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- FORBIDDEN FRUIT: VAMPIRE!ARLECCHINO X NUN!READER - CHAPTER 13: The Letter of Forgiveness

Tw: None I can personally think of Wc: Around 4.2k Genre: Fantasy A/N: Hi guys, it's been a while, I'm surprisingly not dead????? Woah!!

I'm sorry it took me a while to update!!! My main priority right now is doing my internship and writing my bachelor's thesis, so I haven't been able to write the fic for a while :') I kind of rushed this chapter, though, because I wanted to publish a chapter really badly.

Also, to everyone who asked where the next chapter is: it's safely stored in my brain dw I just have to write it out :P

Also, big kisses and love to everyone who comments on my chapters!! I may not reply to all comments, but I reread them every week ngl. You guys are one of the main reasons why I continue the story <3 Once I defend my fuck ahh thesis in mid-June, I'll finally graduate and hopefully write and post more chapters during my summer break! I'll do my best to post another chapter in May, though, but I will see!

-> Masterlist for Forbidden Fruit <-

At night, three vampires had taken a seat at the long wooden table that resided in the dining room. Father was at the head while the twins sat across from each other. The hearth burned fiercely behind them as they discussed important matters and findings with gravity.

“So, to sum it all up, both of you saw the apothecary descend into the woods in the middle of the night to presumably gather herbs. Whilst doing that, he got attacked by three vampires yet managed to kill two of them despite being a human,” Arlecchino summarised as she calmly swirled the wine glass containing blood in her hand. “The last one got kidnapped by him after getting injected with an unknown liquid… Quite the interesting story you two are telling here.”

“He brought the vampire to his shop, but we do not have the slightest idea what he did with him there. Lynette and I didn’t want to enter without consulting you first, Father,” Lyney calmly clarified, eyes wandering from Arlecchino’s gaze to Lynette’s figure.

Lynette noticed the signal immediately and calmly began to describe their newly made plan. They would continue to spy on the apothecary as they agreed to. Once he’s out in the woods again, one of them would infiltrate his shop for a thorough search while the other would secretly follow him like usual. Freminet would also be asked to lend his aid if it was absolutely needed.

Arlecchino listened attentively as she took a sip from her glass. It seemed like an achievable plan in her mind, but every step and detail had to be carefully planned out if they wanted to conduct it successfully—and some extra help would definitely come in handy.

“I would advise both of you to make a detailed step-by-step plan as soon as possible. The apothecary could leave his shop at any given evening,” Arlecchino coolly explained, setting the glass aside for a bit.

The twins nodded in understanding. Lynette remained silent, yet Lyney carried the conversation further with a curious voice. “Does the nun share anything of interest, Father? Anything that could perhaps help us?”

Arlecchino let out a soft hum before closing her eyelids, thinking of the most important things you had told her. There wasn’t anything you had shared with her that could help her children with their plan, but knowing other aspects of your enemy could always be an advantage. “She is mostly on her guard around me, so I do not have anything of relevance to share. She’s quite lonely, however. Her father is the only family member she still has.”

Upon noticing their genuine interest, she continued further. “Her mother passed away a long time ago. The one who wrote in the notebook was her, apparently. That’s what she eventually revealed to me.”

“The one we found in her room a while ago?” Lynette asked, and Arlecchino quickly confirmed with a nod.

Lyney’s eyes lit up at the sudden realisation. “Aha! It would explain the absence of a name,” he remarked. “It’s risky for a woman to write something in that kind, better leave it unnamed if you still do.”

The other twin agreed before opening her mouth to ask something. “Do you perhaps have anything else to tell about the father?”

Arlecchino calmly told them every major detail that stuck around in her head, how you couldn’t leave the abbey because of him, how you couldn’t even rely on him. She even recounted that the two of you had to flee because of the Church.

The twins listened to their Father’s explanation with great interest, and with each detail they heard, the more they became thankful for having a parental figure who offered them nothing but a life full of unlimited freedom.

Something a nun like you could only dream of having.

--

“And? What did you write in the letter?”

“I invited him over for an overdue talk,” you replied to the abbess’s curiosity while handing the wax-sealed envelope to her. Her office was suffocating you, while her presence alone began to feel like a huge threat to your well-being.

