Deep into the forest, somewhere among the four lands, was a small thatched house, there were dead bodies, most of small children and few adults, the whole area smelt disgusting.
At the back of the house were four people, three women and a man standing
"Edith had recently found the girl needed for the sacrifice and seller had given the order to get her"
"She's always within Lord Xavier's reach, so it will be hard to get her"
"So what do you suggest we do" the guy, Cross said
"I was thinking we disguise ourselves but I realised that white witches can recognise a dark witch"
"The last sacrifice can only be performed when we get her"
"I really can't wait for the moment when we'll surpass the vampires"
"We could get to that moment when we work for it by getting the girl"
"And how do we get Xavier"
"The girl will be used as a bait to draw him"
"I think I got an idea in his to get this girl" Cross said
"And what's it"
"First, I'll have to go to Poetwyth"
Back at the mansion, Hazel and Xavier had returned from Bougreve, they arrived some minutes before dinner. Hazel headed to the room to keep the papers safely while Xavier discussed with Lucas. At the room, after she had kept the papers, she then picked relles up as she talked
"Its been long I last talked to you, relles" she said and he rabbit just stared
"What did those two reapers do to you … if I had a way, I would turn them to frogs" the rabbit blinked "Elliot should be thankful he found you in one-piece or I would have exposed him myself" there was a long pause before she continued "In just few months, my life has changed, relles, I never expected anything like this. Who would have expected that, I would win the heart of Xavier, a man who never believed in love and just beds women" she blushed slightly "he even stopped all that just for me, can you imagine that"
"I thought you hated talking to animals and that's why you asked Elliot to be in his human form" Xavier said as he leaned on the door
'Did he hear all that?' She thought
"Don't worry, I just came, but with the way your face is red, it makes me wonder what you might have told relles"
"Its nothing"
"But you were talking"
"I was just saying some random things"
"Really?" He raised an eyebrow as he walked closer to her direction. Hazel noticed this and scooted back
"Xavier, remember our deal" she reminded
"I have that in mind"
"Then, what are you trying to do?"
"I was about stopping" he sad stopping a few steps ahead of her "see" and he raised his hands in surrender "so, what were you saying"
"I've told you"
"Then what made you blush much"
"Can you just drop it"
"Guess I'll have to ask relles myself"
"He's a rabbit and can't talk, Xavier" she deadpanned
"You sure?"
"…"
"Let's find out" he walked over to relles, opened his cage and brought him out
"What are you trying to do"
"Watch"
He brought the rabbit down and just stared at it which Hazel found weird
"Are you just planning on staring at him" she said
"Elliot, now" Xavier grunted clearly impatient already and the next moment, Elliot cameour if the rabbit
"What the hell!" Hazel shouted
"Shocked?"Xavier asked
"What were you doing in there Elliot" Hazel asked
"…" Elliot
"I think your dance teacher caused this" Xavier said
"Evelyn?"
"Do you have any apart from her?"
"Don't you dare tell him what I told relles just now, Elliot" she warned
"I'll try not to" Elliot said
And what were you doing in relles again"
"That's a long story, he'll tell you later, now is dinner time"
After dinner which was peaceful, again, quite concerning, Hazel left to interrogate Elliot at his room while Xavier went to theirs
"What happened with Evelyn today?"
"She came unexpectedly"
"How?"
"I was at the drawing room taking a break, I never expected her arrival that early, she usually comes after lunch, she almost caught me as she passed there, so I had to go invisible walking towards my room"
"Andddd?"
"I kept walking and went I reached my room, it looked like she picked up a scent and stated trailing me, I quickly went in"
"So how did relles come in?"
"I heard her steps coming closer and relles was the only option left, he was by my table"
"Scared cow!"
"What!"
"Yeah, how sure am I that you won't open your mouth and tell Xavier about what I said when you get scared"
"As I said, I'll try not to, but if he threatens me, I'll have to give in"
Hazel rolled her eyes at his statement
"So what did you guys do at Bougreve?" He asked
"He actually fulfilled his promise of changing my status"
"Wow! So Lady Hazel then"
"Yeah, all thanks to the demon... I felt nervous at first cause I actually met a lot of familiar faces"
"And what did they say about you?"
