Letters to Romeo.

Chapter 309 - Mother's hairpin

Julie smiled, feeling Roman press his lips against her forehead and this moment that they shared, was nothing short of bliss. It was as if God had bestowed her with happiness after putting her through hardships, where she had to fight for the people whom she loved and the things she believed in.

"Uncle Thomas said that it took you two days before you got him to agree and understand," said Julie, pulling away and taking a step back so that she could look at him.

Roman raised his hand to tuck a piece of her hair behind her ear, "I knew you were hurting and it was after all my father's fault and mine. I did threaten him that day. He's still your family member and I know how important family is."

"Thank you," whispered Julie, as she felt her throat tighten with the brewing emotions.

"Let us not keep him waiting and let us eat with him. We don't want him running away from here just in case he decides to change his mind," said Roman with a crooked smile on his lips. He slipped his hand in hers before tugging her hand as they walked towards the diner's front door.

When they stepped inside, with the doorbell softly tinkling, they made their way to the booth where Uncle Thomas was sitting. Julie noticed how her uncle turned slightly stiff in Roman's presence, but he tried to put a smile on his face.

"Hope your ride here was smooth, Mr. Winters," Roman's words were polite as he sat down next to Julie.

Uncle Thomas nodded, "It was. Thank you for arranging the quick transport. The time I checked, all the flights were booked."

"We have some connections that help in clearing a seat or two," replied Roman.

Julie heard Roman and Uncle Thomas talk to each other, and after a few minutes, her uncle's shoulder loosened, and he didn't sit there as stiff as the first few minutes, as if he was getting comfortable in their presence.

When they were done eating, they decided to step out. While Roman was still paying the bill, Uncle Thomas called her, "Julie."

Julie turned to look at her uncle, who seemed a little tense about something. "Yes, Uncle Tom?"

"There is something that I wanted to give you. I think it belongs to you," he said to her, his hand dipping into the front of his coat before it emerged out with a dainty looking necklace which was made of pearls.

Julie took hold of the necklace in her hand, staring at it, when she heard him say, "It belonged to your mother. And also this hairpin," he said, pulling it out of his trouser pocket and giving it to her, which held different coloured stones.

"Where did you get these?" asked Julie with a creation expression on her face.

Uncle Thomas pursed his lips before wetting it and said, "Your mother had it when she was young. I don't think either of our parents ever gifted her, or any boy had given it to her. After all, she was young and I remember her holding it when no one was looking at her."

Julie took a closer look at the hairpin, which had nearly seven colors—colorless, red, blue, green, yellow, violet and lastly, black. Her thumb brushed over the delicate hairpin where the stones had been stuck, and her eyes slightly widened. This... these were stones made by the witches, which held different abilities.

"But one day she lost it and she tried looking for it. I found this the night your mother passed away... I am guessing that someone did give it to her and it was meant to be give to you," said Uncle Thomas, and Julie looked up at her uncle.

"Thank you for giving this to me, and for keeping it safe," Julie thanked her uncle.

"I think you should thank your aunt. Sarah was the one who had kept it in the safe," he replied to her, and he spoke his thoughts out loud, "I wonder if she somewhere knew... that there was something amiss but never confronted it."

Julie wished she could reverse time and fix things, but life wasn't as easy as that, was it?

She stepped forward, putting her arms around her uncle and hugged him.

"Thank you for coming to meet me. It means a lot," said Julie because she knew it must have taken him a lot of courage before coming here.

"I am glad I came. Are you sure you are safe here? There won't be anyone who might come to harm you?" Uncle Thomas asked her one more time to make sure about her safety.

"Julie is in the safest place right now, Mr. Winters. And if I may suggest," spoke Roman, who stepped through the door, "We wouldn't mind finding a job for you in Veteris, and Joel will be joining Veteris once he comes to the right age."

"Thank you for the offer, Roman. But I think I would still like to keep my old job," replied Uncle Thomas and offered him a slight bow. "Please take good care of Julie, I will be in touch." Giving Julie a smile, the man walked to the car that Julie hadn't noticed had been pulled not too far away from where they stood.

Julie stared at the car until it disappeared from their sight. She stood there unmoving, and when Roman was pulling the motorcycle, she took a deep breath.

"If you want we can visit them. It will be like vacation," proposed Roman, and it didn't sound like a bad idea, but at the same time, she felt a sense of responsibility. Though they had fought and had driven the evil out of Veteris from any possible harm, they still had to keep an eye to make sure the peace would continue to stay.

"I think there's one place I would like to visit," said Julie when she turned to him and took the helmet from him.

"Tell me where you want to go, and I will take you there," responded Roman, and Julie smiled at his words. She leaned forward and whispered something in his ear. The expression on his face was blank, and he pulled back to look at her, "Okay."

Julie sat behind him on the motorcycle, and Roman started it before they rode away from the diner. She placed the side of her face on his back, staring at the passing trees for some time before she closed her eyes as if she had fallen asleep. Her arms wrapped around Roman's waist, and a smile appeared on her lips.

To think how things had changed in less than one year, and there were many memories built around it. Some good, some bad.

When they reached the forest, Roman parked the motorcycle next to a tree, and they walked through the meadow. They walked in silence, and when they finally reached the headstone that belonged to Roman's mother, Julie noticed the headstone had been changed.

"Donovan wanted to make sure mother rested in a grand way," commented Roman while he stared at the marble headstone.

"He loved her," said Julie, and Roman sighed.

"I don't like to agree to it, but sometimes... his actions makes it seem that he did," replied Roman, and he bent down to clean the leaves and the dust that was gathered on top of his mother's grave. "Though he does get annoying."

