While Lucia struggled to wear her shoes, Colette was already bowing to the Duke.
Lucia was done wearing her shoes and equally bowed her head to the Duke.
"Your Grace," she said humbly and lifted her head with a smile on her face.
And just like that, the smile on her face died like a flower in winter. She recognised the Duke immediately. "A - Archer?"
Archer froze in shock. "L - Lucia?"
Colette looked between them. "You know each other?"
Lucia swallowed her non-existent saliva. "You know the former flame I told you about?
Her voice had barely trailed off before Colette turned to her husband with a betrayed look etched on her face.
"You….
Their horses plodded the snowy tracks slowly, none of them saying a word to each other. The wind brushed past them and Baron shivered.
"It sure is cold out here," Baron chuckled much to his own delight. "I'm freezing to death here."
"Too bad." Damian replied to him quietly.
Baron eyed Damian, his eyes pinching with suspicion. He noticed the man wasn't wearing any cloak or fur. He was thinly dressed in a guard's uniform.
"You don't feel cold?" he asked Damian.
"No," Damian replied, "When do I get the boat?"
"First thing at dawn tomorrow. The path from here to Clarosha is mid-frozen. A little sun will make travel easier." Baron replied, rubbing his gloved hands together.
"Since we're not going to the boat?" Damian quirked an eyebrow.
"I'm taking you to my home. My family will welcome you. They always do to my visitors," Baron led his horse ahead of Damian's. "Besides, you won't find any good inn around here. Men of the King's guard and Snow hunters have probably filled those damned places."
"Sure." Damian made sure to keep his distance from the man. If it was one thing he had learnt from humans, it was to never trust them.
An image of Lucia flashed in his head and he tightened the reign of his horse. Lucia…he prayed she would forgive him for what he was about to do.
"We're here," Baron announced, getting off his horse while letting Damian do the same.
Surrounded by a little white picket fence was a modest wooden house three stories high with a tiled thatched roof. Light illuminated from the glass windows. On the door was the House Yelmen's sigil.
"Like it?" Baron asked Damian with a smile.
"It's homely." Damian muttered under his breath.
"Shall we?" Baron was about to pull the door knocker when Damian interrupted him.
"I'd rather stay outside. Do you have a shelter for your horses?" asked Damian.
"As a matter of fact I do," Baron replied. "Why would you prefer cold to warmth?"
"The cold never bothered me anyways." Damian replied softly.
"As you wish. I'll have my servants prepare a bed for you in the stables." Baron dragged the door knocker.
"Don't worry. I'll be fine with just a blanket." Damian nodded.
"Alright." Baron said quietly, wondering what type of man Damian was.
"Father!" A little boy squealed as he ran into him.
"Ah, there's my little soldier." Baron lifted the boy into his arms.
The boy looked at Damian and blinked. "Who is he, father? Another visitor?"
"That is rude of you, Ammel. You greet your father's guests, not stare at them." A young woman walked in with her hands stuffed in her apron. Her hair was pulled back tightly behind a cap and she smelled like baked bread and meat.
"Where is Braelyn?" Baron asked the woman.
The woman replied, taking Ammel off his father. "In her room. She'll be down shortly."
Baron turned to Damian. "Meet my family. This is my wife, Sansa and this is my first and only son, Ammel. His sister is Braelyn and is upstairs."
"You didn't get his name?" Sansa rolled her eyes at Baron. "What kind of a person are you?"
"Honey, I was busy." Baron said in an apologetic voice.
"Yeah, busy drinking ale. You reek." Sansa pinched her nose with her fingers.
"What is your name?" asked the fearless Ammel to Damian.
"My name is Damian." Damian replied and gave them a humble bow.
"Oh he's handsome." A female voice gasped and the family turned around.
"If it isn't the drama queen," Ammel rolled his eyes.
"That's rude," Braelyn rolled her eyes at him. Then she turned to Damian and curtsied. "Pleasure to have you here, sir."
Damian was stunned for words but he maintained his composure and returned her courtesy with a bow. He lifted his eyes to meet hers and was reminded of Lucia all over again - they had the same red hair and emerald-green eyes. He looked at the family and realized that she was the only red head there. The others had raven black hair.
"Shall we? It's freezing." Sansa said with a smile.
"Actually, I'll remain outside, my lady." Damian spoke humbly.
"What? But it's cold." Both Sansa and her daughter gasped in shock.
"Don't worry. I'll be fine." Damian gave them a reassuring smile.
Sansa looked to her husband but he had no words to say. She heaved a heavy sigh. "Alright but you must join us for dinner."
"Thank you but I had a big dinner. I must rest now." Damian replied shortly
"It's true. He ate twice the average man's meal." Baron took Ammel from his mother's arms.
Sansa glared at him and he pursed his lips. "At least let fire keep you warm?"
"I appreciate it. Thank you." Damian replied with a small smile.
At Castle de Caspian, another Raven was sent to August from Count Eric von Burren inquiring about the state of his daughter.
In his rage, August ripped the letter to shreds. "This is the 4th Raven my uncle has sent. Where are we with Lucia? Where is my wife?"
"Calm down, August," Jarlen said. "I have Rayven and Helsing looking for her."
"It's been 3 days!" August threw his fist to the wall. Then he winced in pain, holding his fist.
Bat threw his head back as he laughed. "Ah the short man forgot he can't fight."
"You!" August lunged at Bat who evaded his punch.
"You won't laugh now we have Anna in our custody." August said with a grin.
"You said no harm would go to Anna!" Bat roared with anger.
"Jarlen might have promised you that but I did not." August said amusingly.
"I just came up with one brilliant idea," Jarlen whispered to August. "Since Damian is already an enemy to our nations, why don't we expand it to the entire realm? Damian de Caspian guilty of treason for the murder of Dracula Fieren. To be killed on sight."
August clapped his hand together with so much glee. "That would be such a wonderful headline in the newspapers."
"That won't work!" Bat fell as he pushed it back. "You won't have Damian!"
August laughed evilly as he could not contain his joy. "Damian can hide under a rock for all I care but once I write a letter and have a Raven deliver it to von Burren, what do you think will become of your fate and Damian's?"
Meanwhile, deep in the cold mountains, Rayven led his horse down the snowy path while Van Helsing walked on foot.
They both found a pillar of smoke in the distance.
"Do you have both their scents?" Rayven turned to Helsing.
"No. The wind is too strong but either of them must have stopped at the alehouse to rest. I'm sure of it." Helsing led the way downhill.
"How do you feel knowing the man you've always wanted to kill is your sire?" He asked further.
Rayven clicked his tongue in annoyance. "Furious!"
"Well, we both have one common enemy," Helsing smiled as he touched the horse. "You hate Damian for his otherworldly abilities and I hate him for ever putting me in a coffin."
"Now, you know this truth, do you have any plans of killing Damian if you see him?" Rayven asked to be sure.
"Well, I might be tempted to but I won't. Damian would serve a better purpose alive. It's August I don't trust." Helsing pulled his hand away and tucked them in his cloak's pocket.
"August," Rayven said with disgust. "He knows if Damian dies, we die."
"Well, if he tries anything, just kill him," Helsing smiled. "It works every time."