The hum of the wind outside ceased as a servant wearing the black and red uniform closed the door behind Iris. His eyes not matted over by empty thoughts.


    "Master! Oh, how I yearned to bow to your glorious presence since the moment I laid my unworthy eyes upon thee." Umbria''s long white hair spun in the hair as she turned on her heel, her knees jerking back and forward unsure how she should greet Kia, resulting in the vampire standing in the narrow corridor of a manor house awkwardly. "Is there anything you wish of me, oh The Lord of Hollow Thrones?"


    Kia blinked at the overly theatrical greeting, her cold expression unchanging while Iris observed the gathered staff mirroring their mistress, unsure if they should prostrate themselves in front of Kia or continue in their duties. The ancient necromancer took a slow step forward in her tall black leather boots, tilting her head slightly as she studied Umbria’s erratic movements.


    "Hello." Kia lifted her hand in what was meant to be a wave but, at the last second, hesitated and pulled it closer to her chest.


    Umbria’s eyes flickered with uncertainty before she stiffly lifted her own hand, fingers curling slightly as she attempted to mimic Kia’s gesture. For a moment, the two stared at each other, hands half-raised in a mutual display of social confusion. The silence stretched. Iris coughed.


    Umbria, sensing that a greeting should still conclude with proper deference, bent at the waist sharply, too sharply before jerking upright again as if second-guessing herself mid-motion. Kia’s gaze lingered on the floundering vampire before she finally turned slightly as a warm hand rested on her shoulder.


    “I wish to know if my adjustment has worked.” Kia stated plainly, her voice soft but unwavering. Yet to the elf, it sounded more like the quite concerned voice Kia spoke in after a battle, mending hoplite''s wounds.


    The vampire’s crimson eyes widened. “Oh, Master, your divine touch has changed me in ways I never thought possible!” She clasped her hands together, standing at attention as if awaiting a divine decree. Then, as if realizing what Kia meant, she suddenly gasped and spun on her heel. "I-I must show you at once!” With unnatural speed and grace, the dignified noble sprinted out of sight.


    Karol the tall imposing vampire extended his hand forward and a short while later, they stumbled upon the bloodsucker in a kitchen, a basket of deep red apples hooked under her arm.


    "Apples." Despite Kia''s age, the suspenders holding up her long dress and keeping her white shirt tucked in, made her appear girly as she pranced toward the basket fishing out one of the red orbs. An audible crunch sounded as she bit into the sweet fruit causing the red-eyed vampire to follow.


    "Hmmm," Iris could see Umbria''s mind working on something, a question which on multiple occasions almost left her mouth before having to be stuffed back in by the mellow gaze of two differently coloured eyes. "I have to confess I had forgotten how good eating something solid feels like."


    "Another one?" The risen leaning against the door frame, straightened as the girl offered an apple to Umbria. Yes, technically the apple was Umbria''s from the beginning but rarely did Kia care about stuff like that, regarding everything that could be eaten as fair game.


    "Thank you Master but..." Umbria''s hand brushed against her long straight hair before taking the apple offered to her, holding it with reverence reserved for a relic rather than a common apple.


    "Sit." The ancient ordered pointing at the kitchen island before she pushed a chair and stood up on it. "Say ahhh." She said before Umbria could swallow.


    "Ahhh." The vampire bashfully complied as the staff quickly vacated from a single glance she made at them.


    "Harbinger, what is Master doing?" Karol leaned his torso and whispered in Iris''s ear all while Kia stuck her thumb in Umbria''s mouth, prying it open and looking inside.


    "No idea." She replied but before her mind came to the conclusion she should stop Kia, the mage stopped nodding to herself.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    "Good, good. I was a bit worried I might have made a mistake."


    "Preposterous, Master can''t make mistakes," Umbria who appeared in a strange uplifted mood replied before cutting herself off. "I see."


    "See what?" Kia asked as she jumped off the chair.


    "Nothing, Master." A knowing smile adorned the pale face of the leech vampire causing the ancient to grow further confused.


    "Is your domain in good order?" Kia asked eventually.


    "Yes Master, I had made drastic changes after your inspection to the way your subjects are organised and the way they interact with my mortal stock. Making sure that upon your next visit, I will have nothing to be ashamed of." Umbria answered staring at the shorter undead like a fawn waiting for their mother''s attention. "I promoted Marleen as my regent in lieu of keeping her position looking temporary. I don''t want any fledgling vampire thinking they can ignore the rules because I''m not there to enforce them. I''m confident that during my absence nothing bad will happen to the domain." She summarized. "I know that Master has a reason for being here, and I''m glad something I owned was used in your marvelous plans. But may I ask, what is Master''s objective in participating in tomorrow''s tournament? If it is to receive a challenge, humans are not a race I would look to."


