Disclaimer: I don't own Vampire Hunter D. This story was meant for
entertaining purposes only. But the vampire cast is, of course, entirely
the product of my imagination, so, don't steal them! Though I perfectly
understand why some of you would like to kidnap Vitéz...hmmm...Hehe. ^_~
******** ********
Author's note: Hi everyone! Sorry for the delay! (ducks thrown tomatoes, rotten fruit, knives, etc.) The problem is uni.'s starting to take up more of my time, so I have to juggle 7 courses (and the respective 3 hours of field work per week for 3 of them) along with my fanfic! But don't worry, I'll manage. Writing is actually therapy for me, so I kind of need it to fight the madness of senior year.
Thanks for the reviews! I must confess I do a little victory dance every time I get a new one. *lol* ^_^ They keep me motivated.
Mystic asked me if I could make some pronunciation notes, so I'm going give it a try. I don't speak Hungarian at all, so I apologize for any mistakes. If someone reading this knows how to speak the language, help would be REALLY appreciated! ^_^ This is how I pronounce the names in my head.
Vitéz: vee-TEZ
Beriszl: BER-isl
Iosif: ee-O-sif
Meszaros: MESS-a-ros
Eszti: ES-tee
I used some other names in this chapter, but they aren't important. I just needed something interesting to call the vampires in the scene. If they're a bit complicated, don't worry. I really hope I'm not confusing anyone by using all these strange names. ^.^' Just tell me if I am.
This next installment came out a bit longer than the previous chapters. It sort of goes a bit deeper into D's past (Kitala!) and of his experiences as the Vampire Prince (Genjoe!). I hope you enjoy.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Those who in youth and childhood wander alone in the woods and wild places, ever after carry in their hearts a secret well of quietness and...they will always long for rest and to get away from the noise and rumour of the world."
W.B Yeats, Letters.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Chapter 7
Fatherhood pains
*******
In the instant he found himself at the castle gates, D knew he was dreaming.
He was also well aware of the path his dream would take, and knew there was absolutely nothing he could do about it.
Nothing but to relive the painful memories once more.
D looked down at himself and recognized his body. His seven year old body. Long slender arms the colour of rich milk, graceful hands with long fingernails, which would grow back rapidly to the same length no matter how often he cut them. His clothing was made of fine fabrics, as was only suitable. A fact the young dunpheal would often ignore, as he would leave the castle grounds to find other places to play in solitude.
He was returning from one of these escapades at the moment. Having spent the whole day in the surrounding forest and in the fields, he was coming home. A sense of dread overwhelmed him as he stood beneath the immense gates. D had forgotten about the time and didn't realize he should be heading back until it was too late.
The sun had already sunk into the horizon, and only a few of its secure rays shone in the sky.
The Vampire King would be awake.
D's body shook at the thought. His mother always told him he should not fear his father; he should try and talk to him, share some time with him.
Unfortunately, there was no other thought which caused more fear in D's young heart. The idea of being alone with his father froze him to the spot, and his breathing became heavy. The dunpheal contemplated going back into the forest, turning his face to gaze back down the road he had just come from. The idea of sleeping outside, away from the dark confines of the castle was very alluring. But he knew quiet well that his father, on his mother's insistence, would send someone to look for him. And then, D would have to face the Vampire King's wrath for making his mother worry.
The dunpheal took a step forward, mustering all the courage a seven year old could possibly endure under such odds.
D passed the gates and was greeted by the amazing sight of the Vampire King's castle. Sometimes he would stop in his tracks and stare at the immense structure. The black towers rose into the sky, as if to touch the face of the stars, its gothic architecture commanding fear and respect. Everything about the castle resembled his father; its size, its dominance, its power. Few would look upon the building and not feel awe in their souls.
D lowered his gaze, the trembling of his limbs returning in full force. 'I must not show fear', he told himself. 'I must be brave.'
He came to the entrance. The two barbarois guards at the huge double doors saluted him, as was only proper. He didn't glance at them. D'd tried to be friendly with them more than once, but it was not proper for a servant to speak to the King's son in a familiar way. The guards had just ignored him, and after a few attempts at striking a conversation, D had given up completely.
D entered the castle, the doors closing behind him, leaving him in a large chamber bathed in gentle candlelight. He planned on making his way quietly to his room and not call any unwanted attention to himself. It was preferable to go to bed without eating dinner than to have an unpleasant meeting with his father.
Loud voices and music came from a chamber on the first landing. D only noticed them until he was climbing the large staircase, enhancing his unease. His mind, occupied with other matters, had forgotten his parents were entertaining guests this evening. All the more reason to avoid being seen.
D silently passed in front of the door, his goal was to reach the stairs at the end of the hall. If he managed to get to the third floor without being noticed, he was basically free. Trying to control his trembling and his dread, D walked by slowly.
But luck was not with him this day, and the young dunpheal cursed the overly enhanced senses of vampires not for the first time.
The door opened suddenly, and his mother stepped out.
She was dressed in the most fabulous gown. Green silk adorned with emeralds at her neck. Her beauty was devastating; D could not blame his father for falling in love with her. She was a wonder to behold, for a human.
D looked down at his feet, letting her sweet perfume invade his senses. In her presence, he could almost find peace.
"Good evening, my darling," she said in her lovely voice. "Where have you been?"
"You know were I was, mother," he told her. "You know were I always go."
A look of pain washed over her face at D's sad tone. She tried to hide it by changing the subject.
"Have you eaten?" she asked.
D shook his head.
"How many times have I told you not to go to bed without anything to eat? A young boy like you needs his nourishment," she said, smiling at her son.
Her smile brought comforting warmth to his heart. It was nice to know he had some one to take care of him in this bleak place. She was the only source of love in his lonesome existence.
D felt more than heard someone step behind the door. A chill of dread went up his spine, knowing exactly who it was. Suddenly, he realized it was his father who gave him away to his mother, letting her know D was passing in front of the door at that precise moment.
Before he had time to compose himself, his mother asked him the question he'd been dreading.
"Darling, the guests wish to see you. Won't you come in?"
A look of devastating fear crossed D's eyes, and as he looked at her, the pleading in his gaze tore at her heart.
D swore he saw the beginnings of tears in her lovely eyes.
Before they could say another word, the door opened more widely and a large form stepped in front of his mother.
The trembling was suddenly painful.
D didn't dare look up, recognizing his father by the shoes he wore.
"The guests are waiting," the Vampire King said simply in his icy voice, then turned and entered the room.
There was no room to argue.
D braced himself, breathing deeply, as he stepped in front of his mother to walk through the door.
The room was filled with light. He felt the presence of other vampires, but didn't dare look at them. D walked in slowly so as not to show his uneasiness; it would not do to embarrass his father in such a situation.
"Well, he has grown much since I last saw him, Ezsti," a female voice addressed his mother. D recognized the Countess Alojsia Pusztai when he heard her. "Come here, young prince, so I can see you better."
D walked towards the couch where the Countess was sitting. When he reached his destination, after what seemed like an eternity, he managed to look up.
Alojsia smiled at him. If he hadn't been so nervous, he might've recognized her intentions for what they truly were: she was being genuinely friendly. But at the moment, his heart was almost exploding in fear.
"Why, you are a handsome one, my Prince. You have your mother's hair," she said, smiling up at Ezsti, who smiled proudly. The Countess lifted a slender hand, caressing D's cheek with her long fingers.
"But you have your father's graceful face," she continued, staring deeply into D's eyes. "I wonder...do you have his strength?"
D didn't look away from her, somehow knowing she was trying to tell him something. But the moment was suddenly broken.
"He doesn't say much, does he, Dracul?" a vampire, who D recognized as Istran Burcsa, asked.
"He barely speaks," D's father answered, as if disgusted.
"The Prince is only shy," Ezsti said, coming to her son's defense, placing a hand on D's shoulder.
Istran nodded, giving D a thorough inspection with his penetrating gaze.
"A bit slender for a boy his age," he commented. Istran reached for D's arm, feeling the dunpheal's young muscles with his hand.
