Discworld and Member Articles
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Written by Mynona
Friday, 26 August 2005 |
I was face to face with Emilio. We’d been at it for several hours and both of us were covered in sweat and even, in some places, blood. The room felt overly warm, as did my body and the exercise had taken its toll. Though I wasn’t about to give in just yet. No pain, no gain, right? The respite was up, he came for me again. He did that twisty-turning thingy with his hips that made following his movements so very hard. I managed to block the kick, for the first time ever, I’d stopped it. Though I realised that I shouldn’t have celebrated until I’d gotten him down because his next kick caught me square in the stomach and once again I ended up on the floor.
I was face to face with Emilio. We’d been at it for several hours and both of us were covered in sweat and even, in some places, blood. The room felt overly warm, as did my body and the exercise had taken its toll. Though I wasn’t about to give in just yet. No pain, no gain, right? The respite was up, he came for me again. He did that twisty-turning thingy with his hips that made following his movements so very hard. I managed to block the kick, for the first time ever, I’d stopped it. Though I realised that I shouldn’t have celebrated until I’d gotten him down because his next kick caught me square in the stomach and once again I ended up on the floor.
“How you managed to survive the battle is beyond me.” Laughter was in the air and in his eyes.
“You were on our side.” He laughed harder but stopped as the door opened. Two guards came in and I turned towards them, perhaps stupid since it put Emilio out of my line of sight but I didn’t think he’d attack. Not in front of others anyways. Hopefully.
“I thought the point of fighting was to stay on your feet, little lady.” Clay said while he offered his hand to help me up. I didn’t need it but I took it anyways, manners you know.
“It is?” I asked sounding scandalised. “No one ever told me.” Clay wasn’t unprofessional enough to laugh but Emilio did. And so did the other guard.
“Little lady, eh?” Leered Nathan, it was the guard who’d killed the vampire I had been holding in the Gradeft coven. I didn’t particularly like him and no one except those I’d allowed called me ‘little lady’. I took a step closer and punched him in the face hard enough to break his nose. Action and consequence, easy.
“Did you want anything?” My voice was chilly, nothing like an idiot to ruin the mood, any mood. I also knew that there was something since they wouldn’t have disturbed me-us otherwise.
“Lord Dracula requests your presence in his study, lady.” What ever made him go all formal on me? Nathan stumbled… oh? Well, he’d get over it.
“I’m on my way. Sorry to cut this short Emilio.” Sorry my ass, well yes my ass, I’d just saved it from being kicked again. I walked out and decided that I wouldn’t acknowledge the guards as they hurried after me. I’d been in a reasonably good mood but Nathan had ruined it and I wasn’t going to keep quiet with my displeasure. I was usually more forgiving or at least being able to appear forgiving but something about Nathan just rubbed me the wrong way. You can’t befriend everyone.
The guards at father’s door took one quick look at me before the opened the doors. I could walk straight in, didn’t even need to slow down. Brownie point for them. Though I couldn’t, wouldn’t, let my displeasure go out over father. No way, I’d learnt the hard way that it wasn’t worth it. So I wiped my face of any expression and kneeled as expected to.
“My lord.”
“Daughter.” I looked up and was unable to hide my surprise. In all of 20 years I’d spent here, he’d never used daughter to address me.
“You needn’t look so surprised, Alexis. After what happened in the battle, what else could I call you?” Was it me or did he sound proud? I wanted to make him proud and I’d fought to do so. Could I, at long last, done something that made him proud? Father looked over my shoulder as Clay and Nathan entered and kneeled. He’d obviously asked them to join us. I wasn’t keen on the idea.
“Alexis, you don’t happen to know why the guard is suffering from a broken nose?” Father knew very well that I couldn’t stand Nathan, it made me curious as to why he’d sent him to pick me up. Maybe it was someone else, besides me, who disliked him.
“He took liberties he shouldn’t have, my lord.” I wasn’t clear on how to address him. Damn him for confusing me, again. My statement had sounded a bit empty but I knew father’d know what I was talking about.
“Please rise. There is something I’d like to talk to you about. Next Sunday there will be a small contingent of humans arriving. Three different sets of contracts will be negotiated. I want you to sit in on the first and do the second on your own while I handle the third.” Well, that sounded simple, not. I had no idea what the contracts would be about, what to ask of the humans and what to give in return, or in what quantities. “You’ll have help. Sultrina, my councillor in this kind of things will be there to help you but I’d like for you to do the most work. Her job is to give advice, you’ll have to take the decisions. Am I clear?”
