Discworld and Member Articles
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Written by Mynona
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Friday, 26 August 2005 |
It was a splendid night the snow that covered the landscape was lit up the stars and the full moon. It was nearly as bright as during day except that it was as if the colours had been drained, everything was different shades of grey. It was cold; my breath formed clouds round me and froze at everything it happened to touch.
I was on my way home from practice, it wasn’t overly late but in this part of the world, during winter, darkness comes early and leaves late and the little light there is, is weak and only lasts a few hours. I was content, practice had been good, I was exhausted in a way that felt good and my mind and body had been rinsed clean. I felt as clear as the sky above.
It was a splendid night the snow that covered the landscape was lit up the stars and the full moon. It was nearly as bright as during day except that it was as if the colours had been drained, everything was different shades of grey. It was cold; my breath formed clouds round me and froze at everything it happened to touch.
I was on my way home from practice, it wasn’t overly late but in this part of the world, during winter, darkness comes early and leaves late and the little light there is, is weak and only lasts a few hours. I was content, practice had been good, I was exhausted in a way that felt good and my mind and body had been rinsed clean. I felt as clear as the sky above.
Passing a field of untouched snow, I couldn’t suppress my inner child and I simply had to mark the virgin snow with the impressions of my feet. The snow protested against my weight and it groaned as it gave after, as if it always does when it’s cold enough. Looking back over my shoulder I could see my footprints trailing after me, looking up again I met the stare of a green-eyed person. Why hadn’t I heard him?
“Come.” He said extending a hand, as I wasn’t afraid I took it. The world went black; all that remained was a set of tracks leading from the edge of a field to its centre only to disappear.
I woke up cold and in the dark wondering where I was since this was quite obviously not my room. My room never got completely dark as the streetlights outside shines through my window. Freezing I got up and realised that my clothes were where they belonged I had no idea to where my jacket had gone I would have needed it now. Reaching out, putting my hands in front of me I cautiously took a step half expecting to hit something. When this didn’t happen I took another step, halfway through my third step my hands made contact with a stone wall. Putting my left hand on the wall and still holding the other in front of me I continued. Five steps later I had found a corner, sighing I sat down my back against the wall, arms hugging me legs. I closed my eyes to avoid the pressing darkness and leaned my head on my knees.
Sitting like this I suppressed the panic, allowing myself to be scared but not to panic. It was cold and I really missed my jacket, I realised I was going to die if left in here for too long. After an indeterminable length of time I stood ignoring the pain from a tortured back and protesting knees. I didn’t dare to leave my corner, instincts telling me that covering one’s back was a really good idea.
Suddenly the noise of metal interacting with metal and a disturbance in the before too still air. A paler rectangle appeared, not light but a less compact darkness. A movement in the air in front of me made me back all the way into my corner.
“You don’t need to be scared” a soft voice said. Scared and with panic rising a suddenly saw a pair of green eyes glowing as of an inner light. They appeared only a couple of feet in front of me. I couldn’t take any more so I screamed.
“Hush child” the voice said, it was like velvet to my ears. I felt a pair of hands upon my shoulders and wished that I could disappear through the wall, but I stopped screaming. Instead I asked
“Who are you?” I whispered
“I’m not important” came the answer “Come”
“I. I can’t” I asked still unable to raise my voice
“Why not?” he asked his voice sounding curious “Come”
“Because I can’t see anything!” I whimpered “It’s dark” I added as an afterthought in case he had missed it
“Trust me. Come” His hands left my shoulders, one went to my hand the other didn’t come back. I felt a slight pull in my left arm and when I followed with a small step, it was answered with a reassuring pressure around my hand. I took another step towards the patch of paler black and the eyes were no longer there, I figured it was because their owner had turned away from me. Step by painfully slow step I was led through the nothingness, his hand in mine my only source of guidance. Clearing what I presume was a door we turned to the right and saw a distinctly paler grey opening 30 feet or so away. Eager to reach whatever light there was I sped up my pace from a crawl to a slow walk.
