Taming an Immortal Ch. 03

He gave her a sideward glance and shrugged. "She is the royal cook. Her responsibility is to ensure I host my guests with the highest standards. Father's absence has made her slack."

Rose did not know what those standards were but she understood his need to keep up with appearance as a Pureblood ruler.

Taking one last bite of her tasteless pastry, Rose promised she would make it her duty to help Nahia as soon as she was back.

"I must be going now my Lord. Miria waits for me."

"Take the potatoes." He barely glanced her way when he pushed the bowl towards her.

Despite her feelings, Rose had to smile. Coming from Lord Etienne, that was as close to saying 'take care of yourself' that anyone would ever hear.

***

"Are we not riding the dragons?" asked Rose when she finally made it out to the drawbridge.

Two horses were waiting by the gate with Miria standing guard. She simply turned her nose up at Rose's suggestion.

"I have learnt from my dealings with your kind... that they are often not as awed by Vampires or dragons as you are." She handed Rose the reins of one of the horses. "Tea Leaves is old but she rides swiftly."

"Tea Leaves?" The horse gave a huff as though warning her not to make fun of its name. Patting the side of its face, Rose then saddled up. "Very well then... we ride."

The three days journey consisted only of rests during the night. Miria, though used to dealing with humans was still taken aback by Rose's need to eat and sleep - a task she deemed a waste of time.

"It would do us no justice to have me fall off my horse when we reach Eilean," she reminded her as they settled around a fire for the night.

Miria blew out her frustrations; her fringe flying up. "Does Lord Etienne really allow you to sleep and eat all the time?"

Rose nodded; her reply, a surprise to the Vampiress.

"You must be a special little human then," she said. "Lord Etienne does not usually meddle in the affairs of the humans. That was his father's... quirk."

Rose knew of his dislike for humans. She was different, he would always say and Rose knew he meant it. But why, she never knew.

"Tell me Miria... Is Lord Etienne anything like his father? I heard he was a skilled diplomat."

"The Etienne I knew would scoff to hear you compare him to his father that way. He worshipped his father yes but... let's just say he disagreed with his father on some of his policies." Miria gave a lazy shrug. "I am in no place to speak ill of the Lords. It is a knowledge you have to earn yourself."

Rose knew a dismissal when she heard one.

Deciding to rest her mind on the matter, she took out the treaty of Eilean. Miria, like most Vampires have very good memories - the signing of the first treaty would be as clear as if it were signed yesterday.

This was more for her own benefit.

"Oh, I never knew that river stones were a commodity... but it seems the treaty was to protect the fish changelings?"

Miria glanced at the human letters, her eyes squinting as though trying to make sense of the scribbles. "The fish changelings have been dwindling in numbers since the bears move in up north. Southwards in Eilean, they seek refuge knowing that the humans only eat shoots." She paused; her face cringing at the unappetising thought. "The river people trade their protection for the stones for cooking. I think they heat up the stones and put them in water to boil them into a soup or something. You humans are weird. "

Rose smiled. She had never heard of stone soup but perhaps it was something she would try upon reaching Eilean.

***

Eilean was a much quieter that she expected. In fact, all the windows and doors were shut, giving them the illusion of a ghost town.

"They are hiding," said Miria matter of factly. "I scent fear in them."

Surely not of her?

"Hello?" she called out. "I am Lady Rose and this is my companion Miria. We've come on behalf of the Lord of the West."

Only silence greeted them. Rose turned to Miria and gestured for her to back away.

"Please, I mean no harm. I am one of you." She stepped away from Miria, knowing that their stark contrast would make it apparent.

Then she heard it - Shuffling feet behind one of the closed door and a soft whisper.

"Go away! We do not want any trouble."

Confused, she turned to Miria who looked equally stumped.

"If you are in trouble, Lord Etienne will come to your aid," assured Rose. "He has sent me to discuss the terms of the agreement your village elders have signed."

Silence; only the soft lapping of water against the banks.

For a moment, Rose stood there wondering if their journey had come to naught. She had high hopes of Eilean; wanting her first mission to be successful, but if the villagers were all too afraid to come out...

But then she saw him - a man, not much older than her walking towards them, with his shoulder length straw hair, full armour and a hand ready on the hilt of his sword.

"Lord Montgomery Arceneaux has sent a human to conduct his dealings?" was his first question, harsh black eyes studying her and then Miria who stood slightly by her side. He wasn't convinced. "How do I know you're human as you say you are?"

Beside her, Miria growled low in warning. Questioning her presence was defiance against the Lord of the West. But Rose didn't think his suspicion was without reason. After all, Vampires and humans rarely trusted each other, their meeting often ending in death - of the humans more often than the Vampires.

"I bleed, just like you." She held out her palm; pulled out a small dagger lodged in the back of her bodice and gently pricked a finger.

At the sight of the blood, the man immediately rushed to her side, his thumb pressing down on the wound.

