Leron felt cold water seeping through the gash on his forehead.
His head was gently laid down on what seems to be stone. It was uncomfortable and hard, and the hands that brushed against his hair and skin were sharp and chilling. But they were delicately washing his injury, and finally, dressed it with a piece of cloth.
His long lashes opened softly and he found himself smiling at the image of Vladstin in front of him. Words slipped out of his mouth without even knowing it. "You're taking care of me..... That makes me happy."
"What are you saying all of a sudden? You sound like a giddy child." Vladstin responded dryly to him.
"I thought that you would leave me to bleed to death after escaping. I was slowly willing to let that happen, I don't need to live anymore. But you came, even though you are emotionless, and took care of me." Leron said. "Don't leave me, I love—"
He blinked for a second. Why is he saying these things? He then realized what kind of water was used to pour to him.
"This is the Fountain of Truth." His eyes widened. "This is outside the Palace. Did you went here on purpose?"
"On the purpose of what?" Vladstin frowned. "This is the only flowing water source left in Crescentian Palace that is still clean. The water that we got from your people is solely for drinking. So I had no choice but to travel here to wash you."
Leron touched the bandage on his head. "Do you.... Not remember the myth regarding the Fountain of Truth?"
Vladstin shook his head. "I haven't watched any memory regarding that yet. I only found this fountain recently, I'm even amused that the water here is still so clean and pure. Perhaps the duct system is still untarnished miraculously."
"This isn't just any fountain, Vladstin." Leron said. "You said it was part of the Three Relics that were passed down since ancient times. The first was the Looking Glass inside the throne room, then the fountain on the West Pavillion, then the Dandelion Archway on the East Gardens. These were said to hold magical powers but nobody knew how to activate it."
"Well, the Looking Glass is activated by my blood." Vladstin said. "What does this fountain do?"
"It's in the name itself. It reveals the true feelings of a person, their true self." Leron said. "Earlier, it seems that you activated it a bit..... I was speaking without thinking at all."
Vladstin nodded, expression impossible to fathom. "Ah, so those were your true feelings then? What were you about to say? You love....?"
Leron's face flushed and he shook his head. "That's not important. What's important is we consider that this fountain's powers to might help you gain emotions because it reveals your 'true' self—"
"Do not avoid the question. What was it that you love?" Vladstin insisted, splashing Leron with the ice-cold water in the face.
Leron reverted back to being giddy and a little clingy to the vampire lord. "I love it when you act so nice to me, back when you were still alive. I don't love you romantically, but after the day you died, I craved for that kind of attention every night. You made me feel like I was your the only precious thing in your eyes, and I want to be valued like that again. To be held in your arms so lovingly and— Stop! Stop! Stop!"
Leron covered his mouth when the effect has worn off. "Why did you make me say all that!?"
"So you like having my attention. Was it only from me or from others as well?" Vladstin splashed him again in the face!
"Only from you! Sure, I appreciate it when other's show their compassion for me but the way you look at me somehow makes my heart melt. I missed being adored and pampered by you, telling me how much you appreciate me every single day. That's why I never found it in me to smile or laugh truthfully after my hands became stained by your blood. Turning you into this heartless monster was the worst pain and regret that I have felt, and I made many mistakes in my life but seeing you like this is just..... It's torture every second I see you! Huff..... Huff...." Leron caught his breath after that forced confession and shuddered from the coldness of the fountain water seeping through his bones. "Enough! Please!"
Vladstin cupped water in his hands and Leron braced himself from being splashed again, blocking his face with his arms. But instead.....
Vladstin drank the water. He closed his eyes and waited for a few seconds, then open them again.
"Nothing happened. It doesn't work on me." He said, eyes bored as ever.
Leron lowered his arms and nodded meekly. "Oh....." Then, the disappointment hit him, and he made an even more depressed "Oh."
Vladstin shrugged. "I never expected it to be this easy anyway. The solution can't just be in my backyard."
"Still, I— The relics were just so magical that I thought...." Leron bowed his wrapped up head.
"Anyway, it's already the usual time for humans to have dinner." Vladstin picked him up without any warning and Leron immediately locked his arms around his neck. "After that, you should sleep off the injury so you wouldn't feel the pain."
