BLOODY LOVE'S
Episode 186's

Renata felt her stomach stirring. He thought all the chaos would end once Marco returned and took control, but his conjecture was wrong. They still have to go through trouble for the sake of trouble.

There was never any calm in this house, he thought.

They are gathered in Jose's room now: he, Marco, Rolan, also Maria. Nolan was still sleeping in his room on the west wing, unperturbed by the commotion on the east wing.

Renata woke up as soon as he heard the sound of people running across the front of his room. Without wasting any time she immediately grabbed the coat to cover her sleeping gown, then hurriedly followed the two maids. While running out of the room, he grabbed a fruit knife at the table and hid it in the sleeve of his coat, just in case it was faced with the worst situation. But there is no enemy. George informs him that Jose is ill and is currently being treated by Doctor Rolan.

Renata was asked to return to his room, and he replied with a sharp shot. No one had the right to tell her to go back to her room when her son was sick. So here he is, noticing how the traces of blood soaking into Jose's white bed and shirt were cleaned and replaced by servants.

It's four o'clock in the morning, it's too early for breakfast. But the waiter had brought him nutritious warm food and drinks for Jose to eat to restore his strength.

"It's hard for me to eat when you see it this way" Jose said in an attempt to drive everyone away.

No one is leaving.

"It's just an ordinary nosebleed. I'm just cold" Jose explained. A black knitting scarf wrapped around his neck. Because no one wanted to go or turn away, he gave up and began to eat his food starting from onion soup which was still hot. "Lately the air has been very cold" he said as soon as the bowl of soup was empty. "And my bedroom window was open all night. Fireplace off. Maybe that's why I'm a nosebleed."

Renata frowned. "You used to curl up for hours in your snow house when you were a kid. After that you're fine, never a nosebleed."

"That was a small time" said Jose calmly. He tilted his head to look at Rolan. "I'm okay, aren't I, Uncle? No injuries or anything?"

Rolan nodded at Renata. "He's okay, brother."

They all lied to him, Renata knew that. Even though the hue of Jose's face had returned and ate it voraciously, he knew his son was clearly not okay. But not wanting to argue in front of the guests, he pretended to budge.

Renata returns to her room, but accidentally waits beside the door. Both of his ladies he told me to stay away. Rolan will follow him to make sure things go, he memorized the habits of his sister.

Five minutes later the door slid open inside. Rolan stepped out unaware of Renata's whereabouts. As soon as the door leaf closed in a soft valve sound, Renata pulled her sister's arm to the side and whispered quickly, "I can't wait anymore, Rolan."

Waiting was not just a necessary skill as a noblewoman, waiting was their weapon. Even predators need to wait for the right time to pounce on their prey. Renata knows how to wait, only this time he won't.

"If you don't tell me what really happened and what made Jose that way, I'll be mad!" Renata's eyeballs glinted full of earnestness. "Tell me what happened!"

Rolan frowned. "Then you know what you're going to do, brother? Put him in the room? Lock it in a glass cabinet?" His brown eyes stared intently. "Jose knows what he's doing. He's no longer the four-year-old you need to protect."

"You want to be four years or forty, he's still my son" Renata said coldly. "And I need to know what she's going through, as well as what she's going through and will be dealing with."

"If she decides not to tell you, why don't you try to trust her and let her decide?" Rolan grabbed both of Renata's hands and summed them up in a warm grasp. "He's fine. Trust me."

Renata does not believe. He knew that Rolan was lying to him.

***

"That's because you're physically exhausted, right?" ask Maria. She sat across from Jose, wearing a thick coat to cover the nightgown she was wearing. Mary did not sleep in the guest room, but rather in one of the main rooms in the east wing, therefore she knew the commotion. His blue eyes were watching Jose's face critically. "You go back and forth to another world. I told you, there'll be a reward."

"I didn't go there on purpose" Jose said tiredly. His view turned to Marco. "The river is sacred. I agree Uncle Rolan, Sir William probably did make the undead for a mission— maybe take the necklace. Maybe he thinks his necklace is in Ashington Castle."

"It was there at first" said Marco.

"Yes, and Nolan found him and brought him here. But Sir William didn't know that until a while ago" Jose said. "Therefore he still made the undead, still made Gladys .. he could not cross over, therefore experimented making corpse slaves."

"I think so too." Marco nodded. "You said the voices you heard were asking you to take someone across. I remember what Nolan's dream was. He dreams of seeing Arabella in the river."

