"Where have you been yesterday? You suddenly disappeared."
Ben wipes the tables while Eli was fixing the borrowers cards. After chasing Tram who lead her to E, her look-alike who's much more beautiful, she forgot to tell Ben that she left before him. They always go home together after work to rest before she goes to her another part-time.
"Sorry, I was in a hurry," Eli smiles, "By the way, do you think silver hair will fit me?" She remembered E, she looks pretty with that hair color, now she wonders if she will look the same.
Ben's face crumpled, "What?" he chuckled, "Silver? Really? Are you some kind of bleached barbie doll?"
Eli sighed and mimicked Ben, "SOmE KiNd oF BlEaCHeD BaRBiE DolL?"
Ben can't help but laugh with Eli's reaction. This is the first time she got pissed this much. She usually flows with the joke or even worsens it to make each other laugh louder, but she looks like she was offended.
Eli rolled her eyes and took her bag, "Whatever, I'm done. I'll go first."
She didn't bat her lashes at Ben and went straight to the exit. Ben was left scared. Eli never felt bad when he jokes.
"Is silver hair that important?" Ben whispers.
Eli stomps her feet as she walks to the place where E and Tram met her. She tries to imagine herself with silver hair and it does not look good on her since she's not that fair to begin with, and having light hair will make her look like a highlighter.
She stops and stared at the empty street, why did she go here? She does not have any business with a weird mother and son duo. After she introduced herself, she left immediately yesterday. She does not have anything to talk about with them, yet she sat down on the stairs of an empty house and waited while reading a book.
"Woah, vampires and beasts are killing humans!" Tram suddenly spoke behind her.
Eli almost fell down the stairs when she heard the kid's tiny voice. Was she too preoccupied that she didn't notice Tram and E arriving? They must be walking quietly.
"You got scared!" Tram laughed and ran to E who's, as usual, is very pretty. Her long silver hair dances with the wind while her blue dress gives her an elegant appearance like a royalty.
"Hello, Eli," E greeted and sat beside her. She looks at the book and smiled, "You love vampires and beasts too?" she asks softly.
Eli felt a pinch of bitterness. How can someone with a similar face be beautiful? Since she was young, she knows too well that she's not that tall. She's also not thin. She's not as pretty as the girls on the television. She had trouble accepting that she's not as fair as other girls, but why did E appear? No man can resist a beauty like her, but she's already married.
"Is something wrong, Eli?" E asks. Of course, she knows what's going through Eli's mind. She felt that way before she met Taylan. It was only him who made her see how beautiful she is, of course, after she became the Queen. It's a shame that she doesn't have her black hair anymore.
"I just... Nothing, yeah, I love vampires, beasts, mermaids, and every creature there is in a fantasy world." Eli sighed, she shouldn't think too low of herself.
Tram smiled, "Can we tell you something, Eli?" he asks while resting his chin on Eli's knees.
"Y-yeah? What is it?"
E folded her knees and hugged her leg, she rests her chin on her knees as well. Eli can't help but find her attractive. She's like a doll.
"The vampires and beasts in the books now sound nothing like the real deal," E started. She has her eyes closed while speaking as if she's telling them from experience, "They are beautiful."
Eli saw E smile, "What do you mean? They kill humans. I mean, in books."
"Uh-huh, they do. But they are all beautiful. When beasts transform, it's as if they hold every elegance in the world. Their furs are soft and shiny. Their fangs are pointy and marvelous. Their eyes are fiery and comfortable."
Eli, even though she finds E's description odd, finds herself sitting the same way E does. She closed her eyes while feeling like she's being drifted into a dream.
Tram's resting his head on E's shoulder with his eyes closed as well. He may never meet any vampire and beast, but his mother's words made him create the world she saw once.
"Vampires... they are the most magnificent beings. Taylan, especially. His blond hair was like the sun shining in the early morning, it's warm. His golden eyes are like the treasures hidden behind the darkness. His voice was the melody that sings to my soul."
Tram giggled, he somehow imagined his father's face looking like a sun. Eli frowned, a familiar face popped out in her thoughts. The new guy in the library with Trace the other day. He looks like the person E's describing.
"What's his name?" Eli opened her eyes and saw E watching her. She wasn't able to catch the name since she remembered the new guy in the library.
"Secret," E whispered. "Anyway, when you encounter a vampire, never let them bite you. Your blood is more precious than you think. It is the source of life."
Eli stares at E, somehow, even though what her saying is impossible, she wants to obey her words. "Then, I can't donate my blood?" she asks.
Tram and E looked at each other and laughed, "Of course you can, it's for humans anyway."
Tram jumped from the stairs to the ground, "Eli, what will you name your kid if you have one?" he asks innocently.
E stands up and brushed her dress but she seems to be waiting for the answer.
"I'm only 20, but... maybe if he's a boy... I'll name him Tram," Eli smiled at Tram. He's just a kid. He'll feel happy if his name will be given to another kid.
"Really?" His eyes beamed with gladness, "Thank you!" he said and ran to hug Eli.
E giggles while watching her new self getting close to the son she will have in the future.
Even though her pregnancy was a shock, she was the happiest person on Earth. She was excited to tell Taylan about the good news. Unfortunately, the day her motherhood began was the last of her life.
Eli noticed E's sad expression. "Is something wrong?" She asks while Tram frowned.
"We'll go now, Eli! Momma's not feeling well."
Tram held E's hand and pulls her, "Momma, let's go."
Eli waves her hand. E's expression was not simply not feeling well. She looks like she lost something. She looked empty. She was blank.
Eli turned her back and walk the opposite side. As she was passing by the library, she saw the new guy sitting with Jade and Dane. They look like they are discussing something important. She was about to walk away when one of a classmate in the university went out and took her in.
"Sandra?" Eli called while trying to pull her hand away from another beautiful being.
"We need your help, we can't find this book! The workers here are so slow, and since you said you're working here, maybe you can help us." Sandra held Eli's hand as if she's begging.
Eli sighed, Sandra's a nice classmate. She's beautiful. Her wavy brown hair, long eyelashes, thin lips, and rosy cheeks are no match to E's beauty but still, she's beautiful.
"Okay, but don't say that to my co-workers again, Sandra." Eli put her bag down and took the paper about the book they are looking for.
Jade and Dane noticed Eli and was about to call her when a hint of the Queen's fragrance pass by the moment Eli and her friend walk past them.
Taylan felt his heart pound loud while Dane and Jade felt her power. They looked at each other and stared at Sandra.
"Is it her? Is she our Queen?" Dane asks Jade.
Tram and E arrived back to their wrecked castle. After Taylan went to a deep slumber, the servants had no other choice but to leave the castle to blend in with the modern humans. They are planning to come back when the Queen returns, but the castle can't take care of itself. It's become dark, dirty, and cold.
E sits on the couch while Tram hugs her. "Momma, I hugged Eli too long. They might smell her."
"Don't worry, only your Dad and our servants can smell such light fragrance."
Tram looks at E's face, "Momma, will I really be born?"
Again, E's heart felt broken. It is a miracle that Tram appeared as if he was born in her past life. The moment she saw him, she knows it is the child inside her, but he looks like a kid already, as if he grew up in that 500 years.
"Yes, you will. I promise you will be born." E whispered and kissed Tram's cheeks.