“Yes, my lord.”
“One more thing, you can address me as father.” He looked down on his desk if I didn’t know better I’d say he was fiddling. “If you want to.” Was that a bit of uncertainty? From father? Surely not.
I had five days to prepare, as best as I could, for the arrival of the humans. It was easier said than done since both father and Sultrina refused to tell me about the expected deals. I mean, they’d have some inclining to what the humans wanted or they wouldn’t even consider them, would they? So I got a generalised overview of several deals made so that I’d know what was considered agreeable and what was not. It was all very confusing. And Sultrina wasn’t the best of teachers, she had a very sharp temper and got angry every time my opinion differed from hers. Which it did often because she was also not very good at explaining things. Emilio had been present at the first of these lessons but had given in to the sheer stupidity of it all and left me to suffer it alone. Erm… that wasn’t completely correct, I’d ordered him out after I’d had to restrain him from tearing her throat out, seven times. Lessons got even more boring after that. Old vampires tended to keep customs from when and where they were born, Sultrina might as well have stayed in the 19th century for all I cared. If she had, she’d be dead now and I won’t have to suffer to her classes. She’s looking oddly at me again, oops haven’t been paying attention… again.
We were in father’s office. He sat behind his gigantic desk with two humans opposite him, I was sitting to the left of and behind father. I had a notebook and a pen in hand trying to give off a professional air. I think I succeeded because no one laughed. Both humans were male, on in his 40ties and one about 30. The younger one appeared to be very nervous. Maybe he was only here as ‘bait’. He was indeed good looking but that wouldn’t get any cookie points from us, as long as they are in good health we don’t care about the outside. Aren’t we very politically correct? A guard has followed them in.
“My lord,” He said with a flourish bow. “This is Stefan Camden and Johannes Lasar. Mr Camden, Mr Lasar, this is His Highness the High Prince of the Camrille sect.” Good one, intimidating tactics. The guard had never said father’s name and by introducing him not only my title but also by introducing them to him first, he’d stated that father was in much higher standing than them. Father was cool, he just looked at them wearing no particular expression at all and watched them squirm.
“Eh, well… your highness, we… We have a business proposition for you. I’ve already given a copy of the deal to your advisor so I’m sure you know what it’s all about…eh.” Eloquent, very eloquent. Though I ought to give him some slack, it isn’t easy to face my father even if you know him.
“Yes, I’ve seen the proposed deal but I want to hear about it from you. Tell me why I ought to agree to it.”
“Well… my father has always had an exclusive right to sell food to you, he died last year but since the last contract lasted for four it wasn’t due to be redrawn until this year. The proposition is the same as last one. With a couple of small changes, eh… yes.”
“Tell me about the changes.”
“Eh, you see, the prices has gone up so I’ve added to them in the new deal. No more than the prises has gone up for us though.”
“I’ve seen the figures, I don’t think they are correct though.” Father glared at them. Lucky me actually sitting behind him.
“Of course they are correct, are you suggesting I lie?” The human bristled. Had he been furry, the hairs would have stood on end. Despite not having fur to go by his state of mind were painfully obvious.
“I’m not accusing you of lying, merely saying that you might have spiced the numbers some to make a better deal. Please tell me, do you know why your father held the exclusive with us?” Father was as cool and collected as always, it took more than a human to move him.
“No, not exactly, he never got around to telling me and he died rather abruptly.”
“I can see two reasons for this, either he was only procrastinating or he didn’t want you to know.”
“I come here under the impression that you’re a… fair businessman. “ Even I could hear the ‘easy tricked’ instead of ‘fair’. “And you accuse not only me but also my dead father for acting unjust. I even agree to come down here, to wherever this is, and to keep this ridiculous farce up that you’re some kind of royalty!” He shouldn’t have said that, he really shouldn’t. I didn’t think that the humans had noticed but I could hear father stiffening.
“You really don’t have any idea who you’re dealing with, do you?” His voice was calm and reasonable, though I knew he was not.
“I’m dealing with some psycho who needs a reality check.” Lasar was becoming an interesting shade of pale while his companion ranted. Maybe he had some inclining to whom we were.
