I do not own Trinity Blood.
Please excuse the possible grammar mistakes.
-1-
A loud noise announcing the entrance of a train broke the silence of the sleeping train station, its white steam spreading everywhere and giving the impression of a ghost station. The old station master's eyes widened at the site of the elegant machine, his mouth hanging opened as he tried to recall the last time he had seen such a magnificent and well preserved piece of machinery that evoked the golden period of the time before the apocalyptic war as he had seen in the ancient illustration book that was the centerpiece of the train station's museum.
The man wasn't too big on welcoming guests, benefactors of their small town or not, but the mayor had been adamant about him greeting the special guest that was scheduled to arrive on the cold, winter night. The man found himself wondering why the mayor wasn't there if this visitor was so important, but then he remembered hearing his wife telling one of her friends that the mayor had a mistress –an expensive one, his wife had said- in the neighboring town of Teufel…
"You would think that the mayor would postpone his little adulterous rendezvous to greet this important guest," the man muttered to himself, sighing and shivering, continuing his little rant inside his head.
The two figures that emerged from the train broth the man back from his musings and he quickly looked them up and down. He briefly considered the possibility of them being nobles from the Empire since he had heard that only the Methuselahs could revive such beauties of the Lost Technology. This theory seemed to explain the late hour this party arrived and why the train station had been closed to the public.
The station master prepared to walk towards the still figures, but stood still when he saw more figures emerging from the train, the anemic lighting of the lamps shining off of their weapons when they moved.
He sighed in relief and brought a hand up to his chest when he realized that the armed -and masked- guards were busy carrying luggage and didn't seem to notice him. When the figures walked pass him -a blond man that was the only one without anything to hide his face leading them- without sparing him even a glance, he mused to himself that his white hair and tired look along with his faded uniform made him look like a ghost, the only thing that was missing from this sandy picture.
A loud whistle and the magnificent train was gone, a cloud of smoke being the only thing it left behind. The station master sat still for a moment, eyes glued to the two figures, expecting them to disappear just as fast as the train had.
But when they still stayed there even after the steam dispersed, the man took a few steps closer to those silhouettes and strained his eyes so he could get a better look at them.
"We need stronger lights," the train station master mused to himself, nodding his head without realizing it.
After a few more small steps, the old man could clearly see that the figures belonged to two males, one with ankle-length dark hair wearing an elegant coat that seemed to be a softer tone of black than his hair and the second one was a bit shorter than his companion, had short brown hair and dressed in a maroon checkered coat, a long white scarf wrapped several times around his neck.
"Are you the welcoming comity? Because if you are, staring and not properly greeting us is totally unacceptable." someone asked in a bored voice tone that also had a tinge of annoyance to it.
The station master was startled by the question, shaking his head and blinking a few times once he realized that the persons he had been observing were now sitting a few centimeters away from him. He assumed that the one who had spoken was the brown haired man -boy- because his companion had a cigarillo between his lips, but he couldn't be sure since the scarf covered everything except his brown eyes that glimmered with mischief.
"Uh…Welcome to our humble town, Haft, sirs. Mayor Haase regrets that he couldn't personally greet you, but urgent affairs sent him to Teufel." He answered embarrassed, offering a small, apologetic smile at the two.
The taller man turned around, a cigarillo held between long gloved fingers and one of his eyebrows arched up. The boy's eyes were glued to his companion with a look that the station master couldn't quite name.
"Ah, interesting," the black haired man said after a few seconds of silence, bringing the cigarillo to his lips and taking a drag from it.
"The trip has been tiring and boring, just like you, mage. I'll be in the car." The young man announced suddenly, yawning behind his scarf as he stretched. He didn't spare a second glance to the old station master as he pushed past him, almost tripping him, and made his way towards one of the two waiting the cars that seemed to had appeared a few moments after the train arrived.
"You must excuse my younger brother, Dean, for he is not a big fan of long journeys. I am Isaac Butler." The man brought his right hand over his chest and bowed, his long hair cascading over his face, but never really touching the ground.
