Lady Dhampir
Chapter 192

As she walked down the stairs from her office, Milena couldn't help but sigh. She was feeling heavy. From her belly, from the coat on her shoulders, and from everything that was still her responsibility. She felt like she had aged ten more years in just five months. What twenty-year-old woman could face this much? Her birthday had happened in complete silence, other than a dinner with her family, a couple of presents, and a large cake for dessert. The first time she could really appreciate one... Milena smiled at the memory. Raphael was a little bit overbearing since he had been aware of her pregnancy. The absence of her other brothers had made the only one left even more protective, and now, he would pop up regularly at the Royal Castle, even during the day. Milena was more than glad for Raphael's attention, though. She felt quite lonely every hour of the day and night nowadays...

The Grand Princess' area of the Royal Castle was one of the emptiest. Since the Prince had left for war, she was left with those large apartments all for herself, and most of the royal servants knew Milena only trusted her own staff. Some people from the De Crescent Manor had even been transferred to her personal service, which irked some Royal Servants at first, but had convinced them to be transferred to other areas. This was another example of Raphael trying to look out for his little sister: they knew they could only trust a handful of people and as such, those who had been allowed by her side were ones she could rely on.

As soon as she stepped out, her bodyguards, Jeremiah and a younger knight appointed by Rayan, called Matheus, silently followed her. No one was surprised anymore to see the Grand Princess flanked by two knights, as they were discreet in their black outfits, rather than their usual armors. Without saying a word, those two stayed behind Milena while she moved along the corridors, the Royal Servants moving out of the way to let her through.

Coincidentally, Milena and Rayan's quarters were located not far from the Royal Libraries. Perhaps the Prince had considered her hobbies when he had picked which area of the Castle they would live in. Milena was glad this was only a short walk to the Libraries, as her legs were already tired from walking over; Philomenie had said the truth in noticing that only Milena's belly had grown. As if her tummy was sucking everything in, she had actually lost a bit of weight in some other areas. The only other noticeable growth could be seen in her cleavage, but then again, she was careful to hide it with her clothing. Yasina was doing great, each week, at coming up with new shades of dark colors and other visual tricks to try and hide the Grand Princess' secret.

Nowadays though, Milena was well aware that this secret wouldn't remain one much longer. Most people who would look properly could actually see that her body was slightly bent to adapt to the pregnancy, and that her belly in front was becoming much too prominent to hide. However, there was an amusing silence about it. At times, she would catch people staring down at her figure, but as soon as the Grand Princess caught sight of them, they would look elsewhere and not dare to utter the big question. "Good morning, Princess Milena," politely said Briseis with a reverence, as soon as she appeared.

Because they weren't alone in the Royal Library, both women had to act extremely carefully. Dinah retrieved her spot by her mistress' side, while Jeremiah and Matheus took a stand at each end of the row Milena had joined her friend in. "Did you replace anything new?" Asked Milena, massaging her swollen shoulder.

"Only more dust, I'm afraid. As we feared, there really aren't many more books about the situation with the Wendigos, three centuries ago."

"What about your idea from last time? Did you put it up yet?"

"Yes, Your Highness. The Newspaper agreed right away to publish our information about the Wendigos, as they called it a sensation. Just as we discussed, they also added the reward for more information about those, or anyone withholding information about Prince Sleverin's research three centuries ago."

"I can't believe we still haven't found more," sighed Milena. "I thought we would replace something once we got to the Queen's Archives..."

The Queen's Archives were a very special area of the library. As its name indicated, it was traditionally gifted to the new queens of the Kingdom by the previous ones, as a symbolic transmission. The library was rumored to contain treasures, but so far, Milena had been rather disappointed. Thanks to Philomenie, Briseis, in her quality as one of the Royal Archivists, had gotten access to that aisle of the library, and was regularly going through it to help Milena. No one had really seemed to catch up with one of the Grand Princess' ladies-in-waiting looking around the Queen's Archives, since, anyway, the Queen was free to open these to anyone, and Philomenie wasn't known to be particularly fond of books.

The two women quietly walked to one of the little spaces where tables and chairs were prepared for the nobles, scholars, and students visiting the Library. Because there were regularly people visiting, the library was arranged in such a way that people could have tea in little alcoves on the side, the side opposite of the windows for the vampire guests. Under Dinah's orders, the Royal Servants affected in the library quickly brought what was needed for the two women, while Milena's bodyguards positioned themselves to the sides. Having two Crescent Knights so close to their mistress destabilized the servants a little, as they couldn't help but glance, but none dared to say a word in the Grand Princess' presence.

"It was a bit of a bold move for us to share the information we have about Wendigos, your Highness, but I believe you did right."

