Evie turned and looked at the men. She felt touched at their willingness to follow along with her plans without questions. However, she could not possibly take all these able-bodied men with her. They are Gavriel's most trusted men, warriors most elite and the best of the bunch. There are people here who will be needing their protection as well. Evie thought of all these as her eyes looked around, noticing the older women and young children. They would need more protection than she did.

"I am very thankful… but I would not be taking all of you with me. Some of you will need to stay back here to protect everyone." Evie said. The men immediately looked quite disapproving.

It was then that the duchess butted in. "May I know the reason why you are going to the heart of the land, Princess?" the other vampires who heard her question all nodded their heads in assent. Evie looked at her and though she knew the duchess was only concerned, she could not tell her the details of her reasoning.

"I'm sorry but I can't say it yet." She replied apologetically, but the duchess did not seem to have taken offence to Evie's rejection.

"I see… I know there must be a good reason behind this. You are not a naïve woman. Nor are you one who is impulsive and jumps into things without weighing out the pros and cons. I always knew you'd become one hell of woman someday… and I guess that someday would be today." The duchess smiled as she said this. "You are very brave, Your Highness." The duchess praised Evie as she reached out her hands to gently fold them over Evie's own. "And so… so strong."

Evie nearly wavered at the duchess kind words and the genuine care that was shining forth from her eyes. But she held herself strong and kept calm.

"Thank you…" was all she could say, and the duchess smiled at her, as if she knew everything that was happening within her.

"I know you'd become even stronger." The duchess gazed deep into her amber eyes. "That is why you should take all of Gavriel's men along with you. Now that His Highness isn't here, their new master now in his absence would be you. So, don't worry and just bring them along."

What she said had surprised Evie. She did not expect the duchess to say that. "B-but…"

"Don't worry about us, Princess Evielyn. Most of us are women here but we are not helpless. We can protect ourselves and fight if it were necessary. Moreover, we are going to stay right here in this spot and wait for your return. Since the beasts can't enter into this place, we'll be safe here. It is you who need these men as your own guards the most." She explained and everyone agreed.

The women standing further away from her all had confident looks on their faces and Evie realized that she had forgotten for a moment that these women were not frail and fragile flowers, but vampires. And not just vampires. They were mothers and sisters and daughters. They all had many precious others to protect too. The will to protect was the greatest motivation and strength for them to fight. These women were warriors in their own right.

She looked at Gavriel's men and they all nodded encouragingly at her. All of them were in full agreement of the duchess' statements.

Evie could only smile helplessly before giving in. She too, knew that she truly needed these men's protection as they had already once nearly reached her destination before. She knew she had strange abilities now, but she still knew they were nothing when being put up to real combat. And she did not even know if her abilities would be able to do anything against the beasts. Remembering the beasts Gavriel had killed in the Dark Valley, Evie knew that she might never even survive a few seconds if she were to go there without the protection of these men.

And thus, the decision was made and all of Gavriel's men including Elias would go along with her.

Everyone immediately prepared for the journey. With Elias being the busiest of them all, as there were many things that he wanted to prepare to pack and bring along with them. 

Until at last, it was time for them to head off.

Evie was standing by the lake and staring off into the clear waters by herself. She remembered Gavriel telling her this place would look even more beautiful in daylight. And he was absolutely right. The lake was just breathtakingly picturesque. So breath-taking that Evie's heart began to ache.

She wished she was seeing this spectacular view together with him.

Just as she was about to fall to her knees and cry, a small voice called out to her. She turned back to look, and it was the boy named Elijah. She had met him in Dacria's town that one night and he had given her a flower.

He was giving her flowers again this time as well.

"I wish I could come along to protect you too, Princess." He said and the ache in Evie's heart dulled a little as she smiled at his earnestness. "But it's okay. Once I grow up, I will become strong too, like Samuel and that time, I will protect you. For now, I will protect my mother and everyone in here while we wait for your return." The boy said in confidence and Evie's smile widened as she patted his head.

"That's right. One day, you'll be one of the strongest." Evie told him as Elias came to inform her that it was time for them to leave. She embraced the little boy and then whispered to him. "Thank you so much for the flower."

The boy grinned innocently, and Evie felt a surge of emotions welling from within her that seemed to strengthen her.

Lifting her head up, Evie squared her shoulders and followed after Elias to join the now more than prepared men.

One last time, Evie and the men looked back at the vampires they were leaving behind before they finally stepped out of the protected forest and took the first step of their journey towards the heart of the forbidden land.

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A/N: Read my note in the comment box ^^

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