"Tell me boy," he continued. "Will this arm wield a sword just as skillfully as your father does?"
The vampire, thankfully, did not give D time to answer. He continued speaking to his father almost as if forgetting the young dunpheal's presence.
"How goes the weapon's training?"
"He's learning easily enough," the Vampire King answered. "Not as rapidly as I'd like, though. But those are the pains I must endure as a father."
There was general laughter around the room.
"I don't think even the most prominent student would ever please Dracul as a teacher," Baron Gelei commented. "Especially in matters of the sword."
There were murmurs of agreement.
"He is of my own blood," his father kept saying. "I expect no less from him than from myself."
D knew this comment was meant specially for him. As Prince, he was forced to train in weapons almost every day; but he wasn't sure if he would one day manage to wield a blade skillfully. His father certainly thought he would never do so.
D looked down at his feet. After a moment, his mother's warm hand grasped his shoulder more tightly.
"You must be hungry and tired, my dear," she intervened. "Why don't you go downstairs and have something to eat."
To her guests, she said, "You must excuse him. He hasn't eaten dinner yet."
"Oh you poor dear," Countess Alojsia said. "You must be starving. Go on and eat something quickly."
D bowed slightly, then turned to leave. He could feel the weight of many gazes on his back as he walked, his father's being the heaviest. Stepping quietly outside the room, he closed the doors behind him.
D let out a breath he wasn't aware he'd been holding. The ordeal hadn't been so bad. On previous occasions it had been worse. He had made it unscathed.
Or so he thought.
"Well, well, if it isn't the Vampire Prince," a mocking voice came from the stairs.
D looked up, coming face to face with Endre Fazekas, Count Fazekas' young son. The vampire was only a few years older than D, but was already twice his size.
The dunpheal stood his ground, even though he already knew this encounter could only end badly.
Endre chuckled. "You haven't grown an inch," he said, stepping closer. "So I must also assume you have not improved in your swords skills, either. One must have strength to do so, you know. Something you seem to lack altogether."
D kept silent.
"You will always be weak, just like your mother. Your human blood is your weakness, half-breed." The vampire did little to hide his disgust.
D's hands were fisted at his sides, trembling slightly.
"That is the reason," Endre said, his voice soaked with venom, "you will never live up to the Vampire King's expectations."
The young vampire walked past D, opening the door.
"You are truly pitiful," Endre said finally. "It is quiet understandable why your father can only be ashamed of you." With that, he closed the door.
D could hear the vampires in the room welcome Endre, asking him where he had been. A welcome the young Prince would never get.
D's arms trembled, but this time, not with fear. Anger filled his being. Anger so intense he was sure his father felt it across the wall.
Hot tears trickled down his face as his vision blurred.
"One day," he thought. "One day you will all fear me."
The young dunpheal walked towards the stairs at the end of the hall, intent on reaching his room, his hunger and dinner forgotten.
D stood there upon the landing, watching his young self walk away. He could feel the pain of the experience as if it had happened yesterday. He clutched at his chest, trying to diminish the suffering.
But the desperation did not stop, even as the dream slowly faded away.
*******
The eyes of ten year old Aury peered through the half opened double doors, finding only the thinking form of Vitéz Lengyel inside the sitting room. The vampire's hair fell lose upon his shoulders, framing his elegant face. Grey eyes looked intently into the flames before him, transfixed with their intricate dance.
The girl studied his features for a moment before sighing audibly. Sometimes, she realized just how amazing he must seem to a stranger and how easy it would be for him to use his appearance to overpower others. Aury knew he consciously chose not to do so; his real personality was far from the cold powerful exterior he portrayed.
Even so, it did little good to make him angry; he was very scary when he was angry. Specially when he rose on his feet to tower over her. He'd look down at her with that reprimanding gaze only his grey eyes could attain. She always felt so small and insignificant when he did so.
Now, in one of his thinking moods, he was worrying about something. The Council, most likely. Aury could see the almost imperceptible lines around his eyes; lines that should never appear on his beautiful face if given enough rest.
Lately, he'd been coming out of his coffin during the day. Saying he couldn't sleep, he'd sit in the shadows of his room. She knew this was far from good for him; it only weakened him. But he never showed his weakness; not to her, not to anyone.
Vitéz was evidently tired. She should leave him to his thoughts and not disturb his much needed peace. About to turn around and walk away, a cold, firm hand grasped her shoulder, reminding her immediately of why she was here in the first place.
Aury looked up into the vampiric face of Beriszl Mátrai, the Guard Captain of Stormhold. The look on his face told her in no small measure that if she didn't get this ordeal over with now, the consequences would be dire. His black eyes reminded her of the horrific thought of cleaning the lower catacombs for a whole week. A girl could find far worse things than dust and spider webs in the lowest levels of the castle.
Aury swallowed hard, and proceeded to enter the room.
She walked towards the sitting form of Vitéz, but as she got nearer to the fireplace, she had second thoughts. Turning to look behind her, Aury only found Beriszl blocking the doorway, his arms crossed over his chest.
There was no escape.
Any human child would have passed out of fear from the mere prospect of being trapped between the wrath of two vampires...two very powerful vampires, at that. But Aury reminded herself that she was no ordinary human child. The situation had to be faced. It would be alright. She'd done worse things than this, hadn't she?
One look at Vitéz and she wasn't so sure.
She finally had the courage to step up to the armchair.
"Hi, apu", she practically squeaked.
Vitéz, having felt her presence at the door for a while now, didn't start at the unexpected sound. Instead, he turned to face her, giving her a loving smile. The sight of her always made him smile.
"Hello there, my tündér," he said in his elegant voice. "How was your day?"
Aury raised her hand to place a lock of her short brown hair behind her ear. A habit wrought out of nervousness.
"Oh, it was alright", she managed to answer. "How did you sleep today?"
"Better than the last few days", he said, a look of frustration passing through his face. "Even so, I still woke up feeling tired."
"Oh," she muttered. "I hope you manage to sleep better in the morning. And maybe you shouldn't wait for the dawn. Maybe you should try to rest while its still nighttime, that might help. Though I'm not sure how..." she finished thoughtfully.
He smiled at her, lifting his right hand to caress her hair.
"You always worry too much about me, don't you, tündér?"
"Well, you take care of me all the time, so I have to take care of you in return, don't I?" she answered, gracing him with one of her most winning smiles. No adult would have been able to resist her charms when she played at being the Baron's little girl.
Vitéz only chuckled.
Beriszl cleared his throat loudly, reminding Aury yet again that she could not avoid the reason why she had come here. She gulped suddenly, and found she could not look Vitéz in the eye.
The latter turned towards the door at Beriszl's sudden sound.
"This alley cat has come to tell you something", he answered Vitéz's questioning gaze.
The Vampire Baron turned to face her.
Aury thought she heard the sound of thunder in the distance.
"What do you wish to tell me?", he asked. From the tone of his voice it was apparent he already knew she couldn't possibly bring good news.
Suddenly, Aury's eyes found her shoes to be the most interesting artifact in the vicinity.
An agonizing lapse of silence followed. After what seemed like an eternity, she managed to find her voice.
"I.I.", she stammered. "I.I took Onyx out for a ride."
Vitéz's lack of reply voiced his great displeasure.
Onyx was the Baron's huge black cyborg stallion. Aury loved to ride animals, specially her large northern tiger, Sharaf. She was never far from the large cat. But she also had a soft spot for horses. And Onyx was an amazing horse. But there was a problem; the cyborg was far too large for Aury's small form and he only answered to a single person: Vitéz Lengyel. Therefore, it was common knowledge around the castle that it was forbidden for Aury to come within 10 metres of the stallion.
"I managed to ride him for quite a while," she continued, having resigned to the fact that it was useless to try and get out of the mess she was in. "It was an amazing ride and we got as far as farmer Hannich's fields." She smiled up at him, proud of being able to handle the stubborn cyborg for so long. But the look from the vampire's eyes instantly erased her grin.
