Forget it.
She was the stupid one to think that he was being nicer to her after spilling a little about her life before she entered the castle as his pet. He simply wants enjoyment. As she steadily walked on the path, she thanked whoever lived here who was rich enough to make the ground underneath to be so steady and smooth.
But right as she walked out, she could hear a resounding gasp.
She shifted her gaze, finding all the ladies of the higher rank dressed to the tenth. Their shoes were polished, their dress free from wrinkles. Their skin was rosy and smooth, dressed in vibrant dresses made up of silk and embroideries that could fill Bella's stomach with loaves of breads for a week.
They were mostly holding a folded fan, hiding their smile while eyeing Cassius, their beloved crown prince while swooning and gasping when they saw Bella.
They knew what kind of human that would usually be dressed with the white loose-fitting cotton dress that Arabella was wearing. Her hair that wasn't tied and looked untidy and oily. She wasn't in her best state but the doctor had washed her face off the specks of dust so didn't look too grimy. Regardless, being looked like she was an ugly rat made even Bella to shrink backward slightly as she rubbed her cheeks, where she felt there was a speck of dirt.
Just then, a group of women walked toward Cassius, the one dressed in a blue dress with the bright burning purple hair rushed toward him, smiling widely upon seeing his presence, she gushed, "Your Highness! How utterly delighted I am to finally see you. I, Liliah, couldn't express my delight even more than this. It feels as though the sun itself has graced this dull court with its warmth and brilliance."
The woman, Liliah, curtsied deeply, her blue dress billowing slightly. She gazed up at Cassius with an adoring smile. Her purple hair caught the light, a display of beauty carefully orchestrated to draw attention.
Seeing the bright purple hair, even Bella was surprised. People called her a freak for her blonde hair looking too white under the sun but look at this, there's someone with that hair color?
"Ah, Liliah. A poet aren't you? Though I must admit, your metaphors are as subtle as your hair. Purple, is it? A bold choice- almost blinding, really."
Pulling her locks nervously, Liliah chuckled, "One must stand out to be remembered after all," she batted her eyes at Cassius, "I heard you like the color purple Your Highness, and perhaps you find this color also worth admiring?"
"Indeed," he laughed as if immune to the trickeries. "Though sometimes, standing out too much merely makes one an easy target. Don't you think?"
A small hitch echoed from Liliah's throat but she regained herself quickly, "Oh, but I would gladly risk it if it meant catching your eye."
He grinned and played with the foolishness, "How fortunate for you then, that my eye is so easily caught. Whether that's a blessing or a curse remains to be seen."
Just then, Arabella, standing off to the side, couldn't resist rolling her eyes at the exchange.
"The only color he likes is red for blood," she muttered in a hush but loud enough for him to hear.
He looked at her and his grin deepened at her mutterings again. It was just earlier his little birdie had gone into silent mode but look did she not start speaking again as soon as someone said something she didn't agree with?
"Excuse me, Liliah. It seems one of my courtiers has forgotten her manners. A rare moment, truly worth my attention."
Liliah blinked in surprise, smiling and unsure if she was being dismissed but his eyes seemed to linger and the longer it took, his eyebrows raised, "Of course, Your Highness. I shall eagerly await your... undivided attention again."
Liliah curtsied again, reluctantly retreating with the other women, throwing a pointed glare at Arabella as she passed.
"Was that jealousy, birdie? How flattering. I didn't realize you cared so deeply for my conversations," Cassius said not even after Lilah had taken three steps away from her and Bella could see how the lady's head snapped. Her purple hair had taken all the attention earlier for her to now realize that the woman who had spoken was also a vampire though her eyes weren't as intense as Cassius'.
The woman glowered, hissing in anger as if she was going to rip apart Bella upon realizing she was the reason why she didn't have the time to bask in Cassius's attention.
On the other hand, Bella wondered if she had done it on purpose. Then it hit her head. He said he wanted to punish her, didn't he? There was no other punishment more fun than watching someone struggling to keep a head up full of enemies to Cassius.
That was it. He wanted to enjoy her surviving in this place where everyone wanted to pine for his affection but couldn't because of a pet like her.
She gritted her teeth and stared at him, "If I craved your attention, Your Highness, I wouldn't rely on theatrics to be noticed."
"Oh really? Now you make me curious about what methods you would use to gain my attention." He then marched off, his black boots padding the smooth rocky path while she darted her eyes to learn of her surroundings.
Was this the time to escape? She could run because her feet were in a rather good condition even if she was barefooted. But she doubted it would be easy running away from this mansion either. She considered running from the gate they had entered but knew she couldn't as it was already closed and guarded with so many knights.
If she had dressed up better, she would give them a slip but her attire would only scream a runaway slave. Seeing how Cassius despises her lying to him, it only means that if she escapes, he will cut her head like Lady Blair.
She gulped. No, before he would cut her head, maybe he would suck her blood dry.
