Chapter 339: Communicate
It was done. The invitations had been sent out in the open.
People from within and outside of the region were made aware that the only heir of Emeric Eleazar and Persephone was entering a new stage in his life.
However, they didn’t know the woman he was promising his life to. Arabella feared his union to a human wouldn’t be so well received, and thus ruining centuries of work and effort to maintain the reputation and prestige of the clan.
Was it going to yield the fall from grace she so dreaded for them? Or was she shedding hair for nothing?
"Where did your mind go?" Silas’ voice called her back into reality.
"Oh!" her eyes snapped onto him, "I am sorry. I believe I might be a bit on the edge with all of the preparations and all," she chuckled awkwardly.
"Are you sure that is all?" he asked, his eyes on the hallway ahead of them.
"Yes, of course!" she squeaked, "What else would it be?"
"Second thoughts, perhaps,"
Her feet halted in place upon hearing those words, "No," she stated, her demeanor void of the warm smile it had on seconds prior.
Her tone was firm, and her eyes immediately flickered away. It stung to hear, but no other retort came to mind as it was a reasonable possibility.
"Forgive me," he, once again, brought her out of her head, "I meant no offense. It is just that... It remains a fear of mine to think that you might not be ready or even want this. After all, it hasn’t been that long since we met,"
"Do you have second thoughts?" she asked.
"Not a shred. Not even for a second," he answered almost immediately, calm, but quick.
"I believe you," she nodded, "So, please believe me too when I say, I have none. Do you believe my word?" by then, her eyes bore into his with steadiness Silas hadn’t gotten to see on her all that often.
In her mind, the conversation circled back to the topic that plagued her since that morning, ever present in the back of her mind, gnawing at her sanity.
The way she had to affirm and reaffirm herself in order to be believed when it came to matters that concerned her wellbeing and safety, especially when it had direct ties to her mental state.
"Yes, of course, I believe you," his fingers connected with hers.
His eyes narrowed, but only fleetingly. Silas recovered his usual, composed demeanor fairly fast.
"Is there something that you’d like to share with me perhaps?" he asked, coming across a bit reluctant.
"No, but...," her shoulders relaxed, "I would appreciate it if, from now on, you’d communicate what bothers you with me. It’d make things between us so much simpler,"
A smile, which was yet another fleeting expression on him that disappeared as quickly as it had appeared, flashed across his face, "That is fair, but it’d only work if you practice what you preach,"
Her head tilted to the side as her eyebrows furrowed.
"I wish to know what plagues your mind as well, because you are right, we will be alright for as long as we work together and for that we will have to trust each other,"
Arabella nodded, then bit on her bottom lip before speaking, "I am merely curious as to what the broader reaction will be to our union since... I am human and you...," she never finished that sentence.
She didn’t have to. Silas got the gist of it, "No one cares," he declared flatly.
That took her aback a little, "Pardon?" her mouth remained agape.
"In Umbraria, as long as it doesn’t upset the balance of life, no one cares who marries who or who does what," he elaborated in the same tone.
"So... It won’t yield any negative consequences on your family," she half asked.
"It shouldn’t,"
When Arabella said nothing and did nothing other than stare at the floor, Silas broke the stifling silence, "Shall we go to the room?"
The young woman nodded but gave no other response, allowing him to guide her along.
Their fingers remained intertwined even after walking through the door.
Arabella’s mind was taken, yet something from her entourage still managed to grab her attention.
That something sat upon the carving desk, right behind the wooden canvas. It was sizable enough to be noticed but not huge either.
Cloaked under a thick sheet of fabric, it prevented her eyes from exploring or even determining its nature. Although, judging by the shape, its top was somewhat round, reminiscent of a sphere.
Knowing Silas, however, it was bound to be fashioned out of wood.
Her feet began making their way towards it, but the vampire immediately stood in her path, practically jumping in front of her.
"Wha...,"
"It’s nothing you need to see just now," he said, a small grin on him.
"Is it a new piece?" she quizzed with a little voice, her head tilted and craned to the side in order to steal a glimpse behind him.
"Something like that," his arm went around her, effectively blocking the piece out of her sight and guiding her towards the curtains without pushing, "Now then, I’d like to summon the doctors,"
"Why? Are you feeling ill?" her eyebrows furrowed and rose at the same time, translating a look of concern.
"No," he chuckled lightly, "You promised you’d let the doctors examine you tonight or did you forget?"
"Oh... Yes, it slipped my mind. Today was quite the long day," her cheeks flushed with tingles that indicated a rise in temperature.
Her thoughts were confirmed when Silas kept examining every inch of her face with a perpetual grin on.
"Alright then," he stroked her cheek, "Get comfortable, I will summon them,"
Arabella took her shoes off, headed for the bathroom and washed them. The relief that action brought was bigger and more fulfilling than she expected it to be.
Her jewelry came off next. Only the brooch remained on her chest.
When Doctor Damiana and Zarveth arrived, she was seated and ready to undergo the tests and examinations they had come to perform.