“Alexis!” The name struck me, and the others in the room as the lash of a whip. I’ve felt the whip, I know what I’m talking about. “Please inform the gentlemen of who I am.” I stood and bowed deeply. I did not want father’s anger to shift to me.
“May I introduce my father, Vlad Dracula, High Prince of the Camrille Sect and Rector Lamia of all vampires.” I’m proud to say that my voice didn’t crack. I saw Camden’s face do it though. And Lasar got even paler.
“Vampires don’t exsist!”
“Oh yes we do.” Father slowly got up and rounded his desk. Lasar’s chair fell over backwards and he ran for the door, that wouldn’t bulge for him but neither father nor I was interested in him. Camden on the other hand was still sitting in his chair when father reached him. I couldn’t see father’s face but I knew what he was doing, he was smiling wide enough to show fang and by the look of it his eyes had turned red too. Not many mortals has seen my father like that and lived to tell the tale.
“So, me and mine don’t exist?” There were the barest hint of a lisp, talking trough very sharp teeth will do that to you. The first times I’d tried I’d cut my lips and tongue something unbelievable. With a hand firmly planted in Camden’s hair father forced the head to the side exposing his neck. Camden did not enjoy getting fed off, I actually didn’t care that he didn’t. I was hoping that my meeting tomorrow would go better.
My rooms were actually three, one main room with a bed, a fireplace, a cosy corner around said fireplace and a table with some chairs along another wall. Three doors led from the room, one to the corridor, one to a bathroom and the third to my study. In that study I was now sitting waiting anxiously for the humans to arrive. This group was three people and two more chairs had been added. My study was more or less a copy of father’s though mine was smaller and the books in the bookshelves were novellas, not the dry legal and commercial stuff father kept. No one ever noticed though. A slight scraping sound brought my attention back to Sultrina who was sitting besides/behind me, much in the same way I’d sat in father’s room yesterday. I contemplated hitting my head on the desk until I passed out just to be able to escape this but there was a light knock on the door. I startled a bit before I managed to call an ‘enter’. I could hear Sultrina’s disapproving frown. The first human in was big and boasty, a tall and wide man with hand that could cover my face and a hair and beard that would do a bear proud. Next came a woman in her early forties, as small and subservient as the man had been big and commanding. Lastly there was a younger man, about 33 with ratty brown hair that had been allowed to grow too long and pale skin that didn’t match his hair colour, though I knew for sure that his hair was its natural colour. In fact, I could place any and all of his scars and other beauty smidgens. Standing in front of me was a severely shocked Amandus Smith, my adoptive brother. I’m sure I was as shocked as he was but I prided myself in not showing it as much. Also, my brother was 20 years older than when I’d seen him last. As far as he knew I was dead but I was sitting here, looking not one day older than when I’d disappeared. He didn’t say anything though. Very carefully he walked towards me. The guard who’d showed them here stepped up beside them.
“Lady, these are Simon and Nicole Nordenskijöld and Amandus Smith. Mr and Mrs Nordenskijöld, Mr Smith, may I introduce Lady Alexis, Heir Apparent of Camrille.” I nodded at the guard, dismissing him, though I stayed quiet, waiting for the humans to start speaking. The male looked at the female before starting to talk. Apparently Amandus didn’t matter in this. I couldn’t help but to be a bit offended on his behalf, but he didn’t seem to care.
“Lady, we’re here in the hopes of negotiating a contract between your sect and my company. Have you read the notes?” In fact I had, they had proposed a contract with money and blood as payment for some social and political favours. Considering the economic state of the coven, the money wasn’t all that much and the major part of the deal would be the blood. Fresh humans were never wrong. Economics were a bit different for vampires than humans, long term investments and all that.
“I’ve seen it but I want to know why we would do this for you.”
“We’ve stated that in the contract, favours for monetary compensation… and also willing donors.” He had hesitated before mentioning the donors, maybe he wasn’t as collected as he thought.
“Yes, but why should we do this for you, why not for one of your rivals, you all offer the same things.”
“Because LaCour would never speak to you, in fact one of this main goals is to reinstate vampire slayers.”
“And Waters?”
“Waters doesn’t care about it he’s only in it to make me look bad.”
“Do you really think that matter as long as we get paid?” He looked at me startled.
“Well, young lady, it just happens that we are here now and not them so you’ll have to pick us.”
