Questions

Chervil and Dion were sitting on a chair at the tea table set up in the garden which Dion had asked Eilwe earlier so they could relax while watching the children playing around and having fun, whist they closed the gate shut to prevent some unwanted guests from entering the place.

Thus, that very morning, four days ago; Chervil was able to see the plants which was destroyed that night when they first got on the place by his aid, which he saw was just an ordinary plants, but the patterns of each plants aren't that much common to see in everyday venture to town and woods as the plants was rare and hard to find.

So many variety of flowers and plants were inside the domain; from tall to short, big to small sizes, all of which Chervil saw and known were from the other lands of their empire, nonetheless, there are three plants that he wasn't able to recognize.

He hasn't recognised it at first, thus the second time that he has a closer look at it, he found out that it exists in their royal house garden as a rare plants of each lands and most traditional treasured plants that represents each of the lands which formed an allied and united as Southern Empire, and thus he wondered how did they acquired it.

He looked at the scenery infront of him which was very peaceful than what outside which is poverty that his trying to solve.

Looking at Ellvinah who was playing with Thashie and the others as they were making a flower crown, mainwhile, the other group were making something different, he smiled seeing Ellvinah sneezed as she smelled the flower; whist he remembered something that he wants to ask, thus he turned and looked to his left side.

"Can you answer my questions truthfully, Dion?", he asked looking at Dion whose trying to make a flower crown by himself which doesn't form a crown at all.

"Didn't you already asked.", said Dion sarcastically. He didn't look up and just nodded his head.

Chervil frowned, hence, he just ignored the sarcasm and asked a questions in calmer way, "About what you said this morning. What do you know that I wasn't aware of? What was it that you knew? And how much knowledge do you have that you were hiding from me?"

"I wonder...", said Dion in wonder and cocked his head to the side as he looked at the Prince. "Crist, you can order me to speak even though I'm ain't willing to. Your words and commands has power over everyone. So, why asked me to answer you truthfully when you knew I'm ain't gonna answer everything truthful?"

Chervil thought for a moment and looked at the childrens whose playing, "You're right about that. I have the power to commend you to speak the truth... However, I don't want to get my answers through the authority I might have. I want you to speak the truth with your own as a friend and not by the authority that I may have, nor by my title.", he said then looked at the sky. "Besides, I don't wanna be like those other Arch-King who passed, and even the current Arch-King now. I want to be a different kind of ruler who everyone can rely."

"Well, that's promising. We're not gonna worry about the future of this empire then.", said Dion while grinning at Chervil.

Chervil, seeing Dion grinning at him could only sigh out loud which his friend just chuckled; whist when he looked back at his friend he was being reminded of someone again.

"Remember what I've said to you from back then...", said Dion with a serious expression reminding Chervil about what he said to him from back then which was very clear to the Prince on what his friend meant. "Don't abuse the power you may have. Considering it isn't for you to have and hold. It is given to you for you to protect those who needed protections, and have a judgements that's equal to each individual not only for your kind but also to every kind who resides in this empire. And not the other way around."

"You've always said that words to me. And you said that it's a words from someone you knew.", Chervil said staring at Dion. And he attempted to ask again. "So, won't you be telling the truth, then?"

"I'll do my best to answer your questions... But, not all I can just answer for now without a huge problem to face on my side, Your Highness.", Dion said having an apologetic look that made Chervil sighs out loud again.

"Okay, then... I wanna know, what do you knew about my aid, Fanies?", asked Chervil as he narrowed his eyes.

Dion took a deep breath. Looks like he had to answer some questions if he wanted this to end. He regret saying those words while they're having breakfast this morning.

"So, you have noticed...", whispered Dion and said straightforwardly, "Don't trust your aid, that's all I can tell you... And I don't want you to put your trust on me as well, Chervil."

And, it made Chervil raise his brow in question. What the hell was these people always wanted to make him feel more suspicious. He had complicated looked on his face which made Dion chuckled.

He wanted to revoke but he couldn't find his voice as he open and close his mouth in the process while having a complicated look.

'You said not to trust Fanies and now, even you as well?!', he thought, 'Just what's going on?!'

