𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐄𝐍:
A loyal friend
(1890 - 1910)

"ARE YOU MAD? WHY WOULD YOU EVEN SUGGEST SUCH A THING?" Eloise looks at Maria with disbelief.

Maria asked for her presence after Eloise and Jasper trained the newborns they kept on standby.

They are currently conversing away from their territory.

The wars quieted a little, and the idea of conquest was dying out.

And Maria was irresponsibly changing newborns, no longer picking humans that showed potential.

"You've seen it, Eloise. Jasper is spiraling. It's only a matter of time before he turns us over," Maria informs her, tone neutral.

Maria thinks that Jasper Whitlock's condition of showing misery could turn into malice.

She could not afford a traitor.

If Maria was asked, she would have disposed of him without thought.

But, since Eloise is her trusted confidant, and second-in-command, she genuinely wants to hear Eloise's opinion of the matter at hand.

"I was spiraling too! When I was in my first ten years of this life, Maria! Such a world full of bloodshed and death will crack someone's sanity. You failed to see that because I was in the front row of everything! While you leisure in the aftermath with the power and wealth I have acquired." Eloise angrily confesses, and Maria is suddenly in front of her, her expression hostile, her jaw clenched.

"You dare use that tone on me."

"I dare!" Eloise angrily scoffs.

Two can play the game of trickery.

Eloise will do anything and use her own methods of control in order for Maria to get her suspicions of Jasper to be false.

"You suggest that we dispose of an ally that helped us take control of those vicious newborns. You are not thinking clearly. Or are you losing your sense of strategicness?" Eloise asks if anything that Maria hates the most is questioning her own capabilities.

If appearances can kill, Eloise believes she died the moment she questioned Maria in her vengeance and greed.

But Eloise needed to stay on her own ground.

"You're lucky that I respect and trust you, Eloise. If anyone questioned my own intentions, they would be burned into ashes." Maria tells her.

Eloise rolls her eyes with a scoff. "Pray and tell if there is any other that would want to involve themselves in this kind of life and have your respect."

Maria purses her lips and crosses her arms, walking away from Eloise, then says, "If you are wrong with your conclusions, Eloise. Then deal with the consequences on your own. After all, I promised you that I would allow you the freedom to do what I see fit."

Maria's figure was gone. Eloise releases a shaky breath, placing her hand on her waist, her back leaning against the tree trunk.

Eloise is not one to deal with confrontations.

She has seen Jasper hide his true emotions from her. Eloise is observant, and she knows that Jasper is showing her a strong facade, yet he radiates melancholia.

And she was in denial.

It was hard to accept when they both thought that their love was enough to erase their own misery.

Eloise takes a deep breath, neutralizing her emotions, and puts on a smile as she goes back towards the tent, where she sees Jasper, his back presented to her, patiently waiting for her return.

Sensing her presence, Jasper turns around, worry etched on his handsome face, then relieved when he sees the small smile on Eloise's ethereal face.

"I thought when Maria asked for you that she knew," Jasper told her, walking towards her as his eyes scanned her body, looking for any sign that a fight had occurred between the two women.

"Nothing is the matter. All is well." Eloise lies between her teeth.

It seemed that lying for his own safety was a normal occurrence for Eloise now.

Jasper always believed her.

Jasper then places a hand on the back of her small waist and gently tugs her towards him.

Eloise's face was pressed so softly to his chest that it never failed to make her feel the warmth of his care and devotion to her.

Jasper places his chin on top of her head. He was inhaling the scent of her hair, which smelled of fresh morning sun and pine.

He closed his eyes in delight that Eloise was finally in his arms.

"I quite like your hugs. It's very comforting." Jasper hears Eloise muffly say against his chest, and Jasper lightly chuckles and replies,

"I love you," I will do anything and everything you ask.

"I love you more." That I'm willing to sacrifice my own freedom for you.

•| ⊱✿⊰ |•

ONE WOULD ALWAYS NEED A COMPANION, whether it be romantic or platonic.

In this particular instance, one would always need a friend.

Peter. When Jasper thought that the newborn had good potential when he changed and showed his civilized nature that differentiated him amongst the newborns, Maria turned so carelessly.

And Eloise saw how Jasper became more of himself when Peter came with his friendly and laughable company, and Eloise also became fond of him.

It was unbelievable when Peter was tamed, unlike the rest of the newborns they trained and encountered.

Eloise remembered when she asked him for a spar, and she saw the hesitation in his movements.

"Do you question a woman's strength? Or is your manly ego so high that you're afraid to be beaten by a woman?"

Peter answered.

"No, no. I'm truly afraid of getting my ass kicked. I'm all for women's empowerment."

And Eloise laughed at his remark.

Jasper had asked Eloise if it was alright to let Peter live amongst the batch of newborns that Maria had turned.

It has been a while since Jasper talked to someone of the same caliber as him.

Then Eloise asked Maria to let Peter live when the newborns outlived their first year. At first, Maria disagreed. She reasoned that another Lucy and Nettie situation would do them no good.

Eloise disagreed with her reason and told her that another ally in their coven would give them power and strength.

Three vampires in a coven are not enough for their enemies to be scared and halt their plot for revenge.

Maria's enemies are lurking in the shadows, awaiting their revenge for the loss of their territories and beloved other halves, which vampires do not take so kindly.

Maria finally agreed to Eloise's persuasion. Perhaps, it was her own way of apologizing for suggesting disposing of Jasper.

After all, Maria was wrong. However, she would never admit it to Eloise out loud.

And so, Peter joined their coven. It was his own way of repaying Eloise and Jasper for asking Maria to let him live.