"I was reluctant because it might cause panic amongst the people. However, with what is happening nowadays, and all those rumors, I would rather give our people facts than leave them to speculate. We can't control lies and rumors, but the truth and facts are still the best way to oppose it..."

"I I agree, Lady Milena. Moreover, we were extremely careful with how we put the information, and my friend working at the printing station confirmed they followed our instructions to the letter. I also sent a letter to the Royal Hospital to have the best medical experts ready to answer questions if they need any."

"I hope we can draw a clear line between the vampires and the Wendigos with this. Back a few months ago, all we cared about was investigating while concealing the events that had happened, but... Too many people witnessed the unfortunate events with Queen Lyriana, people are bound to talk. And with those rumors..."

"Do you think they are true, my Lady? Do you think there are Wendigos attacking our Army in the front?"

"I am thinking my husband is winning this war, and a lot of people would be pleased to see him die in the process, or at least, lose his reputation. Having Rayan come back as a hero will make a lot of people upset here... In their latest letters, my brothers said the soldiers were getting worried too. We cannot afford to see a gap or tensions appear between our vampire and the human soldiers. Inside fighting would be our worst enemy..."

Briseis slowly nodded. As someone who dedicated her life to history, she was well aware the times they were living would later be recorded in history. For a long time now, her friendship with Milena had been braided with the more complex, deeper feelings of admiration she had for that young woman. The challenging times they were living needed figures like Milena De Crescent... "My Lady, do you think... The Church really is behind all of this?"

"I believe some ill-intended people are using who they can to conceal their actions. The Church might be partially corrupted, but... Upon learning more about someone like my sister-in-law, I also came to realize not everything needs to be all white, or all black." Milena had taken some time to think about it. It didn't make sense that an organization as powerful and ancient as the Church would really be so active against vampires, in the dark. Of course, they were more turned towards the human kind, and their stance was obvious as they held their sermons during daylight only. However, their sacred scriptures didn't depict any of that hatred towards the nocturnal kind, and if anything, they encouraged their followers towards values like compassion, kindness, and empathy. Even Philomenie's fear of vampires had more personal roots than the teachings she had been hammered with since childhood. Perhaps some of her own family's beliefs had also made their mark on her, but from a global point of view, the recent cleavage between vampires and humans only came from two things: the Anarchists, and the Supremacists. While both groups had been surprisingly quiet, there were still more and more suspicions being raised up, and it intrigued Milena. Something, or someone, had pushed the Society of Vampires to act against Philomenie and Ellias. This terrible incident had been the latest one to throw shade on the relationships between both kinds, and the worst. No citizen of Solaris ignored that a group of extremist vampires had attacked the Royals, and, for some reason, Milena's life-threatening injury had been made much less known than the original assassination attempt on the innocent human Princess. While she suspected this might have been the doing of Ellias' allies to put him on the throne, Milena also feared there might have been much darker plans at work.

"...Should we put some spies on the other side...?" Whispered Briseis.

"Rather than spies, I'm thinking of confronting the enemy," muttered Milena.

"My Lady! You can't be serious..."

The Grand Princess chuckled.

"I'm not going to run in with a sword in hand, fear not. But... while we were searching for answers, my husband and I met a man who pretended he was well-known inside the Church. He obviously knew about the Wendigos, the White Ones and everything we have been investigating about. He even more or less gave out that the Church was behind their creations..."

She looked down at her hands. Even though she was wearing black lace gloves, Milena could see the scars of the burn she had suffered from the acid on Blanche's fur that day. They had diminished, but they were still there. She let out a long sigh.

“|

I guess it will be the first time in a while a woman of the House De Crescent goes to Church..."

"My Lady, I still believe it is too dangerous," insisted Briseis.

"Don't worry. If I go in broad daylight and accompanied, even they won't dare to do anything. Moreover, I am not sure the man I am looking for will be there. I will merely be going to ask some questions."

"Will you be able to replace him so easily?"

Milena chuckled.

"I believe so. My dear husband left quite a visible souvenir on the man..."

The memories of that day, and how her then fiancé had considered this a date were making her smile. It had been quite an eventful one, to say the least. Back then, Milena constantly felt on edge, looking for answers. She had finally uncovered the truth behind her mother's death, and through the Oracle, even some of that behind the White Ones, although that woman had covered it with many lies too... Still, she couldn't help but notice the difference with where she was at now. It felt like two completely different times. Milena felt older now, and although she was probably in more danger, she felt... calm. She was still very melancholic and lonely, but at least, that feeling of constant danger, she had learned to live with. Perhaps was she less reckless, as well.

"My Lady. Don't you think we should have... exposed the Church's position about the Wendigo, through the Newspaper? We may not have much proof, but regardless, the damage would have been quite considerable."