Clearing the doorway, I could see a corridor in front of me lit up by torches. ‘Who uses torches now days?’ I asked myself. Gaining a bit of confidence with the increasing light I began to walk at my usual pace and he let go of me, knowing I didn’t need his support anymore. I dared a glance at him and I was not let down. He was standing 6’4” or a little more black shoulder length hair and a pale complexion. He wore black tight pants made from a semi-glossy material; his shirt was a matted dove grey. He moved soundlessly, confident, catlike. In other words, he moved like someone who had complete control over his body.
He led me through what seemed to be a maze of corridors and stairways, until we reached a door flanked by a pair of guards. My guide inclined his head slightly and one of the tall blondes spoke
“You are expected” and opened the door. We entered a big office the desk and bookcases were all mad from the same dark wood. A thick green carpet under my feet and someone sitting behind the desk in the windowless room. I saw my guide kneel and bow his head, following his lead I curtseyed keeping my eyes downcast. He said, with the uttermost respect.
“My Lord”
“Emilio” the mysterious man be hand the desk recognised his presence.
“I have done what you ordered, I have brought her here” I began to rise from my curtsey because I was unable to remain my balance any longer. The damaged already done I decided to stand straight but keep my eyes at the carpet.
“Yes I can see that Emilio. Rise” The command was give to me although I had already begun, and almost finished, rising still not looking at him.
“Child” I slowly raised my gaze to met his. He had brown hair and eyes in the same blue colour as mine, if you don’t count the brown that covers a quarter of my left iris.
“I’m glad you are finally here”
“Excuse me, sir, but where is here?” I dared to ask. My eyes travelling downwards again as I felt uncomfortable meeting his stare.
“We are in the Camrille Coven”
“Forgive me, sir, but I still don’t understand” He ignored my statement. I remained silent, not knowing what to say or do. Glancing at my guide, I saw that he was still kneeling, eyes downcast, silent. As far as I knew, he hadn’t moved since taking that position. I was both curious and unnerved by his, to me, strange behaviour. As if he was sensing my distress, the person behind the desk said
“You may rise Emilio”
“Thank you, my Lord” I quietly wondered what kind of person deserved a title uttered with that much respect.
“Emilio, why don’t you explain to our young guest who I am” Without turning towards me he softly spoke
“His Highness is the Rector Lamia and the High Prince of the Camrille sect” There was that word again, Camrille, something told me I was supposed to know it. What was a Rector Lamia? What was he talking about? This explanation wasn’t explaining anything to me, it was just making things more and more complicated.
“Emilio, you may leave us now. You know what to do” Bowing low he said “My lord” again and exited the room. When the door had closed the man rose and walked to the front of the desk, facing me.
“Look at me” I met his blue eyes steadily and found myself unable to look away, in the end it was he who broke the link.
“Emilio’s answer didn’t help much did it? I decided to agree, since it hadn’t.
“No. Who or what is the Rector Lamia? Or is it your name? What is the Camrille Coven, or sect ” I asked all of my question at once, hoping that at least some of them would get answered. He countered with a question of his own
“Who were your parents?” ‘That was odd I thought, why are they important?’
“Thomas and Christine Smith” He smiled at me
“They are your adoptive parents”
“No”
“Yes.They.Are” His eyes flared and there was no question that that statement was final.
“But, but why didn’t they tell me?” One statement and suddenly I had no family, I was alone and my life was a lie. I had lived a lie. Sadness and self-pity engulfed me speckled with anger at them for not telling and at the man for telling.
“Because I asked them not to” Anger and hatred flared up, only to die when I saw his expression of great sadness.
“Why?” and a thought hit me “Did you know my real parents?” I asked hoping against hope that I might still have a family.
“Yes I did. Your mother was Morwenna, she died 12 years ago” The man looked sad “Your father, is me” I stared at him. ‘This is not happening… this kind of thing only happens in bad Hollywood movies’
“Why did you leave me?” I asked not really believing, and I was far from accepting, what he said.
“We didn’t have a choice” The sad tone still in his voice.