The Baron's eyes were as cold as the cutting ice that fell during winter. His face was completely impassive, and his lips formed a thin line across his face. Vitéz did not have to speak to let her know how displeased he was.
She looked at the floor again. 'And he still hasn't heard the worst of it', she thought desperately. Aury swallowed hard.
"It was going great until we got to the edge of the farm", she went on saying. "But then, Onyx decided to jump the field's fence. I lost control of him, and he kept galloping over the crops. We were heading straight for farmer Hannich's tractor, which he happened to be driving at the moment. Onyx tried to jump over it; he managed to do so, but he kicked the fuel hose of the tractor and the fuel started to leak out. Farmer Hannich had thrown himself off the tractor when he saw us coming, but when he fell, his cigarette fell out of his mouth too.and."
Aury gulped visibly.
"And the field caught fire," she managed to finish in a rush.
********
In the castle kitchens, Virya the cook was happily preparing the evening's meal. She was well aware she did not need to prepare anything for her master, but she must make sure all the barbarois servants of the castle were well fed. Being a barbarois herself, she knew how hungry one could become, specially after guarding the castle all day.
And there was Aury also, the orphaned human child that lived in this place of shadows. She had to eat as well.
Virya stirred the so-called stew boiling in the large cauldron over the stove. No human being would have been able to bring themselves to eat the stew she was cooking, for it had many ingredients that weren't edible for humans. But they suited the barbarois quite well. She took pride in her cooking abilities, and knew her stews were in high demand around the castle.
She was going about her chores in her usual manner, cooking and cleaning, when all of a sudden, the walls of the castle shook. The fact could mean only one thing: the Baron of the castle was about to lose his temper.
Virya managed to secure most of her cooking pots before, as if on cue, the shouting and shaking erupted.
"IT WHAT?!?!??" The shout echoed throughout the entire castle, its walls shaking due to the power behind Vitéz Lengyel's wrath.
"WHAT MADNESS DROVE YOU TO DO SUCH A STUPID THING?!?!?"
Virya squinted her eyes. 'So, she finally told him', she thought. She sighed, pitying the poor little girl immensely, as she held on to her pots and plates. There was nothing to do now except to weather the storm.
*********
Aury still looked at the floor, taking the verbal onslaught as best as she could. He was standing now, looking down at her as he shouted, and she felt like the tiniest creature on the face of the planet.
She didn't attempt to speak up for herself. She knew it was useless. He wouldn't listen anyway; he never listened when he was like this.
And the truth was there was very little a 10 year old girl could do against an enraged Vampire Baron.
"HOW MANY TIMES HAVE I TOLD YOU TO STAY AWAY FROM THAT HORSE!?!"
"YOU COULD´VE GOTTEN YOURSELF KILLED! YOU COULD HAVE GOTTEN THE FARMER KILLED!!!"
"Haven't I taught you better than this?!?"
"Has anything I've ever said held any meaning inside your head!?!?"
"CURSE THE DAY I TOOK IN A HUMAN CHILD TO RAISE!!!!!"
It went on, and on. Aury knew he was angry, and he didn't mean the things he was saying. But inside her child heart it hurt...every word he said hurt. Then, when she thought things couldn't get any worse, Vitéz went ahead and said it, in that cold calm voice of his.
He locked his judging gray eyes onto hers and said: "I am so very disappointed in you."
The Baron managed to quiet down and walked over to the window. He leaned against the glass and gazed out into the night as if to steady himself.
Aury's tears ran freely down her cheeks, but she didn't dare make a sound.
Silence fell over the room again, interrupted only by the crackling of the fire.
After a moment the vampire calmed down enough so his voice didn't shake with anger. Without turning, in the coldest tone she had ever heard uttered from his mouth, he gave out her punishment.
"You will go down to the farm tomorrow, with a cart full of goods to compensate for Hannich's loss. You will work at the farm for every day to come until the crop has been replanted. You will leave at dawn and come back at sunset. You will continue your studies at night. No playing, no outdoor lessons, no weapons training, no nothing. Especially, no riding. You are to stay away from your tiger while you work."
He paused to look at the sky again.
"And if you ever go near that horse again," he said after a moment, his voice so icy a shiver of dread went up Aury's spine. "I will banish you from my castle forever. Do you understand?"
She nodded.
"Now go," he commanded, still facing the window.
Aury, shoulders slumped under the weight of the world, eyes full of tears, managed to go through the door before breaking into a run.
*******
Beriszl watched her rapidly retreating form with a look of pity and guilt. He knew it was tough to live among vampires, especially for a little girl. He knew Vitéz would be completely unforgiving in his punishment. But Aury had to learn. The girl had to take responsibility for her actions.
Still, the Captain felt a strange pain in his chest when he saw her face soaked with tears. The girl had managed to win her way into the hearts of all the castle's inhabitants. Aury was the very life of the place; the light of the sun the nightly creatures were prohibited to see. She came into their lives, radiating joy and happiness, giving her love freely, despite their less than goodly origins. Any single one of them would be deeply moved by her tears, going to any means to make her smile again. Vitéz Lengyel being the first one to do so.
Beriszl turned to look at his Baron, still gazing at the night sky. He knew Vitéz was fighting a battle within himself; a part of his heart told him to let her take her punishment, for with it she would learn. But another part counseled he should hold her while she cried, telling her it would be alright. Beriszl was fighting the same battle himself. The Captain knew the Baron worried about Aury's well-being above anything else. That was why it was so important for her to learn her lesson. Even if her tears broke all their hearts.
Beriszl watched as she rounded the corner, out of sight. Sighing, he closed the door as he stepped out of the room, leaving Vitéz to his solitude. He wondered what the other vampire lords would think if they were to find out that the great castle of Stormhold, the heart of Arkenia, was being overrun by a little human girl. He chuckled at the thought despite himself and walked away in the opposite direction.
********
D squirmed as he slept, giving Left Hand all the evidence of the nightmare he was having.
The symbiont wished he could give his friend some sort of respite from the horrors he was dreaming of. But knew it was useless to try and wake him. When D dreamed like this, he could do nothing but wait until the nightly terrors were over.
Left Hand sighed. He lifted himself up, wiping the sweat from the dunpheal's brow. It was the least he could do.
The symbiont wondered which childhood experience the Hunter was living again. There was little doubt D might be dreaming of something else. These nightmares came every so often, tormenting the poor dunpheal through a whole night. This could only mean D was far from overcoming his childhood traumas.
Placing himself on the dunpheal's chest, Left Hand spoke to him softly.
"You know, sometimes I wish you would just go out and tell me some of these things you keep hidden. I know they're killing you, man! And I'm sure if you'd just talk about them, things would be much better. But no! You have to go and play Mr. Strong, even with your parasite. I could actually resent that, you know. After all these years and you still can't trust me? C'mon, dunpheal!"
D stopped squirming, as if Left Hand's quiet chiding had penetrated the layers of sleep.
"You truly are an, idiot. Can't you tell you have a friend stuck to your hand? I'm with you all the time! You don't even have to call me when you need me. Show a little appreciation, will ya?"
The symbiont knew he would rather have died than say all he was uttering to D when the Hunter was awake. He smiled ruefully.
"If I'd known your psychological disturbances were this bad, I would've never taken up residence in your hand."
He studied the Hunter's face for a moment, an expression of intense sadness crossing his features.
"Don't worry, dunpheal, we'll get through this, like we always do. And I'll be here for you, as I've always been."
D's breathing slowed, his sleep becoming restful once more.
With another sigh, Left Hand allowed his eyes to close, trying to get some rest from what was left of the darkness.
********
It was darkest part of the night. Only vampires would be awake at this time, enjoying their nightly existence in the upper chambers of the castle. Thus, all the lights down in the kitchens were out. He didn't need lights anyway, he knew the way well enough. And he didn't need to follow the sound of the heart breaking sobs either to know where their source could be found.
Inside one of the storing rooms, Kalman Farkas found a large orange tiger laying beside a huge black cauldron. The sobs and squeaks were coming from inside the giant pot.
