Chapter 8 – Nightmares
Kain and Raziel only lingered in Turelim for a few more days, while Turel took great length to show them his falsely decorated territory. Unfortunately Mioko, who had decided to hold Kain to the fact he said he liked her, had spent those few days driving the master to the edge of insanity. She followed him around, clinging to him and bombarding him with incessant questions. Despite yells from the overlord and words from her father, she wouldn't leave him alone.
The first few days were a kind of hell for Kain, until he realized that he could just ignore her. He survived her chattering without saying a word save for the occasional murmurs of agreement, allowing the sound of her voice fade into nothing more than annoying background noise.
By the time they were ready to leave for Dumahim, all three; Kain, Raziel and Mioko were happy. Kain because he had learned to deal with the child without upsetting her or more importantly; upsetting his eldest. Raziel was happy because Mioko was happy and Mioko was happy because as far as she was concerned Kain liked her.
During the journey to Dumahim, Mioko spent most of her time with Kain, sitting in front of him and talking to him, despite the fact he was either too busy talking to Raziel to pay any attention to her or just ignoring her. Raziel couldn't understand why Kain was allowing her to sit with him, knowing full well that Kain didn't exactly love the child to bits, but then he did know better to question his master. Besides, sitting with Kain kept her happy and somehow it kept Kain in what could be considered a good mood as well.
By the second day of their journey to the third born's territory, Mioko had stopped asking pointless questions and instead, to the surprise of both Kain and Raziel, started asking questions about the brethren and the empire.
"Where are we going?" Mioko asked, yawning as she woke, still in Kain's arms. Kain jumped, he hadn't realized she had been asleep. He had assumed she had been in one of her quiet phases, where she didn't voice anything, choosing instead to whisper childish nothings to her beloved Chibi Kain.
"Dumahim," Raziel told her, nudging his horse to trot beside Kain's, "Who is Dumah, Mioko?" he asked.
"Uncie Kain's third son!" Mioko cried out, happily. Raziel nodded and smiled his approval. He thought it was important for her to be educated in the ways and history of the empire if she was one day to be a part of it, as inevitably she would be.
Kain saw how proudly Raziel looked on her and he had to admit that he was proud of his son and the way he had taken on the human child, loving her as he would his own child. Mioko looked up at her father, "Is Dumah stupid?" she asked, innocently. Kain and Raziel both looked down on her, in surprise,
"Where did you hear that?" Raziel asked. Mioko looked so innocent and curious he knew that the words weren't coming from her mouth.
"Lord Turel used to call Dumah stupid all the time..." she started. Kain sighed an 'ah' of realization, knowing full well that his second son spent most of the passing day cursing his brothers. "Lord Turel called you a bastard...what's a bastard?" Mioko asked. Raziel growled at the thought of his younger brother's blasphemy, Kain however, found the situation amusing, and chuckled softly. Raziel shook his head and warned his daughter never to use that word again. Mioko didn't quite understand but she still nodded her head and promised to obey her father.
When they arrived at Dumahim they were greeted by Dumah himself, word of Kain's inspection had evidently spread to each of the clans. Like Turel he had prepared a warm welcome for his elders. Unlike Turel, his welcome was genuine and he greeted Raziel with just as much fervor as Kain. When he saw Mioko, he didn't question her or her presence with his elders and to the surprise of Kain and Raziel he lifted Mioko off the horse.
"Hello there," he said, "What's your name?" he asked. Mioko giggled in Dumah's arms,
"Mioko," she laughed. Dumah smiled,
"So this is the famous Mioko," he announced placing her on the floor, he looked up at Raziel and Kain, "Turel's sent a messenger ahead telling us all about your visit, my lord." Kain frowned but Raziel interrupted his thoughts,
"Why did Turel send a messenger to you? I thought you didn't get along," Raziel said to Dumah as he dismounted. Dumah gave his eldest a wicked smile,
"He didn't the messenger was for Zephon, we just," he paused trying to think of the right line, "intercepted it..." he told them before continuing, "and sent it on to Rahab and Melchiah." Raziel smiled his approval and joined Mioko who was staring up at Dumah with a frown,
"You don't look stupid," she told him. Dumah laughed loudly, especially when he saw Raziel trying to shush his daughter. Dumah gave a bow to the child,
"Thank you," he said to her, and then turned to his master, "Would you like to have the grand tour now, my lord, or would you like to rest after your journey?"
Kain considered his proposition for a moment. He looked up at the sun, it was still early. If they could get through Dumahim, they could be on their way to Rahabim the following morning. "We'll go now," Kain decided. Dumah shrugged but nodded and called out for his first born.
