Discworld and Member Articles
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Written by Mynona
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Friday, 26 August 2005 |
I was travelling the corridors of our coven quickly. I’d returned from Succarn just minutes ago and hoped that I’d at least get a chance to change my clothing before going up against father. I wouldn’t bet on it, but I lived on hope. The trip to Succarn had been both a complete disaster and a success. I’d done what was expected of me, I’d gotten the proper paperwork back but also, I’d seen the state of Succarn and its inhabitants and I wasn’t impressed. The High Princess had been very weak and would probably lead her sect from bad to worse but that was her problem, not mine. One of the Succarn guards had proclaimed his undying love for me and had, in the end, needed to be forcefully removed. And then Jonathan was sprung on me, father’s very jealous childe, who was also the High Princess’ bonded, had attacked me because I didn’t fit in his little dream world. I’d welcomed him to reality but hadn’t stayed long enough to be a good host. Reality wasn’t really a good place. So now I was heading to father, via my rooms, hopefully, to report all that’d happened. Oh, I’d almost forgotten, I ripped the throat out of one of my guards. I wasn’t going to be popular.
I was travelling the corridors of our coven quickly. I’d returned from Succarn just minutes ago and hoped that I’d at least get a chance to change my clothing before going up against father. I wouldn’t bet on it, but I lived on hope. The trip to Succarn had been both a complete disaster and a success. I’d done what was expected of me, I’d gotten the proper paperwork back but also, I’d seen the state of Succarn and its inhabitants and I wasn’t impressed. The High Princess had been very weak and would probably lead her sect from bad to worse but that was her problem, not mine. One of the Succarn guards had proclaimed his undying love for me and had, in the end, needed to be forcefully removed. And then Jonathan was sprung on me, father’s very jealous childe, who was also the High Princess’ bonded, had attacked me because I didn’t fit in his little dream world. I’d welcomed him to reality but hadn’t stayed long enough to be a good host. Reality wasn’t really a good place. So now I was heading to father, via my rooms, hopefully, to report all that’d happened. Oh, I’d almost forgotten, I ripped the throat out of one of my guards. I wasn’t going to be popular.
As I entered my rooms I noticed that the fire was lit and that someone was in the room. Two someones, father and Emilio. I was close to saying something unforgivable. I’d had nearly no sleep and no food for more than a week and all the bad thing on top of that, or perhaps because of, and I really had needed a short breather but I wasn’t going to get one.
“Father.” I said bowing, I’d never gotten around to ask Ella if she could teach me how to curtsey.
“Alexis. I rather assumed you’d come here before you headed to my office.”
“I’m sorry, I just wanted a chance to clean up and to change my clothes. The last week has been exceptionally long.”
“It doesn’t matter, I just needed to speak with you. And by the way you spoke of the past week I assume that you need to speak to me as well.” He didn’t sound angry or annoyed with me… yet. I started talking though, telling him about the trip and most things that had happened during it. His last sentence hadn’t been an order but it had been very suggestive. And you don’t survive in a coven for long if you can’t take some hints. Both father and Emilio stayed quiet while I spoke but I could see that they tensed during certain parts of the retelling. Curiously enough, not during the same parts. When I’d finished the story father spoke up.
“I’m sorry Alexis, I should have told you about Jonathan. I thought that he’d behave better than that, and that’s why I didn’t tell you. It’d be easier to be professional if you didn’t know.” His face took on a contemplating expression before he seemingly shook himself to get rid of the subject. “I want you to know that you did well, despite all that happened. Nathan will be dealt with, accordingly and I’d like to thank you for handling that other guard so well. Though I do not doubt that Emilio wants to seriously maim him at present.” When I looked over to Emilio I could see faint traces of a blush slowly creeping unto his cheeks. He never said anything though, neither to deny nor confirm.
“Thank you father.” I felt vaguely uneasy and didn’t have a clue as to what father wanted and how I was supposed to act and what I was supposed to say. As I’d done many times before, I hid behind a ‘thank you’.
“No need to fret, child. I already told you, you did well.” He looked directly at me while speaking. “As to what I wanted when I came here, it can wait. It’s news I’m sure you’re going to be happy to hear but considering your past week you might want to get some rest first. And Emilio has been waiting for you, most impatiently.” Father winked at me. I’m ashamed to say I stood there like an idiot staring at him. “I’ll leave you two to it. Please come by my rooms when you’ve rested and fed.” This time it was I who blushed. Emilio, the bastard, looked perfectly comfortable and didn’t bat an eyelash at father’s outrageous behaviour. Father got up and left and Emilio and I were alone in the room.