The vampire stepped over the tiger, Sharaf, who only managed to give him a long pleading look. He gazed at the cat, letting him know he was going to try and help. The feline lay his head down on the floor once more.
Kalman peered into the cauldron to find a small brown haired girl curled up inside. She had been crying all night and hadn't moved from the spot in hours, making quite a heart breaking picture.
"I would come out of that pot, if I were you," said the Count lightly. "Or else you'll get cooked in the morning's soup."
Aury looked up, and managed to smile a bit. "Hi, Zacis Kalman," she said without moving. As she looked down again, the tears started anew.
"Oh come on, tündér, you can't stay in there for the rest of your life," said the vampire, patiently giving the girl some time. After a while of waiting, the Count reached into the cauldron, picked her up and sat down on the floor with the girl on his lap. The tears only flowed more insistently. Kalman cradled Aury back and forth.
"He's SO cruel! He's the meanest of them all!!", she managed to say between sobs.
"Vampires are the cruelest, evilest creatures!! No wonder everyone's scared of them!" Realizing what she had said belatedly, Aury looked up in apology towards Kalman. "No offense, Zacis."
"None taken," he replied, cradling her head.
Sobbing, the girl started her rampage again.
"He didn't even let me explain. He just started shouting at me! He's so ugly and mean!" she cried into the vampire's chest. Kalman caressed the little girl's hair, trying to give her some comfort.
The Count allowed the girl to cry it out. When she managed to calm down a bit, he asked, "Why exactly did you ride Onyx when you knew you weren't supposed to go near him in the first place?"
Aury dried up her tears with her hands and turned her big brown tear swollen eyes up at Kalman. The Count's heart clenched at the helpless sight the girl made.
"I did it because the boys down at the village ride horses too and they go out for rides", she started saying. "I just wanted to be friends with them, but they won't let you be part of their group if you don't have a horse."
She sniffed loudly, then resumed explaining.
"I just wanted some company. It gets lonely up here in the castle, with no one else to play with. And I have to wait until nighttime for everyone to get up so we can play or to weapon train with apu. So I tried to make some friends to be with during the day. They said they would let me join in their rides if I managed to get a horse. But one of them, the meanest of them, said that girls who live in vampire castles were ugly, and that horses wouldn't go anywhere near them. I was so angry with him. I told him to shut his mouth and that he would see just how wrong he was."
Kalman was suddenly angry at the careless boy. How dare he make fun of her? Had he known, he would've taken care of the wretched kid himself.
"That's why I decided that I had to ride Onyx," she kept saying. "If I managed to ride him, I would've shut the mean boy's mouth and he would've eaten his words, and they wouldn't have had no choice but to accept me go riding with them."
"But that mean vampire Baron doesn't understand that!!"
Aury started crying again.
"He doesn't care either!! He doesn't care that I'm lonely and that I have no one to play with!!"
"Of course he cares!", interrupted Kalman. "You know he does! Why else would he be so angry? Tündér, can't you see he cares so much about your safety that he loses his temper? You're apu gets angry so that you won't do what you did again and put yourself in danger. And yes, you were in danger. You could've broken your neck had you fallen off the horse. And you could've gotten burnt by the fire in the field. Can't you see Vitéz was only worried about what might have happened to you?"
Big round tears ran down Aury's cheeks. She knew her Zacis was right, and she hadn't meant for any of it to happen, honestly she hadn't, specially the fire at the field. Aury knew she had done wrong, but did her apu have to be so mean about it?
Kalman understood why the girl was so devastated. Everyone was aware of how much Aury tried to gain Vitéz's approval. She always went out of her way to show the Baron her best, be it during weapon's training or in her academic studies or when she simply kept him company in his sitting room. Aury wanted to make her father proud.
With all this ordeal, the little girl had managed to thoroughly disappoint the Baron. It was one of the heaviest blows Aury had ever taken. Kalman could almost hear her heart breaking.
The Count held the girl until the child fell asleep. With care, the vampire took her up to her room, followed rapidly by Sharaf, who under no circumstance would leave Aury's side, specially when she was upset. Laying her down on the bed, he tucked her in, placing a kiss on her forehead.
Tomorrow would be a long day for the girl, and Kalman Farkas would make sure everyone at the castle helped her in the best way they could.
********
Vitéz Lengyel stepped into his room. Dawn was near, forcing him to look for shelter in his ebony coffin. It had been a long night...too long for his liking. Aury had gotten into trouble again and he had lost his temper. He wasn't himself when he lost his temper. But what was done was done.
After giving out his punishment, the Baron had plunged into his armchair again, not proud of the way he'd handled the situation. Vitéz knew Aury wouldn't speak to him for some days and knew he would eventually have to apologize. It wasn't his fault the girl was so careless. After all the talks he had had with her, after all the warnings, after all his attempts to keep her away from harm, she went and placed herself in the line of fire. Literally.
Vitéz knew she was only a ten year old girl; children her age always got into trouble. He knew they had little consciousness of dangerous situations and their repercussions. Curiosity drove their actions, not reason. He understood all that.
The Baron also understood the fear that pierced his heart every time he thought her life had been in danger. The ice cold feeling which swept through his body when he realized something might have happened to her. The heart numbing thought of losing her.
Oh yes, Vitéz cared for her. More than he would ever admit to anyone. This small waif of a girl had crawled her way into his life, giving him more joy and happiness than he had ever felt in the millennia of his existence. Aury's smile made his frozen vampire heart radiate with warmth. She was the reason he kept hope; the reason he fought through his nightly existence.
Laying down in his coffin, he wondered at the trick fate had played on him. Who would ever have thought a vampire Baron would one day take in a human girl to raise as his own? It was insane. It was illogical. It was happening to him.
Even though Vitéz analyzed it logically and thought through it rationally, he wouldn't have it any other way. He had a reason to keep on living, a reason to make this ever darkening world a better place for his daughter to grow up in. He would take care of her, risking his life in the process if it was necessary. The Baron would do so for her sake, so that one day she could make all her dreams come true. For he couldn't even stand the thought of losing her, of not seeing her smile ever again.
As the vampire closed his coffin's lid, he knew. Vitéz Lengyel would indeed throw himself willingly into the sun's light rather than to exist in this world without his little girl.
******* *******
Hungarian translations:
Apu: dad, daddy Zacis: Uncle Tündér: pixie, fairy.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Celtic Oak: Eeeek! Vitéz is a father! ^o^ Hope you weren't expecting that! *Evil laughter* Don't worry, that doesn't mean he won't be the imposing Vampire Baron he's always been...hehe.
Vitéz: (appears suddenly, black cape flowing in the wind) What have you done!? I´m a father now?!?
Celtic Oak: (cowers before the vampire) Sorry, Vitz. It was necesarry...you know, for plot development. Anyway, you knew you were a father all along, so stop complaining.
Vitéz: How am I supposed to maintain my image? People won't cower before me when they find out I have to help my 10 year old with her homework!
Celtic Oak: Of course they will! I mean, you are THE Baron of Arkenia, and a vampire too. Relax.
Vitéz: (buries his face in his hands) This is awful!
D: (appears, riding his horse, long cloak trailing after) What seems to be the problem?
Celtic Oak: Hi D. Erm, nothing. Vitéz is just having some trouble accepting his role.
Vitéz: How am I supposed to pick up women, now? I have a kid!
Celtic Oak: Oh, come on! An affectionate single father can be very attractive. And what women!?! (glares at him angrily) You're not picking anyone up!
Vitéz: (ignores Celtic Oak) What do you think, D? Do you think I´m still attractive?
Celtic Oak: (sweatdrops ^.^')
D: (looks at him seriously; a long moment of silence follows) How am I supposed to know? I haven't even met you. Besides, I have my childhood traumas to deal with.
Celtic Oak: (tears coming to her eyes) Oh D! I'm so sorry! (throws herself at the dunpheal wrapping him in a hug).
D: (rolls his eyes) No wonder they didn't say anything about my past in the movies. Imagine all the emotional fanfiction writers I'd have to deal with!
