Lady Dhampir
Chapter 106

The heat was palpable between the brothers, and Milena felt a bit annoyed to stand, or more accurately sit, between those two. She sighed, turning her eyes elsewhere. "Nobody told you to show some decency in public, Rayan?" Hissed his brother.

"There was no public until you walked in," retorted the Vampire Prince.

"You're really shameless..."

Ellias glanced towards Milena, but the Duchess was obviously not taking any part in this. He turned his eyes back to his brother, who looked just as annoyed.

"This is an open salon, anyone could have walked on you."

"And? What would be the problem with that, aside from an obvious lack of manners and tact?"

"The lack of decency, for starters."

Milena rolled her eyes. This could last a while between the twins, and she wasn't going to sit there until either of them got tired of this meaningless fight. She pushed Rayan gently but firmly to stand up. Both brothers turned their eyes to her immediately. "If you'll excuse me, gentlemen, I'll get going before I have to witness more of this chicken fight."

"You don't have to be the one to go," said Rayan, glaring at his brother.

He stood up to join her, gently putting a hand on her lower back, but Milena turned to him. She was conscious it was not polite and a lack of protocol from her to not even have greeted Ellias on his entrance, but she didn't care much at this point. Plus, it didn't really matter in such a private sphere, with their history.

"No, don't worry, I'll go find my father. He'll probably be done soon with His Majesty, and I'm tired, I don't want to go home late. Will you let me know how the investigation goes?"

Her soft tone of voice was a bit on purpose, but Rayan appreciated that anyway. He smiled gently and grabbed her chin once more, pulling her in for a soft, very tame kiss. "Of course," he said. "Sleep well."

Was there really a need to make such a show in front of his brother? Milena acted like this was normal and turned around, ready to leave the room. She couldn't help but catch Ellias' dark expression, directed at both her and Rayan behind her. In a split second, Milena decided to ignore him completely, and walk out of the room without saying a word. She didn't feel like he needed a greeting, or deserved one. She left the room, and closed the door behind her.

Milena let out a long sigh, and leaned her back on the door. Of all people, she hadn't fathomed Ellias would walk in on them... She was a bit annoyed, even. Not only was she still mad at him, but she also didn't appreciate their stupid jealousy fight just then. Those two were supposed to rule together for some time, or at least try to cooperate. Couldn't they at least put up a front? Or was it they didn't feel the need to in her presence?

"...You really... timing, Ellias."

Milena jumped when she realized she could still hear a bit of what was going on behind that door. She had stood there a bit too long, and with her dhampir hearing, she could just make out some of what they were saying.

She hesitated a second, but really, curiosity got the best of her.

"...don't have to treat her like that... She isn't..."

Milena frowned, a bit annoyed she couldn't get everything of their sentences. However, it was only right that all the doors would be soundproofed enough in the Castle, although it was unlikely someone would dare to spy so openly. "...can't decide for herself. You... not been an idiot....lecture me... De Winter..."

"Mother... and the gun... egoistic..."

"My mother... always all around you..."

Milena sighed. Though she could barely understand any of it, it was rather clear what kind of conversation those two were having. It was down to their siblings' rivalry, again. Especially after what she now knew, she could tell right where this was headed, and she had no more need to listen. She shook her head and retreated from the door, checking the folds of her dress. There wasn't much use in listening any longer.

Just as she reached out for her pocket mirror, Blanche suddenly stuck her head out of her pocket, though, the little mouse climbing up Milena's dress to stand on her shoulder. There, she shape-shifted into a parrot.

"Blanche, what are you doing? What if someone sees you..."

"Blanche spy? Spy?" Screeched the parrot.

Milena grimaced at the horrible voice, even worse when it was so close to her ear. She shook her head, using the mirror to check her appearance quickly, putting her disheveled hair into an acceptable position, and re-applying a bit of lipstick quickly, wiping off what had gone off her lip.

"No, Blanche, don't bother. A Lady shouldn't lower herself to get involved in a men's fight... Plus, I doubt those two will do anything more interesting than just bicker for a while. Nothing worth spying."

Her decision was taken and drafted out, anyway. She was now Rayan's fiancé, she'd remain on his side until she died.

Milena had no reason to believe that decision would ever change and hence, she had already resolved to trust him unconditionally. Her pride forbade her from even shifting her position, even. In a way, her heart was feeling a bit lighter now that they had put some things to light, especially regarding his relationship with her mother. Her doubts lifted, Milena felt the ground under her feet more secure than over. She may have gotten rid of whatever used to tie her to Ellias but now, she was gladly chaining herself to Rayan's fate. She had to pick one anyway, regardless of how their relationship would evolve with the other twin. It had to be.

