Under the vampire Lord's protection-Chapter 61: Odd disparities

From time to time, Arabella would lift her gaze from the pages of the anthology she held, only to glance at the covered dress spread upon one of the sizable chairs around the map room.

In the process, the young woman would also steal a glimpse of Silas who seemed quite taken by the contents of the sheets laid out in front of him.

"Morgana sure is taking her time,"

At those words, Arabella took a sharp breath before yanking her eyes away from him to bury her head among the lines inscribed in the book.

"Witches are highly coveted for their talents in Umbraria. Being one of the best, people need to remain patient in order to meet her," Silas added.

Arabella said nothing and merely nodded in response. For a mysterious reason, she wouldn't meet his diamonds, her own eyes feeling too heavy to send that way.

The vampire on the other hand, had but the sound of her heartbeat to assess her state in the moment.

It hammered against her chest as though demanding to be let out. In an attempt to quell its tantrum, he thought of a way to distract her.

"I'd like you to take a look at these maps. The last time we were here, we didn't see these,"

Nearly leaping out of her seat, Arabella hastened towards the desk after shutting the anthology and leaving it behind.

Glad to see the newly painted smile on her, Silas pushed the large map in her direction, "These give a view on the borders of Umbraria, the furthest from Lustris. I am curious to know what the maps back in Lustris told differently from ours,"

"Certainly,"

Arabella's eyes glided along the ink tracing the eastern border of Umbraria, separating the land of Solis Aevum from that of the neighboring kingdom, Vetah Lend. Commonly known as the windy land for the never ceasing, violent and raging storms ravaging the country.

"Yes...," the young woman muttered then trailed off momentarily, "Northeast of the land, closer to the border stands a tunnel, unique in the fact that it took the longest to carve. A decade if I remember correctly," Arabella made a pause, seemingly contemplating her next words, "If I am not mistaken, the celebration of the completion of the tunnel coincided with one of the biggest and bloodiest battles during the war, dubbed the moonless feuds for the simple fact that closer to the kingdom of Vetah, the moon is almost never visible due to the consistent cloudy weather,"

Eyes solely on her strict face, Silas kept his thoughts to himself, expressionless as per his nature. Only he knew of the odd sensation coursing through him. One that not even his own words could describe.

"Humans will never cease to impress me," the vampire finally uttered, ripping Arabella's attention towards himself.

As though broken out of a trance, she stared at him unblinkingly until the cold air stung her eyes, "Yes, they went to great lengths to ensure victory and yet... Failed miserably," she offered an awkward smile, looking back down at the map.

Silas' head turned slightly to the closed door, giving her the impression that something, perhaps a sound, had captured his focus.

Less than a minute later, she was proven right as a pair of feet audibly banged against the flooring, their clacking echoing through the corridors.

When the footsteps stopped, a knock followed right after.

"Come in," Silas granted them permission to enter.

A man of unfamiliar features to Arabella appeared, drawing near the two of them before stopping, and finally bowing to speak, "Master, I have come to inform you that the Lords and Ladies have arrived and are awaiting,"

"Do send them in," said Silas.

As the man exited the map room Arabella had begun to step backwards, muttering excuses, "I should-" but Silas never allowed her to finish that sentence.

"Remain," he cut her off, "I might still require your input,"

She froze in place, refusing to look his way until a new presence announced itself. Well, presences, considering there were five of them; Two women and three men. Nearly all had the same, dark shade of hair color. All tall and elegant, moving with such grace that Arabella was under the belief they were floating.

Those were, null doubt, vampires. From their stance alone and from the fact that the Ladies too were allowed to participate in the audience. The human Ladies, back in Lustris, were never invited to attend and were even prohibited from interfering with the, as the men called them "important affairs".

"Welcome to all and thank you for answering present," declared Silas just as blankly as per his usual.

"It is always our pleasure, Eleazar," one of the Lords very slightly bowed his head before Silas, but other than that, the lot of them exchanged no more pleasantries which perplexed Arabella a tad.

"Will you not introduce us?"

A feminine voice broke the silence yet again. A Lady had her attention on Arabella as she addressed Silas.

Only then did Arabella notice that all of their eyes were, in fact, on her person. She stood out among them like a sore thumb as the shortest and probably also as the one to smell like dinner.

The young woman threw her eyes to the floor and curtsied hurriedly before all of them.

"My apologies. It had slipped my mind," said Silas, "Please meet Arabella, our newest recruit,"

The vampire had introduced her as an employee instead of a refugee, much to Arabella's relief and gratitude.

Although it was obvious from the way they all gaped at her, none of them truly believed Silas' words about her.

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