This is a follow up of Bom and Zen's love story, it certainly is irrelevant to the war coming ahead nor to Araia's existence to them. It's just a little add on and something to balance the sad and depressing effect of the war. You don't need to read since you won't miss anything but a failed attempt for a vampire wedding.

“Just out of curiosity, how do they resurrect the Phoenix?” Bom asked animatedly, though it was not clearly seen in her eyes or the expression in her face, her tone matched it well.

For the past few days she had allotted her time trailing Zen with everything he did may it be training the others or just taking a rest. The older did not mind though, if anything it would have been what he wanted to do as well seeing that they did not have much time left together.

The young vampire sat on the bed, legs crossed and eyes wondering off the ceiling. Although it was only a tent with room much bigger than you would think if you saw how big it was, there were many things to wonder about. Zen sat on a desk opposite from her, looking down on the plan they had for the attack. Scattered papers filled the table but nearly none of them suited their favor.

“From what I know and from what I’ve been told they would use the blood of six beings, a pair from three different creatures. The essence in their blood would be sufficient enough to wake its spirit then a body or a vessel would be used and the vessel’s soul would combine with the spirit reviving the Phoenix …” Zen answered without taking a moment to look at the one who asked the question. “The process is much simpler compared to collecting the ingredients for it” this time he took the time to look at the newborn, smiling even as they both caught the other’s eyes.

It was a bit too clichéd to have been in love at a time of war, as many stories went on such as theirs did not end good there they still were helplessly falling deeper. Though it was already a known fact of how much the emotions shared between them were there still seemed to be a lack of making their status official, unlike Hero and Araia, however, they had more time other than that it was comparable.

“Say, how was she when she was young?” she asked again, taking the opportunity to ask as much questions as she can, throwing away the shame and putting on a brave curiosity. Her voice quivered a little bit and Zen did not fail to notice the falter, he found it rather adorable but nonetheless did not tell her and went on to answer her question.

Setting aside the quill and the abundant pile of papers he struggled to make up his mind to whether head on and sit beside her now that the chance of being a little bit more intimate than usual has been brought up. Bom seemed to have noticed the debate going on in his mind and initiated the move, tapping the empty space beside her she gestured him to come. Smiling ear to ear, he followed.

“Where do I begin … she was quite nosy first of all, did not seem to get the whole concept of privacy no matter how much you explain to her that idea ‘don’t in people’s business’ and she had a great fascination towards mortals, always interested on the way they functioned” he started, sitting down beside Bom with legs crossed just like hers. Brushing it subtly to hers every now and then and she did not seem to be shy to it since she does it as well.

“Why is that?” that was a question that stopped Zen’s train of thought. He raised a brow in a moment of unknowing, now that he thought of it he as well did not know the answer to that.

“I don’t know, but rather than mortals specifically and rather than interest as well she envied everyone who was not royalty. She always wanted a simpler household, one that did not involve both the father and mother away on special occasions because of a town problem or having to go to sleep without the simple ‘goodnight’, ‘sweet dreams’ or a kiss in the forehead” he nodded and with that answer Bom imagined how lonely it might have been for the vampire. “You could only think then of how lonely it was for her when the king and queen died. It was not to say that there was no one for her, she did have Haeden, Victor and Ysabelle, they took care of her the most but it was still not enough compared to your own parents”

What Bom thought would be an insightful journey to Araia’s past turned to be rather gloomy and depressing, she could almost feel what it felt in her shoes and how hard it must have been for her to stay on. She was about to ask one more thing when she noticed a bit of bruising on the former’s forehead.

“How’s your head by the way?” she reached out to touch the bruise, her fingers fluttering over the purple markings. “I thought vampires wouldn’t have bruising” she chuckled.

“Not when you get it from Marko, he hits harder than Victor though I deserve it for not keeping still while he checked me for any injuries” he laughed, forgetting what had happened before he collapsed in the arms of Marko and about what he had asked before that.

There was a pause between them then, both looking at something else and would feel their cheeks heat up with just the thought of looking at the other or even just taking a short glance. The moon’s glow – blue and silver-like, as it floated on the horizon lit up the pavilion with romantic atmosphere and maybe perhaps the unforeseen performance of the violin – likely the courtesy of Henry, set the mood for something.

Zen leaned towards the side, finding it a bit breathable and noticing the hard object hiding in the bowels of his pocket. Reaching for it he realized it was the ring, a ring that has ever since been keeping him in control. The black obsidian ring that Araia’s father gave to him.

Without having even a second thought he took Bom’s right hand and brought the ring to her finger. She froze on the spot, her hand turning cold and numb as she felt the ring slide down to its place. Her heart pounded loudly against her chest, feeling butterflies flying rapidly inside her stomach and she knew quite well that the former was very much aware of it but the quirky smile on his face.

At that moment everything seemed to be normal, as if they were just two souls meeting their mate after years and years of looking through millions and millions of other souls. It was a moment were birds were chirping, the sky was free of any cloud and all that mattered was the both of them beside the other, nowhere to go but to them.

Zen said nothing, all he did was hold her hand to the embrace of his as if letting go means death. Bom could feel the electricity running a course through her body, when she thought she was very much overwhelmed Zen took her hand and left a small kiss on top of it. Just that small act made her melt, the feelings that filled her too much to convey into words, all she knew at that moment was that she loved him even if it was just days ago that they met and he loves her back.

“Marry me, Bom?” he suddenly said and her eyes started to be filled with tears, tears that she’s been long holding onto. But at that moment of clarification of what she really is to him she then took notice of his reasons, she did not take her hand back but said, “Are you asking me to marry you because I remind you of her, Angela”

She tried her hardest to not choke on her words but failed to do so, she was sobbing and she couldn’t stop them even with all the will inside of her. Zen was more than surprised and shock from the question the newborn asked, halting without any words to give right then.

“I love you Zen, I don’t know how, I don’t know why but I do and I wouldn’t ask you to love me back because I know how much you love her…” she cried and were to say more but Zen cut her off.

“You don’t remind me of Angela Bom, you are Angela. I have lived longer than you think, long enough for one soul to be reincarnated into another. Things happen for a reason, sometimes because it is meant to happen or sometimes a vampire named Araia meddles with fate …” Zen cupped her face and wipe the tears streaming down her cheek with his thumbs, feeling the warmth of his palm against her skin Bom se