Chapter 83 – Family lunch

Once everyone stepped inside the mansion Dahlia led the way for everyone toward the bigger dining room. Tessa thought of stopping her at first but then changed her mind.

Although she wanted the family to sit closer and a smaller room table was just enough to fit them all, she also thought that she wanted to hold Noah at a comfortable distance from Cassandra, as she had quite an annoying reaction toward him. So she decided that it would be better to be safe and sit behind the huge table.

Seeing as Theresa did not comment on it, Dahlia proceeded to the big room without hesitation, however she stopped a few moments later looking back with stern eyes.

Tessa noticed her gaze and looked back, seeing that Priscilla did not move from the spot staying behind.

"Cil? Is everything alright?" Asked Tessa but then her look changed and with almost a flash- like movement she appeared in front of her daughter and put her hand on her shoulder. "Priscilla. Dear." She said looking at her daughter who had a strange glaze look in her eye. "Let's go have lunch." She said and saw her daughter shiver as if she woke up looking back at her mother with a look as if nothing happened.

"Yeah. Sorry mom. I was just thinking." Said Priscilla.

"Yes, sweety. You were absorbed in your thoughts." Said Tessa smiling at her leading her daughter by the hand toward the rest of the people. "You must be tired? You can go rest once you eat properly. I cooked your favourite dish today."

They talked while moving forward and after a few seconds of peering at them, Dahlia turned away and started walking again.

Noah noticed the strangeness of this event, but could not understand what just happened, however he did notice that the frown on the vampire woman's face had deepened.

Once they were inside the dining room Tessa brought Noah to the head of the table and sat there with him. Her friend, Cassandra, sat at the side closer to Tessa, with Priscilla between them, while Brianna sat on the other side, across from them and closer to Noah. While they were sitting down, plates and cutlery quickly arranged themselves to fit their seating arrangements, making Brianna smile with excitement.

Just as they sat down, three Dryads brought dishes, placing them in front of everyone and filled their plates according to their wishes.

While the dishes were served to their plates, Noah was sitting in silence with a blank face, while he analyzed the few things that he noticed.

First, ever since Priscilla started to behave weirdly Tessa had her serious look, which he learned to perceive as her analyzing face. This was also the reason for him to start quickly analyzing everything as well.

Second, his system was unnaturally silent and short in its replies, ever since the girls came inside the mansion.

*No, I am not.* Said the system however Noah ignored it.

Third thing was that Priscilla seemed normal right until she came through the mansion's barrier. Yet now looked downcast and had fidgety eyes. It looked like she had no appetite as well as she just nodded without enthusiasm to whatever maids offered to serve her.

Fourth thing, was that Priscilla was as if led to sit between two women when they came into the room while Brianna was left to choose whatever spot she wished. Which made hime believe both women were not surprised by this behaviour of hers and acted on it.

Fifth thing, was that Cassandra directly went to sit near them at the side of the table with no one surprised or uncomfortable with it, which said a lot about their relationship.

Protocol suggested that the guest of her status should have occupied the seat of honor at the other head of the table across from Noah and Tessa. Which also had plates and cutlery pre arranged by the maids but they quickly changed the arrangement when everyone started to sit down. The fact that Cassandra sat close, however, showed that she wasn't a guest, she was a family. Also she sat at the side of the table and did not make any remark toward Noah sitting at the spot of higher honor than her, showing that she honors Tessa as the head of the household despite the fact that Tessa was just a Duchess in name while Cassandra held a real status of lord of the region.

As a noble himself Noah was quite aware that among nobility showing off their status and power was of the utmost importance. Even if two nobles were close friends they would to a degree hold to the protocol that was dictated by their status. Sometimes such protocols are held even among family members. For example it was not rare for a daughter of a family that married a noble of higher status than her own family, to sit at the seat of honor when she returned to her birth house for a visit, showing off just how powerful she now was. Yet Cassandra ignored it all as if she did not mind it and just sat at the side, like a younger sister that held no status here would have done.

And sixth, thing was that it looked like vampires could eat normal food, as Cassandra's plate was filled as well, although her meat looked so rare that Noah screamed 'It's fucking raw' inside his head.