"Dakar!" the first born of the Dumahim approached and bowed to his sire and the vampire lords. "Look after the child," Dumah ordered. Dakar looked up at his lord with a look of utter outrage, "Do you have a problem with that, Dakar?" Dumah snapped. Dakar shook his head, uncertainly. Raziel nudged Mioko forward to Dakar, even though she looked positively terrified of the Dumahim vampire. Kain, Raziel and Dumah watched her follow Dakar, reluctantly, into the Dumahim keep. They watched her vanish and then turned to follow the third born around his clan.
Dumah showed Kain and Raziel around his territory, it pleased Kain to see that his third born made no attempts to shield the faults and the cracks in his territory and that the clan went about their business as if the master was not there. The older, undesirable slaves weren't hidden away and Kain got to see the clan as it was normally run. Kain finally called the tour to an end and approved his son's leadership, choosing to finally retire to his chamber. Kain left first, leaving Raziel and Dumah to walk up to the keep together. When Kain had finally left, Raziel and Dumah embraced warmly. "Good of you to come, at last," Dumah said to his brother. Raziel laughed,
"You could have come to visit me, dear brother."
"Me, make that long journey to Razielim? You must be joking...besides, I've been busy," Dumah told him,
"As have I," Raziel assured him.
"Yes, I've heard...Mioko," Dumah grew curious about his potential niece, "Just where and why did you pick her up?"
"She was a slave in Turelim," Raziel told him, "I took her back. I intended to leave her in the care of one of the human families, but...I just got too attached to her."
"What about the master? Does he like her? It must be hard for you if he doesn't, considering just how far the three of you have to travel." Raziel paused. He wasn't aware of his master's feelings towards the child. Originally it was obvious that he was less than fond of her, but over the short time they had spent together, Kain didn't seem to mind her as much. Raziel didn't get the chance to answer. They both arrived outside the chamber containing Mioko and Dakar and as soon as Dumah opened the door, Mioko flew out of the room, clinging to Raziel, desperately.
"Mioko?" Raziel asked, in surprise, looking down on her and lifting her up into his arms, "Mioko, what is it?" Mioko shook her head,
"Don't like him," she muttered. Dumah's eyes narrowed upon his first born as Mioko proceeded to accuse Dakar of being a 'meanie.'
"I have done nothing," Dakar protested, calmly. Mioko shook her head,
"He shouted at me, just ask Chibi Kain," Mioko said, holding Chibi Kain, limply up to Raziel. Dumah, who had never seen the doll before, studied it and laughed. Raziel listened to his daughter's pleas and obediently took her away from Dakar who apparently had shouted at her when she wanted to play.
Raziel put Mioko to bed and waited until she was on the verge of falling asleep. "Mioko?" Raziel whispered, "I'm going to see Dumah for a while, will you be alright here on your own, my love?" he asked, waiting for her to drift off. Mioko nodded, wearily,
"I'll be alright, daddy...Chibi Kain'll protect me," she snuggled deeper into the doll and closed her eyes, finally falling asleep.
"Daddy?!" Mioko screamed, upon her terrifying awakening from a series of nightmares. To her horror Raziel still hadn't returned. His side of the bed was cold and empty, leaving her to brave the rude awakening alone. She hugged Chibi Kain tightly, calling for Raziel in vain. Eventually she plucked up enough courage to leave the room and enter the dark, dimly lit halls of Dumah's keep, fumbling through the hall until she found the door she was looking for.
"Uncie Kain?" she sobbed into the room which was even darker than the hall she had left. She let the door close, quietly behind her and wandered to the outline of the bed, "Uncie Kain?" she cried, urgently as the tears streamed down her face. There was movement from the bed as Kain sat up to look at the intruder.
"What do you want?" he demanded, seeing the dark figure of the child. She sniffed and hugged him, desperately seeking comfort.
"Had a nightmare and daddy's gone," she cried louder, "I can't find daddy!" she wailed. She hugged Kain, tighter,
"What do you want?" he asked again, though he felt he could predict the answer. She snuggled her face against his chest and he flinched as her tears burned his skin. Giving in to the child's wishes, and considering he wanted nothing more than to return to his peaceful sleep, he lifted her up into his bed and pulled the covers over her, before rolling over and turning his back to her. Her little arms hugged him from behind and whispered her 'thank you's.' She couldn't see it and she didn't know it, but on the other side of that cold back, Kain was smiling.
TBC