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In the meantime, Apothecary Lenus tied her wound with a new bandage and handed her a herbal liquid in two vials. " Finish a vial before breakfast for the next two days. Do more resting and less stressing ". He instructed, walking with her out of the infirmary.

Caroline spotted Edgar leaning on a tree outside. For a second, she felt pity for him seeing how lonely he was, standing all alone and looking upwards like an outcast, like a man that weighed the world on his shoulder.

" Be careful not to hurt yourself. The wound is still tender ". Lenus continued to speak as he walked with Caroline to the tree. Edgar rose his head to see them.

" How did it go? ". He asked as they neared him.

" Fortunately, the wound was not deep and it was taken care of. Let her take the herbals and she would be better within a week. Meals given to her should consist of green vegetables to replenish the blood she had lost ". He advised and bid them goodbye afterward.

They both greeted him and continued on their journey.

" I expected your cries and screams but it seems to me that you only become a crybaby on rare occasions '. He sneered.

Caroline, who had for the few minutes she was in the infirmary forgot how annoying Edgar was, remembered and missed slapping him on his arm whilst he walked ahead of her with large steps.

" Do I need to remind you of how slow you are? ". He asked when he noticed that she was not following behind and when he turned to look at her after his question, Caroline walked past him with her head high, astounding him.

Edgar found himself smiling at the boldness of the girl he thought to be weak as every maid he had seen. Their closeness had grown over the hours, he thought, but if not cautioned on time, he pondered more, she might go out of hand.

So when she was but a two-feet stride, he covered their distance and grabbed her by her arm, turning her around to face him.

With the force he used, Caroline turned, colliding with him. Her upper body hit against his chest and for the difference in height, she escaped a head-on collision.

" What? ". She asked in confusion.

" What is what? ". He asked looking down on her as her height was petite, coming to rest below his chin." You are short but your words aren't. And as timid as you may look, your actions aren't. Don't do that next time. Else these words of mine would do be last of my consideration and pity ". Caroline felt the threat of genuineness that underlaid his words. He was a vampire after all.

" Don't think I would fear you because you a vamp— ".

" Shhh.... No one knows that in this village but you and I wouldn't be the talebearer if I was you ". Caroline felt his chin on her head pin her.

" Stop that! ".

" Stop what ".

" Stop what you are doing on my head, It's aching ". She winced.

" Oh, I pray you, tell me what I am doing with your head ". He asked confused whilst pinning.

" Please stop ". She begged, feeling the increasing pain on the crown of her head. When he removed his chin and found her stable, he walked out of there.

Caroline blinked hard, trying to get herself. What he did was more painful than Lady Elvin's hundreds of whips. Strangely, it felt as though she was being scolded by her mother. Though he did not shout, his actions pained her beyond the physical one he had inflected.

She turned when his footsteps became non-existent and found him entering deeper into the village. She dragged her famished and tired self to run after him, picking up the space.

They walked, both of them in silence till they got to the market.

•

" They wouldn't have passed here. His Highness won't take such a risk with a girl in his arms ". Ryker, the boy who was made to grow with the Comrades spoke as they got to the rock where Edgar had tied her wound with a piece of his cloak. The air surrounding the hill carried no scent of their King or the maid

" His Highness would prefer to pass a place we would not envision him to. And look, are these not strands of the material that makes our cloak? ". Murdock, one of the comrades with a half-burnt face, asked as he bent to pick up the black threads scattered on the ground.

And when the rest of the Comrades looked closely they were indeed pieces of black, that which were woven in plenty to form the cloak they did wear.

" They wouldn't have gone far. We have to save His Highness from the girl. My instincts tell me she is terror ". Cadbury added, giving a new operation.

And at his words, the Comrades growled and jumped into the now bright day. As four ran, reducing their jumping to walking like the humans so as to not raise

suspicions, two stayed behind. Anthony and Wallace.

" They should not be exaggerating that girl. She is like every human but with red hair ". Wallace said, " And for her blood, it is due to our starvation before the attack ".

Anthony looked ahead as the men now walked freely with men. His mind with what Wallace had said, finding it true but at the same fault.

" You are not saying anything ". Wallace noted, getting disturbed at the prolonged silence.

" I find your latter words to be of fault. The smell of her blood is a very addictive one. Like of spices, it smells sweet, delicate yet fierce. I don't know for you but if we don't get His Highness away from the clasp of the girl, I foresee her bringing a drastic blow to our kind. The aroma of her blood and the redness of her hair with the whiteness of her skin bring a contrast of tranquility and danger. She is who we say she is. She is terror ".