“The point is that” his voice grew stern and lost every trace of emotion. He pointed at me “You are of the Camrille sect, and even of the Royal family” ‘Well the movie just got worse. He’s got to be kidding’
“No I’m not joking” ‘Does he know what I’m thinking’ He managed to look slightly embarrassed and I understood that it was exactly what he had been doing.
“What is your name? Or is Rector Lamia your name?” I was getting bolder when I noticed that he didn’t object to neither my behaviour nor my questions.
“No Rector Lamia is another title of mine. My name is” he paused “Vladimir Alucard” The name rung a bell but I couldn’t place it. My head spun with all the information I had gotten. I wasn’t sure what to do with what I had learnt. The man, Vladimir I reminded myself, had taken a small box from a drawer.
“I want you to have this. You won’t understand yet but you have to use them” I accepted the box.
“Wait until you get to your quarters” he smiled. “one of the guard will show you where they are” With that I knew I was dismissed
“Good….” I started before I realised I had no idea what time it was.
“Night” he provided smiling
“Good night” I smiled back and exited
“Please follow me” one of the guards nodded and began walking down the corridor. He presented me to a door which he opened without entering.
“Thank you” He nodded in response and said
“If you need something you know where to find us” With those words he turn around and walked back the way we came.
The room was decorated much in the same way as Vlademir’s office, dark wood and green carpets. The bed had green hangings and sheets. In one of the corners, there was a fireplace with two red chairs and a small table in front of it. Just as the office there was no windows, but paintings made the room feel a little less bare. There where two doors except the one I had just entered thru, one led to a bathroom and the other was, to my great disappointment, locked. I decided that too much had already happen today, or tonight, I went to sleep.
I woke up in a soft, warm bed. I came to the conclusion that this was much better than the last time I woke up. I spotted the box Vlademir, my father, had given me. I walked over to the small table, picked it up and seated myself. In the box there was three rings, one gold and two silver. I picked up the first of the silver rings, it was ordinary ring, flat without markings, the second silver ring had an intricate carving and five emeralds on the outside and the word Camrille written on the inside. The gold ring held one diamond but had no other decoration. Someone was knocking at my door
“Enter” Curious as ever I wondered who it might be. It was Emilio.
“Hello” I still wasn’t sure what time is was.
“Good morning” he answered with a slight nod. ‘Why was everyone nodding at me?’
“Are you hungry?” When he said it I realised I was starving
“Yes, is there any chance of getting breakfast?” He snapped his fingers and suddenly there was breakfast on the table. I wasn’t sure what to do and when he saw that.
“I have already eaten. Eat before it gets cold” I would have wanted to ad ‘or I’ll starve to death’ but I had already begun to eat so I didn’t waste time with speaking. Finishing the meal Emilio snapped his fingers again and all traces disappeared, well one was left and that was my full stomach. Emilio was still standing beside his chair rather than sitting in it.
“Don’t you want sit” I asked and with this he sat. I looked at him with the question in my eyes but he ignored it.
“I see you got your rings” I looked at his hands and on his right hand a twin to my plain silver ring rested.
“What are they?” I opened the box. “This is sign of the Camrille sect” he said and pointed at the plain ring, “you ought to wear it at you left hand like this” he showed his own ring.
“This is the ring of the Camrille Royal family” he said pointing at the second silver ring “wear it on the same finger. And this” he pointed at the gold ring “you have to wear all the time. It’s really important. Wear it at your other hand” As I slipped the rings on they adjusted to fit precisely.
“Remember, do not take them off”
“Why was this so important? Vladimir, or whatever he was called, said the same thing yesterday” He flinched when I mentioned the name.
“It just is. You will understand soon enough. Want to go for a walk?” I rose and headed towards the door. After I exited the room and Emilio was right behind me.
“Where do we go?” I marvelled at the opportunity to explore, my curiosity had the better of me again. He didn’t say anything just began to walk down the corridor with me half a step behind.
