Chapter 40 Bethias in the East

Chapter 40 Bethias in the East
Lucy turned around to see that they had reached the top of the hill, and she could see far out into Kunlun. A mountain range seemed to be to the west of them.

The sun had finally set, but its light still lingered. She could see the vampires below moving about as they awoke from their slumber. Shadow stomped his foot in annoyance at standing still, but Dulcie seemed relaxed as her tail flicked any flies away. 

They sat there in comfortable silence, taking in the quiet. 

On the other side was a forest at the bottom of the hill. The darkness of the night made it seem spooky and not inviting. 

Lucy looked closely at the saddle she was sitting on and, in the stitching, saw the letters "O" and "N" within the patterns. Then it dawned on Lucy Ophelia Noxend. The saddle was his mother’s. 

Her eyes snapped to him as her mouth fell open. Before she could utter a question, she saw that he had removed his cloak. 

Sitting there on top of his horse, Shadow, surveying his kingdom, he looked more handsome than she had ever seen him. Her mouth went dry. 

His clothes were just a simple tunic and trousers tucked into his riding boots. There was a belt around his waist that held no jewels, just a strip of leather with a brass buckle. 

At that moment, she felt underdressed and plain. Perhaps this is why the other vampires decked themselves out in jewels; they were trying to keep up with the king. 

The wind blew his hair as the early night had left her with a bit of light, allowing her to see. 

Worried the night would keep her from being able to see much longer, she would rely on Dulcie to guide her back to the stable. 

Seeing Shadow would be impossible since he blended into the night. 

Thankfully, the night seemed to be a full moon or at least close to it, as the moon began to rise, filling the space with light. 

“Bethias’ estate is in that direction,” Caen told her, pointing to the east. 

“Doesn’t she have a residence in the capital?” Lucy thought about what she knew about Bethias. Wondering what her estate was like and imagining she could see it off in the distance. 

Bethias had other plans that day, and Lucy began to wonder what they were. Perhaps she had gone to her estate.

“She does, and they are there now, but prefer to be at their estate. I can’t blame them.” Caen agreed. 

Caen turned Shadow towards the trees. Dulcie let out a sigh before following after the stallion. The Horse was content to stay where they were. 

“Dulcie was supposed to be used to work livestock, but she is too lazy for that work,” Caen said, breaking the silence. 

The mare seemed to understand what he was saying and shook her head approvingly. “What does she do then?”

“A lot of nothing. However, she’s a good mother and raised several foals.” Caen reached over and patted her. “She’s mostly just a pet.”

Lucy imagined her with a foul by her side in the pasture. Her gentle nature seemed a perfect fit for motherhood. 

“How old is she?” Lucy looked at the mare. She did not seem as old as Cinnamon. Poor Cinnamon’s bones were starting to show from old age, but Dulcie was still filled out nicely with a straight back. Most would have killed the horse when it became too old to work; it made Lucy happy to think the mare could live her life peacefully in the pasture. 

“About twelve years old.” Caen pursed his lips as he thought about it. He probably had more important things to do than track his horses ’ birthdays. 

“And shadow?” Lucy looked at the stallion. 

“He’s only seven, I estimate. Still in his prime.” There was a touch of pride in his voice that matched the horse's demeanor. 

“Did you raise him?” She asked. 

Caen let out a laugh, “He was a wild yearling I found out in a cannon over there.” Caen pointed off towards where the mountains had been early, but Lucy could no longer see them. 

“Did he come to you?” she wondered if perhaps the wild horse immediately trusted the king. 

“Not a chance. I spent days out there just trying to build his trust. Eventually, he let me get near him, and then little by little, he let me ride him.”

“Does he let anyone else ride him?” Not that she was interested, but she was curious to know who, besides the king, rode the beast. 

“No one can ride Shadow but me.” He said as if it were a fact, but she wondered what could stop a vampire from riding the horse. 

Lucy looked at the stallion. He truly was the largest horse she had ever seen. There was something different about him, not just his size, but she could not quite put her finger on it. 

They entered the forest, Lucy following after him like a lamb following the sheep dog. An owl flew above their heads as it took its first flight of the night. 

There was a path that allowed them to travel without any obstacles. Lucy trusted Dulcie, who seemed to trust Shadow, since she was not heading back to the stables. 

Lucy wondered at one point if he was going to leave her out here on her own. Maybe that’s what vampires found to be a prank. Make the human navigate the dark. 

She kept her eyes on the back of his head so that he would not disappear from her sight. 

Nature seemed to be silent, as if it knew the apex predator had entered the scene. 

They arrived at a clearing in the trees. There was a small pond in the center, illuminated by the moonlight. 

Caen dismounted Shadow and tied him to a nearby tree. He then walked over to where Lucy sat at the top of Dulcie, took the reins, and tied her to another tree. 

Once the horses were secured and happily grazing, he reached out his hand for Lucy to take. It was cold to the touch, but she did not shy away from it. His hand was much larger than hers, but he treated it delicately. 

She swung her leg over the saddle and down to the ground. As her foot hit the ground, she stumbled a step, but Caen caught her and steadied her. 

Stepping around the horses, Lucy got a better look at the area. “What is this place?”

“This is where I come when I want to be alone,” he told her, but it felt like he was telling her so much more. 

“I had a tree in the back of the garden at the manor.” She whispered, feeling like she should offer something of herself to him. 

He didn't respond, instead letting the silence fill the space between them. 

The grass was tall, indicating that the area had been untouched by anyone. Lucy walked closer to the body of water.