(Yes! Tyty. English was not looking right the other day lol)
"Yup," he placed the cup on a desk and made his way back over to the chair he'd been sitting in. " I hate to barmbard you with questions so soon, but I've got a few that need answering." Estaban took a calming breath. "What exactly is this Bond that I agreed to? Why do your siblings hate humans so much, and why put yourself through all this to save me?" He'd spent plenty of time alone with his own thoughts those past few days, he didn't want a bunch of unknown questions jumbled about.
(No worries lmao)
Oleander rubbed at his head, trying to ease his headache. He sighed deeply and glances over at the other and hummed. "This bond is nothing harmful for you at least. You really get perks if you think about it. You get to live in the lap of luxury, and your family is taken care of. As for the downside, all you have to do is offer blood until you die." He shrugged. "As for why my siblings hate humans so much… my eldest sister has hated them since she came to rule with an iron fist. As for my eldest brother, he cares little for humans. See's them more of objects to experiment on. As for my sibling…. they see humans as a target. As for my other brother… he doesn't care much. He focuses more on magic if anything." He hummed. "I've never seen humans in a harsh light. They're simply beings like us. Capable of love, hatred, war, and times of peace." He sighed deeply. "As for… well. Why I was trying… I don't like killing. I never have." He shrugged. "I do not like the thought of blood on my hands."
((So sorry I vanished! Might happen again- but I'm back for now))
Estaban nodded his head as he half listened. He knew he'd asked the questions wanting answers, but now that Oleander was awake and very much so alive, Estaban was relaxing. Exhaustion was setting in. Lack of alcohol had made him shaky once again. Maybe he needed to work on his drinking problem.
"You like blood in your mouth though," he said it before he could stop himself. It was a fact, but he still couldn't help but feel like it was over stepping boundaries. He quietly cursed at himself.
(No worries!)
He visibly flinched at the mention of blood in his mouth. "I have never killed a human. Even when I have…" His eyes narrow, and he rubs at his brow. "My siblings enjoy the taste of blood. They crave it, long for it really. Once they had their first sips they couldn't get enough. But for me… blood has always tasted bitter to me." He shrugged hopelessly. It seemed off odd to think about it really. Oleander leaned back into his bed and took a deep breaths it was fine… He just felt like his entire body was dying.
Estaban was silent for a long while. "Maybe you should rest some more," he finally said. He'd once again sat back in his chair and had pulled the knot work from his pocket.
He felt bad about his resentment twords the one who'd saved him. The least he could do right now was let Oleander rest a bit longer.
Oleander chuckles softly and shook his head. "My sister would have my head if she found I woke up and stayed in bed… the very busy life of a royal sibling under her thumb." He stood slowly, walking to his closet and getting dressed. "You're more than welcome to rest… You've been caring for me… hopefully." He chuckles dryly. "Are you hungry? Thirsty?"
Estaban forced out a small laugh of his own. "I need to get out of this room," he admitted. Being cooped up was completely different then being at sea. Out there he was stuck on the ship yes, but he was never bored. In that room watching over Oleander, he was almost sure he'd go crazy. "Ah no, your siblings actually sent someone to make sure I didn't starve to death." Which had shocked him. Especially after everything Oleander had told him.
While the siblings cared very little for Estaban, Oleander was their sibling. Was someone they needed to take care of. Estaban was considered a pawn, a plaything really. But they'd allow it. Thus, Estaban was given food and water. Oleander hummed and finished getting dressed. "Shall we then?" He tilts his head a little bit at Estaban. He knew that if he had been cooped up in this room he would have gone crazy as well. "I need to head to my labs, make sure nothing was touched."
Estaban pulled on his old boots that had been returned to him a few nights ago. He was greatful for it, walking around barefoot would be a little embarrassing. "Right to work i see." If Estaban could wake and go straight to the sea, he would. Unfortunately this whole situation wasn't a dream.
