Indecent Folks

We took a few turns inside the mansion until we reached the backyard. There was a spacious garden with benches, flowers and trees. Vines and leaves surround the village walls, while there was an artificial pond in the centre.

"It's my first time here," I mumbled as I stared at the plants of roses to my left. "A garden in a village full of vampires, huh."

"We were once ordinary people. Old habits die hard, they say."

I smiled and watched him walk up to a tree where I found a cage housing a pair of doves. "Hold this for me," he asked, so I walked towards him and craned my neck to see the birds closer. I carried the new cage with both of my hands while he opened the old one and picked up the doves.

"Hold it tight," he ordered before transferring the birds into the cage.

"You didn't come with Rougan to the orphanage?" I asked the obvious.

"He can manage," he mumbled, latching the cage. He took it from me and hung it on the tree while holding the old one with his other hand.

I sighed and crossed my arms. "Have long had they been a pair?" I asked.

"About six months."

"Never separated?"

"Sometimes when they need to. They tend to hurt each other," he said in an undertone, prompting me to turn to him. It wasn't long until I thought about his bond with Rougan.

"Why do you think they hurt each other?"

He shrugged. "They can be territorial, and sometimes no one wants to lose."

I sighed, forcing a smile. "But someone has to leave eventually, don't you think? Instead of forcing them in a single space."

He nodded before his lips formed into a genuine smile. "You're right. Someone has to leave and let go," he agreed. "Come here." He led me to the bushes near the wall, and we found dead sprouts on the ground. "Rougan said that it's time to tell you," he mumbled. "That's why he didn't allow you to leave with them today."

I turned to him and crossed my arms. "Hmm, someone's finally filling me in."

"I'm not sure if you did that," he said, nodding towards the ground. "But keeping you here has taken a toll on us." I took a deep breath as I watched him look away and take his time. "It's a sin to the heavens to bring harm to a kingmage." "But Paige told me that kingmages are wicked. So why would the heavens protect them?" I asked.

"Because that's the main reason why kingmages were created. So Eydis can make sure that her children will be protected. We kept you against your will, and you were unconsciously retaliating. That explains the fire on the day of your birthday and the lighting that struck a guard. They happened even if you told Rougan that you see a dome over us."

My shoulders dropped while my heart throbbed at what I've heard. "What about the dome?"

"History says that kingmages can make force fields as protection. Sometimes big, sometimes small. Which is supposed to be the dome since you said that you see one over us," he said while still trying to find it in the sky.

I took a deep breath as I rested my hands on my hips. My chest cramped at everything that he said. "So all those accident was on me?"

"On us, Dani. Because we imprisoned you," he corrected.

"Then why won't you let me go?" I asked, turning to him so I could hear him better. "That's for another time."

I gasped in disappointment, frowning at him. "This is absurd. You're keeping someone like me who's causing you trouble. And obviously, the Sunkens did not sign up for this. That's why they were raging mad at me!" "It's not like we were doing this just because we want to. We have no choice. We can't let you go until-"he trailed as if he was about to say something he shouldn't, just like every other Sunkens I've spoken to.

I gently shook my head when a suspicion came to mind. "Will you really let me go after I made the Sapper?"

"Of course. The deal still stands. Whatever the circumstances are, if you can make a Sapper, we'll let you go."

"Oh, god." I took a step back because I couldn't even bring myself to believe him. They've been keeping things from me all this time, and I don't know if I should trust them.

The place started to darken, so we shot a look at the sky. Dark clouds formed above us while we heard growling thunders. "Dani..." Sawyer called me.

"That wasn't me "

"Dani, calm down."

I took another step backwards, but I lost my balance and fell on the bush. Sawyer kneeled in front of me, trying to hold both of my arms. "Hey, Dani. It's okay."

The rain started pouring, and I could feel my body trembling. "I don't trust you. I don't trust any of you!" I yelled at his face. "Rougan was acting strange, and you're here telling me things instead of him. None of this feels right!" "I've told you already that we are not allowed to harm you, Dani. And I won't let anything happen to you. I promise."

I pushed him, but he was too strong to lose his balance. "You shouldn't have let me in here! You should've just ignored me that night!"

He sighed painfully as he held my wrist, forcing them to rest on my lap. "You don't know how much I regret taking you here. I'm sorry for putting you through this."

My shoulders weakened as droplets of rain began pouring. "You're not keeping me here just because I knew about the prisoners," I concluded.

"I told you that's for another time," he replied patiently. The heavy rain soaked us, but I remained seated on the ground, hugging my knees. "Did you suddenly feel like a like ten-year-old who loves to get soaked?" he asked, a little amused. My lips formed into a smile as I tried to look at the sky and fiddled with my fingers. "It's grey...why do you think so?" I asked about the dome. He sat on the ground facing me and bent his knees beside my legs while looking at the sky.

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"What happened before the colour has changed? Where were you?" he asked, although he doesn't see what I see.

I tried to recall what happened yesterday, and my shoulders dropped yet again. "In Rougan's room. We had a little conversation about...us."

He shot a look at me while his forearms rested on his knees. We were both soaking wet but, I'm glad that he's still accompanying me. He squinted his eyes before he gave me a stern look. "Don't tell me he got you heartbroken?" "Excuse me?"

"Just a wild guess." He sighed, but I could see him restraining his smile.