Vitéz: (Nods his head in silent agreement)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
I'm speaking to my characters now? There is definetely something wrong with me. *lol* ^_^ I told you my imagination gets the best of me!
Read and review, everybody. Thanks for reading!
******** ********
Author's note: Hi everyone! Sorry for the delay! (ducks thrown tomatoes, rotten fruit, knives, etc.) The problem is uni.'s starting to take up more of my time, so I have to juggle 7 courses (and the respective 3 hours of field work per week for 3 of them) along with my fanfic! But don't worry, I'll manage. Writing is actually therapy for me, so I kind of need it to fight the madness of senior year.
Thanks for the reviews! I must confess I do a little victory dance every time I get a new one. *lol* ^_^ They keep me motivated.
Mystic asked me if I could make some pronunciation notes, so I'm going give it a try. I don't speak Hungarian at all, so I apologize for any mistakes. If someone reading this knows how to speak the language, help would be REALLY appreciated! ^_^ This is how I pronounce the names in my head.
Vitéz: vee-TEZ
Beriszl: BER-isl
Iosif: ee-O-sif
Meszaros: MESS-a-ros
Eszti: ES-tee
I used some other names in this chapter, but they aren't important. I just needed something interesting to call the vampires in the scene. If they're a bit complicated, don't worry. I really hope I'm not confusing anyone by using all these strange names. ^.^' Just tell me if I am.
This next installment came out a bit longer than the previous chapters. It sort of goes a bit deeper into D's past (Kitala!) and of his experiences as the Vampire Prince (Genjoe!). I hope you enjoy.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Those who in youth and childhood wander alone in the woods and wild places, ever after carry in their hearts a secret well of quietness and...they will always long for rest and to get away from the noise and rumour of the world."
W.B Yeats, Letters.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Chapter 7
Fatherhood pains
*******
In the instant he found himself at the castle gates, D knew he was dreaming.
He was also well aware of the path his dream would take, and knew there was absolutely nothing he could do about it.
Nothing but to relive the painful memories once more.
D looked down at himself and recognized his body. His seven year old body. Long slender arms the colour of rich milk, graceful hands with long fingernails, which would grow back rapidly to the same length no matter how often he cut them. His clothing was made of fine fabrics, as was only suitable. A fact the young dunpheal would often ignore, as he would leave the castle grounds to find other places to play in solitude.
He was returning from one of these escapades at the moment. Having spent the whole day in the surrounding forest and in the fields, he was coming home. A sense of dread overwhelmed him as he stood beneath the immense gates. D had forgotten about the time and didn't realize he should be heading back until it was too late.
The sun had already sunk into the horizon, and only a few of its secure rays shone in the sky.
The Vampire King would be awake.
D's body shook at the thought. His mother always told him he should not fear his father; he should try and talk to him, share some time with him.
Unfortunately, there was no other thought which caused more fear in D's young heart. The idea of being alone with his father froze him to the spot, and his breathing became heavy. The dunpheal contemplated going back into the forest, turning his face to gaze back down the road he had just come from. The idea of sleeping outside, away from the dark confines of the castle was very alluring. But he knew quiet well that his father, on his mother's insistence, would send someone to look for him. And then, D would have to face the Vampire King's wrath for making his mother worry.
The dunpheal took a step forward, mustering all the courage a seven year old could possibly endure under such odds.
D passed the gates and was greeted by the amazing sight of the Vampire King's castle. Sometimes he would stop in his tracks and stare at the immense structure. The black towers rose into the sky, as if to touch the face of the stars, its gothic architecture commanding fear and respect. Everything about the castle resembled his father; its size, its dominance, its power. Few would look upon the building and not feel awe in their souls.
D lowered his gaze, the trembling of his limbs returning in full force. 'I must not show fear', he told himself. 'I must be brave.'
He came to the entrance. The two barbarois guards at the huge double doors saluted him, as was only proper. He didn't glance at them. D'd tried to be friendly with them more than once, but it was not proper for a servant to speak to the King's son in a familiar way. The guards had just ignored him, and after a few attempts at striking a conversation, D had given up completely.
D entered the castle, the doors closing behind him, leaving him in a large chamber bathed in gentle candlelight. He planned on making his way quietly to his room and not call any unwanted attention to himself. It was preferable to go to bed without eating dinner than to have an unpleasant meeting with his father.
Loud voices and music came from a chamber on the first landing. D only noticed them until he was climbing the large staircase, enhancing his unease. His mind, occupied with other matters, had forgotten his parents were entertaining guests this evening. All the more reason to avoid being seen.
D silently passed in front of the door, his goal was to reach the stairs at the end of the hall. If he managed to get to the third floor without being noticed, he was basically free. Trying to control his trembling and his dread, D walked by slowly.
But luck was not with him this day, and the young dunpheal cursed the overly enhanced senses of vampires not for the first time.
The door opened suddenly, and his mother stepped out.
She was dressed in the most fabulous gown. Green silk adorned with emeralds at her neck. Her beauty was devastating; D could not blame his father for falling in love with her. She was a wonder to behold, for a human.
D looked down at his feet, letting her sweet perfume invade his senses. In her presence, he could almost find peace.
"Good evening, my darling," she said in her lovely voice. "Where have you been?"
"You know were I was, mother," he told her. "You know were I always go."
A look of pain washed over her face at D's sad tone. She tried to hide it by changing the subject.
"Have you eaten?" she asked.
D shook his head.
"How many times have I told you not to go to bed without anything to eat? A young boy like you needs his nourishment," she said, smiling at her son.
Her smile brought comforting warmth to his heart. It was nice to know he had some one to take care of him in this bleak place. She was the only source of love in his lonesome existence.
D felt more than heard someone step behind the door. A chill of dread went up his spine, knowing exactly who it was. Suddenly, he realized it was his father who gave him away to his mother, letting her know D was passing in front of the door at that precise moment.
Before he had time to compose himself, his mother asked him the question he'd been dreading.
"Darling, the guests wish to see you. Won't you come in?"
A look of devastating fear crossed D's eyes, and as he looked at her, the pleading in his gaze tore at her heart.
D swore he saw the beginnings of tears in her lovely eyes.
Before they could say another word, the door opened more widely and a large form stepped in front of his mother.
The trembling was suddenly painful.
D didn't dare look up, recognizing his father by the shoes he wore.
"The guests are waiting," the Vampire King said simply in his icy voice, then turned and entered the room.
There was no room to argue.
D braced himself, breathing deeply, as he stepped in front of his mother to walk through the door.
The room was filled with light. He felt the presence of other vampires, but didn't dare look at them. D walked in slowly so as not to show his uneasiness; it would not do to embarrass his father in such a situation.
"Well, he has grown much since I last saw him, Ezsti," a female voice addressed his mother. D recognized the Countess Alojsia Pusztai when he heard her. "Come here, young prince, so I can see you better."
D walked towards the couch where the Countess was sitting. When he reached his destination, after what seemed like an eternity, he managed to look up.
Alojsia smiled at him. If he hadn't been so nervous, he might've recognized her intentions for what they truly were: she was being genuinely friendly. But at the moment, his heart was almost exploding in fear.
"Why, you are a handsome one, my Prince. You have your mother's hair," she said, smiling up at Ezsti, who smiled proudly. The Countess lifted a slender hand, caressing D's cheek with her long fingers.
"But you have your father's graceful face," she continued, staring deeply into D's eyes. "I wonder...do you have his strength?"
D didn't look away from her, somehow knowing she was trying to tell him something. But the moment was suddenly broken.
"He doesn't say much, does he, Dracul?" a vampire, who D recognized as Istran Burcsa, asked.
"He barely speaks," D's father answered, as if disgusted.
"The Prince is only shy," Ezsti said, coming to her son's defense, placing a hand on D's shoulder.
Istran nodded, giving D a thorough inspection with his penetrating gaze.
"A bit slender for a boy his age," he commented. Istran reached for D's arm, feeling the dunpheal's young muscles with his hand.
"Tell me boy," he continued. "Will this arm wield a sword just as skillfully as your father does?"