Peter is grateful for Jasper's friendship and Eloise's kindness.

Eloise has finally found someone she can rely on to help her with her plan for Jasper's escape.

•| ⊱✿⊰ |•

"IS IT NOT IMPOLITE TO ASK A WOMAN HER AGE?"

Eloise asks Peter. They were currently out hunting when murmurs from the humans in their territory said that there was a newly built establishment.

An establishment that, Eloise proposed to Maria that since the wars were dying out, fighting for territories had become scarce.

The wealth and connections that Maria gained throughout the decades should be invested.

Money could be easily spent. Wealth can slowly diminish if taken carelessly.

Investments in land and properties are needed. It was a chain of spending, earning, and saving.

"I'm merely curious," Peter answers, and Jasper chuckles in response while looking at Eloise fondly.

That did not go unnoticed by Peter.

"Your curiosity will get the best of you," Jasper tells him, while Eloise smiles while shaking her head.

Peter is always so free-spirited and easy-going, always has a response to Eloise's sarcastic remarks, and can appear earnest when spoken to, which Jasper liked about him.

A loyal friend is rare to find nowadays.

"But an answer will give me the greatest of satisfaction," Peter mockingly says, as his face mimics an aristocratic nobleman's expression.

"If it helps you ease your mind, then I will heartily answer," Eloise remarks with a curtsey, and Jasper tilts his head with a grin.

Peter and Eloise's banter never ceases to make him smile.

"It will! My mind will be at peace. Do tell before Jasper sends me into a madhouse for vampires," Peter says with a gasp while placing his hand on his chest and his other hand on his forehead, his lips releasing an exaggerated sigh.

"I can't exactly give you the exact number of my age. I barely keep up." Eloise tells Peter, and he just nods and lets her continue, "I was born in 1813,"

Peter then gasps and says, "That's been quite a long time now. Still looking young and fair, bless our immortality,"

Eloise then looks at him and laughs, "I take offense!"

"You look lovely as ever, darling," Jasper assures her.

Peter raises an eyebrow, his eyes switching to Eloise and Jasper as if a lightbulb had appeared above his head.

Eloise smiles shyly at Jasper and then grins, "I'm a very lovable person,"

Jasper did not even deny her statement and said, "That you are."

And their banter continued as they walked towards the town.

The night seemed as lively as ever.

•| ⊱✿⊰ |•

"DECEIVING AS IT MAY SEEM, A FOOL CAN BE CONVINCED. THE OBVIOUS IS NOT SO EASILY IGNORED." Peter starts, walking towards Jasper with a grin.

Peter's tone sounded like mischief, but his emotions were sincere. Jasper shakes his head and asks, "Can I ask what deception you imply I do?"

"You may." Peter nods his head to his side, a signal that their conversation requires privacy.

Eloise and Maria are currently negotiating with the humans for the business that the humans are proposing.

However, the newborns they are currently watching can be nosy if they want to.

They walked towards the river, its waves diminishing their voices.

"You and Eloise are mates," Peter starts. His tone is not accusing, but it is more of him convincing himself of the possibility.

Jasper's posture suddenly hardens, and his jaw tightens.

For almost a decade, Peter has been his dearest friend, but if his and Eloise's secret is suddenly made known, the risk of Maria knowing is alarming.

Yet, part of him knows that Peter will never betray them.

"What made you think so?" Jasper asks, with a questioning eyebrow, and here they thought he and Eloise were being discreet.

Peter chuckles and answers, "The silver thin band ring displayed as a necklace that Eloise is wearing,"

"And? Eloise has acquired many pieces of jewelry over the years." Jasper points this out with a casual shrug of his shoulder.

"Oh, yes, Eloise likes her jewelry. But she always takes them off when we train or fight, but this one, she never even lets it out of her sight." Peter points this out, and Jasper purses his lips. His shoulder straightens.

"Maybe it was one of the necklaces her father gave her," Jasper answers.

"By the letter 'W' engraved from the inside of the ring, surely I know that the 'H' in the alphabet did not turn into 'W' over the years." Peter chuckles with a shake of his head.

"Try to deny it any further? I'm quite offended that you two think I can't be trusted," Peter says, his tone faking hurt.

But he truly understands that it was what he remembered. Jasper told him this after he joined them.

Mates are not welcome in the army.

"Eloise values privacy," Jasper answers. He remembered when Eloise told him that she never gained an ounce of privacy when she was human and even now when she was in the army.

Their relationship is private and only a secret to Maria.

"Understandable. Given our predicament," Peter's expression became grave.

A question bothered him that he had been itching to have an answer to, "Why not leave?"

Jasper purses his lips, crossing both of his arms to his chest, "We couldn't. Eloise means too much to Maria. She'll never let her leave easily. We'll be running, hiding,"

"Why not kill her instead?" Peter asks as if it were the easiest task one could do. If it weren't for Eloise persuading Maria to let him live and building a friendship with her and Jasper, Peter wouldn't have joined the coven.

Jasper stared at Peter. And for a moment, he, too, wondered why they couldn't dispose of Maria.

Then his thoughts drew back to Eloise.

"If it weren't for Maria, I would have been dead... And I couldn't have met you,"

Eloise's voice echoed through his head. He understood her reason, but that did not mean it was easy for him to accept that the love of his life felt a deep sense of indebtedness to Maria.

Eloise deserves to feel the weight of heavy gratitude lifted from her chest.

"I respect Eloise's wishes. She can make her own decisions, and I'll support her all the way," Jasper tells him.

They are committed to one another, but that does not mean the other could take control of the other's decisions.

Eloise is not his to own, but Eloise is hers to give.

And Jasper will cherish everything she has to offer