"In case you forgot, I have more pressing problems than a heartbreak."

"But you didn't deny that it's a heartbreak."

I slapped his shoulder, but he caught my wrist. He rested our hands on his knee and stared at them. "I forgot how warm you were," he whispered.

I smiled as the chill from his palm travelled to my arm. "Do you miss being a human?" I asked.

He fiddled with my thumb and gently shook his head. "No. We've always lived like humans, minus the blood-drinking." He smiled and bit his lower lip. "Just trying to live as morally acceptable as we could," he said under his breath. "It's sadder to say that in the rain, isn't it?"

He chuckled and caressed my cheek with the back of his fingers before standing up. "Come on. You'll catch a cold if we stay out here any longer."

I have nothing else to do after a warm bath and eating my lunch, so I went to one of the living rooms in the right-wing, where a grand piano sat near the wall. I could still hear the rain from here, so I glanced at the windows and sat on the bench, gently placing my fingers on the keys.

The memories of my mother teaching me how to play came to mind. My sister used to sing beside me while our mother watched when they're still both alive. I could feel a lump in my throat as I began playing the piano and filled the room with music.

"Little lilies, where have you gone?

The sun is up. Where have you gone?

Let the world see your grace and beauty Little lilies, come home to me And when it's time to go My lovely lilies, should I let you go?"

When I turned to the window, the rain had stopped, and the sunlight illuminated the room. A smile made its way onto my lips as I finished playing. The emptiness in my chest somehow felt bearable. I've never once got used to living without my family, but in my next life, I hope I'd see them again.

I spent my time in the library until the sun had set. I made sure that I could talk to Rougan, so I waited in the hallway that leads to his room. The guards glanced at me from time to time, but I didn't mind them. Finally, someone's figure appeared in my line of sight, so I turned to my left but only found Sawyer walking towards me. "What are you doing here?" he asked.

"I'm waiting for Rougan."

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He sighed before glancing at the guards and turning back to me. "Did you even eat your dinner?"

I crossed my arms and rested my back against the wall. "I lost my appetite."

"Because it's already past eight. God, Dani, come on," he gently reached for my arm while we headed to the stairs. Luckily, we found Rougan walking towards us.

We stopped and waited for him, but he just nodded to Sawyer and walked past me, so I grabbed his arm. He immediately caught my wrist and slightly twisted my arm, prompting me to scream and step back. I lost my balance, but Sawyer caught me as I glared at Rougan. For a while, I thought I saw a hint of guilt in his eyes when he saw the gauze in my hand, but it disappeared the moment he blinked.

"What is your problem?" I asked, caressing my wrist. His eyes landed on my hands again before he gave me a stern look.

"You're a guest here. You're not allowed to do whatever you want," he warned. "More so, pulling the arm of a vampire leader."

I pulled my arms from Sawyer's grip and took a step forward to meet Rougan's gaze. "Are you trying to cleanse your conscience? Calling me a guest instead of a prisoner." I looked at him from head to toe. "I'm sorry for bothering you.'

I walked away, and I'm glad that Sawyer didn't bother following me. My chest cramped all night, and I couldn't even finish a small bowl of roasted potatoes for dinner. Someone knocked on the door while I tied my robe. The person outside would usually talk first, but it was quiet, so I stood steadily beside the dressing table.

I opened a jewellery box and picked up the four-inch barrette before heading to the door. "It's open," I mumbled.

Someone gently pushed the door, and it revealed Rougan wearing a pair of trousers and a robe. My shoulders dropped as I sighed in relief, but when I realized that he has no business here, I gently took a step back. "What is it?"

There was a gentleness in his eyes when he stared at me, but I could only be suspicious of it. His eyes landed on my hand that was gripping the barrette. "Are you supposed to stab me with that?" he whispered. "Still planning to," I replied.

He sighed painfully and nodded towards my wrist. "Is that a new wound?"

"It is. Cooper needed fresh blood."

He reached for my arm and gently slid his hand down to my wrist before removing the gauze. "Do you have to give your blood every day?"

His voice was soft and deep, like a small hand caressing my heart. But I raised an eyebrow. "You have a problem with that now? Isn't that's what the prisoners go through ever since they got here?"

His hands were gently too, but he frowned, ready for an argument. I thought he would be mad, but he just bit his thumb before caressing my wound with it. I winced in pain while we stared at my palm until the cut slowly closed. When he finished, I pulled my hand away and took the gauze from him. "It's late. You should go to bed."

"I'm a vampire," he said with a bit of a smile on his face. Indeed, but he still sleeps. For a while, I forgot who he truly is and how much we differ. Maybe this was the reason for my sadness; I tend to ignore the red signs and our differences. He's a vampire, and I don't even know what I am now. He picked up something from the behind wall and showed me the mosaic that he did for me. "This is yours."

I pursed my lips and took the art. "You were busy all day avoiding me, but you came here at this hour to heal my wound and give me this," I said irritatingly. He cleared his throat and looked away. I understood that there might be things that he couldn't tell me, but today was clear to me. There was no reason for us to keep going. "Goodnight, Rougan-"

"The colour of the dome was yellow again," he cut in before reaching for my cheek and giving me a gentle kiss on my forehead. "Goodnight, Dani." He clenched his jaw while his eyes screamed sadness, but I've already stopped believing everything I see when it comes to him. His eyes can lie.