Blood and Water
by Myka
chapter 4 - "A Crazy Plan"
Sequences in italics are flashbacks.

The woods where dark and extremely dense, Marron could barely see an inch in front of him and he was constantly crashing into something. Mostly tree branches. He looked up to see Mille just ahead making his way with almost no effort at all. He cursed under his breath as he struggled to keep up.

---

"No way!" Mille said in a dead serious tone.

"But it's their own laws!" Marron yelled back.

"Well, I don't think walking into the vampire's high court is a very good idea, Marron!" the knight said with a slight sarcastic tone then turning around and walking towards the door; he needed to get out of his room... Marron looked at him angrily "I haven't heard you coming up with any ideas."

Mille stopped halfway and glanced back at Marron. "I'm too tired to discuss this right now."

Marron rushed towards him, grabbed his shoulder and turned him around forcefully. "You have to discuss this!" Marron tightened his grip on Mille's shoulder enough to bruise without meaning to. "Before you..."

Mille glanced quickly at Marron's grip on his shoulder and returned back his gaze. Something came over him and without warning took hold of Marron's throat with his right hand in one swift, sudden move. "Before what?" he said in an almost hissing tone. Marron's eyes went wide in shock as Mille squeezed his only airway; he couldn't speak; couldn't breathe. Marron grabbed his wrist as a reflex and let out a soft moan of pain.

Mille released him. It all happened so fast.

Marron backed away one step, clutching his bruised throat and taking a deep breath, he could have sworn that in that brief moment Mille's eyes where a dark blue green. He looked at him, but Mille's eyes where the same as always. The Haz Knight glared at his own hands as if in horror. He then took one last look at Marron and ran to the door, unlocking it in a single move and leaving the young mage alone in his own room.

"Mille!" Marron yelled as he went after him.

---

"Hurry up, Marron," Mille said, "we want to get there with a few hours to spare before sunrise."

Marron frowned at the words. He could barely see with all the trees blocking the moon and the Haz Knight was obviously not having the same problem. The mage desisted in a saying anything back, since all the remarks he could think of would remind them of the vampire blood taking over Mille, but he desired the knowledge, he wanted to know everything he could.

"Can anyone with vampire blood make someone else a vampire?" he asked.

"Did you read that in the book?" Mille asked as he kept making his way trough the woods.

"Yeah," Marron answered back. Mille looked back at him and saw Marron battling his way against a tree that didn't want to let him through. He smiled. "Did you know that you have a nasty cut on your left cheek?" he mentioned. Marron raised his right hand to find a little blood. It didn't hurt so he discarded it and returned to the subject at hand. "About my question?"

"About non true-vampires being capable of blooding someone?" the knight asked.

"Yes," Marron answered.

Mille gave a slight grin as he moved on forward, "I already knew that."

---

It was late and the halls where dark and quiet, no one was awake yet. Marron has lost track of Mille after he had left the room, it took him a while, but he finally ended up in the garden where he found Mille sitting on the grass watching the sunrise. He approached him slowly, his footsteps making noise in the moist morning grass. Mille heard him coming, but didn't glance back.

"Eight minutes and forty three seconds," the knight suddenly said.

The comment caught Marron by surprise. "What?" he asked confused. Mille finally glanced back at him. "That's how long it took you to find me," he said forcing a smile on his face then returning his gaze towards the rising sun, "not bad when you're chasing a vampire."

The remark took Marron aback though it didn't reflect on his posture. The incident must have really troubled him if Mille was even bothering to count the time Marron had taken to find him. "You're not a vampire," he said finally as he sat down beside him. Mille looked at him, smiling honestly this time and nodded.

"You're right... not yet," he replied raising his hands and starring at them, "but it's still happening too fast," he finished. He looked back at Marron "I'm sorry for what just happened," he apologized, "one second I was fine and the next I was… gone…"

Marron blinked slowly, trying to remember, "hunt" he finally murmured.

Mille smiled. "You'd make a great understudy," he said as he patted Marron's back once. "Also refer to as 'hunt reflex'," he quoted, "one of the first signs of the change," he pointed out giving Marron a sad smile then going back to look at the sight before him.

Marron took in what he said calmly. He remembered reading that all signs of the change happened during the last three to four days of the process. It's happening too fast. Marron decided to keep the sudden change of Mille's eyes to himself.

"My own magic is feeding it," Mille stated suddenly. Marron took the new bit of information; it sort of made sense. He stared at the Haz Knight as the sun rose, a gust of wind played with both their hairs. He catched every detail of his face, the way his nose curved and the way he licked his lips in reflex. For that moment he just couldn't look away.

Mille felt Marron's gaze on him and turned towards the young mage. Marron quickly changed his line of sight and Mille could actually see his cheeks go red. The purpled haired knight let out a playful laugh that provoked Marron to glare at him. Mille just kept his smile up and reached out for Marron's hand, grabbing it with his own, raising it towards his lips and kissing it gently. "Thank you."

