Gadriar wasn't far from Appollis. It was a two day ride and according to Ophyr we could spend the night in a small city called Himere which was conveniently right on the path to the mages. Leaving Appollis wasn't something I did often. Diplomatic trips weren't my thing, especially because of my temper and well- my advisors were better at handling all the trading business. I was a king, but I was a paladin first. On the battlefield is where my true potential shone through, I was a fighter and a healer, my strenght came from my heart and soul. Sure, I wasn't stupid, but I was far from being a diplomat.

The man beside me however was the complete opposite.

Everything Ophyr did was calculated or at least thought through. Just watching him steer his horse made me raise a brow at how precise it was. As if he was paranoid, as if one wrong step would ruin his entire day. I scoffed in amusement.

"What?"

Ophyr glanced at me, raising a brow while I was unable to hide a smirk. "Are you always this uptight?" I bluntly asked, tilting my head to the side, looking at the vampire king. Ophyr gave me a look, a look that I had come to know as his 'can you stop being an ass for one second?' look. Despite his visible annoyance he sighed and shrugged those slender shoulder's of his.

"I'm just careful, Arrin." Ophyr retorted, having his horse elegantly hop over a fallen tree trunk while mine simply stepped over it. "We're on a crucial mission and it's of upmost necessity that we watch where we're going. What if we walk straight into a trap-"

The sound of an arrow slicing through the air made us both freeze, flashing right between us before burying itself within a tree with a dull 'thok'.

Ophyr's eyes widened and I reached for my sword.

"Bandits" Ophyr mumbled under his breath as men armed with swords and knives appeared out of the bushes, swarming us like sewer rats. I unsheathed my blade, holding the weapon up in a defensive stance, grabbing my reigns with one hand while starting to manoeuvre myself in-front of Ophyr. My sword was pure white, decorated with intricate golden symbols that lit up the second my skin made contact with the hilt. I could feel the power of Apollo surge through me and a grin slid onto my lips when my eyes fell upon the bandit leader.

He was a ginger man of average build, dressed in simple ranger garments who was currently reloading his crossbow.

"Hello, hello, hello! Welcome gentlemen to my woods!" He exclaimed like a charlatan, dramatically bowing before us. Ophyr and I glanced at each other, wondering who the hell we had run into. Also, his woods? This was still Appollonian territory so technically these were my woods.

"I am Ridrick! but my friends call me Riddy- unfortunately you two aren't my friends! But it is clear that you two carry some items I'd love to become acquainted with!" He chuckled, waving the bow at my sword and our satchels. The men surrounding us laughed in agreement, grinning and showing off ugly crooked teeth while dangerously waving their blades. I rolled my eyes.

Six men? Seven maybe if you counted 'Riddy' here in front of us. I could easily take em on by myself, but that crossbow that he was holding was looking quite unpredictable. I needed it out of the way first but I wouldn't be fast enough to do so. My blade heightened my abilities thanks to the blessing of Apollo, but it could only do so much. Only the speed of a vampire could-

Suddenly an idea popped into my brain. I was no scolar, but on the battlefield I was a master strategist.

I glanced at my companion who was clearly trying to figure out some plan too, but the moment he noticed me looking at him I gestured towards his neck. Maybe this was a stupid idea, I still didn't trust Ophyr and who was to say he wouldn't attack me the second I removed the repressing stone. Right now however, the bandits seemed like a bigger threat.

The vampire king reached for his neck, gently touching the collar before following my eyes as I looked at Ridrick's crossbow. Instantly he understood.

"A lot of glancing going on, kinda concerning, how 'bout you two loverboys cut it out before I shoot one of ya in the eye with dear Meredith right here" Ridrick snapped, raising his crossbow before extending his free hand. "Now you, with the hair and the iron deficiency. How about you give me some of that jewellery your pretty ass is wearing huh?"

In any normal situation I was sure that Ophyr would've snapped something grossly offensive at the other (well whatever Ophyr deemed 'offensive' so to say) , he was calculated yet in no way one to be messed with. Right now however he kept his composure and followed my plan. "Sorry for keeping you waiting sir eh Ridrick, but I need my-... fiancé to unlock this 'necklace' for me."

I nearly choked on my own spit when I heard that term and I literally saw Ophyr tense as well. Fiancé? Well, it was a good cover up...

"Oh, y'all really are fucking, huh? Figured, you make a pretty pair- but what in the fuck is this weird kink collar thing you two have going on?" Riddy unceremoniously remarked, looking at his men in genuine confusion. I was trying so hard not to laugh but fuck it was difficult. This was priceless comedy.

"A promise necklace! It's supposed to symbolise trust and purity before marriage" Ophyr lied while I quickly reached over to draw an unlocking rune on the thing, biting my lip when it opened with a click.