Before Leron can respond his thanks, Vladstin already brought him back to the Palace's dining hall within a few seconds. He was then brought down roughly to the chair again in front of delicious food. But Vladstin was slightly gentler in handling him this time, probably mindful of the injury.
"Can you eat by yourself?" Vladstin asked him with a hint of concern.
This made Leron's heart flutter and he fidgeted with the hem of his clothes."If I can't..... Would you feed me?"
"No." Vladstin said dryly. "I'll have Suzhi feed you. Suzhi!"
He clapped his hand and the corpse of a blonde woman came to their side, causing Leron to yelp. "No need! No need! I can handle myself, thank you!"
Vladstin smirked. "You really crave my attention that much, huh?"
Leron's eyes widened and he remembered all the things he said earlier. He lowered his head and clenched his fists. "So you were just asking if I can eat by myself out of spite, not worry?"
"I told you, I cannot have emotions. I can't be spiteful to you, or genuinely worry about you. I did it out of curiosity, nothing else. But I can play along if you want." Vladstin suggested, face expressionless as a statue. "Do you want me to be more doting from now on? That can be arranged."
"No." Leron shook his head. "I don't want you to put up an act for me.... It's against your honest nature while you were still alive."
"Honesty..... Hmm...." Vladstin took his wineglass and filled it with his daily ration of blood. After that, there were no more words shared between the two of them as they silently and awkwardly have dinner.
Before Leron settled to bed, however, Vladstin muttered something strange before going to the throne room to spend the time rewatching memories on his own. "If my nature is honesty, his nature must be the complete opposite. So I wonder how his honest self would be?"
Leron frowned. Was he referring to him? He turned to face the wall and sighed. "Vladstin would never let go of my betrayal for him even if he's different and unfeeling now. But it's alright if he hates me. I deserve it, and would never hate him for it."
--------------
"Hunter~ Yoo-hoo, are you awake?"
Sangfroid opened his eyes from his late afternoon nap the next day. He kept on resting as suggested so he could recover quicker. Also... because Prince Leron had sent a heartfelt message of concern yesterday. He will do anything Prince Leron says, though he never spoke of that promise out loud.
There's only one person who calls him 'Hunter', so of course he knew who it was. He grumbled and sat up from his floor mattress.
"Hello. You look better today!" Vladstin grinned, the usual fake grin without mirth in his pale golden eyes. "I have never seen a human recover so quickly from a fatal disease. Have you been eating well? Are you sure to keep yourself hydrated?"
Sangfroid just nodded slowly, narrowing his eyes at this barrage of questions.
"Well, you should drink more water especially after waking up." At this, Vladstin pulled out a container seemingly out of nowhere because of his fast actions, but Sangfroid caught sight enough that it probably came from a satchel hidden by his cape. Vladstin handed the crystalline container to him. "Drink up!"
Sangfroid did not take it and eyed him with hostility. "What are you planning?"
"Nothing!" Vladstin tilted his head to the side. "I already told you that your health is my concern too because of the deal. I want you to die from my own hands rather than some annoying sickness."
That wasn't a pandering or touching sentiment at all, so he sounded like he was being truthful to Sangfroid. The one-eyed Chief Huntsman reluctantly took the bottle and opened the cap. It has clear water on it, so pure that it was almost shining. Suspicious yet wanting to be on the vampire's good side so he could convince him someday to go back to human, he drank it.
Vladstin watched the lump on Sangfroid's throat bobbed, and realized something. There was a momentary... excitement, in his heart. Yes, a spark of emotion, just like when he saw Leron again for the first time. Like he wanted to know this person more, to know every fact about him and every single detail of his identity. But it disappeared as quickly as it came for Vladstin to linger on it.
He brushed it aside. He must be mistaken, Sangfroid does not have any relevance to him while he was living to be the cause of such phenomena. His curiosity must have been piqued enough for him to mistake it as adrenaline rushing to his dead veins.
He waited for few moments as Sangfroid had finished drinking, and took the bottle. "So, Hunter. Do you feel like telling me anything about yourself?"
If Leron revealed so much of his deepest secrets just from a splash of the fountain's water, what would drinking a whole bottle do to Sangfroid?
Sangfroid blinked, and began to open his mouth. "I....."
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