Bambi and the Duke

Vivian stared at the body that laid on the ground which now was being carried by the two guardsmen who had brought him in. The man named Abel, a fellow councilman just bowed his head with a smile on his lips before his eyes fell on her, meeting her eyes before the gaze broke away for him to turn around and take the body along with him and the guards. 

"Help me."

The man's plea rang in her head which brought in a cold chill down her spine. She had always believed that the council was the most level headed people, nice and someone who helped others but this. Vivian had no words. Her superior had killed the man once he had gone rampage without blinking his eyes. Servants came in to, cleaning the blood and removing the evidence of what had been done making her wonder how many other people had died in this courtroom where everyone appeared as if no one had been killed in front of their eyes. 

Death was plenty enough for the men here to be used and in time Vivian would see a lot of things before coming to realize that the council wasn't about prestige and law but a lot more than that. 

Placing the tip of the quill on the parchment, she began to write down on what she saw, drafting it as diplomatic as she could. Once the courtroom was done, she stepped out and walked away from the room, walking but not to the department.

Needing to use the bathroom, she walked in and turned on the faucet of the sink to wash her face. She splashed once and twice, the cold water trying to wash away her face but not the death she saw. Looking up at the mirror which was hung in the barely lit room where the window was up high near to the ceiling, she stared at her reflection. 

The men here were brutes who had no ounce of humanity or sympathy for the suffering. If one were to die, they would kill the person in the name of safety. Their methods were quick but she wasn't sure if it could be called efficient. She could now see the resemblance of work with Leo and Lionel who was his superior. 

The man had looked weak and in pain when his eyes had turned brown in color indicating he had turned human for that minute. She had sensed pain there, and she empathized with the man the way he must have been turned to only be killed and labeled as a rogue vampire who was another abomination to the society. 

Her thought went to the time when Leonard had gone to turn her into a vampire. It made her think. If she had turned to an unsuccessful attempt she would have met the same fate despite being Leonard's wife. She had seen how Mrs. Carmichael had been killed in front of her own two eyes. When it came to the well being of society, the councilmen pushed aside relationship. If that day, Leo had let his mother alive but putting a restraint on her, the end result would have still been the same. She would have been killed and put to death. 

A small sense of anxiety began to form in her chest at the words of the dead man. She couldn't help him that gnawed at the back of her mind. The councilman who had bought the rogue had spoken about fluctuations but no time was given to discuss. It was as if he had brought the deranged vampire knowing well how it would go down and had placed the death of the man in head council Lionel's hand. 

And why did the man feel so familiar? she asked herself looking at the mirror. 

Looking at the reflection of her in the mirror, she moved her face to the side, pushing the high collared neck to see the fingerprinted marks gone now. The man, Ezekiel had squeezed her neck to kill her to the point that it had left the mark for more than a week. She closed her eyes, her brows coming to furrow when she remembered the way she felt with no air to breathe. 

Suddenly she noticed something very strange in her eyes where one of her eyes had turned to form red in color and the moment she blinked it was gone. 

Moving closer to the mirror, she opened her eyes wide to see her left eye which now was black in color. She knew she wasn't imagining it but what happened? Pulling herself back she gave herself another look. 

She was supposed to go meet Sister Isabelle but she not wanting to miss the council work she had come here every day. If anyone knew, it would be the white witch who was knowledgable. With her red eyes that appeared and gone like a candle that was lit and blown out, she wondered if her pureblooded traits were coming out. 

Only if she could remember how and when she turned to a human but unfortunately, though she could try reading others like the healing ability of hers, she couldn't read her memories. Sister Isabelle had said it would need a lot of focus but there was no guarantee that it would work. But, she thought to herself, there was a possible way to check if her vampire trait was coming through after being suppressed for all these years. 

Taking out her pocket watch from her dress, she looked at the time. It was noon, and time for lunch, walking out of the bathroom, she made her way to the room where food was often served to the fellow councilman for free. 

"Lady Vivian, what a surprise to see you here," turning to look over her shoulders she saw it was Lancelot Knight who was with her passed out examinee, Axel. 

Vivian bowed her head to greet both of them, "Good afternoon, gentleman."

"Good afternoon. Excuse me," the lowly vampire grumbled under his breath catching her attention to which Lancelot responded once the man had gone to stand in the queue to get his share of the meal.

"Don't mind, Axel," she heard Lancelot say and she turned back to look at him who gave her a warm smile, "Is it true that there was a ghost in there?" It seemed that Axel had been going up and about speaking about the ghost, trying to still prove that what he saw real.

"I didn't see any ghost in there," Vivian kept a straight face and her voice calm, to make it believable she gave him a frown for the man to bring his hand up and chuckle behind it. 