“Take a bath, dress in nightclothes. We’re going to bed. You need sleep.” I didn’t like the way he said ‘we’. Though I wasn’t going to complain.
“Do you know what father wanted to speak to me about?”
“I do but you won’t find out from me. You need sleep, and some blood but that can wait, so carry on.” He shooed me into the bathroom and closed the door. That earned him another ‘bastard’. He was right, I was tired… and hungry. I’d play along this once. Never again mind you! He’d find out what happened if you dared to boss me around.
I woke, although woke is too strong a word for the semi awareness I was floating in, surrounded by warmth and I felt safe for the first time in I don’t know how long. And it also smelled very good, my bed never used to smell like this. And I’m sure it’s my bed, it has the right consistency and it was my pillows. I snuggled deeper into that heat and noticed that it was warmer at my back than at my front. Strange. There also was something behind me that was much more solid than the mattress of my bed. It was this solid thing that was warm. That warmth also extended trough the thing that went over my waist. It was heavy but heavy enough to constrict breathing and it wasn’t uncomfortable. I couldn’t resist snuggling even further back. I opened my eyes and confirmed that I was, indeed, in my room. I, irritably, pushed some black hair out my face. Wait… black? I have brown hair. All the pieces of the puzzle sorted themselves out and I relaxed again. I was in my room, in bed with Emilio. And we hadn’t done anything dirty… unfortunately.
“Awake yet?” Emilio’s voice was slightly amused and carried a tone far too perky to be this early. I nodded a couple of times.
“Do you want someone to eat?” His question wasn’t necessary, he knew that I was hungry but he wouldn’t push it. Yet. Despite it all I shook my head no.
“Aren’t you hungry?” His voice held bewilderment this time and I pressed myself closer to him. Noting that he had a bare chest but he was wearing silk pyjama bottoms. What a pity. I nodded my head. Yes I was hungry but what did that have to do with anything. I was comfortable and warm. Wild horses couldn’t drag me from this bed. Or rather, they would, since I’d be rather shocked to see wild horses four floors beneath the ground.
“But?” Emilio really didn’t have a clue, despite me trying to access his spine trough his front. I turned around a glared at him.
“I’m very comfortable at the moment and if you think that I’ll get out of this bed for something as unimportant as to feed, you’re wrong.” I turned back and snuggled. After a few moments of startled silence I could feel and hear him starting to laugh. It would have been nice if it wasn’t for the fact that he was laughing at me. It didn’t take long for him to calm down though.
“That’s easily solved. Feed from me.” I had to turn again, to watch his face. He was perfectly serious.
“You mean that, don’t you?” It was his turn to nod. Though he stopped looking into my eyes. It looked as if he was frightened. “I… I’m honoured that you’d let me do that. But… aren’t… can you do that?” I was out in deep water. About the depth of the Atlantic trench. I had no idea what the vampire customs said about this. I had drunk his blood earlier but that was when I had been in danger, I’d needed it to survive. And he’d offered because it was his duty to. This was something entirely different. He seemed to understand why I hesitated though.
“It’s all right. It’s not a common thing but it happens often between good friends and… lovers.” Lovers? Though maybe I shouldn’t have been this surprised. There had been something developing the last few months but I hadn’t dared to hope since I hadn’t seen any real signs of interest from his side. Emilio had gone back to studying the linens. There were something very interesting woven into the sheets but whatever it was it escaped me. I decided that for once, I’d be brave outside of a fight. I lifted his chin until I could look into his wonderfully green eyes.
“I’d love to.” I said and I meant it. He gazed deeply into my eyes, probably looking for some sign of deceit but he didn’t find any. He grabbed me around the middle with both hands and turned us both so that he was on his back with me on top of him. He looked at me again ‘like that’ before turning his head to the side, offering his neck, and also, his life.
I really was hungry and the hunger made itself known when I leaned closer to his neck. I could feel the hunger pulsate within me as clearly as I could see the pulse on his neck. I bested it with some effort though. I didn’t want to hurt him when he’d offered himself like this. I put my mouth over his pulse and breathed in, smelling him. The same scent that I had felt on my pillow when I’d first woken. I didn’t let the hunger control me but I wasn’t going to deny myself either so I bit down. The taste and the feeling was incredible. When you bite someone’s neck there’s first a bit of resistance, where the skin moves out of the way even from our sharp fangs. Then it gives, parting easily and you retreat again, allowing the life to flood your mouth, cover your palette before you swallow. It’s nothing short of marvellous. And I’d never fed on anyone this intimately before. As I drank his life down I vowed that I’d return the favour, some day, preferably soon.
