Chapter 21. Feelings

When Lovetta opened her eyes, instead of hugging Ken, she was now alone in the middle of nowhere with nothing but enormous trees as far as one could see.

Without hesitation, Lovetta walked towards the base of one particular giant tree that looked no different from any other but once she arrived, she was able to walk into the tree trunk and disappeared from the view outside.

From the inside of the giant tree trunk, it's clear to see that there was a small opening that was camouflaged with an artifact and in the middle of the hollowed-out trunk, was a simple staircase craved out from the tree itself and goes up hundreds of feet.

As Lovetta climbed the stairs, she ignored many platforms that led to openings outside and kept going up until finally, she decided to take one platform that had a small, concealed mark where only someone with the knowledge would be able to notice.

From the ground level, one could only see gigantic trees hundreds of feet tall covering the entire area with branches and leaves so thick that it's hard to tell if it's daytime or night with barely any sunlight able to penetrate through the thick covering. If someone had wings and flew from above, all they could see was a forest of green.

But when Lovetta walked out from the platform, in-between the two layers of branches and leaves that camouflaged its secrets, there is a totally different world where bridges woven together from tree branches connected the entire area into a large maze where many paths lead to dead ends but when you do take the correct path, you will eventually reach an settlement hidden within the thickets of the forest.

"Lovetta! Welcome home. The chieftain is waiting for your arrival." After Lovetta reached her tribe, she was greeted by the two guards who started tracking her movements the moment she stepped out of the tree and on to the platform.

Feeling indifferent that she was home mostly due to the fact that Ken wasn't here with her, Lovetta walked nonchalantly between the trees and on top of platforms and bridges towards her house where the chieftain of their tribe, who also happened to be her father, was waiting for her arrival.

"Hi Dad, mom, Zeev, Tina. I'm home." Lovetta said casually as she entered her home.

The three-bedroom house that the Wulric lived in is one of many that's partially craved into the tree and partially built on top of the wooden platform. Decorated simply with mostly items carved from or into the trees, the tribe lived a simple and primal lifestyle.

Consists of only about 2000 families, the entire population of the tribe is only about ten thousand. Even though Lovetta's father is the current chieftain, unlike any kingdom where royals are crowned based on bloodline.

The winner during the tournament that's held every 5 years gets to have the title and Lovetta is simply the daughter of the current chieftain and doesn't get treated any differently compared to the others in the tribe.

With that said, Boris Wulric, Lovetta's father is by far the strongest warrior in the village. Tall, brawny, with a full thick gray beard and wild long gray hair and sharp yellow eyes like Lovetta, he has kept the title of chieftain for the past 20 years and most of the tribe has come to the same conclusion that eventually, it will be one of his three kids who will be the one to take over due to their natural born talent.

"How did you enjoy the academy life and first time been away from your family for so long? I am glad to see that you finished first in your class on the physical enhancement but your fight against the elf princess has much to be desired." Boris asked his daughter while also commenting on her performance during the tournament.

"Are you not feeling well honey?" Asked Lovetta's mother Anita.

"Yea, I am fine. Academy life is fine. The classes are too hard so I am having trouble and might not pass but I am trying my best because I don't want to get kicked out." Lovetta answered absentmindedly.

"Who was that human boy you were with during the tournament Lovetta?" Lovetta's younger sister Tina asked curiously.

Suddenly snapped out of her trance, Lovetta murmured something incoherent.

"Is he strong? As much as I would prefer you marrying one of our own and keeping our lineage pure. I am not going to concern myself with your love affair as long as the man you pick is strong enough to be the protector." Boris stated ask seeing his daughter's reaction.

"Ken will be strong! He might not be right now but one day he will be the strongest! He is the smartest and fastest learner, and it won't take long for him to get to the top!" Just like she does while in school, the moment someone says anything about Ken, Lovetta is there to defend him to the fullest.

"I can't believe my little sister, the one who showed no interest in man at all just half a year ago is all of a sudden, this protective over some guy. If he isn't even strong, what do you see in him? I'm sure one of my friends is much better than that human." Zeev, the older brother, decided to join the conversation.

