Chapter 289: Unnatural
"What seems to be the issue?"
Silas arrived in the gardens, only to be greeted by a beet red faced Arabella, an awkward looking Ada and an angry old fairy.
"She was still apologizing for what happened at the beginning of the month so I gave her a piece of my mind," Liriel crossed her arms over her chest, puffing out a loud exhale.
Arabella looked at him with a pleading look, but after a deep inhale, all he said was, "There are things even I can’t protect you from," referring to Liriel’s wrath.
Their attention fell on Ada next who’d cleared her throat, "Will you be staying until evening? Will the rest of the fairies be joining you here?"
"I am not sure yet," Liriel’s displeased demeanor shifted to a more pensive one.
"Oh please, stay!" Arabella almost threw herself forward, "You do not come every day and it’s been so long since I’ve seen you,"
"Yes, it has," with her teeny tiny hand, she patted Arabella’s head, "A lot has happened since then," a spark shot across the fairy’s eyes, "Which reminds me that I haven’t yet congratulated you, my dear," she hovered down a little, "This brooch looks quite good on you. I knew you two were meant to be from the first time I ever saw you together,"
"Thank you," the scarlet shade returned even stronger on Arabella.
Silas on the other hand, did not seem affected by her words and simply thanked her kindly.
"Uhm... Liriel," with that tone from Arabella, the atmosphere sort of shifted in a sudden manner, "I know you are not acquainted with vampire ailments but, one of my friends, a vampire has been burdened by an illness that seems to have befallen her out of nowhere and even the doctors are stomped,"
"An ailment?" the fairy sat on Silas’ shoulder, "Have you reached out to Morgana yet?"
"We have," said the vampire, "She is up north for a job. She will even be attending the spring banquet with the northerners,"
"I thought, that perhaps with your wisdom, you’d see something others have failed to recognize,"
The devastating frown on Arabella prompted Liriel to agree without arguing.
Silas very reluctantly guided them towards Katerine’s placement which was not her bedroom.
She was held in a special room, deep into the medical wing.
"We did not restrain her since the door and windows were covered in silver that were doused in concentrated Yuniper. Stay by the door," he turned to Arabella and Ada.
They obeyed and allowed the fairy to go forward.
He hadn’t lied, Katherine’s state did not get any better. It seemed to be the total opposite as her eyes had gotten even redder, her skin tone ash like and her breathing... Haunting.
She moved not a muscle and lay limp on her bed.
"This is... Quite something!" Liriel’s eyes flickered from one spot on Katherine to the other but focused mainly on her wide-open eyes, "I take it she isn’t gifted like you," she half asked.
"No," Silas walked around the bed frame, "She was found in this state about two mornings ago,"
"Her eyes need to be kept moisturized otherwise she will permanently lose her vision even after healing,"
"Oh dear!" the gasp came from Arabella.
"Do you know what plagues her?" Silas asked.
"No, but... From my humble experience, this isn’t something that occurred naturally in her body, unless...," she looked at Silas, "The doctors have said otherwise,"
"The doctors are conflicted on whether the infection happened naturally or has intentionally been introduced in her body,"
Liriel hovered down, closer to Katherine’s eyes, "Has she come in contact with a new body or substance that only she had to deal with?"
"Not that I know of," he shook his head once.
"Well, then I doubt it is natural,"
"But who would do that to her? She has no enemies!" Arabella protested, her features twisted.
"And how would you know, my darling?" Liriel flew back towards Arabella, "Most people’s enemies lurk in the shadows. Not all will bare their teeth at you,"
With those words, the group exited the room and locked it behind themselves.
Arabella’s heart hung back with Katherine. Ada had to walk with an arm wrapped around her shoulder in order to encourage her ahead.
"What else do you need me for?" the fairy inquired with a newly painted smile on her.
"No. Nothing else, I am sorry for burdening you already," Arabella had a sheepish look, mingled with an apologetic one.
"If I had a bigger hand, I would’ve struck you on the head, girl," Liriel warned her.
The young woman immediately stepped back and hid behind Ada. But fortunately for her, Liriel did not hold on to that crumpled demeanor very long and smiled warmly within seconds, "In any case, when do we get to celebrate you two?" she pointed between Arabella and Silas.
"Mother wishes to make our union official somewhen after the spring equinox. In fact, she has already started with the preparations," Silas stood tall and uttered those words without the slightest hitch.
Arabella on the other hand was stunned by the information. The vampire had simply inquired on her thoughts about the union, but nothing about the preparations.
"Well, you see me glad to hear that! I will be expecting the official invitation then," the fairy chuckled.
"And it will be delivered," Silas gave her a polite nod.
"I suggest returning to the gardens then!" Ada chirped to distract from the tomato on legs that Arabella had become.
"Good idea! I’d like to see all of it and meet the one with the gifted hands that made it the treasure it is,"
In good company, the hours seemed to shrink into minutes. It wasn’t long before the rest of the Fata fairies joined their queen at the Eleazar mansion.
Arabella realized her instinct had been correct as the manor turned a thousand times livelier with nightfall when the vampires emerged from hibernation.