Chapter 17 – The Sanctuary of the Clans
Raziel woke up and found himself in unfamiliar surroundings. Mioko was sitting with Kain on his horse; Raziel was sleeping upon his own horse. "Daddy?" she asked, "Why are you sleeping all the time?" Mioko asked, curiously. Raziel and Kain both shrugged in unison. Mioko sighed, "You can't blame me this time," she told him, "I was a good girl, last night. I slept all night, didn't I, Uncie Kain?" Raziel looked up at her, laughing,
"I'm not going to blame you," he told her. Mioko smiled, triumphantly,
"See, Uncie Kain, daddy's not all that bad." Raziel looked confused as Mioko and Kain both chuckled to themselves. "Where are we going?" Mioko asked.
"The same place we were going when you asked me the last time and the time before that," Kain muttered, irritated. Mioko sighed and whined,
"But you didn't tell me! You keep saying it's a surprise!" Kain chuckled,
"And so it is," he told her. Mioko folded her arms, angrily and screwed her features together, pouting. Kain nudged her, but she refused to be cheered up. Kain nuzzled her again and letting a single claw tickle the nape of her neck, he forced her to laugh. She giggled and was about to tickle Kain back when she saw a majestic building coming into view.
"Wow!" she breathed. The building was truly more magnificent than any she had seen thus far. All of the clan banners were billowing in the morning wind, radiant with colour, with Kain's own banner taking precedent in the center, "Where are we?" she asked. The horses were greeted by two female humans who gave low curtsies to their master.
"Mioko," Kain said, lifting her off the horse, "This is where I live." Mioko looked up in awe at the building. She looked back at her father, almost pleadingly. He smiled and nodded,
"Go on," he sighed. She let out a small squeal and ran in to explore the building. Kain and Raziel walked in after her, though she had already vanished. Raziel yawned and stumbled as they walked through the magnificent, marble halls.
"What is it, Raziel?" Kain asked, concerned that his son had suddenly become unusually tired.
"Nothing, my lord," Raziel muttered, "When I get home, I shall be sure to have an extremely long night's sleep." Kain nodded, satisfied.
"When are you returning?" he inquired. Raziel sighed,
"We should be leaving soon; I have left Azrael in charge for long enough, he will be wanting me to relieve him." Kain nodded again as they entered the main hallway where Raziel's chamber was, near Kain's.
"I will be summoning council in a month or so," Kain informed him, "and..."
"Daddy! Daddy, look!" Mioko shouted. One of the human slaves had shown Mioko to her room, it was more luxurious than any other she had stayed in on their travels. She was bouncing up and down on the bed, calling for Raziel. Raziel turned back to Kain who gestured for him to go to his daughter. Raziel smiled, gratefully and left his master.
Kain walked down the hall and through a pair of lavish doors with intricate golden patterns into his own private chambers. He went into the front chamber and lay back on one of the reclining couches, inhaling and exhaling deeply. He closed his eyes and was letting himself relax totally when he heard an ear splitting scream. Mioko was screaming, but it wasn't the playful screams he usually heard from her, she was in distress. The master vampire hurried back to his son's chamber.
Inside, Raziel was sprawled on the floor while Mioko was shaking him, screaming for him to wake up. Kain went in, prizing Mioko away from Raziel and rolling his son over to examine him. Mioko was sobbing into Kain's arm, "Daddy won't wake up. Daddy was shouting, he said it hurt and then he...daddy's dead!" she shrieked.
"Mioko," Kain said, "he's not dead." Mioko sobbed louder,
"Daddy's dead!"
"Mioko!" Kain shouted, "He's not dead!" Mioko stopped crying and wiped her eyes.
"He's not?" she asked, curiously. Kain shook his head and looked down on his son's frozen features,
"He's in the state of change," he told her. She gave an 'oh' of realization and hugged Kain's arm. "I'll have him moved," he said, trying to get up, "we'll send you back to Razielim." She looked up terrified,
"No!" she begged, "No, please, I want to stay with you!" Kain wrenched his arm from her grasp,
"That's just not possible," he said, "You will go back to Razielim, Azrael will look after you."
"No!" she cried. Kain got to the door when she shouted, "You told me you'd protect me! You said you'd look after me!" Kain stopped and looked back at her. She ran forward and hugged his leg, "Please Uncie Kain?" she begged, "I'll be a good girl, I promise."
"He'll be asleep for about two or three months," Kain told her. She looked up at him, wide eyed and innocent,
"I love you?"
TBC