The ride back to the castle was relatively quiet, peaceful even. Keeping on the country side for their return. The only sounds breaking the silence was the soft hum of the car and Grivei's occasional panting or huffs. As well as Milli's soft coo's to him, her hand almost always staying buried in his fur.
The sun was setting as the car screeched to a halt in front of the stairs leading up to the entrance, as usual. Though Sebastian made no effort in getting out, knocking on the glass and sliding it open just barely.
"Apologies, King Dorian, but so long as that dog is in vicinity I will be unable to attend all of my usual duties." Sebastian's eyes flickered from Dorian, down to the dog in the seat closest behind him.
Grivei lifted his head, catching Sebastian's scent through the crack in the dividing glass. Sticking his about to the crack, he huffed out a low growl.
Sebastian backed his head away, as best he could. "Even some werewolves still have trouble with my kind, and most of them have intellectual brains to comprehend... Most. Animals are purely primal." Milli pulled Grivei away from the window, scolding him softly.
"No worries, Sebastian. Wouldn't want you to become his new chew toy." Dorian laughed, reachin for the cars handle.
Milli's eyes fastened to Dorian. "Grivei wouldn't do that!" She argued, though there was a wave of uncertainty.
Nemia stretched her arm across the car and placed a hand gently on Milli's knee. "It's better to be safe than sorry. Keeps the accidents down to a minimum." Nemia offered softly and Milli sagged her shoulders, looking over at Grivei who was still staring intently through the glass at Sebastian.
"Maybe you're right. He isn't used to being around this type of... Crowd." She worded carefully.
Nemia and Dorian both nodded firmly. Dorian stepped out of the back first, Nemia filling closely behind. Milli jumped out next with Grivei following shortly after one last growl to the glass between him and Sebastian.
The three of them gathering the two garbage bags, Milli's duffle bag and dog food, and the plant Julia has mentioned out of the large trunk. Dorian smacked the top as the trunk slammed shut, signalling to Sebastian they were done. Nemia could just barely see his hand raise from withing the blacked out windows of the car before he slowly started to drive off. Milli holding Grivei's collar in her hand as he done so so the dog wouldn't attempt to give chase.
Nik was opening the door for them just as they finished climbing the steps and took one of the garbage bags out of Nemia's hand, stopping their process of actually entering the castle.
"You're going to need to give better time frames next time, Julia's not happy that the couple hours turned into the whole evening." Nik seemed to finally notice the blood that still caked Nemia and what was on Milli, which by now was officially not actively bleeding. "Oh and you're covered in blood. Wonderful." Nik half laughed.
He glanced over at Dorian and shook his head. "Yet you look pristine. Don't tell me you let her do all the fighting." Humor lit his eyes and Dorian scrunched his face and mocked him.
"If she would've let me, I would be covered in the assholes blood myself." He slid a glance over at Nemia and she watched him intently, raising her brows to see what he would say next. Dropping the other bag on the ground and placing her hands on her hips.
"Uh... But she clearly has it under control. Perp is heading to the shifters prison by now." He changed course, snapping his eyes back to Nik though she noted the hint of fear in his eyes as he done so.
"Ah, so a new visitor to the Vârcolaci Vault then. I'll look into it later then. But first, let's get yo-"
"Nemia! What in the hell?!?" Julia exclaimed suddenly, who had just peaked around from behind Nik. Obviously curious who was at the door. Pushing herself past Nik now. Her eyes wide, looking over Nemia's current state.
"Well, scratch that I suppose." Nik huffed, reaching down past Julia and grabbing the other bag Nemia had dropped.
Dorian laughed softly stepping over and reached up with the free hand, patting his shoulder. "I think she honestly senses her presence at any point in time. You couldn't have stopped this."
Nemia looked over Julia's head at the two of them, a questioning look in her eyes but Julia demanded her attention, snapping her slender fingers in Nemia's face. "I need answers, miss."
Nemia sighed, letting her eyes rest on Julia. Attempting to smile light-heartedly but knew it resembled more of a grimace. "I'm fine Julia. Just ran across a few hiccups is all."
"And please do tell. I'd love to know what excursion caused... This." The haughtiness was evident in Julia's voice just as her noses turned up with disgust at the dried blood. Taking the same hand she used to snap in her face and pinched her ratty shirt, lifting it between two fingers.
