Entering The Castle

"Damn it! The play I wanted was simple, but why did I end up being a protector of this kid?" Morris complained while Red was in his arms. He had finished burying the remains of the child's mother. Morris doesn't even know her name, so he wonders why the woman trusted him to take care of and raise the child.

"Lord Marco will kill me for this, but I don't have a choice," Morris uttered and traced the way back to the castle.

If you look at the castle outside, you think no one lives here because it is quiet and dull, but a distinct atmosphere will greet you when you enter. Its interior is more vibrant as gold decorations shine throughout the household.

"This is your father's house and it will be yours when the time comes ..." Morris said to baby Red.

"And what do you mean by that?" Victoria Demitri remarked as soon as she appeared in front of Morris.

"Lady Victoria... I-" Morris stammer, seeing the changes in Victoria's face. As soon as she smelled the human scent, her fang and the blood lust came out.

"How dare you bring humans into this castle! Or Is that a gift for your new Lord Marco?" Victoria asked while calming herself.

"Forgive me, my lady Victoria, but the truth is this child is the heirs of my Lord Valir," Morris remarks while bowing. He couldn't face the sudden sharpening of Victoria's eye.

"An heir? An infant? Did you think Lord Marco will let you live after this crazy joke?!" Victoria's voice thundered across the expanse of the hall while making a step closer to Morris; her attention focused on the child in his arms.

"My lady, please spare my life ... the mother of this child dies tonight but before that she bonds me to this kid, that is why I am forced to bring this child here and keep her safe," Morris explained while trembling.

"Ha Ha Ha! Then the mother of this child is a witch! And a cunning one!" Victoria exclaimed as she parted the cloth that covered Red's face. But as soon as she saw Red's eyes, Victoria froze. As a child, she could see superiority in her eyes, so Victoria backed away and was terrified.

"The child's name is Red. That's all I know. I didn't know her mother's name because she died suddenly," Morris explained and finally exposed the baby's face.

"A child with crimson eyes, she is indeed Vladimir's heirs ... And that is the reason for her to vanish in this world!" Victoria declared while disgustedly staring at Red.

"My lady, please, I'm begging you ... This child can't die. Her mother made a curse before she died, so we can't kill this child!" Morris said in a trembling voice. He stepped back when Victoria's claws came out.

"Are you stupid? When the witch dies, the curses she made vanish with her!" Victoria responds as she vanishes from her stand, then appears with her claws bent to pierce Red. But before Victoria's claws penetrate Red's little body envelope with a light. And that light burned Victoria's body, so she quickly disappeared and hid on the other side of the wall where the light could not reach.

"Red, what did you do?" Morris whispered in shock. He wonders how Victoria was burned with that light, but he is not.

"Morris! if you want to live, get that child away from me! Away from this castle!" Victoria exclaimed. She came out when the lights coming from Red vanished. Victoria checked her skin. The burn is still there, but it is slowly healing.

"My lady, please reconsider. You saw what happened. What if the curse her mother made is not gone? Our land will suffer, and Lord Marco will not like it," Morris explained. Seeing that Red can protect herself, he feels at peace.

Victoria couldn't answer right away. Morris was right. What if the curse created by Red's mother hadn't been removed? That is why she decided to let Marco know about this and decide.

"Bring that child and let's hear what Marco has to say in this case," Victoria states after a minute of thinking.

"Thank you, my lady," Morris affirmed. Since Victoria agrees to let Marco know about Red, Getting Marco's approval is easy. So, while following Victoria, Morris thought of what he could say to make Marco agree to let Red live here in the castle.

This is the first time Morris has reached the castle's second floor since Valir died, and since then, much has changed. Especially the portrait in the hallway.

"Let me talk to him first," Victoria said to Morris when they reached the end room.

"As you wish, my lady," Morris quickly responds.

[Three knocks before Victoria entered the main bedroom.]

"What do you want this time?" An arrogant voice promptly greeted Victoria.

"Leave," Victoria commands to Marco's two mates in bed. This scene is not new, so it doesn't matter to them.

Seeing how serious Victoria was, Marco didn't object. He let the two playmates leave as he stood to get some scotch.

"Speak up," Marco command after he drinks.

"Looks like Valir left you a very important gift," Victoria responded as she walked towards Marco, snatched the glass in his hand, and immediately drank.

"A gift?" Marco curiously asked.

Victoria gave him a cunning smile before she told everything about the child.

"Send them in!" Marco commands after hearing Victoria.

"A wonderful night to you, my Lord," Morris greeted with a nervous smile.

"There is no need for an introduction. Victoria explained to me everything," Marco states and comes over and looks at Red.

"My Lord-"

"I will agree. That child can stay in this castle, but you need to hide her," Marco states.

"Hide her for whom, my Lord?" Morris asked.

"From me! This child reminds me of Valir, particularly her eyes!" Marco answered.

Although Morris disagreed, he accepted Marco's condition. The only thing that mattered was for the child to stay in the castle.

"All I need to do now is to make sure you grow up strong and safe. And a couple of years is not that hard," Morris utter and sigh.