The station master stood still for a short while, amazed at how gallant the man was towards him. He had expected the noble –he decided that this man had to have noble roots- to treat him with disgust or annoyance, much like his younger brother had. He tried to imitate the man's bow, but it ended up being clumsy as he had bowed much to low, so low that his forehead almost came in contact with the lighted cigarillo.
He muttered an apology, embarrassment seeping from every pore of his body and decided that he would leave this little detail out of the story when he would retell his wife this night's events. Isaac offered him a twisted smile –meant to be a kind one perhaps- and left without saying anything else.
The station master sat still and watched the man disappear inside the black car, a blond man he hadn't seen before shutting the door behind Isaac. He thought it strange that he hadn't seen this man get off the train, but didn't give that fact much thought.
The man started to slowly make his way home, happy that he could finally offer his wife a story she'll be proud of spreading around her circle of friends.
The ride was a short one, but then again Haft was a small town. Isaac, or rather Isaak, had told his bored companion that in the age before the Armageddon, Haft and Teufel had both been a single town that was famous for its wine production.
"You and your wine," the boy had commented as the car pulled up to a building that served as the town's hotel, the driver exiting the car and holding the door open for the two men. "Not much to look at," he said after a few seconds of contemplating the humble building, kicking the door shut with his heel.
"Hm, I have to agree with you, Dietrich. But I guess it can't be helped. We are on a mission after all and I imagine that the mayor and his wife wouldn't take too kindly to zombies walking around their mansion with axes while the king visits."
As on cue, the other car stopped and five masked guards walked out, each falling in line and silently waiting new orders from their master. Dietrich looked at them over his shoulder and signaled one next to him and then proceeded to pull of its mask and helmet, grinning at the sewn mouth and eyes that greeted him.
"Ah, terrans do lack a certain taste for fine dolls such as these. Is that blubbering priest part of the royal escort?" he asked, leaning on the Autojäger and signaling the others to start carrying their luggage inside.
An unnecessary question, in Isaak's opinion, but then again he supposed that the boy had wanted to ask about his precious redheaded doll. An even more useless question since that doll had ascended to the status of Queen of Albion and therefore had 'quit' being a field AX agent.
"Our Lord wished for us to send his warmest regards to his confused brother while the weak king heavies out one last bloody breath, a breath that will cause war between Albion, Germanicus and the Vatican." Isaak said, tossing his cigarillo on the ground and entering the hotel.
According to the information Helga had -grudgingly and only because their lord was present at the meeting- provided him with, Abel had been tasked by Catherina to escort King Ludwig II in his visit around Germanicus. This was, of course, a ploy to convince the young king to agree to a meeting with Queen Esther and Pope Alessandro XIII. But, if everything went according to plan, the infirm king would meet his end at the hands of an Albion citizen while the Vatican agents stood helplessly and watched.
After a few moments, Dietrich walked in after him, Autojäger masked once again. He offered his sweetest smiles at the young ladies that greeted him and offered to take his coat and scarf just like they did to Isaak. He took the youngest girl's hand and placed a kiss on it, walking up the stairs with his back turned as he winked at her and blew one more kiss in her direction before turning around and climbing normally.
"The mayor's bastard daughter," Dietrich had muttered as he walked pass Isaak. "Of course, you can't even dare to think to compare my Esther with that ragged doll, but since I didn't get an invitation to the private dinner…" he waved his hands in the air, his wires shooting out and wrapping around an Autojäger which he forced into a silent waltz.
"How do you think Lord Abel will react when he sees you, Dietrich?"
"Not too different from when he sees you, I assume. Maybe a bit more violent in your case? I still think he bears a grudge against you for that whole Barcelona incident." A final swirl and the boy released the doll from its strings, watching it as it hit a wall, putting a small dent in it. He worded 'ups' as Isaak turned to look at the damage, shrugging and walking inside his room, slamming the door shut in Isaak's face.
"A devil's waltz is always an expensive one…" Isaak whispered, shaking his head and turning around to look out the window. "Are you ready to pay the price, Lord Abel?"
Updates depend on my muse.
Teufel - Devil
Haft - Jail, arrest, confinement.