Yes, I'm still alive! This chapter has given me a tremendous joy in writing. I love to describe the interaction between Dettlaff and Livia. Slowly but steadily they approach each other and try to understand each other. As always, I wish you a lot of fun while reading and would be happy about any feedback.
Yours
Salka_chan
No man's land
Two months had passed. Livia paused briefly to breathe in the fresh air and enjoy the warm sunshine on her face after what felt like an eternity.
Velen was clearly not one of her favorite places. The smell of death and decay was mostly in the air and in combination with the rising temperatures and the rotting corpses caused an unpleasant knot in her stomach. The overwhelming mass of exposed corpses disturbed and shook her at the same time.
When she saw the first gallows at the border of Velen, she sharply breathed in and her nose started to burn. Her attentive companion did not miss the growing fear of the young woman, which is why he stroked her tenderly over her trembling shoulder. The bond of friendship had become increasingly strong during their journey together. There were several nights in which they listened to each other spellbound. Stories like echoes from the past, actions, feelings and attempts to explain themselves to the other person. Over time, the initially delicate weave developed into a strong bond of familiarity, so gentle approaches such as stroking over the shoulder were no longer unusual.
The young alchemist noticed already at the beginning of her journey that the vampire had difficulties in some cases to put his feelings into words and instead sought physical contact. She had to smile as she recalled a certain evening in her mind's eye.
She ended with Regis' helping intervention and gave a sigh of relief. The warm light of the campfire dispelled the eerie darkness of the night in its immediate vicinity and at the same time warmed the shivering young woman. The call of an owl resounded in the distance. Grinding her teeth, she had to admit to herself that she had clearly underestimated the large temperature fluctuations when planning her journey.
But the low ambient temperature was not solely responsible for the constant trembling of her body. During her narration she did not notice the gradual transition to a re-experience in which she had to face this situation again. She felt as if she was right in the middle of it and could almost feel the man's hard grip and the mossy forest floor beneath her. The curious accomplices, who let their lustful looks wander over the body of the then little girl. She felt some tears running down her cheeks and wrapped her arms firmly around her upper body.
The burgeoning rage of the vampire was literally tangible. To calm the situation she wiped her cheeks in a fidgety way and looked into Dettlaff's blue eyes. "It's... This is in the past, and I have learned from my mistakes."
His intense gaze rested on her as his jaw tightened. "Yet you made the same mistake again with Sebastion."
Her eyes widened in shock for a moment before she angrily grabbed her book and jumped up. In rage she hurled it towards the surprised vampire, who, however, had little trouble avoiding it.
"Yes! I have made the same mistake again!" Her voice trembled with unbridled rage. "Do you think I haven't thought about this for the past few weeks? That I have called you to me thoughtlessly? No! I despise myself for this stupid mistake! I despise all men! They're vile and want only one thing from women!" She could no longer hold back her tears. Slumped down, she grabbed herself by her shirt. "I despise my body! Strange men have touched it in places that..." She couldn't bring herself to finish the sentence.
" Livia." His deep voice barely more than a whisper. The one who was addressed startled and saw the vampire in front of her. Deep pain and unrestrained compassion were reflected in his eyes.
She swallowed heavily before answering with a soft whisper. "But most of all I despise myself for the fact that you were badly wounded because of me. And more than that, you killed for me." Livia averted her gaze. "I'm sorry."
" Livia." His voice was a little louder now. "I didn't mean to hurt you with my statement. I just wanted to ask you to be more careful in the future."
Hesitantly, she looked up at Dettlaff and realized that he more than regretted his chosen words at the beginning of this situation.
"Please forgive me. I'm not accustomed to using human language in such situations."
Livia now looked at him confused through her veil of tears. "What do you usually do in these situations?" Her voice was barely more than a whisper.
His hand paused just in front of her face, while different emotions were reflected in his eyes. He seemed to be indecisive about what to do next, before he asked her in a soft tone of voice, "May I?"
Not turning her eyes away from him she nodded slightly.