Many hours we spent walking around in the coven, not once did I see any other light source than fire, and no windows. As I complained of being hungry again we headed back. Coming down a corridor, we met two other people. One male and one female, both red-haired and good looking. Suddenly the man holds both my wrists in one hand while the other has a firm grip of my hair, bending me backwards. Emilio growled.
“Don’t!” he said and hit the man hard over the head. The man lost his grip on my wrists but held on to my hair and thus pulling it when he lost his balance. He righted himself, snarled something incomprehensible, and got something equally strange in return. Emilio took the hand holding my hair and gave it a twist and he was rewarded with a scream. The man let go of my hair and Emilio pushed him into the wall where he held him with a grip around the man’s throat. Both of the new people suddenly looked at my hands, at the same moment he stopped fighting and just hung limp from Emilio’s hold. Emilio slowly let him down, when he reached the ground he bowed without a sign that anything had happened.
“I’m sorry, we didn’t know” and the two disappeared without a trace.
“They didn’t know what?” I looked curious at Emilio
“Lets get back to your room”
A sharp knock on the door my second ‘guest’ for today
“Enter” I wouldn’t be able to restrain myself even if my life depended on it. Curiosity is far too much fun, mostly that is. Sometimes all it gets you is trouble. It was one of the blond guards.
“His Highness wants you to come to his chamber” I went out waiting for Emilio to come
“Aren’t you coming?” He smiled and waved his hand in a ‘now-get-going-or-you-will-regret-it’ kind of way. Silently I followed the blond to the chamber visited yesterday. I wasn’t sure what to do and I felt uneasy without Emilio. He opened the door and I entered. Kneeling on the floor was the two persons I had encountered earlier. I curtsied but didn’t stay down since I knew from yesterday that I couldn’t.
“Do you know these two?” he said indicating the man and the woman on the floor. Rage flowing just under the surface.
“I saw them earlier today”
“What happened?” I told him what had happened and hoped that the silent anger wouldn’t turn my way. I wished Emilio was there, he was the most familiar thing in these new surroundings and I needed whatever support I could get. During my story he glared at the kneeling figures, indicating that they were the ones in trouble, not me. Vladimir told me to leave and I returned to my room.
“I wonder what that was all a about” Looking at me Emilio answered
“They are going to get punished”
“For what?” He stared at me his gaze asking ‘are you stupid?’
“For what happened earlier. They shouldn’t have attacked you”
“I hope their punishment isn’t too bad, he didn’t really do anything”
“Didn’t do anything!” he exploded “They attacked you!” I couldn’t understand why this was such a big deal, nothing happened. He looked furious.
“They ought to…” he didn’t finish instead he turned to watch the fire. “I’ll bring some food for you” and with those words he left. He didn’t return in his place a, to me, unknown woman brought me food. She stayed while I ate and took the dished away, without saying a word.
The next day Emilio appeared after dinner carrying a bundle of clothes.
“Put this on” ha said and gave them to me. I went to the bathroom where I changed into a pair of black leather pants and a loose green silk shirt with silver embroideries at cuffs and collar. When I got back into the room Emilio smiled and said
“I thought you’d like that better than a dress” and walked out.
I followed him to a large hall where roughly 100 persons had gathered. They where clothed in the same way as Emilio and me only the colours on the shirts differed. Some of the women present had beautiful dresses but most of them wore pants. Running along the furthest wall was a podium with a chair, or rather a throne upon it. Some people where whispering and pointing at me but Emilio told me not to worry.
Silence fell as Vladimir entered and began moving towards the podium and everybody bowed. As he seated himself at the throne, he made a gesture with his hand and everybody rose, I followed suite. Even though all the people were facing him, no one looked directly at him. Two persons were kneeling in front of the throne.
“We have gathered to execute the sentence of Armin and Emina. They are guilty of attacking another member of our community and, what’s worse, she’s also my daughter and heir to the Camrille royal family. The time of her awakening is drawing closer and I won’t tolerate anything that can jeopardise it. Armin do you accept my right to sentence you?”
“I do, my Lord”
“Emina do you accept my right to sentence you?
