NIGHTS OF HALLOW

With every step Perdita took, so did the thoughts in her head escalate. Thoughts of what Emily revealed to her last night and now thoughts of Regan’s sudden questioning.

What was going on? She questioned herself in a puzzle. Were Prince Regan and his mother trying to find out what to use and pin her down and kill her? Because there was no other explanation she could form.

Or perhaps, they found out what she was? No, that’s not possible. Perdita discarded thought immediately as it came. There was no way Rosamonda would continue to keep quiet if she knew she was a witch without reporting to the Church. But then again, Perdita thought as another question rose in her head.

Why were witches viewed as outcasts? What wrong did they commit that made everyone always want to kill them? All these including questions of witches and her supposed coven’s origin she sought answers to clouded her mind.

Before Perdita knew it, she had arrived in front of the double brown doors of the courtroom. The guards outside bowed in greeting and then pushed the doors open.

The maid following Perdita also bowed turned on her heels and swiftly left the place.

Perdita entered the grand and imposing courtroom, trappings of authority and power evident in the intricate design of the wide room. The grandeur illuminated by dim glows of wall lamps that cast its warmth on the Vampire King seated exquisitely on the throne chair. His aura commanding respect was undeniably exuded by him, effortlessly with no attempt of putting on the act.

His mere presence in the courtroom where he sat on his seat of power was inadvertently intimidating yet whispering promises of what being close to the throne meant.

Perdita’s breath hitched, her green eyes lost in that of Sthena’s red ones that were nonetheless a predator in the dark patiently waiting for its prey.

”Good morning, Sthena.” Perdita managed to voice out, her heart shuddering in her chest. And as she stood straight, witnessing Sthena’s lips curve into a smile, her heart skipped a beat.

”Morning, darling,” Sthena replied, the smile infectious to the eyes. He patted the seat smaller in size beside his throne where he sat, gesturing for Perdita to sit.

Perdita’s eyes widened in surprise, and her mouth opened and closed with no words coming out of her lips. ”Sthena?” She called in question.

There was no way she was going to sit on the seat meant for the Queen of the kingdom. She was no Queen after all.

”Scared?” Sthena raised an eyebrow. He spoke again, his voice calm yet commanding, ”Come and sit, Perdita.”

”I—I” Perdita stammered, her eyes darting around the room void of help in such a situation. She swallowed hard, having no choice but to obey.

”You always make me repeat my words, Perdita,” Sthena remarked as soon Perdita settled on the chair, his gaze on her disapproving.

Perdita pursed her lips, contemplating her next words, ”This seat—” she drawled not knowing how to express her words.

”What happened to the seat?” Sthena questioned back.

”Isn’t this where your wife, the Queen of the kingdom will sit? You can’t just ask anyone to sit on it.”

”And you consider yourself just anyone?” Sthena’s voice held a tinge of disapproval his gaze on Perdita carried.

”No, but—” Perdita stopped, already aware of where her words might lead to which she didn’t want.

”Oh, Perdita,” Sthena exhaled, shaking his head. ”When will you ever allow yourself to rest? Have my intentions towards you been confusing to you?” ℯℯ𝑙.

Without letting her answer his question, he continued, ”How should I express myself to you and let you know that since the day you walked into my life, or rather, I walked into your life, you are tied to me and me to you?”

”P—pardon?” Came the quivering voice of Perdita as though she didn’t grasp the words of Sthena. His index finger found its way to her chin, turning her face to look at him.

In that moment their gaze locked with each other, Perdita’s breath seized in her throat, her fragile heart drumming in her chest where she could hear the sound loudly in her ears. The sound, however, a music to Sthena’s ears.

”Perdita,” Sthena gently called, his voice an octave lower, mirroring the emotions swirling in his dark red eyes that somewhat looked like a brewing storm. A storm wanting to swallow every breath of Perdita whole.

She heard Sthena continue to speak, ”Seems I haven’t made my intentions with you clear enough.”

