Claimed by the Prince of Darkness-Chapter 118: Memories of winter

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Once the Slater and Belmont families wrapped up the discussion in the parlour room, the humans excused themselves to return to their house. As their own carriage had suffered a broken wheel from a harsh bump in the road, they travelled back in the vampire’s carriage.

Upon reaching the destination, the carriage door opened and the cold air greeted them immediately.

Little Ruelle climbed down after her parents, her hood slipping back as she crossed the frosty ground toward the front door.

"The arrogance of those bloodsuckers. They think they own the world," Harold grumbled through clenched teeth once they were inside. He had bowed to Lord Azriel politely and all he had received in return was just a nod.

"Loathsome creatures, indeed," Megan agreed, placing a soothing hand on his arm. The servants hurried forward to remove their coats. She let out a sigh. "We must tread carefully, Harold. You don’t want to lose the position the minister is offering through this alliance."

Mr. Belmont clicked his tongue as he was still irritated. His gaze then moved to Ruelle, who stood at the doorway. He warned her,

"If not for yourself, then at least think of how it reflects on me. Do not embarrass us, Ruelle. Do you hear me?"

Little Ruelle nodded timidly.

"Mama! Papa!"

A small voice rang from the staircase, followed by quick footsteps. Soon a little girl just a year younger than Ruelle rushed down, her hair bouncing as she flung herself toward Mr. Belmont.

"I was waiting for you to come home, Papa!"

Harold’s expression softened at once as he bent to scoop his youngest daughter into his arms. He chuckled, "Were you now?" and pressed a kiss on her cheek. "I am sorry it took us so long."

Mrs. Belmont smiled before asking, "Did you behave while we were away, Caroline?"

A small frown settled over Caroline’s small face as she complained, "I don’t like the lessons..." Megan gave a soft, indulgent sigh. She then began to climb up the staircase with Harold and Caroline.

Little Ruelle watched their backs as they climbed higher and higher, their voices fading with each step, until the staircase swallowed them whole. No one noticed she had not followed and no one called her name.

An elderly maid came to her side. "Miss Ruelle, let’s get you changed into something comfortable, shall we?" and the young one was guided out of there to her room.

During the change of clothes, the maid asked, "How was your trip today, miss?"

Ruelle shook her head. "I fell," her voice was small. "Father was disappointed..."

"Don’t think too much on it, Miss. The vampires have that effect on many people," the maid consoled her. "For what they are and what they do. It can be scary at times."

As the maid was going to pull a fresh pair of nightdress over Ruelle’s head, the woman’s hands slowed. Her eyes fell on the child’s legs, where old bruises overlapped with newer ones. Marks left by Mr. Belmont’s cane for when he found a fault. And the wounds had made the girl’s legs weaker, unsteady on her feet and quicker to fall.

The next days, the Slaters’ carriage began coming for Ruelle to pick her up.

Right now, she was in the glasshouse of the Slaters’ Mansion. She walked next to Dane, with Lucian trailing a few steps behind.

"Tell me which one you like and Lucian will pluck it for you," Dane said with a smile, clearly enjoying his role as her chaperone.

When Ruelle paused at a patch of flowers, she turned to Dane and asked, "Then... can I take this one, Brother Dane?"

Dane stared at her for a moment before sweeping her into a playful hug and replied, "Of course! Big Brother Dane will give you the whole garden!" While a surprised Ruelle stood still for a moment.

Soon Ruelle carried flowers in her arms and when there was no more room, Dane began tucking the rest into her braided hair.

"Brother Dane...here," the little Ruelle extended her hand and when Dane leaned forward, she placed a flower in his blond hair. She then smiled, "You look pretty."

"Heard that, Lucian?" Dane laughed.

Idiots, Lucian thought, who stood a few steps behind watching them in silence. He didn’t understand what was so fascinating about it, but it seemed to make the girl happy and she spoke more.

When Ruelle stopped by an inky-blue flower with petals outlined in red, she looked at it in awe. But the moment she touched it, the flower began to wilt.

Seeing her worried expression, Lucian explained, "They are shy to touch. Ghost’s Umbrella... They will return to their normal state after a minute."

