Life and death

"The synthetic blood worked, Lady Reese."

Reese was silently reading a book on her terrace when Butler Sue came to report her the good news.

Reese closed her book and she stood up from where she was sitting, she faced Butler Sue with a smile.

"That's good to hear, Butler Sue." Saad ni Reese, she took notice of Kier that was at the garden and Reese couldn't help but to get curious of what he was doing there.

Reese went over at the end of her terrace and took notice of Kier who was talking to the gardener. The white rose that used to live in that garden when she first got here was changed into red ones.

"Butler Sue." Reese called for the butler that was behind her.

"Yes, Lady Reese?" The butler asked Reese.

"Anong ginagawa nila sa garden? Did Kier ask for a change?" Reese asked Butler Sue.

"Yes." Simpleng sagot nito kay Reese.

Reese then faced Butler Sue with a confused expression, she crossed her arms and leaned on the terrace stone fence.

"Paraan saan? I never heard of him informing me about this." Pagtatanong ni Reese dito.

"The elders are coming to visit tomorrow, young lady. This would be the first time you'll be meeting them and we wanted to prepare the ball for their visit."

Clueless about what Butler Sue said, Reese was surprised with the fact that the elders will be coming here to check on her --- the former clan leader's daughter who was raised by humans.

Ruling a large clan, without the people knowing the fact that she's a half-human, half-vampire terrifies her. Hindi alam ni Reese kung paano nagawang itago ng matagal ng ama niya na isang mortal ang ina niya.

"I understand. You may leave, Butler Sue." Mahinang saad ni Reese.

Reese wanted to ask Butler Sue further, but Reese doesn't have the energy to ask further. She just stood there with a tired look and smile.

Kaagad na sinunod ni Butler Sue ang saad ni Reese at naiwan si Reese na nakatayo sa teresa, nantiling pinagmasdan ni Reese ang ginagawa ni Kier sa hardin.

Whenever Butler Sue and Kier mention the elders, Reese always gets a bit furious. The reason why?

Reese still remembered that four years ago, inside that hut, Kier asked Reese to marry him. She has to marry a pure blooded vampire in order to bear the next heir, and the elders are the ones who get to decide every single thing that Reese has to do in order to preserve the clan and the blood of the vampires that were still existing.

The elders did not choose Kier without any reason, Kier is a full-blooded vampire whose father is the same rank as Reese's missing father. Kier is in the same position as she is, but the only difference is that Kier is a full-blooded vampire, while Reese is not.

But, Reese clearly declined the proposal. She never wants to get married again, and the only man she would marry would be Severus. The only person she wants and the only person she needs --- but not in this lifetime.

Reese was back to her senses, she stopped her reverie. This is not the right time to think of things, she has to visit the men that were cured by the synthetic blood.

Reese once again looked at the garden, but this time no one was there anymore. The gardener and Kier might have left already.

Before Reese could even turn her back from her terrace, her eyes caught a glimpse of a door that was covered in vines. The door was at the end of the garden and it was quite hidden well, but Reese caught a glance of it because of the door's metal knob that got reflected by the sun.

Marahan na tinitigan ni Reese ang pintuan na iyon at malaki ang pagtataka niya rito. Sa apat na taon na nanirahan siiya dito ay ni-minsan ay hindi niya ito napansin o ni-minsan binigkas ng mga tauhan niya sa kanya.

She didn't even know that that door was there --- that it existed!

For the whole minute that Reese was staring at that door, Reese can't explain the reason why she felt her heart kept on beating really fast and the place seems to get small for Reese. She doesn't know the reason but her heart suddenly starts to hurt, as if it was getting squeezed and she can't breath any longer.

She's getting a bit numb from the pain and everything felt small and tight.

Reese was startled when someone suddenly grabbed her and made her look away from that door, as soon as she saw Kier with this worried expression, Reese's state went back to normal.

"I kept on knocking on the door, akala ko kung ano na ang nangyari sa'yo." Saad ni Kier at napatingin sa puwesto na nanatiling nakatitig si Reee, "What were you even looking at?" Kier then asked.

Reese took time to catch her breathe and looked at the same location she was staring at earlier, and there she saw nothing anymore. She closed her eyes shut and opened it again before facing Kier again.

"I'm sorry. I was kind of thinking about stuff." Paliwanag ni Reese at pumasok sa loob at umupo sa sopa. "Is there something you need to tell me, Kier?" Reese then asked as she fixed her expression.

"I forgot to tell you something, Butler Sue reminded me about it earlier."

Reese sighed, "How can you forget something so important? You know how things work."

"The elders just decided it unnoticed, and you know things might get really rough if you still refuse the proposal I made four years ago."

"I don't want to marry you, Kier. You know exactly the reason and it won't change my mind." Sagot ni Reese at kaagad na tumayo at tinalikuran ang binata habang yakap ang sarili.

"I know you won't marry me for the sake of him, of Severus, but how about the people here who believe in you? The people who wanted you to stay here? When the elders find out that you're a half-human, you'll be exiled with no exemptions. But if you think about the idea of the proposal I made four years ago, there would be an exemption."

Reese was not afraid of death, she's even ready for it. But thinking about the fact that she still has every single memory of being a human and a vampire at the same time, it changes her mind. She wants to continue living and knowing that she once trusted and met someone in this lifetime.

Sapat na kay Reese ang bagay na iyon kahit na hindi na siya iniisip pa muli ni Severus. Just the idea of Severus and her once got married, once lived together and once been happy made her live for this long.

"I wanted to reconsider that proposal, Kier. But, I can't risk anything. Hindi ko gusto na ikulong ka sa bagay na hindi mo ikasasaya. You and me might be married, but would you ever think that I will love you or you will love me?" Reese paused, "I don't think so." She added.

"Do you think that's important in this situation? Your life is in danger here, Reese. Kailangan pa rin ba natin isipin ang gan'yang bagay?"

Reese looked at Kier, unbelievably, Reese was considering the proposal.

Reese was silent for a moment, she was in deep thoughts about the problem and Reese can't even come up with anything as a solution.

Reese has no choice but to answer Kier, "I'm considering the proposal, Kier." Reese said with a heavy heart.

Things don't definitely go her way.