Marron's blush deepened.

---

After a few more minutes they finally reached a clearing and Marron gave silent thanks to the end of the beating trees. The moon shone brightly in the midnight sky and lights could be seen at a distance.

"Is that it?" Marron asked as he finally caught up with Mille, removing the last leafs from his hair.

"Yes," Mille replied. "Zouburn Castle; home to the vampire's high court and Kalek and Zacharia's residence."

Marron nodded as they headed on forward.

---

Mille finally agreed to talk to Mama and along with Marron they told her everything. They talked about Jezzabel, Aldren, Kyla and even Marron's plan. She stood silent for a moment then spoke.

"I think going to the court and plead your case is the only option we have right know," she decided.

Mille crossed his arms. "Am I the only one to find a problem with this?" he asked slightly annoyed.

Mama looked on as Marron and Mille discussed the issue. "What's wrong with attending the court?" the mage asked.

Mille just looked at him with wide eyes. "Besides actually going to it and you acting as my consort; which by the way, I think is an insane idea. Aldren will probably be there."

Marron shook his head slightly. "What does he have to do about it?" Mille looked back towards Mama. "He's the court's first prince and when Jezzabel blooded me he recognized me in the courts name."

"I though that was part of the spell," Marron said.

"No," Mille replied, "that was just to protect Jezzabel from exactly what we are planning to do."

"This could be a problem then," Mama mentioned. Marron thought for a moment. "What about Kalek?" he said after a while. Mille turned his head towards him, he really hadn't though about Kalek. But know that it was an option. Even thou Jezzabel was of Kalek's line. Kalek was the one who had stopped Jezzabel the first time she had tried to blood him. Maybe…just maybe…

"I think he would believe us," Marron said.

"Perhaps," Mille said thoughtfully.

"Is there another possibility?" Mama interrupted. They both looked at her with nothing to say. She understood and turned her gaze towards Marron.

"Do you insist on going with Mille and acting as his consort?" Marron looked at her with determined eyes. "I do," he answered.

Mama nodded. "Then you both may go to the court and plea your case with Kalek. Maybe Chiffon or Kahlua could go with you-"

"No!" Mille interrupted suddenly. "I don't want to endanger anyone else. I don't even want Marron to endanger himself further."

Mama stared at him silently, her eyes suddenly sad.

"Don't be stupid," Marron said. "This is my choice too, I want to help you," he said softly as he met the knight's gaze. "Please let me help you," softer, almost a whisper.

Mille stayed still briefly then glanced towards Mama. "Can I ask for something?" he said.

"You may," she replied. Mille never blinked. "Give us two days before you tell the others?" Mama smiled slightly and nodded in agreement. Mille gave a small bow and left along with Marron.

---

"Walk behind me, stay close and don't speak!" Mille ordered. Marron nodded even though the knight couldn't see him.

As they neared the castle gates Marron could see two shapes guarding it. They both walked up towards the guards.

"Identify yourselves," one of the guards said.

"Mille Feuille. I am from Kalek's clan and I have some questions I need answering," he said, knowing that they would understand his words. Both guards nodded in acknowledgment. "And the other?" Mille never turned his gaze away from them. "He is my consort," the Haz Knight said, never loosing his presence in front of them.

Both guards looked at Marron. "Where's his mark?" the larger of the guards asked. Marron turned to look at Mille, revealing nothing on his face. A mark? Mille hadn't said anything to him about a mark? He wondered if he was suppose to do something when the Haz Knight leaned forward and said something that only the guards could hear. They exchanged a glance, and Marron could have sworn they looked embarrassed.

"You may pass," they said in unison, moving away to let them through. Mille started walking and Marron followed. They walked in the castle's front garden for a while until Marron made sure no one was listening.

"How did you managed to do that?" he asked, slightly bewildered.

"Vampires respect privacy," was the only answer Marron got, and the mage didn't quite understand. "What did you tell them, Mille?" he asked a little demandingly, his curiosity getting the best of him.

"Do you really want to know?" the knight asked back with a hint of a laugh to his voice and finally stopping to look at raven haired mage. Marron returned his gaze slightly annoyed. "Yes," he said. The knight smirked and leaned forward until he could murmur in Marron's ear and told him.

Marron went beet red as result. "Mi...Mille!" he cried, but the knight just let out a laugh and walked forward cheerfully. Marron stared at him a little angry which slowly morphed into a smile. "It's nice to see you back more like your old self," he said out of the blue. Mille stopped and glanced at him. "I've been acting too gloomy recently haven't I?" he admitted.

Marron walked up to him. "Yeah…" he said as he stood beside him, "but you had a good reason; besides…hopefully by morning this will all be over." he finished, glancing at the castle. Mille looked at it too. "Hopefully…"

They walked up to the front door. "Ready?" Mille asked.

"Better now than never," Marron replied. They gave one last look at each other before Mille pushed the door; opening their way inside Zouburn Castle.