Claimed by the Prince of Darkness

Chapter 120: Cost of a Ribbon

Lucian sat before the glass bowl, his gaze fixed on the dark soil within. A faint damp scent rose from it, rich and earthen, as though the ground itself breathed. The surface lay undisturbed just as he had left it a week ago.

"I wondered if that scent of soil clinging to you came from your new companion in the stables," his mother remarked from behind him. He turned at the sound of her voice and noticed her one elegant brow arched in quiet inquiry. "I didn’t know you were into gardening."

"I am not," Lucian replied.

"No matter," his mother said, waving her hand. "I have books, if ever you wish to learn about such things."

"I have read them," Lucian answered. Lady Irina tilted her head, accepting his words without surprise and took the seat beside him, her dress faintly rustling as she settled. "Was there something you wanted, Mother?" he asked at last.

"Why?" she asked lightly. "May I not visit my own son simply to see him?"

Lucian’s eyebrows drew together, the faintest crease forming between them. "I never said that."

Lady Irina smiled, though something thoughtful lingered behind it. She remarked,

"I sometimes think that if I close my eyes, time will steal you from me as it did with Dane. Children vanish into adulthood so quickly and quietly. One day they reach for your hand and the next they walk ahead of you," she sighed softly.

Lucian reached for her hand. Holding it, he said, "You have nothing to worry about."

Lady Irina squeezed his hand. She said, "I sent a letter to my brother about the elder minister’s decision. The news might take him by surprise."

"You seldom see one another," Lucian stated. After a brief pause, he asked with quiet bluntness, "Is it because you are half-siblings?"

The vampiress drew a slow breath, her gaze moving toward the window where the snow had begun to soften at the edges, slipping into thin rivulets along the glass.

"Not entirely. When we were children, we quarrelled and reconciled in the same afternoon," she said before adding, "Your uncle took great offence at my marriage to your father, as he had once lost a sword fight to him. Pride is a stubborn thing. But they are more civil now." An amused smile appeared on her lips.

Lady Irina paused in thought. She then mentioned, "Perhaps we ought to host a small gathering. It has been far too long since we have all sat in the same room." After a brief pause, she changed the subject.

"Dane said he would return soon, but I suspect his friends have detained him. Or he detained himself. I promised Ruelle to find her ribbons before her next visit."

"I don’t think she would remember it," Lucian said, his head slightly tilting.

Lady Irina hummed in agreement. "She likely would not. The child does not yet know what to want, and that makes choosing for her... delicate. Ribbons are simple. They will do for now."

Lucian studied his mother a moment longer before asking, "Do you want me to go with you?"

"You will?" Lady Irina asked, a note of surprise lifting her voice. Though the smile that followed betrayed her quiet satisfaction. "It is a fine day for stepping outside."

"Very well."

Soon the carriage rolled out of the Slaters’ Mansion and after what seemed more than half an hour, it finally came to a gentle halt at the edge of a town and the horses’ breath rose in pale clouds.

The coachman opened the door at once and Lady Irina stepped down first, her gloved hand resting lightly on the door frame as her boots met the damp cobblestones.

Lucian followed her.

The faint scent of thawing earth rising around them with mud, melted ice and the distant promise of spring. People walked up and down the streets carefully to avoid the shallow puddles that had begun to form. Smoke curled from chimneys above the buildings.

"Wait for us, Claude. We will be back from the ribbon shopping," Lady Irina informed, her tone warm.

"Yes, milady," the coachman offered a bow.

"That is all you need to buy?" Lucian asked and saw his mother nod.

"Mhm," Lady Irina smiled as they walked down the street. "Is there anything you would like to buy?"

"I have everything I need," came the prompt response from Lucian.

They finally stopped before a narrow shop tucked between a tailor’s and a confectioner’s shops. Stepping inside the shop, they noticed careful rows of satin, silk, and velvet fabrics in different colours.

"Oh, these look wonderful. Perhaps I should have brought her here," Lady Irina murmured, her gaze drifting over the display.

"Lady Slater. It is an honour," the shopwoman, who was a human, lowered her head into a deep bow. She straightened and gestured toward a small seating area. "Please, do sit. What may I bring you to drink?"

"Thank you, but nothing today," Lady Irina replied with a gentle wave. "I would like to see ribbons suitable for young girls."

The shopkeeper blinked, then lowered her gaze to the vampiress’s stomach. "My apologies. I did not know you were expecting a child..."

A soft laugh escaped the vampiress’ lips, which was light and unoffended. She replied warmly,

"As much as my husband would welcome such news, no." Then her hand came to rest upon Lucian’s shoulder, giving a small, affectionate squeeze. "But I am expecting one to come home. She is about this tall," the vampiress continued, lifting her hand to indicate the height. "A very sweet child with brown eyes. She has exactly your hair colour. So something to match with it."

