Sitting on the edge of Anwen's bed, in her pastel decorated room with her offering him burnt cookies as refreshments was definitely not what Aimes had in mind.
Yet here he was, forcibly chewing on a cookie that had a spicy flavour to it while she sat next to him with hopeful eyes.
Earlier today, Laia told him Anwen gave the Duke some of the cookies she baked herself, and she wasn't in a bad mood after leaving.
Did Father lie about them…or is this a different batch that tasted spicy?
"You want to know more about the incoming hunting season" That was a good way to change the topic because Anwen scooted closer, forgetting about the cookies in an instant.
Is her mind really that fickle?
Aimes placed the half bitten cookie on the plate and pushed it away. "The hunting season is a very important part of vampirism. It happens on the last day of every month, when the sun sets at 12pm and total darkness takes over until 12am"
"As a way to persevere our hunting nature from being docileed by the peace treaty, our ancestors created Noctisfall—an event that happens during the longest night. Where restraint is stripped away and instinct takes its throne once more."
He stretched his legs lazily, eyes flicking towards the window as if picturing it.
"When the sun sets at noon, the Empire holds its breath. The streets are empty, doors are sealed, and even nobles lock themselves in. But not everyone hides. The bold hunt, while the foolish run. And the desperate…pray."
Anwen blinked, "So vampires—hunt each other too?"
Aimes nodded slowly, "For status, wealth, or blood-debt. If you kill a noble during Noctisfall, their title or holdings become yours. Depending on the one you want"
Suddenly, Anwen found it hard to breathe. She had never heard of anything like this. It was way worse than what she imagined.
Father is heading for that village during Noctisfall?! What if he gets attacked along the way?
"Aimes…" Anwen's lips quivered, "Will everyone be okay? We…we're safe right? Here."
Suspension filled the air at Aimes' silence, his lips were on a thin line. He wondered if he had over done it this time around. But she wanted to know about it and he wasn't fond of sugarcoating things.
Still, he felt a pang in his chest watching her grip her gown unconsciously and staring into space, yet asking him if everyone would be alright.
That wasn't something Aimes could promise. "The vampires within the Estate haven't hunted within for a long time even though they could"
Anwen lifted her gaze.
"It's like an unwritten law. The vampires living here respect Father a lot, so they choose not to hunt within his territory and hunt outside—or not at all." Aimes picked his words carefully this time around, he didn't want her to get paranoid.
He placed a hand on her head, the only way he knew how to comfort someone. "You'll be fine Anwen. You have Fredrinn, Laia…and me. There's also a handful of guards stationed by."
A smile formed on Anwen's lips, but it left as soon as it came. "I thought you hated me…why are you willing to protect me?" She lowers her gaze to the floor once more.
Aimes dropped his hand to the side, staring back at the night sky through the window. "Hate is a strong word. And I thought we were making progress?"
He sighed, "If you're talking about what happened at the library…I don't hate you. Yes I was angry that you disappeared from the place I left you in less than an hour. I thought you were a stubborn child who doesn't follow instructions. I didn't know…that you went missing"
"I'm sorry"
"You're a child too," Anwen laughed, feeling much better now that she had cleared the air with her only brother. "I'm also sorry I stopped bringing your glass of juice everyday, I thought you didn't want me in your sight"
"Yeah right…I heard you started spending more time with Father. Bringing lunch to his study and baking for him" Whether Aimes knew about it or not, he sounded like he was sulking and that made Anwen laugh even more.
She nudged him by the side, "Father said the same thing too. So I decided to spare him just a bit of attention for a few days. You're still my favourite person."
"I don't care about that at all…" Aimes muttered but Anwen ignored it, wrapping her arms around his arms and laying her head on his shoulder with a giggle.
Her brother didn't always mean what he said, at least not towards her. She was wrong to think that he hated her.
From the moment she stepped into the estate, he never hated her. Being an only child, it was only natural for him to dislike her presence. But Anwen's constant moves to befriend him, even making a list of them, melted his cold heart.
And now, all he wanted to do was to protect his little sister who cries from every little thing and scares herself sometimes.
Aimes knew why his father brought her home and instructed him to take care of her like a brother more than anyone else.
Using his powers multiple times trying to save his mother, his corruption grew faster than normal and now it has almost corroded his heart.
The Duke might not live to see Aimes' 11th birthday. He didn't want his son to celebrate all alone having no immediate family.
With Anwen around, Aimes wouldn't be entirely alone and would have some to rely on and celebrate incoming birthdays.
If only there was a way to save Father from the corruption in his heart. Vampires can live forever. We can live forever. Me, Anwen and Father. I had already lost Mom…I don't want to lose him too.
For some reason, this month's Noctisfall, which was exactly a week away, left an unsettling feeling within Aimes. No matter how much he tried to shake off the feeling, it clinged to him like a leech.
Anwen must've felt it too. That's why she got paranoid after his explanation. The talk about witches in the Empire hadn't escaped Aimes' ears. He knew about it, just like every other noble vampire.
He also knew that his Father and Uncle Lucien are the ones in charge of terminating the witches in the Empire.
Who's to say that they wouldn't attack his father and his uncle during Noctisfall?
It's a time where the sense of mortality is overruled and no one would bat an eye if witches or anyone else was able to kill a pureblooded vampire.
The possibility of that happening is high. No matter what, I mustn't let Father leave the Estate during Noctisfall.
"Aimes…Father is in danger, we have to help him"