The Duke's Passion

"My lady, should I tie your hair?" 

Tilly just tilted her head to the side, blinking ever so tenderly. Since she didn't reject, Fabian thought of tying her hair. So, without a word, he stood behind her chair and gazed at her silky long hair. 

"This will be better, my lady," he said, grabbing her white hair and was surprised at how smooth and thin it was momentarily. But he didn't dwell on it as he put all her hair in one hand, before carefully tying it in a ponytail using the handkerchief. 

A satisfied smile appeared on his lips as something finally pleased him in this place. That was to see her hair leave the floor. The bell dangled down, and it rang faintly when she cocked her head back to look at him. 

"Better." His smile remained, stepping back while Tilly turned her head on the window. 

Once she saw her reflected and the bell dangled under her hair, she reached for it. For the first time, her lips stretched into a subtle smile, pleased that the bell was still ringing. 

"Tilly likes it," she whispered while poking the bell, still staring at her reflection in the window. 

"I'm glad you do." He nodded lightly, gazing down at the tip of her hair. Both of them were a little petty as she was satisfied to ring the bell, while he was satisfied that her hair doesn't sweep the floor now. 

****

After tying Tilly's hair, Fabian cleaned a few spots in the mansion before he prepared himself for his departure at dawn. Since he didn't occupy any room, he stayed in the lobby where he would usually sleep. His priority in life was that it was better to have a good night's sleep than to have money, so Fabian went to sleep early. 

Not that he slept like a log, as he was a light sleeper. But surprisingly, in this mansion, he could sleep peacefully at night even though he was sleeping on the settee in the lobby. He had also grown used to the ringing bell, so he didn't mind. But tonight was oddly strange. But that was because Tilly had the bell tied around her hair. It would only ring when she moved.

While Fabian was asleep in the lobby, he finally heard the bell ringing in the middle of the night. But he didn't open his eyes, hearing its sound come closer to where he was. 

'What is she doing here?' he wondered but didn't open his eyes despite sensing her presence in the lobby. He didn't need to see to know that she was standing not far away from him, staring at him in silence. 

Meanwhile, Tilly just stood there with her eyes fixed on the man lying on the settee. He had his arm covering his eyes, but she knew he was aware of her presence. 

"Tea," she whispered softly, eyelashes fluttering ever so tenderly. "Teach me next time."

Those were her only parting words with him as she turned around, walking away at a slow pace. With every step she took, the bell would ring softly.

As the sound of the bell faded, Fabian withdrew his arm away from his eyes and glanced up. When he could barely hear the bell, he fixed his position and stared at the dark ceiling.

"There's no next time, my lady," he uttered under his breath. "My offer already expired."

******

Tilly stood on the balcony like usual with her hand on the railing. What she said to him about the forbidden forest was a big, fat lie. The knights wouldn't just die if they stayed in the forbidden forest for a long time. But she was telling the truth that the knight would need to recover after a month. 

"Soran didn't come back," she muttered, thinking about a particular man who promised her he would visit her again and take her on an adventure. The reason she never left this place, so that Soran would find her easily since he used to stay in this mansion.

"But his kin did," Tilly added with a soft tone, smiling subtly. "Soran fulfilled his promise to Tilly."

To her, she already knew Soran would never come back. But she still waited for him because he promised her. So, Fabian's presence in this mansion already made her happy. She was a simple being and all this time, she was happy. She may not show it because she didn't know how, but she was sincerely happy to have a companion after spending a millennium of living all alone in this mansion. 

"Tilly promised one month." Tilly sat on the railings, lifting her legs up, and jumped down. The bell rang as she landed and walked towards the forest leisurely. This was the first time she would go out after centuries and her reason? To make sure Fabian would depart safely. 

**

At the entrance of the forbidden forest where knights were camping, everyone heard a distinct sound of a bell coming closer. It didn't take long when everyone's attention turned to the dark forest as the ringing grew louder as it approached. 

"Who's that?" the man who came to Tilly's mansion to arrest Fabian stood in the front with furrowed brows. His eyes dilated when a woman slinked out of the darkness. 

"Tilly?" he raised his hand to stop anyone from attacking her. "Don't do anything silly to her. She's the one who lives in that mansion."

Shock instantly dominated everyone's faces at their commander's words. Everyone knew Mathilda Grimsbanne, but no one had seen her as she never left her mansion. So, for her to come out after thousands of years... everyone was shocked.

"Tilly, what are you doing here?" asked the nobleman as he took a step forward.

"Weaken security." Tilly's reply made their brows furrow. "Tilly's guest will depart tomorrow, so Tilly wants him to depart safely."

The man knitted his brows, and this time, he took a step forward. Even though Tilly hadn't left her mansion, every noble pureblood knew how dangerous this woman was. That was why no one dared to enter the forbidden forest. It was because Tilly's last words before she lived in seclusion were... she didn't want to be disturbed. 

Everyone looked up when Tilly raised a finger. To their surprise, the entire country was now inside the bloodfield, which they called on the mainland as the devil's palm. 

"Lady Tilly," the man, who was leading the entire troop, clenched his hand. If Tilly said she would weaken the security, she would surely do it. And that means everyone's safety would be compromised. 

"We will retreat." 

"Captain!" 

"Shut up!" the noble vampire looked at Tilly straight in the eye. "I give you my word. No one will come after that intruder — I mean, your guest. They would depart this land in one piece."

Tilly blinked, as she still had no reaction. "He had a companion."

"Don't worry. We won't interfere with him or his companion."

She didn't speak anymore as she turned around and walked back to her house. All they heard was the sound of the bell ringing that was tied around her long hair with a black handkerchief that stood out because of the contrasting color.