Regal Renegades

Chapter 18

Daniel's POV

She was silent during the walk back, though under the stares of the vampires here surely knowing the conversation that was just had, but not knowing the result of it quite yet, It wasn't too surprising.

What was concerning though was the intense mix of different and conflicting emotions radiating from her.

She held up well given the circumstances, and I'd dare to say that I was proud of her.

Despite the panic and turmoil, we all knew she was feeling, she presented herself as flawlessly as one would expect.

I turned my focus to the other side of me, to my mother who looked beyond pleased for a wild number of reasons.

One of which probably being that we were about to head home.

Well, we were. Caroline was about to leave it.

The crowd thinned out the closer we got to our living quarters, getting down to about one or two people every ten or so steps. Perfect to let the lingering tension dissipate into the surrounding air.

Finally we reached the porch of the cabin we awoke in.

Which I deemed enough to allow me to stop for a moment and exhale a long, celebratory sigh.

I turned to face the ladies before sending my wings to disappear into the ribbons of shadow.

Caroline's eyes betrayed her to watch as they did so, pushing them back to me after a few moments.

"Well, I'd say that went well," My mother deemed with a wide smile, taking a step forward and turning so that we were in somewhat of a small circle facing each other, "You made me proud today, Daniel, but that's really nothing new."

I smiled softly at the praise, taking it to heart given that I was slightly stressing this even before Caroline came into play.

"Thank you. I know this wasn't the route you were expecting me to take, but-"

"I expected you to take whichever route you deemed the best fit for your future as lord," She broke in, "And you did so perfectly. Both of you."

Caroline's eyes widened at that, then tried to hide it when my mother turned to her.

"I know this couldn't have been easy for you, but I can see the love you have for this place and what it's stood for even if it doesn't return that love to you. I think now it's time for you to find a place that will."

Her body straightened in a wave of new emotion, pressing her lips together under sad eyes and sending my mother a few quick nods.

"Now, I'm gonna go pack and prepare things for our leave. You two take as long as you need."

With that, she turned and left us alone.

I waited until she was inside tu take a step closer to the blonde, my hands finding her upper arms on what felt like an instinct.

"Are you okay?"

The question didn't look to surprise her in the slightest, but she still took her time formulating an answer.

"I will be. I know I will, and I know that this is the best idea for everyone, This whole thing is just so sudden and daunting. I think there was a part of me that thought they wouldn't cooperate."

"Are you sad that they did?"

"No," Her answer was quiet, but assured, "No, I'm glad that they did. It was just such a weird form of goodbye."

She thought that was a goodbye?

I could feel a slight trembling beneath her skin at the thought, though I oddly couldn't pinpoint whether it was fear or something else.