    "...It sounds like fun." The ancient answered and by the way she pressed her back to Iris, the elf realised how tense the seemingly calm girl was. "While you here... hiiiiide race...plan." A series of yawns made Kia hard to hear.


    "I think we should retire for the night." Iris voiced causing the focused Umbria to stop staring at the girl.


    "There is no need for you Harbinger to carry Master all the way back to the Academy. The manor house has plenty of empty bedrooms and the master bedroom is unoccupied since don''t need to sleep," Umbria said, trying to sway the risen. "The air here in the green expanse between Oriripol and the outer wall is fresher than one in the city. I think the change of scenery will benefit Master, especially before her competition."


    Looking down at Kia who latched onto her body, Iris nodded at the bloodsucker and before long she was standing with Kia in a bedroom with a bed rivaling their one in the academy with a soft fluff-filled mattress.


    "Warm." The ice cold Sleepiycu melted into the soft mattress and Iris touched it experimentally while looking at Umbria.


    "I took the liberty of asking the staff to heat up coals and put them under the bed here." The woman walked over and with the tip of her heeled shoe gently kicked it causing the iron pan to ring out. "This is no magical rune, but this house was built for visiting nobility so it has luxuries like this."


    Between the mattress and the floor, there were brick oven-like walls with a thick metal slit in the side where an iron pan filled with embers and hot coals was slotted in, causing the metal to quickly absorb the heat before slowly heating up the brick alongside the bed.


    Due to her race, Iris couldn''t feel the heat permeating her hand and was left with listening to the bloodsucker all while memories of sleeping in the cold periodically appeared in her mind. Later on while the kitten next to her cooed sweetly, the elf answered questions Umbria asked about their travel since leaving Firmusa.


    The vampire''s reaction seemed familiar as she stared at them with an unbelievable expression which Iris must have been making anytime Kia did something unthinkable.


    No wonder she likes to show off.


    Iris thought as a smile appeared on her face. Her tales were cut shorter into brief overviews as the cooing behind her turned into inpatient purrs and two pale hands wrapped around her neck.


    The door clicked with a metallic ring and the undead hoplite felt Kia pulling her into the warm covers.


    "You did well trying to speak to Umbria, today." The elf whispered as the heat parasite''s hands meandered on her back.


    "?" Kia tried to speak before being silenced by Iris placing a finger on her lips.


    "Your muscles were stiff as a rock and I could feel your thoughts through our link. Couldn''t tell you what they were but I had a feeling of having been marching through tall snow since Umbria found us." Iris''s forehead met Kia''s and the elf couldn''t stop herself from cupping the mage''s cheek.


    "I did that on accident, I wanted to know if my spell worked but it felt awkward not saying things before or after."


    Iris chuckled softly, her fingers tracing absentminded circles against Kia’s cheek. “Saying things before or after. That’s called conversation, kitten. But also you can’t just pry someone’s mouth open and inspect them like an old book without at least pretending to care about their feelings.”


    Kia blinked, considering the words as she nestled closer, her body relaxing against the warmth of the bed and her Favourite. “But I did care… I think.”


    The elf’s lips quirked up. “You’re getting there, little by little.”


    A soft hum left Kia’s throat, somewhere between agreement and drowsiness. Her grip on Iris loosened slightly, though her hands remained hooked onto the risen’s tunic as if ensuring she wouldn’t vanish overnight.


    Iris allowed the silence to stretch, listening to the faint crackle of coals beneath the bed and the quiet rustle of fabric as Kia shifted. Then, just as she thought the girl had finally drifted off, a small voice spoke against her collarbone.


    “Iris?”


    “Hmm?”


    “I don’t like talking to other undead.” The admission was quiet, hesitant. It wasn’t often Kia voiced her feelings so plainly.


    Iris exhaled, her fingers carding through strands of silken black hair. “I know.” She answered in a brief way, trying to pull more answers from Kia by offering an empty space she could fill.


    Kia’s breathing remained steady, but her fingers curled slightly against the fabric of Iris’s tunic. “But I don’t think I hate it as much if you are close."


    Iris let a slow, warm chuckle escape her lips. “That’s because I’m your safety blanket.” She murmured, brushing her thumb against the back of Kia’s hand.


    The necromancer didn’t respond right away, but the way she pressed her forehead against Iris’s collarbone, her grip tightening just slightly, spoke louder than words.


    "You are."


    Iris let her eyes drift shut, feeling the girl’s presence press into her like the weight of a cat seeking warmth. The steady rise and fall of Kia’s chest signalled that sleep was finally claiming her.


    Iris stayed awake a little longer, letting the cold seep into her bones. In the dim glow of her night vision with the kitten curled against her side and a soft, rare sense of peace settling over them, she thought that maybe just maybe Kia was her gift from the heavens.