Chapter 353: Ironic
Whenever Silas retreated or isolated himself during gatherings, it was never to make others around him comfortable. Or was it?
It was in order to find his own peace of mind, right?
Or was it simply what he’d told himself to make those occasions a smidge more bearable.
After all, what was he seeking peace of mind from? shrill giggles? uninteresting conversations? Or perhaps was it those looks people gave him? The jokes they made around him...?
Either way, if Arabella had been right about one thing, it was that their wedding night especially belonged to the two of them.
He shouldn’t have to vanish from his own wedding party in order to find comfort. Not when he was surrounded by people he truly cared for, who cared for him in return.
"I don’t want to let go of you," she whispered as a little simper adorned her face.
"Then don’t,"
The music hit all of the right beats accompanied by the hearty laughter that filled the hall as it vibrated with life.
Feet moved fast on the dance floor, following the rhythm that quickened at times then soothingly slowed down at others.
Silas and Arabella only stood out from the rest of the crowd due to their distinctive fits. Otherwise, they mingled among everyone else like they belonged... If only for that one night.
As they danced, Silas bumped into a small and warm mass that didn’t reach beyond his waist.
He immediately stopped to readjust his belt and make sure the key chain clinging to it was still there.
"Remus?" Arabella bent to meet the boy’s eyes, "Are you enjoying your time?"
The boy wiped the visible grease around his mouth and beamed, "Yes! The meat is delicious! And you look like a fairy, but I wanted to try and do what everyone is doing," his eyes flickered between all of the dancing couples.
"Oh, you would like to dance?" she seemed a little taken aback, but also quite happy about it.
"Yes, that!" he nodded profusely.
"Well, in that case," Silas stepped aside for Remus to move in front of Arabella, but right as the boy’s hand reached for hers, the vampire bent to his eye level and whispered, "But don’t even think about stealing my bride from me," his eyes had narrowed, though remained warm.
That was how Arabella knew to chuckle instead of worry. Remus, on the other hand, did not find it amusing, but perplexing instead.
His eyebrows knitted together, as he looked between Silas and Arabella who’d doubled on laughing.
"But father said he wouldn’t try to take her away anymore," he solemnly answered.
Silas straightened his stance and shook his head while walked away to give them a moment.
His hand remained on his belt, more exactly on the pendant that served as keychain from that night onward.
That was, by all accounts, something he hadn’t expected to happen. Not in a million years could Silas have predicted that Arabella would, not only, willingly separate from her mother’s pendant, but to gift him it on top of that.
That was the biggest surprise to him yet.
"Lovely, isn’t she?" Reubon’s voice was unmistakable among others.
Silas stopped in his tracks and left his mental bubble to face the man that had so openly stood against their union.
Reubon had his eyes on his daughter. The young woman’s full attention was on the little klutz that tried to put one foot in front of the other.
As one of his hands hovered protectively over the pendant, with the other, Silas crossed his fingers that Remus did not topple over and injure his bride on her wedding night.
"That was my first ever gift to my late wife, did she tell you that?" like a gritter forced upon his ears, Reubon’s voice was.
"It is a bit too late to reclaim it if that is what you wish," the vampire spared him not a glance.
"No, but I simply find it ironic, that is all," the man did not have the usual smirk when taunting. The light in his eyes seemed lost in a vast land that was as distant as his home, "It was the piece of jewelry I cherished the most among any I ever gifted her,"
"It sounds to me like you should have cherished her more instead of the jewelry, but... That is just my opinion. What would I know about keeping a woman happy?"
"I didn’t know you were capable of sarcasm. Well, no, that is not true, I did know, I simply never cared,"
Silas took a deep breath before sighing, "To answer your question, yes, she is lovely,"
By then, both men had their gazes soldered on Arabella, not caring for a second about the curious eyes that danced around them.
"Oh yes! Very lovely! That is what everyone that doesn’t truly know her thinks at first," Reubon pushed a bitter chuckle, "You’ve met her since how long now? Like two months ago?"
"And as it seems, it was enough for me to read her better than you did during the lifetime you had with her,"
That was when Silas finally turned to Reubon. His... Father in law did the same for their eyes to meet.
"Anyhow, congratulations to you. She is your problem now," he scoffed.
"Come now, Reubon, I walked under these skies for far longer than you have. Do you honestly think I can believe that coming from you? As if I would, for a second believe that you’d leave us be in peace,"
"I never said I wanted to back down but...," Reubon trailed off momentarily, "At the point where we are, things are no longer under my control, I am afraid,"
"Worry not, for I doubt anything was ever under your control," Silas paused to relish the evident pain he caused Reubon. The glare on him alone spoke volumes louder than any retort he could have ever given, "But if you’re speaking of the prince then again, worry not, we were informed of his coming a good while ago,"