I know it's absurd but he's been very bent on explaining about his encounter and time in the snow mansion that I was asked to accompany him to bury the whole ordeal behind as it wouldn't reflect well on the council," she nodded her head, giving another glance towards the man who now took a seat at a far table, "He was quite upset that you didn't give your input on the matter," there was a smile on his face but the way he looked at her, it was as if he was trying to derive something out from the subject. 

"I don't think one can give an input when the person hasn't come across it. Ghosts don't exist, Mr Knight," she responded back with a polite smile on her lips. 

"They don't. They are absurd make believe stories to scare humans. How has your time in the council been passing by?" his eyes then fell on her hand which was holding the written parchments, "You must be very busy. Lionel is a strict man, so is the Duke. I heard some interesting things. Whispers, is that true?" he asked his eyes moving from the parchment to her gloved hands.

The man was asking her about her relationship with Leonard and though they were married it was none of his business, "I know not which whispers you speak of," she tilted her as if not understanding what he was talking about. It was a situation where both of them knew what one was asking and how the other was being ignorant. 

Lancelot smiled at her, "That how you got lost last time in the building," he chuckled again seeing her embarrassed face, "It happens to everyone. The first few months are about making sure you don't get lost as it is very easy for one to get lost in their path," Vivian wondered if there was a hidden undertone meaning with the way he stressed on the word lost. It seemed like it was not only about the information about her and Leonard but the man had also got to know about the little mishap of getting lost in the building made by her. 

"I hope I learn the path fast if that is so," she answered back, looking at the men who were eating, some hurriedly and some in leisure, "I will get used to it as I walk back and forth like everyone here."

"Hmm," the man hummed. Looking around her and seeing that she wasn't with anyone, he offered her, "Would you like to come and join us? I am sure you will also clear the misunderstanding of the man there," he meant Axel who had already begun eating. 

The first time she had met him, the man had seemed nice but his intrusive questions made her hold her guard as she observed every movement of his from the way his hands were in the pocket and the time his eyes scanned her hands and face. 

Politely she refused, "I was just here to grab a cup of blood tea for head councilman Lionel," she answered, "I was with him at the court. It is an interesting place," subtly she tried to push the topic in a different direction. 

"Indeed it is. It might be the only happening room in this entire building apart from the cell rooms which is located away from the building of course," Vivian's thoughts went to the time when she had come to the cell room to meet and speak to Paul. The man had been battered and beaten to the point that he was left unconscious. Her heart ached at the loss of him. The councilmen here used their brute and status to end things. It happened once but until she worked here she wouldn't let an innocent soul like that be lost in the label of thief, culprit or murderer. She wasn't fond of her gift as it brought only the memories of pain but if she looked at the bright side, she could make others life better. Give them the help they would need. 

Vivian then heard him speak, "I didn't know head council Lionel drank blood tea," he didn't? asked Vivian the question in her mind. 

"I don't know that. He asked me to get one," she replied back, "If you'll excuse me," she bowed her head and went to the counter to get the blood tea with the eyes of Lancelot on her back.

Vivian didn't stay a minute longer in the room and once she received it, she took it out with her to the department to see that Leonard was back with the others. 

"How was the court council?" asked Leonard upon seeing her and his eyes falling on the cup of blood tea she had but he didn't question her. Vivian was a person who did things one didn't understand but Leo being so close to her, there were times where he didn't need an explanation as he already what was going on. It made him wonder if she had noticed the flicker of her eyes that turned from black to red to black again. 

"Interesting," she replied back, "Did you arrive now?"

Coming to walk towards her, he took the file from her, opening to read as he said, "Half an hour ago," moving the parchments, he looked up at her, "Are you doing fine?" he asked her. It wasn't usual for the court council to be having extreme cases but by her notes he could see what had happened. 

Vivian nodded her head, giving him a smile and then asked, "Did you have your lunch? I am hungry," with the court council and her eyes occupying her mind, the thought of food hadn't crossed her mind. 

"Milady-" Hueren went to reply but Leonard interrupted with,

"No, I haven't eaten yet. Would you like to go out?" she shrugged, not minding where they ate. 

"Sure. Let me get my coat," she went to pick it from the stand that was lying in the corner of the room. Leonard informed his fellow councilman,

"We'll be going out and head home from there," and the couple walked out of the room. 

Hueren who was staring at the door, snapped his head to look at Dutan and say, "Didn't we just have a heavy meal at Mrs Filanch's mansion?" the human councilman was sure that his senior had been given more food which he couldn't refuse.

Dutan chuckled, "It doesn't matter to him. The lady is hungry."

~Mass release: If the book falls in top #3 power ranking I will give you 5 chapters as a mass release. Top #2 I will give you 10 chapter release. The rank must stay until the Sunday result~