"Ghost’s Umbrella," she repeated under her breath as if to memorise it.

​​Lucian noticed her attention then move to a pale pink flower, which was half-hidden behind the leaves. At the same moment, a low buzzing sound slipped in and his eyes fell on a small movement near her wrist.

She was about to touch the petal when a swift hand struck hers away. Startled, she pulled back at once, eyes wide with shock.

When she turned, she found Lucian staring at her with a tense expression. He said flatly,

"That’s enough flowers. Go back inside now."

"I—I’m sorry," Ruelle whispered, her cheeks burning as she lowered her head.

Realising his mistake, Lucian’s lips parted but the little girl felt too ashamed and quickly ran out of there.

Dane who witnessed this, snorted. "How mean," he teased, before adding, "A few flowers were of no harm," and he followed Ruelle.

"They were too many," Lucian remarked under his breath, lifting his hand and slowly opening his palm. A dead wasp lay there, its crushed body streaked against his reddening skin. He turned and caught sight of a few bees flying inside the glasshouse.

He dropped the dead wasp to the ground, while the buzzing of the bees began to fill the place. Soon after, snow began to fall on top of the glass ceiling.

When the night fell, Lucian’s mother tended to his palm. He stared beyond the window, where the world disappeared in the raging snow and howling wind.

"Dane told me what happened in the glasshouse," Lady Irina stated, her eyes still focused on his palm and he looked back at her. Snow battered the windows as she asked, "Do you find the Belmont girl unpleasant to be around?"

"I never said that," Lucian frowned faintly.

"That is good to hear," Lady Irina replied, setting the cloth she was tending his palm with aside. She then adjusted the cuff of his sleeve with quiet care before saying, "I know you aren’t one to explain yourself, Lucian. But sometimes... a few gentle words can mend a fright you never meant to cause."

Long after his mother left and the fireplace went cold, his mother’s words stayed with him.

Two days later, when Ruelle returned, she was stopped in her tracks as Lucian stepped directly into her path. Without a word, he lifted his hand, holding not just a pale pink peony flower but the entire plant with its roots exposed and soil still clinging to them.

"For you," Lucian remarked with a straight face as he watched her stare.

Ruelle looked unsure at first before her face slowly lit up. She carefully took the plant into her small hands and smiled, murmuring, "Thank you."

And though Lucian didn’t say anything, the quiet ease in his expression made it clear that he was pleased.

In the next days that followed in the winter, in the Slaters’ Mansion, Ruelle’s little feet got comfortable enough to wander on their own, finding Lucian with his books. He did not ask her to stay but he never told her to leave either. So she stayed.

And when Maude came to collect Ruelle when it was time to leave, she would often find the young master sitting exactly where he had been while the girl’s head rested on the open book he had given her.

One noon, at Ruelle’s relentless insistence, Lucian found himself sitting on a rock while she ran off to hide. He counted aloud with little enthusiasm before opening his eyes. Even without trying, he could still hear her uneven footsteps on the ground.

The forest was dusted white, the ground soft and bright beneath the winter light.

If he truly tried to find her, the game would be over in less than a minute. So he waited.

Only after a while did he rise and head in the direction she had tried to disappear, making sure his steps were loud enough to be fair. But this time, he found her sooner than usual.

Ruelle was sitting on the ground with her legs folded awkwardly like a frog. Her cheeks were flushed pink from the cold and her eyes were wider.

"Did you get hurt?" Lucian asked, as if already expecting that she had fallen.

"No," Ruelle shook her head while holding her stomach.

When Lucian caught the damp scent of fur, his eyes dropped just as she pulled her coat aside. He heard her say,

"I found a dog!"

That was no dog—it was a wolf. "You should put it down. If its mother sees you holding it, she will think you stole it."

"But it’s alone. Let us look for its mother," Ruelle argued softly.

"Leave it there. It is going to cause trouble."

Ruelle reluctantly dropped the wolf pup to the ground. She said, "If not, look. We should wait."

They stared at each other. One with determination and the other with a frown that only deepened before he sighed. He muttered, "Let us wait on the other side."

