Mirabelle's POV
Even as much as I tried to clear my thoughts, I couldn't. After our meal I asked Gabrielle if there was any insignia, linking to whoever wrote me that letter but she gently shoved me to a corner and said "I thought you didn't want mother and father to know. With the way we're whispering they'd ask what we're talking about but no I didn't see any insignia but I would take a look at the letter again" she whispered in my ear before walking away. I assumed she was taking the dishes to the kitchen after our meal.
I felt like a burden, if only I wasn't cursed my sister won't be so stressed because of me. I sighed and tried to make my way towards our little garden outside the house. I started using my walking stick to lead the way but I felt someone grab my hand. "Sister Mira, you were about to hit the table" I heard my younger brother Kayden say. "Where do you want to go?" He asked as he helped me move. "The garden" I answered. "Is there something on your mind? You always want to go there when there's something bothering you." I heard him say. I bit the insides of my cheek wondering if I should tell him what was going on. "Let's go out first" I told him and he patiently waited till we got outside. He placed me on the bench in the garden and I felt him sit beside me. "So what's wrong?" He asked again.
I sighed and told him everything, from the first letter I received from the stranger to my recent dream about the king. "If the stranger is in love with you despite knowing you're...you know. Isn't it a good thing?". "It's a good thing Kayden but what if this stranger is a night creature that wants to lure me then kill me? We've heard stories of that remember? Most especially with the vampires, making women fall in love with them when all they want in return is to suck her dry of her blood" I told my little brother one of my worries. He stayed silent for a while before saying "Marcus and Klaus are here, I'm also here. Nothing will happen to you. I think you should go to the ball, if he doesn't come to you then, forget about him but if he turns out to be a human who's just extremely shy to talk to you but he approaches you at the ball, then give it a chance. As for your dreams, just tell the king".
I wanted to tell my sweet little brother that he, Marcus and Klaus could do little or nothing when it came to this man because he only came to me when I was alone and I strongly doubted he was human but I couldn't tell him any of that. I opened my arms for Kayden and he fell into my embrace. "Thank you pumpkin" I said to him, squeezing him gently. "You're welcome" he responded. "Don't tell mother and father yet. After the ball I would probably tell them" I warned and I felt him nod his head which was on my bosom. I released him from my hold and he told me about his trainings with Marcus and Klaus. I had to admit, I was concerned about his desire to be a knight because truly it wasn't an easy task. One could go to battle and never return.
I didn't want that for Kayden, so I said to him "I want you to be the best knight in the whole of Denver. Do your best to become so strong that no one can defeat you and make sure you always return home. I do not want to cry over you Kayden". He unexpectedly took hold of my pinkie with his and said "I promise. I promise to be the strongest, the wisest and the best and I would always return. So you won't ever cry over me" he said before breaking the link our fingers had.
I smiled at his cuteness, I hope this promise won't be broken.
At the square, the men were still hanged upside down. No one had dared to free them, as a matter of fact everyone left the square immediately after the king did. But unfortunately, among the crowd was Ares Garmin. Helena's savage vampire uncle.
Ares had been in this square before, he took up the remains of Irvington and buried them and after he departed the square, he was on his way to the palace to avenge Irvington but a more sinister plan popped in his head and he decided to go to his niece Helena and use her as a tool for his revenge instead. He knew it was the king who caused the death of Irvington because in times past, himself and Irvington made a pact to protect each other despite the fact Irvington was a human and because of this pact and other spiritual forces that play a part in making a pact, he was able to know the king was the culprit.
Fast forward to the present, he was at the square when the other colleagues of Irvington were getting punished. His eyes following the king's every move and wishing to pull out the heart of the king in a split second. He had left the square when everyone did but now, he was back. Moving up the scaffold to where the men were hanged. The blood had long rushed to their heads and he was sure if they stayed any minute longer, they'd die. One of them had passed out and was probably already planning on crossing to the underworld while the other two struggled to keep their eyes open.
Seeing them, he sighed and freed them, removing the piece of cloth they were gagged with and loosing their tied hands. From what he saw earlier, he knew the men weren't normal humans anymore. They had lost their minds but he decided to free them because even though he didn't come in time to safe Irvington, at least he could save these three.
After setting them free, they all ran in different directions like the mad men they really were. He shook his head left the square.