Lady Dhampir
Chapter 159

It took a few seconds for the reality to hit Milena. There was something about all this that seemed almost as if it wasn't happening to her, as if she had been detached from her body for a short while.

But then, it suddenly hit her. A horrible hurricane of pain, somewhere below, so large and violent, she couldn't even locate it. She gasped, and leaned forward, the pain making her bend. Milena couldn't breathe. She couldn't remember how to. Her eyes tried to grasp the situation, but it was too much. She saw Alban's body fall at her feet, his eyes opened in a strange expression.

"Milena!" Yelled Rayan.

"Lady Milena!"

She felt herself fall, but backward this time. Someone grabbed her arms, and Milena's fall was slowed down by something soft. She couldn't think straight, she was just a witness of the events, now. The pain was too much. It was a violent hit in her stomach, so much all of her body was focused on it.

"Lady Milena," cried Philomenie, her face suddenly appearing above her. "Stay awake, please, stay awake... Call a doctor! Someone!"

Philomenie's panicked sobs were like a siren above Milena's head. She could see the other Princess moving above her, doing something, but Milena had no idea what was going on. Suddenly, another shadow appeared.

"Milena!"

Rayan.

Milena wanted to call his name, but no sound came. No, she couldn't replace how to move her lips and say something. She could only see him, his white face, his crimson eyes, with an expression of terror she'd never seen on him before. "W-we can't move her," sobbed Philomenie. "T-the blade is... needs to stay... there."

It was hard to understand her words in the middle of her crying, but her hands were moving, and Milena felt things happening around her stomach. She heard fabric being ripped, and she was let down on the floor, gently. Milena wondered if that was why she was feeling so cold, now.

"Stay awake, Milena, please... stay with me... Where is the doctor!" Yelled Rayan.

"The d-doctor won't be here in time," sobbed Philomenie. "She's losing a... a lot of b-blood... We need to take her to the Saint."

"Philomenie, what are you doing!"

"Ellias, I swear if you're getting one step closer to my wife I'll kill you!"

"W-what... Rayan! Have you gone mad!"

"Are you sure the Saint can save her?"

"...Y-yes."

"Can't he come? Where is he?"

"In a guest room, in the C-castle... But we need to get to him..."

"I'll carry her. Everybody move! Take the prisoners out of my way, now!"

"You heard Prince Rayan!" Yelled Rachel's voice. "Get them all to the dungeons pending interrogation. Priests, take care of the King's body and stay here for now."

"Duchess De Nova, you're not in a position to..."

"You'll give me lessons about my positions another time, Prince Ellias, I don't have time for your bullshit now! Unless you haven't noticed, Princess Milena's life's at stake, so I suggest you make yourself useful for once!"

Milena could hear a lot of people screaming and yelling, things happening a few steps away.

Still, it all felt very far from her. Even Philomenie's gentle hands felt strange... light on her body. She could see her and Rayan talking quickly over her, and things moving around her, but Milena felt as if time was slow for her. She realized she could barely hear whatever was going on now. Moreover, she was really, really cold. She felt like she was outside, buried in the snow.

When someone gently caressed her hair, she felt suddenly brought back here, and her eyes met Philomenie's big, blue, and teary eyes.

"Hold on," the Princess whispered. "You have to hold on..."

After that, Milena felt her body leaving the ground, carried by strong arms. For the first time, she felt her husband's warmth. His large coat was like the most comfortable carrier. She could feel the black fur against her cheek, but she had no strength to support her own head. The ceiling began moving above her. He took her across the Chapel at an incredible speed, everyone getting out of his way.

In the midst of all that, a dog's whimpering reached Milena. Blanche... She was glad her companion was alright. She suddenly saw her, flying like a white owl above their heads, getting ahead in that race. Rayan was moving fast. Just a few seconds later, the snow began gently falling on Milena's face. Despite all the cold she was already feeling, it felt strangely good to feel those little snowflakes greeting her skin. Half-unconscious, her mind wandered to a few years ago, when as a child, she liked to play in the snow with Lucian. She wanted to play again someday...

The sky above her looked darker than ever. Milena wondered how it could be so dark, despite the snow falling. It felt like it came out of nowhere...

Rayan was moving fast to take her back inside. Shortly after, the dark sky was replaced with the lights of the chandeliers of the Royal Castle, moving one after the other in the corridors.

"Stay awake, Milena, please..."

Rayan's voice brought her back to reality. The pain hit her again, as if she had been able to ignore it until he mentioned she was still awake, and alive. This pain was just killing her. Milena felt it stir her insides, rip her body apart. She still felt so cold, yet everything was burning and stinging around that area. It was like a hot stick planted in her body. How could he be moving her around in that state? Every move was so painful. If she'd had the strength to, she may have screamed, or cried. Yet for now, she was an inanimate doll, at the mercy of everyone else's.

