After their little rendezvous in the maze of the chateau gardens, Aurélie found herself in the presence of Étienne more frequently. She was called to him almost every day and the two spent their evenings working through letters or taking strolls through the gardens. It was pleasant to be at his side, and Aurélie started to enjoy her role as his companion. Étienne had stopped teasing her and seemingly swept their little intimate encounter under the rug.

The night air grew warmer as spring arrived and the chateau soon was decorated with fresh spring flowers, upon Aurelie’s request. Pleasant fresh scents of daffodils, peonies and irises wafted through the estate. Aurélie was busy holding a bundle of fresh flowers for her room, when she noticed packed bags at the bottom of the marble staircase in the front hall. As she looked up at the staircase she was met with Oliver, who was busy hauling down a large bag. 

“You could have gotten someone to help you, Oliver,” Aurélie stated, as he walked past her and dumped the bag unceremoniously next to her. 

The blond vampire stood to his full height and brushed his trousers, huffing. “I suppose I could have. There was nothing better to do.”

“Surely there were necessary things to discuss with Étienne or Duke Saint-Clair? Several correspondence arrived regarding Duke Delacroix’s ball that will be held in a couple of weeks,” she informed him, recalling all the letters she had gone through with Étienne. 

“Your master and I do not get along very well. To be completely honest, I have been avoiding him,” Oliver revealed, scratching the back of his head. 

“Whatever for?” Aurélie asked. She recalled not seeing Oliver around the estate very often, and often found herself wondering why he and Étienne barely spent time together. Surely they would have some things in common, being the sons of Dukes in line for the same throne after all. 

“We do not share the same interests.”

“Oh really? You both seem to read the same books and are in similar positions to each other.”

“He is arrogant.”

“That he is.”Aurélie smiled and shifted the flowers resting in her arms. “He is getting a lot better.”

“I have seen the two of you walk around the estate together a lot more often. However did you manage that?” Oliver asked, leaning against the railing of the staircase.

“I sat down with him and had a little chat. Seemed to work quite well,” Aurélie replied, beginning to make her way up the staircase. “I suggest you speak to him before you depart. At least leave things on a good note, whatever it was that made you start off on the wrong foot with each other.” 

Oliver bowed his head. “I will try, my lady.” 

Aurélie shook her head and continued her way up the stairs. In the past few days she had completely forgotten that the Linnington family was still present at the chateau. It had been at least two weeks since the dinner party. She had often seen both Dukes sitting in the library or heard conversation from beyond Saint-Clair’s office doors. Their conversations were too muffled each time for her to make out what exactly they were discussing, not that she was one to pry too much regardless. Aurélie gently hummed to herself as she began to arrange the flowers she had picked earlier into neat bundles on the windowsills of the third floor. She did not realise that Étienne was sitting on one of the benches, watching her. Her heart skipped a beat and she clutched her chest as she turned around. 

“Try not to frighten me like that, Étienne. I did not know you were behind me.” 

Étienne stood up, chuckling. “It was not my intention to. You need to work on your perception.”

Aurélie watched as he walked closer to her, leaning down slightly. She held her breath as his face was inches from her, his eyes travelling across her face. His brow furrowed in confusion before he stood back up to his full height. 

“How long were you outside for?”

Taken aback by his question Aurélie glanced at one of the grandfather clocks in the hallway. “Quite a while. I woke up before sunset and decided to pick some more flowers for the chateau. I forgot to wear my hat,” she sheepishly said, feeling her sunburnt cheeks. She silently cursed to herself that she was so foolish. She was prone to burning easily as she did not spend a great deal of time outside during the daytime. If Eleanor had seen her outside without protecting her skin she would have gotten quite the earful. 

“Try to be careful out in the sun. We cannot have you looking like a lobster,” Étienne said nonchalantly, turning around and walking down the hallway. Aurélie ignored his comment and watched him, calling out to him before he descended the stairs. 

“Where are you going?” 

“I suppose I should play a good host and see Oliver and Duke Linnington off,” he answered, slowly making his way down. 

“That would be preferred, yes. Did something happen between you and Oliver?” Aurélie asked, thinking back to her conversation with the Duke’s son earlier. 

Étienne stopped and looked up at her, thinking back to the conversation he had with Oliver in his room a few days ago. “Not that I am aware of,” he lied, before turning his attention away from her and finishing his descent. Aurélie watched him leave and shrugged her shoulders, resuming her work. 

***

Étienne had his fists deep in his pockets as he wandered around the estate looking for Oliver. He had eventually found him half an hour later in the library, where the young vampire was sitting in one of the armchairs and reading a book by the fireplace. Oliver did not look up as Étienne made his way over to him, sitting down in an armchair across from him. The young Saint-Clair rested his elbow on the armrest and leant his chin against his hand, watching him.

“May I help you, Saint-Clair?” Oliver said after a while, closing the book he was reading and letting out a long sigh. “I was hoping to rest before my long journey.”

“Oh do not mind me, Linnington. I am just playing a good host and ensuring that you have rested enough before said long journey.” 

“You are ridiculous,” Oliver scoffed silently, opening his book once more. “Aurélie has been looking a lot happier these past few days. I am glad that you heeded my warning.”

Étienne forced a smile, leaning back. “I did not heed anything. I would prefer that you stayed out of my relations with her.”

Oliver looked up from his book and smiled back. “I have grown rather fond of her and hate to see her upset. She is quite pleasant to talk to.”

“She is rather well versed in conversation. No doubt she perfected that from her training,” Étienne said a lot more coldly than he had intended to. “Do not waste your time on her, Linnington. There are plenty of other girls that would be more than interested in you.”

