The Rules of Blood

Volume Two ; Chapter 99 (315) - Sophie, It Must And Will Be

A knock came at Sophie’s door as she pretended to read a book, her room cleaned of everything she had written and planned last night.

“Come in,” said Sophie, casually changing the page of the book.

“Little sister,” Celine nodded, making her way inside while holding her hands over her bulging stomach, moving casually towards the table at which Sophie sat, “It’s surprising to see you still in your room.”

“Good morning, sister,” Sophie smiled warmly, turning to her, “It’s more surprising to see you in my room.”

Celine smiled as she pulled a chair from under the table. “What are you reading there?”

“Fauna of the Northern Continent, Iarndal,” Sophie moved another page, “Interesting stuff.”

“I did not know you had a thing for cold places,” Celine replied, sitting down.

“A cup of tea?” Sophie asked, pointing with her head towards the teapot nearby.

But Celine shook her head, “Not now, thank you.”

“What can I do for you then, sister?” Sophie asked, closing the book and placing it down on the table.

“Are you heading outside in the next few days?” Celine asked, curious.

Sophie poured herself a cup of tea. “I soon plan to go hunting, so yes, I wanted to go to the city and buy some supplies a few weeks in advance. Why?”

“I want you to buy a pink morganite for me,” Celine smiled, “In case Velakia decides to join, we need to have a gem ready for Blanc’s ring.”

“Aren’t you considerate?” Sophie laughed, “But I will do it with pleasure.”

“I have to be considerate, Sophie. That woman might swiftly become our greatest ally yet, even if she does not marry Blanc,” Celine sighed, “Not to mention that she loves Blanc.”

Sophie narrowed her eyes, “You plan quite far, sister. What are you expecting?”

“Just making sure everything is in order,” Celine replied casually, “But realistically, at some point, it is safe to assume things will escalate in the Empire, and if the time comes when we find ourselves in danger, taking all our Bloods off the mainland of the continent and retreat to Iskahul might just be what saves our lives.”

“What escalation, though?” Sophie frowned, “The Iron Line has been stationary for months now. From what Father spoke of randomly, many have deserted or started raiding the surrounding villages of all they had because of food shortages.”

“Even if the Ulveth Kingdom and the Iron Line vanished today, things would not calm down,” Celine tapped one of her fingers on the table as she explained, “The Sedes Sanguinis is still empty, and the fight for it might just begin the moment other threats are dealt with. It will be a period of civil war regardless of what happens.”

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

“In that case, you make the princess sound more like an asset you plan to use,” Sophie chuckled, “That might anger, Brother-in-Law, no?”

“We are all assets, Sophie. And Blanc would understand my reasoning,” Celine said, shaking her head at the accusations. “My first priority is myself, Blanc, Miyanna, and our children. Only then comes the rest of you. If Velakia joins us, she becomes Blood Denegis, one of mine, a sister I will love and protect. But if she does not, then I will use her: her pregnancy, her love for Blanc, whatever binds her, to secure the safety of those I cherish. That is the way it must and will be, whether it comes to be or I make it myself.”

“A noble objective. You have taught me an important lesson today, Celine,” Sophie bowed lightly, “I will get you the best pink morganite I can find.”

Celine grabbed Sophie’s hand gently, “Thank you, little sister. Now come, breakfast should be served soon.”

“Lead the way,” Sophie smiled, getting on her feet.

As they walked toward the Great Hall of the inner mansion in silence, Sophie turned Celine’s words over in her mind.

They hadn’t changed her plans. If anything, they had only made them firmer.

We are all assets, the phrase echoed in her ears.

It was powerful, and without even knowing it before, she realized she had always known it instinctively. Just hours ago, she had been planning how to use Olivia, her skills, her weaknesses, for her own ends.

An asset.

And there were countless others like her, whom she planned to use for her own gains.

But there was an exception to that.

Blanc, for example, loved his wives, yet he still sought Celine and Miyanna's advice, counsel, or ears whenever doubt crept in, or simply out of caution.

Did that make Celine an asset in Blanc’s mind?

Not in the cold, literal sense. It was something else.

Help. Partnership. Two, three, five, ten people working toward the same goal.

And somehow that annoyed Sophie, further strengthening the resolve around her plans.

Because she did not have that. Yet she craved for it.

Not because she wasn’t capable, or couldn’t obtain it through other means.

But because it was nearby yet, for now, inaccessible.

However, that made her even more curious about Blanc, this weird specimen of a guy.

This paradox of feelings, acts, and moralities, dressed in a weird, handsome man who felt foreign to her mind.

Foreign to all the things her father described as ‘Men’.

He was an unexplored unknown, an uncharted continent.

And that unknown, that tingling, that weird feeling made her desire him even more.

Whether it was boredom, curiosity, jealousy, lust, love, or a wicked combination of all, she did not know, no matter how much she thought about it.

Perhaps, in her mind, she couldn’t even tell the difference between any of them.

Perhaps, in her mind, they were all the same.

But time slowly moved towards the right direction, towards her plan, and towards all that she desired most.

And as Celine said earlier, Sophie said the same now to herself.

That is the way it must and will be, whether it comes to be or I make it myself.

She had to bite her lip to contain her wicked mind from making her unable to enjoy breakfast.