The pain was staggering. Sickening even. Felix did his level best to stand still whilst Aro dealt with loose ends in the throne room. Antonio and his merry men had been ordered to clean up the tattered remains of the rogue who killed Didyme – Felix should have been laughing his ass off seeing his arch enemy on clean up duty. Instead he was dancing from foot to foot wiling himself not to rub at the stings from Aro's whip. "Master, I feel really sick." He knew he should keep quiet, but he could feel the venom pooling in his mouth and blood bubbling up in his throat. Aro rolled his threw a disgusted look to his boy. Okay, so you don't care, I get that. But I still feel sick, "Master…" Felix couldn't say anything else, his last feed had only been a day ago and now that whole human body worth of blood he had taken down so hungrily came back up! Clutching both hands to his mouth the congealed crimson liquid spurted between the gaps in his fingers and splashed to the floor – a few drops hitting Aro's sleeve!
Aro shot his eyes to his boy, and then slowly to his own clothing splattered with blood. Antonio couldn't contain his laughter, though his band managed to keep their mouths shut, thinking Antonio must have a death wish to be laughing at Aro. "You can clean this up." Aro directed at the foolish bruin who looked back in revulsion. Aro stared his boy's adversary down, daring him to resist. Antonio saw sense and his laughter soon ceased - suddenly it wasn't so funny anymore. "Of course, master." He replied respectfully. He left to find the cleaning equipment whilst coming up with new plans for tormenting Felix for the humiliation of having to clean up after the little prick.
Felix chanced a look at Aro, he wanted to apologize but was scared to open his mouth again in case anything else came out. Is he smirking at me! Aro! You bastard! You did this to me and now you mock me! Fuck this hurts. Surely Aro didn't mean what he had said to Caius, 'I will whip this insolent whelp until his clothes fall away in tatters'. The words rebounded around his head. I can't take that! I won't make it through that! Perhaps Sully will intervene, Sulpicia please talk him out of this plan, please.
As the last of the guards scattered to their posts Aro turned to his boy. "Start moving!" Aro's tone was harsh and cold. Not like it had been to the guards he'd just instructed, or to Caius, or Demetri when he had him leave. "Now!" Aro slapped him hard across the back of the head. Felix sprang into action, at half speed he walked up the marbled steps and passed the three thrones, leaving the hall. They made their way to the far wing of the castle towards Basileus' family tower. Aro pushed Felix up the stairs, nudging him along the whole way until they reached the door to their abode. The thickness of the walls and doors in this castle made for excellent sound proofing, so Felix could relax a little knowing only those close would witness the rest of his punishment, still, even that horrified him. "Quit stalling, boy, you're crimes are great enough as it is!" Aro growled out to Felix as he shoved his son through the door so forcefully he landed on the floor. Felix hissed in pain where his already bruised body made contact with the marbled tiles.
"Carlisle and Eleazar are below us, Aro, I told them you would speak to them once you were through with here. Would you like me to leave, my love?" Sulpicia's loyal, heavenly voice was tonic for the leaders stressed senses. Ignoring the four scared vampire children in the room with them, he took his wife's hand and pulled her close until she bounced playfully off his strong chest. He planted a single delicate kiss on her rich brown hair and breathed in her sent, allowing it to fill him up from the inside and relaxing in her hold. "My brothers will wait, and I want you under the same roof as me, stay here, I will deal with our young vampires in their room." Aro spoke so casually now that one could be forgiven for doubting the seriousness of the day.
Felix, ever hopeful, wondered if a reprieve may come after all. Demetri, brooding as ever knew all too well it wouldn't! "Okay my love, I will draw a bath for Alec, poor boy is exhausted!" she lightly punched into her husband's ribs, "what did you do to my baby vampires Aro?" He faked pain at her punches and looked hurt, he knew this would come, but sheesh, kick a man while he's down sweet heart! "They performed well today, you would have been proud, my queen. Thank you for sending them out when you did, our losses would have been far greater had they not arrived. Though yes, Alec certainly over exerted himself" Aro said as he took in the boy's hunched stance and greying skin tone. Alec looked disgusted at his words! Over exerted myself, Ha! "Hmm, I think maybe you didn't give the boy a choice Aro, you need to remember they are children, my love." Jane was grinning and swinging her legs back and forth from where she sat in the love seat. She looked such an innocent, beautiful little girl right. Who would believe the pain you could inflict if you so wished, thought Aro.
