I Learned From the Best
"I cannot begin to tell you, Little One, how amazed I was to see the sun. To tell you the truth I had never looked at the sun before in my entire life. I believed it to be something bad, something to avoid. Even more shocked was I to see that I had survived. Then again I guess I should not have been. I did tell the vampiere that I would die in the House of Lee but that was only to save face. Hmm, me and my foolish pride. I suppose I'll never learn to swallow it. Anyway, I said I would die in the House of Lee like a noble because I had lived as a noble. However, deep inside me I knew I was only bluffing. I did not want to die."
"Lady Ramika?"
"Yes, Little Asatha? What do you want?"
"How did you escape the House of Lee?"
"Such a question! You are a bright boy, Asatha, you need not ask such a question. But I will tell you anyway."
"I knew you would, Lady Ramika."
"I bet you did, my little Asatha. To answer your question: I escaped by a series of hidden tunnels and passageways. I made it to the last tunnel and was able to see the light of the moon ahead of me. Suddenly, I felt a blow to my head and all went black. I have no way of knowing how long I was out, my little Asatha. It could've been a few hours or a few days. In any case I awoke with the sun in my eyes and a horrible pain in my head. Little Asatha, I was in such pain but somehow I found the strength to move. I was so very weak. I had not eaten in God knows how long and the pain in my head made its way throughout my entire body. I was able to get to my feet once and I fell almost instantly. I stood up again and again I fell due to my weakness, pain and hunger. I attempted to stand four more times and on each attempt I wound up on my knees on a pile of rubble. When I fell for the last time I decided to give up for the time being.
"I looked up at the sky, the sun and immediately I wept. For all my pride and nobility I sat there, Asatha, crying like a little girl. I did not know what to do or what was to become of me. For the first time in my entire life I was afraid."
"You were afraid, Lady Ramika? Of what were you afraid, oh Pretty One?"
"You flatter me, Little One, I thank you for your kindness. Now, Little One, what I was afraid of was, well, everything. I had no wealth, no home, I was no longer a noble and my father was dead. Though now I believe he brought on his own demise and that the fall of the House of Lee was his fault. He poisoned the bloodline by marrying common, human girls. Introducing the blood of humans into our noble vampire lineage only weakened the House of Lee. I cannot forgive his lust for human females and yet it was this very lust that made my very existence possible. For you see, my little Asatha, I am a vampiere as well. My mother was one of those human girls my father so lusted after."
Is that bad, Lady Ramika?"
"When I was younger and thought myself a true vampire noble the answer to that particular question would have been an emphatic 'yes'. Though now I know better. My father was a noble by blood but it was he who caused the fall of the House of Lee. The vampiere, the Vampire Hunter known only as D was a half breed and yet he was and still is by far the most noble man I have ever met. From the vampiere I learned a lot, though I never spent more than five minutes in his presence. He is truly one of the best teachers I will ever know. From him I learned that nobility is not in one's birth but their actions. That our noble ancestor never intended for me or those like me to skulk around in shadows like sewer rats. Nor did he intend for us to feast of the blood of the living like leeches. I have learned much from the vampiere. He taught me humility and that being human is not a curse but a blessing."
"He sounds wise. Is he a wise man, Pretty Ramika?"
"Indeed he is, Little One. Though I have learned many valuable things from my misguided father as well. From him I learned dignity and the ways of nobility. He saw that I was properly educated in art, literature, and music. Yes, even with his faults my father has taught me many valuable lessons. I have learned many things from both of these great men."
"Awwhhh, is that so, Lady Ramika?"
"You're yawning I see. You must rest, my little Asatha. Yes, looking up I see that the moon is full and high. It is time for you to sleep, Little One."
"Awwhhh. No, Lady Ramika, tell me more stories. Pleassssse...."
"Humph. You fall asleep in mid sentence, Little Asatha, but you want me to tell you more stories. How cute. Looking down at your shaggy, black hair and thinking back to those deep green eyes of yours I remember yet another teacher. A teacher who taught me the value of friendship. One who showed me the fragility and beauty of innocence. One who taught me one of my most treasured and valuable lessons. It was you, my sleeping Asatha, who taught me that I was capable of love and that I have a heart. Looking at you, my precious Asatha, I can say that I have truly learned from the best."