Oliver laughed, shaking his head. “And here I thought you would not get jealous. You surprise me, Saint-Clair. Though I doubt that you are the first to fall for your companion. All the times spent together with them tending to your needs and relieving stress can cause the heart to grow fond, I suppose.”

Étienne glared at Oliver from across the fireplace. He felt his neck grow hotter and his fangs beginning to grow. He clutched his knee tightly trying to contain his growing anger. 

“My intentions with my companion are a lot purer than the intentions of other masters, Linnington. I suggest you cease your accusations at once.”

“Whatever you say. Though you cannot deny that sooner or later you will grow fond of her too. It is what usually happens between companions and their masters, after all,” Oliver said, a smile forming on his face. He stood up from his armchair and placed the book back into its designated space in the bookshelf, turning around to Étienne once more. 

“I should really head off now.”

“Be my guest,” Étienne mumbled through gritted teeth, standing up and following Oliver out of the room. As they made their way to the front hall he noticed that Aurélie was already standing near the staircase, engaged in polite conversation with Duke Linnington. The pair laughed as Oliver and Étienne joined them, turning to the two young vampire men. 

Aurélie noticed Étienne’s grim expression and gave him a questioning look. She turned her attention to Oliver when he ignored her, darting her eyes between Oliver and Étienne. Oliver merely shrugged at her. The young companion had sighed a lot louder than she intended to, quickly smiling and turning to Duke Linnington. 

“I do hope you have a pleasant journey, your grace. I hope to see you again soon,” she politely said, bowing her head. 

“Of course, my dear. Ah, there is Noel,” Duke Linnington said, watching as Étienne’s father made his way over to the group. 

Aurélie walked over and stood between Étienne and Oliver as the two Dukes began speaking to one another. She cleared her throat and raised her head. 

“I would be most delighted to know why you two cannot get along,” she whispered. Both vampires turned to her, mouths open to protest. Aurélie cut them off before they could answer. “Really, gentlemen. I expected much more out of the both of you.”

“We seem to run into a few disagreements regarding the matter of an individual at the chateau,” Oliver whispered back, smiling as his father looked over to him briefly. 

“At least we agree on that,” Étienne muttered back, earning an elbow in the side from Aurélie. 

“You are both ridiculous. I hope that the next time we are all together it will be more pleasant,” she whispered to both men, shaking her head. “Whoever this individual may be I hope they do not stand in the way the next time we meet. I would have rather enjoyed getting to know both of you better.”

Étienne tried to stifle his laugh at her oblivion. Even Oliver began to grin, causing Aurélie to look between the two with a confused expression on her face. She was about to say something when both Dukes interrupted her, beckoning them over. 

Polite farewells were exchanged between the father and sons of the Saint-Clair and Linnington families. Aurélie quietly stood off to the side, waiting patiently for the formalities to be over. Oliver walked over to her after Étienne had grumpily shook his hand and muttered something under his breath that left Oliver chuckling and retort something in a similar manner, too quiet for Aurélie to hear. Oliver took her hand and leant down to kiss it, bowing. 

“My lady, it was a pleasure to meet you. I do hope that I will get to see you again very soon,” he said, smiling up at her. 

Aurélie bowed her head. “It was a pleasure to meet you too, my lord. I am sure our paths will cross again soon,” she politely said, slipping her hand out of his gentle grip. “I wish you a safe journey.”

Oliver bowed once more and returned to his father, exchanging farewells with Duke Saint-Clair, while Étienne had made his way over to stand by his companion’s side. He subconsciously linked his arm with hers, staring daggers at Oliver. Aurélie continued to look between the two, her confusion growing. She decided not to comment on it while Oliver and Duke Linnington were still within earshot of them. The pair gently smiled as Duke Saint-Clair lead the Linnington family out of the estate. Once out of sight, Étienne sighed and shook his head. 

“What a nuisance.”

Aurélie remained by his side, her arm still linked with his. She continued to remain silent, not wanting to contribute to Étienne’s growing anger. Whatever it was that he and Oliver were disagreeing over seemed to get under his skin with extreme ease. The pair stood in the hallway silently next to each other until Duke Saint-Clair returned, gently closing the front doors behind him. He turned to them, smiling. 

“Finally we are free of all our guests. I am pleased to see that the two of you have come to some sort of arrangement,” he said, walking past them with his hands behind his back. “I suggest you introduce her properly to your aunt, Étienne. My sister is undoubtedly bursting at the seams trying to hold herself back from stealing Aurélie away from you for a couple of hours.”

Aurélie watched as the Duke chuckled under his breath. “She can be quite the handful.”

“Is Aunt Caroline still here? I thought she left along with mère’s family a couple of days ago,” Étienne said, a look of surprise on his face. 

The Duke shook his head. “She insisted that she stays behind and become well acquainted with Aurélie. I suggest you allow her to do so, if you want her to leave sooner.” He gave them both a wink and continued his way up the stairs, disappearing in the direction of his office. 

“Your aunt sounds like an interesting character,” Aurélie said, turning to Étienne, who covered his face with his free hand. 

“Oh that she is. I hope you can stand being interrogated. That woman does not know where to draw the line,” he mumbled. “I suppose we should pay Aunt Caroline a visit. I trust that you are not too worn out from your flower arranging?”

Aurélie shook her head.

“Good. You will need your strengths with my aunt.”

Aurélie gulped, not sure what to expect of Étienne’s aunt. She had met a few of his aunts and uncles at the dinner, and they had not held back their questions about her heritage. She never got to fully answer their questions after Étienne had escorted her back to her room after her comment towards Delacroix. 

Still holding his arm, Aurélie allowed Étienne to escort her to the second floor of the chateau, nervous about who she was going to be introduced to.