Tenderly he touched her cheek with his fingertips before he enclosed it with the palm of his hand. Livia felt goose bumps on her arms while the hairs on her neck were rising. Shortly afterwards he lifted his second hand and did the same on the other side of her face. Trembling, she looked into Dettlaff's eyes and absorbed his gentle touch. Compared to his imposing size she felt small and weak. Why did no environmental noise reach her ear? The wheel of time seemed to have lapsed into rigidity.
With his thumb he stroked her trembling lower lip. "Breathe," he whispered in a tense voice and she felt his cool breath on her face. Livia could not remember when she stopped her breathing. She took a breath through the slightly opened mouth and noticed her mind calming down. A feeling of comfort enveloped her, taking her completely, forgetting the fears of the past. Soft wings embraced and carried her into a state of weightlessness. Her spirit felt free and longing ecstatically for more of this sensation.
She closed her eyes and sighed with bliss as she cuddled her head tighter against one of his large hands. A sensual smile played around her lips. "Dettlaff, that's not fair."
Her euphoria was reflected in her chosen tone. When she opened her eyes again, she could not interpret the expression on Dettlaff's face.
" Aren't you allowed to be happy?"
"How do I know that this is really so? A few seconds ago, I almost broke down in grief. You influence my mind, suggesting it that it must be happy."
"You told me that friends should be there for each other. This is my way of helping a friend. Do you find it disgusting?"
The young woman thought briefly about his question. "No, but rather a bit scary. Is this still me talking to you now?"
He bent down to her until she felt his warm forehead on hers. "I can't change your personality, only to a certain extent increase or decrease your feelings."
Livia bit her lower lip. " Regis, he... he did it then, too, to prevent me from running away screaming and informing the people in the village that there is a vampire in the forest. Just like at the cemetery when...", she paused as Dettlaff approached her. One hand wandered around her narrow waist while the other rested protectively on the back of her head. The cold leather of his coat was soft, while the familiar smell of tonka beans enveloped her. Surprised, she noticed that his body radiated a pleasant warmth in waves. A feeling of unity overcame Livia. She lost herself completely in this embrace and let her mind go. When was the last time she had felt that protected? Before she could waste another thought on it, a pleasant groan escaped her and she pressed herself closer to the body of the vampire. It was less than three seconds before she realized what she had just done. Horrified by her own behavior, she wanted to get out of the intimate embrace, but Dettlaff only strengthened his grip around her petite body.
"Your life is far too short to waste it thinking about the past. Livia, your body is pure and flawless. Live in the present and do not let anything stop you from your plans. Live."
It was already in the late afternoon when they reached the small fishing village Oreton. On the sandy shore were all the boats of the local fishermen, which had been converted into stalls at short term. Surprised, Livia noticed the numerous garlands of flowers and the hustle and bustle of the inhabitants, which stood in stark contrast to the no man's land and the oppressive atmosphere of Velen. She glanced questioningly at the vampire, who just shrugged with his shoulders and with a movement of his head indicated that he wanted to see the lively goings-on from close up.
Children laughingly hopped around among the working adults, singing their traditional spring songs. The women's dresses were designed in striking colors and contained elaborately embroidered floral patterns. Livia's eyes started to glow at this merry scene. The festive mood of the people rubbed off directly on her and she clapped her hands in joyful excitement. "I think we'll leave some money here!"
The corner of Dettlaff's mouth hardly twitched at all while he looked down at her with an amused expression in his eyes. "You should consider that we still have a long way to go, Livia."
Annoyed, she threw her head back, twisted her eyes theatrically and waved off with a nervous hand movement. "Yes. I've been frugal so far. All the more we should get out of ourselves now! Come along! If you see anything that interests you, let me know." With these words she turned away from the vampire and disappeared into the hordes of people.
Surprised by the sudden drive of the young woman, he followed her in silence.
His facial features stiffened when Dettlaff realized that the last major gathering of humans he had been in was the Beauclair incident. Blinded by irrepressible hatred, unending grief and grueling loneliness, he set a large part of his pack against the people who lived there. The streets of the city smelled of fear and blood that night. Subconsciously, his gaze wandered to Livia's neck. Her long blonde hair was tied up, revealing her slender neck. The young alchemist's skin was very light in tone, making the blue of her veins stand out in some places. He briefly ran his tongue over his thin lower lip. He condemned the thirst for blood as both a low and reprehensible lust. Blood is not required by his kind for survival and serves only to satisfy the vampiric urge. Attacking and hurting the weaker ones was not in his personal nature.
