Ambrose POV

Once the bell rings.

When my Queen calls.

I am there.

As I stood under the night sky by a guard post, as loose embers of a torch sizzled on the ground a white stead with lizard golden eyes appeared from the shadows of the night with its feathered wings.

Upon that stead was Queen Estel herself, bloody and bruised from battle.

Short silver hair clung to her face from rain with blood red lips curled in a snarl.

"Those ruffians will pay for what they've done!" One of the knights spoke to Estel with malice laced in every word.

"I know, so we must refill and prepare for our next battle. Tell the others they are free to retire for the night."

"Yes your highness." He spun his horse around as to lead on to the group behind them to inform them of their leave.

"Ambrose!" Estel caught my eyes as she hopped off her horse walking straight for me with an immediate embrace, enough to crush my ribs with her lips moving into a friendly smile.

"You're about the only good news today brother." Her voice softened into the older sister tone she normally had with me.

"Why back so early Estel?"

She tapped my shoulder and looked away.

"They destroyed too much of the city we were trying to help. Vampires decimated and slaughtered like dogs. Those monsters will pay for what they've done. Mutated and all...someone's planning something. Something I'm not liking one bit."

"I'm always at the ready, you do realize that don't you?"

"I know far too well. But no." She shook her head in disagreement toward me.

"You are far greater of help to me here, my most trusted general and friend and you're too important to send off to battle. Too great of a loss for me if I ever did lose you ya know."

"I'm not a child Estel."

"I know. But you are like a brother to me nonetheless. Now enough, let us return to our rooms to get some rest everyone!" Vampires from everywhere headed in the castle that had accompanied Estel on her endeavor as we walked side by side to join them.

Estel and I headed in last but before we entered the gates to the castle she slung her arm around my shoulder.

"So Lover boy~ You've got a question for me I reckon."

"How did you-"

"I'm the queen Ambrose, you can barely hide anything from me. How can you possibly hide the fact that you have a human girlfriend you're hiding away that may or may not still be where you left her. A human that may or may not hate you...a human that my dear little sister didn't even notice in the cells."

A glean of something unsaid was in her eyes but she kept her voice low and soft.

"So be weary of her, even if you seem like you're the monster. No one is ever the monster until they lose their sense of self. And I believe that friend of hers is getting there. So be there for her, until she makes her choice of staying a human or becoming a vampire. Protect her like she is your own."

"Estel why are you-"

"During my expedition..I've learned some things and its opened my eyes to new perspectives I'd never understood before. Simply put...the problem lies with the individual themselves...you know my story more than anyone else I know. Plus...actual creatures and monsters are plaguing our world right now. One human will not distraught us. So she is fine to stay as long as she behaves. Also...why are you surprised? Were you not wanting this kind of answer from me?"

She smiled a lazy smile as to tease me with her last sentence.

"Well, not so easily. We may be close but you are still the queen and I am but a general more like just in title."

"Don't mind our status too much. And you're the general name and all...but I'm saving you as my trump card for our war to come...so don't worry too much about that."

"I can't promise that."

She smirked as she pushed me closer to her, bumping her forehead with mine.

"Stay the steady course Ambrose, we have a long way ahead of us. Now go, find that human and make sure she doesn't try anything funny. Last I heard she had made it to the Field of Sleeping Willows."

————

The field of sleeping willows.

A field of flowers the color of indigo with darkened green and almost blue stems.

It was a place no one dared step foot in since the very flowers made anyone and anything sleep whether they wanted to or not.

As I walked with light breath, keeping my inhaling and exhaling to a minimum I noticed a limp figure in the fields just a half mile out.

Thick wavy raven hair framed around Arelia's face as she slept on her side.

She seemed so peaceful with her hand nestled close to her face compared to the tensed expressions she usually made around me.

She seemed so peaceful that I almost wanted to leave her here for a little longer before taking her back to the castle.

Just before my eyes drew heavy I swiftly took Arelia into my arms as I escaped the aromas of the flowers.

Walking the streets I noticed that most were empty unlike the usually busyness at night...and then I wondered if that was Estel's doing.

If it was her, I wouldn't have doubted it for a second.

After all, that's what we do.

We look out for one another.

Just as family did.