Nerum clan

"Lucia, wake up."

I heard the deep voice of the Duke whispering in my ear but I want him to say it again… please say it again to make me open my eyes…

"Lucia, love, wake up."

Come on say it. I know you know what I want to hear again…

"Lucia, I love you."

Hehehe again, say it again. I can feel his hand caressing my cheek. I know he knows I am awake.

"Lucia, I love you."

I am satisfied, I like so much the way you say it.

"Miss Lucia, we are already inside the Capital, quickly take a look," Irina called from the front of the carriage.

My dear Irina, this is not the right moment, my handsome man is making me so happy and I have many other things in mind for him to do. I can feel how he caress my hair and rubs my cheek with his long fingers. Goodness! I can't stop smiling.

"Mis Lucia, look, the Royal Palace is so splendid and… oh my! it is the cake shop that Madam Thorne told us about."

The legendary Cake Shop! I opened my eyes and was about to jump the carriage, but the hand of the Duke stopped me.

"Lucia! "

"But I have to go…" It's the cake shop.

"We need to reach the Mansion first,"

"But…"

"Lucia?"

"…"

"Lucia, love, we can go after we settle at home."

How can I say no? But he better compensate me or I will punish him.

"Miss Lucia, the man is right. We should settle."

Oh, my cute Irina is right, we should settle first.

"Okay, we will wait, beauty." I caressed his chin and a frown showed on his perfect forehead. I couldn't contain some chuckles escaping my mouth.

"You devil," He smiled.

How a wonderful day…

***

Princess Airia arrived at the capital of Docrem several days ago but she wasn't able to meet the Queen. After all, a little spoiled princess from an insignificant country can't be someone important to the great Queen of the most powerful nation on the continent.

"Your Majesty, it was terrible. I was kidnapped unjustly by a woman and his gang of bandits from Greenfort Village." The blonde woman dried her invisible tears on a pastel pink handkerchief. "I hope you can help me bring justice to those poor and innocent people."

"What happened Princess Airia?" Miriam could feel a migraine invading her head. The whinings of the woman were so high-pitched that she was feeling shiver on her spine every time she uttered a word.

"I… I was defending a poor group of customers from a tyrannical gang raiding the town's bakery when they attacked me and imprisoned me together with my guards. They were extremely cruel. I was only protecting the innocent, as they were suffering enormous injustice and cruelty from those bullies."

The little Princess dried off her invisible tears again.

"Princess Airia, we will investigate this matter. And you don't have to worry about justice in my country, it always finds the right side." Now she was regretting inviting this ridiculous princess to her kingdom. She will never accept such a sister-in-law and her brother too. However, something was strange about her behavior. It was so exaggerated that it was obvious that she was lying. 'Is she doing this on purpose?'

"Thank you, thank you so much, Your Majesty. I can provide the address of these bandits to be arrested if you want."

"That will be not necessary, I already deployed my guards to that village," Miriam smiled at the astonished face of the little princess. "They will return with news in no time."

"What?" her astonished little face was funny to look but some glint in her eyes made Miriam think deeply. After all, she was the Queen of a powerful nation and has seen all kinds of masks in high society.

"Yes, coincidentally, some of my brother's knights were in that place, they will arrive shortly, don't worry."

"… tha… thank you… Your Majesty."

Some knocks on the door interrupted the little conversation.

"Your Majesty. Grand Master Killian is here to see you." Sir Thomas came inside with a respectful bow.

"Alright send him in." Miriam almost let go a relieved sigh but she contained her expression.

"Yes, your Majesty."

"Princess Airia, you should go rest, we will discover these corrupt people soon, don't you worry."

"Thank you, Your Highness, I will take my leave." Airia made an exaggerated reverence with her overly adorned white dress and went out.

Then a few seconds later, an old man in a dark blue robe opened the door taking careful steps with the help of his cane to the inside of the room. He was old and his face was adorned with a long grey beard. He seemed tired but the look in his eyes was as if he knew the mysteries of the world.

"Master Killian, it is a great honor to have you here." Miriam stood up to guide the old man to the nearby sofa.

"Your Majesty, the honor is all mine." He took her hand and smiled.

When both of them were seated, she ordered some tea and pastries.

"Please Master, you can call me Miriam. I am curious, Master, I heard you were traveling around the world, enjoying your retirement. What makes you come here?"

"Little girl you've grown up," he smiled for a brief moment then his eyes turned serious. "I enjoyed my dear retirement so much, my dear, but as much I wanted to travel I had to settle in some remote town near the southern frontier. And… that is why I am here, I want to discuss a difficult matter concerning the safety of the people of Docrem."

He remained silent for a moment, pondering carefully his next words.

"The Nerum Clan is awake."

"What is this Nerum Clan, Master?"

Miriam frowned, she had never heard about these people.

"They are terrible creatures and we can't underestimate their power. They once were humans, but which humans would take blood from their brothers? They are monsters." The old man was lost in thought as if recalling some memories, but his eyes were not clear, something was hidden inside.

"Master?"

He cleared his throat and regained focus again.

"We should deploy an army against them, Miriam."

"Master, I should learn more about this matter, I can't move so many lives without knowing everything about this."

The old man smiled and looked at the Queen with a face full of pride.

"You sure had grown up. I am very proud of you little girl."

"Thank you, Master, after all, I had an excellent teacher, but regarding these people, do you know more about this clan?"

The old man became distracted again looking at the lights coming from the window.

"Master?"

"You should ask the Crotia Kingdom. Send people to ask their King, that old man should know. Their ancestors confronted them many years ago and they must have something…" The old man started mumbling without sense.

"Master, are you alright?"

Killian's eyes were unfocused looking at the sunlight coming from the window, then he abruptly changed his focus to his hands, this time with a painful frown on his forehead as if he was fighting to think clearly.

"Yes, of course. We must rush this matter, they awoke again, they awoke again."

"Master!" she put her cup on the side table and took his arm. "Master, is everything okay?"

"Yes?!" he looked at her as if nothing had happened. "Miriam, where is your brother? I came here looking for him."

"This… He is on his way back." She looked at him with a worried stare. He was after all the man who taught her everything.

"Excellent, I want him to meet someone."

She decided to pass his ambiguity and talk with a magic healer later to help Killian.

"Can I know who is this person?"

"Yes, of course, I chose her to be his fiancée." He smiled while reminiscing something. "She is an exceptional young woman. He will like her greatly."

"Master… *sigh*… You should know him, not even I can impose him on this matter. But she can come to the ball I prepared for him."

"She is my new apprentice Miriam, she is outstanding."

"May I know her name at least?"

"She is Rebecca from the Crotia Kingdom."

"…"

"Have you met her before?"

"Yes, I met her a few months ago, we were still in a battle with elder brother…but."

"Is something the matter?"

"I don't know… sighs… I think she has the most possibilities with him. Last year I believe they were pretty close."

"Yes, I know, she had to return to her Kingdom, and he went to give you your Crown. This time they could be together."

"That will be a matter of fate, Master."

While she looked at her cup again, lost in thought, she didn't notice the dense shadow lurking at the feet of Master Killian. If she had noticed, she wouldn't be able to maintain her calm composure, she may even be so afraid to ever again consider as truth Master Killian's words.