“Firstly, I’m not as young as I may seem, ask Amandus if you don’t believe me. Second, we’d survive even without your deal.” I looked imploringly at him while the tension was almost alive in the room. Sultrina was almost boiling with anger at me and resentment of the humans, I couldn’t pick out which was stronger without turning to look at her and I didn’t want to do that. Simon turned to glare at Amandus.
“How old is she?”
“She’s 43, master.” Amandus was quivering with something that was almost-fear. He was frighten, yes, but he was also calm. I wonder why he called Simon ‘master’. Humans hadn’t held slaves in a long time and what other reason is there for ‘master’ amongst them?
“You don’t look it.” He’d turned towards me again.
“Tell me, have you seen anyone in here, besides yourselves that is, that looks over 30?”
“No…” He looked at me imploringly.
“And you won’t. Appearance is deceiving. Anyhow, do you have a reason for us to cooperate with you?”
“Because we want it… please?”
“Ok. But these,” I handed him a pack of papers. “are our demands. Read them trough and I’ll come back to you tomorrow and we’ll negotiate.” They rose and left quietly, not even sparing a glance at the papers I’d given them. Never trust a person who isn’t curious. When the door closed I felt Sultrina rise and she was just about to open her mouth when I interrupted her.
“Don’t. We’ll talk later.” And left trough the door to the corridor. I wanted to find Emilio and I was pretty sure he was in the training rooms. I was brought up short
though, because there, just outside my door sat Amandus.
“Lady… Alexis… may I speak with you?” He looked so lost, so terrified.
“Yes you may but I have to run an errand first. Here, wait here in my rooms and I’ll get back to you soon.” He nodded and entered. I looked at the guards as if to ask why he’d been allowed to stay by my door. The shrug I got in reply was the same as I’d thought. Amandus didn’t appear to be a danger so they’d let him stay as long as he didn’t cause trouble.
“Don’t let anyone in besides me. They’ll have to wait if there’s something important.”
“Yes, little lady.” I left, hunting for not only Emilio but also for my father. I had no idea what to do about Amandus.
“Father,” I said kneeling and as he motioned for me get up I continued. “did you know who was going to be in that envoy?” I couldn’t keep the annoyed tone out of my voice.
“I know their names, yes. Why?”
“One of them, Amandus Smith, is my brother… my adoptive parents’ son…” I trailed off, confused. I hadn’t really spent a lot of time thinking about it. I was never allowed to. As soon as I had five minutes over somewhere, someone would come and hold a lesson for me. After the first few years it became habit not to think about it. Father looked at me oddly.
“Yes, I knew his name but I didn’t know it was your adoptive brother. I wouldn’t have sent him to you if I had.” His voice had mellowed, it wasn’t quite as clipped and snappy. It was almost laced with concern. And I was surprised to hear that he didn’t know that Amandus was my brother, maybe he didn’t know everything.
“What am I to do? He asked to talk to me and he’s currently sitting in my room waiting for me.”
“First off, you need to calm down. You know better than to excite yourself like this.” Father rose from his chair and walked around his desk to face me. “You’re old and experienced enough to decide what to tell him yourself, though I’d prefer it if you didn’t tell him all our dirty little secrets.” And, above all wonders, he hugged me. Briefly, fleetingly and too hard as it was, it was the first hug I’d ever received from him. It calmed me, a little.
“Thanks.” I wasn’t really sure about what I was thanking for but he seemed to understand, even though I did not, and walked around his desk and sat down again. I bowed and left, a little lighter of heart and a littler calmer in spirit.
I entered my own rooms with flare, Emilio would understand choosing Amandus over him this once. At least I hope he would. Amandus was sitting on the floor facing the fireplace. I was suddenly very glad for the rug placed there. As vampire I didn’t feel hot and cold as much as a human would and rugs and blankets were mostly for show and for comfort. Some part of our mind still scream when we do something utterly non-human.
“Amandus.” I’d spoken really quiet, softly, afraid of disturbing the air of peace that surrounded him.
“L-lady…” He was intent on staring a hole trough my floor but I didn’t comment, one of the walls were getting a similar treatment.
“Please call me Alexis.”
“Alexis…”
“What are you doing here?” We’d said it at the same time. Though we were ten years removed as siblings and hadn’t seen each other in twenty we still thought alike. The thought was as comforting as it was disturbing. I waved at him to speak first, I’d gotten really good at signalling with my hands. It can do wonders when I don’t want to speak with people.