The abbess looked surprised as she took the letter. “Just that?”

You confirmed those words with a nod, “Just that, ma’am. Wasn’t that the task you assigned for me?”

“It is, but–”

“Then I’ll be taking my leave now.”

The older woman simply sighed and wished you a good day, watching you leave her quarters with a smile on your face—one that disappeared immediately when you were out of her line of sight.

When the sounds of your footsteps couldn’t reach the abbess’s ears anymore, she got to work. Her wrinkled fingers quickly took hold of a letter opener from the depths of her drawer and attempted to unravel the contents of your letter.

After a little bit of fiddling with the envelope, the abbess succeeded. Yet the only thing she was met with was the truth. You had indeed written a simple invitation to your father to talk everything out—nothing more, yet nothing less. She had imagined the contents of the letter much differently, but seeing the truth with her own eyes brought her a certain level of disappointment. It only complicated the little investigation she was currently conducting with the Church.

With her cold fingertips, she massaged her temples before putting the letter in a new envelope. She sealed the opening with wax again, making it look like an untouched letter, and put it on a stack of other envelopes that were awaiting to be sent.

You, on the other hand, had arrived at the infirmary. After greeting everyone, you rolled up your sleeves and started with tasks along with Pernelle and the other sisters. Kindly, you fed some of the people who were too ill to feed themselves, and helped the patients dress up in freshly washed clothes.

Once that was done, you occupied yourself with the preparation of medicine while Pernelle had just begun to read a chapter of the bible for everyone residing in the infirmary.

While getting the ingredients ready in the mortar, your attention began to gradually shift to the story Pernelle was telling. The softness of her voice was hypnotising to you. Those sentences were read by her with such genuineness that you almost believed them. She made God seem like someone anyone could rely on during their darkest times. Someone who would forgive anyone in a heartbeat, despite all their sins in the past. An almighty entity that does not discriminate and sees every soul as equal. That was God. That was who everyone worshipped.

The pestle rested in your hands, but the grinding didn't come; instead, you stared at the bowl in your hands as you listened to Pernelle. Her words gave you a feeling of certainty that your heart had been craving for so long.

Perhaps if you wholeheartedly believed in God, as your sisters do, your troubles would fade away.

But would that ever happen? You doubted it, and you didn’t want to. Not after everything that had happened.

Besides, it was too late for your renewal of faith now that you were presumably experiencing your final days at the nunnery. Everything but an escape plan was occupying that mind of yours these past few hours.

I have to set the internal panic aside for a second…

Let's just say that you did escape before they had the chance to imprison you. What would happen to you after that? Running away wasn’t a possibility because they would catch up with you eventually. You didn’t have a single penny to your name either, so a carriage to somewhere far away wasn’t an option.

Unless…

Unless I ask my dad for some money…

But what would the reason be? Buying something? You were punished so you wouldn’t be able to go to the marketplace. Donate? Okay, but to whom or for what reason? Asking for it so suddenly would raise suspicions, knowing that you professed a vow of poverty a few years ago.

“Is the medicine finally ready?” Pernelle asked from the other side of the room as she closed the thick bible in her hands, causing you to bid a farewell to your internal thoughts.

“Almost!” Hastily, you began to grind the last of the herbs with the porcelain pestle, which had grown warm in your hand.

The day went by quickly, and you found yourself at the Vespers after having filled your stomach with some well-made dinner. Time there was spent thinking of an excuse to lay your hands on some money without worrying your father. Besides, Arlecchino was paying a visit tonight, so the last thing you wanted was to look stupid to her by coming up with a poorly-made plan.

I need a good excuse…

When the Vespers came to an end, you met up with Agnès and Pernelle for a little chat in the courtyard—as if you hadn’t talked enough during the evening meal with each other. Both of them seemed tired but had a little bit of energy reserved for you still.

“Sister Pernelle,” Agnès began softly as she walked between the two of you, “what’s a peculium? I’ve heard the obedientiaries talk about it.”

“A peculium? Uhm… if I remember correctly, it’s when a person has their own money, but it’s still managed by their superior. It’s been a while since I heard that word.”

