A/N: So, as I promised, the 15th chapter! And it's longer!
Hope you enjoy!
I do not own Elsword nor its characters.
Just a few shy rays of light penetrated through the small windows of the inn, she had woken up before the sun and the normally deteriorated looking building seemed even older and dustier than it did when she first stepped inside it. The corridors were completely silent as she walked through them to complete the morning routine, the depressing atmosphere weighting over her as if its age would had been added to her own, she could almost breath the dirt in that heavy air. Luckily, she was the only one awake and thus she wouldn't have to worry about dealing with the pensioners just yet. But there was still a lot to do and, for that, she carried a bucket full of cleaning accessories around the place. First thing was to clean the bathroom downstairs so everyone could use it before anything else, so she kneeled down in the middle of the small room to start scrubbing the dirty floor.
"I was alone".
Ara winced at the sudden pain in her chest, spreading through her upper body with an oppressing sensation. The skin over her knuckles grew pale with the strength applied over the scrub brush, struggling to make the crust of humidity and dirt on the floor disappear. With enough pressure and dedication applied to the task it started to come off as small layers of a disgusting and greasy skin as if she were peeling the flagstones off their old flesh. She was disgusted by the state in which this place had obviously stayed in for a long time without any type of care. Maybe if she managed to turn it back to a decent condition she wouldn't have to work that hard the following days.
"He changed me, and took care of me for all this years".
She remembered piece by piece the story he had told her the previous night, like small fragments of time coming back to her mind. And there was that dark alleyway too, the gunshot, the crying man and the lack of blood. The corpse she had referred to so carelessly so many times was the man who took him under his wing to protect him, the one who died to save his life, the one he had been honoring with lit candles in the place of his death. The pain inside her chest became more intense; only imagining the sadness Add must had gone through for so long almost made it possible for her to experience it in her own flesh. The loneliness she had come to see in his eyes had been for him as real and certain as her own loss was to her.
"He was killed".
The floor was completely covered in flakes of dirt, but after a long while of hard work she had successfully removed that greasy crust. She stood up to sweep the rests of impurities off the ground before continuing with the rest of her chores. Her gaze was almost completely absent, her mind wandering through the spiral of memories that drove her back and forth between the days of the past month; to the alley, the mansion and the castle over and over. All of those strange events had taken place in such a short period of time that it was somehow hard to digest; thinking about how much her life had changed and how different her present was when she thought about how things were when all of this started was confusing and overwhelming. She looked at herself in the mirror over the sink, multiple dry soap drops covering the image that seemed so unreal to her, so foreign. It was almost hard to come to terms with the idea that it was her reflected in the glass, her own life and the way it was now. She remembered back to the day of the ball, when she still had her friends next to her and the only thing occupying her mind was the extermination of the demons they found around the town; how the mystic air surrounding the castle seemed to announce the changes that were about to occur, and how that day she failed to understand the meaning behind the magnetic eyes that trapped her helplessly.
"And I drank the ichor".
A chill made her whole body tremble for a brief moment. The sight of his eyes turned into a dangerous red, the feeling of sharp fangs digging into her flesh and the plea of the beast hiding under a quiet desperation were things she had witnessed closely. Even if the human part of him overcame all of those beastly aspects of his own nature and used to prevail over the most dark corners of his existence, the fact that there was a constant fight inside of him between his humanity and the beast that resided deep down was something she knew she shouldn't forget as easily as she had been doing. But how could she see him as a beast when there was such a brilliant spark of a lonesome tenderness shinning in his gaze and such a delicate touch whenever he laid his hands on her?
