The Vampire & Her Witch

It took Serle a quarter of an hour to write out his full confession, and when he did, it covered nearly the entire scroll of parchment he’d been given.

For the first few minutes, Melsinde had watched over his shoulder as he wrote, but as the document grew longer and longer, her detached composure cracked until she could no longer bear to read the words on the page.

”It’s all there,” Serle said after signing the confession and placing his seal on it. ”Or as much of it as I remember. If there’s more that you know,” he said, looking at the pile of scrolls that Ashlynn had yet to touch. ”Well, a man’s memory isn’t perfect.”

”Thank you, Lord Serle, for cooperating,” Ashlynn said, though her words lacked anything resembling warmth. ”I’ll give you tonight to say your goodbyes, if your family wishes to hear them. In the morning, Liam will be leaving for the Vale of Mists with the sapling. You’ll accompany him there to be our ’guest’ in the Vale until the High Pass clears in the spring and we can send you on to the High Fen.”

”Make no mistake, Lord Serle,” Ashlynn added. ”It serves both of our interests to maintain the facade that you are doing something important and have been rewarded for cooperating with our plans, but you are a prisoner. A guard will be posted to escort you at all times. You are not free to meet with others outside of the presence of my men.”

”So long as you cooperate, you’ll be treated courteously. If you attempt anything that you shouldn’t,” she said, allowing her voice to trail off menacingly. ”We have an understanding?”

”I understand,” Serle said, sounding like a kicked and beaten dog with his head hung low.

”Good,” Ashlynn said. ”Sir Carwyn will see you all back to your chambers to collect your things.”

Once Serle had shuffled out along with Melsinde and Serge, Ashlynn turned her full attention to Charlotte, pulling her friend out of her chair and into a soft, warm embrace.

”I’m so sorry you had to see that,” Ashlynn said as Charlotte broke down into deep, body-shaking sobs. ”Take your time,” she whispered. ”Just let it all out.”

”Thank you, Ashlynn,” Charlotte said several minutes later as she blotted the tears from her eyes with a handkerchief. ”For letting him live, and... and being so generous,” she said. ”You didn’t have to after what he... and the children, he...”

”Shh,” Ashlynn soothed, pulling Charlotte back into her arms. ”I know it hurts,” she said, wincing slightly as the roots of the olive seed within her chest constricted slightly around her heart. ”I’ve faced my own share of betrayal from my family. I don’t know if your father can ever redeem himself, but I can tell you a secret,” she said, pulling back enough to meet Charlotte’s gaze directly.

”I might not have spared him if he’d been successful in killing so many children,” Ashlynn said. ”But the assassins he hired work for Marcel, one of Nyri’s progeny, and Nyri has always frowned on killing children. Everyone your father tried to have killed found themselves kidnapped instead.”

”What?” Charlotte said, blinking in surprise. ”You mean...”

”Your father is still a monster who was willing to send men to murder children,” Ashlynn said. ”And the other things he’s done... I’m not saying that you should forgive him just because his schemes failed. But those children and their mothers will grow up safely. Many of them already have,” she said.

There was a part of Marcel’s arrangement that she didn’t add, however. Once those children were old enough to learn the truth of their birth and the schemes against them, Marcel offered each and every one of them a chance to claim whatever vengeance they desired.

His network of merchants, smugglers, spies, and assassins had been recruited the same way Nyrielle had recruited her progeny - by seeking out people with a reason to hold deep grudges against the enemies of the Vale of Mists.

”Thank you for telling me,” Charlotte said with a heavy sigh. ”You’re right, it doesn’t make what he did any better, but... It makes it easier knowing that... Thank you,” she said, giving Ashlynn a tight squeeze before allowing Ashlynn to guide her toward a sofa where they could sit side-by-side.

”Are you up to talking about something happier?” Ashlynn asked gently. ”If you need time, it doesn’t have to be now.”

”I could use some happy news,” Charlotte said with a fragile smile. ”Just knowing you’re alive is already the best news. I, I went to your memorial with Adala and Jocelynn and... When you walked into the Great Hall last night, I wanted to cheer and hug you and... I missed you,” she said quietly. ”And I’m so glad you’re here.”

”Mmm,” Ashlynn said, squeezing Charlotte’s hand. ”I’m glad I made it back before more could go wrong, and there are so many good friends I hope to introduce to you soon. Everyone loves Georg, and I’m sure that you and Heila will get along well too, but the good news I wanted to share with you- you have to promise to keep it a secret for a few days because most people aren’t ready to know.”

”What is it?” Charlotte asked, perking up as Ashlynn’s excitement over this ’secret’ became infectious. ”Tell me, I promise, I won’t tell a soul,” she said, placing a hand over her heart.

”This past year, I’ve been through a lot,” Ashlynn said. ”Some of it has been hard, but there have been truly amazing moments and wonderful people and... I found love,” Ashlynn said, smiling brightly. ”And recently, we announced our love to the entire Vale of Mists.”

”Charlotte,” Ashlynn said with a bright smile. ”My love and I are officially betrothed, and I hope that, when the time comes for us to have our wedding, you’ll come to stand with the rest of my friends and loved ones.”

”Aaaah!” Charlotte squealed before clapping her hands over her mouth. ”Of course I’ll stand for you,” she said quickly. ”But who is it? Did you find some handsome vampire lord or an Eldritch prince to marry? Do the Eldritch have princes?” Charlotte asked in a rush as she tried to imagine the sort of person her friend would have fallen in love with.

”I’ve never heard of an Eldritch prince,” Ashlynn said with a bright smile. ”They have an emperor, but I haven’t met him yet. No, the person I fell in love with is the woman who saved my life after my wedding night. It’s Nyrielle,” Ashlynn said, watching her friend’s eyes closely for her reaction. ”The Eldritch Lady of the Vale...”