Chapter 2: REUNION
Very little had changed since the last time he remembers being here. Although the townspeople looked upon him as they normally would a stranger in their town. He did not sense any hate emanating from them. This comforted D at least in this new adventure he will be surrounded by people who cared not what he was but who he was.
The Roamer's manor was located at the back end of entire area. The Count never liked being at the center of attention which made the location perfect. Their home is the largest in the town with 3 floors with beautifully decorated Victorian style furniture in every room. There are 12 spacious bedrooms, sitting rooms, 2 large ballrooms, 1 studies, one extremely large library which was used as a study and servants quarters off to the back of the manor. Although their manor was large it didn't seem obtrusive. Instead it blend in with the smaller manors nearby.
The Count always tried to stay away from taking part of the Vampire Court only appearing when it was absolutely necessary or something that had to with his lands or when the King of the Vampires called upon him to come. This was something that happen quite often since the King never trusted anyone more than him.
With a deep sigh D thought how the end of the Noble Vampire legacy was coming to an end. How deeply sadden my father would have been if he knew his only true friend had…
D!! Derrick called.
D looked up and stared at the Captain; "We have arrived. Leave your horse here with the stable-boy Timothy… he prefers to be called Tim. Tim here is training to be a horseman. He can repair cybernetic horses or care for live ones. There are still a few real live horses around here. You know with the waste and all many horses died during then…" his voice trailed off …
D raised his head in acknowledgement.
The boy appear to be about 13 years old, rather tall for his age, thin built with dusty brown hair with streaks of gold through it. The golden streaks appeared as if they were gold thread running through his hair.
D started to get off his cybernetic horse as the Timothy approached timidly.
"Don't you worry about your horse Mr. D. I'll take good care of him."
Quietly D replied; "I rather you called me D. Formality is certainly something I don't like" with a deep sigh as D preferred not to talk too much to people in avoidance of getting to know them too well. "I know you will take good care him. He's had a long ride with me and I am sure he needs a good fine tuning." With that D left the reins of his horse in the boy's hands and walked toward the front of the manor where the Captain was waiting.
D was lead towards the back of the manor where the terrace located by the maid while Derrick went to get the others. This was D's favorite spot when he was boy. The area had just enough sunlight that would not hurt but enough of it to enjoy the light. The breeze here made it very comfortable. The area was surrounded by beautiful old trees with neatly trimmed branches. There were flowers everywhere and most of all Count Roamer's favorite flower orchids were just about in every corner. A huge fountain was located in the center of the terrace which the water flowed softly emerging through the spouts dropping gently back into the fountain.
D took a deep breathe and wonder why he hasn't been back here in over 1000 years.
Quietly, a figure appeared and he spoke to D, "So finally we have you back here. You don't know how much father had missed you." D didn't respond.
The figure slowly came into better view standing directly in front of D. "Do you know how much pain father felt when you didn't come to mother's funeral? He truly believed you would come then. In his "heart" he just knew you would come and there was no consoling him when you didn't come" he said but not in angry hateful way but as an older brother scolding his younger sibling.
He continued; "You know we kept tabs on every step you took. There were a few times that we heard nothing of you, once it was for more than a hundred years. I thought father was going to go mad. I almost went out to go get you by your pointy ears all the back to the here. But father always managed to convince me otherwise. He believed you needed to live out the life you chose. Besides you were getting rid of those nasty Nobles that only caused more trouble than anything else."
At hearing the young man's at least he appeared that way short speech he lowered his head and then raised it and removing his hat and looked directly into his friends eyes. "I'm sorry Matt that I have failed your father, mother and you. I should have come when I first heard the news. I came close to…" his voice trailed off and then back up again. "…but you know how I feel about losing people I care about…"
Matt just waived his hand and then stretched it out to grab D and give him a hug. D stiffed at the sign of affection from his old friend --not that he didn't want to show the love he had for this man whom he thought of as a brother-- but life had made him hard and brittle with little to no emotion ever coming to the view of those around him.