Chervil could only exhale out loud looking at his human friend who just chuckled at him, who proceed on trying to make a flower crown. It looks like he couldn't get the answers he wants.

Minutes passed, thus the two of them were just minding their own thoughts as one was busy trying to perfect the flower crown whist the other was having a thousand questions on his mind.

"Who was that person to you? Why was this person you treasured and look after?", Chervil suddenly asked out of the blue nonchalantly while looking at the childrens at front.

However, this sudden question made Dion, Navetha, Eilwe and Thashie to looked at him rappedly with wide eyes.

Chervil took a quick glanced at the three who looked at him at the same time with wide and narrowed eyes, and he could feel a chill by the way they're staring at him.

Over the course of his long life thought Chervil, there was only three people whom he's afraid of crossing with: his grandfather the former king, second was his uncle who was an earl at the other Kingdom of their empire, third was that person whom he met few decades ago who was acquaintance with his deceased grandfather and its a human as that, thus this was the first time he had felt like his being threatened by childrens much younger than him, which made him felt irritated by the way he feels like he's walking in a pit of flames.

Whist, he just ignored the feeling and smiled to ease what he felt and asked again, "Who was that person? The one you spoked to me on the village that day."

Chervil was aware of the fact that he shouldn't bother himself with Dion's mysterious background; however, even his grandmother who seems to know something doesn't want to say it, which confused him. He could see Dion narrowing his gaze on him.

"I asked Mrs. Alze that night. She told me that you stayed here with your older sister and that person whom she said was the one you look after. And I got confused now.", he explained.

Yet, Dion just stared at him and doesn't says anything. Then, he saw his friend looked at the woman whose bringing snacks and drinks for them who couldn't looked at his friend as the woman heard their conversations that transpired. And she was scared.

Mrs. Alze became nervous when the Prince brought up what she said to him that night; thus, it was pecifically ordered not to speak about it to anyone, and as to why? She doesn't know.

She's about to apologize for what she had done. She could sense the young master's intimidating gaze, when Thashie suddenly approached them and asked her to helped them out. Thashie then dragged her to where they were.

"Dion, what are you hiding? Who was this person you've spoken to me? And who are you, really? Were you a foe or an allied? What is your relationship to my grandparents?", asked Chervil non stop. His mind was full of questions that he wants to be answered. He doesn't care and bother himself with the others.

He wants to know why would his grandparents told him that he should trust Dion no matter what; therefore, he's trying to make his friend talk so that he can make a clarity on what was going on.

Also, Dion was his only human friend whom he had truly trust, and not because of his grandparents telling him to but because of Dion's unusual self that reminded him of his old friend, and thus even his own bloodlines he never put so much trust; however, to Dion he could.

Dion sigh. He put down the flowers and get himself a cup that was atthe table beside him and served himself before saying, "I am your allied for the path you wanted to take and make... Thus, that's also why I told you not to trust me."

He poured a coffee on his cup and took a sip. "However, I will be your enemy if you adrift your path and become the opposite of what you want and who you are now.", said Dion after with his unusual cold voice.

"So, you weren't gonna answer my questions?", asked Chervil persistently. He could see his friend becoming irritated.

"If you're going to ask again about my identity and what I'm hiding or what my relationship with your grandparents, and even who that person to me... I'm telling you, this isn't the time for that. Focus on your quest on this empire of yours and maybe you'll find out what I am hiding..."

"Is that to motivate me?", asked Chervil teasingly. He could feel his friend's irritation. He grinned, showing his fangs as he knows he couldn't get the answer this way and he can only wait until his friend is willing to talk and tell him.

"Maybe it is.", Dion said and chuckled after, hence, both of them chuckled at once.

After a while as the two of them talked about some stuff whist watching the children playing and laughters filled the air.

"Do you want me to check if she had another relatives?", asked Dion. He turned his head to Chervil who's looking at the plants.

Chervil nodded and looked at Ellvinah, "Yes. That's the plan... We should do that.", He looked at his side and said to Dion, "As for the meantime, I've plan on taking her with us to my mansion inside the palace ground."