By the time the food was served, the atmosphere was quite awkward. And Brianna seemed to notice it, however not quite well understood what was going on, so she decided to break the ice.

"So, Noah is staying with us now?" She asked, throwing away the annoying address as Count McDaniels or Lord McDaniels, and directly went into familiarity, calling him by the name.

"Oh,...eeem. Yes, honey." Answered Tessa finally waking from her state of analyzing as if just remembering where she was.

"And Dryad Ladies are going to be here with him?" Asked Brianna again.

"Yes." Answered Tessa. "Not forever, though, they were arranged temporarily, right Dahlia?" Explained Tessa.

"Yes, madam. We were given this position for the time being." Answered Dahlia who was standing at the wall waiting to serve at any notice.

"I see. Would it be long?" Asked Brianna from Dahlia directly, with a bit of disappointment in her voice.

"It is unknown, My Lady. It might be months but I presume it most likely would be years." Answered Dahlia.

"What does it depend on?" Asked Cassandra, elegantly cutting her stake.

"On our mothers…arrangements." Said Dahlia, choosing not to explain that it depended on how long their mother would be seething with anger.

"You were arranged here by the Queen of Dryads?" Asked Cassandra raising her brow.

"Yes. Noah is shortly acquainted with the Queen." Answered Tessa.

Cassandra looked at Tessa, who seemed a bit flustered in answering and then peered at Noah as if measuring him with her gaze, while Noah sat silently with a bit of a detached face.

"Umm…" Voiced Brianna with a bit of hesitation. "Would it be okay for us to be served by them as well?" She asked, looking at her mother and then at Noah.

"Yes, of course. They were arranged as the maids to the house that I currently live in, not directly to me. So you don't need to hesitate in asking them for help." Answered Noah.

Tessa actually hesitated for a moment, but Noah answered without delay, which made her pleased in her heart.

"Besides, I am unused to being served at any notice, so I may not be in need of their help overly much. I think it would be quite fine if each of you chose a maid as a lady-in-waiting." Once Noah said that he saw Brianna's eyes shine as if on fire, which led him to understand this was exactly what she dreamed of. Noah skipped his look to the other side of the table and noticed that even strangely in a bad mood Priscilla had a reaction to that.

"Can we really?!" Exclaimed Brianna looking at her mother for confirmation.

"Yes, honey. I think that would be fine as long as it does not interfere with their duties in the house too much." Said Tessa.

"Thank you!" Said Brianna with elation putting a slight smile on Noah's face.

"Oh I also saw the puppet working in the garden. It is the one you created last time right? Did you upgrade it, mom?" Asked Brianna with interest.

"Oh, no honey. Actually…you see I gave that puppet to Noah for a time being so that he could help his friend."

"Help friend?"

"Yes. That puppet is not just a doll right now, honey. It is a sentient being and Noah's companion. So please be mindful of that and don't hurt it."

"It is alive?" Asked Brianna with her eyes wide while dropping her fork. "Like really really alive?"

"Yes." Answered Noah. "It was made with my skill but it is a sentient being."

"You made it? With a skill?" Asked Brianna and to the wide eyes now was added an opened wide mouth.

"Honey, your manners." Said Tessa looking at her daughter pointedly, making Brianna take a hold of her surprise.

"How does it work? Is there a special circuit in it with a mind core?" Questioned him Brianna.

"I am not sure. I am of a mind that it is a soul transfer of a kind." Said Noah. Cassandra stopped for a moment after hearing that and raised her eyebrow in surprise.

"Soul transfer." Muttered Brianna with her eyes shining.

"Well something like that. Did you notice how awkward it is in its actions?" Said Noah.

"Umm yeah. A bit."

"Well, you see, it was actually my wolf companion before, but its body was destroyed in the fight. However when I used my skill to summon a new companion, that puppet actually awakened with the mind of that very wolf inside of it and was barking at us while sitting like a dog." Explained Noah.

"It was a wolf in its previous life!" Muttered Brianna, while her eyes seemed on fire. It looked like this topic excited her puppet creator interest greatly.

"You are a tamer?" Asked Cassandra with a cold voice.

"No. I just have a skill that allowed me to awaken the wolf that I killed with my own hands. It may have been more.of a resurrection actually." Answered Noah, sensing where she was leading with such a question. However they have already discussed this topic with Tessa.