"Oh my God, the Princess!"

"Your Highness, what happened...?"

"Princess Philomenie, you shouldn't be running in your state!"

Was Philomenie still with them? Indeed, when she tried to focus, Milena realized there were a lot of steps behind them. At least two or three people... She could still see Blanche, flying above, her golden eyes sometimes meeting Milena's. Was she making sure her owner was staying alive? Or being carried carefully? Rayan was indeed doing his best. Despite the ceiling moving above her, Milena could barely feel his movements. His arms were as stable and sturdy as one could be, as expected of a trained swordsman... She only knew they were going up stairs because of the sounds around them. Milena couldn't tell by herself.

"Hold on, Milena, hold on...."

He kept whispering those words, just to keep her awake, endlessly. Her name, and whatever she ought to hear. She knew he needed her to stay awake just a bit longer, but truthfully, Milena was beginning to struggle;

She was cold, and very tired now. The pain had taken away all of her strength, and she wasn't sure she could fight it for a lot longer. She just wanted to sleep. Give in to the dark veil that was weighing over her eyelids, and simply fall into a deep, peaceful slumber. Away from the pain, and from all those blinding lights. From the ruckus around them. The screams, the shock, the steps. She felt like it would be so easy to just close her eyes and give in, Milena couldn't remember why she was fighting to stay awake again...? "Here! This way!"

"She's cold, and getting colder!"

"Two Royal Doctors are coming, your highnesses!"

"Someone get towels, hot water and everything you need for a surgery!"

"Guards, don't let anyone but me and the Princesses near those apartments. And I mean no one!"

"Yes, Your Highness!"

Milena heard a door being slammed open.

"Princess Philomenie? Are you al... My goodness, what's this?"

"Saint! Saint, you have to help her... Prince Rayan, please put her on this bed!...Saint, Princess Milena has been stabbed, you need to save her!"

"Save her? Why should I have to save her..."

"If you don't save my wife, I swear you won't leave this room alive either!" Suddenly roared Rayan.

Milena felt him gently put her down on the bed, and she grimaced at the horrible waves of pain her muscles sent back in protest. She was fine in his arms, why did she have to change positions again... Still, he made sure she was lying down, and right after that, a lot happened again.

"Undress her, quickly. I need to see the injury to see if I can do something..."

"Your Highness, one of the Royal Doctors is here!"

"Let him in."

"My Goodness, you Highness!"

"Princess Philomenie, are you alright? Your dress is... soiled..."

"Don't care about me, care about Princess Milena! Saint, this isn't about me, you have to save her!"

A silent followed, but Milena could feel people touching her, and grimaced more. Why were those idiots touching her right where it hurt... Was the blade still in? It felt like so, but she just couldn't tell. A long blade of pain was just there, so large it took her whole stomach, making her sick to death. Milena couldn't stand it. She wasn't sure when she had closed her eyes either, but she couldn't completely give in to the darkness either. Something in her was still fighting... "...Leave us."

"If you think I'm going to leave my wife to the two of you..."

"I won't heal her if you stay here."

"Then I'll have your head!"

"Fine. You can kill me after your wife's dead if it pleases you. I still won't do a thing with you here."

"Saint, enough!"

"I insist. I need to speak to Princess Philomenie alone."

"....Prince R-Rayan, please. I promise we will save Princess Milena. I swear to God we will."

"I don't trust either of you," hissed Rayan.

"You don't have a choice. Ask the Royal Doctor. Can you save her by normal means?"

A short silence followed. Milena felt something small hope on the bed, and something fluffy and warm next to her cheek...

"I-I fear it... it will be extremely complicated for n-normal medicine to do anything n-now..."

"See? You have no choice, Prince Rayan. And by the way, you're losing time with your stubborness."

"Fine then. I'll save her without your help..."

Milena felt something move again, on the mattress."

"...You think you can give her tears of the Goddess in time?"

The movements suddenly stopped.

"How do you..."

"Did you seriously think you could save Princess Milena from a mortal gunshot wound and no one would notice? She didn't even get a scar. However, if you had been careful while robbing your dear mother's vault, you should have known those tears only work once on each individual."

"...you're lying."

"I'm not. I didn't think you were so naïve, Prince Rayan. Or is it love that makes you so stupid? The tears of the Goddess are no sacred treasure. It is exactly the same thing as my blood, the blood of a Holy One born with the power of healing. I guess they simply didn't bother to keep the previous one alive once they thought they had obtained the power to cheat death itself..."