"Well, I wouldn't opposed to that idea because if my sister would know about me bringing somebody here except Ellah, I'm certainly sure she will skin me alive.", said Dion to Chervil nonchalantly while adding two sugar cubes on his cup and stir it. "But, Crist... You knew that a palace ground full of vampires isn't a safe place for a human child even though she's at the mansion."

He took a sip of his coffee. He saw that the Prince thouht about it ahead. Thus, he think it is also a good thing since they couldn't leave the little one.

"Who would you be assign on her to look after?", asked Dion after awhile.

"You, of course.", came the quick and simple answered from Chervil which made Dion spits his coffee and cough in the process.

Looking at little Ellvinah who was now playing with Thashie and three other kids, while the others was helping Eilwe and Navetha on making a flying lanterns.

"If I ask someone to look after her at my mansion, I don't know if that would be safest as some of the servants aren't to be trusted either.

Dion turned to his side. He wept his lips with his hand, whist Chervil continue to spoke.

"And beside... As I can see, you're the perfect candidate."

This morning, after they're done eating their breakfast, they went upstair to have little Ellah some more rest as they saw she still weak, and thought she needs some more time to recover her health, thus they could sense her sadness as she kept quiet at the dining.

Therefore, they brought her to the room and help her get to bed and have a rest,however, when Thashie suddenly arrived on the room at noon and found out that the young girl was now awaked, she then asked permission to let little Ellah go outside and meet the other kids as she could sense a distress coming from the little girl.

"I already told you, didn't I? That you shouldn't trust me.", said Dion. 'He already had more things to do and now you're making me a babysitter!', he thought but was visible on his face.

Chervil laughed at his third-in-command's reaction, "That should do for not answering my questions. Call it a light punishment."

* * * * * * * * * *

Dion was being dragged by Thashie outside the cottage after dinner to have a talk as Dion was giving Mrs.Alze a cold shoulder which made the elderly worried, and that might be the young master was angry about what she'd done.

"What is it? Why are you dragging me here, Thashie?", asked Dion. They arrived at the garden where the fountain were, and thus he tidy his shirt.

"Don't scared Mrs. Alze like that. She's just doing her job.", Thashie whispered folding her arms under her chest staring at him void of any emotions.

Thashie and the two others who were far from them heard the conversations earlier, one was questioning while the other was avoiding to answer, hence, they just ignored it. However, when they heard the Prince asked about someone whom they have a clue of who was the Prince was referring to, thus, they subconsciously looked up because they have the same mindset.

And the bringing up of who was the one who linked the little details and seeing the one who gave those out, who stopped midway and continued to walked while lowering her head; thus the way they saw Dion looking at the old woman as she placed the drinks and snacks for the childrens, hence, the way Dion never leave his gaze at the elderly woman, they could sense Mrs.Alze trembling in fear and about to asked forgiveness.

Thus, Eilwe then gave her a look as she was nearer to them, she went and asked for assistance as an excuse but before she dragged the elderly woman to where she and the other kids were, she sent a meaningful look at Dion, hence, he just raised a brow at her whist she dragged Mrs.Alze with her and go back to the others.

"I didn't scared her nor am even angry of her.", defend Dion to himself. He blinked innocently like he was being accused of something he wasn't aware of himself. Then, he said as he had an inkling of what Thashie was referring to, "And I understand her answering what Chervil questions, besides we never said anything as to why we warned her not to tell any souls about it."

"Oh, I see.", said Thashie looking at the newly plant that was a replacement of the ones being destroyed days ago, " We heard that you're assign to look after the girl by your friend... Good luck."

She laughed and walked to their cottage, whist Dion just stood there with a defeated face. She then turned around and giggled as she said teasingly while winking at him and went inside after, "Well, it suited you as a babysitter... He still trusted you even though other's convincing him not to and so does you. He'll be a fine and a good Arch-King of this empire when the time comes."

Dion could only sigh in defeat. He then went inside the main cottage while scratching his head, he went to the kitchen to find the old woman and have a talk with Mrs.Alze to make up the misunderstanding he did; and as for little Ellah, she was resting now on the room with Chervil and Navetha.