“What are you doing here? I mean, you just disappeared and we never heard from you again. You were considered deceased and we even had a funeral, but with an empty casket.”
“I was kidnapped and brought here against my will and I had no choice but to stay. I learnt that I was adopted and that my real father was here. I’ve been staying here since. How about you? What are you doing here?”
“I had to follow my m…master.” He looked at the floor again, ashamed. I merely raised an eyebrow, it wouldn’t do to get overexcited. He’d tell about it in time. “I didn’t know you were here, they told me this place was full of nutters that thought that they were vampires. Are you…” Nutters… thank you very much. Before I could answer, not that I knew what to say, there was a knock on the door.
“Who is it?”
“Emilio, lady.”
“Enter.” This was a seriously disturbing conversation, I was going to take any and all security blankets I could. Even man sized ones. Emilio entered cautiously, usually he’d just walk straight past the guards but they’d stopped him today and that usually meant that there was someone else in the room. He did not look happy when his eyes found Amandus.
“Amandus, this is Emilio. Emilio this is Amandus, my adoptive brother.” Emilio’s posture suddenly went relaxed again. Amandus wasn’t a threat, neither to him nor me. Emilio wouldn’t be glad that I didn’t tell Amandus who he was to me, but I made it up by seating myself in his lap after he’d sat down. I snuggled with abandon. I think my brother could work out Emilio’s place with me by himself. He’d never been the brightest boy on the block but he wasn’t that dense.
“As for you’re pervious question, what do you think. Are we nutters or are we something entirely different?” As I spoke he raised his eyes and looked at me, terrified.
“You haven’t aged.” I just looked at him, urging him to continue, hoping he wouldn’t freak out. “You’re happy here.” That caused me tense straight up and glare at him. Emilio was still holding his arms around my waist though, it ruined the effect a little. But I calmed down rather quickly, it was true, I ‘was’ happy here. We talked some more but soon, too soon in my opinion, Amandus had to go back to his master. Emilio just held me quietly. He was too good for me, really.
I’d left the safe haven that was Emilio’s arms but no matter how much I hated it I had work to do. When I neared father’s door the guards we’re at attention, signalling that there were someone in there with him. It suddenly hit me how much time I’d spent today walking between father’s rooms and mine. Maybe it was someone’s way of telling me I needed more exercise. I was allowed to knock on the door, despite the apparent guest since I was me. When he asked my name I answered and was allowed to enter. I walked into the middle of the room and kneeled. I was not going to disgrace him by not acting correctly in front of guest. Two of them, actually, and they’d both turned around when I’d entered. Father was looking at me from between them.
“Father.” I was however going to take a chance. He had said that I was allowed to call him father but was I allowed to do it in front of guest.
“Alexis,” At my name I raised my head but I stayed kneeling. “This is Mr and Mrs Himamoto, from Japan, they’re here to discuss a treaty. Mr and Mrs Himamoto, this is Alexis, my daughter.” Both of them rose and bowed at me, I inclined my head in response but didn’t move other than that. Father hadn’t let me up. “What did you want?” He looked interested but not to the point that left the guests feeling like outsiders.
“I wanted to discuss something Amandus told me about but it can wait. It wasn’t my attention to disturb your negotiation. I’ll wait until you are finished.”
“If the Himamoto’s doesn’t disagree you may stay.” He looked at them imploringly and they both nodded. “I don’t have any more chairs so you’ll have to sit on the floor.” He pointed at a place a couple of feet from his chair. I didn’t argue, I knew he had more chairs and I even knew where he kept them but he’d told me to sit on the floor so I would. He was playing some strange game here and I didn’t know what. I’d try my best not to ruin it for him.
“Mr Himamoto was just telling me about the deal. Where they live there have been a great drought for several years now. The village, which’s main income was from farms, was despairing, no food and no money. People were starving and the future didn’t look any better. There was some old stories circulating in the village about a time long forgotten when vampires had come to their aid and driven away their enemies. They come in contact with someone who knew someone and they were showed here.” He never told what they wanted but it was obvious, food for food, two beings living in symbiosis. I didn’t know how to feel about it though. On one side we were helping those who needed it badly. On the other hand we used their misfortune to further ourselves. It was a moral dilemma I didn’t need. It was also, quite possibly, the reason to why I’d gotten the other group and not this one. I was kind of relieved but considering that the other group contained my long lost brother it was hard. Though maybe it was I that was long lost. The conversation continued over my head, both literally and metaphorically, I was deep in my own thoughts and I was sitting on the floor. Not that I minded though, the rug was comfortable and surprisingly warm. My father’s hand on my head brought me back to the now.