Your ears perked up at the mention of money. This could be useful. “Do you still remember why they were talking about it? What was the subject?”

Pernelle gave you a huge side-eye, but truth to be told, she was just as curious as you. “Are you out for gossip?” Her question was soon answered with a nod and an innocent gaze coming from you.

The youngest girl just looked at you two in slight disbelief before explaining the topic. Apparently, nearby convents had been accepting nuns managing small bits of property if that said property was owned by the abbess. Basically, the delegated use of money and goods under authority.

“But isn’t that against the vow of poverty?” Pernelle critically remarked as she frowned.

There were three perpetual vows that you, Pernelle, and the sisters around the same age had to take. First being the vow of chastity that prohibited sexual relationships and marriages because your heart had to be dedicated to God, and Him only. The second one is the vow of obedience, meaning that you had to listen to and obey the will of God. The last one is the vow of poverty, which forbade you from having personal property and possessions of any kind.

You agreed with Pernelle’s comment but quickly noticed a loophole, “But it’s technically owned by the abbess, so it’s not really personal property, is it? You just kind of manage it if I understood it right.”

“But uhm… if the abbess owns it, doesn’t she also break her vows?” Agnès chimed in as she curiously looked at both of you.

Pernelle acknowledged Agnès’ words with uncertainty, while you just shrugged. “The higher your position is in the hierarchy of the Church, the more rules you can break without getting punished,” you mumbled quietly because those words were meant for their ears only—and you wanted to avoid trouble as much as possible. Agnès looked at your face in confusion while Pernelle made it clear with her gaze that she absolutely disliked the comment.

You quickly wished both of them a good night before they had the chance to say something and fled from the scene. Using a peculium as an excuse to ask for money should work. It was a plausible reason. Besides, your father never really had contact with the abbess, so he wouldn’t ask for further details. He’d just take your word for it.

Yet, you couldn’t help but feel bad about it. Trust is kind of like a fine piece of porcelain to you. It’s nice to have it, something so pretty that one can’t help but appreciate it whenever it crosses their mind, but all it takes to break it is one singular hit.

And when one sees all those broken pieces, they can’t help but wish they had been more careful. They could pick them up and glue them together, but it would never appear the same again.

By the time all that deep thinking was done, you found yourself looking at the wooden door of your room. You took a cautious glance to the right, then to the left, and after assuring that no one was nearby, you entered the room with haste.

It was dark, the curtains had been closed by someone, and the only source of illumination was a candle. The little flame was enough to show the figure that was currently sitting on your bed. Arlecchino had made herself quite comfortable there, with one leg over the other; her posture emitted nothing but confidence. "I was awaiting your arrival."

"A good evening to you as well, sir," you quickly remarked as you closed the door behind you and took the veil off almost immediately. The uniform wasn’t certainly liked by you; that much was made clear with your actions.

The vampire examined your moves with a cold expression, arms crossed against her chest as she squinted her dark eyes. “Are you trying to teach me manners?”

You immediately froze at the comment and began to apologize profusely after realizing what you had said, “I– I didn’t mean it like that, sir! I was simply joking. P-pretend I didn’t say—”

Arlecchino hastily interrupted your nervous words to reassure you that she wasn’t mad about it—that was quite hard to believe from your perspective, but you just went with it to let it die down.

"Didn't expect you to come this early, I'll be honest."

"It's not like I'd come into your room while you're sleeping,” the vampire mumbled as she shifted on the small bed, “that's quite impolite. Besides, I told you yesterday that I would be here around the same time."

You chuckled with sarcasm while taking a chair to sit in front of her, pupils fixed on the bright flame between the two of you. Arlecchino began with the conversation first, her tone filled with nothing but seriousness. "Did anything out of the ordinary happen today?"

A headshake from you was her answer. She listened to you talk about your day, how you had visited the abbess in the morning, what you did in the infirmary the whole afternoon, and the relevant gossip you had heard in the evening that would help you out. The words were rolling off your tongue so easily. What happened with being cautious around her?

Arlecchino, on the other hand, gave you a small frown when you mentioned the visit to the abbess and asked for clarification. That’s when it hit you that you had forgotten to tell her about a certain detail.

