Nothing. That was what they found in the area around the vampire’s layer. Deer, rabbits, a few boar that seemed to go out of their way to avoid the Thorns. The hunting grounds of the King and his family were all but idyllic. So much so that even Freydis began to relax her grip on her sword. The leaves and flowering plants were bright and green, the bees buzzed amidst the wild lands, a few old tracks, maintained by the gentle use of vampires and their servants, guided the party deeper into the wilds until they emerged out onto a lake with a small wooden dock. An old boat that was once very fine, rocked back and forth on the water, gently thudding against the wooden posts that broke up the gentle waves.

The breeze cast endless ripples over the wide lake, which were bright as silver when struck by the sun overhead. The boat itself was weathered, the paint long since faded, but as a simple round coracle design, it was still as solid as ever.

“Gods above, this is beautiful…” Freydis whispered the words as if afraid to shatter the tranquil perfection like a rock would shatter glass.

“It is. It really is.” Brunwaeld answered, “What do you say we take a break, we haven’t even eaten all day, and…” she gestured one hand out toward the many scattered fruit trees, “there’s no shortage of things to eat.”

“There’s an idea. I’m not hungry, but it is nice here.” Belladonna said, “Say what you will about vampires, but they know how to pick the spots.”

Freydis snorted. “If by ‘spots’ you mean places where they can prey on the innocent, yes. They’re like plague sores that spread out the veins. Disgusting creatures.”

Nazari snorted. “Freydis, close your mouth, then open it.” She said and plucked a black apple from the tree and threw it underhand toward their leader.

Brunwaeld plucked one and settled herself against the wide tree from which the apples hung, the shade covered them all in a mottled pattern of green glows through the leaves and dark apple and branch patterned shadows from above.

“Is that really wise?” Faust asked, he looked around, reluctant to join the party, his uncertain eyes routinely returning to Freydis…

“Yes, actually.” She answered. “Nazari, security.” She ordered, and the practiced assassin held out her hand.

“I’m not good with magic, but a few things, the best assassins can do.” Nazari said and wiggled her ears before casting her spell. [Alarm] “There, now we need fear nothing.”

“I…suppose… but even so!” Faust exclaimed, he was about to protest when Belladonna plucked a berry from a bush, and flicked it with her thumb directly into his mouth.

The juices exploded on his tongue as she said, “Faust, all this is going to be ashes in a few weeks, nobody will ever see it like this again, we should enjoy it for a few hours at least.”

He relaxed his vice-like grip on his sword hilt. “I…alright.” He sighed and slumped his shoulders, “You know, I’ve been out here before, attending to Princess Deirdre when the King would bring her this way. She actually planted a lot of these, but that was when we were both just small children. It’s still beautiful now, that’s nice to know, even if it won’t last.”

Faust sat beside a bush full of bulbous little berries and casually plucked one to pop into his mouth. “You’re serious? The princess planted them, personally?” Freydis asked.

“Yes and no. We were actually right here.” He tapped his hand on the soft grass that sloped toward the lapping waters of the silvery lake, “She wanted something to eat, but,” Faust paused and smiled a little, it wasn’t often he thought back to their earliest years, “she wasn’t hungry for any of the things we had.” He made a gentle huff and popped a juicy berry into his mouth, “She wanted me to… how did she say it?” Faust asked himself and drummed his fingers on the metal armor over his leg, “Oh yes!” He smiled broadly, cleared his throat, and did a passable imitation of a young girl’s voice, “I want Faust to spoil me a lot, I can’t be spoiled with manticore meat! I need berries! Or at least apples!’ and so she sent a servant racing back to the city and into the market to buy all her favorite fruits, and brought them back here.” Faust laughed, and the four adventurers inched closer to him, he was oblivious to their drawing near, lost in the enjoyment of a story he hadn’t thought of in what might as well have been forever. “I cut up bits of apple and fed her berries, and she put the seeds on a little plate. After she was done, I dug the holes, and she planted the seeds all up and down this area, at least a hundred or more.” He swept his hand back and forth, gesturing to every bush and tree in their field of view, despite the gravity of the hour, he couldn’t keep the wistful longing of happier times from his voice as he carried on, “She fed me lots of berries too, much to the distress of one of her maids, and I’d never eaten so much fruit in my life.”

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He leaned back against the tree and finally opened his eyes, only then realizing that the adventurers were far, far closer to him than they had been minutes ago. “And then what happened? Did you declare your undying love for her?” Freydis demanded. “Did you promise to be hers forever! Did she tell her how beautiful she was?!”

“Did you promise to always stay by her side?” Nazari pressed.

