Len's anger and fear had completely vanished. The moment he took a sip of Eric's blood, all the stiffness in his body melted away. He slumped against Eric's shoulders like a weary little child.
Eric didn't stop him. The two of them were very close under the shade of that massive tree. Just then, the sound of 'crunch-crunch' on dry leaves echoed. Two maids, their white dresses fluttering, were approaching.
Sensing the movement, Eric felt a flash of danger. He quickly raised his small hand and placed it on Len's messy hair. He began to stroke Len's head very tenderly, as if lulling him to sleep. He leaned in and whispered a few words into Len's ear so that he wouldn't move.
When the two maids arrived, all they saw were two little boys hugging each other. The first maid wrinkled her nose and looked around, asking, "Oh children, is someone hurt here? There is a metallic scent in the air... like the smell of fresh blood."
Eric looked at them with his large, innocent eyes. The second maid asked in surprise, "And why are you two sitting huddled together like this?"
A naive smile appeared on Eric's face. He answered with great ease, "Oh... Len fell asleep while sitting. When I came close to wake him up, he just tumbled over and leaned on me."
The two maids looked at each other. The first maid repeated her question, "But that scent? Is no one hurt?"
Eric slowly held out his injured finger. "Yes, I am hurt. It's just a tiny scratch," he said, also showing his small wrist where there was a faint red mark.
The first maid immediately sat down on the grass beside them. She said kindly, "Come here child, hold out your hand. I need to apply medicine to this."
The second maid came closer and said, "Do one thing, give Young Master Len to me. While you apply the medicine to Eric, I will take care of him."
Eric nodded silently. The second maid gently took Len from Eric's arms and laid him down on a soft cloth spread on the ground. After laying Len down, she asked Eric, "Dear child, what is your name?"
"My name is Eric," he said in his sweet voice.
"Eric... what a lovely name!" the second maid repeated. The first maid, who was very carefully cleaning Eric's wound, smiled and said, "Your face is very lovely too, little Eric."
"Thank you," Eric replied shyly.
After finishing her task, the first maid looked at the sleeping Len. "And where is the Young Master hurt?"
Eric giggled and said, "He just had a little sprain in his foot, nothing else."
The maid took Len's small foot in her hands and stroked it gently. Eric immediately interjected, "His foot is completely fine now, he isn't in any pain anymore."
The maid looked at Len's peaceful face for a few moments, then peered into Eric's innocent and clear eyes. She felt a complete sense of trust in Eric's words. She placed Len's foot back on the ground and stood up.
"Alright," the second maid said, bowing her head, "When the Young Master wakes up, both of you come inside for some food."
As they were leaving, the first maid turned back and spoke in a concerned tone, "Listen Eric, it's fine to be hurt in here, but be very careful when you go outside. The world outside is very terrifying. If anyone catches the scent of human blood, it could be very dangerous."
The second maid gave her a light nudge and said with a laugh, "Oh, why are you scaring this little child? Let's go."
Eric's eyes remained fixed on the two maids until their white dresses vanished around the bend of the corridor. Their low whispers still drifted through the air like floating feathers.
Eric held his breath, listening intently.
The two stopped a short distance away. The first maid lowered her voice so much it sounded like a mere shadow.
"Do you really think it's alright for a human child to stay here?" she said, wringing her fingers in worry. "Queen Astria doesn't even like to hear the mention of humans, so how did she grant permission for little Eric to stay? This is very dangerous."
The second maid took a deep breath and straightened her clothes. "Who knows what goes on in the minds of Queens," she muttered in response. "Young Master Len is a vampire after all; for him, this palace is his own home. There is no danger for him. But this other child... a human life being here within these walls, truly... it's like holding a burning coal in one's palm."
Their voices grew even fainter now. "It's not just dangerous," the first maid said, looking back toward the large tree where the children sat. "If the rest of the palace finds out that a fresh human is playing here, who knows what disaster might strike."
Eric heard it all, but instead of fear, a strange stillness settled on his face. He turned to look at Len, who was still in a deep sleep. The maids' words hung in the air like poison, but Eric quietly took hold of Len's hand.
After the maids left, a deep silence settled over the garden once again. Eric slowly extended his free hand and touched Len's cheeks with his small fingers. Len's skin was no longer cold as before; a slight warmth had returned to it. Eric gently tapped his face to wake him up.
"Len... oh, Len..." he called out in a hushed voice.
Just as Len's name was about to escape Eric's lips for the third time, there was a slight flutter in Len's eyelids. His eyes began to open slowly, like heavy doors. Eric was leaning right over him, that same old worry and glint still in his gaze. Len was still lying on the soft cloth spread on the ground, while Eric sat by his head, watching him intently.
"Are you feeling alright now?
" Eric whispered, his face very close to Len's.
As soon as Eric's words hit Len's ears, the memory of what had just happened struck him like a bolt of lightning—the taste of blood, that uncontrollable thirst! With a sharp surge of panic, Len tried to bolt upright.
But he was in such a hurry that he didn't realize how close Eric was. 'Thud!' With a loud sound, both their foreheads collided forcefully.
A hiss escaped Eric's lips, and he immediately clutched his forehead. The collision was so strong that for a moment, darkness clouded both their visions.
The collision was so forceful that Len completely lost his balance and tumbled backward, landing straight on the hard ground. Both had pressed their foreheads tightly with their palms, as if trying to keep the sharp throbbing from escaping.
"Ouch! My head..." Eric said with a hint of anger, narrowing his eyes. A clear mix of pain and irritation flickered in his voice.
Len immediately pulled his hand away from his forehead and, this time, very carefully sat upright. As he blinked, the terrifying crimson hue lingering in his eyes vanished like smoke. That familiar, golden glow had returned to his eyes, looking as soft as the rays of a setting sun.
Seeing Eric in pain only heightened his own anxiety. He quickly reached out, placing his small hand on Eric's head and stroking it gently as he asked, "Did... did it hurt very badly? I'm so sorry, I just..."
Eric opened his eyes and looked at Len's face. There was no predator there anymore, only his old innocent friend whose eyes were glowing gold once again. Seeing this panic, the wave of Eric's anger subsided. He smiled softly and replied, "It's alright, it didn't hurt that badly."
Suddenly, Len's attention drifted to Eric's neck. His heart raced as he tried to bring his hand near the exact spot where he had sunk his fangs just a while ago. He was terrified to see how deep a wound he had inflicted upon Eric.
But as he nudged Eric's collar aside to look, his eyes widened in disbelief. There wasn't a single drop of blood, nor a trace of a bite mark. Eric's skin was perfectly clear and velvety, as if nothing had ever happened there. Len could hardly believe his own eyes; the wound had vanished into thin air.