Lady Dhampir
Chapter 194

A cold silence followed the Princess' words. Milena was very deliberately acting arrogant and provoking Ellias. She had noticed how he loved to flex his authority in any given situation nowadays, and she needed to make a clear stance. She was not to be ordered around like the other nobles. Fortunately, Milena was an authority of her own. She didn't fear the King's power as much as the other nobles probably did; she held almost as much as him. "...So this is why you've been hiding," he grumbled, his green eyes on her belly.

"I don't know where your Majesty got the strange idea that I was hiding in any way."

"Really? Haven't you been ignoring all social events, then?"

"I've stepped back to leave the Queen the main stage. Unlike me, she actually loves those events. I've merely used my privileges to skip over them."

"Of course, right when your husband doesn't need you to attend them anymore..."

"More like because my husband doesn't attend them himself. Balls, ceremonies and tea parties are extremely boring without a proper companion." The mention of his twin made Ellias grimace right away.

"From now on, you shall attend them," he retorted. "The Kingdom needs to know the Royal family is united, in these dark times we're going through. If you start appearing alongside us, they..."

"Excuse me?" Scoffed Milena. "What kind of new charade is this, your Highness? You're ordering me to attend social activities? Is that some sort of joke of yours? I am not your wife, nor your child, or anyone you have the authority to order to attend anything. I suggest you forget the idea of having me strut around for your sake. A united family? Or are you trying to be funny? You didn't even try to make any effort while your own brother was there." She shrugged, and adjusted the coat on her shoulders, triggering Dinah to come closer and curl it for her.

Milena wasn't blind; the reason Ellias wanted her to appear was probably because people had begun talking and speculating around her repeated absences in those social events. Milena was still very popular, both among the nobles and commoners, and the traces of her hard work could be seen everywhere in the Kingdom, in all trades and enterprises. She was still drafting laws, advocating for taxes and leaving her handprints around. Even if few actually saw her in person, Milena was still a strong figure in most circles. The Merchants Guild regularly solicited her, mail poured in every day from different high figures of the Kingdom, and the newspapers kept the people informed about the Grand Princess' endeavors, or at least the ones they knew about.

"You can't act so selfish now, Milena," said Ellias, visibly trying to stay calm. "You know how tense the situation is with the Council."

"I know, I've been there. However, who is the situation tense for? I have done nothing to anger the Senators, Your Majesty. I attend each and every Council I ought to." Milena was merely toying around.

She knew Ellias was the one slowly losing the Senate's favor. Since his brother had gone to war, he had become a much too easy target for all the angry politicians to blame. Moreover, just as Rayan had suspected, Ellias was much too impatient and sensitive. Every time the Council tried to oppose him, the King would take it as a personal attack, and push back harder, even if their opinions were actually valid in the first place. Although some were obviously and deliberately trying to oppose him and infuriate him, some Senators were also merely trying to work out the better solutions. Unfortunately, Ellias had trouble making a difference between the two...

"I am growing tired of your arrogance, Milena De Crescent," hissed the King. "I have been more than benevolent so far, and you keep acting like a Diva!"

"A Diva?" Scoffed Milena, grabbing her cup of tea. "Me? I am not the one walking around with my crown on my head outside of official matters, your Highness."

Ellias very visibly clenched his fists. Him putting on his crown every single day was a mere attempt at trying to ensure his authority. Perhaps he did think giving others a constant reminder of his status would help, but it was more risible than anything. "You're holed up in your tower all day long. It's been weeks!"

"It is my pleasure to remain alone," she retorted. "How does that bother your Highness? Your wife and my ladies-in-waiting do keep me company, if that's what you're worried about. Although I don't believe you have ever attempted to come and visit me, aside from this cavalier way of yours to barge into a woman's dressing room."

"You made me come all the way here instead of coming the first time I called for you!"

"Has making a proper appointment gone out of trend, then? Or does your majesty think politeness is overplayed on a Grand Princess?"

This time, Milena had spoken louder, and angrily. She didn't want to keep playing and entertaining Ellias for long, she was already tired of his attitude.

Still, the King was obviously doing his best in keeping his anger tamed. Perhaps he had finally learned a thing or two, from the way he was keeping himself from losing it completely. Milena was well aware he could have yelled at her if he wanted. As long as he didn't actually get violent, no one could afford to stop the King, but the Queen or herself. However, there might be no need for it. For some strange reason, Ellias was obviously trying not to give in to her taunts. Milena was even more curious as to why. Did he really need her to make an effort? Her appearances could be a double-edged sword for him; Either she rallied more people to her, or she actually gave in to that strange idea that the Royal Family was united. Words of her recently good relationship with the Queen was probably already spreading. It wasn't actually as if Milena had anything to lose by stepping out and showing herself. Her pregnancy wouldn't be a secret much longer, either.

