with her or with no one, never. Now he can't even say when this has changed... when his existence stopped depending on hers.
And so he just watches from the castle wall as she leaves and although he feels empty, he doesn't want to go after her either.