I was heading for father’s rooms. I’d been ‘detained’ a bit longer by Emilio but nothing more serious than a few kisses happened. It was plenty for me though. If he hadn’t kicked me out of bed I’d have happily spent the whole day there… and the next… and the next. He wouldn’t allow it though, the big meanie he is. But he was also right, I was curious as to what father wanted and although refusing to tell me what it was, Emilio had promised that I wanted to hear it.
I wasn’t running nor walking very fast but I did have a certain speed to it. Doors and entryways to other corridors went passed without me noticing very much. Though when I passed one I saw a very familiar pink blur. I didn’t react at first but when I heard her voice I couldn’t help but to stop and back-pedal until I came to stand before the pink apparition again.
“Angelica?!?” And it was indeed her, I’m just proud that my jaw hadn’t hit the floor… it was a few inches left. Almost before I’d finished her name I had her hanging around my neck in a death-grip, I was suddenly very happy I didn’t need to breathe.
“Alexis!” Angelica squealed very loudly very near my ear. Luckily her faced was buried in my shoulder so she didn’t notice my slight grimace. And since an explanation was obviously not forthcoming from here I looked at the two vampires that had accompanied her. It took a couple of minutes before they caught on but Angelica refused to let go.
“What?” Roderick asked he was a rather new vampire. He was tall and gangly, as fair as all father’s guard but he’d never become one of them. In fact, if his eyes had been a few shades lighter they’d been white. He was accompanied by Kenneth, a short rather well off vampire. His chestnut locks were a reason for envy amongst most of the females in the coven.
“Why is she back here?” I stared rather pointedly at Angelica while I said that. In hindsight it wasn’t one of the nicest things to say but Angelica was more hard skinned than that… or possibly just dense enough not to pick up it. Angelica realised her grip on my neck though.
“Oh isn’t it wonderful!?”
“Isn’t what wonderful?” I was thoroughly confused, to the point where I couldn’t differ up from down.
“Roderick asked me to come and stay! He likes me back!” That was news to me. Actually, Angelica liking any of the vampires was news, that they’d like her back was vaguely disturbing. I was wondering if Angelica knew what was expected of her when Roderick asked her to come back and ‘stay’. She’d be asked to be turned. Considering how Angelica reacted to the sight of blood before, that needed some serious consideration.
“That’s good for you Angelica.” I’m not surprised to say that my enthusiasm probably wasn’t up to par.
“You’re not happy…” On normal people only their faces fall, Angelica manages to fall all of her.
”I’m very happy for you, Angelica but I can’t help to worry.” I smiled a little to show that I was, indeed, ‘happy’ for her.
“Oh… I know you know. About being a vampire… turning into one.”
”Oh… good.” This was one of the most awkward conversation I’d had the misfortune to be a part of. Though I bet that if any of my guards were here they’d be laughing at me for months.
I had no idea what to say. I smiled wider. “I didn’t know that you and Roderick fancied each other.” God help me, I winked. I was slowly becoming an Angelica clone. I promised myself I’d kill myself at the first hints of pink in my wardrobe.
“Oh.” Roderick said. “I didn’t dare to say anything since you seemed to hold her in favour, lady.” I stared at him.
“Have I ever done anything to warrant that kind of behaviour from you, from anyone?” My tone had gone from teasing to rather sharp. I was angry, I hadn’t done anything to deserve that kind of eggshell walking, had I?
“I’m sorry lady. You haven’t… but…” He was at a loss of what to say.
“I understand but I don’t want to hear about anything like this happening again. I’m not Amie, or even anything remotely like her.” All three looked very puzzled.
“Never mind.” I waved it aside. And left, not in the best of moods.
Father was in his ‘bedroom’ though it’s wrong to call it that. His rooms were much as mine although bigger and with a bigger ‘lived in’ feeling to them. I guess that living in the same rooms for centuries does give them a personal touch.
“Father?” He was sitting in the same chair as when I was last in here, he was also, by the look of it, reading the same book. I hoped it was just my imagination playing tricks on me. He stayed quiet for a minute before talking.
“Tell me, Alexis, what do you know of werewolves?”
“Werewolves? What’d they got to do with anything?” Alexis was confused, her father wasn’t the type to tell jokes but…
“Yes, werewolves, or wereanimals in general. Are you really that surprised? You’ve gotten proof that Vampires exist, why not other beings from old tales?”