The following hours she devoted herself to the efficient cleaning of the inn. Even if the building was in such a deteriorated state, she managed to at least give it back the neatness it deserved. The bathroom, the corridors, the lounge, the dining room, the kitchen and the pensioners rooms all cleaned up to her best capability. Even if her efforts weren't really recognized or appreciated by the owner of the inn, she felt content with the job well done. People were already circulating around the house, some of them reading or playing chess in the lounge, others simply going about their own businesses in and out of the rooms; the inn was full of activity while Ara took some time to rest in the principal salon before lunch. She observed the people around her for a few minutes, all of them being middle men; middle aged and middle class. They talked loudly and their guffaws were of an even higher volume, but it didn't bother her. Somehow, the presence of so many people inside such a small house made it feel like a place full of life. It woke up sentiments of nostalgia on her.
"Don't rest too much. Lunch is ready, come help me serve it to the guests" the old woman, owner of the inn appeared from the big ark of the door and called out to her with a voice that resembled a growl. She knew by now that she wasn't going to receive anything but nasty glares and grumpy words from that woman, so she stood up from her uncomfortable spot in the old couch without saying a word, and followed the elder to the kitchen. A big cooking pot steamed from the firewood stove with some sort of pottage inside it. A strong and weird smell came out of it, making her back up instinctively. The old woman handed her a ladle and both of them started to grab clay bowls and serve the food, ten servings in total. Using a big tray she carried them to the dining room, placing the plates in order on the table before ringing the bell that indicated to the pensioners that the food was served. She watched as the men got together in the room and sat down to eat, making sure no one was missing in case she needed to go back to the bedrooms to let them know everything was ready. But all ten of them were already starting to eat their lunch, so she went back to the kitchen to help the owner clean everything up. It was her last chore before being allowed to have her precious free time back, so she did it as efficiently and quickly as possible.
Once dismissed she headed to the bathroom, craving a bath and a change of clothes. She could sense the smell of old age, dirt and homemade food impregnating the fabric of her dress, and it was nauseating. The faster she could get out of that place the better; she was starting to fear the decadent atmosphere of the house would stick to her permanently. The ten minutes limit for the use of the bathroom forced her to finish her preparations quicker than she'd want, so she dropped her dirty clothes in the laundry basket outside the room and headed out of the inn with accelerated steps. The fresh air of the outside filled her lungs as she took a big breath; never had she felt that happy about being in the exterior. The soft light of the winter sun and the cold breeze that caressed her pale skin and played with her hair made her feel like coming back to life. So it was true that the influence of the inn had a negative effect on her.
Without wasting time, she hurried to the castle. She couldn't help but feeling slightly nervous about meeting with Add once again. Even if it was true that it had become a habit, there was something in the back of her head telling her that this time things were different. Last night was the first time he genuinely opened up to her, even if his story didn't answer most of the things she wished to know, it was the portion of his life he had freely chose to share with her. But had something actually changed? Was their relationship different now that they both decided to trust their experiences and feelings on the other or, at least, part of them?
Another encounter with the big gates of the castle and she felt like being transported back to the day of the dance party, when everything was new and mysterious and she had so much ahead. The mysticism of the tall edification had been almost going unnoticed and forgotten, but she could sense it again now, looking up at its magnificent construction. The old stone covered in lively vines, the corners ornamented with gargoyles that seemed to watch over the wide front yard, large woodened windows with their carved frames, the tall towers emerging from the foundations, imposing, and the small balconies hugging the upper windows with curve bars made of black iron; every small detail made the castle look like an elevated construction, with its privileged position over the hill, keeping an eye on the town. It was a fortress, and she had penetrated in it so many times yet its secrets were still zealously protected.
The interior was still equally stunning; no matter how many times she had walked through its rooms and corridors. The walls covered with velvety wallpapers and large paintings of beautifully decorated frames, the candles adhered to them with iron supports, the big chandeliers hanging from the middle of every room, the professionally confectioned and carved furniture and the small sculptures placed around the castle looked as breath taking as if she were looking at them by the first time. She couldn't help it; she roamed around the interior distractedly, occupied with the contemplation of every detail that inside the residence looked like pieces of art. She thought it suited Add perfectly.