Sulpicia reached up to kiss Aro passionately, they held their embrace, and just as Aro was forgetting where they were and who was watching, she pulled away… "later, my love" She said as she removed his wondering hands looking sheepish. Aro smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. Sulpicia left him there as she collected Jane and Alec and headed to the bathroom.
So she gets him all riled up and then leaves us to his mercy, great, just great. Demetri's thoughts were full of self-pity, he did well to keep his thoughts in his head; Aro didn't approve of self-pity. Allowing the whip uncoil in his hand, Aro swished it gently from side to side following its movements and getting a feel for it under his influence. Crack! Aro whipped the implement through the air and was pleased greatly by the noise it made, and the look of horror on his miscreants faces! "Right my boys, now to deal with you…"
…
Aro wearily dragged his aching hand across his face. His whole arm felt bruised from the hiding he'd given his sons. He smiled at that, not the whipping he'd given them, and especially not the reason it was due, but his sons. He let the words play in his thoughts, they brought him comfort. It had been a very long night and he'd just left Felix, broken and shaking, and no doubt in agony, for his wife to tend to. He was making his way down to speak to his brothers to explain himself and his actions… and maybe to tell Carlisle off a little too if Eleazar hadn't already done so.
Knocking gently on the door to middle floor suite, Aro waited for a response. Eleazar opened the door, "Come in brother, we have been waiting for you." The sadness in Eleazar's eyes was not disguised by the forced cheery tone he employed. Poor bastard looks exhausted, thought Eleazar as he closed the door behind him. "May I go to Sully, Aro?" Carmen asked, sounding desperate. He would usually be far more polite but he was emotionally spent and could offer the kind woman no more than a simple nod. Carmen flew from the room, shoving the door closed on her way out and went straight to Aro's suite to help her sister in law in whatever way she could.
Carlisle's thoughts were similar to Eleazar's when Aro entered the room. "Aro, I am so sorry, please forgive my earlier intrusions. Had I realized what was going on I…." "So Eleazar has explained, yes?" Aro interrupted. Carlisle looked shyly to the floor, Eleazar had delivered a verbal tongue lashing their father would be proud of! "Yes, I should have realized you were ensuring their safety, I should have seen that you were not the danger in the room… But I just don't understand why you don't finish Caius and allow everyone to be happy. Aro you have the power, and you have the backing! Aro?"
Not again Carlisle, I have been through this with you already! Before Eleazar's thoughts could continue on, Aro was in Carlisle's face, squaring up to his little brother - his words were delivered as menacingly as intended. "Of course you wouldn't understand, how could you understand? You are barely passed your newborn year. We have all lived through many millennia already! We know how our world works, we know the dangers of vampire kind, even to itself! I cannot rule all of vampire society alone Carlisle! Marcus is wise, Caius… Caius offers vengeance. Vampires are a highly emotive race and our rage is as passionate as our love, vengeance is sought out and it is expected to be meted out - Caius offers that to all vampires. I offer order, control, I AM THE LAW as far as vampires are concerned. We three know Basileus and the involvement he has had in our kind, but there are very few other vampires that do. He is a myth to them, just another fantastical fairy tale. The. Law. Starts. And. Ends. With. ME!"
Carlisle hadn't dared move through Aro's verbal tirade, he held still while Aro jabbed into his shoulder with each of those final words. He understood now. What Aro had said was very similar to Eleazar earlier when the two of them were alone with Carmen, but Carlisle was still hot headed then. He was still struggling to keep his temper in check even though he was officially out of his newborn year. Aro said it was down to his insistence that he feed from animals now he no longer needed human blood like in that first horrible year. Eleazar was doing the same and he seemed fine, Carmen too for that matter. Though El was much older than Carlisle, and Carmen was a woman...
Feeling his middle brothers rage slowly dissipating, Carlisle decided to apologize and move things along, both he and Eleazar were keen to find out exactly what Aro saw in Felix and Demetri's thoughts. "Aro, I'm sorry. I truly respect what you do… " "Well don't. I don't want to do it anymore!" Aro cut his brother off with his quite response, Eleazar and Carlisle were shocked! "Don't want to do it anymore? Is that even an option? What has Basileus said to this, Aro?" Eleazar threw out the questions as soon as they entered his mind!