The familiar bright voice tore him from his thoughts.
Livia examined the displayed goods of a stand and asked the salesman in a chatty tone: " Hello there. We are travelers on our way to Oxenfurt. Sir, can you tell us what festival is celebrated here?"
The person addressed laughed loudly and held his somewhat plump belly. "Girl, don't talk formally. There are no gentlemen here. We're simple fishermen and don't give a fuck about manorial tones." To underline his statement, he squeezed a nostril with his index finger, breathed out forcefully and a considerable amount of snot flew into the meadow in a high arc.
The young woman blinked in surprise.
"You two must come from far away if you do not know what is being celebrated here today. Does the term Belleteyn mean nothing to you? It is a fertility festival that begins at sunset on April 30 and ends at sunrise on May 1. It is also the traditional time to start or end a relationship." He threw a meaningful look at her. "Eating, drinking and Love is sort of the order of the day tonight. A leap through the bonfire at midnight is said to bring luck and fertility! Everyone is welcome to attend this spectacle!"
The trader leaned forward and demanded the young woman with a gesture of his hand to do the same. Conspiratorially, he looked at her before whispering in her ear. "Don't worry, I'm sure your father won't be able to take his eyes off some buxom women at the festival. Take advantage of this moment and then sneak away. You'll be surprised at the fine fellows who live in Oreton." He winked at her encouragingly and patted her shoulder firmly.
Her eyes now widened in surprise, she looked at the chatty trader without understanding. "Father?"
"Yeah, I guess you're lucky you have more of your mother in you. This serious face would otherwise be a deterrent to young men. Personally, I'd prefer the plague maid of the fyke isle."
With a grin he showed his yellowish teeth while pointing to the island in the distance. "Now, what can I do for you? For such a nice girl, I'd lower my prices a little. After all, today is a celebration of love!" This statement did not remain hidden from the other customers and joyful screeching resounded from all sides.
Livia was pushed away by a crowd of women eager to buy, which is why she could only wave back to the dealer in thanks.
Her shoulders were embraced by two large hands. Surprised, she laid her head back and looked into Dettlaff's tense face. The deep blue of his eyes stood out especially in the sunlight. She pursed her lips before she glanced at him shyly. "Yes, Father?"
One of his eyes twitched treacherously and the expression of his gaze betrayed a hint of amusement.
Before he could respond, the young woman continued with a pleading look: "Please let us participate in today's celebration. It's been a long time since I've witnessed such a spectacle, and together we could certainly enjoy it!"
His grip around her shoulders stiffened noticeably and he thoughtfully pressed his lips firmly together. "Hmmmm. I'm not sure this is a good idea."
She now turned to him with a sigh and put her arms to her sides. "Hey! You wanted to learn about the conventions of common society. This is a perfect opportunity! Besides, you are not alone in all this! I will be at your side the whole evening and keep all misfortune away from you. I promise. See me as a good luck charm."
Dettlaff never let her out of his sight. "What if I don't like it?"
"Then we'll pack our bags and go. It's that simple."
He puffed out the air audibly before nodding in approval. " I will hold you to your word."
Livia jumped out of joy. "Very nice! Let's have a funny evening. I already know where to start." She grabbed one of his hands and pulled him behind her. Without resistance, the vampire allowed her to lead him away from the hustle and bustle of the crowd and frowned in confusion. "What exactly are you up to?"
When she indicated to him to stop at the place assigned to him, she quickly replied: "Please wait here for a moment, I'll be right back."
The vampire's forehead was now completely wrinkled as he looked after the excited young woman. Shortly afterwards, however, his attention drifted to an island in the middle of the lake. It emitted a malicious aura with which it apparently tried to keep curious and onlookers at a distance.