"Maybe it's a clue" Jose said. "I thought of dragging Sir William down the river and drowning him there. Maybe it could return him to another realm." He thought of a corpse that looked like Nolan, a corpse that disappeared in a river. Jose raised his face. "By the way, Uncle did allow Nolan to call Uncle's first name?"

"He was very brave" said Maria, who had changed his view of Nolan upon hearing what the girl had experienced in the castle tower as well as how Nolan saved Marco and chose to go North instead of home and hide in his house in the South. Despite still disliking Nolan's demeanor, he acknowledged the girl's determination and loyalty. That's how women should be, she thought, full of integrity.

His eyes now turned from Jose to Marco. "I can see that you already have a plan, my lord," he said in a polite, interested tone. "And I still always think, I can make myself useful."

"You don't have to use a polite tone when you talk to me." Marco raised one of his silver eyebrows. "And just being here is very useful. Thanks to your courage in direct confrontation with him, we know that Sir William is very careful with you. With your body, exactly. He doesn't want any defects in you. Maybe he's afraid that if you get hurt then there will be some kind of rejection reaction when Arabella's soul is put into you."

Maria shook her head. "He's already here, inside me. Still in part, but I feel she's getting stronger .. Maybe that eclipse will lock her soul in here .. drive me away."

"We will move as soon as possible, Marry" said Jose. He finished his breakfast. The hue on the man's face had already returned, making him no longer look pale. "I'm sure once the magic cluster is destroyed, you'll be able to get out of here and take refuge outside Bjork. Maybe you can get out of Albion, evacuate first to another country. To the Scots, maybe. Lady Chantall can help."

Maria laughs. "Then who's guaranteed he won't come after me?"

"Me" said Jose firmly. His eyes glinted full of seriousness. "I'm gonna drag him back to hell."

He was serious, Maria realized. He will do it even if it will do him harm.

Jose's sincerity touched him. But Mary did not want to run away like a coward and let others protect her. She doesn't want to be a flower in the greenhouse.

"You must understand I mean, my lord," Maria turned back to Marco, managing to make herself neither squeak nor tremble. His voice was calm and controlled. After counting in his heart, on the count of three he continued, "You know I want to fight, not just defend. You know best how I feel now."

I hope Marco understands. They both run out of time. They share the same fate, the same uneasiness, the uneasiness of the uncertainty that lurks their souls.

Marco returned Maria's gaze just as seriously, then nodded. "Actually, I have a plan for you. That's if you're willing."

"Marry" whispered Jose. The man shook his head slowly, pleading. "Don't."

Mary did not look at Jose. He nodded firmly. "I'm ready."

"You haven't even heard what the plan is!" jose protest. "At least ask first and make sure whether it is dangerous or not, the risk level. Don't buy a cat in a sack!"

Marco smiled slightly. He lifted his body, followed by Mary. "We better talk in my study, young lady. Let Jose rest."

"I don't need Isti—" Jose was just about to get up, but already staggered down onto the sofa. Face confused. He tried to get up again, but failed. "What ...?"

Mary looked at the man worriedly. "You sick?"

Marco laughing. "That's what happens when you upset Rolan. He must be tired of seeing you back and forth challenging danger like a bored boy living."

Ah, it's because of Doctor Rolan's medicine. Maria is feeling better now. He was worried that Jose was paralyzed or that his condition was worsening.

"Just calm down, you'll recover in an hour or two" Marco calmed down. "Rolan will be back in a few minutes, and I'll have Gerald standing by the door in case you need anything." He shook his hand, allowing Mary to walk first. "Please, Lady."

Jose still called him in the back, trying to make him change his mind, but Maria did not turn her head.

Until a few days ago, Maria still loved fairy tales where a handsome prince riding white came to save the princess from an evil witch. He used to dream of wanting to be in that position: where he was in a precarious situation and someone he loved would save him. Then he and the prince will live happily ever after.

But it was a stupid dream, Maria realized it now. Being in that situation has absolutely no thrill, no fun. There is no guarantee of a happy ending forever. He didn't want anyone to save him. He did not want to laze around waiting for others to bet his life protecting him from his own fate line.

Mary felt she had to stand up for herself. Especially, he did not want his loved ones to be hurt by it. This is his business with Sir William, his business with Arabella.

Jose doesn't have to get hurt.

***