Aro flopped into the corner chair, placing his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands. A thousand thoughts flew through his head about what the hell was going on with his life! Eleazar moved over to stand beside him, and Carlisle took a seat on the rug at his feet. Aro poured open his heart as he talked of his sister, his dear Didyme. His brother listened intently, offering encouragement as he spoke. Aro explained to them everything he saw in Demetri's mind, and then in Felix'. How they both viewed him and their set up here in their quarters - their castle within a castle. He told them he had only just finished picking through Jane and Alec's minds also, who feel the same.
Aro shared that not one of them see him as their coven leader, this wasn't a shock to either of his brothers. Eleazar had spoken to Aro about this already. Aro told him he'd been right, all four saw him as their father. It was there worry of a father's disappointment and punishment that had kept Felix from talking to him the first time Didyme tricked him.
Aro told them of his grief, not for just losing his sister, but for being responsible for her death too. Carlisle and Eleazar tried with their words to show Aro it wasn't his fault, he had no blame, as he had no way of knowing. But their words fell on deaf ears. His guilt was as bound to his heart as his love for her had been. And then he moved to more sombre themes, if there was such a thing. He told them that the wailing they could here through the ceiling above was that of his eldest son who he had just whipped into a bloody, venomous mess, until his clothes fell in rags from his body. Just as he'd promised Caius. He told them it broke his heart over again to do it, but that by doing so he had saved high guard, his family from Caius' retribution. Felix would heal, and knowing Felix as he did, he would hold no malice towards his father figure, but the pain he'd caused the boy burned Aro's insides as though Jane was setting him ablaze.
Carlisle had flashes of the good pastor whipping his human self and using a similar line - this was for his own good, saving him from himself, setting him free of the devil… in this case Caius was the devil alright, but he wasn't sure whether Aro was the pastor or not. Though, Basileus had spent most of the last twelve months strapping his hide for one thing or another and he held no ill will towards the man, he loved him in fact, and could see that Basileus' love for him too was genuine… hoping Aro is more like Basileus than the pastor he set his thoughts aside for now, they would do good voiced at this time.
Sulpicia had not been happy with Aro's handling of her vampire children, he told them. That was why he was here now in their quarters, "she attacked me, and when I wouldn't fight back, she pushed me out the door!" He whined to his brothers. "You didn't fight back?" Eleazar questioned with a knowing eye on his brother. "Well, not properly!" Aro answered, he sounded like a child. All three laughed lightly at his tone, quite desperate for some relief from the tension. They fell into a comfortable silence thinking over recent events. Aro played over in his mind the damn good hiding he'd just delivered to his young vampire boys.
"Right my boys, now to deal with you…" Demetri sat rigidly in his seat, Felix, who was still on the floor started to push himself backwards, not daring to take his eyes off either Aro, or the whip in his hand. Aro walked right through the middle of them and made straight for their shared bedchamber. "Come." He called darkly as he passed by.
Neither willing to anger the formidable vampire further, they both hurried to their feet and through the arched hall way and into their bed chamber, crashing into each other at the doorway as they did so. It was a large room, a bed for each of them against opposite walls, with a closet each nearby and drawers flanking either side of their beds. Simple, but comfortable, and everything they needed. In the centre of the wall facing the door way was a fire place where a few logs burned pleasantly away. Aro was already standing over the fire place, leaning on the wooden surround and watching the fire crackle. It reminded him of the blazing bodies in his castle grounds comprised of the rogue, unlawful vampires.
Looking back at his boys lingering in the door way he wondered whether to forget the whole thing and lie to Caius. But if he was caught out, it would add fuel to Caius' insistence that his bond with them was a danger to coven security… he couldn't risk that. And he knew he would have to parade Felix and Demetri around Caius' quarters after he'd belted them anyway for Caius' wrath to be put at ease. Should I talk to them about their thoughts? Should I tell them I know how they feel about me? No, it's not the right time, I need to check Alec and Jane first, and talk with Sulpicia… she's going to kill me for this, he thought sadly.
