The Rules of Blood-Volume Two ; Chapter 80 (296) - Conversations Over Tea
It was noon by the time Blanc returned to the common room, his body clean of the earlier built sweat.
Sera was looking out the window at the Dragon Manor nearby, the fuming volcano that spewed fire from time to time into the sky.
“I’m back, sister,” Blanc said as she approached her, making sure not to startle her.
“I know… I’ve heard,” Sera sighed, not even turning towards him, “Perhaps too much.”
“Tahreni said the same thing, and we chose he furthest room we could find,” Blanc shook his head, “Sorry.”
“Don’t worry, it wasn’t as bad as I feared,” Sera giggled, finally looking at him, “Come, sit with me, let’s have a cup of tea.”
Blanc smiled warmly, wishing for such an invitation to come.
“Gladly,” he replied, while sitting down next to her.
“Is Velakia not joining us?” Sera asked.
“She’s taking a bath with Tahreni, didn’t understand much, but she’ll join us after,” Blanc explained.
Sera took the already-infused tea and filled half the ceramic cup before giving it to him.
“Here,” she said, pushing the cup towards him, “Let me know if you want sugar.”
“All I want is to look at your face,” Blanc smiled, placing his chin on his palms, “I missed you.”
Sera smiled sadly, turning to look at her younger brother, “Here I am.”
“Thank the Vita for that,” Blanc replied, “I feared the worst at times.”
“So did I,” Sera sighed, grabbing her own cup of tea and bringing it to her lips, “I wanted to…”
“Never think of that again,” Blanc reached and grabbed her hand, “Please.”
“It all depends on how the negotiations will go, I guess,” Sera replied, looking at the tea inside her cup, “But I don’t wish to die at the moment.”
“I will make sure it stays that way,” Blanc nodded, taking his hand away, and pulling up his sleeve to reveal a golden bracelet, “Have this.”
As Sera turned to look at his hand, Blanc removed the bracelet from his hand, giving it to her.
“What is this?” Sera asked curiously as she looked at the bracelet.
“Mother Auren gave it to me before I left,” he began, placing the bracelet in front of his sister, “It’s a defensive artifact of Father’s. I’m not sure how it works, but I think it would help you more than it did me.”
“No, you keep it,” Sera pushed it back towards him, “It was a gift for you.”
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“And I’m giving it to you,” Blanc replied, imitating her movement, “It will make me feel better if you accept it.”
“No.”
“Please,” he insisted.
Sera sighed, “...How about this, I keep it while we’re here and return it to you when we leave this cursed place.”
“Fair terms,” Blanc nodded, as he watched his older sister put the bracelet on.
Once she did, the bracelet began vibrating before slowly making itself smaller, matching Sera’s wrist size.
“What a curious thing,” Sera muttered, looking at it. “Thank you, little brother.”
“No, sister,” Blanc smiled, “I thank you for still being alive.”
It was at that moment, as Sera smiled, that she saw the ring on Blanc’s left hand.
“You want to see it?” Blanc chuckled, putting his left hand forward.
“It’s beautiful,” Sera muttered, looking up close at the ring. “Where did you get it from? And why are there missing stones?”
“Celine and Miyanna gave it to me as a gift after we married,” Blanc grinned, the memory of that night flashing in his mind, “As for the stones, one is for Celine’s eye color, while the other is Miyanna’s. The empty ones… I’m not sure, maybe that’s how the jeweler made it.”
“Look at you, grinning like a little boy in front of a sword,” Sera began laughing, seeing her brother lovestruck, “Yet here you are, with another woman in your bed. Aren’t you greedy little brother?”
“The heart is a complicated thing, sister,” Blanc chuckled, dragging his finger across the ring, “But I hope it isn’t greed. What sort of curse would the Vita put on me? How would a lustful creature look?”
“Perhaps like you,” Sera replied, “Let’s just hope your wives are as forgiving as you make them to be.”
“Celine surely is. After all, she was the one who created the entire situation that led to Miyanna joining us,” Blanc began explaining, “She’s more into women than men as well. But Miyanna, by the Vita, she is the exact opposite, so I am a bit worried, I guess.”
“What a combination,” Sera giggled, “But if Celine is as you say, she will calm down Miyanna for you.”
“The mind of a Blood Maroux is frightening to see, sister. There will be a price to pay,” Blanc shook his head, “But I can’t even comprehend what that price would be.”
“Let’s hope it will be affordable,” Velakia said, entering the room.
Blanc chuckled as he turned to look at her, “Perhaps a night with you, my dear.”
“That’s cheap then,” Velakia giggled, “Although you will have to join in on that payment.”
“Certainly not a fight I would run away from,” Blanc replied, making room for Velakia to join them.
“Tea, Velakia?” Sera asked, grabbing the teapot.
“If it’s not too much trouble,” Velakia smiled towards her as she sat down near the two.
“Nonsense,” Sera said as she filled Velakia’s cup of tea, before refilling her own. “But I want to know everything, from what happened to you, little brother, after I left, to how you two came to be… lovers?”
“It will take a while, you know?” Blanc grinned, “Too many things have happened.”
“Good thing it’s noon, and there is enough tea and food to last us until dawn,” Sera replied, “So get comfortable and tell your sister what you’ve been through.”
“Should I leave?” Velakia asked, grabbing the sides of her chair.
“Don’t you want to hear?” Blanc replied with a question of his own.
“I would, but aren’t there personal details? And about your Blood?” Velakia continued, “I could come back when it’s time to tell her about us.”
“Velakia,” Sera began, “Please, stay. Your relationship with my brother makes you already part of our Blood, even if temporarily… as you claim. So stay.”
“Exactly,” Blanc smiled, “You saw me naked ten minutes ago, so it’s safe to say we are already past personal stuff.”
“Thank you for having me,” Velakia muttered, embarrassed.
“Begin then,” Sera said, turning towards her younger brother.
Blanc nodded, clearing his throat, “A few days after you left, a vanguard of the Iron Line came. Two hundred thousand soldiers attacked Tarn Village in the middle of the night.”
Volume Two ; Chapter 80 (296) - Conversations Over Tea
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