Long after the young girl retreated indoors, Phillipe sat on the rooftop.
Lost in thought, he gazed out at the countryside that spanned before him.
"What now Nikolai?" He asked the man who had silently approached him from behind, his thick French accent making his words lilt.
"Damn!" Nikolai responded, shocked that despite his numerous attempts at surprising his companion, his presence was always detected.
"Well? Did you come for any purpose other than annoyance?" Phillipe asked curtly, still not turning around. His back was to his comrade; his face, to the dark countryside. A single tear fell from his eye; unseen to all but the moon.
"Our numbers grow," replied Nikolai, "and the product of your brief marriage is now among us."
Phillipe sighed inaudibly, "What do you plan to do?"
"I will go after her, she shan't be too hard to find", Nikolai answered. "No doubt she will arrive at Argens River. It is the closest water source to the school."
"Yes", I know exactly where the river is. I recall finding a certain fledgling huddled on its banks."
Nikolai cast his eyes downward, not answering Phillipe's indirect question.
"Well, now that it is decided," he said at length.
"You are going after her?" Nikolai's companion asked, realizing at once that his voice betrayed his concern and interest. Nikolai eyed him suspiciously, a smirk dawning across his face.
"Of course! She must be instructed properly." Phillipe stated, recovering his dignity and resolve.
"But of course," came Nikolai's answer, glancing at Phillipe haughtily.
Immediately, the old man stood to his full height, which was considerable, and towering above Nikolai, glared down at him. In the moonlight, his sideburns became trickles of silver down his strong chin. His hair shone and his gray eyes flashed.
Nikolai took a wary step backwards. "I'd best be off", he remarked, rather quickly.
Phillipe shook his head in disgust. "You enjoy this, don't you?"
Nikolai's face clouded over briefly, confused by what he had just been asked.
Phillipe continued, "The power, the fear, all that is caused by you...us, being what we are..."
"Vampires,"
"Oui, les vampires, if you must use such a childish term. Do you realize that we are condemned? This form we take is punishment, not a blessing!"
"Let it go old man. You've already spent over 250 years in this punishment. Try and see what benefits it can bring."
Phillipe turned away, back to the cobblestones. Impassioned, Nikolai walked forward until he was once more in front.
"This!" he said, clenching his fists, "this is pure power! Nature at her best! The increased senses, the physical strength, the speed..."
"The unending life," Phillipe muttered.
"Yes! Yes, the eternal life! Immortality! What a blessing?"
"A curse!" spat Phillipe, turning his back again to Nikolai, and striding toward the far end of the roof where they stood.
Now it was Nikolai's turn to be disgusted.
"Damned traditionalist! I have work to do. I'll leave you and your punishment here. If you decide to show later, you'll know where to find me.... us."
"What now Nikolai?" He asked the man who had silently approached him from behind, his thick French accent making his words lilt.
"Damn!" Nikolai responded, shocked that despite his numerous attempts at surprising his companion, his presence was always detected.
"Well? Did you come for any purpose other than annoyance?" Phillipe asked curtly, still not turning around. His back was to his comrade; his face, to the dark countryside. A single tear fell from his eye; unseen to all but the moon.
"Our numbers grow," replied Nikolai, "and the product of your brief marriage is now among us."
Phillipe sighed inaudibly, "What do you plan to do?"
"I will go after her, she shan't be too hard to find", Nikolai answered. "No doubt she will arrive at Argens River. It is the closest water source to the school."
"Yes", I know exactly where the river is. I recall finding a certain fledgling huddled on its banks."
Nikolai cast his eyes downward, not answering Phillipe's indirect question.
"Well, now that it is decided," he said at length.
"You are going after her?" Nikolai's companion asked, realizing at once that his voice betrayed his concern and interest. Nikolai eyed him suspiciously, a smirk dawning across his face.
"Of course! She must be instructed properly." Phillipe stated, recovering his dignity and resolve.
"But of course," came Nikolai's answer, glancing at Phillipe haughtily.
Immediately, the old man stood to his full height, which was considerable, and towering above Nikolai, glared down at him. In the moonlight, his sideburns became trickles of silver down his strong chin. His hair shone and his gray eyes flashed.
Nikolai took a wary step backwards. "I'd best be off", he remarked, rather quickly.
Phillipe shook his head in disgust. "You enjoy this, don't you?"
Nikolai's face clouded over briefly, confused by what he had just been asked.
Phillipe continued, "The power, the fear, all that is caused by you...us, being what we are..."
"Vampires,"
"Oui, les vampires, if you must use such a childish term. Do you realize that we are condemned? This form we take is punishment, not a blessing!"
"Let it go old man. You've already spent over 250 years in this punishment. Try and see what benefits it can bring."
Phillipe turned away, back to the cobblestones. Impassioned, Nikolai walked forward until he was once more in front.
"This!" he said, clenching his fists, "this is pure power! Nature at her best! The increased senses, the physical strength, the speed..."
"The unending life," Phillipe muttered.
"Yes! Yes, the eternal life! Immortality! What a blessing?"
"A curse!" spat Phillipe, turning his back again to Nikolai, and striding toward the far end of the roof where they stood.
Now it was Nikolai's turn to be disgusted.
"Damned traditionalist! I have work to do. I'll leave you and your punishment here. If you decide to show later, you'll know where to find me.... us."