"As expected, they said I'm a whore"
"——"
There was a long silence and Hazel spoke remembering about her dream
"I had this weird dream , Elliot"
"What's it?"
"Xavier killed me in it"
"Xavier?"
"Yep, he actually sucked from me and drained me but there was this masker man who tried stopping me from following him at first"
"Masked man?"
"Yeah and his voice sounded familiar, but I can't just put where I heard it"
"I guess the person doesn't want you to find out who he is"
"But why?"
"I think you should ask him the next time you have a dream like that again"
"I'm serious here, Elliot"
"I'm not joking either"
"…"
"You've told Xavier about it?"
"Yeah"
"You know, Xavier would never do that right?"
"Hmmn"
That night, Hazel had the same dream again, exactly how it happened the first time. She woke up scared as ever and Xavier rushed to her side
"Still the same dream, Xavier"
"Really"
"With the same masked man"
"Were you able to put in place where you know the voice from?"
"No"
"I think we need Connor"
"But he isn't yet back"
"I heard he'll be coming back by weekend"
"So we'll see him by weekend?"
"Yeah, that's if this continues, then we'll go see him"
"Its getting me scared"
"Nothing will hurt you"
The next day, when Hazel woke, she quickly did her morning routine and left for breakfast, after that, she went for her classes with Evelyn
"I heard you had things to attend yo at you school, that's why you couldn't make it the last time"
"Yeah, it's all settled now"
"And you came yesterday?"
"Yes I did, but you weren't around"
"Yeah"
"Does Damien live here with you"
"Why do you ask?"
"Since I came yesterday and didn't see you, I thought I could speak with Damien for a while before going but all the e maids I ask didn't know about him"
"Ohh..... Uhm..... No ones knows about Damien being my son and he doesn't live here with me"
"But each time I'm here, he's always with you, I'm very such there's no way, the maids haven't noticed him"
Hazel was short of words to cover up her lie, Evelyn will surely find something suspicious if she doesn't say something
"They don't actually know his name, he's not actually a fan of talking much if you notice, so …"
"Even so, I asked of the little boy that goes around with you but they gave the same answer"
"Damien doesn't usually come here, I only bring him here cause he's interested in the class, after that, I take him back to the orphanage, so no one has actually seen us that much or even if they had, didn't put much thought in it" good one Hazel, she patted her back mentally
"Orphanage? Why?"
"The truth is, Damien isn't my biological son, I pickled him up close to the forest and took him to the orphanage. He stays there while I visit often"
"Wow"
"Yeah"
"Why don't you let him stay here, I don't think Lord Xavier will mind"
"I'll bring him here officially when me and Xavier get married"
"Ok… but he calls you his mom"
"That's because I take Jim as my son, he understands why he's still at the orphanage"
"That's good of you"
"Thanks"
"Is he around right now"
"No, he's not"
"Okay, we should start us lessons then"
After the class, Hazel walked her out to the door and she asked
"About what I asked you to help me with, have you checked?"
"What's that?"
"Elliot, the guy I told you about"
"Ohh, no I haven't come across someone with that name"
"Okay, but you can still help me search"
"Sure, but have you checked other lands as I advised"
"I'm very sure, he's here at Borreve"
Evelyn left and Hazel went to talk with Elliot about the changes in their plan but was stopped by Dorin
'Really' she thought
"You're at my way, Dorin"
"Am I? Or you're the one at mine"
"I can't argue with you right now, I got things to do" Hazel said and shifted from the way
At Elliot room, Hazel barged in saying
"You're no longer my son, Elliot, or should I say, Damien"
"And that's why you barged in like that, you gave me a scare"
"Really? You? Scared? Anyways I wanted to tell you this immediately"
"What's it"
"You sound in a bad mood, anything wrong?"
"No, what's the important thing"
"Evelyn almost caught up about you, so I had yo lie again that you aren't my son"
"What did you tell her this time" he asked and Hazel explained all that happened
"... I picked you from the forest and you currently live at the orphanage, that's why nobody knows you here at the mansion"
"Well you didn't actually pick me from the forest, it was at the back of your house at Bougreve, remember"
"––"
"I'm sorry, continue"
"I think she's bent on looking for you, she strongly believes you're here at Borreve"
"I think she knows I'm with you already but just trying to figure out who"