XII

"Evander, Miss Aliah wants to meet you after work," I told Evander about Miss Aliah's intention.

"What? Why?", he asked.

"It's about your dream. If you want to know the truth, it's better for you to just agree to meet her. She's a nice woman after all," I replied.

"Ergh, fine! But please make sure that she's not gonna ask me a weird question."

"Okay, I will tell her that."

I leave the stable and go back to the garden. On my way to the garden, I saw Maverick at the farm. He stays calm, doing his work alone. Deep inside, who knows what he feels?

"Are you okay?", I asked him.

He looked at me with hazel eyes. He then just nodded. I feel like I need to address my feeling towards him. If he understands it, we might be able to move away from this awkwardness. After what Evander told me before, I started to realize the reason why he hasn't talked to me like usual. He kept on a distance from me. I only talked to him when he was sick. But at that moment, I didn't know about his feeling so I felt normal. But now, it's different.

"Can we talk about something?", I asked him again.

"About what?"

"About you."

"Me? Why?"

"You kept on distance with me. I only talked to you when you're sick. Why?"

He didn't reply to anything and continued with his work.

"Answer me!", I firmly told him.

"I don't feel like talking. We're still working so please meet me after dinner."

"Okay, I will. But if you don't answer me, if you still kept on distance from me. I'll let Claudia handle it."

I walked back to the garden. Only Claudia knows how to manipulate people to make them talk. Except for Evander. It's tortured every time we want to know something about him.

"So, he gonna meet me?", Miss Aliah asked me as soon as I arrived at the garden.

"Yes, he will. Please meet him right after we finished working. And don't ask him some weird question. He might don't want to talk to you again," I gently remind her.

"Sure, I will. I hope he'll understand what I'm gonna tell him."

"If you find it hard, you can always ask me to do it for you. He might understand it if one of his friends does it."

"Okay. Thank you so much, Serenity. I'm pretty sure he's the same boy."

"Same boy? What do you mean?"

"You'll know it later. Now, back to work."

. . . . . ╰──╮╭──╯ . . . . .

"Now, tell me everything," I said to Maverick.

After dinner, I rush to his room since he's not with us during dinner.

"Sit."

I quickly sit in a chair. I felt like he was not gonna tell me anything about it.

"How's dinner?" he chances the topic already!

"Fine. Answer me a question!"

He bites his lips. Looks nervous to me. I just want him to tell the truth. And I don't want him to continue that feeling. It's more hurting if he let it be. He needs to know that I love him as my family. Nothing more.

"You want me to call Claudia?", I asked him.

"No."

I still waiting for his explanation.

"I heard your conversation with Evan last night. What he said is true. I love you, Serenity. More than just a family," he told me.

I don't know why but I feel relieved after he confesses it. At least, I know the truth.

"And I know you love someone else. So, don't worry. I'll try to move on from you."

"Mave, I appreciate that you at least try to move on. You know, I always love you. But only as my family. Even so, I'll always be here for you. You can always talk to me like usual. Please, don't try to keep on distance from me again. I hate it!"

"I'm sorry. I thought it was just the right choice. Keep on distance with you and move on."

"So, you want to leave me? Like what Azazel did?"

"Eh, no! I didn't mean that!" he begins to panic.

"Then don't do that again."

"Okay. I won't. Well, at least we still are a friend."

"More like family," I added it.

"Yeah, family."

I saw his smile back. Finally, he smile again. I'm pretty sure he also feel relieved after the confession. I stand up and hug him. He hugs me back. Hopefully, everything going smoothly after this. No more awkwardness between us. We can live a normal life back. But, without Azazel.

"I'm going back to my room," I said.

"Okay. Good night."

"You too."

The next morning, I straight away meet Evander. I want to know what Miss Aliah told him. Such a busybody am I? But, I am also involved in this matter. Of course, I want to know it!

"I know you'll come to meet me this morning," Evander said as soon as I arrived at his room.

"Err, hehe."

"Miss Aliah told me something that I hard to believe. And mad at the same time."

I wrinkled my forehead. What does he mean?

"What that she told you?"

"I'm from the Shadow Kingdom where the vampires live."

I was shocked and almost fell down the chair. How can he be one of the vampires? I know I felt like that before. But, that's just my assumption. Nothing more!

"But, how?"

"The Shadow Kingdom and the Carnation Kingdom fights before. She told me that I was seven years old at that moment. The last Carnation Kingdom's king was greedy. He tries to take over the Shadow Kingdom land. They attacked the Shadow Kingdom's land and claim that the Shadow Kingdom was the one who started the war. This makes the other kingdom wants to send help to the Carnation Kingdom, but fail since it's too late. The vampires manage to take over the war. The Shadow Kingdom almost lost it, but with the power of the King and Queen, they won. The Carnation Kingdom fell to the ground."

I close my mouth with both of my hands. Never thought that nymphs can be so greedy.

"Then what happens?"

"All of the other kingdoms still can't believe what happen. The Shadow Kingdom's king tries to clear the situation. But since he's a vampire and a vampire is usually a bad one, nobody believes him. Until the Mauve Kingdom king and queen came up with solid proof about it. At last, the others kingdoms finally believe it. After a few years of being abandoned by the others, the Shadow Kingdom is finally back on track. They also sign an agreement. They'll always save each other's kingdoms. The Golden Kingdom, the Shadow Kingdom, the Mauve Kingdom, the Emerald Kingdom and the Azure Kingdom. In a return, they share everything. That's why the Azure Kingdom is protected by war even though they're poor."

"But, what about the 'prince' title that they called you inside your dream?"

"Hmm, this is what I can't believe."

"Why?"

"Miss Aliah told me that I'm the king and queen's son. They send me to the Azure Kingdom for my safety. They cast a spell on me so I don't grow fangs or have the desire to drink blood. And I think the reason why I lost my memories is that the guard punches me in the face!"

I can't help myself from laughing. Evander seems to really mad with the guard.

"Why are you laughing? I'm dead serious!"

"Nothing! But, you still need to believe it too. You're the crown prince. You can't keep hiding. You also need to go back to the Shadow Kingdom. Sooner or later, King Alexander and Queen Elizabeth will know it too."

Evander didn't reply.