When the cement was only several steps away from falling fully on Shira, Shira braced herself and closed her eyes, arms together—but something happened. A loud sound of "THUD" could be heard.
At the next second, when Shira opened her eyes, she saw something very horrifying that made her scream.
Other people started to scream and yell and shout in fear and horror.
In fact, the one who saved Shira was Dariush.
Dariush had shielded her with his body. The big piece of cement was on his back. He looked down at Shira with a small smirk. His voice cut through everyone's yelling and screaming: "Are you okay, Shira?"
Everyone snapped out of it and rushed over. First was Eira, then Kian, then the other firefighters. Eira's face showed anything but calmness. She shouted: "DARIUSH!"
Eira, Kian, the other firefighters, and Shira started to help very fast, moving the cement away. Then Dariush collapsed, but Eira caught him.
Dariush choked out blood. Eira sat and placed Dariush on her lap and said: "Dariush, are you okay?"
Dariush said weakly, but smirked too: "Nah. But you make me feel good." (Then he closed his eyes.) "Don't worry, I just have no energy."
Eira and Kian sighed in relief. Shira looked like she felt guilty. But Dariush said with firmness: "Oi, you, Shira! I saved you because I was able to do it. And I don't love to let people die when I can literally save one. So don't worry. For now, I just need some rest. And now, back to work on the fire."
Shira's eyes lit up with new determination, but she was still sad and said: "Yes!"
At the same time, people started to murmur among themselves, and some sighed in relief that Dariush was okay for now. Then a man's voice cut through everything and said: "Why is Lord Dariush so weak?!"
Everyone was stunned by the question. Then Eira said with firmness: "He hasn't drunk blood for over six months, and it's almost reaching seven months. And it's because he spent the entire time stopping himself from drinking the blood of his people, even after his blood supply ended, and gave his own remaining blood to me!"
The mood shifted very fast. Firefighters started to put more effort into their work suddenly. The people's whispering grew more and more, but not louder.
But no one dared to say more.
.
.
.
After the fire finally stopped, everyone else left too. The air outside was still cold, the sky still cloudy, but there were no wyverns or birds anymore. The city's bustling continued but was now less. And at the same time, people were all whispering among themselves.
One man said to another: "I heard Lord Dariush hasn't drunk blood for over six months."
Another man said: "I heard he made a noble choice to not drink his people's blood. Even after his blood supplies ended, he refused to drink the blood of us."
The rumors started to spread widely through the whole of Dariush's estate. And they slowly reached the capital of the Nari empire and other cities and estates. The rumors about Dariush's sacrifice for his soldier and not drinking blood—this nobility made some people doubt themselves, and others started to change their minds about Dariush.
But back to real time—one hour after the fire ended.
Dariush was lying on a king-sized bed. Eira was at his side, sitting at the edge of the bed. Dariush was shirtless, but his body was bandaged. His eyes were closed, his black hair loose and spread on the pillow.
The bedroom was dimly bright, but the expensiveness of the room was still visible, as was Dariush's face and body.
Low sunlight was casting into the room, and the fireplace in the room was lit too.
Dariush was at his weakest state, and it ached Eira's heart. Her eyes grew watery. She started to stroke his hair with care, tenderness, and affection.
An elf maid came into the room quietly. In her hand was a tray with two bowls that contained blood. The maid said in a low voice: "My Duchess, I brought the blood you ordered." — Then she placed the tray on the nearby table beside the bed.
Eira nodded and said quietly with a tired smile: "Thank you. You can... stay. Stay, because I might need some help."
The maid nodded and stood beside the bed too, but several steps away from Eira and Dariush. Her hands grasped together in front of her, and she said quietly: "Yes, my Duchess."
Eira patted Dariush's chest gently and said: "Dariush, my dear. Wake up. You need to drink blood so you can heal faster."
Dariush slowly opened his eyes. With Eira's help, he sat up and leaned against the bed's leather headboard. He said: "Very well."
Even in this state, Dariush looked like an angel. His pink eyes glistened from the light of the fireplace.
Eira gave him the first bowl, and he sipped from it in one go but carefully, to not waste a single drop. He sighed after drinking all of it. He took the second bowl and did the same. Then he said: "Thanks."
Dariush thought: Even now, it's disgusting. I really hate drinking blood and how I need it too. But honestly, I need blood to be strong again. And I am starting to love it, even though I really don't want to love it.
At the same time, Dariush's injuries started to heal faster, and it was visible.
Dariush said while looking down at his body: "I think... I am healed fully."
Eira sighed in relief and said: "Then let's cut the bandages." — She turned to the maid and said: "Come and help."
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.
.
After a few minutes, the maid started to leave the room with the bandages and the bowls on the tray.
Dariush lay there on the bed, shirtless. His body had some scars, but his skin was pale like snow that hadn't seen any dirt. His body slightly shone from the fireplace light.
He closed his eyes and said: "Eira... Sorry if I made you worry so much."