“I suppose.” I answered, I hadn’t really thought about it in ‘that way’. I mean, vampires existing is a pretty big thing, finding out that you are one and a royal one at that has been shock enough. Though obviously not anymore.
“I take by your answer that you don’t know anything much about them. You see,” He motioned for me to sit down, I feared that this would take a while. “many years ago, even to us vampires, there were one who had an affinity to animals. As you might have noticed, animals don’t like us very much. They know what we are, that we transform them into prey, so they run or attack when confronted with one of us. Aristidis missed the animals that had been a part of his human life but were now running at the mere sight of him. He, despite being powerful in his own right, gathered a circle of powerful magicians and told them to create animals that could stand his presence. He thought that if he took a human and turned them into an animal he’d have an animal with the brains of a human.
Not many of his ‘guinea pigs’ survived and most that did were severely malformed. But there were some that did, but Aristidis were horrified. Instead of being animal body with a human mind, he had two bodies that shared the same space. They became what we call were-animals. The animal forms weren’t perfect, they were some sort of cross between human and the animal, resulting in a humanlike body with the head and front legs/paws/arms of the animal. As a pointer as to how old this is… do you know about Anubis? A god with human body and the head of a jackal. The minotaur, a cross between bull and human? They were real, they were weres.
Although not completely perfect Aristidis was happy enough, he’d created a race of powerful ‘humans’ who could be used as guards, companions (in every sense of the word) and blood source. The weres were all submissive, for some reason, bred in or not, and they seemed to crave the dominance of vampires. The stories of humans becoming weres when clawed or bitten by one is partially true, only a human with the right ‘genes’, the right frame of mind, will change. The others will die or survive as their wounds allow. A were is stronger, more agile and heals faster than your average human, even in human form. They can transform at will but only the transformation caused by the full moon is painless.” Father’s voice eased out. He had a great voice, you could listen to it for ever and ever and you really had to concentrate on what he was saying otherwise you’d just listen to him, not to what he was saying. I sat still for a while more but he was quiet.
“That was really interesting but why do I have a feeling that there’s something more behind you telling me this than a simple lesson?”
“You’re right, of course. For many years it has been believed that the weres died out, for some reason or other. It was recently discovered that this is not the case.” Again his voice carried off without me getting any wiser. Why was he talking about this? Was there some feud between the weres and the vampires… but that couldn’t be right since he said that the weres wanted to obey us. Father started speaking again without me prompting him.
“I know you were interested in what had happened with Amandus and why he was acting ‘strange’. I had someone investigate while you were gone and I found something really surprising. About a year after you disappeared your brother did too, for a couple of weeks. When he came back he had ‘changed’ according to the people near him. It didn’t take long for Amandus to move in with Simon and according to various sources they’re in a master/slave relationship.” I stared a father in shock. I understood what he was saying, I really did, but I wasn’t sure I wanted to. It did explain Amandus’ behaviour although it still didn’t explain the lecture about werewolves.
“Father, I don’t understand…”
“While Amandus was gone he had been attacked by weres, he’s a wereleopard.” I slowly nodded, it did make sense, despite sounding as if it was made up by a mad man. But father never lies, it was the truth, no matter what I thought of it.
“What now?” I raised my eyes to meet father’s when he didn’t answer, obviously I was looking as lost as I felt. Some part of my mind argued that I shouldn’t be feeling this, it meant that nothing had changed for me. I’d been more in control when I had found out I was a vampire myself. Why was this bothering me so much?
“Amandus, as many other weres has ended up in the hands of a ‘dominant’ human because they want the, or rather, crave the dominance. This often leads to abuse.”
“Is… was Amandus…”
“As far as I could find out he wasn’t abused, he wasn’t treated very well but he wasn’t abused.” Despite being six feet away he could comfort me with the tone of his voice. It was a voice that said that everything would be all right. I let it lull me into safety. I can fight it but I didn’t want to. I wanted to hear that Amandus was fine, that nothing worse had happened to him.
“If they know that they need the dominance, why don’t they go us then? Are we really that bad?” I knew that we weren’t god’s best children, in fact we were believed not to be god’s children at all, but had we really been that bad?
“They’d forgotten, and passed the ‘Creators’ of as superstition and metaphors for the ultimate dominant.”
“Will they want to serve their ‘Creators’ again?”
“They’ve been away from us for so long.” Father almost looked sad, but he seemed to know what he was talking about.