"The abbess asked me to write a letter," you answered with honesty as the palms of your hands started to get covered in sweat. Your heartbeat became faster while absolutely avoiding eye contact.

The vampire squinted with her eyes, "What letter, if I may ask?"

You decided to act clueless just this once. "D-didn't I tell you that I had to invite my father to a talk?"

The mention of the apothecary had piqued her interest; she slowly leaned forward, her arms resting on her legs as she loosely clasped her hands. "You did not mention that to me yesterday."

I hope she does not ask why…

“Why?”

Oh, for God’s sake, come on now!

With a deep sigh, you continued, "Guess I was too panicked to tell about it... Well, uhm, t-the abbess ordered me to…"

Arlecchino inclined her head to show you she was listening, "When will he come over?"

"That I do not know. I'm guessing in a day or two, if the abbess sent the letter already,” you answered with honesty. A feeling of nervousness began to flow over your figure, but you tried your best not to show it.

A faint ‘I see’ was the only thing she answered before asking you why the abbess had ordered it—she was awfully aware of your nervous demeanor, but seeing you struggle like that was entertaining to her. It was satisfying to say the least.

You gulped. "W-well... When I had to explain to the abbess why I got lost, I used the fight I had with my father as an excuse. No– Wait– Actually... I'll be completely honest, it's kind of the truth. It's been bothering me for a while," you admitted while tripping over your words. "S-she then ordered me to invite him for a talk. That's kind of it."

"And you did not tell me this when I asked for the reason for your disorientation in the woods?"

The right words seemed to disappear in your throat.

"Always so secretive, hm? Always trying to lie your way out of problems and misery."

She loved to verbally torment you sometimes, but it really wasn’t a lie this time. You genuinely had forgotten to tell her about the letter.

Your breathing became heavier and quicker. "I’m h-honest this time, sir. I– I swear! I swear on–"

"Swear on what? Go on." She was currently staring through your soul with that sharp gaze; those red X’s were focused on your face as her lips were forming a faint smirk.

"I swear on my mother’s grave that I’m telling the truth and nothing but the truth!”

Arlecchino could only chuckle as she sat up straight, one hand resting in her lap as the other supported her body. You were watching her in confusion while taking deep breaths to calm yourself.

“I’m just pestering you, little nun. Now tell me, what did you hear that would help you out of this mess?”

It felt like a huge weight had been suddenly lifted off your shoulders. You let out a deep breath while allowing yourself to slouch in the chair, “I don’t have a detailed escape plan as of now, but I was thinking of asking my father for money to afford a carriage somewhere.”

“And what’s your excuse for that money? Nuns can’t own a large sum of money as long as I’m aware.”

"That's where the peculium comes in. I heard it from Agnès and Pernelle just now, and it seemed plausible to use it as an excuse. Especially because nearby nunneries have been thinking about introducing it."

Arlecchino nodded with interest. "And what if your lie gets revealed? What is your excuse then?"

"I doubt it will. My father and the abbess never interact," you explained while putting one leg over the other. "It pains me to lie to him, but I do want to put some money aside for a worst-case scenario."

"I understand your train of thought, and it’s logical to do so, but let's just say you didn't escape. What then? You need to come up with a concrete plan to save yourself if it all comes crashing down."

Arlecchino had made a valid point. Just asking for money wouldn't suffice. While shifting in your seat, you took a deep breath, unsure of what to do next. “I really can’t come up with anything despite thinking so hard… I have nothing. Literally nothing.”

Arlecchino wanted to open her mouth to say something to you, but decided to swallow her words instead. She didn’t want to drag herself into your mess.

"Maybe,” you spoke with uncertainty, “nothing will happen, and we're just being too careful? Perhaps it’ll all die down eventually."

The vampire shook her head and sighed, "You're too hopeful."

"What else can I try to be but hopeful in this situation? Await for them to imprison me? I'd much rather let my heart fill with hope instead," you defended yourself while your attention was glued to the flickering flame. "Anyway, if it’ll make you happy, I’m trying something out with the abbess as well."

That seemed to pique her interest once more. “Oh?”

