break; a.v. [ hiatus | rewriting ]

chapter xiii

Jane had followed him around the whole day, but that wasn't really a bother to either one. Despite Jane being older than by thousands of years, she was still a young girl. The two giggled in the garden's as they took silly photos together. They glittered, and danced, and played, and enjoyed the company of the other. Apollo had made a mental note to drag Alec out of court someday soon. Perhaps they could go play video games or something together. Jane seemed happy to have the day off. Apollo had noticed during his time there, that if it wasn't an excessively important day at court the twins were always the first ones to be given easy chores that allowed them to leave for a bit. It was good. They were permanently thirteen, and shouldn't be kept in court for long.

"You know that everyone here likes you a lot, caraide. You brighten the place." Jane's smile turned serious as the two started to walk the garden in silence. She was a beautiful young girl, and looked so much nicer when she smiled, but she had been hardened through the years.

"You give me too much credit." He gently smiled watching them walk in step. Apollo was taller than her by at least a foot and had shortened his steps so she wasn't running to keep up with him. She stared up at him with worried eyes, making the guilt sink deeper. If only he could just be happy here, like everyone else. Perhaps this was a sign that there should be one less vampire. Jane let out a gentle sigh, and slowly her right hand grasped his left. Older vampires, he found, mostly breathe to allow others to let them know how they're feeling. Most lose the habit after one or two years.

They strolled silently, hand in hand, through the gardens. He wasn't exactly sure when it happened but soon his mind was flooded with Aro, and the icy-hot feeling. He wondered if perhaps they were connected. Perhaps, if he was lucky, Marcus would talk to him about his relationship bond with Aro. Maybe he could clear a few things up. However, he didn't really know the man. He was kind, but they've never gotten pass having a simple conversation over a book they had both read when they happened to be walking the same direction in the hallway. His thumb subconsciously rubbed the knuckles of Jane's small hand. Her hand was too small, too soft. Her hand didn't have the strong veins running through her hands like Aro's. Didn't have the slight feeling of bone poking him. Her hand wasn't Aro's and he couldn't help, but feel upset about that. About Aro not being the one to walk around in the garden, to not be the one holding hand, to not be the one touching him.

He has a wife.

The sharp thought cut through the daydream that was starting to form in his mind: him and Aro walking amongst the flowers, smiling as they talked about everything and nothing. Nothing could ever happened. From what he's heard Sculpicia was a wonderful woman, who was nice, and selfless, and so much more. Aro deserved someone like that. He deserved someone so much better than he would ever be.

"Jane?" As he heard his own voice out loud, it made him want to never speak again, and go hide in a cave for all of eternity. He sounded so boken, and in love. Which he wasn't of course, his rationality butted in. How could he have fallen in love with someone he's only be talking to on a daily based for little more than two weeks?

"Yes?" She turned her head from a flower she twirled in between her fingers. She was too sweet and beautiful for such a gruesome gift, and such sadistic tendencies.

"What," He hesitated. Was he ready for what he could hear? "What is Sulpicia like?"

"Oh, um, she's very kind to the guard, always willing to help us. However, she's often in her tower, so there's not much she can do. She's tried to take a motherly role in my and Alec's life, but no one could replace our mother." Jane smiled softly and looked back to the flower she held oh-so carefully.

"Would you like to talk about her?" Apollo tilted his head to peer down at the girl, who simply nodded not taking her eyes away from the flower. He gently guided her to a bench that was conveniently placed near by under a large shade tree.

"She was always very kind. Our father wouldn't be considered nice in any meaning of the word. He often gambled, or slept with women in our village, yet our mother stayed. She knew if she left he would hurt us. He most likely sell us for an extra bit of money." Jane gave a humorless chuckle as the flower in her hands started to feel the strength the small girl held within her, "I used to cook with her. She would get me the small wooden stool and would let me add the herbs. Alec used to pout because she wouldn't cook with her, despite it being a woman's chore he always used to beg to join in, but father's would've been angry if he found out. She died right before." The smile that had taken her face he turned sour, "She was a witch, as well it seemed. Who knew being about to help your sick child with a bit of ginger would make someone a witch." The flower in her hand was entirely destroyed. Apollo laid his arm over her shoulder allowing her to hug him, which she did. Her small arms wrapped around his middle and he enveloped her in a warm, loving hug. Anyone watching the scene would've been taken back to seeing one of the most powerful vampires in the world dry sobbing on the chest of a newborn vampire who had become so close to her in a matter of months, yet here they sat. Each one helping the other. Reminding them there is more to life than the past, and their own emotions. That sometimes you don't need to live for yourself, but for someone else.