Matt gave him a little push and then said, "You really have changed! I can't believe what happen so long ago that many have already forgotten, you let it make you into this harden being. You are truly a living corpse my brother." He smiled.
D just looked blankly at Matt.
"Once we have resolved our matter and finally avenge father's death. We'll work on getting some of your old self back. By the way, I'm not an only child anymore" Matt said joyfully.
D looked at Matt with astonishment. But then he remembered what the guard had said before his "children", yes that would mean more than one.
Smirking at D, Matt said; "Don't look so surprised you know father and mother "really" loved each other. Although it was a very long time before another came after me. It all happen right after all that time you know when your Dad and mother…trailed off and then with sudden change of his voice to a more happier tone. It's six of us now three boys and three girls. Can you imagine? I was a grown man at least by Vampire standards." laughed Matt.
D was amazed in hearing all of this and couldn't believe how death could come upon a man who apparently lived in happiness.
Finally after a long pause D spoke in his monotone voice; "But how was your father killed?" -this brought the apparently joyful Matt back to a reality he didn't seem to want to face.
Without answering D's question Matt responded; "You know this makes me the Head of the household. I never thought I would have to worry about undertaking such a position. I always thought I would make my own home separate from my father's home… a branch from a great tree, but definitely not like this, he sighed. Father always said; I was like him never wanted to be seen in the lead. I always, like him wanted to be the man who really ran things but behind the scenes. Where no one will disturb me." he took a deep breathe and looked at D "Come now inside so you can meet the others and finally hear how Count Matthew Roamer was killed."
As both men entered the home and walked to the large study, a woman approached and grabbed Matt by the arm. She looked at D with her big hazel eyes with a tint of mockery in her voice, "Who's the silent but deadly handsome looking guy you have at your side, my love?"
Matt smirked and said; "Ah my beautiful Isabella, father always said you were the one who would keep us all together with your joyful smile at life. I wonder if he ever knew how right he was. You have been able to keep everyone with smiles even as these past 30 hours have been the worse this family has dealt with in a long time." he stared at her intently with love and devotion as she returned the look to him.
D turned his head and looked forward for he wasn't sure if he was intruding a private moment between the lovers.
Matt responded to Isabella's question; "This is the famous Vampire Hunter D. D this is my beloved wife Isabella. She is from a far off land where beautiful women grow on trees." this drew a smirk from D and Isabella as she gave Matt a little push.
Isabella faced D as she spoke; "Welcome to our home D for I know my father-in-law loved you very much like a son. It's a shame you have arrived in such a sad time. We are really happy people… everyone that lives within these confines of Haven Farms lives well. On occasion, people would move to the big cities but they eventually all return. Funny how a small town like ours can impact a person in such a way that they want to return back here." with a sneaky smile she added; "Maybe one of Matt's pretty sisters can take you around the town. I'm sure one of them will be willing. But I must warn you they are no simple country girls. Father Roamer made sure his daughters had their education in books and with the sword and well anything else that could be deadly." while looking at Matt for a quick second and then back to D… "Be most careful with Jazmine her name may be a name of a flower and her fingers may play the piano beautifully but she is the strongest in mind and in wielding a sword. Father was always proud of her. She was his favorite of the girls and Matt is the favorite of the boys." Isabella looked intently at D in hopes of getting some sort of response.
Isabella thought to herself; if this big silent Hunter dolt doesn't get what I mean… then it must be true what they say; men that live a life like his never fall for any women. Hm! We will see about that!
D looked quietly and both of them in utter confusion. These two are like a traveling circus. They are so compatible with each other. It's almost like they feed off each other's energy. It's never ending. D then smirked at his own thoughts
Matt coughed in order to interrupt the embarrassing comments his wife was making and then said; "My wife enjoys the art of match making. Apparently, she is trying to tell you to take notice of Jazmine. But please do not feel obligated in anyway. Nadia and Marie have not been spoken for but have some prospects. Jazmine because of her harsh nature and very little tolerance for weak men she has made it difficult to find a match for herself. Trust me when I say there is nothing wrong with my sister until you upset her …" Matt stopped then said "And speaking of the girl herself she is playing the piano now.