The vampire, thankfully, did not give D time to answer. He continued speaking to his father almost as if forgetting the young dunpheal's presence.
"How goes the weapon's training?"
"He's learning easily enough," the Vampire King answered. "Not as rapidly as I'd like, though. But those are the pains I must endure as a father."
There was general laughter around the room.
"I don't think even the most prominent student would ever please Dracul as a teacher," Baron Gelei commented. "Especially in matters of the sword."
There were murmurs of agreement.
"He is of my own blood," his father kept saying. "I expect no less from him than from myself."
D knew this comment was meant specially for him. As Prince, he was forced to train in weapons almost every day; but he wasn't sure if he would one day manage to wield a blade skillfully. His father certainly thought he would never do so.
D looked down at his feet. After a moment, his mother's warm hand grasped his shoulder more tightly.
"You must be hungry and tired, my dear," she intervened. "Why don't you go downstairs and have something to eat."
To her guests, she said, "You must excuse him. He hasn't eaten dinner yet."
"Oh you poor dear," Countess Alojsia said. "You must be starving. Go on and eat something quickly."
D bowed slightly, then turned to leave. He could feel the weight of many gazes on his back as he walked, his father's being the heaviest. Stepping quietly outside the room, he closed the doors behind him.
D let out a breath he wasn't aware he'd been holding. The ordeal hadn't been so bad. On previous occasions it had been worse. He had made it unscathed.
Or so he thought.
"Well, well, if it isn't the Vampire Prince," a mocking voice came from the stairs.
D looked up, coming face to face with Endre Fazekas, Count Fazekas' young son. The vampire was only a few years older than D, but was already twice his size.
The dunpheal stood his ground, even though he already knew this encounter could only end badly.
Endre chuckled. "You haven't grown an inch," he said, stepping closer. "So I must also assume you have not improved in your swords skills, either. One must have strength to do so, you know. Something you seem to lack altogether."
D kept silent.
"You will always be weak, just like your mother. Your human blood is your weakness, half-breed." The vampire did little to hide his disgust.
D's hands were fisted at his sides, trembling slightly.
"That is the reason," Endre said, his voice soaked with venom, "you will never live up to the Vampire King's expectations."
The young vampire walked past D, opening the door.
"You are truly pitiful," Endre said finally. "It is quiet understandable why your father can only be ashamed of you." With that, he closed the door.
D could hear the vampires in the room welcome Endre, asking him where he had been. A welcome the young Prince would never get.
D's arms trembled, but this time, not with fear. Anger filled his being. Anger so intense he was sure his father felt it across the wall.
Hot tears trickled down his face as his vision blurred.
"One day," he thought. "One day you will all fear me."
The young dunpheal walked towards the stairs at the end of the hall, intent on reaching his room, his hunger and dinner forgotten.
D stood there upon the landing, watching his young self walk away. He could feel the pain of the experience as if it had happened yesterday. He clutched at his chest, trying to diminish the suffering.
But the desperation did not stop, even as the dream slowly faded away.
*******
The eyes of ten year old Aury peered through the half opened double doors, finding only the thinking form of Vitéz Lengyel inside the sitting room. The vampire's hair fell lose upon his shoulders, framing his elegant face. Grey eyes looked intently into the flames before him, transfixed with their intricate dance.
The girl studied his features for a moment before sighing audibly. Sometimes, she realized just how amazing he must seem to a stranger and how easy it would be for him to use his appearance to overpower others. Aury knew he consciously chose not to do so; his real personality was far from the cold powerful exterior he portrayed.
Even so, it did little good to make him angry; he was very scary when he was angry. Specially when he rose on his feet to tower over her. He'd look down at her with that reprimanding gaze only his grey eyes could attain. She always felt so small and insignificant when he did so.
Now, in one of his thinking moods, he was worrying about something. The Council, most likely. Aury could see the almost imperceptible lines around his eyes; lines that should never appear on his beautiful face if given enough rest.
Lately, he'd been coming out of his coffin during the day. Saying he couldn't sleep, he'd sit in the shadows of his room. She knew this was far from good for him; it only weakened him. But he never showed his weakness; not to her, not to anyone.
Vitéz was evidently tired. She should leave him to his thoughts and not disturb his much needed peace. About to turn around and walk away, a cold, firm hand grasped her shoulder, reminding her immediately of why she was here in the first place.
Aury looked up into the vampiric face of Beriszl Mátrai, the Guard Captain of Stormhold. The look on his face told her in no small measure that if she didn't get this ordeal over with now, the consequences would be dire. His black eyes reminded her of the horrific thought of cleaning the lower catacombs for a whole week. A girl could find far worse things than dust and spider webs in the lowest levels of the castle.
Aury swallowed hard, and proceeded to enter the room.
She walked towards the sitting form of Vitéz, but as she got nearer to the fireplace, she had second thoughts. Turning to look behind her, Aury only found Beriszl blocking the doorway, his arms crossed over his chest.
There was no escape.
Any human child would have passed out of fear from the mere prospect of being trapped between the wrath of two vampires...two very powerful vampires, at that. But Aury reminded herself that she was no ordinary human child. The situation had to be faced. It would be alright. She'd done worse things than this, hadn't she?
One look at Vitéz and she wasn't so sure.
She finally had the courage to step up to the armchair.
"Hi, apu", she practically squeaked.
Vitéz, having felt her presence at the door for a while now, didn't start at the unexpected sound. Instead, he turned to face her, giving her a loving smile. The sight of her always made him smile.
"Hello there, my tündér," he said in his elegant voice. "How was your day?"
Aury raised her hand to place a lock of her short brown hair behind her ear. A habit wrought out of nervousness.
"Oh, it was alright", she managed to answer. "How did you sleep today?"
"Better than the last few days", he said, a look of frustration passing through his face. "Even so, I still woke up feeling tired."
"Oh," she muttered. "I hope you manage to sleep better in the morning. And maybe you shouldn't wait for the dawn. Maybe you should try to rest while its still nighttime, that might help. Though I'm not sure how..." she finished thoughtfully.
He smiled at her, lifting his right hand to caress her hair.
"You always worry too much about me, don't you, tündér?"
"Well, you take care of me all the time, so I have to take care of you in return, don't I?" she answered, gracing him with one of her most winning smiles. No adult would have been able to resist her charms when she played at being the Baron's little girl.
Vitéz only chuckled.
Beriszl cleared his throat loudly, reminding Aury yet again that she could not avoid the reason why she had come here. She gulped suddenly, and found she could not look Vitéz in the eye.
The latter turned towards the door at Beriszl's sudden sound.
"This alley cat has come to tell you something", he answered Vitéz's questioning gaze.
The Vampire Baron turned to face her.
Aury thought she heard the sound of thunder in the distance.
"What do you wish to tell me?", he asked. From the tone of his voice it was apparent he already knew she couldn't possibly bring good news.
Suddenly, Aury's eyes found her shoes to be the most interesting artifact in the vicinity.
An agonizing lapse of silence followed. After what seemed like an eternity, she managed to find her voice.
"I.I.", she stammered. "I.I took Onyx out for a ride."
Vitéz's lack of reply voiced his great displeasure.
Onyx was the Baron's huge black cyborg stallion. Aury loved to ride animals, specially her large northern tiger, Sharaf. She was never far from the large cat. But she also had a soft spot for horses. And Onyx was an amazing horse. But there was a problem; the cyborg was far too large for Aury's small form and he only answered to a single person: Vitéz Lengyel. Therefore, it was common knowledge around the castle that it was forbidden for Aury to come within 10 metres of the stallion.
"I managed to ride him for quite a while," she continued, having resigned to the fact that it was useless to try and get out of the mess she was in. "It was an amazing ride and we got as far as farmer Hannich's fields." She smiled up at him, proud of being able to handle the stubborn cyborg for so long. But the look from the vampire's eyes instantly erased her grin.
The Baron's eyes were as cold as the cutting ice that fell during winter. His face was completely impassive, and his lips formed a thin line across his face. Vitéz did not have to speak to let her know how displeased he was.