"Zeev, let me ask you this. Do you think any of your friends will have me, the Yelwraek princess, a vampire noble, a beautiful human girl and who knows how many girls from his hometown wishing that he would not be so popular, so he wasn't always surrendered by cute girls?"

"So, the elf that won the tournament is also interested in this human boy?" Lovetta's sudden outburst also peaked her father's interest.

Not willing to share any more details with her family, Lovetta stopped answering any questions in regard to Ken for the rest of her break and instead, spent most of her days training with her father while trying to think of a way to confirm Ken's feelings for her when they are back to the academy.

Moving to a different part of the world, when Alice teleported home the night before Ken did, she was also in distress. After catching Clare making a move on Ken, Alice impulsively decided to full on make out with Ken and now, she is suffering from the consequences of not able to see him for the next month but desperately wanting nothing else but to be by his side and know how he felt.

For days after returning home, Alice did nothing but lie in bed daydream about Ken and was not motivated to do anything without him around.

"Alice, what are you doing just lazing around in bed all day? Dimitri and his father are coming soon, and dad wants you to get dressed properly to meet them." Alice's older sister Ava commented after seeing her sister do nothing since she returned home from the academy.

Rolling away from her sister, pretending she couldn't hear, Alice showed no effort in wanting to get up from bed or go meet Dimitri.

"What has gotten into you? Why are you so out of it since coming home?" Ava asked while getting more frustrated at her sister's behavior.

"Ava, have you ever fallen in love before?" Alice finally replied realizing her sister just wouldn't leave if she didn't respond.

"Is that why you have been acting like a corpse since you got home? I have had guys I liked but can't say I have ever fallen in love. And I guess based on your reaction, it's not Dimitri is it." Ava observed.

"So even when you are married, you have never loved a man? Speaking of which, why are you even living at home? Shouldn't you be with your husband?"

"No, I don't love the man our father arranged for me to marry for his benefit. When we first got married half a year ago and I moved in with Thomas. He made no effort of changing his lifestyle of partying and sleeping with random women whenever he pleases.

I got sick and tired of him bringing different women home every other night and doing whatever he wanted and told him if he isn't willing to change, I am moving back home.

I stayed at his place for 2 months before moving back home and in the last 4 months since I moved out, I have seen him once when there was a party we had to go to and pretend we are still happily married."

"The guy I love also got a bunch of girls swarming him and he definitely enjoys the attention but pretends to be dumb."

"From my experience, most men with any power or wealth will sleep around so you might as well forget about this guy and just make dad happy and marry Dimitri and come live at home like me if you don't want to see him often." Ava suggested.

"I don't even care if he sleeps around as long as he loves me! I just want to be with him, but I don't know if he has feelings for me or if he just likes the attention I show him. I made out with him so passionately and all he did afterwards was joking about money! The more I think about it, the more insecure I feel!" Alice complained while rolling around in her bed feeling frustrated and wanting to confront Ken as soon as she could.

"You? feeling insecure? Just who is this guy you fell in love with? Never thought I would see the day when my little sister would feel insecure. Is he that Darrumburgh boy Luke who finished second in the tournament? I guess if it's him you fell for, you could probably convince dad to cancel the wedding plan with Dimitri."

"No, Ken is just a random commoner from some small random kingdom."

"You are telling me you fell in love with a commoner boy, and he is making you feel insecure? What has happened to you in the past 5 months?" Ava asked in awe.

"You won't understand Ava. Ken is like a magnet for girls. Why do I feel insecure, you ask? Because he is a random commoner with no money, power, status, got terrible grades and yet he got the princess of Yelwraek making a move on him! I couldn't even get him to react now when he is a nobody, what do you think will happen once he does become someone? How many girls do you think will swarm him!"

"Even the elf princess is interested in this boy? You must think very highly of him to be so certain he will make a name for himself when he is just some nobody."