Moreover, she hadn't expected to learn so much about the deeper roots of their relationship. Milena blushed again, slightly while remembering their conversation from earlier. She even smiled a little, trying to imagine those memories she couldn't remember herself. There was something incredibly warm about knowing she had liked him since she was a baby...

"Mh. Millie getting all sneaky."

"Blanche!" She protested.

However, Blanche ignored her to jumps down her shoulder and walk in front of her, shape-shifting into her cat form. She liked this form the most lately, and it allowed her to walk elegantly without having too many people question her. No one would find something strange about a golden-eyed white cat.

Milena followed Blanche, who was most likely leading her back to her dad. Judging by the direction they were taking, he had most likely accompanied the King to most private quarters... Milena decided to walk at a slow peace inside the corridors. A few maids she crossed paths with greeted her very politely and lowly. Milena wondered if they were seeing her and greeting her as if she was a Princess already. Maybe they were trying to get appointed to her. Any maid would be delighted to serve a Princess, they usually got the best work hours and a big salary bonus for taking care of the Royalty.

The young Duchess didn't care much about them. She had learned long ago not to trust any of the staff, aside from her very selected ones. The poisoning attempt was engraved in her mind as a fair warning against anyone she hadn't grown up around; Milena was prepared to test any maid she would be appointed in the Royal Castle, and of course, get rid of the dangerous or threatening one. It wasn't so often that murders actually happened in the Castle, but with what had happened to her mother, it was legitimate. Milena walked until she arrived at the King's Gallery. She remembered this place, that was where Valentin had taken her when she was young. Milena walked slowly among the portraits, seeing the many, many figures of the Royalty among them. A new portrait of the Royal Family was taken after each coronation, and Milena would actually most likely be in the next one, as a princess or a queen. That was a strange feeling. To think she would be immortalized in such a way on the Castle's walls... The De Crescent Family didn't have any recent family portrait. It was a bit of a taboo subject none of them had the heart to ever bring up. No matter when they did it, there would be a key figure missing, and no one wanted to think about that. The latest one included their mother, and Milena as a baby, and it was collecting dust in one of their libraries. No one had the courage to order a new one yet.

Milen a kept walking and found the oldest portrait, the one including Princess Silvra. For some reason, she always felt empowered whenever she could see that portrait, and she actually hadn't come to see it in a while. The young Princess was always there, with her gracious smile and that little spark in her eyes the painter had captured beautifully. Her unique dark red hair was one of the brightest colors of the painting, but it was a very odd color that was never seen again among the De Solar Family. Milena wondered if it had been possible due to her Dhampir genes... Like their purple eyes. Milena smiled slightly. She wished she had been a direct descendant of the Princess, but Milena's family ought to be from one of her brothers. She hadn't studied enough, but the De Crescent family had the blood of at least two of the brothers.

She stayed a long while in front of the painting, internally talking with Princess Silvra, wondering what her words would have been. She couldn't help but think of the Princess as her role model. Milena noted she should pursue her research to find more about the Princess's life sometime soon. Even though she had already harassed Briseis plenty about it, maybe she could find a book she missed sometimes...

Next to her, Blanche finally had enough and let out a loud meow to wake Milena up from her contemplation. The young Duchess sighed and glared at the young cat.

"You could have respect for art," she whispered.

Milena turned around to leave, finding the corridor to the Royal offices. There were still more portraits on her way, generations of De Solar, most taken with a few years difference. She also found a picture of her great-grandfather, Maribella's deceased husband. In the picture, he was a young boy, looking a bit sad next to his older brother and with their parents. The Royal Couple looked a bit sour too, probably another arranged wedding... Though surprisingly, this couple was human. It explained why their sons had both wed vampire spouses. It just couldn't be helped, there were fewer vampire births than humans overall, and some generations just couldn't find the right timing for both species to be part of the Royal Family. This year though, it was destiny that the Royal Couple was not going to abide by the tradition either...

"...Are you looking for someone?"

Milena jumped and turned around.

The Oracle was there, sitting in her wheelchair and smiling gently at her. Milena hadn't heard her arrive at all, and neither did Blanche. She regained her composure very quickly, though.

"I was just... looking," she retorted, a bit awkward. "Greetings, Lady Ora."

"Greetings, Princess. Congratulations," gently answered the Oracle.

Milena was a bit taken by surprise by her congratulations. Actually, as soon as the Oracle had shown up, a thousand questions had popped in her head, but none she could actually formulate. This woman was such a complicated being to Milena, she just didn't know where to start. She took a deep breath, trying to calm down.

"...Did you knew?" She asked.

"Know what, Lady De Crescent?"

"That I would be named Princess."

"How could I have known?"

