Zero didn't stay idle in Grimsbanne and left even though he had a long, arduous journey here. It was expected because staying longer just to humor wouldn't benefit him at all. He wasn't a fool. I might've rattled him, but Zero was soone who would get back on his feet like an undead.
"The undead… that is his cards." My eyes sharpened, caressing a rose petal in the garden. "I heard so neighboring kingdoms agreed to be absorbed by the Great Heart empire. How smooth."
"Zero and his allied kingdoms are still resisting him from moving forth," Klaus added as he stopped several steps away from . "His Majesty of the Spade Kingdom left Grimsbanne with his remaining knights. We already planted a shadow to keep an eye on him."
I nodded in acknowledgnt. "They should be careful. We had lost many people in that foreign land."
"And he had lost a lot of people coming in here." He remarked.
"But that is not enough to honor their deaths, Klaus. If they killed ten of my n, I'll take a hundred."
"Your Grace, we need more manpower. Slaughtering everyone now will only benefit Stefan."
I remained silent, plucking out a petal from the rose. "You're right. It is better to take them all out all at once. Taking them one by one is only fun but exhausting."
There was a mont of silence between Klaus and . Slowly, I turned and faced him, scanning him in a knight suit. Never in my wildest imagination that Klaus would be soone, I would rely on in important things — I never even imagined that we would have this kind of relationship.
"After Sam's death, you took an oath to live and die for ," I murmured, as I never had this talk with him. "Did you take that oath because I was your beloved brother's wife, or was it because of vengeance?"
Klaus stared at in the eye. "Both… initially. You are soone whom Hell protected and died for. I didn't want his death to be in vain."
"Initially…?" I cocked my head to the side. "How about now?"
"I will live and die for you, Your Grace." He asserted with determination and sincerity in his eyes. "Vengeance is also sothing I always seek, but after being at your service, my personal grudge didn't matter. All I seek is your own peace."
"Peace… I am already at peace, Klaus."
"Peace of mind is what I an, Your Grace."
His answer made quirk a brow before I nodded in understanding. "I didn't expect that." I continued to walk in the garden while he walked behind .
Klaus disliked at first, he made sure I knew that. However, he was also soone who was indebted to Sam. The only reason I took him with seven months ago was that I knew Sam was fond of him.
Back in Cunningham, Sam fed him and my husband got scolded by because of the state of his arm. I didn't realize back then that Sam let Klaus feed on him because his brother needed his blood. Of course, there were more reasons behind it, but that was one of them.
Now that everything was said and done, Klaus was now the chief knight of the knight brigade. He had sullied his hands for , executed all my orders without questions asked, slaughtered those who opposed , and just beca… my personal hellhound.
"My influence wouldn't be this big if not for your help, Klaus." I broke the silence, staring at the beds of flowers surrounding us. "And you hadn't taken a single day off since we arrived in here. Don't you want to rest before our plans start moving?"
"The closer your plans approach, the more we should raise our guards."
"But don't you miss Claude?" Slowly, I turned around to face him. "He had been in the Capital all this ti. Knowing that you're the one who stood as a father figure to him, I'm certain you're also worried about the child."
Klaus gazed down with a bitter smile on his lips. Just seeing his reaction was enough for to know that he had loved Claude as his own. Their relationship might be a little strange, but one thing was for sure. Claude and Klaus respected each other and see each other as family.
"Claude will be alright. He might be a child on the outside, but he is smart — smarter than I am. I can reunite with him next ti." He slowly raised his gaze back at , sporting a weak smile. ", worrying about him, will be an insult to a man."
"Haha. Considering him as a man…" I averted my eyes away from him and turned around, resuming in my stride. "… he is the bearer of Auron, after all. He wouldn't refuse my offer on coming in here if he knew he wouldn't survive the palace."
That was correct. I offered Claude to co with , but alas, he refused. Now that I thought about it, I was uncertain if he refused because he liked the Capital, or because of what I said that ti.
As the silence enveloped us, it brought back to my last mory with Claude…
***
Before I left the palace, I visited Claude in his chambers. My reason was not because I wanted to take him back with . It was sothing else.
"Auntie Lilove, are you really leaving?" he asked, staring at , who sat from across him. "It is not good to travel during winter."
A weak smile resurfaced on my lips, staring at his adorable face. I raised my hand over the table, extending my arm, and laid my palms open.
"Hold Auntie Lilou, Claude." I requested, which he did without a second hesitation. My fingers wrapped around his small and soft hands while I stared at them.
"You have such soft hands. I feel like the calluses on my palm will hurt you."
"Auntie Lilove's hands are warm. They won't hurt Claude." He offered an adorable grin, trying to cheer up as I gazed back up at him.
"Claude, do you love Auntie Lilou?" I asked, getting a nod from him imdiately.
My smile remained as another wave of silence ensued. Claude blinked innocently, staring back at . When I opened my mouth and spoke, his brows furrowed.
"Auntie?"
"I heard you can stop the ti, Claude," I repeated and squeezed his hand lightly. "If you can manipulate ti, can you reverse ti where Sam was alive?"
"Auntie…"
"Can you do that for Auntie Lilou?" I wasn't thinking when I asked him this, but I was desperate. "I can't accept your uncle Sam's death, Claude. So if you can reverse the ti where he is still alive, can you do that so we can save him?"
Claude pressed his lips together while staring at apologetically. "My ability can barely stop the ti, Auntie. However, stopping the ti also stops my heart."
"How long will it stop if you reverse the ti?"
"Auntie… stopping ti and reversing it are two different things. Even if I die, I can't bring back the dead." Claude gazed down dejectedly, hurt by my insensitivity. "Will you tell to die if sacrificing my life can reverse the ti?"
"I…" My breath hitched as his question was akin to a slap back to reality. I hung my head low, withdrawing my hand from him.
"I'm sorry," I said under my breath. "Auntie Lilou is not thinking straight."
"Auntie, I'm sorry too because I can't do what you want to do."
And we spent the remaining ti together in silence. After that, I proposed to him to co to Grimsbanne, but he refused.. I respected his decision and never heard a word from him again.
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