"Well... This happened at the office. Long story, kinda weird." Nemia scrunched her face and Milli let out a laugh.
"Yeah, kinda weird is one way to describe it. Do you really think he could ever be trusted? I mean, Nemia, he attacked us unprovoked claiming he just wanted to see your strength after it was all said and done with." Milli chided in and Nemia closed her eyes.
Julia turned to Milli. "Trust? Nemia doesn't just trust." Julia muttered plainly and Nemia could sense the shift in Milli. Opening her eyes, she seen Milli cast her gaze down and shut her mouth. Stepping away from the two.
Nemia's eyes softened slightly. "I think it's worth hearing him out after he's had time to think about things in the Vault." She guided her answer to Milli, causing Julia's eyes to snap back to Nemia's.
"Since when do you listen first?" Julia looked almost offended. "Someone attacked you, you've killed for less reasons. Why does this random person suddenly deserve your mercy?"
Suddenly, everyone was looking at Nemia, waiting for her answer. Dorian included even though she had already told him the basics of what happened. Milli was there but even she didn't understand Nemia's actions.
"Because for the first time, someone gave me an honest answer that revolved around me. Out of the three of you, who knew the prophecy pertaining to this damned mark?" She pointed at Julia, Nik and Dorian. Eyeing each one of them as she done so, leaving Milli out of it for this moment. Highly doubting she knew anything about it in general.
All three of them opened their mouths in unison and shut them in just the same fashion. "Yeah, that's what I thought." Nemia muttered softly, looking away from all of them for a moment.
"Nemia.." Julia started first.
"I was trying to find the right time." Dorian started softly.
Nemia's eyes popped open, landing on Dorian. "The right time should've been when you noticed the mark for what it is. When I stated over and over again that I had no clue what the hell it was, or what I even am."
Dorian's eyes cast down to the floor then, a pain deep within them. She could tell he honestly felt bad for not mentioning it sooner but that was the point. He hadn't mentioned it and instead, a stranger to her spot it out word for word at her simple order to.
"Yeah... That's what I thought." She didn't hide the hurt in her voice, but let him hear it. Feel it. Just like she got to. Her eyes focused then on Julia. "And you. The one person that I would trust with my life. How long have you known it? How many times did you stare at the mark, knowing what it was and how much I didn't know of it, but neglected to ever say a word?"
Julia chewed on her lip and continued to stare at the ground. "How long, Julia?" She pressed softly.
She finally lifted her eyes to Nemia's and tears were already welling up in the corners of them. "I've always known. Your mom... She wanted you to live a life that wasn't filled with the prophecy. She wanted you to get to be a normal child." Nemia stepped back, further away from Julia. Unable to believe what she was hearing.
"I was there, in her last moments and your first. A family who was to young to know the prophecy took you. I kept tabs, watching you grow from a distance. The minute that disaster struck, I knew. I rushed to the council to claim you then so you could be with me after that. But in honor of your mother's dying wishes, I kept my knowledge hidden." Julia's voice was shaking and stressed with the tears clogging her throat.
"H-how.. how could you?" Nemia whispered, the hurt lacing her voice with betrayal mixing in.
"It was your mother's wishes Nemia, I couldn't... I.." Julia stepped toward her and Nemia immediately stepped back again to keep the distance. Julia's face was wrapped in regretful sorrow, but Nemia could care less. Julia deserved it, in her eyes.
"And what good did that do?" A low growl gripped her voice. "You've had nearly all of the answers to my questions this entire time, but because of a dead woman's wish.... You kept them from me. Julia, I trusted you." Nemia's anger rose, then fell just at the end. Her voice breaking with the last sentence.
"You still can, Nem. I'll tell you everything now. I swear." Julia attempted to take another step but Nemia still mirrored to continue distancing herself and shook her head softly.
"But I can't..." Nemia replied brokenly, then sped around Julia. Pushing past Dorian and Nik who was hovering around the front door and up the flights of stairs. Locking herself in the room the only private room she knew that was now deemed Dorian's sisters room. That didn't matter right now. She just needed to be alone. Her resolve breaking as a hand clutched at her chest, trembling and her knees buckling under the weight of grief. Sliding down the door and dissolving into tears.