“I sealed my letter with uncoloured beeswax, which has a yellowish colour, while the abbess always seals her letters with red wax. I think there’s a high chance of her opening my letter to read its contents, so once my seal is broken, she has to seal it again—”

“Which means she’ll put it in another envelope and secure it with the red wax,” Arlecchino completed your sentence without hesitation. “But how will you know that she did such a thing? Look through her documents when she’s not in her office?”

Well, that was an option, but you had something simpler and less exciting in mind. “I’ll just ask my father.”

The vampire’s face was filled with disbelief, but you decided to ignore it just this once.

Slowly, you stood up to grab another candle from your desk. “Just have a little faith in me, will you, sir?”

Arlecchino scoffed while her eyes followed your figure, “Can you see me having the tiniest bit of faith in a human?”

Okay, then don’t…

Before allowing her to ruin the mood even more, you decided to slightly change the topic. As you returned with the candles, you curiously asked her if she had seen people investigating in the forest again.

Prior to answering, the vampire hummed softly, her hand resting below her chin in deep consideration, "I did see men of the Church again, but their voices sounded hopeless. As if they couldn't find what they were seeking."

While lighting the candles with the flame of the other candle, your face lit up almost immediately at her reply. "Isn't that a good thing?"

The vampire silently agreed but warned you not to let your guard down yet. She also urged you to come up with a way to escape because, proof or not, the Church still might accuse a young woman like you. Misogyny still runs through their veins like blood.

With a deep sigh, you looked up at the ceiling, as if the wooden structure would offer the solution to all your problems. Arlecchino, on the other hand, wordlessly gazed at the bare skin of your neck. If she had seen the same sight a few months ago, she wouldn’t have hesitated even one second to pierce those sharp fangs through your jugular vein, but now–

“You look quite a bit better than yesterday.”

At the mention of your state, you surprisedly looked at Arlecchino while fixing your posture. “D-do I? I’m trying to feel better to carry on through everything.”

And then the most unexpected thing flew out of the vampire’s mouth before she could stop herself. It was one of the rare situations where her heart could act quicker than her brain. “You’re doing a great job.”

Once the sentence entered your ears and could be registered by your brain, you froze for a split second, before a faint smile appeared on your lips along with tears in your eyes. “Thank you, sir.”

During these rough times, you were doing nothing but your best to go forward, and perhaps at the end of the day, that was more than enough. You swiftly wiped your tears and took a deep breath before the vampire changed the subject. “Any idea when your father will pay you a visit?”

You shook your head but clarified to her that your father wouldn’t leave you waiting after receiving the letter. “So in a day or two, I’m guessing?”

Arlecchino nodded in understanding before asking if she could request something of you, to which you gladly made clear she could. You’d like to repay her for guiding the way back to the abbey that night.

“Could you perhaps put a dandelion right in front of your window if this whole situation starts to escalate? I cannot visit you personally every night to inquire about how things are going on this end… We cannot be caught together; it would put you at a great disadvantage.”

On her reasoning, you agreed. “If there aren't any dandelions around, can I put another flower? There are lots of flowers in the garden with vibrant colours.”

The vampire reassured you that it was fine before calmly standing up to approach your sitting figure; her figure was basically towering over you like a small tree as your gazes met once more this evening. She wanted to say something, but you beat her to it. “May I add another meaning to those flowers?”

The vampire’s brows knitted into a frown while awaiting your answer.

“If I put a bundle of dried lavender, it means that the meeting with my father went well… and–”

“Hm?”

Shyly, you averted your eyes as your fingers fidgeted with the skirt of your dress. “If I put a bunch of forget-me-nots together, I want you to visit me in the upcoming days.”

Arlecchino tried to hide her surprise by distancing herself from the candlelight, but this could only mean one thing to her: she was gradually gaining your trust, and this could serve as a huge advantage when it came to collecting intel regarding your father. With a faint nod, she agreed to the change without complaints and announced her departure, saying that she had other stuff to attend to.

You didn’t dare to question that business and simply bid her a farewell. Although deep down you wished that she had stayed a little longer for whatever reason.

Perhaps you began to long for her company when you’re all alone.

@neromints here you go :)

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