"No! They will sniff it!" He sheathed his sword and with one hand and removed the cotton band tied around his forehead. "Blood draws them to us... the hyenas." he explained.

"That is not possible. The hyenas live on the mountain range," said Miria in defence.

Rose however was not surprised. Something was drawing the hyenas southwards. Her encounter with them not too long ago was still etched in her memory. Was it the same pack who attacked this village?

"Thank you," she said when he was finished wrapping her finger. "I am Lady Rose and you are?"

He bowed slightly, a hand to his chest. "My apologies my Lady. I am not usually this rude..." Eyes locked on hers, he introduced himself. "My name is Titus, son of Theodore of Eilean. My father was the one who signed that treaty you now hold in your hands."

Judging from Titus's age, his father had to have been dead for awhile... so why hasn't he sought Lord Etienne to renew his treaty?

"It was peaceful, the few years after my father passed," he said as though reading her mind." But in the past months, our village was attacked by the hyenas. More than once."

"What did they take?" Miria interjected; her voice solemn. "Money, food, women?"

Titus shook his head sadly. "No... they took our children."

Her hand flew to her mouth to cover the shocked gasp. How many more human villages would they find facing this same danger?

"When was their last attack?" Rose demanded.

"Last night." Titus closed his eyes, a hand pressed hard against his forehead. "This time, they destroyed our crops too. I don't know how we are going to survive once winter comes with barely any left for harvest."

Outraged, Rose turned to her companion. "Miria, you must go at once and track their scent. I will return with reinforcements."

The Pureblood looked at her in shock; defiance crossing her eyes briefly before she nodded, taking her horse and riding Westwards. Rose understood that Miria had only accepted her orders for the sake of diplomacy.

"Are you truly human?" asked Titus once Miria was no longer in sight. "And yet you are in the company of Vampires."

"I am offering you our help," she reminded him. "It should not matter where my allegiance lies."

The young man nodded before turning to the centre of his village, shouting, "It is safe now. You can come out."

When he looked back at her, Rose could see that Titus was no longer suspicious. In fact, he wore a smile despite the heavy heart she could sense he was carrying.

"Would you like some tea before heading back?" he offered kindly. "We don't have much but you must be weary from your journey."

Rose nodded. The potatoes she had packed had been depleted the night before and any form of sustenance was a relieved welcome. Stone soup would be for another time.

As she sat down on the straw mat of his house, it reminded her briefly of how life was back in Kirke's village. She would never in a million years be sitting in a stranger's house like this back then. And yet here she was.

"Have you been in Lord Montgomery's service for long?" he asked, pouring tea into a cup.

"I suppose you are not aware that he has since passed on," said Rose, accepting the offer. "It is his son, Lord Etienne Arceneaux whom I represent."

"My apologies my Lady... News has not travelled this far south." Titus held his head low, hands clasped together in a short prayer.

Only when he lifted his head up did she smile, lifting her cup in a silent toast.

"I heard his son has chosen to live the life of a wanderer," said Titus.

"It does not affect our offer of aid."

Titus shook his head; eyes closed as he sipped his tea. "We have never asked for the help of anyone. My father would not have allowed such shame to befall this village!"

Rose was about to chide him for his stupidity when he lowered his cup; hands covering his face as he spoke. "But one of those taken... was my sister."

Something struck hard inside her. Rose knew what it was like to lose a family member.

"We will find her," she assured him, putting a hand gently on his shoulder. "And you are not your father. You will do what you think is best for your village."

"You are kind Lady Rose... as was the late Lord Arceneaux. He said the same thing to me when my father died."

"He chose not to pursue another written agreement with you despite knowing this?" Rose was surprised. Vampires never trusted humans; always expecting them to go back on their words. But Lord Montgomery Arceneaux had extended his protection even when he received nothing in return?

"There is nothing now to tie the new Lord to this commitment. How sure are you that he will come to our aid?" Titus had a deep furrow on his forehead. "Lord Etienne is known across the lands as being impartial to us humans. He merely looks when humans are slaughtered in his presence."

Titus looked at her, his eyes slightly wet. "But I am desperate. We have sent our men to search... but our scent is like an alarm of its own - only giving us away even before we can reach the hyena's lair."

Rose could feel his pain and knew in her heart that Lord Etienne was not as Titus said. He might behave as though he didn't care but deep inside, she knew he was kind. When he hunted down the rogue Vampire many years ago, he had insisted it was to rid the earth of scum but she knew better. The rogue was steering too close to human and changeling settlements.

"Come with me," she decided. "We will ride to the castle in the West and you can see for yourself that Lord Etienne is not the cold hearted Vampire you make him out to be."

***

NB: And the drama starts! I have been so excited that I wrote continuously for two weeks - I'm now at Chapter 7 so rest assured a new chapter will be up within a few days of each other. I've done minimal editing so if there are gaps and errors, please do forgive me. I'm plot driven at the moment, so I want to finish writing the story as soon as possible! So let me know what you think of the story so far. I love hearing from you!