Chapter 3

Her ears lowered slightly, her hand moving from her face to rest in the table as she brought a sautéed asparagus to her mouth. After chewing and swallowing she spoke, "I'm sure our magic or perhaps some of our books on the topics of science, animals, and alchemy could help you. I'm more than willing to do what I can to help you, My lord. I'm also sorry your people don't treat you the way you should be treated… The war has stained both ours lands and people."

"Alchemic knowledge and extra cattle would benefit my research greatly. Well, about my people... They see me as a potential threat, since I had rather unceremoniously murdered their king. No appropriate duel or anything. One night, me and him just got in a fight and one way or another, he deemed me a traitor. Half way through the fight I stopped defending myself and took the offensive. I did not want to slay my father, but he was a shell of who he once was... The man I knew when I grew up..." Alexandru's eye's narrowed at the somewhat visible scars past the blindfold on Leilania's face, "He would never attack a young woman.. Ever."

He sipped onto his crimson juice before he spoke boldly, "You have not been blind for a long time, it seems. I can tell by your stubborn movements. When did he do it?"

As the conversation shifted she gulped, sitting up a little straighter as it soon turned to her eyes. Reaching up, she pulled off her blind fold, showing the large massive scars from his father across her eyes and nose. Her eyes a blind pale blue eyes shimmering in the light as she spoke, "When he tried to take over our home... I-I'm afraid I don't know how long back… Once I was pulled to safety I drifted into a coma… I was asleep for I don't know how long… When I woke up.. I had to relearn the world around me. It was hard…Still hard. I try to-Ow!"

As she moved her hand she accidentally pricked her finger on the knife, her face twisting into a wince as her lovely crimson blood began to form and drip from her finger tip. "A-Ah….I'm sorry.."

Suddenly, in a flash of a second Alex stood next to Leilania and held her hand gently. There in that moment and grabbed the napkin from his lap and was going to close the wound up but realized just how intoxicating the scent of her blood was. Alex gulped lightly and spoke, "Vampire's have an ability that benefits others. Do you wish to see it?" He said softly. He may not be as clear as she may have wanted, but he was seeking her consent. For what, he may know, but she would have to find out.

She just looked ahead, a little nervous as her cheeks flushed red. "I a-Ah don't know… What would it do? H-how could you help?" Her voice faltered in embarrassment. The sweet crimson liquid slowly dripping down her finger… Teasing him. Her finger pulsed from the light pain, only helping to assist in more blood being pushed out. 

The maids stared in shock as they would glance at the royal guard's who had been staring down Alexandru the moment he was right next to the princess, holding her cut finger.

He waited no longer for her consent as he lowered his head to her finger and allowed his tongue to catch the drop of blood. His surprisingly warm tongue glided back up her finder back to the cut as he allowed his soft lips to press against it, sipping the blood out softly until the wound had almost instantaneously healed. Her blood was sweet, yet had its own special metallic taste, one he had never tasted before. It was so damn warm and enveloping. The flavor had to be noted to make the perfect synthetic blood.

His eyes remained closed as he could feel his heart pound as it absorbed the rich life of Leilania's blood. His lips soon parted from her finger which was no longer in any pain nor did it even have a mark.

"Vampires used to hide in the dark. They were nocturnal creatures, designed to drink and flee. An ability that most vampires don't use is the healing factor within their saliva. Before, when we were creatures of the night, we would hide, find a prey, knock them out, cut an arm, drink, and then lick the arm to heal it, and flee back into the dark..." He softly removed his hands from hers and continued, "We allowed our gluttonous greed to consume us. We were never designed to kill. Our two most strongest factors were to feed and to devote our lustful lives to ourselves. Murder is a choice. It always has been, and we can be strong enough to choose to not kill one another."

Her face was flushed red. She replayed the feeling of his tongue on her skin in her head over, and over again. She spoke with a hushed shyness, "I-I see… I'm sorry…That many turned to murder… Thank you… for healing my finger… Too bad it's too late for my eyes, but that's okay… I-I appreciate your efforts, my lord."

If she had eyes she would avoid his gaze, even the tips of her ears were pink with blush.

Alex could tell just how flustered she was and he spoke honestly with a lingering hum in his tone, "Truth be told, if I give your mages a bit of my saliva, there may be a way to regain your vision. I make no promises, though."

He sat next to her, ignoring his meal now and was solely focused on her. That blood sent him into a deep focus. He was feeling feral a feeling he had not felt in over a century. He wanted to taste it again. Just another flavor to utilize for his synthetic blood, "Have you tried every solution for your vision?" He asked softly.

She nodded softly, her hand still in his as she spoke softly, her ears twitching, "Yes, but there's a part of me… If I see again… What if I don't like what I see?.. what if... What if I hate how the worlds changed?.. W-What if I look at you… And see your father?" She looked down ashamed and in fear.

Alexandru gave a soft chuckle as if he was speaking to a scared little girl for a moment, but then as she continued he realized what she had meant. Her words rung in his thoughts as he thought for a second and he spoke softly, "... The world wants you to see it, though. Your people can not live with a blind queen. Your enemies will thrive without you seeing them. Your royal guard will continue to pamper you. Treat you like something they will pity," He rubbed her hand lightly and softly, "But no matter what, the world is still beautiful. The sun still shines, and I would remain your ally no matter how you would see me... Plus! Most of my facial features are taken from my mother's side," he teased softly as he lifted her hand to feel his face, "I am not driven by rage and pain, Leilania. That alone you can already see."

She traced her soft hands over his faces, seeing him in her minds eye as she chuckled, "You are right. You look very Elven… and… Handsome…" She blushed, a soft cough in her words as she realized what she had said.

Alexandru had such a warm smile on his face when he felt her hands on his face. He seemed to adore her. It must have been the blood that kept his heart pounding.

"I Um. I need to Ah… Bathe and put in my eye drops. Um. Please. Explore our library while you wait, or cannot sleep. I cannot help you since I can't read at the moment," She chuckled softly again, "But I'm sure you'll find plenty to help you. I'll see you later on My lord."

She stood and excused herself as one of the maids helped her walk away without tripping on a step. A maid stayed with him with the cask of blood and the goblet he had been drinking from, ready to take it with them to the library.

 Alex nudged himself back away from her when she rather suddenly hurried herself away from him. He could not tell if he had taken a step too far, or maybe broke some royal boundaries. He figured she would be a bit of a shy girl but she seemed a little more in control than he had originally assumed.

He noticed the maid holding the goblet of blood and he spoke honestly, "You do not have to hold that. that is a very large goblet and I am not thirsty," he chuckled softly as he gave the maid a soft wave as he followed her to the library.