“How comes you know so much about what they think? I thought you said that they’d been considered extinct for far longer than you’ve lived.” He smiled at me, for the first time since I’d returned from Succarn. And I hadn’t realised how badly I needed it before he did it. I wasn’t as dependent on his every will and whim as the weres were said to be but he was my father, my sire, the High Prince and the Rector Lamia. That was some serious weight to throw around. I also knew what happened if and when you displeased him. It wasn’t comfortable and I was doing my best not to, but only partly because I feared punishment. I wanted my father to be proud of me too.
“As soon as I found out there were still living weres I investigated, of course.”
“Of course.” I echoed his last statement. “So what now, we invite the werewolves to have a sleep-over and while they sleep we’ll do a coupe de état and collar them all with shock-collars.” I wasn’t making that much sense… so what? I did get my point across and father didn’t look angry, he was more amused. I think father was even more lonely than I realised sometimes. I’ve always heard that it was lonely on the top but I’d never understood it before. No one dared to joke with him, and absolutely not at his expense, no one argued or disagreed too violently. He was probably missing my mother something fiercely but none of this showed because he was expected to be cool and calm in all situations. Always being above everyone else. I hugged him and by his expression he was taken completely by surprise… go me. It’s not everyday you can surprise someone who’s several centuries old.
“I’m sorry.” I muttered into his shoulder.
“Whatever for Alexis?”
“For not realising how much you must have been missing my mother.” He stiffened in my arms and for a second I thought I’d done a severe mistake. But he exhaled and relaxed.
“It’s not as bad as it used to be and I’ve got you now.” For the third time today he’d surprised me. I went from having ‘no one’ to having a father and a potential lover in less than six hours. I was on a roll. Or maybe not, considering it’d taken twenty years to get here. I reluctantly let go of him and seated myself at his feet, leaning into his leg. It could have been seen as submissive but it wasn’t, it was just comfort.
“Want to tell me about your plan?” I had no doubt that he had a plan, he’d had one since he first heard the rumour about weres still being alive.
“I might as well. I was planning on inviting the leader of the wereleopards to talk, or a sleep-over as you elegantly put it, but I think I’ll refrain from the collaring. After all, if everything goes to plan they’d willingly serve us.”
“Why not invite werewolves?”
“Because there are no wolves left. The only weres left are leopards, tigers, rats, falcons, cats, bulls (for some reason only males can be infected by this form) and deer, no one said that all the forms had to be useful. The vampire that came up with the idea hadn’t been ‘sane’ from the start.”
“Oh.” I said, slightly defeated. “When is this going to happen?”
“All in good time, Alexis, all in good time.”
We sat in what would have been described as companionable silence if one of the companions hadn’t been Vlad Dracula. It was nice, I had some downtime for the first time in what felt like ages but it had only been a couple of weeks. Even though I was superhuman I felt worn out. Rags had more bouncyness than I did at the moment. The only thing missing was Emilio. And he should be knocking on the door. I was so comfortable in the headspace I’d made for myself that I didn’t notice the knocking before father pointed it out.
“Why don’t you go open the door?” He said and nudged me on the shoulder. I went as asked and opened the door only to find Emilio standing about two feet away from me. Was this instant karma backwards? Had I finally had enough bad things happen to allow space for some good things? According to the laws that dictated my life it was about this point that Emilio would have changed his mind about this morning… or father’d forbid us to ‘date’ or whatever vampires called it. It wasn’t like we were going to hit the movies and have dinner. No, we’d have a human and invite the inferior races over. Sometimes vampirism sucked.
“Alexis, shouldn’t you ask what Emilio wants?” Emilio was several inches taller than me so it wasn’t surprising that father knew it was him, and oh, I’d almost forgotten about them being vampires and father being High Prince and able to feel whenever one of his was near.
”I don’t dare to.” I could feel their response before I heard it.
“I’m sorry.” From father and: “I don’t understand.” From Emilio.
”Never mind. Emilio, what are you doing here?” I really wasn’t up to explaining the whole ‘everything bad happens to me, at least thrice’ theory I had going.
“I came looking for you.” He said, his expression neutral, in fact, so neutral I knew something was wrong.
“Oh.” I said but I still didn’t move from the door. I’d hear it now; he’d say that he’d changed his mind.
“Alexis, Let Emilio inside.” Father’s voice was stern but not condemning. I think he understood me better than I’d thought… bummer. “And if I were you I’d wipe that expression of my face.” His comment was calm and collected and I realised that I’d put up a real guarded expression, well my whole posture was guarded. No wonder Emilio had looked so neutral. He’d been worrying about what I thought looking so guarded. Oops. I made an effort to relax, to let my guard down a little and it seemed to work. When I eased up so did Emilio and a small smile found its way into his eyes. And I did remember father’s first order so I stepped aside and let Emilio in. He entered and bowed to father. No matter he’d come for me, father was the High Prince, and a good one at that, and deserved our obedience. Yes I say ‘our’ because I obey him in everything; just as every other vampire in the sect. I just had some influence over the others.