But even after several minutes of waiting, the mother wolf never returned. Ruelle whispered,

"Lucian... Let us feed it." Before Lucian could respond, she had already scooped the pup back into her arms. "Let us go," she called as she headed to the mansion.

By the time they reached the mansion grounds, the wolf pup trotted beside him, occasionally leaping at his polished shoe. Without realising it, Lucian moved his foot back and forth just enough to make the wolf pounce again.

Ruelle had already sprinted inside the mansion.

"Miss Ruelle," came Maude’s stern voice upon seeing the girl’s hand run on the surface of the kitchen table while the girl couldn’t see anything because of her lack of height. "Did I not tell you that the kitchen isn’t your place?"

"Sorry, Maude," came Ruelle’s small voice, while her small hand finally found something and she ran out of there.

Lucian looked up at the sound of her returning footsteps and paused.

"Ruelle..." he said slowly, eyeing the carrots in her fists. "Did you think he is a rabbit?"

"No. Why?" she asked, already dropping to sit on the ground. She broke one carrot in half with great effort. "Why is it a he? It could be a she."

"Because he is a male," Lucian replied flatly.

Ruelle offered the pup a carrot piece and it took two seconds before the wolf bit into it. Her face lit up and she turned to Lucian, saying, "I like carrots too."

Lucian looked between her and the wolf before muttering, "Both of you must be descendants of rabbits." Having not heard a howl of the wolf, he guessed the pup to be alone. Noticing her grow attached to the wolf, he said, "Your parents will be surprised to see him with you."

Ruelle stopped what she was doing. The wolf licked her fingers, but her eyes moved to Lucian, uncertain now.

"Can’t take him home?" he asked, tilting his head slightly. She shook her head. "Then we should return him to where you found him."

Ruelle looked down at the little being, conflicted. What if it was alone because something had already happened to its mother? Her shoulders drooped along with her head.

Lucian stared at them and after consideration, he proposed, "I can keep him until his mother comes."

"Really?" Ruelle’s expression brightened.

At the same time, Dane, who had just returned to the mansion, spotted the two of them near the stable. He walked towards them with a small box tucked under his arm. Catching sight of the wolf, he raised a brow and remarked,

"That’s an unusual choice for a pet."

"Brother Dane, you are back," Ruelle greeted him. And when the wolf went to nip Dane’s pants, her eyes widened, and she said in slight panic, "Don’t do it!" The wolf seemed to listen to her as it went back to nudging her hand. 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

"Come, let us get inside. I brought you treats," Dane offered his hand, which she was quick to take. When they were about to leave, she turned to Lucian as if waiting for him to join.

"You can eat my share," Lucian replied calmly, and she disappeared inside the mansion.

The wolf tried to follow her but Lucian caught it by its scruff, lifting it with one hand and holding it there as he studied it in silence.

When it was time for Ruelle to return home, Mrs. Belmont who was seated inside the carriage with her, noticed the dirt on the girl’s dress. Her mouth thinned briefly before her expression softened into a polite expression.

Ruelle peered out of the carriage window, while Lucian stood beside his mother. Ruelle asked him, "You will look after him?" and received a small nod from him.

Inside the carriage Mrs. Belmont did not care enough to ask what Ruelle meant and the carriage soon disappeared down the winter road.

After dusk, the Belmont family began to take a seat at the table during the hour of supper. If it was possible, the house was colder than outside. Just as Ruelle was about to take a seat, the chair was pulled away. She looked confused before she heard her father’s rough words.

"Is there a reason why your clothes were dirty, Ruelle?"

Ruelle hadn’t paid attention to her dress and she looked down. Remembering, she answered, "I found a dog today. It was so small. Grey—"

"A dog?" Mr. Belmont looked disgusted. "One day you are going to be a member of the vampire household and you are busy with a mutt? After all the teachings, you never learn."

"Don’t blame her, Harold, because she is dim," Mrs. Belmont uttered beside him. If it weren’t for her bringing the matter to her husband’s attention, the man wouldn’t have known.