”I want you, Perdita.” Sthena declared, the weight of his voice carried the deep feelings he had towards her. Every look and gaze on her whispered secrets of love untold. The type that left Perdita more breathless than she was before.

Time seemed to have momentarily slowed down, the world appearing as if its focus was solely on the king and Perdita. Everything seemed to fade into the distance, the only sound echoing in their ears was the wild beating of Perdita’s heart and the very breath that both of them managed to breathe in and out as the intensity at which they stared at each other could ignite a rock left for ages in the cold.

”Do you now understand how I feel, Perdita?” Sthena silently coaxed in a question, his voice gentle and not demanding, allowing Perdita to make a choice of her own. ”I want you to be on the same page as I am because it seems as if I am the only one on this high horse.”

”I—” Perdita began, words failing her each time she wanted to speak. Her gaze faltered from the unwavering one of Sthena. However, the persistent man wanting to hear her response brought her focus back to him with his thumb slightly grazing her cheek.

”Let me make it easier for you,” Sthena suggested, his hand still on her cheek. He asked, ”Do I repulse you, Perdita?”

”W—what?” Perdita’s voice caged to her throat returned to her. She negatively shook her head and went on to say, ”You don’t repulse me, Sthena.”

”Then, do you have an ounce of likeness towards me?” Sthena’s relentless questions came one after the other, and at his question, Perdita seemed to pause and reflect on the question.

Her gaze faltered for a moment before they went back to stare at him, she said, her voice filled with honesty and the look in her eyes mirroring the emotion in her heart, ”Yes.”

Sthena’s spirit and mood elevated like the rays of the sun warming the people on a cloudy day, he said, ”That solves the problem, darling.”

”What problem?” Perdita’s brows rose in question.

Sthena smiled, his eyes twinkling with a playful glint in them. He responded to Perdita’s question, ”The problem of successfully caging your heart, sweetheart.”

”You see—” Sthena went on to speak, while at the same time allowing his every word to register in Perdita’s head. He continued, ”—I have had this beautiful cage of mine that I haven’t used, and it is the only property I haven’t also touched for ages.”

”Cage?” Perdita quizzed in uncertainty, unsure of what Sthena was implying by mentioning a cage he owns.

”Yes, a cage,” Sthena affirmed with a nod of his head. ”It is a priceless asset I’ve been wanting to use and capture your heart.”

”My heart?” Perdita unconsciously moved back in her seat, the thought that Sthena wanted to pluck out her heart made her narrow her eyes on him.

Sthena chuckled, his face lit in amusement at the way Perdita reacted. ”Fret not, darling. The question you should have asked, you failed to voice. But I’ll tell you any way of my intentions.”

”Your intentions of caging my heart into your priceless asset of a cage?” Perdita blurted before Sthena could say anything. And to her horror, Sthena acknowledged what she said by saying,

”You speak as if you can read my thoughts, darling.” Sthena mused with a smile. He further said, ”Unfortunately, my sweet girl, the cage I speak of it’s not what is in your imagination, though it wouldn’t be bad if I fulfilled it.”

Another fit of laughter escaped Sthena’s lips as he stared at the now cautious Perdita. He began again, this time, the smile faltering to be replaced by a serious look. He took her hand in his and whispered into her ear, ”The cage I speak of is my heart, my sweet girl. I want to cage your heart in it.”

Now she was sure this Vampire King definitely had some loose screws in his head. How could he make her imagination run wild with thoughts of him carving out her heart and caging it in his infamous asset? But then, the indirect expression of his feelings and intention toward her stirred a deep wave of emotion in her heart.

With her hand resting on Sthena’s chest which he had guarded it to, she could feel the thumping of his heart, furthermore asserting his words.

The emotions stirred by Sthena she felt within her during encounters like this were foreign to her. Even when she had been with Mark, he never moved her heart the way Sthena did. And as this thought slipped into her mind, the thought of accepting him washed over her.