“Come, sit.” Father was using ‘doggy orders’. I usually disliked them but they worked now. We sat at his feet as the dogs I’d mentioned earlier. Big, bad dogs with a penchant for blood but obedient dogs nevertheless. Once again I was in the headspace and this time it was even better. I could feel Emilio’s hand in mine and I couldn’t drag the energy up to worry about what father might say about it.
“Will the other sects also call weres?” It had to be me to break the silence, they’d done this for me, and so I had to let them know I had recuperated enough to participate in the real world again. I didn’t know how they’d planned this but it was too perfect to have happened by pure chance.
“Yes, but there are more sects than weregroups. Also, despite them wanting to serve us, I don’t think they’ll stand up to abuse or nothing less than they deserve. If they don’t like who they’re meeting they’ll deny them. I hope.” As father spoke an evil thought wormed its way into my mind. And I smiled.
“You do know that you’ve just gotten yourself more people to watch over, don’t you?” I poked him in the leg as I spoke. It was too good a point not to.
“What do you mean?” Father really did look puzzled.
“I mean, you’re ubermaster to all vampires and when the weres have gotten involved you’ve suddenly gotten all of them on your neck to. If they are as subservient as I fear they’ll need someone to protect their interests in this and it’ll be you.”
“Why?” Father almost whined and I could see Emilio trying not to laugh.
“Because, my dear father, anyone ‘belonging’ to a vampire ends up under your jurisdiction because they are vampire ‘possessions’.” I was very proud over myself for that little conclusion. Father looked downright horrified before that morphed into a smile that didn’t promise anything good.
“Well then, I’ll just need to entrust someone with the care of all weres. And who’d be more fitting then my own daughter?”
“What?!?” I couldn’t’ believe what he was saying. Me being responsible for all the weres? He must have caught insanity somewhere along the way.
“There’s even a title connected to the task, ‘Ryttir’.” Father smiled and I realised that I had been played. I turned towards him and mock growled while I flashed fang. Emilio simply laughed. That earned him a glare too. I should have known that father’s emotions had been ‘too’ visible, he was as a clean slate more often than not. Though when he used ‘that look’ to look at me I stopped growling and bowed my head.
“As the Rector Lamia, my High Prince, my master and my father commands.”
“That’s an awfully large amount of people for this room, Ryttir, Heir, Childe and daughter.”
“And they all conspire against me!” Great, now they were both laughing, at me. I gave in, what is a girl to do when surrounded by annoying males? “I give up.” I told the armrest of the chair father was sitting in before leaning my forehead against it. I felt like banging my head against it but I refrained, I was a bit annoyed and there was the chance of me breaking it, the chair, not my head.
“It’s not that bad, Alexis, is it?” He gently ran a hand along my hair. It’s strange how many males that do this but not many can do it gently. Mostly they make you feel like a dog or a cow. As if it really doesn’t matter where you pet as long as it’s in the ‘vicinity’.
“Is too! I never asked for it. I was rather happy just being stand in for you.”
”You need more experience leading groups of people.”
”Please, I’m not ready.” To say ‘I don’t want to’ would have been a really bad idea.
“You’re ready when I say you are. You will do this and you’ll do it good.” Father had spoken his mind. Although I was allowed to question him I couldn’t deny orders, or disobey them.
“I understand.” I wasn’t happy though. I’d get most vampires older than me against me. They’d want the title for themselves. And it’d mean a lot more travelling and time away from home, and thus Emilio. And father even though I wasn’t happy with him at the moment.
“You sound as if I’ve stolen your teddy-bear.” Well, that was a word I’d never wanted to hear from father, I hoped that I wouldn’t again. Dracula, my father or not, just wasn’t compatible with teddy-bears.
“I’m sorry. And it’s not like I have a teddy-bear.” And I really didn’t. I’d never owned any. I’d had lost of stuffed animals but no teddy-bears. Something was missing from my life.
“No need to apologise though I expect you to do your best while wearing a smile when it comes to it.”
“I will.” And I would, since father had told me to. Emilio took the chance of breaking my ever darkening train of thoughts.
“You don’t have a teddy-bear?” Hearing Emilio say it was just slightly less strange than father.