"I—I... The dog was alone—" Ruelle stuttered.

Suddenly, a plate was thrown against the wall and Ruelle flinched at the crash, fear quickly beginning to creep into her body.

Mrs. Belmont quietly ushered Caroline away from the room, her hand resting lightly on the younger girl’s shoulder and the door closed with a soft click.

Mr. Belmont rose from his chair, its legs scraping against the floor which made Ruelle’s breath hitch. He looked at her as though she were something unpleasant.

"Did I not tell you that your conduct reflects the Belmont name?" He demanded, while Ruelle stepped back until her back met the wall. "Must you shame me at every turn? You are fed, clothed, instructed. Yet you repay me with humiliation. Not even an apology," he spat.

"I am sorry, P–Papa," little Ruelle stammered, her lips trembling as the words tumbled over each other. "I—I will be good. I promise."

But the plea came too late, as Mr. Belmont had already decided.

Mixed with his pride that had been stung from dealing with the vampires, he grabbed his cane that was resting next to his chair. When the cane came down, Ruelle closed her eyes before it touched her, as though darkness might lessen what was coming.

By the next morning, a letter was sent to the Slater family explaining that the Belmonts would be visiting their relative as something urgent had come up and that Ruelle would be accompanying them.

But the truth was that the child had fallen ill, her small body overcome by a fever that had followed from the night before.

The following day, Ruelle’s fever had broken. The maid helped her dress in silence, and her stomach growled softly. Her father had ordered the servants not to give her anything to eat since the night the plate had shattered against the wall.

While crossing the drawing room, Ruelle spotted the basket of fruits. She quickly picked up one of them and slipped it into her coat pocket, thinking she could eat it in the carriage.

But when she stepped outside, Mrs. Belmont was already seated inside the carriage and instructed, "Get in now. We are already late."

Ruelle climbed in quietly and did not dare to eat the fruit in the carriage.

The journey was less than an hour to the Slaters’ Mansion. And once they reached the place, Ruelle sat pressed close to Mrs. Belmont, quiet and still, like a child who did not wish to be separated from her mother.

Right now, Lady Irina and Mrs. Belmont were in the middle of their conversation.

"I suppose it couldn’t be helped. We should have told you rather than keep it a surprise. We did miss all of you," Lady Irina said with a smile, while they were having tea. "But there is always next year and the year after that."

Mrs. Belmont inclined her head, replying, "Even so, I must apologise. To have missed the celebration... We will be certain to send something suitable."

"There’s no need," Lady Irina waved it off gently before turning to Ruelle. "She looks a little pale. Do you need to rest, darling?"

"It’s the weather," Mrs. Belmont informed the lady.

"Mm," Lady Irina nodded, watching the young one. She asked, "Would you be a dear and go fetch Lucian for me?"

Ruelle gave a polite nod. Stepping out of the room, her little feet padded down the corridors and she found Lucian in the library.

"Lady Irina is calling you," she informed softly. "Lucian?" she tried again when he didn’t respond, his eyes still on the book and she felt anxious. "Are you angry?"

Lucian hadn’t planned to respond but then he heard her stomach growl. He looked up at her and asked, "Where were you yesterday?"

"Home," came the truthful response from her, and it made the pureblooded vampire frown. She asked, "Why are you angry?"

"You tell me."

"Me?" Ruelle’s eyebrows furrowed in thought. "Did Zhenya bite you?" She asked about the wolf.

"No," Lucian replied, noticing she looked clueless and he informed her. "Yesterday was my birthday. You weren’t here."

"Oh... Happy birthday, Lucian!" she wished quickly, her smile bright.

"Thanks. Then where’s my gift?" the pureblooded vampire asked, knowing she was going to pluck a flower and give it to him as a gift. The last week, she had picked up a stone and given it to Dane as a present.

Lucian noticed Ruelle worry about it for a brief moment before her eyes brightened. After a small pause, her hand slipped into her coat pocket and she held something out to him.

"Birthday gift," she whispered, and his eyes fell on the red, scrumptious-looking apple. The same time, her stomach growled again and his eyes narrowed. This foolish thing...