Trash Panda

~Bonsoir~

Expecting to be pursued, Vail didn’t flinch when Gerald called out the order to stop him. He skirted past the edge of the house with Victoria cradled securely in his arms, moving with haste to get out of the open so the Saints wouldn’t have a clear shot at him if they decided to shoot. His lead wouldn’t last for long though. As soon as the hunters rounded the building, they would be able to start firing their weapons at him. He just hoped they would be cautious enough not to injure the Crest heiress that they would be hesitant to pull the triggers on their guns. He would soon find out just how corrupt the Order had become if someone chose to attack him in spite of the consequences.

Knowing the Saints weren’t far behind, Vail kept his eyes in front of him without looking back. For any human man, the effort of whisking a woman away from a group of seasoned killers would have been nearly impossible. It was not so for his kind, but it was still challenging. He focused carefully to stay balanced while he ran, leery of any misstep that might cause him to fumble and fall. Getting away from the Order mandated perfection, so he couldn’t afford to slow down or relax until their pursuers were well behind them.

As he sprinted between the trees, his mind raced to come up with a place where they could seek safety. There were plenty of taverns and other buildings open, but all public spaces would be monitored by hunters at this hour. If he came bursting in with a half-dead woman in his arms, they would undoubtedly kill him on sight. He considered the brothels, where he and Victoria could hide in solitude, but they too would be under watch. His only hope was that he could outrun the members of the Order long enough to slip into an inn without being seen or… there was also his own family’s manor.

If he brought her back to the Hygrace clan’s property, they would be safe, but there was also no way for him to conceal her from the rest of his family. His father would pick out her unfamiliar scent right away and hound him to find out what was going on. There was no guarantee that the leader of the dynasty would sympathize with them either. If he thought it was too dangerous to harbor the Crest heiress, Vail could do nothing to go against his wishes. In that case, she would be sent away. The only question was whether he would follow.

Risking a peek over his shoulder, he could see that the Saints were still stubbornly giving chase though it didn’t look like they had gained any ground. His superior genetics allowed him to outpace them even with the full weight of a human pressed against his chest. The only thing he couldn’t outrun however, was a bullet, and he was uncomfortably aware of what an obvious target he was to the men who were after him now and any others who might catch sight of him and join the hunt.

He clicked his tongue, disliking the encroaching walls that threatened to corner him. He could finalize his plan along the way. For now, the most important step was getting to the gate, so he could flee the Crest estate and try to lose them in the city.

Amnesia [Suki & Summer]

No worries! I've only been home for about an hour, haha

I figured it was about time for Atlas to get involved xD He's too overprotective to stay out of it.

Amnesia [Suki & Summer]

“Come in.” the usual response followed when Cas knocked on the door to his father’s room. He pushed it open to find the king in his usual station, sitting upright on his bed with his back pressed against the headboard for support. It was the most activity the prince had seen him manage in the last week, aside from the one time Atlas had stopped him in the hallway outside his own room. The sight brought a concerned look to his face. Though his father always put on a tough appearance, he clearly wasn’t doing well. Whatever unknown illness had seized hold of his aging body wasn’t giving in to the treatments of the doctors. Every day it seemed to sap away a little more of the king’s strength, leaving him a withered husk of the man he used to be.

“Put your pity away,” Atlas grumbled, taking note of his son’s sympathetic expression. He gestured for him to come closer with a wave of his hand and waited for his obedience before he asked: “What do you need?”

“I just wanted to see how you’re doing,” Cas frowned. His father had always been brusque, but there was a new edge to his voice that gave away a deeper displeasure than usual. He wasn’t sure if it was because of Iris’s presence in the mansion or the fact that Dr. Emett’s medicine didn’t seem to be making much of a difference in his health or some unpleasant combination of both. Whatever the case, the prince was careful to stay on his toes. He didn’t want to say something that would set the irritable king off when his intention in approaching him had been solely for the other man’s benefit.

His father grunted and looked away. “If you continue to wear your heart on your sleeve, the people will eat you alive,” he muttered, dodging the question in a way that didn’t slip past Cas for a second. “Remind me to teach you again about the value of stoicism sometime.”

The prince exhaled and sat halfway at the foot of the bed. “I can call Dr. Emett to come back for you,” he offered slowly, trying to come up with a solution without further angering the king. “Maybe he has another medicine you can try.”

Atlas waved his hand. “I’m fine,” he asserted, even though his son could clearly see that he wasn’t. “In fact, I’ll be joining you for dinner this evening in the dining room.”