She let out a long sigh, and caressed her belly, watching for Ellias' reaction. He had obviously expected to see her pregnant, from his reaction. He wasn't as shocked as Milena had thought... Perhaps he had pushed away the idea all this time, and tried to ignore it. He couldn't have possibly been that blind and deaf, though. The rumors were going around already, and fast.

"May I finally know the reason for your visit, Your Majesty? My appointment wasn't over, and I would hate to make Lady De Cictrin wait longer than necessary."

Ellias sighed, and glanced back at Milena's men. Jeremiah and Matheus were still standing facing the door, not looking in their mistress' way or the King's, but it was obvious they were not losing one drop of this conversation. Their shoulders were tense, and their hands ready to take out their weapons at any moment. Anyone knew that the highest ranked families had their own private militias. If Milena ordered them to decapitate the King right here and there, neither or them would even blink before obeying. "...I saw that article in the newspaper."

"Already?" Milena raised an eyebrow.

"I do keep myself informed," retorted the King, squinting his eyes. "What is your goal, Milena?"

"Exactly as the announcement said. I put into light what our people need to know about the Wendigos, and..."

"They don't need to know anything!" Suddenly shouted the King. "Who do you think you are, to display confidential information in the open like this!"

Ellias' yelling threw a cold in the room. Not only that, but all people around Milena had moved simultaneously. Blanche had grown into a large wolf, growling furiously. Dinah had placed herself in front of her mistress, and the two guards had turned around, putting their hands on their swords. They legally couldn't draw them out, but the second Milena's life would be in danger, neither of them would care about the law anymore.

Once again, the only calm person in the room was Milena. As she sighed, Dinah stepped aside a little.

"There was no mention of this information being officially confidential, Ellias. We had agreed to withhold it, the three of us. It was a decision taken for the sake of the people, and I decided to publish it accordingly."

"You had no right to take that decision by yourself!"

"Why not?"

"You know how dangerous it is, Milena. Are you pretending not to see how heated the situation already is between vampires and our people?"

Milena suddenly stood up, glaring back at the King. He was so surprised by her sudden gesture, Ellias took one step back.

"Vampires and our people? I thought vampires were our people, your Majesty. I politely suggest that your Majesty watches his words!"

Ellias loudly cleared his throat, aware he had made a mistake. After a while though, he sighed and shrugged, as if it was nothing.

"You know what I mean, Milena. There's unrest growing, and you're adding fuel to the fire."

"Aren't you usually calling for that fuel, Ellias?" She retorted. "Your lapsus just then made it clear, didn't it? You already don't consider the vampires as your people."

"Stop it. That's not what I meant!"

"But it's what you said, Ellias! Will you keep acting as if there are two kinds of our people, or will you finally stop making a difference between the two? You're the one brewing unrest. You may try to hide it, but you can't. Your pathetic attempt at hurting the vampire's pride before the war failed, and instead, it antagonized you."

"You think I am the one behind the attack?" Exclaimed the King, acting shocked. "My own life and that of my wife were at stake!"

"Oh, I know that all too well," retorted Milena, rolling her eyes and sitting back down. "You had enough occasions to play the victim again and again at each trial. Was it fun, your Majesty? Did you have enough of your pity party while you were crying and putting on a show so you could scrutinize each and every vampire family like you wanted?"

"You're exaggerating things, Milena!"

"Am I? Then what have you been crying for? You think the vampires are against you? Well congrats, you're the one who turned them against their King!"

"I had no choice but to send Rayan to war!" Roared Ellias.

"Stop thinking you need my husband as an excuse each time the vampires turn against you!" The Princess shouted even louder. "Until when will you keep playing the victim and be satisfied to use Rayan's shadow? You wanted this crown, you fought for it, so now you carry it on your own! Stop using Rayan as a decoy and stop trying to use me as well! You shouldn't even need your wife if you were truly able to be a king of your own authority!"

Milena was out of breath after that, but she refused Dinah trying to pour her a cup of tea. The Grand Princess was glaring at His Majesty, full of it, but glad she could finally relieve the heaviness that had been weighing in her heart for days. She took a deep breath, and stepped forward, approaching closer to him this time.

"We're way past your catty games, Ellias. This is war, here and there. Like I said, you wanted this crown. You wanted it so much that you sacrificed your own brother, the love you had for me and your own Father's wish. So now, I don't care how hard the pill will be to swallow, and I don't care who will be against or with you. You deal with it."