She looked at the floor again. 'And he still hasn't heard the worst of it', she thought desperately. Aury swallowed hard.
"It was going great until we got to the edge of the farm", she went on saying. "But then, Onyx decided to jump the field's fence. I lost control of him, and he kept galloping over the crops. We were heading straight for farmer Hannich's tractor, which he happened to be driving at the moment. Onyx tried to jump over it; he managed to do so, but he kicked the fuel hose of the tractor and the fuel started to leak out. Farmer Hannich had thrown himself off the tractor when he saw us coming, but when he fell, his cigarette fell out of his mouth too.and."
Aury gulped visibly.
"And the field caught fire," she managed to finish in a rush.
********
In the castle kitchens, Virya the cook was happily preparing the evening's meal. She was well aware she did not need to prepare anything for her master, but she must make sure all the barbarois servants of the castle were well fed. Being a barbarois herself, she knew how hungry one could become, specially after guarding the castle all day.
And there was Aury also, the orphaned human child that lived in this place of shadows. She had to eat as well.
Virya stirred the so-called stew boiling in the large cauldron over the stove. No human being would have been able to bring themselves to eat the stew she was cooking, for it had many ingredients that weren't edible for humans. But they suited the barbarois quite well. She took pride in her cooking abilities, and knew her stews were in high demand around the castle.
She was going about her chores in her usual manner, cooking and cleaning, when all of a sudden, the walls of the castle shook. The fact could mean only one thing: the Baron of the castle was about to lose his temper.
Virya managed to secure most of her cooking pots before, as if on cue, the shouting and shaking erupted.
"IT WHAT?!?!??" The shout echoed throughout the entire castle, its walls shaking due to the power behind Vitéz Lengyel's wrath.
"WHAT MADNESS DROVE YOU TO DO SUCH A STUPID THING?!?!?"
Virya squinted her eyes. 'So, she finally told him', she thought. She sighed, pitying the poor little girl immensely, as she held on to her pots and plates. There was nothing to do now except to weather the storm.
*********
Aury still looked at the floor, taking the verbal onslaught as best as she could. He was standing now, looking down at her as he shouted, and she felt like the tiniest creature on the face of the planet.
She didn't attempt to speak up for herself. She knew it was useless. He wouldn't listen anyway; he never listened when he was like this.
And the truth was there was very little a 10 year old girl could do against an enraged Vampire Baron.
"HOW MANY TIMES HAVE I TOLD YOU TO STAY AWAY FROM THAT HORSE!?!"
"YOU COULD´VE GOTTEN YOURSELF KILLED! YOU COULD HAVE GOTTEN THE FARMER KILLED!!!"
"Haven't I taught you better than this?!?"
"Has anything I've ever said held any meaning inside your head!?!?"
"CURSE THE DAY I TOOK IN A HUMAN CHILD TO RAISE!!!!!"
It went on, and on. Aury knew he was angry, and he didn't mean the things he was saying. But inside her child heart it hurt...every word he said hurt. Then, when she thought things couldn't get any worse, Vitéz went ahead and said it, in that cold calm voice of his.
He locked his judging gray eyes onto hers and said: "I am so very disappointed in you."
The Baron managed to quiet down and walked over to the window. He leaned against the glass and gazed out into the night as if to steady himself.
Aury's tears ran freely down her cheeks, but she didn't dare make a sound.
Silence fell over the room again, interrupted only by the crackling of the fire.
After a moment the vampire calmed down enough so his voice didn't shake with anger. Without turning, in the coldest tone she had ever heard uttered from his mouth, he gave out her punishment.
"You will go down to the farm tomorrow, with a cart full of goods to compensate for Hannich's loss. You will work at the farm for every day to come until the crop has been replanted. You will leave at dawn and come back at sunset. You will continue your studies at night. No playing, no outdoor lessons, no weapons training, no nothing. Especially, no riding. You are to stay away from your tiger while you work."
He paused to look at the sky again.
"And if you ever go near that horse again," he said after a moment, his voice so icy a shiver of dread went up Aury's spine. "I will banish you from my castle forever. Do you understand?"
She nodded.
"Now go," he commanded, still facing the window.
Aury, shoulders slumped under the weight of the world, eyes full of tears, managed to go through the door before breaking into a run.
*******
Beriszl watched her rapidly retreating form with a look of pity and guilt. He knew it was tough to live among vampires, especially for a little girl. He knew Vitéz would be completely unforgiving in his punishment. But Aury had to learn. The girl had to take responsibility for her actions.
Still, the Captain felt a strange pain in his chest when he saw her face soaked with tears. The girl had managed to win her way into the hearts of all the castle's inhabitants. Aury was the very life of the place; the light of the sun the nightly creatures were prohibited to see. She came into their lives, radiating joy and happiness, giving her love freely, despite their less than goodly origins. Any single one of them would be deeply moved by her tears, going to any means to make her smile again. Vitéz Lengyel being the first one to do so.
Beriszl turned to look at his Baron, still gazing at the night sky. He knew Vitéz was fighting a battle within himself; a part of his heart told him to let her take her punishment, for with it she would learn. But another part counseled he should hold her while she cried, telling her it would be alright. Beriszl was fighting the same battle himself. The Captain knew the Baron worried about Aury's well-being above anything else. That was why it was so important for her to learn her lesson. Even if her tears broke all their hearts.
Beriszl watched as she rounded the corner, out of sight. Sighing, he closed the door as he stepped out of the room, leaving Vitéz to his solitude. He wondered what the other vampire lords would think if they were to find out that the great castle of Stormhold, the heart of Arkenia, was being overrun by a little human girl. He chuckled at the thought despite himself and walked away in the opposite direction.
********
D squirmed as he slept, giving Left Hand all the evidence of the nightmare he was having.
The symbiont wished he could give his friend some sort of respite from the horrors he was dreaming of. But knew it was useless to try and wake him. When D dreamed like this, he could do nothing but wait until the nightly terrors were over.
Left Hand sighed. He lifted himself up, wiping the sweat from the dunpheal's brow. It was the least he could do.
The symbiont wondered which childhood experience the Hunter was living again. There was little doubt D might be dreaming of something else. These nightmares came every so often, tormenting the poor dunpheal through a whole night. This could only mean D was far from overcoming his childhood traumas.
Placing himself on the dunpheal's chest, Left Hand spoke to him softly.
"You know, sometimes I wish you would just go out and tell me some of these things you keep hidden. I know they're killing you, man! And I'm sure if you'd just talk about them, things would be much better. But no! You have to go and play Mr. Strong, even with your parasite. I could actually resent that, you know. After all these years and you still can't trust me? C'mon, dunpheal!"
D stopped squirming, as if Left Hand's quiet chiding had penetrated the layers of sleep.
"You truly are an, idiot. Can't you tell you have a friend stuck to your hand? I'm with you all the time! You don't even have to call me when you need me. Show a little appreciation, will ya?"
The symbiont knew he would rather have died than say all he was uttering to D when the Hunter was awake. He smiled ruefully.
"If I'd known your psychological disturbances were this bad, I would've never taken up residence in your hand."
He studied the Hunter's face for a moment, an expression of intense sadness crossing his features.
"Don't worry, dunpheal, we'll get through this, like we always do. And I'll be here for you, as I've always been."
D's breathing slowed, his sleep becoming restful once more.
With another sigh, Left Hand allowed his eyes to close, trying to get some rest from what was left of the darkness.
********
It was darkest part of the night. Only vampires would be awake at this time, enjoying their nightly existence in the upper chambers of the castle. Thus, all the lights down in the kitchens were out. He didn't need lights anyway, he knew the way well enough. And he didn't need to follow the sound of the heart breaking sobs either to know where their source could be found.
Inside one of the storing rooms, Kalman Farkas found a large orange tiger laying beside a huge black cauldron. The sobs and squeaks were coming from inside the giant pot.
The vampire stepped over the tiger, Sharaf, who only managed to give him a long pleading look. He gazed at the cat, letting him know he was going to try and help. The feline lay his head down on the floor once more.