In the meantime, Livia had reached the point of her interest. All kinds of sweets and pastries were offered for sale and the smell of fresh caramelized sugar enveloped the stand with an invisible sweet shell. Smiling, she looked at the assortment on offer and began to wonder.
During their journey together, a little game arose between the two of them, which was fought out with undisguised eagerness. It had begun during one of their nightly discussions around the campfire. She wanted to teach the vampire some principles of human thinking and behavior, while he also tried to explain his thoughts in detail. However, the course of the conversation ended unexpectedly on a personal level. Dettlaff showed a great interest in her, her likes and dislikes, and the young woman had the same reaction to the charismatic vampire. In the course of this dialogue, Livia came up with the idea of integrating this question and answer game into the everyday life of her journey. One of them expressed a wish, while the other one had to fulfill it as best as possible. The wish or request was to contain a question as a theme, what interests one of them about the other.
The smell of the sweets brought the young woman back into the busy life of reality. It was her turn to fulfill a wish made by Dettlaff. Two nights ago he had asked her what would make her happy. If he were human, she would have answered this question much more easily. Words would have been more than sufficient, but to him she wanted to answer this question with a gesture. After she had made up her mind, she paid for her shopping and made her way back, taking care to hide the surprise behind her back.
When he noticed her and turned towards her, she could not help smiling a little while her cheeks took on a slightly reddish tint.
The vampire did not seem to notice the people around him, as his intense gaze was focused solely on the young woman. As she stood in front of him, he tilted his head to catch a glimpse of her hands behind her back.
Involuntarily the image of a big fluffy bat came into her head, hanging upside down on a branch and also tilting its head in curiosity. In the background one could briefly hear the sound of an owl echoing over the forest. Livia laughed out loud, which caused Dettlaff to bend his head even further and narrow his eyes.
"Don't cheat." Livia needed a short moment to catch herself before she continued talking. "I have a little surprise for you, but you have to do exactly as I say. Do you trust me?"
An almost childlike curiosity appeared in the blue eyes of the man. "What am I supposed to do?" From his deep voice a euphoric undertone could be heard.
Full of joyful expectation she bit her lower lip slightly. "I would like you to bend down a little and close your eyes."
For a brief moment she thought that he would not grant this wish, before he hesitantly closed his eyes and approached her.
"Now please open your mouth a bit."
His jaw tightened as he drew his eyebrows in confusion. However, when he complied with this request, the sharp fangs of the vampire immediately revealed to the young woman. She had to resist the irresistible urge to nudge them curiously with her fingers and check them for sharpness. Instead, she pulled out the sweet bun , broke off a bite-sized piece of it and carefully pushed it into his mouth. She briefly touched his lower lip with her finger and was surprised to find that it was pleasantly soft.
Dettlaff sharply sucked in the air during this short touch. Embarrassed, she pulled back her hand and watched him with undisguised interest. When he opened his eyes, they moved to the opened sweet bun .
A gentle smile lay on her lips. "You asked me a few days ago what would make me happy. The little attentive gestures in everyday life bring a smile to my face. I love sweets, but it is much more fun to share them with someone else. The same goes for moments when I am scared, for example, and you put your hand on my shoulder to calm me down. You probably feel the same way about this. I hope I could answer that question satisfactorily for you?"
The vampire stared at her with an indefinable look. "I thank you for that answer and for giving so much thought into it. I am happy with small gestures in my daily life too. Especially those in which your humanity emerges." Amused, he looked down on her.
"Hey! What exactly do you mean by that?!"
He bent down to her again and smiled slightly. "Do you really want to waste your wish on a question like that?"
Uncertain, she took a few steps back. At the beginning of her journey she feared that the vampire would be an unpleasant and silent travel companion. These suspicions were nullified, as was her prejudice that the man had no sense of humor.
She gave the black-haired man a challenging look. "No. I will take some time for my next wish. In the meantime, I would like to do something else with you."
Confidently he approached her closer and crossed his arms in front of his upper body. "I am curious about what will happen next."
Wolfishly she grinned at him. "Do you know Gwent? At every feast a round must be played. I LOVE to bet high and it makes me INSANELY happy to win. Losing is not an option for me in this game!"