“I’m looking forward to meeting you again. This has been a most giving negotiation and I hope to see you in the future.”
“Thank you, you have been most gracious. This will save our village, we owe you many thanks.”
“Alexis, show the Himamoto’s back to their rooms. Return after that and we’ll talk.” I nodded as I got up, the Himamoto’s were bowing all over the place and both father and I returned them. I started walking towards the door, hoping they’d follow. And, lucky me, they did. The guards looked at me but I waved them away. Usually one of them would have showed the guests the way but not this time. I led them on and listened to them chattering quietly in the background. They were talking in Japanese so I had no idea what they were saying. But it sounded good in a homey sort of way. Obviously they’d thought that the deal was good because the chatter sounded amiable. When were just outside their rooms Mr Himamoto drew a deep breath and looked at me. I looked back, there isn’t really many other things you can do, eh, polite things anyways.
“Please tell me, is Dracula-sama a good man. Will he honour the contract?” I could have been angry since he was insulting my father, implying that he wasn’t honourable. And coming from one of the most uptight civilisations on earth that was to say a lot. I didn’t think he meant it that way though, I think he was frightened of us, of giving the location of his village up to a bunch of people who’d easily kill everyone in it on a whim. He didn’t know about vampire laws or our form of honour. All his knowledge was based off myths and legends and in those we were not portrayed from our good side. Maybe there had been some truth to it but it wasn’t any longer, shouldn’t be any longer.
“Father can control his subjects. You’re village will suffer no harm.” He looked at me grateful, grateful for the answer as well as me understanding what he meant and not judging by what he said. He bowed deeply, as did his wife, before entering their rooms.
While I was still here I decided to talk to Amandus again. There was one topic, truthfully there were three, that we hadn’t touched when we’d talked. The one I wanted to bring up was my step parents. Did they still live? Had they been very sad for me disappearing? What were they doing now? No less than a hundred questions swirled around in my head but I wasn’t going to let myself be bested, I’d sit down and take it rationally, I’d ask them in alphabetical order… or not. I stood in front of the door, strangely inactive for someone with a purpose. I wanted to ask my questions but I was afraid of the answers. I was also afraid, or maybe wary is a better word, for the two last subjects, me contra my ‘real’ father and his ‘master. Both of us had great, big, ugly, skeletons in our closets and like any good family member we were trying to hide them behind curtains and beneath lamp screens. I breathed out and firmly knocked the ash wood. It was beautifully patterned, the ash was, I was so engrossed I almost missed Simon opening the door.
“Yes?” He stood there much like the bear which he resembled. For some inexplicable reason I lost any and all ability to speak. I rattled my brain into gear again.
“I’d like to speak to Amandus again, if he wouldn’t mind.” I knew I was trespassing. Amandus had called this man ‘master’ and if he truly were my request should have gone through him, not Amandus. I had made the ‘mistake’ as a test, to gauge Simon’s reaction.
“What makes you think ‘I’ wouldn’t mind?” He got aggressive, a sign of either jealousy and uncertainty or possessiveness. I wasn’t really sure which of those I hoped it to be.
“Surely Amandus can speak fro himself in this matter, can he not?” Yes, I know, I shouldn’t be bating a guy who weighed twice what I did but I wasn’t worried for that. I knew I was stronger and faster. I just had to watch it so that Simon wouldn’t take it out on Amandus.
“I’m his master, all requests about him goes trough me.” He was leaning forward, spit made it to my face as he talked very loudly. I say talking because I’m being polite. I stared him down… or maybe it was up. I can play master when I want to too. And, when we were still on about that, he should call me by title, he wasn’t, which was a clear sign that he didn’t consider me neither a threat or worthy of respect. I didn’t feel up to correcting him at the moment though. I had more important things on my mind.
“Well then, may I meet with your slave?” The last word was dripping with contempt. Though I shouldn’t be this nasty to someone I asked a favour from.
“Let her in, Simon, her talking to Amandus isn’t going to be a bad thing.” Nicole Nordenskijöld had entered the conversation, and to my surprise Simon backed off and invited me in.
