Disclaimer: see chapter 1
A/N: the dates have changed, I think a few other things have changed, nothing super major, but probably stuff you should know
Funny Quote:
Discussing the Pierce and Taylor's "naked" scene
Speedman: Did they have to be completely naked?
Len & Kate: They weren't
Kate: They just rolled their nickers down didn't they? Do we not say nickers in America?
Speedman: You can say nickers
Len: If you're a five years old
Chapter 6: The Book
The library was on the second floor, down the corridor from her quarters. She entered to a room of wall-to-wall bookshelves with few empty spaces. Yet she remembered that the history books were kept in a separate room, in the middle of right wall. She walked through the rows of tables and chairs to this very room. It was locked; reminding her this was probably somewhere she shouldn't be. She considered kicking the door open, but that would be too obvious that someone had been there. Instead she decided to pick the lock, a skill Nathaniel had inadvertently taught her when she would hang around with him during training. The small tool kit she had in her back pocket, in case she needed it for some strange reason, would do. The older the lock the easier it is to pick, and lucky for her the lock was ancient. A loud clang soon rang through the silence. The door now willingly swung open, allowing her in. Directly before her was a wooden box on legs, making a table. A glass window in the top revealed the two books inside. This, like the room, was locked. Feeling guilty enough, she decided to check the shelves around the room. She found nothing of interest on the first two walls but the third was a different story. On the second shelf about a third of the way in was a tiny black book. It was smaller in all dimensions and neither writing nor symbols adorned the spine. Once off the shelf the front held the decorative V symbol found all over the mansion. Opening the cover, the first page had only the name VIKTOR. She stuffed it in her pocket, planning to read it later.
After the rest of the wall provided a fruitless search, the box became too intrigued to resist. She abandoned her search and picked the ancient lock holding the box shut. It quickly clanged open. She hastily opened the lid and removed the ancient leather covered book sitting on the right. She placed it on the table but a few paces away. She popped the tiny clasps and opened the covers, centuries old pages falling to one side or the other.
It naturally opened to a picture of a man, who she assumed to be lycan, being brutally branded by vampires while previously branded men reached out to aid, but were unable to reach due to being shackled. Felicite felt remorse for the creatures, yet guilty for having such feelings for the murderers of her family and memory. Flipping a few more pages she found something of interest. It was a black and white drawing of a fortress in flames at the top of a rocky incline, while below vampires and lycans, both changed and not, battled. Below the vivid drawing was a tiny passage:
"Of the scores of brave souls that entered Lucian's fortress, a single vampire survived. Kraven, who was richly rewarded for not only setting the great blaze, but for returning with proof of lycan master's demise; the branded skin, cut from Lucian's very arm."
The sound of footsteps in the hall came to her ears, startling her. She shut the book, and hooked its clasps, quickly placing it back in its rightful place. As soon as the lock clicked shut, she ran from the room, slammed the door, and picked it locked. Just as she left the main room, Selene rounded the corner, not even noticing as Felicite slipped into as nearby room, scared of being caught. Once Selene was out of sight, she slipped from her hiding place and headed for her room to read, remembering the black book in her pocket.
Felicite sat on her bed, legs tucked up to her chin, with a single lamp on. The black book sat in front of her closed, while she contemplated opening it and reading the contents. Finally, curiosity won out over the moral of privacy. She opened it to a random page, a good way into the book. Selene had told her she was turned 600 years ago, during the 15th century, so she started at the beginning and skimmed. She didn't find Selene, but instead the name Lucian jumped out at her and she began to read:
"I worry about my Sonja. Lucian, a high-ranking lycan slave, seems to have taking a liking to my daughter. A few weeks ago, I noticed her make eye contact and smile at him in the hall, encouraging him. Then a few nights ago at dinner I caught him staring at her. I scorned him for acting so inappropriately, but I feel it did little good. I suppose I must trust her judgment. She knows the covenant; I can only hope she abides by it."
Felicite furrowed her brow and flipped to another entry a few months later that mentioned the name Sonja:
"I have learned today that to often has my trust has been misplaced. Soren came to me today telling of my daughter's affairs with the lycan, Lucian. I did not believe him but when I went to her room I found them together in each other's arms. I apprehended both, although the lycan put up a fight. Soren has failed me again and my trust in Sonja's good judgement was a mistake. They shall be punished soon, once the lycan wakes from the capturing."
Turning the page to the next night's entry, intrigue urged her to continue reading:
"My daughter is dead. It still pains me what I had to do but her being pregnant by that beast was insult to me and the coven. Lucian watched the consequences of what he did to my daughter. That night he rose up and escaped in wolfin form, Sonja's pendant in his despicable hand. If the council had allowed, all the lycans would have been slaughtered. Instead I am restricted to hunting Lucian and any of wild companions."
The idea of Lucian intrigued her. If he was restricted why are we fighting this war? She wondered. She flipped to the next entry with mention of Lucian:
"He has challenged me! Lucian has gained a makeshift army and took over one of my silver mines. We attack at sundown tomorrow. A scout told me that he has created a makeshift fortress. It shall be a simple victory with our new catapults. The war has begun. Lucian will die by my hand for what he did to my Sonja." Well that answers that question, she thought.
Felicite closed the journal, shocked at what she had read. Out in the hall she heard the door to the library open. "Selene," she breathed getting off the bed and headed for the hall.
"I've been looking for you everywhere," she heard Erika say.
"Not now," Selene answered. Felicite stayed around the corner, hearing Selene heading her way.
"He's been bitten," Erika exclaimed. "Your human, he's been marked by a lycan."
"Did Kraven put you up to this?" she asked.
"No, I saw the wound with my own eyes, I swear it." A quick pause and Selene's rapid footsteps started again. "But what about the covenant! You know it's forbidden," Erika called after her.
Selene rounded the corner and nearly trampled Felicite. "Sorry," Felicite apologized as Selene helped her up.
Selene only gave a look of skepticism. "What are you doing?" she asked.
"Looking for you," she confessed.
"Well aren't I just popular," Selene commented as she began down the hall again.
"Did you know that Viktor had a daughter?" she asked.
"Where did you hear that?" she asked.
"I read it in a journal I found."
Selene spun and griped the girl's shoulders with such force Felicite grimaced in pain. "Digging into the past is forbidden," she scorned in a harsh whisper. "Tell NO ONE you have it and return it as soon as possible." Felicite nodded, genuinely scared by the worry in Selene's eyes. Selene turned from her and headed towards their quarters. Felicite followed prepared to hide the journal until the opportunity to return it.