With neither one coming into the room, the pair just stuck in the door way together, Aro moved towards them to take charge. Felix assumed he would be first, but no, Aro grabbed Demetri by his right hand and guided him over to his bed. He readied the folded whip in his swing arm and with his left hand, pushed Demetri's head into the bed clothes, face first. He didn't wait, he didn't talk, there was no warm up, before Demetri had realized what was going Aro started his onslaught. Most of the vicious strikes caught Demetri's upper legs and ass, a few errant swings landed on the top of his back. Demetri reacted the same way to them all though, he was screaming into the bed sheets, arms and legs flailing around behind him; as Aro had tight hold of him by his head he was getting nowhere, fast.
Why muffle his cries? Felix thought. Hahaha, you pussy, you're scared Sulpicia will hear this! Hahaha! Brilliant. Aro happened to look over at Felix as the youthful grin appeared on his face. Raging at the boy's complacency he released Demetri and ordered Felix to spread himself across his own bed. All good feelings gone now, Felix was terrified. Unneeded breathes hitched in his throat and stray venom tears rolled down his cheeks. Aro hadn't started yet and he was crying… for the love of god what is wrong with me. Appalled at his own weakness, Felix mentally berated himself as he listened to Aro talk with Demetri.
Aro sat next to Demetri and pulled the boy up so his full body could rest easily on the double bed. The kid was choking on his own venom, trying to catch his breaths between coughing and spluttering, he was a mess. He didn't seem to notice Aro's presence. You're always so dramatic, I hardly whipped you at all for god sake. Aro decided to be useful to the boy and started to remove his clothes. Demetri was wearing his light guard uniform, as they all had been. Aro removed his tunic and draped it on the chest of drawers. With the boys protest at any movement increasing Aro decided to cover him with a blanket instead.
"Do you know why I did that Demetri?" he asked the boy, gripping his chin sternly as he did so. "Yes master" Demetri's automatic reply. Hmm, that won't do, Aro thought. "You know not to that word inside these walls." His boy nodded, though a little confused. "I whipped you because of your defiance. Not because of what Felix had done, your own defiance. Do you understand? You left Athenodora on your watch without being ordered to. I don't disagree that you had to, you did the right thing in my mind. But Caius has every right to call for your head for leaving her. You know that, yes?" Demetri nodded again. He understood.
Aro smiled softly, "and I know about the newborns you have been playing with!" Demetri's eyes widened in shock at this little revelation, yes, that's right, I know everything you defiant little sod! Aro thought to himself. "I've punished you because if I didn't I would have to turn you over to Caius for his own retribution when he finds out you have been fucking half his newborn trainees. I may not be willing to rip off your head, but I will whip you until you see the error of your ways," he gave the boys chin a pinch to show he expected a response, "I-I-und-understand-Mas, erm, Aro?" Aro smiled at his response. Though looking at the broken boy he wondered how Felix was going to fair, he hoped his clothes tore quickly!
Rising from Demetri's bed, Aro crossed the room to an outstretched Felix and sat near his head. "Aro, I am so sorry" "Quiet! It is time for you to listen Felix. I have read your thoughts already boy, I know how long this has been going on, I know how often you played fast and loose with MY sister's life. I bared witness to your blatant disrespect, and you forced my hand in the throne room - having to punish you in such public manner is not something I take lightly, as you well know. I have been forced into this position now, or risk losing you. I will not risk losing you Felix - any of you." Felix had nodded along miserably to Aro's words, now there was a gap he wanted to show his understanding, "I understand our gifts are precious…" "YOU DAMN FOOL!" Aro roared at his charge.
Rising he went to the foot of Felix' bed. Uncoiling the whip in his hand he looked disgusted with his whole right arm, as though it wasn't his own. Bringing the whip up high, Aro shared his final thoughts with his son, "I will not risk losing any of you Felix, not your gifts, you are worth far more to me than your damn gifts. You are mine, my children, I would protect you all with my life." Demetri and Felix heard the words they had been imaging for many years, the Felix-trademark beaming smile was back plastered across his face.
And then came the whistle, and then the bite, and then the smile turned to grimace, and his face became stricken, contorting in agony. Felix screamed in pain, Aro roared in fury - fury at his son's recklessness, and fury at being forced into this hateful position. He held to the hope, perhaps the hope beyond hope that after this night he could begin to forge new relationships with these two boys, one that was honest in word and deed about what the meant to each other. Of course, Felix had to make it through this biting whip first…