12. Dinner

Lark had enjoyed several days of peace. She focused on her work and tried to keep herself distracted from memories of August's kiss. In quiet moments she could still feel his lips on her wrist. She tried to forget his promise to write to her and spent extra time with her students. Their embroidery had improved greatly and her employers were pleased. Despite her success she felt dissatisfied, as if something was missing. She was not furthering her education away from the castle and this weighed heavily on her. She had sold much of her former finery and only retained two gowns and her treasured necklace. Her life in the castle was slowly slipping away. But as she tried to move on, she finally received a letter from August. 

Lark,

I hope you are well. You fill my thoughts. Are you happy in your current position? I have heard your employers are respectable. 

August

Lark was touched by the message. She wrote him a reply immediately. 

My Lord,

I am quite well and very satisfied. Of course there is no comparison to the diversions of your castle. My students are clever and well-behaved and I am well treated. I have no reason to complain. I appreciate your interest. 

Lark

She sent her letter with a stable boy and faced the uncertainty in her mind. She could no longer avoid the nagging feeling that she may be wasting her life in the village. The possibility of her finding a husband among the townspeople was slim, and she was naturally independent. Her disinterest in raising children and doing housework for the rest of her life would make her an unhappy woman in any domestic arrangement. She had nothing to learn here and admittedly very little freedom. She had craved it so badly, only to face the realization that a woman of her status would struggle just to live comfortably. Money for travel was uncertain if not impossible. Rogue vampires made it dangerous to travel alone, and she knew it was likely that if she continued to work well in this family, she would likely die in their employment. She could see the bleak possibility of her future. When her employers died and left their property to their children, they would likely support her until her death in the small room where she now slept. 

She looked around wearily. The only beautiful thing in the room was her own embroidery. The caged raven seemed to mock her. She was free yet more trapped than ever. It hung low over her as she tried to complete her daily tasks, assisting with meals and entertaining the girls before sending them to bed. It was like a dark cloud filling her head with questions and doubts. She dragged herself into bed that night, uneasy and unhappy. Was it possible for her to go back to the castle? Would she be sealing her fate as a pet and commodity? Or would she be taking control of her own destiny?

She knew that if she went back it would be nearly impossible to leave safely again. She was still the lord's property, and would already struggle to regain the trust of the harem and its matron. The politics of the castle could not be ignored. But she would have her room back, filled with beautiful garments and decorations, a space that belonged to her alone. She would never be hungry or neglected, and could have an education she could never dream of otherwise. And August would be happy to see her. This thought brought her a feeling of quiet satisfaction. He had always been gentle and polite, showing an interest in her as an individual. It was possible she could be happy at his side, even as a pet. She was plagued by nightmares, her anxiety manifesting in dark shadows chasing her through a forest on fire. But when she awoke, her fear was soothed by a letter left on her small table. It was August's reply. 

Lark,

I am relieved to hear you are adjusting well. I would like to extend an invitation to dine with me this evening. I have some questions for you unfit for this letter. I give my word that you shall return safely to your home. I hope to see you just after dark.

August

Lark could not deny her curiosity. She had the evening off and nothing to distract her. She prepared one of her remaining gowns and styled her hair before teaching the morning lessons. In the early afternoon, she was visited by King, the raven she had nursed back to health. He often brought her small gifts, usually dropped coins from town or flowers from the nearby meadows. But today his gift was unique. It was a ring. The style was masculine, a heavy piece of silver metal inlaid with a large stone and intricately carved. She had never seen anything like. She thanked King, scratching his head feathers and praising him enthusiastically. He seemed quite pleased with himself, preening on her bedpost as she changed into her gown and placed the ring in the attached pocket. 

The mischievous bird perched on her shoulder as she went to the stable to prepare her horse. One of the stable boys was tending to the mare and his eyes widened as he laid eyes on King.

"Aren't they bad luck?" he asked quietly, scurrying out of the stall and away from the bird. Lark waved him off. 

"He is only a bird," she insisted. "And my friend. Please bring my saddle."

The boy nodded and complied, helping her pull the saddle tight and slip the horse's bridle over her head. Thanking him, Lark mounted her mare and took off into the forest with King flying alongside her, vocalizing excitedly. They made it to the castle before the sun had fully set. She found the drawbridge was already lowered in anticipation of her arrival. 

A guard awaited her and led her into the castle grounds. Surrounded by the high stone walls she felt as if she was being embraced. Much of her fear had disappeared. She came of her own free will. The guard helped her from her horse and led her into the main hall as a servant brought her horse to the stables where it once lived. As they entered, the castle was fairly quiet. In the evening most of the servants had free time to eat and socialize in their own part of the castle. The harem were likely already tucked into their rooms. The only sounds were the pair's footsteps. He led her down a hall she had not seen before, away from the familiar harem and courtyard. As the decor became more macabre she realized this must be an alternate route to the Master's wing. The hall was draped in velvet and lit by dim torches and lamps. Taxidermied animal mounts peered down from their high perches and the eyes of every portrait seemed to follow them. Yet Lark was not afraid, merely deeply curious. The haunting opulence was like another world. Book shelves stuffed with dusty volumes and oddities caught her attention. She could only imagine what secrets could be hidden in so many pages. Her heart quickened in anticipation of seeing her Master as the guard stopped at the end of the hall at a massive wooden door. It was covered in carvings. Most were scenes of war depicting tragedy, bloodshed, and bitter victories. And in the center was a scene of surprising tenderness. It seemed out of place among the depictions of carnage. A man and a woman, embracing tenderly, sheltered from the chaos and suffering by the purity of their love. They seemed blind to the anguish around them, with eyes only for each other. Lark reached out a pale hand, longing to feel the carved wood beneath her fingers. But before she could touch it, the door began to creak open and she drew back.