Cas stared at him, momentarily unsure if he’d heard the king correctly. “You’re... joining me?” he echoed. He couldn’t tell if he was relieved that his father was feeling well enough to eat in an upright chair or worried that he was going to push himself too far in doing so.

“Of course,” his father nearly sounded amused. “We have a guest in the house, and I have yet to introduce myself. What kind of host would I be if I didn’t welcome her properly?”

So, this is about Iris, Cas realized, studying the king in quiet contemplation. He should have expected that his father was too paranoid to let a stranger live under their roof without seeing her for himself. He was a little caught off guard by his insistence though. Atlas had always been shrewd about wearing his best face in the eye of the public, but with his creeping illness, he was in no condition to look regal for anyone. If anything, he could more easily be compared to a ghost than a man with strength in his limbs. His skin was pale, his muscles had atrophied, and he had dark circles beneath his eyes. Every inch of him betrayed his fading health in a way that would take nothing less than a professional makeup artist to conceal.

“You don’t have to do that,” he protested. “I’ve already helped her get settled in on your behalf.”

“And I appreciate your efforts,” his father acknowledged with a nod. “However, I would also like to meet this young lady for myself. I’m… curious to see the face of the tormented soul who wrung my son’s bleeding heart.”

Cas shifted uncomfortably. Though the king didn’t say it out loud, he had a feeling his father was concerned about the fact that he had become so involved with Iris just because she was a woman. Atlas always micromanaged his relationships, and he was probably concerned about the prince getting too attached to her, since he still wanted to arrange his marriage someday. If he found out about his son’s budding crush on her, he would exile her from the mansion faster than he could speak a single word in her defense.

“If you insist,” he shrugged after a pause, deciding it was pointless to argue about it any further. There was no one who could command the king but the king himself. If he wanted to meet Iris, Cas couldn’t stop him. He stepped away from the bed. “I guess I’ll see you at dinner.”

“I’m sure it will be delightful.”

Cas forced a polite smile, although delightful was the furthest word from what he would have chosen.

Having finished speaking with his father, the prince spent the rest of the hour lounging in his room, scrolling on social media and trying to ignore the knot in his stomach. He didn’t know what to expect at dinner now that the king was planning to join them, but he didn’t trust the cautious man enough to expect that he would just make pleasant conversation. So, by the time the kitchen staff finished preparing their food, he headed downstairs preparing for an uncomfortable meal.

Amnesia [Suki & Summer]

No worries ^^

I loved it! I'll get started on my next one

~Bonsoir~

Finally got my post done! Thanks for being patient ^^

~Bonsoir~

“Of course,” Vail murmured when Victoria asked him to stay. Even if she hadn’t made the request, he couldn’t bring himself to leave her alone when she was in such a dismal state. At the very least, he was going to wait with her long enough to make sure she was able to get back to her family’s manor without collapsing again. He cared about her too much to do anything less. It went against reason, he knew, but reason had long since fled from him, only to be replaced with the convincing presence of emotions he had never experienced before. A protectiveness for the fragile human in his arms planted him firmly in the summer house. He would not be going anywhere unless he had to that night.

Gently, he stroked the edge of her pale jaw with his thumb, careful not to disturb her rest. It astounded him how deeply his possessiveness of her ran when they hadn’t known each other for more than a few weeks—just a speck on his immortal timeline. Yet, here he was, prepared to spend however many hours he needed to ensure she would not be alone while she recovered from the weakness that had overtaken her body. It was a peculiar thought. He had never cared about anyone this much before, except, perhaps, for his own family, for whom he would gladly give his life to keep safe. They had been part of his life far longer than she had though.

Absently, he let his hazel eyes drift away from her slumbering face to the window. There was nothing for him to do aside from wait for her to wake up, but he was patient enough. Besides, he had come to enjoy being in her presence, even if the time was filled with silence. She had a soothing quality about her that helped him to relax and simply be content in the company of his own thoughts. He closed his eyes, passing the minutes just listening to the crackling fire and sensing the rhythmic beat of her heart. It was a peaceful moment.

Unfortunately, it couldn’t last long enough.

Only about five minutes had passed before the vampire’s eyes opened again. In the distance, he could hear the frantic shouting of voices. The Saints must have realized the Crest heiress was gone. Muscles tense with apprehension, he turned toward the door as if he expected it to burst open at any second. It was only a matter of time before the hunters found them here. The glowing candlelight in the window and the rolling smoke from the chimney would surely give them away if it hadn’t already. He muttered a curse under his breath.