“Pet!” Simon’s voice echoed in my head. I don’t think he realised how loud he was yelling. And he probably didn’t know about vampire hearing, or me being a vampire. While my ears still suffered from the abuse Amandus came bouncing into the room. He stopped rather quickly when he saw me. His eyes met mine and I saw indecision in them. I stood still, not giving anything away with body language. This was his decision, no matter how much he disliked making it. He finally lowered his eyes and, to my utter astonishment, also himself to the floor. He crawled forward and put his forehead against my boots. I stood still but my subconscious was screaming at me to run for the emergency slide, located at the end of the airplane, while I still had time. Amandus was seriously freaking me out.
“Pet! What are you doing?” Oops, Simon was not happy with this, whatever it was. Eh, truthfully I knew part of it, it was submission but why me and why now? I careful bent down and touched the top of his head, I didn’t like it but I did it anyways.
“It’s alright Amandus, you may get up.” As I pulled my hand up and away his head followed. When he was once again on his feet his face turned to mine and it was graced with the biggest smile I’d ever seen. He was radiating happiness, as to why, I had no idea. Looking past Amandus I saw a furious Simon being held in check by his much smaller sister who looked interested more than anything else. I turned to her, she seemed to be the more rational of the two.
“I believe you won’t mind if I stay here while I talk to my brother?” I would have seen two jaws drop if it wasn’t for Simon being to angry and Nicole being out of my field of vision. Damn.
I seated myself in a cosy, pink velvet loveseat. It was incredible soft but why anyone would have wanted to destroy something like this by making it pink I would never understand. Amandus seated himself at my feet, looking at me adoringly. I was trying not to show how freaked out I was. The whole room was made in ash wood and frosted, cold pinks and blues. While I could see that the effect was rather nice, pink still isn’t high on my list. I was trying to look only at Amandus and the blue carpet he sat on and ignoring the pieces of pink on the edges of my vision. I never had time to ask my first question though, since at the same moment as I opened my mouth there was knock on the door. The Nordenskijölds were popular tonight. Simon took the two steps required for him to reach the door and opened it. I could feel that it was a vampire but didn’t care to find out whom.
“Mr Nordenskijöld, is Lady Alexis in here by any chance?” It was one of the guards, steven to be exact.
“I am.” I said, not giving Simon time to answer.
“Your father asks where you are and why you haven’t returned. I was also to tell you that Sultrina is wanting you.” Oops… I’d forgotten all about that. I did think that this was more important and since father hadn’t requested my presence I assumed I didn’t have to go. Sultrina had to wait. I was higher ranked than her and I really didn’t like her.
“Please tell father that I will see him later, if he doesn’t mind. Sultrina will wait until morning.” If I had been human I would have yelled to make sure that the person outside the door was hearing. I wasn’t though and neither was Steven so I talked as one would to a person next to you. I could almost feel Nicole eyeing me, wondering what I was up to but I refused to lift my eyes.
“I will, lady. Do you require an answer from your father?”
“No I don’t. Whomever’s at the door will tell me.”
“As you wish, lady.” He turned and left and Simon stood looking out trough the open door as if trying to catch up with what just happened. I returned my full attention to Amandus.
“Amandus, could you… would you tell me what’s happened to Tomas and Christine?” His blue eyes wavered as they met mine. He seemed to have ignored my request when he didn’t answer for many minutes. However he gathered himself together and begun to speak.
“Tomas was very sad when you left and in the beginning so did Christine. That changed rather quickly though, she never said anything in front of me or dad but she was relieved that you were missing. I couldn’t see why. Dad wouldn’t give up on finding you one day.” The unspoken accusations were heavy in the air. Why did you leave? Why didn’t you come back? Why didn’t you at least write a letter stating you were okay?
“Dad never truly recovered, he’s still more subdued now than before you went away. Mum died 13 years ago.” He went strangely quiet and I didn’t really know what to say. I never liked Christine as much as Tomas but she was still my mum, despite the way she’d always acted towards me. I felt a sudden pang of longing to have known my real mother, father’s wife, Lady Camrille. I never would though and it wasn’t a lot I could do about it. I returned to the present when Amandus was making a distressed sound while softly placing his hand on my leg. It cost him a lot. Amandus has never been brave and though I’d never seen him as submissive as this, I knew it took a lot for him to touch me. I gently touched his hand in return and, thankfully, he got the hint and removed it.