August stood on the other side. His face was more relaxed and happy than she had remembered it, and Lark smiled in return, dropping into a polite curtsy. August bowed his head and invited her inside, shutting the door easily behind them. 

"My lord," Lark took the arm he offered her as he led her down another passage, to his private dining room. "I am happy to see you."

August smiled to himself, his face flushing. 

"Thank you for accepting my invitation," he replied. 

An impossibly large rack of antlers swept over the doors to the hall, which stood open to welcome them. They entered and the table was already set. They sat beside each other and Lark could feel her mouth water at the impressive meal. After so many weeks eating simple foods in her village home, she was anxious to eat something decadent. August had two servants serve them their food before dismissing them for the evening and the two ate together quietly. Lark could not contain her curiosity as she watched him raise his fork to his mouth.

"Must you eat human food?" she asked.

"No," he responded, shaking his head. He took a generous sip of wine. "Nor do I need to drink. I often don't but this was a special occasion. Wasting mortal food on vampire kind is usually something I discourage. But it still tastes like it used to. So it can be hard to resist."

Lark was fascinated but reserved. 

"What is your favorite food?" she asked. 

"Chocolate cake with strawberries," he responded quickly. Lark stifled a laugh.

"That's my favorite dessert," she said. He turned to look at her. 

"I know," he admitted. His voice was soft and low as if he was hiding something. "That is why it has become my favorite."

"How did you know?" she asked.

"I spoke to the matron of your orphanage before you first arrived. Because you were coming into the harem I thought it would be wise to know your preferences. I assumed it might make the transition easier. The harem are the humans I am closest to. Their happiness is a priority. I find unwilling blood to be bitter. One grows tired of the taste of suffering."

Lark lapsed into silence. She knew many vampires must feel the same. Some pets had become so wealthy that they had been titled or even gifted their own property. She had never encountered such a wealthy human in her village. August's kingdom was relatively small and he didn't entertain a court of pets or other vampires. He seemed more private than many of his peers, trying to keep his people safe and live a relatively quiet life. Lark had no idea that his soldiers were stealthily slipping into Hygate as they ate, preparing to steal back their missing citizens. 

August seemed so mild, almost incapable of violence. But Lark knew he must be. It was in the nature of every vampire. She was at a loss for words and they enjoyed a pleasant silence for several minutes as they finished their meal. Then he led her to his private courtyard, where the rare flowers were illuminated gently by a sky full of stars. A small fountain gurgled in the center, and they sat on an ornate bench beside it, appreciating the beauty of the darkness. 

August reached for her and held her hand in his. But he couldn't meet her eyes. 

"I had some questions for you," he said softly. Lark remembered that he had mentioned this in this invitation. She was distracted by the sensation of his skin against hers and only nodded. 

"Is there anything you want to learn?"

Lark turned to him confused.

"What do you mean my lord?" she asked. 

"You have excelled at the subjects offered within the castle. Was there anything else you wish you had learned?"

Lark pondered for a moment. She had always been a curious girl but had never had the means to orchestrate her own education. She was deeply interested in the history of her village and of the humans and vampires that lived in the kingdom. Most humans could barely remember the pandemic that had nearly destroyed them. As they struggled to survive, memories of the tragedy had become faded and distorted. She had always wanted to know the truth. But she was scared of what she might find. Many vampires had lived through the aftermath of the disease. Only they truly remembered.

"I want to learn about vampires," she said at last. August seemed uneasy, leaning forward in his seat. Humans were curious about his kind, but few became close enough to them to gain any real insight into their true reality. It was still considered taboo by many vampires to share their history or divulge their abilities. 

"If I teach you about my kind…" August trailed off, turning to look into Lark's eyes. "Would you come back?"

Lark searched his face. His expression was vulnerable and open. Though she could not easily refuse him as his property, she also did not wish to. She leaned towards him slowly until their foreheads were nearly touching. His eyes were intense like deep pools of ink but she did not look away. She raised a hand and touched his face, feeling a sense of connection surge through her palm and into his skin. He did not breathe and sat perfectly still like a living sculpture. Her own breath had quickened as their eyes seemed to say words their mouths could not. When she could finally break away from his gaze she bowed her head, dropping it to his shoulder. She felt sparks explode within her chest, radiating throughout his body. Her heartbeat was so loud that he could easily hear it pumping heat and adrenaline throughout her body. She was overcome with her own conflict, though her heart told her the answer. In one swift motion, she traced her lips up his jaw and to his mouth and kissed him. It was soft and brief, a meeting that left her head spinning. August had relaxed, his body melting into hers as they sat close together. The quiet night fueled their feelings of desire, but they separated and tried to recover gracefully. Finally she spoke. 

"I will come back."