Red Rose Clan

0538 hours

Rao Yueru

He sat there motionless. His eyes and mind were unfocused on his surroundings. Arms tucked among the wavy grass below him, allowing the morning breeze to cascade down his hair. Everything felt overwhelming to him. His heartbeat pounded vigorously against the cage before it, and if there wasn't a gate before it, Yueru was certain it might take off during the night. Breathing out heavily, Yueru turned to watch his companion that sat quietly next to him, acknowledging his need for peace. It was the main thing Yueru felt comfortable travelling with the elder despite his intimidating exterior. His reputation was carried unfairly across mountains, lands and rivers. Even the books delineated him. Everyone had their perspectives, and Yueru knew for a fact that he could trust him.

"When I challenged my father," Yueru began, eyes turning away to the clouds to study the steady patterns. "I thought I could be the perfect son. I always tell myself, that maybe one day in the upcoming years, I might be able to have my father show me off to the world. Tell people and admit to them that I am the best child he could ever have. It was just last night that they reminded me of how I could never be one. To him, I am just a piece of dust that could be swept away easily. A political instrument to his benefit."

Grazing his teeth against his dried lips, all Yueru could picture in his mind was the ghastly manner he was being treated as a kid. Every Roan child, Yueru presumed would be treated with love by their family, but he was forced to abide by standards that were out worldly to him. All the feelings came crashing down his chest as he recalled the countless times his father alienated his presence. So, that was one of the main reasons why he was close to Ashker and Ixant. At times when his father sent him away, the outdoor library was his only sanctuary. As a human child, he was already attached to them.

"It's not easy, proving yourself to your father, and the whole of Roa. It will never be enough. Maybe when we finish this journey, it might give you a sense of accomplishment. Then, what?" Herbert questioned, fingers tapping onto the golden sheath of his sword, tracing its floral patterns. "Will you take up your father's throne, and rule alongside your mother? Or will you dethrone your father and leave Roa's fate on its own? Yueru, your journey is more than just finding truths. You have a kingdom to care for. Vampires who need a leader."

Yueru chortled, brushing the tip of his nose, and rubbed his eyes. He never dreamt about leading Roa, even though he is still dying to make some necessary changes to his hometown. He envisioned himself, running freely against the fields, taking up silly challenges from both his best friend. And, not to forget, breaking the engagement that was set on him. An engagement that he never thought he would ever need. The court was idled with numerous frauds and an addition to it is always best to be avoided.

"A leader that can be replaced at any living moment," the young prince answered, sinking his back into the soft grass that stroked the corners of his neck and cheeks gently as if to coax him to sleep and forget about the ruckus in the world. "You always plan your actions, Herbert and that makes us co-exist. I prefer to live in the present -"

"Present?" Herbert questioned, trying to swallow the water that he had just poured into his mouth, and proceeded in silent laughs, including punches on the ground by his side. He halted his actions when Yueru kicked the elder on his closest leg. "Sorry, Yueru, but after last night, I decided to put one conclusion on the Rao family. You all lived in the past, rather than the present. The present is your playground, but the past has always been all of the Rao's trendy ceremony."

The elder vampire was not wrong. When he was younger, his father murdered him for his hatred towards humans, and his mother revived him through magic due to her inability to let go of an old threat set by her in-laws, including her strong desire for a child. As far as his memories were concerned, she tethered part of her vampire abilities to him because she knew if he returned as a human, her husband would try countless times to murder him. Should there be able to let go of their past desires, Yueru was almost certain his present would be different. He could be bathing in a warm milk bath filled with fresh jasmines, and have maidens serving him left and right.

"But if my past did not affect me, we would not cross paths. I will not have a chance to meet you, a legendary vampire that walks in golden armour even on the hottest days," Yueru boasted, turning to meet Herbert's eyes that travelled towards the permanent fang marks on his neck. "Don't even apologize about it. My father drained and starved you, and you were smart enough to take me as your first meal. For someone who teased me about living in the past, you are one to talk. It's just one tiny bite. I am still alive."

Yueru watched the elder nod in confidence. Sure, the unending memories were overwhelming him, and he felt grateful at the moment that he was only at the age of twenty - eight. He dreaded the idea of being at Herbert's age, trying to revive all eight hundred and ninety - six years of memories. Those would be too much to bear. He still pondered the idea of him being born human. Mar Ke unfolded the fact that since it was not a part of his memory, then it would be a secret he needed to explore. An answer could be obtained easily from books or old records, but acquiring it from living beings could be more than a challenge since lies were exposed more often than the truth.

"My bite is lethal. I kept telling you to be aware when we are close. Even now," Herbert warned. "Your father did the right thing to imprison me. I do wonder if my life would end peacefully if I never escaped the prisons made to cage me in. Sometimes, one can only wonder about the endless possibilities that might be unpleasant to the mind. My legend is now a myth. Only you would believe it. Every mirror has an unreadable reflection, Yueru, including me. Even at times, I am afraid of my potential."

"But I am not, Fletcher. You need to trust yourself a little more, just like how I am willing to put my life before yours at fleeting moments," Yueru assured, palms reaching out to settle on Herbert's cold ones before they were pulled away hastily. "You are afraid of yourself even when the world opens itself to you."

"Yes, I am, little prince. Because when the world willingly accepts your presence, it often signifies your next bloodbath. It's toying with you so that you will finally course around its grasp," Herbert spoke, standing up from his spot and brushing the tiny bits of grass stuck on his pants. "The world sits at the edge of a predator's mouth and it will crumble anytime it rolls off the uncertain edge."

It did not take long for Herbert to depart from the spot they had promised to gather that morning. Yueru knew from day one that Herbert was someone who is reserved. When he first met Herbert, Yueru was thrilled to have company, but when he found that the elder preferred to be alone with his sisters, he felt as if there was something Herbert was masking behind the childish behaviour he had. Chidish might not be the right word, yet it was one Yueru could use when he spotted Herbert craving for attention from Melia who had been busy. He even overheard Elvia reading a story to him when they spend the night in the garden. His personality confused him. Despite what he saw and heard, Herbert had his ferocious and vigilant side exposed at most times. His heightened senses almost kill him once when Yueru decided to sneak on the elder. Even so, Herbert's peculiarity exhilarated him.

Herbert had his trust broken multiple times by people he cares about. Don't mistake his coldness for his ignorance. He has a heart bigger than anyone I know.

If there were veracity buried beneath Melia's words, Yueru swore he could discern them slowly.

When Yueru spent his first few days as a hybrid in Harl recuperating, he found a hand-written book in the libraries about Herbert, well-known as the Golden Hands during the 1600s. The memoir was incomplete, not because the story was inconclusive. He recalled the neat cursive writings that turned into scribbles, allowing him to predict that it was too harrowing to be inscribed. Often, Yueru wanted to pry into Herbert's past not to be a nosy person, but to learn and understand him, yet he knew that Herbert would ignore him just like he just always did.

Perhaps when he returned to Harl, he would be able to get all the clandestine stories. 

Word Count: 1548 words

Cumulative Word Count: 6209 words