"Ah, kinda weird, whatever, that stone in it looks pretty expensive so hand it over, Snow White" Ridrick mused, still holding out his free hand.

I could feel Ophyr relax a bit while the collar slipped off his neck and he caught it with his right hand. When I looked at his eyes I felt a shiver run down my spine the second I saw a sparkle return to them.

It was funny how these men had obviously never seen a vampire before. The blood war had been a pretty major 'event' so to say ,so it was quite interesting to meet people who clearly had found a way to avoid learning about the entire ordeal. Perhaps they had camped out in these woods all these years.

Ophyr tossed the collar towards Riddy, earning himself a triumphant smirk from the other man. He was about to make another witty remark but froze once he looked back at Ophyr.

The vampire king had bared his fangs.

"Boo"

If you blinked, you would've missed it, because one moment Ophyr was on his horse beside me and the other he had ripped 'meredith' out of Riddy's hands and kicked the bandit leader's feet out from beneath him, making him fall onto the mossy forest ground. Ridrick didn't even have time to scream before the vampire king broke the crossbow in two and tossed it to the side.

Ridrick, panicked, regained his voice.

"ATTACK!" He screeched.

It was absolute chaos. Two bandits decided that perhaps a life of crime wasn't worth it and ran off, bolting into the woods while the four less intelligent men did as they were told.

I smirked and jumped off Kai, charging forward, violently slashing my sword at them in strong controlled moves. I hit one in the leg and the other on the chest killing him instantly. The one I had merely wounded let out a scream in pain but despite his injuries staggered towards me for a second attack. He wasn't a bad swordsman and quickly dodged or blocked a few of my blows, but I was still the paladin king and though this game had been fun, I was growing tired of it. I grasped both hands around the hilt of my sword, trusting it forward right into the bandits stomach. It was satisfying to rip the blade out and watch the man fall to the ground, lifeless.

"You've sinned in life, may Apollo guide you in the world after" I mumbled.

Paladins had no 'no killing' rule, we were warriors and healers, worshippers of Apollo, but there was no shame in ending the life of those who clearly didn't value that of others. The afterlife was an important part of our religion and we believed that justice would be served there too, but that redemption was always a possibility. I had taken to lives today in the name of Apollo and I hoped that he'd lead them to salvation.

When I turned turned around it was clear that Ophyr had expertly handled the other two bandits. Both men looked absolutely terrible, blood staining their faces and chests, their expressions permanently stuck in a silent scream. I hummed and wiped my blade clean on one of the corpses, sliding it back into its sheath before walking over to Ophyr who was currently draining some of the bandit blood into a bottle.

"Gross" I mumbled, making Ophyr scoff as he stood up and slipped the bottle into one of the satchels that were attached to his horse. "Sorry that I need to eat" he snidely snapped back.

"Y-you, monsters- what the fuck are you two!"

I frowned. Apparently we had both forgotten to send riddy here to the fucking shadow realm. The bandit leader stood up, eyes wide as he started to back off. "Stay away from me! Stay away!" He yelled before running off, disappearing into the woods and leaving us behind. For a second I contemplated running after him and finishing the job, but honestly what danger did he pose? I was pretty sure that Ophyr and I had traumatised him enough to make him lay low for now.

A gentle chuckle made its way to my ears and I shot Ophyr a grin as he tried to stifle a laugh.

"I mean- he's right though, this is quite fucked up if you ask me" Ophyr remarked. I glanced around the scene again, taking in the sight of mangled bodies and blood. Well, all is fair in love and war right?

The vampire king walked over to the collar that the bandit leader had dropped, his smile faltering before he sighed and held it out to me. "You can put it back on me 'loverboy' I won't protest" he reluctantly said. A frown slid onto my face as I took the collar in my hands, was he serious? But why? Of course, I was planning on putting it right back on him the second I got the chance but, I never expected Ophyr to take the initiative.

"Look, I know you don't trust me and though I feel like it's unjustified, it doesn't matter. I want to gain your trust Arrin and if you feel safer around me when I'm wearing this thing, then fine, I will not oppose your wishes then"

I glanced down at the collar before giving a short nod and walking up to the other king. My hands gently brushed his hair to the side so I could slip the item back around his neck, clicking it in place before taking a step back. I wanted to trust him, I really did, but I couldn't just yet. The blood war, the crimes of his mother, the death of my father, the fact that his sister turned out to be a traitor to his own kingdom and the truce. He was innocent, I knew that, a voice in the back of my brain kept screaming it at me.

I wasn't ready yet.

I needed more time and in all honesty I was glad that Ophyr was offering it to me.

Soon we got back onto our horses and continued our journey, silently riding through the woods feeling just a bit more comfortable with each other than before.

"So what's our wedding theme? White and gold or black and red?" I joked trying to lighten the mood.

"Oh for fucks sake, Arrin..."