A heavy silence befell after her words. Milena turned around, having said what she had to. She didn't go anywhere, simply staring at the window. She could order him to leave, but she could make it clear she was done with this conversation. It was more than enough already. For the first time they had spoken face to face in weeks, Ellias had managed to make her truly angry in just a few sentences.

"...So that's it," he scoffed. "You're just going to keep playing against me, Milena."

She glanced back.

"Did you hear nothing of what I just said?"

"Oh no, I did. However, if I am willing to admit that I can't do it alone, will you help me?"

Milena was rendered speechless....Now? After all this time, Ellias was seriously asking for her... help? Those words felt like some bitter joke, after everything that had happened.

Something had been broken between them. Long ago, when she had finally understood that Ellias would never put aside his ambitions for anyone. When Milena had realized that their relationship, their feelings for each other didn't mean as much as his thirst for power, his desire to beat his twin brother. Things were very different back then, but it didn't mean she could simply forget the past. The Grand Princess let out a long sigh, brushing her ink-black hair with her fingers.

"You're impossible..." she hissed. "After everything that happened, you have the guts to ask me for help, Ellias? Me, of all people?"

"We were never enemies, Milena, you know that. My brother got between us, and I..."

"No, Ellias," she scoffed. "This is where you're deeply mistaken. Rayan didn't get between us, I wanted him there. You tried to use me, to use my name, my position and my feelings. You tried to use me."

"Are you going to say my brother didn't do the same? Do you think Rayan really never cared who he was marrying?"

"Oh, he did care, Ellias. He cared more than anything about me, and that's exactly the difference between you two."

The King rolled his eyes.

"I'll never win," he sighed. "Whatever my brother did to win you over, he's definitely got you dancing in the palm of his hands... He turned you against me. Are you going to keep fighting me just for the sake of it, then, Milena? Raising rumors that the Grand Princess is silently voicing her opinion against the King? Bringing unrest about the Wendigo to our people, putting Rayan as the hero of the war?"

"You send your own twin to his death, and all you worry about is who will get the flowers if he survives?"

Milena was feeling disgusted.

Ellias' fear could be seen on his face. He would never have come there and asked for her help if he thought he was in control, if he thought he could win over the Senate by himself.

"... Why would I help you?" She hissed, pissed. "You almost got my brother arrested, and you sent my husband to war. You let your allies become my opponents and do nothing to stop those leeches either. You're just happy to have others piss in my garden in your stead, Ellias, you just don't change. You'll never fight a war you aren't sure to win but you'll gladly send your dogs in your stead."

"I came here in person, didn't I? I can't control everyone, Milena, you know that. Sure, my allies hate you, but what can I do about it? You're the one who chose to marry my brother and embrace the vampires' cause."

"Because no one else was left to stand for them!"

"Now you want to play hero?"

"I'll play whatever role my people want me to be, Ellias. I am a daughter of the House De Crescent. Vampire and Human citizens are both my problem. They should be yours too, if you remember the oath you took as a King."

"They are," scoffed Ellias. "Which is why I'm trying to content everyone by making peace with the Dhampir Princess. You have the respect of the vampire faction, Milena." "And you want to use me to coy them."

"I want to make peace," he said, taking on an innocent look. "Why do you keep acting as if I'm still your enemy? We were once friends, is there no way to mend that?"

"I don't think time travel is a thing yet, Your Majesty. If you want to make peace, you'll have to act like an ally, not simply spit some words and let me do the work for you." "I've been acting. Aren't you wondering why you were able to carry your pregnancy so far?"

Milena remained mute. ...So he knew; Not only he knew, but Ellias decided to let it be... To let her have her children, without trying to take it from her. It probably was in a very passive way, but it was true she had been surprised so far that there had been little to none attempts to poison her, and have her miscarry. Looking back, those past few months had been almost... too peaceful. Milena had hidden her pregnancy for as long as she could to the most people, but... Ellias was the King. This was his house, his castle. Even if he didn't know, or didn't confirm until now, it was still true that he held a power over Milena. She could use her House for political pressure, her allies in any circumstances, but the one thing she would be alone against were people trying to physically harm her, and her babies. Milena was well aware of that, hence why she had been so... afraid, and careful, for the past few days.

Seeing that the Grand Princess was at a loss for words, Ellias smiled.

“Come on, Milena. You wouldn't think your baby's uncle would try to harm them in any way, do you? This is our chance to be a family, again. The Royal Family."