Milena squinted her eyes a bit. It definitely felt like a lie from the Oracle, and she already didn't trust her much... Yet, she couldn't simply call her out like that. There were a couple of maids following behind the Oracle, witnesses. Even if the Queen was dead, Milena had no doubt she still had plenty of enemies around the Royal Castle. She ought to be extremely careful about her words.

"Do you... always see the future?"

"I can't see what hasn't been decided yet, Lady De Crescent. It would be crazy to think I know what you know before you decide."

Milena tried not to get confused by her words.

"You tell... Prophecies; You do know something of the future. Wouldn't you use this gift to help our people?"

"And what should I do?"

"Foretell disasters, snowstorms for example? Food shortage?" Retorted Milena, a bit annoyed. "You could help with so much more than just a few petty nobles' futures..."

"You understand me wrong, young Milena. Those petty nobles are the future."

Milena stood confused. What was that woman meaning by that? That she could really only foretell the future of people? It annoyed her that there was no real answer to her questions. She glanced at Blanche, but the cat was sitting next to her, agitating her tail slowly but visibly, she didn't trust the Oracle either.

The young Duchess frowned a bit, glancing at the nurses.

"....Do you know anything about what happened to my mother?" She asked.

This time, she saw the Oracle very clearly flinch a bit, loosing her gentle smile for a second. Milena stepped forward.

"You were already close to the Queen at that time, weren't you? You've been by her side since before she married King Silverius. You ought to know what happened between my mother and Queen Lyriana."

The Oracle remained quiet for a few seconds.

"Don't you feel hungry for sweets, Lady De Crescent?"

Milena was stunned.

"Are you kidding me?" Milena retorted, annoyed. "I'm asking you about my mother!"

"Are you sure you don't want some?"

Milena put her hand on her skirt. She could have taken her dagger out, right now, and killed that woman. The idea crossed her mind, very seriously for a second. Blanche, too, was hissing, retreating towards Milena, almost standing between her and the Oracle. Yet, something in the Oracle's expression kept her from it. She was...

"Lady Milena?"

Milena turned around, and to her surprise, Briseis d'Artsein was frowning, looking at that situation with a concerned expression. Her friend had just appeared at the end of the corridor, carrying three heavy books. For a few seconds, she was lost. She glanced towards the Oracle, but that woman was smiling, which made Milena take her decision. She turned towards her friend again.

"Where are the... kitchens?"

Briseis frowned, but still, the answer immediately came as a reflex.

"... Right under us, I think? We can take that way, but, hem... Are you sure you don't want to ask a maid to..."

"No, let's go," retorted Milena.

She sent one last glance at the Oracle, but sure enough, the strange woman was smiling. Milena took a deep breath, and walked quickly to Briseis, Blanche running ahead.

"Are you alright?" Asked her friend, guiding her to the kitchens.

"I'm not sure..."

Was there such thing as a coincidence? Milena's heart was beating like crazy. Why was the Oracle sending her there? Plus, of all people, her friend who knew the map of the Castle by heart had ran into them. Briseis was probably one of the very few young noble ladies to know such a trivial thing as where the Royal kitchen was located.

The young women walked quickly to get downstairs, and sure enough, the young Lady D'Artsein guided her without fail. Yet, Milena couldn't tell what she was going to find. Why the kitchen? It made no sense... When they appeared in front of the Royal kitchen, the closest servants opened their eyes wide in surprise, unable to believe their sight. The two young noble ladies stood on the doorstep, Briseis glancing at Milena, a bit confused as to what they were supposedly here for.

The young Duchess had no time to explain. She kept looking around, at everything, everyone, trying to understand why the Oracle had sent her there.

The Kitchens were busy. With more guests than usual in the Castle, they had quite a tough week, and the staff was twice the usual, everyone running around to get everything ready. Not only the dinners, but they needed constant supplies of sweets for the Ladies taking their tea somewhere in the castle, and things that needed to get done ahead of dinner. In any case, there were about twenty people working there, plus a dozen that kept going in and out, those going to serve inside the Castle, and those who brought in supplies from the outside.

Briseis didn't feel too good standing there in front of so many servants without knowing why, but she didn't dare say a thing. Milena was obviously searching for something or someone. Her purple eyes kept running from one angle to another in a room, scrutinizing as if she was trying to learn it by heart.

She stopped her glance on one of the maids that had just walked in. It was a woman in her late thirties, looking tired and focused on her task. Milena felt her heart miss a beat. She knew that woman, that reality hit her as she tried to look through her memory. She definitely had seen that face before. In another place, a long time ago.

Their eyes met, and a sight of absolute horror appeared in the woman's eyes as she recognized Milena. Her mouth opened, and she dropped the basket she was carrying. Milena gasped. Of course she knew that woman. She had seen her face, a long time ago, held her hand. It came back to her like a slap.

That was the woman who had sold her for a hundred silver credits.