The Ball ended... well, with the words of friendship and mutual help and all of this.
Mages didn't kill vampires, because there were only three of them and the Dodecahedron knew none of them... but it's great anyway.
They said no to staying the night and flew away, literally.
The Starlink Diplomatic Delegation did the same, though they didn't fly, they just vanished, The Shadows alike.
Princess Akamai along with her escort left our castle too. She wanted to stay badly, but she wasn't allowed to.
The vampire and her knights, on the other hand, gladly accepted our invitation. "To build ties" as they put it.
All of us, servants, were exhausted and only Medea was cheerfully telling us about how the Shadows were "super cute" and very "talkative". Okay, Medea, if you say so...
Edward was thankful to the spirits for the day's end, he was all jittery and even emptied a mug of calming herbal tea. Camel had it too.
Sheila said something about starlings' philosophy and how it was interesting and dull simultaneously.
And I... I bandaged my wrists and drank some water from a kettle while listening to what they had to say.
At first, no one talked about the elephant in the room, but then Edward made a deep breath...:
"What was it?! This monster! They killed the whole Consulate! It's insane, just insane!"
"I was so-o-o afraid! I still am!"
"It was indeed unexpected."
"People, this monster is in our castle..."
"They know how to make an appearance..."
I just sat there silently.
"Mara, how are you?" Medea pet my shoulder gently.
"Fine, I guess... Need a lot of water, though..."
Edward had another sip of his herbal tea, the new fill of it:
"You talked with them, didn't you? What did they say?"
"About what?"
"Everything? Anything!"
"The Consulate has killed their family so they have no remorse for killing them." I sighed. I was dead tired and the last thing I wanted was to be questioned about today's events. "We should go and sleep, pals, really... "
"You are right." Sheila agreed. "We should."
Edward sighed disappointed and started cleaning the table of dishes. Medea helped him out, while Camel washed the very dishes.
Then everyone left, but before this happened, Sheila asked me if I was truly all right.
I wasn't and they understood it without me saying it out loud. They pet my bandaged wrist and took a leave.
***
I couldn't sleep. I have a whole bag of sleep disorders on me. There are nightmares, insomnia and sometimes hypersomnia. It feels like my brain just blindly takes something from the "bag" like "Oh, today it is insomnia, how wonderful" and I can't sleep.
I was told that it is a part of my illness. They call it Shadow mind. I don't like the name, not very scientific, and not to my taste... Basically, it is when you have a low mood, and nothing really makes you happy; then there is low self-esteem, in my case, it is a kind of love-hate relationship with myself... The most hated by me symptom is a loss of interest in what I like, but I can regain it at times. Also, I am always tired and my body aches... like the whole body.
So now I lie here and can't sleep.
I was like this since I can remember myself. I know it was partly my family's fault, they "loved" me a lot. But even after I stopped any communication with them, my condition not much changed. At least I am not constantly reminded of how "strange" and "stupid" and "ugly" I am, and no one telling me that I am but "the shame of the family".
I had medication, and a big amount of talking to treat my condition, even some mind fuck magic... The talking worked but not for a long time. So now I just live as it is. No fainting is already great, hah.
I got up from the bed and decided to get some food down in the kitchen. I also noticed that my water jug was empty. Needed to refill it.
I took the jug from my bedtable. My glasses were there too, I usually didn't wear them, I was told that I need some medical involvement to see clearly again, but... I have no money for it, not now, so I decided to get used to being blind. I know it's stupid... Look, I'd get that money, someday... But, to say the truth, I didn't really want to be able to see the world, I thought I didn't deserve it.
I left the glasses where they were. I closed my eyes and started walking towards the door. When I felt the door I was pleased, - I was getting better. I groped the doorknob and turned it. The door was open.
I closed it, carefully, then started walking down the corridor. I stayed near the wall, just in case.
I successfully went down the stairs. Slowly, but successfully. Then I went to the kitchen, still staying near the wall. When I touched the arc that, potentially, led to the kitchen, I opened my eyes.
It was indeed the needed arc. I turned the switch and the lamp went on. It was some tech created by a pair of Inventors. One human and one starling, they harnessed electricity.
The room was completely covered in a yellowish light in a second. I opened the ice cabinet, one of many, and took a fish pie from it. The ice cabinet was a great thing, kept your food cool or even frozen. Mages made it. Well, they made a solution which runs through the pipes inside a cabinet. The cabinet itself, along with the pipes, was made by humans. Starlings called it "low tech" but now they're using it too because it is "low cost".
I put the plate with the pie on a countertop and went to refill the jug at the sink.
I turned the tap and water started flowing into the jug. Humans invented sinks and plumbing by themselves. So there was nothing magical or "high tech". Just pipes and water.
After the jug was refilled, I sat on the countertop, took a fork from a jar standing there, and started eating the pie.
It was delicious. The soft crust changed to the well-cooked potatoes and juicy fish flesh, the spices were well-balanced and even slushy onions tasted good in this fish pie ensemble.
When my tummy was filled with the delightful pie, I cleaned after myself, took my jug, switched the lights off and left the kitchen.
I had my eyes open on the way back.
I was thinking of how awfully tired I would be tomorrow, and of that tasteful pie I had, when I was going up the stairs. When I was near the end of it, I noticed the bright red light. The moon, I thought and was right.
When the staircase ended, I stepped onto the second floor and raised my head to see the light source - I saw them:
The vampire, naked, bathing in the moonlight.
"Do you like what you see?" Asked they seductively.