Behind a broad arch opened in the wall with a black woodened frame was what seemed to be a study. Tall shelves covered most of the walls with their multiple books cramming them, and in the middle of the room a big desk took its place with piles of papers crowding it. Giving his back to her she recognized Add, busy with writing over those papers, with his slim figure and broad shoulders, his long and white hair falling over his back as it hung from a tall ponytail held in its place with hairpins. She held her breath and he slowly turned around to acknowledge her presence, still holding a piece of paper and a pen in his hands.
"Come inside" he said with a strong voice before turning back to his task once again. "Did you adopt the habit of wandering now?" he spoke up again to question her, giving his back to her.
"I got slightly carried away. I apologize" she excused herself and walked inside the small room with no windows, a chandelier lighting up the place with several lit candles, a gas lamp placed over the desk. She walked towards a leather armchair resting near the shelves and sat down, peeking over his shoulder before getting comfortable in the spot she had chosen. "Invitations?" she asked.
"Yes, invitations" he answered. "I believe I told you about this before. I hold a ball every once in a while to invite the dignitaries and important people associated with the castle" he explained without taking his eyes off the writing.
"What is, exactly, the importance of holding that sort of events?" she asked, curious, without completely grasping the relation between his diplomatic meetings and the kind of life he had.
"It is, actually, quite simple. It's important for vampires to disguise themselves and maintain good relationships with the habitants of the town they live in. A good way of doing so is holding a privileged position and making connections with people of high ranks. I understand it is a tradition held by the original owners of the castle and the first vampires to reside in this town, that's why it is important to take care of the connections vampires had held for generations here" he explained with a serene and serious tone, making it sound as if it were something obvious.
So that was why he met in equal standings with such important people. Now that it had been cleared, it did sound logical. She looked at him for a while, attentive to all of his movements. He certainly had the demeanor of a person in a high position, the way he moved, the way he talked, the attitude he had and his features. It looked as if he had been born a true gentleman, and she figured the education his mentor had provided had that objective in mind as well. Thinking back at the day of the ball in which they had met, she remembered feeling like in presence of someone of importance and a high status. He fulfilled his role perfectly, without a doubt.
"You are invited, too" he spoke again, suddenly taking her out of her train of thought. The statement took her by surprise. Her? Invited to such an event? The first time was probably justified by the act of saving his life from the hands of the man who had killed his protector, but now?
"There is no reason for me to attend a ball meant for people of a high status" she replied, unintentionally curtly. It wasn't a place for her, she knew that.
"Don't be silly. Of course you'd be attending as my partner" he said simply, without a care, as he wrote the invitations by hand.
Her heart started to beat rapidly and she felt like it was going up though her chest until it was choking her. She felt her stomach twisting and contorting inside of her and a sensation of anxiousness spread through her body, giving her goose bumps. Such a compromising thing said in such a light tone was something that would agitate anyone.
"Are you even aware of what that could imply?" she asked him with a slight trace of agitation in her voice, furrowing her brows at his carelessness. How could he propose something like that, out of nowhere?
"Of course I am. So…are you coming or not? I was going to send you an invitation but I figured that would be unnecessary" he said calmly, lifting up his head to look at her for the first time, his eyes fixating on hers with a penetrating gaze.
She fell silent, being kept in awe by that look that seemed to pierce right through her with an intensity that could shake her bones. It felt like she was discovering those eyes for the very first time and it was incredibly captivating.
"I…I have to be back to the inn before midnight" she finally said, speaking with a soft tone that struggled to leave her throat.
"What are you? Cinderella? Are you going to turn into a plebeian if you stay in the castle past midnight?" he asked her with a mocking tone, letting a few loud laughs slip out of his tongue. He left the papers and his pen on the desk and supported his entire back on the chair.
"I am already a full time plebeian. And no…it's because they lock the door at midnight" she retorted with an exasperated tone, even though a small smile managed to make her lips curve at his joke.