“It’s alright Amandus, I won’t be mad at you, in fact I’m very happy you told me this.” His smile returned although not quite as radiant before. It was like comparing the light of a candle to the sun. Both were sources of light but there was a great difference. We talked some more but of more trivial things, staying away from topics we knew would hurt one or the other. After an hour I had to leave, I was, however, stopped at the door.
“What are you?” Nicole’s voice was tainted with mistrust and quite a bit of anger, maybe she wasn’t as in control as she liked to believe she was.
“I am the Heir to my father’s throne and name, Dracula is powerful amongst our kind.” I smiled and showed the smallest bit of fang. Nicole become a rather unpleasant shade of eggshell white and it took a couple of long minutes for her to close the door. Maybe long farewells were standard in their family?
I didn’t run down the corridors but I was walking very fast. I wanted to have some time to sleep before I had to get up again, it was also time to feed soon. There just weren’t enough hours in a day…night… There were no guars outside of father’s study when I got there, I continued around the corner and saw them standing outside of this private chambers.
“Will father see me?” Clay smiled at me. And knocked on the door.
“Go on ahead, little lady.” He opened the door without waiting for an answer but maybe father’d given orders that only I was allowed in. Father was sitting in a green high-backed wingchair that looked really comfortable. A fire was lit in the fire place in front of him and his naked feet was sunk deeply into the rug. It was a bit strange to see father, with all his power and being a vampire in a cosy setting as this. Yes, it looked cosy. I bowed briefly and waited fro permission to sit. He gave it to me and indicated at another high-backed chair that looked almost, but not quite, as good as the one he was occupying.
“I’m sorry for not returning at once as you told me too.” I lowered my head and tried to look properly chaisted, I’m not sure I succeeded.
“It was your wish to see me, not the other way around. Also, you’re my daughter, you’re allowed some leeway. And note the ‘some’. So what did you want to talk about, I guess it has something to do with your adoptive brother.” Father disposed of the book he had been reading while talking, the scene really was homey and it was a bit odd. It was welcome, though, this business with Amandus had gotten me seriously out of balance.
“Yes it’s about Amandus. He acted kind of odd during our first conversation calling Simon by ‘master’ instead of his name. But they seem to have an intimate relationship. Slaves doesn’t exist in the human world, does it?” Of course I knew it didn’t, but what other reason could there be? “And just now I was talking to him again and he was acting really submissive.
Enough to make me feel odd. I’ve seen fledglings with less respect for their masters.”
“I do not know why your adoptive brother is acting like this.” Give it to my father to rub my nose in the fact that we weren’t family for real. “There are a couple of reasons outside of conventional slavery that will make someone submissive and having a master. I didn’t know Amandus before so I can’t really say if he’s changed or not.” He looked at me searching, wanting me to think of before.
“I don’t remember him being submissive at all, he was rather violent and aggressive but that could have been because he was a teenager.” I went quiet for a bit before I added. “I don’t know father, I just don’t know.” I was studying my hands, this had always been hard for me. Physically I’m strong and confident, I know what I can do and that is a lot. Emotionally I’m a mess and a half. And judging by father’s reactions I knew where I’d gotten it from. He was better at it than I, though. I was almost jealous.
“Did he look happy?” I thought I while on father’s question before I replied.
“Not as such, no, but he seemed content.” He had, really. I didn’t know why but he seemed to have found a balance with himself that I’d never seen in him before. Not that the teenage years are good as comparison.
“If he is content, and occasionally happy, leave it be. It may sound heartless to say this but he’s not your responsibility. He’s a grown man, he can make his own decisions.” He looked at me with this strange seriousness in his eyes. I think he’s got an idea as to what’s going on with Amandus but he wasn’t going to tell. And judging by his expression, I don’t know if I wanted to know.
“You’re right father, it’s his life to live, not mine. I’ve got a sect of vampires to worry about instead.” I could feel a small smile creeping onto my face.
“Let’s ask the guards to bring a couple of humans and we can feed before you go back to your room. That reminds me, Emilio was around earlier asking for you.” Father said that last sentence with that odd quirk in his voice and I blushed. It’s wasn’t embarrassing as such but father’s tone of voice had made the ordinary words into something completely different. I think he was joking… I hoped that he was.
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