”No, I never had.” Emilio got that odd look on his face. He was planning something and I wasn’t sure I wanted to know what. Father chose that second to dispel the unofficial meeting. He’d said what he wanted and we hadn’t protested too much.
Three months later it was time for the first meeting between my father, the leader of the wereleopards and me. If father had told me to be Ryttir I’d do my job, even where he was concerned. He didn’t look annoyed though, he looked happy. I realised I was playing straight into his hands, again. I chose not to care, the weres had become my responsibility and I’d take it.
The leader was a tall man with tawny coloured hair and eyes that were just this side of human. They almost would have fitted his animal. His name was Caspar Schnell and he spoke with a south-eastern accent. It fitted him, somehow. We meet in a smallish room, much less formal than father’s study or the usual meeting rooms. It was made in soft red and ochre tones and complimented Caspar in a very good way. If the room hadn’t been ours I’d probably been thinking about how vane the wereleopard was. There were four chairs arranged around a small table. Caspar had been showed here by a guard and as he was let in we both rose. It had nothing to do with power but everything to do with respect.
”Welcome Caspar, I’m Vlad Dracula, High Prince of this sect. This is Alexis, the Ryttir.” Father had chosen not to name me his daughter, I wondered why. He usually wasn’t ashamed of me. He’d also shown Caspar to one of the chairs and bade him to sit down. Father and me sat down too. As long as Caspar hadn’t agreed to anything we were equals, or that was the idea. We all knew that we weren’t.
“Thank you for having me here, Dracula.” Caspar looked nervous and I could understand him. If they’d forgotten about the vampires I didn’t think that my title would tell him much. He was nervous enough to start twitching. He knew he was at our mercy, he might be stronger than ordinary humans but he still wasn’t at vampiric level. And if I wasn’t mistaken he felt us as masters, wanting to obey. We’d have to tread carefully to avoid ordering him anything before he’d agreed to join with us.
“I know that you feel uneasy Caspar but you have nothing to fear. The Ryttir is here to oversee the negotiations, she won’t allow anything that can be considered unfair, from your point of view.” Father’s voice was soothing and meant to calm. Caspar’s twitching did slow down and he looked a little more at peace.
“I’m sorry but Ryttir doesn’t really tell me anything.” He looked apologetic.
”Don’t worry, no harm done. The Ryttir is one amongst the vampires chosen for his or her compassion and sense of duty. They’re the weres’ defender so to speak. She’ll speak up if anything’s unfair on the weres, she’ll also work as a mediator between weres and vampires should any problems arise. Though she is vampire her first concern is you. Do you understand better now?” My father softly inquired.
“Yes, yes, I understand now. Please forgive my ignorance.” It had started and I could see him tense when he realised what head said. He was alone within a compound that held the only race stronger than his, he was also compelled to obey those people. He was frightened, not just for himself but for all his people.
“Please do not fret. I will not allow any harm to befall you or your friends. It’s in all our best interests that you don’t agree to anything you aren’t comfortable.” I spoke for the first time. Usually I wouldn’t have spoken without father’s consent but he’d given me the title so I’d do what I had to, to live up to it.
“I’ll have to take your word for it. It’s not easy to trust. I know why I’m here so why don’t we start with the negotiations?” I felt bad that he didn’t trust us, but on the other hand, how many people would trust known vampires?
“As you wish.” Father said. ”We want you to come and live here. In exchange for food, shelter and education we’ll want what you we’re created to do. Companionship, fighters and a source of blood. How we do this is mainly up to you.” During father’s talk Caspar had paled. I think he did know what we’d wanted from the beginning but I don’t think he’d realised what it meant. Being reduced to food is never a pleasant experience.
“Education?”
“Of course, we take care of that which is ours. We don’t desire you as slaves. You will be able to live your own lives though vampires will, on occasion, have the need for you. Not all of you will live here at all times, and only a few of them will be ‘on duty’, so to speak. If they wish to stay when they’re not, it’s up to them, of course.”
“You’re not going to treat us like slaves?” Caspar’s voice and facial expression held much doubt and it hurt, what did they think of us, really?
“I think it’s time for us to take a walk.” I told him. “Let’s go downstairs and I’ll show you how we treat our humans. You have my word that we won’t treat you any differently.” Father who’d started out a bit annoyed relaxed when he realised where we were going. I’d possibly, probably, get yelled at later but it was worth it if I could get Caspar to believe in us. Everything would become easier.
