SPELLBOUND

After another round of intense love making, with Vera still the one being in control, Vera finally fell asleep in Gideon's arms, sated and fully spent without an ounce of extra energy left. 

Gideon, after seeing her breathing deeply, fully asleep from fatigue, rose from the bed then took a wash basin filled with warm water and a soft towel and proceeded to silently wipe her clean. After changing the sheets with the help of his magic, he felt a presence approaching the house. Since the monsters did not make any commotion, Gideon knew it must be one of those who had been present at the scene when he had ordered the monsters not to attack them. 

Grabbing the blanket and covering Vera fully, clothes materialized over his body as he approached the door. He could already sense who the person was behind the door. 

Azrael was standing there, grinning happily at him. Somehow, his grin did not annoy Gideon as much as it usually did.

As soon as Gideon stepped out of the little house and shut the door quietly behind him, Azrael spoke. "I see that you have been having a great time, My Lord. Well, enjoy it as much as you can. I heard that this frenzy only happens once after mating is completed, so you might as well…" Azrael's teasing trailed off as Gideon stepped towards him and took the baskets of food out of his hands. 

"Is everyone still at the castle?" Gideon asked, ignoring his friend's teasing jabs as though he did not hear a thing. 

"Her Majesty, Gavrael and the light fae queen have already set off to the Great City. Kione and I will leave soon too after we escort all the vampire prisoners back to the surface." Azrael reported. "So, latest by tomorrow noon, Yryzia will be deserted. The queen had just gathered the citizens together and had given them the choice if they wanted to return with her to the Great City and become soldiers or continue to stay back in Yryzia. I don't know what the queen did, but everyone agreed just like that. Now everyone's packing to leave before journeying to the Great City." 

Gideon leaned against the door. "Those dark faes had always wanted to go back. They've been exiled for far too long. No one wanted to reject such a good opportunity that would allow them to be able to leave a prison."

"They're going to be sent to the frontlines though." Azrael commented.

"Doesn't matter to them. Being imprisoned in Yryzia for too long have made them realised how purposeless their lives were. So being asked to fight for a purpose was definitely going to rile them up. Dark faes have always been much more patriotic to their land rather to their rulers. If the queen had mentioned the issue where the entire Under Lands is in danger, it would not be hard to have them all drop their grudges and return to fight for the land." 

"Well, you're right. I also realised this was actually the queen's aim of coming here – aside from checking on you – to have all these outlaws to follow her. She had come here with the intentions of recruiting them back as additional forces to defend the Great City."

"You should've known that the queen will never leave empty handed whenever she has set her mind to something that she wants." Gideon commented offhandedly, knowing the personality and how his own queen mother works. 

"So you saw this coming too?" Azrael lifted his brow.

"Kind of. I was sure that mother will take interest in the Yryzians once she saw them. They're a force to be reckoned with and once she sees their real numbers, she'd definitely think it'd be such a waste to let them stay here, being of no use and rotting, when they should be at the front lines." Gideon shrugged as he said that.

"I see… so she's just decided to take them after seeing their numbers. Our sly queen is at it again, I see. I can't help but wonder how the king's face will look like when he sees his wife coming home with an army of outlaws trooping behind her." Azrael laughed then abruptly, he became serious. "By the way, just a question before I go, Gideon. What is the matter with Gavrael? Has the devil sprout been reduced to becoming just a vampire now like the queen? What exactly has happened to his dark magic? I don't know why everyone seems unbothered by this. Even the queen seems to be turning a blind eye to it. But I can't help but think more into this. This seems to feel as though the prince had gone back to that time when he was the weakest dark fae in the entire land again."

Gideon looked down and his gaze just settled at the baskets near his feet for a long while. 

"You don't need to be bothered about him." was all her said, causing Azrael to crease his brows. Then he picked the baskets up before turning to the door.

"Wait, Gideon, what do you even mean by that? I'm just a bit worried that he feels so powerless right now. If something happens and the monsters strikes us again, I don't think his raw vampire abilities will be enough to protect himself. That's why I was wondering if you were going to tell me and Kione to look out for him while you're here." Azrael said and Gideon just stood there, still and unmoving. "Even if you act like you don't care, I know you still care for your brother like you used to when we're children so if you –" 

"Azrael." Gideon cut him off as he looked over his shoulder. There was a peculiar look in his eyes now. "If I say you don't need to bother about him, then don't. Gav's the very last person in this realm that you should be worrying about." He said mysteriously and then he entered the house, closing the door firmly behind him. He left Azrael standing there, speechless.. That was the first time he had heard Gideon calling his brother using that nickname in a very long time since that day he started to become cold to him.