"I was quite wary of that as well, at the beginning." Said Tessa glaring at her friend pointedly. "But, no. Noah is not a tamer."

"I see." Said Cassandra and continued to eat as if nothing.

"So how did you two meet?" Cassandra asked, putting a piece of meat in her mouth. "You went foraging or what?"

Tessa squeezed her fork with an irritation from the innuendo in her friends word, so hard, Noah thought he saw the fork bent slightly.

"No, Your Highness. I trespassed on Tessa's lands but was spared for such a transgression." Answered Noah in an emotionless voice.

"Oh, I see you transgressed more than just inside her land and was spared quite a lot of something else from her as well" Said Cassandra.

Tessa smacked the table with her palm.

"This does not concern you. Yes we are mates now. How long you are going to be bitching."

"How long? Maybe a bit longer than it took you to take a stranger as a true mate?" Said Cassandra raising her voice. "And do you take me for a fool here?" She said, turning to Noah. "There is no way you or your Dryads could enter here through the outer barrier by accident!" She exclaimed also making a table as if mirroring Tessa.

"He did not walk through the barrier." Said Tessa. "You saw it yourself."

"What? When?" Asked Cassandra perplexed.

"The thing in the shed." Said Tessa.

"Hold on." Said Cassandra with her eyes widening. "It was him? But…but that thing was not human." She said, blinking her eyes at Tessa in surprise.

"Yes. Noah is not a usual human. He is…more than…just human." Said Tessa taking Noah's hand and feeling relief from sensing him squeezed her hand back.

Cassandra watched this gesture of theirs and sat back in her chair for a moment, calming down and then picking up her cutlery again and continuing to eat.

"I am full. Thank you." Suddenly, said Priscilla, that was silent the whole time. "I feel tired, mother. I will go back to my room."

At that moment Noah noticed Tessa's face change slightly.

"Yes, of course dear." Answered Tessa with a waver in her tone.

Once Priscilla left, Brianna almost gulped down her food and excused herself, grabbing Zinnia's hand and running away to the garden where the puppet was left alone.

After that the atmosphere behind the table turned quite awkward again. Tessa asked Cassandra how her week with girls went but she just answered with short dry answers. A few minutes later Noah showed that he was done with his meal too and offered the women to catch up alone, excusing himself.

"You could have been less of a bitch Cass. As if I did not have enough worry over Priscilla. You have to add to it still. I took him as a mate. It's done. Bear with it for fucks sake."

"Whatever." Said Cassandra without a care. "What went over Cil? She was okay the whole week."

Tessa did not answer immediately as if in thought.

"My negligence." Answered Tessa. "It will be fine. Don't worry." Answered Tessa without explaining much.

"The fuck is that supposed to mean? I am worried about her no less than you! Should I just say 'oh, ok then' and walk away leaving girls here with their mother, that seemingly went out of her fucking mind in the week that I did not see her, just because you said it will be fine?"

"Yes! Because there is nothing you can do to help with it. And I am not crazy. I made a rushed decision but don't regret it a bit. He is worthy. I know it. You will too if you stop the bitching attitude."

"It's more than just a rushed decision. Don't pretend as if I didn't notice what you've done. I did notice, Tess. And it's insane. You are either crazy or under tamer's influence."

"He is not a tamer! And who do you take me for? Tamer's influence? Me? Are you sure I am the crazy one here?" Said Tessa.

Cassandra opened her mouth for a moment then closed it and shook her head.

"In that case I don't understand what is happening to you Tessa and it makes me worry for you and the girls."

"I am fine, Cass. How do you want me to prove that?" Said Tessa. "Just give it some time and you will see that he is trustworthy."

"Speaking of trustworthiness." Said Cassandra. "You do realize that you are soon going to be under the scrutiny of observers again?" Asked Cassandra.

"They have nothing to worry about. I am not overstepping boundaries. As long as I don't do what they fear I would, everything's will be fine."

While the two women spoke Noah sat in the room with a fireplace with his eyes closed. However he was not in the mind realm with his consciousness. He stared at the locked on target view change screen, listening to the women's talk while enjoying the view of their nice ass's