They then entered the luxurious mansion, seated in the sitting room where all the servants bowed and trained their eyes to the ground so they wouldn't offend Cassius. The crown prince in the question was enjoying his time, watching everything like his pawns on a chessboard which he was going to choose to entertain him today.
The butler who had shown him the way made sure he was seated on the largest couch with no one else around. It was only for the head of the house but now Cassius is here, it was as if the mansion had become his own. The walls in the drawing room were colored in baby blue paint with white motives of sparrow birds. Behind Cassius was a large window with the white curtains tied which gave him an extra glow.
"Oh how I would do anything just for him to kiss my hands," muttered one of the ladies as Bella sat on the ground beside his couch, like a small cat.
She heard Lady Lilah muttering with her purple hair twirled on her finger, "How lovely he looks. Isn't he the angel seraphim himself?"
But he was no angel who had come from Heaven, this man is the devil himself! He just killed someone last night yet none of the ladies seemed bothered. They were instead gathered all around him which made her realize that there were only women in this room. Wasn't this the perfect situation to make her be the prey of these ladies?
The ladies tried to ease by speaking about various topics, things that Arabella couldn't pay much attention to as she was stunned by seeing so many vampires gathered in one room. What made her feel even more nauseous was the fact that they all had taken a goblet in each of their hands and had servants pouring blood. She was sure it was blood as the liquid was thicker and these vampires seemed to be extremely delighted in tasting it which meant that it was far sweeter and would make them feel fuller.
After a while, the ladies who had noticed Cassius's crimson eyes that only lingered around Bella decided that they couldn't sit back while his interest lay on a weak creature. One of the ladies coughed with muted and exaggerated grace, "Your Highness, I must say, your presence here graces this dull afternoon with unparalleled brilliance. It's no wonder the court thrives under your reign."
Cassius wasn't the least flattered. If there was one thing about this man that Bella noticed it was how he didn't take it kind when someone tried to butter him. She was proven right as he replied with a honeyed tone, "How kind of you to notice. Though, I wonder, Lady Penny, do you practice flattery before a mirror, or is this all natural talent?"
The ladies titter nervously at his jab, eager to redirect.
"I have heard that you had a slight trouble after overtaking Versailles," said a lady whose name was Clarisse.
Lady Penny who had been staggered by Cassius's words added, "Indeed, I reckon that the humans didn't want to give up their lands even after faltering in war just overnight."
"I heard about that too. Is it true, Your Highness, that the moment they saw you arriving to the battlefield, they surrendered immediately?"
"Indeed," Bella heard his voice amused.
Cassius seemed to entertain that they brought the war. His crimson eyes looked at the blood in the cup as he spoke, "They surrendered yet when our vassals came here to overtake the castle, they decided that they wanted to start a rebellion and almost tried to harm His Majesty. Of course, it couldn't happen since I prevented it."
Arabella had been living far at the corners of Versailles where news travels slowly and thus she wasn't aware that there was a war. Even if there was, she didn't know what it was for as her village was too poor for them to be concerned about the war.
It turned out that their previous King had lost the war after seeing what the vampires Cassius led could do and surrendered. But perhaps they changed their mind upon realizing that they were losing their castle and stripped of their ranks, which caused Cassius to overtake Versailles for good and help his father to become the King.
"I have never been the most delighted person who is born of Versailles. To be graced by your protection allows me to sleep well at night, your highness. My family wishes to thank you deeply for all your time spent on the battlefield."
"Mine as well."
"Mine as well, Your Highness!"
Everyone was eager to add their good names to Cassius's book. Bella, sitting on the ground beside Cassius's chair, watched the scene unfold. Their words were cloying, their smiles too wide and their laughs were forced to sound like a swan.
Yet, she noticed something none of the other women did. Cassius's crimson eyes, cold and calculating, never lingered on any of them for more than three seconds. He glanced over their faces, their postures, their gestures—but never long enough to commit anything to memory.
"If I may say," Clarisse from the side added, "Your Highness, it's intriguing how even the most unlikely creatures thrive under your care. Truly, your benevolence knows no bounds. Even such a fragile creature of a human pet seems to be living its best life under your care." Her eyes then looked over to Arabella, mocking her with her sickening sweet words.
Lady Lilah who sat beside Clarisse took it quickly upon herself to use this chance to get rid of the weak creature by adding, "Such generosity, Your Highness. To allow a mortal to exist in your presence, it's... charitable. But this one must wonder, what tricks could such a creature bring? Surely, for someone of your stature, there are finer amusements."
"What kind of tricks?" Cassius hummed as he eyed Arabella and seeing his gaze made her unnerved. Leaning back with a faint smirk, his fangs glinting as he swirls a goblet of blood, "I do remember that everyone who has a pet would always go around singing praises that their pet could do a trick or two. I suppose I have always wanted to do the same."
"What about that?!" Lilah rang out eagerly, her red eyes brighter as the fulfillment of seeing the human who had annoyed her would die soon, "I remember that since this is the Princess's manor, she has that secret maze doesn't she? Perhaps we could watch whether your pet could find her way out of the enchanted maze?"