Chapter 16 – Monsters
Melchiah was waiting for his master and brother at the main gates of Melchium. In the distance he could see his master's horse, riding toward them with the figure of Raziel walking...staggering beside him.
"Welcome my lord," he said, giving a low bow. Kain got off his horse and took Mioko with him, "and you must be Mioko," Melchiah asked, smiling. Mioko looked up at the vampire. His skin was scarred and stitched together, making it horribly disfigured. She let out a small scream and hid behind Kain, holding Chibi Kain up to protect her.
Melchiah looked devastated for a moment before he looked back at Kain, "It is still early my lord, would you like to take the tour now?" Kain looked up at the sky and when he was satisfied that they would have adequate time to survey his youngest son's clan, he nodded.
Mioko had her eyes fixed, cautiously on Melchiah as she backed away from Kain and stood behind her father, who was looking utterly exhausted. Kain called for Melchiah to summon a trustworthy vampire to look after the child while they toured the clan.
Raziel knelt beside Mioko as Melchiah's firstborn stepped forward. "My love," he whispered, "You have to go with Aron," he whispered, gesturing up to the Melchium first born, "Aron'll look after you." Mioko looked up at Aron. He was taller than his master but just as disfigured. She shook her head and hugged her father, "Don't leave me with them," she pleaded. Kain tapped her on the shoulder and she turned to him, "Go with Aron, Mioko," he told her, "Remember, no one will hurt you, not again." She looked defeated and reluctantly went with the Melchium firstborn, knowing that her father and Kain would eventually force her to go anyway.
Aron took her up to the chamber they had prepared for her and her father. She sat on the table and looked around, happily. It reminded her of the room she had at home, "Azrael," she murmured, innocently, remembering the firstborn and how she hadn't seen him for weeks. With renewed confidence she looked up at Aron, "Paper," she demanded. Aron frowned and looked taken aback, "I want paper!" she repeated. Aron shook his head,
"My lady..."
"I want paper now!" she screamed. Aron rushed from the room, "and crayons!" she called after him.
Obediently Aron found the tools she required in one of the human's houses. He set the items on the table in front of her and stood back patiently. She stared up at him, "Out!" she cried. The vampire again was surprised; he had heard from the Rahabim messenger that Mioko was a sweet, adorable child who loved everyone. This was certainly not the same child, "Out!" she shouted again, "or Chibi Kain will bite you and throw you to the abyss!"
Aron jumped and chose to keep an eye on the child by sitting outside and watching her through a crack in the door. Mioko bent over the paper and was about to start drawing when she rose, moved to the door and slammed the door shut in the Melchium's face.
Raziel and Kain returned to their chambers. They both stopped when they saw Aron leaning against the wall opposite the door, staring at it, unmoving. "Where is Mioko?" Raziel demanded. To answer his question Aron opened the door a crack and the air was filled with screams from inside,
"Out! Get Out!" Raziel and Kain both turned curious eyes on the vampire.
"She asked for paper and crayons then told me that if I didn't get out, Chibi Kain will bite me and throw me to the abyss." Raziel and Kain exchanged amused glances before they both laughed. Aron bowed himself from them and left, relieved that he no longer had to watch the door as he hours passed. Raziel knocked the door politely and to their surprise, Mioko answered it, looking up at them.
"I'm done," she smiled, hiding a piece of paper behind her back. Raziel nodded, gratefully and staggering into the room, fell asleep on the bed. Kain sighed and looked down on Mioko,
"He's very tired," he told her. Mioko shrugged, but called out as Kain said his good nights and turned to leave. She thrust the paper into his hands. Kain frowned, but he chuckled as he looked at the picture she had drawn.
Kain and Mioko were sitting on a horse, with an extremely large Chibi Kain, riding back to Razielim. Azrael was sitting on top of the Razielim palace to greet them. The brethren were in the distance all smiling and waving goodbye to Kain, except Zephon who had been drawn with a strange dark squiggle over his face. Kain scanned the picture for a sign of Raziel and saw him, behind his horse, on the floor with a string of z's floating from his dark head.
"Do you like it?" Mioko asked, nervously. Kain nodded and kneeling down gave her a hug. She grinned at him as they broke apart and he got up to leave, again.
"Mioko?" he called, softly as she started to close the door. She stopped and looked up at him, "Than you," he said, leaning over her and planting a kiss on the top of her head, "Good night."
"Good night, Uncie Kain."
TBC