"If that is the case then it's no problem. If it gets late then you can spend the night here. As you should know, there are plenty of empty rooms" he said, dismissing her objections with a light and carefree demeanor.
"Asking me to attend as your partner, telling me to spend the night here…Why are you so bold, all of a sudden?" she asked with a joking tone, staring back at him with a wide smile playing on her lips.
"No reason" he replied curtly, leaving her slightly dumbfounded as he stood up from his seat and walked towards the door without saying anything else until reaching the entrance of the room. "Let's go to the library".
She felt puzzled by his reaction, the confusingly sudden change of animus. Just a few moments ago he was laughing and joking, and now his voice sounded gelid. She complied to his suggestion nonetheless and walked next to him towards the place where their study sessions were held. Looking up to him as they made their way through the corridors of the second floor she could see a stern expression showing on his face, darkening his features. She couldn't avoid the conviction of that she had pulled a sensitive string to trigger such a mood on him. But then again, she never really knew what was going on in his mind. He looked so focused on the way ahead that she didn't dare to ask.
Add lit the candles in the chandelier one by one as she found their usual spot. With the progressive enlightening of the room she managed to find the book of her interest in the stack arranged in a near shelf. He sat down next to her when the lighting was set and she searched through the pages to find the note with the relevant words for the reading. This time, the theme for the session was going to focus on the learning of the vocabulary he had established as important the other night, so they started working without wasting a minute.
All the time they spent inside the library studying she was constantly getting distracted by staring at the way her male companion looked, wondering about what it was that made him change like that, which earned her several and silent reproaches from him. She knew it bothered him whenever she spaced out, but at this point she couldn't help it. Somehow, she missed the expressions he gave her when joking with her or in a light mood; even his regular serious expression was something she could appreciate more than this cold and distant mien, almost as if they were going back to a previous state of their dynamic. She felt uneasy and enormously annoyed, but all the scolds she received helped her concentrate in the task she had between her hands.
Time passed as they worked together, their rhythm slightly slowed down due to her constant distractions. But, despite that, they managed to accomplish the goal that had been set for that particular session and, as always, they started accommodating everything back to the original place. She glanced towards him from the corner of her eye as the book slid back to its position on the shelf, pushed by her fingers. He didn't seem to acknowledge her attention until she decided to speak up.
"Aren't you going to ask me for blood?" she asked him with a soft voice, keeping her eyes on him as she saw how he slowly turned around to meet her gaze and how his eyebrows raised to form arches over his eyes just slightly. The questioning look she had seen so many times before.
"Right, come here" he said curtly, sounding like now he was the one spacing out. His voice barely evidencing conviction. She looked at him worriedly, twisting her mouth and lowering her brows. The way he was acting was surely unusual. But that wasn't the time to hesitate, so she did as he asked her to and closed the distance between them, standing in front of him with a decided position and looked up at him, expectant. She was waiting for him to embrace her, to grab her by the waist and hold her with his hand on her back, to run his lips through her neck delicately before feeding off her as he usually did. But this time was different, and none of that happened.
He placed his hands over her shoulder, barely even touching her as if he wanted to leave a space of air between their skins, and directly opened up the wounds on her neck while he pressed his fangs on her flesh. The way he did it felt nothing like the intimate touch that made her tremble every time, but instead it was like a mere procedure, a formality that he wanted to finish as soon as possible. Swallowing her blood he backed up within an instant and turned around, giving his back to her as he cleaned up the remaining liquid with the back of his hand. A disappointed girl stood in front of his back.
"How cold" she thought, feeling up the open wound on her neck.
A/N: So that was it.
By all means, feel free to leave a review and your thoughts on the fanfic, it'd be greatly appreciated!
And for some reason the hearts I put on the last A/N won't show up, so just imagine it had a lot more love in it.
Hope you enjoyed! Until next chap!