Julie nodded, a smile was etched on her lips. She had come here to pay respect to Roman's mother because if it weren't for that woman, the person who loved and cared for and treated her the way he did wouldn't exist.

They stayed there quietly, speaking to the woman through their mind without moving their lips. Julie pulled out the hairpin that Uncle Thomas had given her.

"Are those magical stones from the forbidden side?" questioned Roman.

"You know about them?" asked Julie, turning to look at him.

"The creature likes to speak sometimes," murmured Roman, and he took a closer look at it. "That's too much power in there. Your mother made sure that you would have everything you would need when time came... but you did well by yourself," he remarked.

"I wonder if this is what Joaquin was looking for. All the stones on one side which were not distributed," said Julie in a thoughtful voice.

"If this is the one that he was looking for. I don't think it would be right to bring it in front of anyone. As good as people are... power can make people go crazy and greed often lurks in our dark hearts," stated Roman, and Julie couldn't agree more.

She didn't want to keep something like this near her or have anyone use it. It being something that belonged to her mother, which had been passed to her like a family heirloom of the La Fay's, she didn't want to destroy it.

Julie dug a portion of mud out next to Roman's mother's grave before placing the hairpin in there. She wanted to keep her mother's gift for her in care of Roman's mother. It was the safest place, and no one would ever come to disturb it unless they wanted to face Donovan and Roman's wrath.

"You could use it for yourself," said Roman, and Julie patted the mud that she had put back.

"I am happy with the abilities that I have, and I am content with it. And I have you next to me," Julie felt Roman place his hand on top of her head. In her heart, she wished that they could have got to spend more time meeting the people they had lost, thought Julie in her mind.

She wanted to see her mother again, meet her father, and apologize to Aunt Sarah. She knew Roman had a fair share of people whom he missed, but the words never came to his lips. The Moltenore family, his mother, Ms. Piper… and his butler. She remembered the emotions behind his words, even though they were subtle.

Julie stared at the grave in front of her.

'Thank you for bringing him into this world. He misses you dearly,' said Julie in her mind, speaking to Roman's mother. ''I will make sure to look after him, to be better for him, and love him to my fullest, she said to the woman, hoping her words could reach the deceased.

Spending some more time there, the couple finally said their byes before heading back to where the motorcycle was parked.

"Is there something you want to do?" Roman asked Julie, and she gave him a thoughtful look.

"Is there something you have on your mind?" and she sat behind him, putting her helmet over her head.

"Well, I was thinking as our date had been rudely interrupted before. How about we go have some fun in the amusement park?"

"I think I would love it," replied Julie, moving closer to him, and Roman kickstarted the motorcycle, leaving the forest behind them.

As hours passed, things in Veteris weren't as peaceful as one would expect, as the hunters who had been bit by vampires were undergoing transformation under the eyes of Elder Remy, Elder Castiel and Avice.

While Elder Donovan stood in front of the tree, whom he referred to as Lady Karina.

"One of these days people are going to comment on how crazy you look," remarked Ms. Dante, who was walking by and had noticed Donovan standing in front of it.

Donovan turned to look at the vampiress, "How rude of you to be interrupting my conversation with the beautiful lady," he replied, and Dante wasn't sure if perhaps Donovan needed some fixing in his brain. But she doubted they would end up finding there was more than one thing to be fixed in there. "Have you started your wedding preparation?"

Dante quietly glared at Donovan, and asked, "Why is it the tree doesn't speak to others?"

"Lady Karina is a shy woman. And she thinks others are unworthy of her words. But if you listen carefully… you will be able to hear her whisper," Donovan had ended his last words in a hushed tone. Dante stared at him, and then at the tree, where she received nothing but quietness.

Ms. Dante shook her head and then said, "There has been a little resistance from the hunters. They seem to not be responding to the document that was sent to not meddle with us."

"You should leave such things to us, Eloise. Do you think the hunters will accept your proposal that easily?" asked Donovan and he said, "How about I go and encourage them a little. I am sure the job will be done much faster with my approach."

"I would appreciate it," replied Ms. Dante.

"Of course, anything for my sister-in-law," joked the Elder vampire, and a vein popped on the headmistress' forehead. Dante was going to tell something, when Donovan went, "Huh?" as if he was listening to something the tree was saying something.

"What's the matter?" questioned the vampiress.

"Lady Karina says the wind is blowing in another direction today," hummed Donovan, and Ms. Dante slightly frowned.

"I will see you later, Azazel," and Ms. Dante left the Elder vampire by himself.

But Donovan didn't stop listening to whatever the tree was telling, and he turned around, noticing something on the ground. It was as if there were little roots that connected to a large tree, and the roots held a little shine like light in them.

"How strange murmured," Donovan to himself. "Do you know what is going on, Lady Karina?" but he didn't wait for a response, and instead, he started to walk away from the tree, wondering where these little roots connected to.

The breeze around the forest had increased, and Donovan's firm footsteps continued to step forward.

When he came a certain distance, the roots disappeared, and his eyes slightly narrowed. He wondered if the dark magic hadn't left the place entirely, or if the land had been affected by something else. Giving a look around the place, he turned around, ready to leave the place, and he took five steps forward, until he heard something not far behind him.

On turning back, he caught sight of a slender woman standing a few distance away from him. There was an obvious look of surprise in his eyes, looking at the familiar raven black hair.

"I thought I would never see you again," remarked Donovan with a smile on his lips as he started to walk towards her.

"I guess it was never meant to be the last, Azazel," Lilian replied with a smile.