Bambi and the Duke

As Jerome dropped Vivian back to the Carmichael mansion, he stood outside talking to her about the ball, "It was never there before, they brought in the tradition to celebrate the night creatures living using the sign of music combined with the midnight when the second Lord was appointed as the Lord of Bonelake. It was how the Winter's ball came into existence, spreading it across the three lands."

"Three? There are four lands of the empire," Vivian questioned.

"Mythweald never has or I doubt ever will celebrate what the vampires take joy in. The land there hates the existence of the vampires, especially the pureblooded vampires. They believe that we are the abomination and who will be responsible for causing plague and death. You must already know about it after your visit to the South," his eyes softened looking at her expression change one for loss.

"I am aware of it. Living there must be very difficult with so much amount of hate," she commented thinking about Charlotte. Though it had been a few weeks since Charlotte died, her life still existed in the memories of the people she had touched, "That amount of hate will burn the entire lands."

Jerome's eyes widened at her words, words like these she wouldn't have spoken before but it seemed that death had begun to change her. The pain was inevitable, and with pain came the need for change.

"I would like to applaud and congratulate you for passing through the first exam, Ms Vivian but pardon me for saying this, I don't think the council is where you belong."

Vivian smiled, her eyes casting across the green garden which was waiting for the rain to come pouring down like the previous days, "I don't think so either. I know not everything is clean which is white in colour," she referred to the council, "That the council doesn't just have men like Leonard but other's who I might have to be wary of. People I am yet to come across but there is something I need to do for my friend who had wished nothing but for my happiness."

"The council is made of filth, blood and betrayal. It would be hard to trust anyone," he stated.

"That I have been told. When times comes to not trust anyone but myself."

"It's good to know that the Duke has warned you about these little matters beforehand. He must love you a lot to allow you to do what you want," his words surprised Vivian. There was no hint of sarcasm or jealousy in it but just friendly words, "If it weren't him it would have been easier to woo you, I don't mean to press but if you ever need something please don't hesitate to ask me for help."

"Thank you for acknowledging it, Mr Wells. I will keep that in my mind," she bowed her head deep.

"Jerome, please. We have known each other for a while now, if not for my feelings you should say yes to us being friends," he said playfully, humour evident in his eyes.

She knew Leonard didn't like Jerome for the sole reason as the vampire took an interest in her but then she believed that if it weren't for the reason, Leonard would not spare the man a glance. People faded away in the Duke's eyes unless they were important to him.

"The woman who was with him," started Jerome, "Who was she? She seemed rather persistent in sending you away with me."

"She is Duke Leonard's second cousin," she replied. Her lips tugged at Jerome's quick observation on Eleanor in such a short span of time. It wasn't that she hadn't noticed the vampiress subtle behaviour. As plain and oblivious she looked Vivian hadn't pointed it out and had only seen the scene unfold while she waited for her doubts to be cleared which were yet to be clarified.

Eleanor was a beautiful brunette vampiress. Her eyes dark red and her lips full with a lean figure. Being the second cousin from Leonard's paternal side, she looked rather close or someone who wanted to stay close to Leonard.

With all these years that had come to pass one after another, she had never heard of her. Not from Charlotte not from Leonard himself. She behaved to be close when Leonard hardly spoke more than two words about her when Vivian had tried to pry for more without asking direct questions.

Until she was introduced to be his second cousin, she or anyone for that matter would have considered her to be someone who adored Leonard more than a relative would. She hadn't minded going to the Isle Valley with her. Eleanor hadn't done anything to but had spoken to her with nice words to her but she was a little wary of her presence. She didn't miss the obvious way she tried to get Vivian with Mr Jerome while she hadn't bothered to talk to him at the beginning of his polite greeting. Leonard had that effect on people, people who knew the kind and warm side of him. The way Eleanor's face fell appeared in front of her eyes. The vampiress liked him different to what a blood relative would, not to forget some families didn't mind their children getting married to their relative's children.

She wasn't sure how the vampiress would have taken in the information of Leonard paying only for her dress. The man wasn't aloof, it was just that he only cared in minimum quantity. Most of his affections had been occupied by Vivian herself and she knew it for the fact he gazed and spoke to her.

His words might have been passive to the others but to her, they were rich with emotions. If Leonard was the temper filled person, Vivian was the calmness to soothe it. If Vivian didn't understand the way of life, Leonard was the light to guide her. Both of them were the pieces of puzzles that had been shaped and carved from the young age to fit and balance each other perfectly.

They had decided not to let anyone know about their relationship before, not because of their wide differential status which didn't matter anymore as Vivian came from one of the unknown pureblooded family but because the councillor's and others would only take that it was her connection to the Duke and the Lord that had gotten her the position. Vivian wanted to feel worthy before the others would come to know of her.

"Vivian?"

"Hmm," Vivian got away from her thoughts to see Jerome give her a worried look. Did he ask her something? "Pardon me for my absent mind."

Jerome asked the question he previously failed to get an answer from, "Aren't you worried about her?" Was she? she asked herself.

She shook her head slowly while asking her the same question, "I don't think I am," it might have sounded strange but that was the truth. She had been jealous when she first met the girl in the Henz's mansion but she wasn't anymore. Eleanor's presence didn't worry Vivian and if it was someone that had to be worried it wasn't her but the vampiress who was trying to catch Leonard's attention.

Leo didn't need words to tell what he needed to convey and if people understood it, it was good for them. With the simple gesture of not paying for Eleanor's dress but only Vivian's, he had shown in a way that Vivian mattered to him.

"I should get going, Ms Vivian. I have a whole town to renovate," he wore the hat he had been holding under his arm, "Let's hope to meet soon. Excuse my presence."

"Thank you for seeing me home," she saw him step into the carriage and take his leave with the horses that had to turn around before leaving the mansion.

Getting inside the mansion, she went up to her room. She had only meant to enjoy the air in the garden and not to step into the Isle valley today. As weary, she was about the vampiress she had enjoyed her time by talking about little things which women did. Looking for her gown had been a good time too and it made her wonder how it would have felt to have an actual friend to talk to. The people she knew and had been close to had been taken away from her leaving only Leonard. Not to forget the worry that had come to attach her. Leonard had planned to take her to the church in the morning but she wondered if they would be going today as Eleanor had taken him to her house in the name of her father.

Pulling the gloves from both her hands, she looked at her hands. Would she able to know more if she were to touch Eleanor with these bare hands of hers? As if a devil who was whispering in her ears, she smiled at the thought of it.