“I do, my Lord”
”Rightfully you should be annihilated, but my daughter has requested a mild sentence. Your lives will be spared but instead you are no longer parts of the Camrille sect and you are banished from the Camrille coven. Do you understand?”
“Yes, my Lord” they answered in unison. Vladimir looked at me.
“Come here” I walked up and stood before him before I kneeled.
“Stand and face those two” I did this
“You” he addressed the two “are to give your rings to her” he looked at me. First the man and after him the woman gave me their silver Camrille rings.
“You are no longer parts of the Camrille sect. You have immunity until you reach the border of the coven, if you ever set a foot on the convent’s ground again you will be hunted and killed. Leave!” With this the two rose and walked out of the hall as one. Vladimir turned towards me and said
“Justice has been served!” With these words the crowd bowed and started emptying the room, only Vladimir, Emilio and I was left.
“Follow me” we did this and ended up in a small room containing a table with a dozen chairs. We seated ourselves in one end of the table, Vladimir in the middle with us on either side.
“Would you have killed them?” I asked, this question was important to me. I’m no stranger to violence but the thought of actually killing someone unnerved me. Especially since my so-called father wanted this.
“Yes” he answered calmly “why is it so important to you that they should stay alive?” How could he say something like that, all and every life is important, you can’t just walk around killing people because you feel like it.
“Because killing is wrong and what they did wasn’t that horrible. Nothing happened! I’m fine”
“You may not understand it yet but what they did was highly inappropriate, and they knew it” His face grew stern. I was still angry with him. What gave him the right to behave like this? He turned towards Emilio and ignored me
“Emilio you are to teach Alexis our way and help her to prepare for the turning. This is of course if she accepts you as her teacher” I was still mad at him but, thanks to curiosity and the fact that Emilio was the only one here I knew and getting someone else as teacher didn’t appeal to me, I nodded in agreement.
“I’m honoured my Lord” with this Vladimir, I have to start calling him father, left. Emilio rose and my schooling began.
For three weeks I learned languages, manners, etiquette, music and fighting both with and without weapons. During the hand-to-hand combat classes I was always slower, weaker and tired more easily. I had been training unarmed combat before but I had never met anyone as fast, strong and agile as Emilio. His classes were always hard and tiring and I got more and more frustrated as time went on. Finally in the end of one session, where he had pushed me so hard that I didn’t have energy to move, I just lay on the floor totally and utterly exhausted. Emilio came and stood over me.
“Get up” I tried to move but couldn’t. He repeated his command
“Get up!” grabbed the collar of my shirt, and yanked me to my feet.
“When I say up, you get up understood?” he growled. This made me angry, no I was furious. Here I was doing the best I could, which never was good enough and when I can’t go on he just yells at me. Who was he to tell me anything by the way. I had been here for 4 weeks never complaining, never getting any explanations and he, they I corrected myself, wants me to behave. It has been an interesting time but I’ve had enough. Somehow during the time I thought this my power had returned and it was greater than ever. With all the strength I could muster I hit him in the face and he flinched and let go of me. I had never gotten any reaction whatsoever from him earlier. Free at last I started towards the door.
“Look at me!” he snapped. I don’t know why I did it but I obeyed.
“So it has started” I looked at him not understanding. Then I got tired, drained. My knees buckled and the floor sprang upward hitting me in the head sending me off into a blessed darkness.
The first thing I registered was the silky feel of the fabric surrounding me. Where was I? The next thing that came to me was hearing, I heard two voices talking softly as if they were frightened to disturb someone. I recognised the voices of Vladimir and Emilio. Finally I gathered my strength and slowly opened my eyes. They confirmed what my ears had told me, Vladimir and Emilio did indeed sit in front of the fire talking. Like he had felt my eyes upon him Vladimir, father I reminded myself, turned and looked at me.
“How do you feel?” he asked with a smile
“Tired” I whispered in response. I was weak, just speaking this word made me feel like I hadn’t slept for a week.