In the next instant, his attention snapped back to Victoria, who had noticed the sound as well and woken up. She pleaded with him with a desperation that caught him off guard, although he supposed he couldn’t expect anything less. The members of the Order had willingly let Spencer drain her almost to death in his voracious thirst for her blood. Of course she wouldn’t want to go back to them. He parted his lips to assure her that he wouldn’t let them take her, but before he could speak a word, she stopped him with the burning fury in her normally bright blue eyes.

When she explained that Gerald was the one who had killed her father, Vail blinked in surprise. He had been sure that the Wynter was the one who had murdered the former head of the Crests. However, there wasn’t time to question any of her claims now. The longer they stayed put in the lodge, the more time the hunters had to catch up with them. If they were going to escape, they had to leave right away.

“We’re going,” he announced in a low voice, rising from the chaise lounge with purposeful haste and scooping her into his arms. Even if she had recovered enough to walk, he was certain she couldn’t outpace their pursuers in her condition, so he didn’t bother asking permission to carry her. Shifting his hold to make sure he wouldn’t drop her, he edged to the door and cracked it open. Already, his nocturnal eyes could pick out the silhouettes of Saints in the trees. He would certainly be spotted if he ran out from the house now, but he didn’t have a choice.

Gritting his teeth, the vampire didn’t waste another second as he threw the door open and hurried around the side of the lodge with Lady Victoria in his arms.

Amnesia [Suki & Summer]

Thanks! I definitely hope so, haha

Same! A lot could happen cx

Amnesia [Suki & Summer]

“Maybe,” Cas answered vaguely when Iris asked if he would invite her to any formal events. It was less likely that he would send her a personal invitation and more so that she would get one sent from the Maydestone family as a whole. His father liked to invite all the high borns in the capital whenever he put on one of the spectacles. It was all just a show of power, but it kept the people happy. In fact, he was sure she had already been to one of the events in the past. She would probably remember it when she got her memories back: the flashy décor that lined the square in the middle of the capital, the gourmet food and drink, the regal music… and who could forget the long speeches about the state of the nation, broadcasted on hovering jumbotrons for everyone to see?

As much as the gatherings were meant to make the citizens happy, he knew they were designed to announce the strength of the monarchy to their enemies as well. Aspiria wasn’t on the best of terms with all the neighboring countries, and there were also the rebels to deter from within her own borders. The politics were enough to make the prince’s head swim, and they were also the main reason why he wasn’t particularly fond of the displays his family put together. The other reason was simply the fact that he had to wear a suit.

When Iris asked if someone had been arrested for addressing him the wrong way before, he sighed. “I wish I could tell you it hasn’t,” he expressed honestly. “But the soldiers are strict. If they catch anyone referring to me as anything less than ‘your highness’ or ‘my prince,’ they cuff them on the spot.” The most mortifying experience with the law that he could remember was when a distant cousin of his own family had called him ‘Caspian’ without the title ‘Prince’ when he was only nine years old. His father had made no exception and had the woman arrested without hesitation.

As Iris stood up, Cas took a moment to make sure she found her balance before he dropped her hand. “Okay,” he took a step back from her when she said she wanted to rest before dinner. “I didn’t have any plans. We can just meet up again later.” A break would give him some time to check on his father too. He was sure the king already knew she had arrived, but he wasn’t certain how he’d reacted to the news. After all, his consent to her staying with them had been reluctant at best and full of conditions. He wouldn’t have been surprised if he went to Atlas’s room and found him brooding.

“Yeah,” he nodded when Iris asked if they would be meeting in the kitchen for dinner. “That’s usually where we eat unless the staff was given orders to bring the food somewhere else.” Every once in a while, he asked the maids to bring his meal to his room, usually if he was ill or if he didn’t want to leave for whatever reason. His father also frequently dined in private these days—when he even had an appetite to eat, that was.

“See you later, Iris,” Cas smiled at her one more time before he turned to head out of the theater. Now to find out how his father was handling everything that had happened that day.

Amnesia [Suki & Summer]

Yeah, but at least it makes for a good novel xD

I'll get started on a post for you this morning! ^^

Amnesia [Suki & Summer]

It is xD But I like complex stuff, so I've had fun with it. I've gotten to research a lot about microchips, and it's fascinating how much they're capable of doing! Most of it is innocent enough, but the GPS feature makes me feel a little iffy. I don't like the idea of being tracked anywhere I go lol

I should be able to! I just needed to get some big digital blueprints printed on paper, and it took about an hour to get the industrial printer to cooperate ^^; Now that that's done, I should be fine!

Good luck with it! I'm sure it'll turn out great ^^