Valerian Empire

Chapter 7: The gathering- Part 1

When Elliot went to wake up Katie for breakfast he was shocked to find the bed empty. He searched the entire room but there was no trace of the girl.

“Sylvia! Sylvia!” Elliot called her name in panic as he entered the kitchen.

He saw Sylvia standing and talking to one of the maids about the gathering event. Walking towards her, he pulled her arm.

“Ow Elliot, I have to arrange today’s gathering. I’d rather do that than listen to your jokes right now,” she said pulling her arm away from him.

“She’s missing!” he whisper-yelled at her. The woman arched her brow in question as to who he was talking about, “Katie is missing from her room,” he said.

“Maybe she went to explore the mansion,” she said to which he shook his head.

“The palace isn’t safe for such a cute little person,” he said exasperatedly. He was worried; the palace was filled with vile vampires who wouldn’t think twice to kill her and then blame it on an unfortunate accident.

“Alright. Come, let’s find her.”

On the other side of the palace, the little girl slept peacefully next to the vampire lord.

When Alexander woke up from his dreamless sleep he felt the warmth radiating next to him. Opening his deep red eyes he looked at the little girl sleeping next to him. Her hands were curled into small loose fists near his chest while her hair covered most of her face. He knew she didn’t belong here and she was meant to be living with the humans yet he had brought her along with him to live in the mansion out of pity. She moved in her sleep, getting closer to him to which he frowned. If someone caught the wind of him getting attached to a human by seeing them right now, it would only be used for his disadvantage. A human this close would only bring downfall to his kind, to him, similar to what had happened years ago.

Gathering her in his arms as she slept, he got out of his bed to take her back to the room she was assigned to. The corridor was clear of any maids or guests, he observed as he walked and once he set her on the bed, he pulled the blanket over her little frame. A little meow was heard when Alexander got out of the room, it was his black cat, who was looking at him while swishing its tail. Picking him up in his arms, the vampire stroked its head to receive a purr from it. It meowed again and Alexander turned back to see Elliot and Sylvia in sight.

“Good morning, Alexander,” both of them greeted him.

“Good morning,” Alexander gave a slight nod to them, “Sylvia did you finish arranging for today’s gathering? I have something that needs to be delivered once you are done with it.”

“Everything has been arranged and I’m adding up the minute details we missed while writing down the list. It should be done in an hour,” Sylvia replied promptly and gave a worried look. Before the lord could ask what was worrying her mind, Elliot spoke up,

“Katie is missing from her bed! We searched all around but we are unable to find her!!” he said exasperatedly, “I went to wake her up in the morning and she wasn’t there.”

Alexander’s lips twitched hearing it and internally sighed for his timely exit from the girl’s room. Areo his cat, meowed in response.

“She’s in her room, Elliot. You must have not seen her,” Alexander spoke calmly as he began walking back to his room. He heard the door open from behind and Elliot say prayers of relief.

His cat meowed again when he got inside his room to which he chuckled looking at him, “Glad you don’t speak English though if you ever do let’s keep the little secret between us.”

Katie woke up to the sound of people talking in a hushed tone and opened her eyes as a yawn left her lips. She saw Elliot and Sylvia whispering to each other softly when she sat up.

“I swear she wasn’t there earlier when I came and if you noticed Alexander was found walking right in front of the door,” Elliot said rubbing his chin.

“That’s because his room is across the hall,” Sylvia pointed out the obvious fact.

“I’m sure he had something to do with it,” he nodded his head in agreement to himself. When he saw Katie move from the bed his eyes lit up and went to sit next to her, holding her hands, “Your guardian is never ever going to leave you alone.”

“Who the heck made you her guardian?” Sylvia asked him placing one hand on her hip.

“The girl needs a guardian to protect from big bad vampires and wolves. I have decided to take care of her and make sure she is safe,” the man said placing his hand on his chest.

Wonder how that is going to go, Sylvia thought to herself as she blew her breath.

“Will I get to see mama and papa again?” the little girl asked out of nowhere.

“Of course dear. Why don’t you go clean up yourself now and I’ll see you in the hall for breakfast, yes?” Sylvia said with a soft smile.

“Okay,” the little one replied as she got down from the bed.

“Good and you mister,” Sylvia pointed her finger at Elliot, “Have work to do. Come on let’s give the girl some space before you smother her with your new found fatherly love for her,” she said dragging her unwilling comrade out of the room.

Katie was soon attended by Daisy who helped her with her clothes and hair, asking her to braid her hair just like her mother did. The maid had left once she was done attending to the little girl’s needs leaving the girl in her room. She stood next to the large window where the curtains were drawn out to let the rays of the sun pass through the glass. She caught sight of a wonderful garden outside with many workers trimming the bushes and some tending to the wildflowers. Flowers. She had to take some flowers to her parents where they resided now. She knew her mother’s favorite flowers but not their names. Perhaps her new friends could help her in the task later when they were free. Leaving the room, she made her way towards the staircase when she felt herself fall due to a push from behind, tumbling down the six steps in front of her.

“Insolent child, move out of the way,” someone said walking past her. Looking up she saw a woman she had met last night at dinner named Gisele.

The woman wore an ankle length dress with a full sleeve jacket around her shoulders. Her hair was swept to one side while she looked at the girl with disgust in her eyes.

“I’m sorry,” the young girl whispered softly feeling like she had done something wrong but the vampire lady didn’t wait for a reply as she went on her way.

Katie stood up on her feet feeling a little less anxious once Gisele was out of sight. Instead of going to the hall, her feet took her straight to the kitchen where Sylvia was present.

During breakfast, Alexander’s eyes scanned the people sitting in the main hall who were now delightfully chatting about the events for today. As he searched for the young girl at the table, he heard one his guest speak, “Lord Alexander, I have heard the news that the next Lord of the North is giving up his title in the Empire. Do you plan on taking over the place?”

“We are yet to decide on who will take over the North if that happens. Also, we have the Council involved in this matter; hence it might take some time to come to a conclusion on what’s to be done,” Alexander replied to the man.

“Did you hear anything from your Uncle Harrow? He works with the Council, doesn’t he? After all, it is much easier to get news from the main source,” another one asked.

“True that but it is difficult to keep in touch with him when he travels more than a traveler does,” Harrow’s nephew, Taylor chuckled lightly as they continued talking about the current affairs of the Empire.

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