Before the two sisters could continue their conversation. They were interrupted by a servant who advised that Dimitri is here, and they are expected at the main hall of the mansion from their father.

When Alice and Ava arrived at the main hall, it was easy to tell that Dimitri had said some things that put their father in a not so good mood.

As Alice and Ava sat down on the sofa where their father Drake was already chatting with Dimitri's father. Alice gave the three a casual greeting to the dismay of Drake.

"Where are your manners, Alice?" Her father scolded.

"It's just Dimitri, not like we are having some bigwigs over." Alice brushed him off casually.

"Well, Dimitri here has been telling me some interesting things about you in school. Care to verify and explain the story from your point of view?"

"Let's hear his lies. Only thing Dimitri here is good at is lying."

"What Dimitri here told me true that you have been hanging around a human commoner while at the academy? I know we are a small minor race, but you are still a noble and as such you should behave and act up to a noble's standard."

"I didn't know nobles can't hang out with commoners. Well Dimitri, nice knowing you, time for you to leave."

"Alice! I know I have spoiled you but now is not the time to play smart. You know exactly what I meant by commoner." Drake replied sternly.

"Fine! No, Ken doesn't have a dad who is the royal guard or is he the son of some rich merchant. In fact, he is an orphan who grew up so poor he never went to school until he was selected and got a total score of zero on the entrance exam because he knew nothing! Happy?"

"And is it true that you are acting very friendly and intimate with this human?"

"For sure! And guess what! It's all thanks to Dimitri here that I got to meet my soulmate!"

"What nonsense are you talking about." Drake sneered at the mentions of a soulmate.

"Laugh all you want dad but guess what. For the past 3 months I have only needed to drink his blood. You can ask Dimitri here if it's true. I am sure he got plenty of minions stationed around to spy on me."

"Please Alice, the only reason I have people looking out for you is because of your stubborn nature. I was sure that you were just trying to be tough at first when you stopped getting blood from other sources but as much as I hate to admit it, it seems that the old legends about soulmates are real." While Dimitri is arrogant, annoying and definitely a terrible person for treating people the way he does, Alice was at least glad that he is been honest right now.

"Even if it's true that this human is your soulmate, as a noble, you could offer him a job as your servant or just buy blood from him. For what reason do you have to get intimate with him?"

"Oh, sweet naïve father. Do you really think he is just some random commoner? Do you honestly think that I would fall in love with some commoner for no reason at all? Is that what Dimitri here made you think?" Alice replied slyly.

"What do you mean? Didn't you say he is an orphan with no family, education, wealth or connection?"

"Come on Dad, do you really think I would disgrace our family name like that? Sure, his blood is able to sustain me, but that's why I asked you for the gold, remember? I got him to sell me a vase full of blood for the month-long break so obviously I am not intimate with him because of his blood.

Since the start of the semester, he is the only person the Yelwraek princess would talk to. And guess what happened after I started hanging out with him? I got to be friends with the elf princess!

Sure, I don't know why the elf princess is fond of the boy but by being her rival, I am able to be her best friend now!

What do you think dad? Is it fine for me to continue and be friendly with the boy when it allows me to get close with the Yelwraek? I guess I can stop being friends with Clare if really feel that me hanging out with the commoner boy is such a big deal."

"Dimitri. Is it true that the Yelwraek princess is also hanging out with this commoner boy?" Drake asked with major doubts in his voice.

"I don't know why or for what reason but yes, it is true that the elf princess is also part of their group." Dimitri answered reluctantly yet truthfully.

"Well Dimitri, with that information. I must say that I won't be able to stop my daughter from hanging out with that group when she gets to form a relationship with the princess of Yelwraek. Feel free to keep on observing them and if you find any new information on the boy, I will be glad to hear you out again."

With the conversation over, Dimitri and his father left feeling frustrated but thanks to Clare and her own quick thinking, Alice got to enjoy the rest of her break in peace. But no matter how peaceful it might seem, Alice was constantly agitated and all she could think about was Ken, how he felt about her and how much she wanted to see and be with him.