“Did you at least kiss her cheek when you were done?” Belladonna asked, her mouth was hidden behind her mask, but it wasn’t hard to tell that she very strongly favored that outcome.

Brunwaeld scratched her head, “No wonder you wouldn’t sleep with me, you’ve already found someone you’re in love with. You could have at least told me, save me the trouble, though if you want some experience first before you pluck the rarest fruit of the Kingdom…”

Faust turned beet red in the face and he pressed his back harder against the tree. “Nothing happened!” He protested, “We were just children! Besides, she was pretty tired after that so ah, we got back in the boat and her father had one of his servants take us out on the lake. While the Princess slept with her head in my lap the lady-in-waiting who was responsible for minding her behavior berated me for letting her do work beneath her station… I apologized a lot, but still got a slap for it.” He rubbed his cheek with one hand, recalling the cruel blow that stained his memory of the day. “But… ah, that’s all! I’m the Princess’s bodyguard! Her knight! Her protector! I’m just a servant…and I’m just… I’m really loyal, that’s all!” Faust protested urgently, and the four members of the Thorns traded looks at one another.

“Boy’s got it bad.” Belladonna finally said with a hearty chuckle.

“Very bad.” Navari agreed with a sharp nod as the four loomed over him.

“The worst case I’ve ever seen. I may be a hopeless romantic at heart, a sucker for a story of true love, but this… this takes it to a whole other level. He’s like someone out of a storybook.” Freydis agreed with a grave nod.

“No kidding… Well, if it helps any, we’ll support your budding romance. Maybe we can find a nice cabin for you to settle down in somewhere, just the two of you.” Brunwaeld suggested, her big, apple red cheeks bulged with the width of her frankly goofy smile.

“What’s with all this sudden interest… I… I’m not in love with her, I’m not! I do love her, but like a perfect Princess! A true royal, the kind of leader we need! And she did save my life, I have to repay that!”

“Very, very bad.” Navari repeated herself, her serious expression wavered only just enough that if one looked at the corners of her lips, they might appear to be slightly up. “You know what they say, all the best love stories begin before the young know what love is.”

That did nothing to lessen his embarrassment. But what could he do?

Faust could only blush deeper as he grew more flustered by the moment. Freydis stood, plucked an apple from a tree, then took a bite, her teeth crunched through the soft, sweet flesh of the fruit, a thin trail of juice dripped down at the side of her mouth, “Don’t mind them…or me.” She said after swallowing the bite, “We spend most days hunting out tragedy, misery, and unhappiness caused by monsters or undead like those animals we put down earlier. Speaking of, we need to make sure we collect the dust on the way back, that’s a valuable alchemy ingredient.” She tossed the apple core over her shoulder after a few more bites and added…

“Anyway, we get a little sentimental when there’s a chance of a real happy ending like something out of a fairy tale. A bodyguard knight from the streets of the capital, spiriting away his beloved and getting a real happily ever after? It’s the stuff most adventurers live for.” Freydis sighed gently and watched the apple core bob around in the water.

“I never would have imagined that.” Faust said as the others relaxed again as his story ended. “But, I’m sorry to disappoint you, I’m just her bodyguard, and that’s all I can ever be.” Around them were scattered the seeds of countless berries and in the water floated various apple cores, they’d eaten more than they meant to and stayed longer to boot, “Shouldn’t we get going now? We need to check the rest of the area just in case there are more vampires or undead or… whatever else might be here?”

“There probably isn’t anything else.” Freydis answered and held out her hand, Navari took it and allowed her leader to haul her to her feet. “Vampires are particularly dangerous animals, and monsters tend to avoid the undead since they can’t be eaten. If they find signs of ghouls or other undead, most creatures with any intelligence will move on. We might find a slime or two, but from here on out, it’s more or less a peaceful stroll until we go back.”

“Why did the King stop using this preserve anyway?” Belladonna asked. “It’s absolutely beautiful here.”

“The Princess’s lady-in-waiting disappeared out here during a short trip, about four or five years ago. She was never found, and the Princess didn’t want to return. Looking back, it might well have been those vampires that were responsible, whatever the reason, that was that. Then things started going very wrong with the border, her father was away a lot and… that was that. I suppose we’re lucky the tunnel comes out here, it’ll be as safe as can be, at least for a while, and give us a safe head start. All I’ve got to do is get her out, and that won’t be too difficult.” Faust said, and with grunted agreement from the others, they resumed a peaceful search of that little slice of paradise, while trying not to think of the inferno it would probably become when the Four Knights of Auxkos arrived.