We trouped down, deeper into the coven, with me and father leading and Caspar a step behind us but keeping between us. We’d opened a space so that he could walk alongside us if he wished but he never moved to take that place. As soon as the guards at the entrance of the pens saw us they bowed and opened the doors. Seeing me down here wasn’t all that unusual but father rarely bothered. He could have a human sent to his rooms so why take precious time walking trough most of the coven just to get here. Neither of us acknowledged them but Caspar was staring wide-eyed at them. I could also see the tension in him. The main room was unusually still, but it was the wrong time of day for this, really. Most humans would be in classes or sleeping. There were a few people here though and amongst them Lindt van der Broek, former hooker who’d in a short amount of time had proven herself to be intelligent and a fast learner. She’d become popular amongst the other humans as she was friendly and outgoing, she’d even started to help other’s with their homework and many other things. We were lucky.
“Lindt, may I introduce Caspar Schnell, he’s here to see what it’s like to live here.”
“Lady Alexis, Lord Dracula.” She bowed. I’d been called by Alexis for the longest time. Lady Dracula was my mother and, despite never having met her, I didn’t fancy taking her place. “Do you want me to show him around?”
“That won’t be necessary, but if you could tell him a bit about it I’d be grateful, he doesn’t seem to believe us. Tell me, how’s classes?” When I asked about her classes her whole face lit up. She’d never really gotten a chance in life and was now happy that she had.
“They’re great, Emilio says that I can move on into advanced maths soon and Gregory is encouraging me to write more, outside of class assignments.” She looked pointedly at the bunch of papers she’d put down when we’d entered. “It isn’t going to well, though. And economics really escapes me, I can’t understand a word Sultrina’s saying.” I could understand that, I’d never understood her either. Father said that she was great at commercial law and economy but we’d never seen eye to eye and she wasn’t good at being a teacher.
“You really do allow them to study.”
“If they want to.”
“And she does look healthy.”
“You won’t do us any good if you’re sick, for any reason. Please believe us when we say that we do take care of what’s ours.”
“I do believe you, now. I think that my weres will be safe here. I understand the terms and I agree to most of them. The only thing I ask is that you’ll look to the individual when you chose who is to serve and where.” He’d given in, he knew that once found out the weres would have to submit to a sect, he’d also realised that ours wasn’t the worst thing that could happen to ‘his’ weres.
“Of course,” Father answered. “we do not desire to hurt anyone, physically or mentally.” We returned to father’s office and finalised the plans/contract. I’m not sure what Caspar felt but he’s just signed his whole group of weres off to a sect of vampires. I hoped that the rest of the vampires would behave. This was all kind of my fault.
I’d just barely managed to get back into my rooms before I heard a knock. I didn’t want to meet with anyone other than Emilio today, who wouldn’t have knocked in the first place, but I probably had to.
“Enter.” I looked up to see Clay kneeling, which was very unusual, he’d only ever done it once before, when playacting in front of a dignitary from another sect. I suddenly dreaded what he wanted to say even more. “Rise.”
“Lady, I come to you on business. Please hear me out.” There was something almost desperate in the way he spoke. Also, he hadn’t risen, something was wrong.
“Speak.”
“I’ve come to tell you that I’ve met someone I wish to bond with and, since you’re the one I guard, I need your approval to meet with, and in the end, bond with her.” He didn’t look as happy as I thought someone who loved someone would do. Or maybe I was missing something.
“I think it’s great that you’ve met someone, may I know her name?” Did I ever mention that I was curious?
“Her name is Grace, Lady. I’m glad you approve. Will you allow me to continue to guard you or do you want me to quit?”
“Why wouldn’t I allow you to continue working?” I knew he liked his ‘job’ and I wouldn’t dream of telling him not to. I couldn’t understand why he liked it so much but that was his problem not mine.
“Because a guard’s loyalty should never have reason to be questioned. I’m honoured that you’ll allow me to continue, it shows that you’ve got great faith in me. A guard who’s bonded to someone can have his or her loyalty put in the line if he or she has to choose between their duty and their heart.” I suddenly understood what he was doing here. It was ritual of some sort, I was sure of, a guard having to ask permission to love. And in most cases I’m sure they’d have to choose either or. It was harsh, but I understood it too, a guard’s loyalty had to be unquestionable. True, I also didn’t wish choosing like that upon anyone, that would be even more cruel than denying either.
“I trust you Clay, and I’m happy for you. I hope that you’ve never have to choose between us. Now please rise so that I can hug you and tell you how happy I am for you. The only condition I have is to be introduced to her.”
“Thank you, little lady.”
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