165 Chapter 165 : Choices

After the physician checked all of Melissa’s vitals he stood up and looked down at her, how was going to tell this woman that her dietary needs, even those of blood, would double especially now that she was pregnant without actually telling her she was pregnant.

“Your highness,” the physician muttered, “you should eat more..” he glanced at the redheaded woman who was sitting on Melissa’s right hand side who he was aware was her nosferatu mother and added “and drink more. Otherwise, I haven’t found anything that would raise any immediate concern.”

Marceline understood immediately what the physician was trying to say, good grief how could she have let something like that skip her mind? Of course Melissa needed more blood now that she was pregnant. As a matter of fact, she didn’t even know if Melissa had been feeding at all.

After thanking and escorting the physician out, marceline sat down in front of Melissa, “honey do you feed?”

The blue eyed young woman flattered her lashes and turned to Emma who was sitting next to her.

“It’s alright,” Emma assured her daughter. She must have been uncomfortable about talking about drinking blood in her presence. “You don’t have to be wary about who you are darling, I accepted that fact long ago and so should you.”

In this moment Emma was actually glad she had Marceline here, she had no idea how she could have been of any help in a situation like this. She could help her daughter in other ways and Marceline could help with all the nosferatu related concerns.

Melissa gave Emma a small grateful smile and then turned back to look at Marceline, “I had some ichor that Vivian gave to me,” she explained, “I was down to my last drop and felt incredibly thirsty, but Elric accidentally spilled it and I lost my temper for a bit. That’s why we got into a fight, he thought the canteen that had the ichor was a keepsake from Gareth or something.”

“No wonder you’re looking pale,” Marceline mentioned as she cupped her daughter’s cheek, “you need to feed and soon. I don’t think we’ll be able to make ichor here, so you’ll have to drink actual blood.”

.....

Melissa’s blue eyes circled, she really didn’t like the sound of that, the first time she tasted blood it was Gareth’s and she never wanted to do it again. Even though he was so so sweet, the experience was traumatizing.

“Of course human blood is out of the question,” Marceline pointed out, she was directing the words of comfort more to Emma than Melissa. “I think pig blood will have to do.”

“Pig blood?” Melissa muttered, she immediately felt noxious at the thought of drinking pig blood. Ichor was hard enough to drink in the beginning, but she had managed to convince herself that most of it was blood sausages anyway.

“It’s not terrible trust me,” Marceline assured her daughter, “long before ichor was made it was considered a delicacy.” The woman smiled and rose to her feet, “I’ll have someone prepare some for you, you’ll only need a cup every few days or so.”

Melissa nodded in agreement, it seemed she had no choice. It was either pig blood or losing her sanity from starvation and attacking a unsuspecting victim when she couldn’t control her hunger anymore.

*

“It seems you were quite soft back in the day,” Gareth commented after hearing the story of how Aiden had met Estel, “I wonder what happened?”

“Every man is like this by default Gareth,” Aiden responded, “it is only when we find the perfect woman that a little light creeps into our miserable lives. I found my light, and someone took it away, and now I’m right back where I started, in the dark.”

Gareth didn’t respond, he knew where this man was coming from, it hadn’t even been a month without Melissa and he too could feel himself slipping away into the darkness, he couldn’t even remember the last time he genuinely smiled or laughed.

“So tell me crowned prince of the elves,” Aiden mumbled, “why my sister? I mean I’m assuming that she is incredibly beautiful, especially if she took after my mother. But still, you’ve lived quite a few lifetimes, so no other woman caught your fancy but her.”

“It almost feels like destiny the way that I met Mel,” Gareth explained, “sure the first few times she didn’t know I existed but I still fell for her nonetheless.”

“You do realize once Estel and I officially marry Melissa will be your family,” Aiden teased.

Gareth had actually thought about that the first time Ronda had told her about Aiden and Estel’s relationship. But honestly, he didn’t care, even if he had known that Melissa was the sister of the man who intended to marry his sister beforehand, he would have still fallen in love with her in a heartbeat.

“I know..” Gareth responded calmly, “I mean doesn’t a large family wedding sound lovely.”

“The controversy is what sounds lovely to me,” Aiden scoffed. “Anyway, you still-” suddenly Aiden went quiet and sat up abruptly.

“What’s wrong-”

“Quiet!” Aiden whispered as he scanned the trees around them. “I think we are being watched.” The nosferatu prince picked up a small rock and flinged it with a scary amount of strength towards some nearby trees causing some bats and birds to flatter away.

Gareth rose to his feet, “we should pack up and continue moving, the sun is almost up anyway.” He took a few steps towards the tent and turned back to look at Aiden, “I’ll let Melissa tell you the story of how we met when we reach Meria, something to look forward to when you meet her.”

Meanwhile up in a tree situated at the edge of the men’s camp site, Renly the little black raven was plastered against the trunk of the tree trying to catch his breath after a rock had barely missed him.

That nosferatu prince had the senses of a night owl, he had to be more careful or else he was going to get caught. The master was counting on him to gather as much information on Aiden’s movements and plans as possible so they could be ready for anything. Unfortunately getting close enough to hear his conversations with the elven prince wasn’t going to be possible at the moment. He had to keep a distance and stay out of sight.

*

The retired king Bradley Aldos lifted the old flowers from his wife’s grave and put them aside before replacing them with beautiful fresh primroses. A sad smile painted his face as he touched the marble headstone.

“It’s been a few months my beautiful Juliet,” he mumbled, “I’ve gotten better now, my heart doesn’t ache as much when I lay alone in bed at night anymore.”

A butler walked towards Bradley and bowed respectfully before speaking, “your majesty, I have received word that your sons are on the way,” he announced, “they should be here in a few hours, shall I prepare the usual?”

Every end of the month when his boys would visit him, Bradley Aldos would have the cook prepare Juliet’s favorite meal, roasted pork and greens. He liked the few days he spent with his sons to revolve around celebrating the life of his wife, it made it easier for him to push past the pain of her passing.

“Yes please Alfred,” Bradley responded, “and clean their chambers as well if you will.”

“Of course your majesty.”

Losing Juliet was very hard for the former king, and what was more difficult was that the woman who had done this to his beautiful wife was still alive and well. Maybe that’s why his heart wasn’t at peace, that woman needed to be punished, yes, he would discuss it with his sons when they arrived.

Meanwhile some miles away in a carriage guarded by four armed horsemen, Elric and Jeffrey were pestering Clovis to reveal who this woman he had supposedly moved on with was.

“Why don’t you want me to know?” Elric asked his brother with an arched brow, “I mean you told Jeffrey so it’s only fair I’m made aware of it as well.”

historical

“I didn’t tell Jeffrey,” Clovis corrected Elric, “our brother here just has a little problem called, ‘not being able to mind his own business’.”

Elric folded his arms over his chest and frowned at his older brother. “As your king, I demand that you tell me who this woman is.”

Clovis was shocked, “really?” He asked the silver haired king, “you’re going to use your title over a petty matter like this?”

“Are you denying a direct order from your king?” Jeffrey asked his brother.

“Both of you are incredibly childish do you know that!” Clovis grumbled. Why were they making such a big deal of this, this was all Jeffrey’s fault for not keeping his big mouth shut. He didn’t know how Elric would react to him having feelings for Julia, and he was hoping he wouldn’t find out until he had convinced Julia to move back with him to his estate where she could be as far away from Elric as possible.

“Well brother? Out with it,” Elric pressured his brother, “are you afraid one of us might steal her from you?”