“That’s understandable”
“Wha?” I made a questioning sound.
“You’ll understand soon. Now sleep you’ll need your strength” I would have liked to reply that I’d prefer to know now and not later, but I had already begun to doze off. Just before sleep claimed me I thought I heard him tell Emilio to see to it that I had the food I needed. I didn’t have time to reflect over this as I had already been blessed with sleep.
Next time I woke up was more pleasant. I woke up faster and as I did the wonderful smell of breakfast reached my nose. I almost bounced out of bed but that was a mistake, I was still weak and my legs weren’t cooperating but before I hit the floor a couple of strong arms caught me.
“I see that you have woken again” Emilio said “but you need to take it a little careful” His surprisingly arm around my waist he helped me to a chair. As I saw the food on the table I realised how hungry I was, I was starved. Something seemed slightly wrong with the food but I was too hungry to notice. After eating, I was escorted back to the bed and fell asleep once more.
The following week or so I didn’t do much besides eat and sleep. When I complained over this to Emilio, he smiled but never answered. The funny thing was that whenever I woke up Emilio was there awake. ‘Didn’t he ever sleep?’ But one day, or maybe night I didn’t feel compelled to sleep anymore. It was as if I had gotten the rest needed and I was now fit to do whatever I wanted to. That night I was taken, once again, to meet Vladimir.
“Come in” his voice sounded even before we reached his door. His office looked different, gone was the carpet and I noticed that I stood on a bare stone floor. His desk was clean and the documents that usually littered it was nowhere in sight.
“My lord” Emilio said as he kneeled. I kneeled down beside him but remained quiet.
”Is she ready?”
“I think so, my Lord”
”Well then. Tell the guards they know what to do” A pair of feet came in to view. A hand came down to my chin and made me look into Vladimir’s eyes. Those eyes, they shimmered and became red, like a fog had settled over them. Following his hand I stood and he came closer until I could feel the power radiating from him. I knew no more.
Bright light reached my eyes, so bright it hurt even though my eyes were closed. And the sound of a slow drum. I felt oddly content. Someone spoke
“How are you feeling?” fathers voice didn’t interfere with the drum, which sounded far of in the distance.
“I don’t know… bright… drum” My own voice echoed through my head and scared me because of how loud it was. ‘And since when did I think of Vladimir as father?’ Something smelled good, very good and I tried to figure out what it was that smelled.
“Calm down, everything will be back to normal soon.” As he spoke, the light began to fade and the drum became less annoying although it was still there, just as the smell. I opened my eyes and found myself in my father’s office, father behind his desk and me in a chair in front of it. It was funny I hadn’t realized that I was sitting before. There was something disturbingly wrong with what I saw, I just couldn’t figure out what.
“Feeling better?”
“Yes… yes, actually I do, much better” I admitted quietly to myself that I felt better than I had for a long time.
“You may return to your room, Emilio will answer your questions” I knew a dismissal when I heard one. I was worried about the questions though. ‘Questions about what?’ I rose and as I turned around I saw something on the floor, it was a body. A body of a dead woman, and as I laid my eyes on her the memories of the past two hours hit me as a ton of bricks.
My father Vladimir Alucard, better known by the short version of his name, Vlad… Vlad Dracula. I had killed that woman after my father, the most famous vampire in the world, had performed some sort of ritual I had drained her of blood. I was a vampire and so was everyone else in the coven. I was suddenly scared. ‘What will happen to me, did I have to kill to stay alive, was I even alive?’ Those kind of questions bounced around in my head and I glanced first at the corpse and then at my Father, Lord and Master, in a silent question of what to do with it. It, the woman I had killed.
“Leave it, the guards will dispose of it” his velvety voice soothed my nerves somewhat. His unspoken reassurance strengthened me enough to obey his last order. ‘And why shouldn’t it, if He was calm why shouldn’t I?’ Emilio waited outside the doors and his smiled showed of the fangs he had successfully hidden up to this moment.
“Welcome” was the only word he spoke as he laid his hand on my shoulder and we walked of to my chambers.
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