Do you hear it D?"
D thought to himself…He finally comes back to Haven to find his mentor dead and now his best friend and his wife are playing match making? There is nothing broken about me. Nor there is anything wrong with Jazmine if chooses to be alone. This angered him but he kept that feeling down so no one would notice.
D finally spoke; "Ah, yes I hear it. …. It's a very old piece from a composer who hasn't lived in thousands of years. How is it…?"; as he sees Matt opening the double doors into the large study.
The study was a very larger room that contained books on all the walls, there was a large piano in the corner, no window but the ceiling was made of tinted glass. A special type of tint that a Vampire could be in the room during the day and no harm would come to them since it blocked all the dangerous rays of the sun. There was a large round table in the center of the room where apparently the meeting was to take place.
As D made his observations he noticed the piano didn't stop playing. The others in the room quickly approached him to be introduced. They all resembled their parents in many ways. All were tall, well built, beautiful jet black hair, blues eyes like their father and the two girls had their mother's beauty. The only thing they did not have was her ravishing red hair and green eyes.
Isabella called out to Jazmine to stop playing the piano and come meet their visitor.
Jazmine got up from the piano and approached the group. Amazing how she out of all six children was the only one with long red hair and green eyes like her mother.
Matt began his introduction; "As I have told you father and mother had 5 more children after me. Nadia is the scientist of the family and 2nd oldest, the Aaron the modest but we call him the wise one. He also is the other mad scientist in the family." Matt winked his eye and smiled at Aaron. "Over the centuries they have been able to develop several useful inventions that enabled father to spend day time hours with us. As you will notice all the windows are treated with a special chemical that blocks the sun rays that are harmful to vampires. Father did not allow us to install these special windows throughout the town until he was certain that no harmful side effects could happen. So if you're thinking we were his guinea pigs, yes we were." he smiled to himself as remembering a fond memory. "He was an intelligent man both he mother taught us everything. Mother eventually started to train several of the townspeople to be teachers for the children that lived here."
D gave a nod in approval upon hearing what Roamer had done for the townspeople.
Now Jazmine as you see has mother's red hair and green eyes. Mother, had once told us that when a family has one red haired child that child is destined to be independent and strong. Father always called her his shield-maiden; she is as much a lady as a warrior. Careful when practicing with her she is a bit dangerous.
Jazmine gave a cold look at her brother for adding that extra information. She actually hoped he didn't reveal much about her for she wanted to test her skills against a worthy opponent. Most of all, the men in town were so mixed that their vampiric strength was weak compared to her's. Oh well she thought I hope I still get a chance to test my skills with him.
"Nicholas the brave warrior and Marie as dad always called her the cunning. Don't let her sweetness fool you. She's had plenty of practice too. Out of all of us she has been the only one that has spent more than a year away from home. Until father had finally decided that it was time for her to come back. He sent Jazmine and Nicholas to bring her home. His thoughts were in fact correct. Marie came back with her skills perfected.
Of course you have already met our Captain of the Guards. Father had found his mother and him on the side of the road a few years ago. His father had been killed and his mother left for dead holding her small child in her arms. They were brought back to Haven and they lived here ever since.
Father spent tireless hours training us all to fight and to learn of the world of years past and of the present. We have developed not a perfect society but a society that has learned to co-exist. Unfortunately, father's time came too soon before he was able to see his dream spread throughout the frontier.
At this D did couldn't help but ask a question. "What did you mean about seeing his dream spread throughout the frontier?"
Marie answered his question although it was directed at Matt. "Father saw how our society had prospered through education and positive motivation of a future that we all could someday co-exist. His plan was to go and propose the ideas to the surrounding towns. He believed as those towns improved and other towns would take notice and they too would implement the plan and prosper. It's like father always said, "It will be a domino effect." "Father…" Marie said softly as she lowered her head so no one would see the tears in eyes.
Isabella who had remained quiet all this time told the group to move to the table. Now that the Count's plan of rehabilitating the world was already explained it was time to tell the tail of how the Count was killed.