"For a historian, I'm surprised you would suggest spreading half-truths, Lady Briseis."

“p********a is a powerful but scary weapon, my Lady, but at times, I believe such weapons are... necessary, to protect the people."

Milena slowly shook her head, and sipped a bit of her tea before talking.

"No. More harm would have been done by breaking our people's faith in the Church. As non-believers, we may be blind to this, but... A lot of people need the Church. Or, more precisely, they need something to believe in. More than the actual existence of some deity, those people go to Church believing some greater power can relieve some of their pain and some of their fears. If we take away that strong belief..." She slowly put down her cup, with a sour expression.

"Those people will have no choice but to believe even harder and become blind to reality, to the point it actually gets dangerous....Humans are creatures of faith, Lady Briseis, not reason. If you shake their values too much, they will still try to hold on to them, to the point of madness. They will fight for that one truth they believe in, because facing reality would be too hard. At the moment, I believe the Church is still useful in keeping our Kingdom at peace. I have no intention of going into an all-out war with them." The young Marquess nodded. This was one of the times her admiration for Milena silently grew a bit bigger. Despite her own interests, the Princess was still able to consider the greater picture, and protect the Kingdom as a whole... She sighed.

"I am sorry my great-uncle wasn't able to replace more," sighed Briseis. "I sincerely hope our little announcement in the Newspaper will help us with some more archives."

"Perhaps other Noble Families have the answers in their own archives. Anyway, let's keep looking into what happened three centuries ago. I am still curious as to how King Silvius and his siblings managed to stop the Wendigos... According to our source, Princess Silvra put an end to it, but... somehow, their younger brother still died." "Can't your... source let us know more?"

Milena grimaced. For many different reasons, she was reluctant to ask the Oracle for anything more; First, she didn't trust that woman at all, and she had probably lied even more than they suspected. Moreover, she was too dangerous to be even kept alive. From her relationship to the previous King, her knowledge, and her power... Milena was scared the Church would try to kill her again, and harm her family again in the process. He wouldn't show it, but the Duke still suffered from his burns, and the De Crescent Manor was just beginning to rise from the ashes...

"No, not unless it is very necessary. I don't believe she knows more than the Saint, anyway, so I might as well try to ask him first..."

"I understand. I will try to dig more on my side, too, about the Church."

"I didn't know the D'Artsein Family went to Church," chuckled Milena, taking her cup again;

"Oh, we only believe in science, my Lady, as you know. Yet, my older brother's fiancé, Lady Kalliope, has quite the amount of friends. I will ask her how they feel about the anti-vampire sentiment."

"Thank you, Lady Briseis. Now that I think about it... Aren't you interested in getting engaged? You're just a bit older than me, but I don't believe I've ever heard your opinion on the matter."

The young Marquess sighed.

"I

I simply don't have one, my Lady. For all I know, my father will probably replace me a fiancé once some suitable man comes back from the war. I don't care about a husband so much that I won't care about getting married either, as long as I can keep working as an Archivist."

"I promise I'll make sure you do," chuckled Milena behind her cup.

"I know our circle is expanding, though. Both Lady De Cictrin and Lady d'Aventur have gotten engaged now, haven't they? Even Lady De Pristin is now all involved in that romance with the young Duke, your brother..."

Milena nodded and smiled. Indeed, the War had accelerated some matrimonial matters, and while two of her friends had gotten engaged in a hurry before their future husbands had left to war, the others were waiting to see who would actually be available once the war was over... The only exception was Prudence, as Milena had asked the young Lady to assist her sister in the De Crescent Manor rather than staying with her in the Royal Castle; As much as she liked the young Prudence, Milena was worried she would be at risk if she remained too close for too long.

"It is good to see you smile, my Lady," said Briseis, slightly smiling herself. "I hope you know, even if we get married, we will all stay around to support you."

Milena nodded gently. She was well aware all of her ladies-in-waiting had been very worried about her in the recent weeks; It was no coincidence that she saw at least one of them every single day without fail. They couldn't compensate for Rayan's absence, but they were certainly doing their best so that Milena wouldn't be left alone. She couldn't tell them it wasn't enough to fill the hole in her heart...

"Your Highness, Grand Princess De Crescent," suddenly called a young royal servant, bowing very low. "His Majesty is calling for you." "...Excuse me?" Repeated Milena, raising an eyebrow.

The young servant cleared his throat.

"...His Majesty is calling for you, Your Highness."

"When?"

"R-Right now, Your Highness."

Milena rolled her eyes.

"His Majesty didn't send a proper invitation beforehand, nor considered my schedule. His Majesty will have to wait."