"Will your blood work on her?"

"My blood is different from the previous one. Stronger, and with a different formula, if you will. It will work, as Princess Milena has never drank it before... if I do let her drink it."

"Prince Rayan, I swear we will save Princess Milena, but please, please... just trust me. Just this once, I beg you."

Another silence. Milena so tired, she just wished they'd be done with all the yelling and crying already... She was simply glad Blanche was with her. She could feel the warmth of her body, the only warmth that was getting to her at this very moment. "... Blanche, kill them both if they fail."

A growl answered him, and a few seconds later, the door was slammed violently.

"...What about the pet?"

"She's Lady Milena's, but she won't harm us... I think."

"It seems intelligent, though. What if we let her mistress die?"

"We won't! Saint, I promised..."

"Enough of your stupid kindness, Phil! Can't you see? They are all using you! Those two, and even your ego-maniac husband!"

"He isn't... just... leave Ellias out of this, please. Just save Lady Milena."

"I have no intention and no need to save her! You know better than me that's not what they'd want! Why would I save someone who hates you, anyway? This frigid bitch just hates you!"

"Saint, she protected me."

"What?"

"I swear, people just attacked us in the Chapel, and Princess Milena ran to save me. She fought with people while hiding me behind her back, I couldn't do a thing to protect myself yet she put her life in danger for me!"

"Did she? Or was it what she wanted you to see, Phil? Don't you know how manipulative those people are by now?"

"She just got stabbed, Saint! You think she would have risked her life just to... God, I don't even know anymore! I just want to save her!"

"You're the only one naïve enough to want that, Phil! Did you even see how her husband looked at you? At us? That mankiller would s*******r us like pigs without a second thought if he could!"

"This is about Princess Milena, Saint! I know she isn't... the best person there is, and..."

"There are political matters at stake, Phil. You think they are going to be happy if we save that woman? They are probably already rubbing their hands since they know what happened! If she dies, Prince Rayan won't come back for it. That would be a sure win!"

"I don't want a sure win, Saint!" She suddenly screamed. "I've had enough of the politics, the lies, the strategies! No one ever bothers to let me know anything anyway! Even if Princess Milena thinks I am stupid, at least she is honest about it! How many people around me actually like me, or care for me? I've never taken a single decision that was my own!"

"Yeah? What of that argument with your husband just before? And your brother?"

“Arseus and Ellias had no right to try and manipulate me like they did! They know how much I care about Philippe!"

"They went easy on you because you're pregnant, Philomenie. What if they learned you saved Milena's life? He will be furious!" "...No, he won't. Saint, we both know Ellias doesn't want her to die. Even I am not that stupid."

"...you foolish girl."

"...Saint, please, please. I'm asking you as your friend. I'm begging you. Save Princess Milena. I don't want her to die like this." "This isn't your decision to take, Phil. The people above us..."

"For God's sake I don't care about those people! They made me the perfect, nice and gentle girl I am, how can they blame me now for being too nice? For wanting to save people? I just want to save a woman who showed honesty to me! Princess Milena could have killed me ten times, and she never even tried!"

"You don't know that. We..."

"Enough, Saint! Don't tell me again how manipulative she is, or they are! We've both had enough of that fed to us already! I... For once in my life, I want to be selfish enough to go against their agenda, and save Milena. Saint, she's... she was the first person to ever be honest to me. No one even in my own family ever looked at me as if I was a real person. Milena, she... she tells me when I'm being stupid, and naïve, and... she's like you, okay? You're my friend because I trust you. She's not my friend, but I want to trust her. She protected me, Saint. I swear she did. As bad as a person you think she is, we will both be worse if we don't save her now. Please."

"...What if I save her, and that costs your life in the future?"

"W-well then..."

A sniffle.

"...then at least, I'll die because of my own decision. Not... something someone else has decided for me. ...Just this one time, Saint. Please."

"My God, you're really too good for your own good... Fine; But surely, don't come to me later if she makes you cry or what."

"I promise I won't..."

"I swear, you will get me killed someday... You're lucky you got me at saying I'm your friend and the likes;"

"You're really my friend, Saint. My best friend."

"Yeah, yeah... Come on now, let's save her before she really dies and her husband or pet kills us..."

Milena once again felt some movement around her. It was subtle, now. Because she could barely feel her own body. She was trapped in a glass coffin, all her sensations coming through that strange filter of numbness. She heard Blanche growl a bit, as a warning, but the white pet moved. Someone gently raised her head, caressing her hair. Milena felt something hot and sweet fall down her lips, on her chin, and inside her mouth.