"A human?" the shopkeeper asked with a slight hint of surprise.

"Yes," Lady Irina turned amused. She then asked, "You can find a suitable ribbon, can’t you?"

"Of course, milady. I will bring the best ones," the woman obliged. She walked by the racks, while her eyes met a man in a hat, who was standing two stores away from hers. She pulled out the lean boxes before bringing them to the lady and started displaying the ribbons one after another.

Lady Irina’s hand moved from ribbon to ribbon with patient care, letting the silks slip through her fingers as though testing their quality.

busy, the shopwoman moved to the counter and quickly wrote something over a small ledger. Lucian’s gaze lingered towards the pen scratching against the parchment before his mother called

"What do you think of this one? We picked a dress in this

at her. "Dane would

soft laugh escaped her before a weariness passed her eyes. She murmured,

a man removing his hat.

silver," producing a coin between

the shopwoman replied

neatly in her palm

another ribbon which was soft cream threaded

buy these," said

if you would like to see, milady. Just give me a moment. I

Slaters, the vampiress’s eyes lit

have liked them. The pureblooded families rarely step into such a small shop, especially

people know about your lovely shop," Lady Irina pulled out

moment, everything

looking beyond the glass door. The vampiress placed her

that had filled her expression moments ago was gone, replaced by something colder and precise. She turned

watched his mother step outside, while her hand pulled out a dagger that was concealed in her dress. Soon, the scent of

humans who had begun to fight against each other on the streets. Some were injured. Others lay motionless on

A human screamed as he drove a stake into a vampire’s chest and face. Screams of pain and rage filled the town, which

at Lady Irina from her side, trying to catch her off guard, but before that, she deflected the stake and twisted the human’s arm

attacking the vampires?" the vampiress

grunted in pain.

had stakes in their hands, Lady Irina let go of the human.

strength compared to the humans, they seemed unprepared, while the humans used the stakes and arrows, stabbing one after another. Lady Irina caught a human’s hand midair, who was going to stab

"ARGGGHH!!"

bastard!" came a vampire’s shout somewhere in the street, who tore a human’s

Each kind was trying to do damage, while Lady Irina tried

someone who was waiting for this to happen. Her hand inched towards the knitting needles resting on

needles vanished from the

stand still and wait while his

was a young boy and charged at the sight of his red eyes alone. The pureblooded vampire did not allow the human to take advantage. He pivoted, driving his heel into the man’s leg sharply. The human

he drove the needles through the back of the man’s hand. A scream erupted

Lucian turned, he found his mother already engaged in a fight with a halfling. He pulled out the

Irina’s fist struck with brutal force, sending the halfling hurling into the wall and stone cracked under the impact. When she turned, her eyes widened slightly

thought I told you to

to make sure you were alright," Lucian

which was fleeting, before she instructed, "Go find Claude. Tell him to inform your

turned, Lady Irina’s gaze followed

The Chairman’s Waltz

crowd. Then something glinted—an axe, raised in a human’s hands. The human threw the axe, which spun through the air in a slow arc before

tore

stopped before he began to make his way toward

tried to reach his mother but

stake drove into his mother’s chest with a dull, brutal sound. When the human pulled the weapon free,

lifting as though reaching for him

not stop. He ran with the world blurring at the edges and his lungs burning—but her eyes were already closing and she collapsed on

the world was filled with noise and motion, and the next he was on his knees beside his

it belonged to a

from its careful arrangement, her strands clinging to her cheek. Her eyes, once so sharp and knowing, stared

brushed the hair away from her face before taking her still hand.

blood continued to gather beneath his knees and soak into the fabric of his trousers, while he clutched her hand tighter as if

come back..." his voice

to tighten just like they

inside him went very still and his deep

ran through the streets,

his face drained

in denial. "This is a mistake—She said she would—she wanted me to—" He dropped to his knees in shock. Regret and guilt filled his mind. He had told her

his gaze snapped to Lucian, demanding denial that this wasn’t true, he noticed his brother lift

couldn’t protect her, Dane," Lucian

from his brother’s eyes that

the ground was heard as the guards tried to break free the people who had been

a voice rang out. The town’s magistrate pushed through the thinning crowd, his cloak dark with splashes of blood that belonged to others. His eyes fell upon Lady Irina’s body and his

in horror. "S–send

attention snapped from

notice, his hand quickly came to cover Lucian’s

resist. He sat unnaturally still in his brother’s hold, his breath shallow and his hands stained

Dane ordered and the magistrate didn’t take a

Lucian

to corrupt and he wasn’t sure if riding with her was safe. Because the corruption would only get worse in

ordered and the magistrate, unsurely, bowed before

did not stay contained. It poured outward, following roads

nearby town. Houses and shopfronts burned, their flames devouring wood and the air carried the stench

low, feral growl echoed somewhere in

the hallway and found an unknown man standing