Kalman peered into the cauldron to find a small brown haired girl curled up inside. She had been crying all night and hadn't moved from the spot in hours, making quite a heart breaking picture.
"I would come out of that pot, if I were you," said the Count lightly. "Or else you'll get cooked in the morning's soup."
Aury looked up, and managed to smile a bit. "Hi, Zacis Kalman," she said without moving. As she looked down again, the tears started anew.
"Oh come on, tündér, you can't stay in there for the rest of your life," said the vampire, patiently giving the girl some time. After a while of waiting, the Count reached into the cauldron, picked her up and sat down on the floor with the girl on his lap. The tears only flowed more insistently. Kalman cradled Aury back and forth.
"He's SO cruel! He's the meanest of them all!!", she managed to say between sobs.
"Vampires are the cruelest, evilest creatures!! No wonder everyone's scared of them!" Realizing what she had said belatedly, Aury looked up in apology towards Kalman. "No offense, Zacis."
"None taken," he replied, cradling her head.
Sobbing, the girl started her rampage again.
"He didn't even let me explain. He just started shouting at me! He's so ugly and mean!" she cried into the vampire's chest. Kalman caressed the little girl's hair, trying to give her some comfort.
The Count allowed the girl to cry it out. When she managed to calm down a bit, he asked, "Why exactly did you ride Onyx when you knew you weren't supposed to go near him in the first place?"
Aury dried up her tears with her hands and turned her big brown tear swollen eyes up at Kalman. The Count's heart clenched at the helpless sight the girl made.
"I did it because the boys down at the village ride horses too and they go out for rides", she started saying. "I just wanted to be friends with them, but they won't let you be part of their group if you don't have a horse."
She sniffed loudly, then resumed explaining.
"I just wanted some company. It gets lonely up here in the castle, with no one else to play with. And I have to wait until nighttime for everyone to get up so we can play or to weapon train with apu. So I tried to make some friends to be with during the day. They said they would let me join in their rides if I managed to get a horse. But one of them, the meanest of them, said that girls who live in vampire castles were ugly, and that horses wouldn't go anywhere near them. I was so angry with him. I told him to shut his mouth and that he would see just how wrong he was."
Kalman was suddenly angry at the careless boy. How dare he make fun of her? Had he known, he would've taken care of the wretched kid himself.
"That's why I decided that I had to ride Onyx," she kept saying. "If I managed to ride him, I would've shut the mean boy's mouth and he would've eaten his words, and they wouldn't have had no choice but to accept me go riding with them."
"But that mean vampire Baron doesn't understand that!!"
Aury started crying again.
"He doesn't care either!! He doesn't care that I'm lonely and that I have no one to play with!!"
"Of course he cares!", interrupted Kalman. "You know he does! Why else would he be so angry? Tündér, can't you see he cares so much about your safety that he loses his temper? You're apu gets angry so that you won't do what you did again and put yourself in danger. And yes, you were in danger. You could've broken your neck had you fallen off the horse. And you could've gotten burnt by the fire in the field. Can't you see Vitéz was only worried about what might have happened to you?"
Big round tears ran down Aury's cheeks. She knew her Zacis was right, and she hadn't meant for any of it to happen, honestly she hadn't, specially the fire at the field. Aury knew she had done wrong, but did her apu have to be so mean about it?
Kalman understood why the girl was so devastated. Everyone was aware of how much Aury tried to gain Vitéz's approval. She always went out of her way to show the Baron her best, be it during weapon's training or in her academic studies or when she simply kept him company in his sitting room. Aury wanted to make her father proud.
With all this ordeal, the little girl had managed to thoroughly disappoint the Baron. It was one of the heaviest blows Aury had ever taken. Kalman could almost hear her heart breaking.
The Count held the girl until the child fell asleep. With care, the vampire took her up to her room, followed rapidly by Sharaf, who under no circumstance would leave Aury's side, specially when she was upset. Laying her down on the bed, he tucked her in, placing a kiss on her forehead.
Tomorrow would be a long day for the girl, and Kalman Farkas would make sure everyone at the castle helped her in the best way they could.
********
Vitéz Lengyel stepped into his room. Dawn was near, forcing him to look for shelter in his ebony coffin. It had been a long night...too long for his liking. Aury had gotten into trouble again and he had lost his temper. He wasn't himself when he lost his temper. But what was done was done.
After giving out his punishment, the Baron had plunged into his armchair again, not proud of the way he'd handled the situation. Vitéz knew Aury wouldn't speak to him for some days and knew he would eventually have to apologize. It wasn't his fault the girl was so careless. After all the talks he had had with her, after all the warnings, after all his attempts to keep her away from harm, she went and placed herself in the line of fire. Literally.
Vitéz knew she was only a ten year old girl; children her age always got into trouble. He knew they had little consciousness of dangerous situations and their repercussions. Curiosity drove their actions, not reason. He understood all that.
The Baron also understood the fear that pierced his heart every time he thought her life had been in danger. The ice cold feeling which swept through his body when he realized something might have happened to her. The heart numbing thought of losing her.
Oh yes, Vitéz cared for her. More than he would ever admit to anyone. This small waif of a girl had crawled her way into his life, giving him more joy and happiness than he had ever felt in the millennia of his existence. Aury's smile made his frozen vampire heart radiate with warmth. She was the reason he kept hope; the reason he fought through his nightly existence.
Laying down in his coffin, he wondered at the trick fate had played on him. Who would ever have thought a vampire Baron would one day take in a human girl to raise as his own? It was insane. It was illogical. It was happening to him.
Even though Vitéz analyzed it logically and thought through it rationally, he wouldn't have it any other way. He had a reason to keep on living, a reason to make this ever darkening world a better place for his daughter to grow up in. He would take care of her, risking his life in the process if it was necessary. The Baron would do so for her sake, so that one day she could make all her dreams come true. For he couldn't even stand the thought of losing her, of not seeing her smile ever again.
As the vampire closed his coffin's lid, he knew. Vitéz Lengyel would indeed throw himself willingly into the sun's light rather than to exist in this world without his little girl.
******* *******
Hungarian translations:
Apu: dad, daddy Zacis: Uncle Tündér: pixie, fairy.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Celtic Oak: Eeeek! Vitéz is a father! ^o^ Hope you weren't expecting that! *Evil laughter* Don't worry, that doesn't mean he won't be the imposing Vampire Baron he's always been...hehe.
Vitéz: (appears suddenly, black cape flowing in the wind) What have you done!? I´m a father now?!?
Celtic Oak: (cowers before the vampire) Sorry, Vitz. It was necesarry...you know, for plot development. Anyway, you knew you were a father all along, so stop complaining.
Vitéz: How am I supposed to maintain my image? People won't cower before me when they find out I have to help my 10 year old with her homework!
Celtic Oak: Of course they will! I mean, you are THE Baron of Arkenia, and a vampire too. Relax.
Vitéz: (buries his face in his hands) This is awful!
D: (appears, riding his horse, long cloak trailing after) What seems to be the problem?
Celtic Oak: Hi D. Erm, nothing. Vitéz is just having some trouble accepting his role.
Vitéz: How am I supposed to pick up women, now? I have a kid!
Celtic Oak: Oh, come on! An affectionate single father can be very attractive. And what women!?! (glares at him angrily) You're not picking anyone up!
Vitéz: (ignores Celtic Oak) What do you think, D? Do you think I´m still attractive?
Celtic Oak: (sweatdrops ^.^')
D: (looks at him seriously; a long moment of silence follows) How am I supposed to know? I haven't even met you. Besides, I have my childhood traumas to deal with.
Celtic Oak: (tears coming to her eyes) Oh D! I'm so sorry! (throws herself at the dunpheal wrapping him in a hug).
D: (rolls his eyes) No wonder they didn't say anything about my past in the movies. Imagine all the emotional fanfiction writers I'd have to deal with!
Vitéz: (Nods his head in silent agreement)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
I'm speaking to my characters now? There is definetely something wrong with me. *lol* ^_^ I told you my imagination gets the best of me!
Read and review, everybody. Thanks for reading!