"When working for my sister, there is no such thing as relaxation unless she says so." He shrugged simply before exiting the room. He still felt extremely weak, but he would rather feel weak than deal with his sisters wrath. "We'll go to the gardens first. Some plants will be in bloom by now."
"Gardens?" He followed after Oleander, "what kind of gardens?" If they where outside- did he really want to take a risk and try to run. Chances are he'd fail, and if he did he could kiss the thought of going outside ever again goodbye.
Oleander nods. "It's up here. It's a green house type thing." He hummed as he made it up the stairs. "It's nearly impossible to grow a garden down on the main floor…" He frowned a bit.
"Right, so inside." Estaban tried not to show the small defeat he felt. "What do you grow in this garden?"
((Sorry for the shortness))
(No worries)
Oleander shrugged. "Mostly poisonous plants. Occasionally the normal flower or so but most of the time just poisonous plants." He chuckled and opened a door that lead out to a huge porch, with plants covering the majority of it.
His jaw dropped. Estaban had never seen such a large garden before. Where he'd grown up most gardens he'd seen where small, mostly vegetables. But this was different. "You grow all of this?" He asked, almost forgetting his horrible idea of an escape.
He nods proudly. His garden was his master piece. It had taken years to get all of them this big and healthy. "All of it is mine. Make sure to put some gloves on. Some of these plants cause irritation on human skin. And don't eat any of them."
Estaban did as he was told, pulling on a pair of gloves. "What do you even need all this for?" He asked as he began to wonder just a bit, but staying just close enough. He was curious about how close he could get to the edge before Oleander stopped him.
He chuckles, "I'm a poisons master… thus my sister allows me to grow my plants how I please. The more poison the better." He shrugged a bit and glanced at Estaban. "Stay in my line of sight. Losing you in this would be deadly." He warned gently. "You're free to wander, but make sure to be safe about it."
Estaban sighed and made his way back to Oleander. Death wasn't on his to-do list. Especially not death by plants. He stayed on the other side of a row of flowers.
"So everything in here is deadly? You don't grow anything just because it looks nice?"
Oleander glanced at him before returning his gaze forward and carefully examining a deadly nightshade. "Well… yes… But that's in the gardens higher up in the castle." He murmured quietly. "We'll go up there next if you'd like." He glances over at Estaban. "Do you like gardens?" He tilts his head a little in curiosity.
"I like being outside." Estaban admitted looking down at the plant Oleander was so focused on. To be more exact, he liked being near the ocean. And from here, where ever here was, he couldn't even smell the salt of the sea. "Do you like gardens?" He could feel the others eyes on him. It made him uncomfortable.
Oleander looks up from the plants and smiled a little. "To be completely honest, I miss the sun. But you know… burning up and all that." He sighed deeply. He smiled at the question. "I love gardens, whether they're poisonous or not." he chuckles warmly before becoming sad slightly. "I used to walk through the gardens during the day before my sister turned me. The dew as the sun rose after a storm… I miss that the most." He shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. "Well, come on then. A few more plants to take care of and then we can move up to the other gardens."
Estaban wasnt quite sure how to respond. He didn't really know much about vampires. Just that they drank blood, and what Oleander had told him just now, that the sun was deadly. "Can't you just cover yourself fron head to toe and go outside?" He followed the other, still keeping a row between them.
Oleander shook his head and smiles ruefully. "Even there it's a risk. As much as I'd love to sit under the sun again-" He sighed softly and offers a tiny smile. "Even the smallest bit of sun can cause serious injury or even death." He ran a hand through his hair and walks to a few other plants, checking in on them before washing his hands in a small bucket before turning to Estaban. "Shall we head to the gardens then?"
Estaban made a small mental note of that. Not that he thought he'd ever use it, especially not on Oleander who had saved him. Well kinda. He nodded his head, almost excited to leave the greenhouse filled with an impressive amount of deadly plants. There was just something about being near so many deadly things that set him on edge. "Can I take these off?" He held up his gloved hands, unsure of if he should wear them in the other garden too.
