Book I: The Three Dynasties
Chapter XIV: A family Reunion
Northern Hungarian Territory: Ördögház: 582 AD
A furious Viktor sat atop his throne digging his claw like fingers into the polished silver arms of his seat, he casts his penetrating cobalt gaze at the assembled men in front of him, before turning to the figure at his right, he gave a reassuring nod to his trembling daughter. "Mortals attacked my home, mortals attacked the home in which my daughter lives, a place where she should be safe. Not only that, but these same mortals steal away with the first of our bloodline, and very nearly incinerate the last Princess of the Vorenus family. I trust you have something for me?"
"We were taken completely by surprise My Lord." Kraven spoke up, as he nervously eyed his master's mood. "They knew what the were doing, they used Greek fire, they had the sun to cover them… most of them got away, the lycans killed a few, and one of them dragged one of the intruders back to its cage, it was obviously saving him for later."
"Has he said anything yet?" Viktor demanded.
"No My Lord." Kraven bowed "We thought you would want to…" Kraven paused for a moment, he knew he had to choose his words carefully in the presence of Viktor's daughter "…interrogate the mortal."
"Sonja my dear would you give us a few moments please?" Viktor spoke softly.
"But father…" She pleaded
"Please." He spoke in a slightly firmer tone "Why don't you go check on Amelia, she will enjoy seeing you."
Viktor waited until his guards had closed the doors behind his daughter before allowing his face to turn to a scowl of pure hatred. "Bring him in."
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As Viktor looked on, two Vampire warriors in heavy armour drag a beaten and broken man to the foot of his throne. Limp and shackled the long haired man managed the drag himself to his knees, and come face to face with the steely gaze of Lord Viktor. "Do not beg for your life mortal." Viktor spoke in an ominous tone, which even intimidated his fellow vampires. "Your life is already over, it was over the instant you and your treacherous ilk ventured near my home. All that you can hope for now is a sudden death, one that I am willing to grant you as long as you are useful to me."
The captured mortal swallowed hard and nodded in agreement at Viktor's question.
"Who are you?" Viktor demanded
The captured man was hesitant "Andreas, my name is Andreas."
"You speak the language of these lands?" Viktor sneered "You are a Magyar?"
"Yes My Lord." He nodded
"So tell me, what Magyar Prince dares challenge me for control of my dominion?"
"No Magyar Prince My Lord." The Man spoke nervously. "He was a foreigner, his men recruited me on their way here."
"Why would anyone want to recruit you?" Viktor half laughed.
"I speak different languages My Lord… there are some that consider this useful."
Viktor let out a hearty laugh as he cast his attention to Kraven. "You said you had captured me a soldier… this is just a translator." After his moment of amusement Viktor returned to his usual icy demeanor "Now tell me, where exactly were these foreigners from?"
"They used Greek fire My Lord." Kraven interrupted "They must have been Byzantine…soliders of Constantinople… Amelia's allies."
"Ridiculous!" Viktor spat "She was nearly killed in the attack, I saw her myself. No, Amelia has had the Byzantine emperors eating out of the palm of her hand for three decades. You, Mr. Translator will tell me exactly who hired you."
"He was a Franc." Andreas replied instantly.
"A Franc." Viktor replied "You mean some… Celt from Gaul has ventured all the way to my territory?"
"He is not a Celt My Lord." Andreas replied nervously "He is a Merovingian."
There was a sudden surge of hushed whispers from Viktor's Throne room, until a single gaze from their master brought them back into silence "Hhmm…" Viktor laughed slightly "…A Merovingian, the keepers of the blood line of Christ, what would they be doing in these savage lands?"
"Well now they are not just the keepers of Christ's blood line, are they My Lord?" Andreas asked Viktor "Now they have Markus Corvinus as well."
A flash of realization swept across Viktor's face, causing the old Warlord to rise from his seat, "Kraven!" Viktor bellowed.
"My Lord?" He bowed
"As soon as it gets dark, take the Hibernian, a group of my soldiers and a pack of hounds, find Markus, bring him back and kill all of the mortals that are with him."
"Yes My Lord." Kraven bowed as he, along with his Irish colleague stepped forward from the shadows. "What will you do My Lord?"
"I will ready my forces, incase Corvinus tries to free his brother."
"What should we do with the prisoner My Lord?" One of his guards asked.
Viktor drew his sword and approached the kneeling man, as the frightened young man closed his eyes Viktor drew his sword back high above his head. Andreas closed his eyes tightly as Viktor was poised to strike "How many languages do you speak?"
"What?" He breathed heavily.
"How many languages do you speak?" Viktor repeated himself.
"Six fluently My Lord." He mumbled "Magyar, Latin, Greek, Francish, Persian and Saxon… I can also hold my own with several of the Eastern languages."
Viktor nodded for a moment "What is your family name boy?"
"Tannis My Lord." He swallowed hard.
"It is your lucky day Andreas Tannis." Viktor sneered as he sheathed his sword and headed for the door "Take him to the library."
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Pest Settlement, Hungary 582 AD
Magic Hour, the source of a thousand pagan superstitions, there were those who still believed the stories of the ancient religions, that this time of the day allowed a glimpse into another world, a world of spirits and fairies. Markus Corvinus never believed in these myths, but he welcomed this time of day, for although it may not mark the arrival of spirits, the dying sun meant one thing… he was back in the fight. After finding a shady place to stop the carriage driver opened the doors to what had been Markus's sanctuary, the first Vampire stood before the carriage driver and his new Merovingian associates. He was healed from his earlier encounter with the sun, his glowing cobalt eyes left all those who looked upon him in a state of awe. "Mark my words gentlemen…" Markus began in a confident unflinching tone "…the service you have done for me today will not be forgotten. You will be rewarded in ways no mortal King could ever reward you. You serve the Merovingian blood-line, yet what has it done for you. Gentlemen mark my words, the Corvinus bloodline will see your Kings fall back into the dust from whence they first crawled. Join me… and eternity shall be yours."
The dozens of soldiers that escaped Ördögház with Markus exchanged nervous glances, that was until the man who had led them to Markus emerged from the carriage behind the Vampire. Lestat. "My brave warriors, you know I am not a solider, our King sent me with you to talk… to negotiate for the gift of Immortality. Well now it is being offered to us, and are we to take it back to Gaul, to a King who would send us to die in this Godforsaken place, or do you fight for Lord Corvinus? We fight for a new life…"
"This is blasphemy!" One of the Merovingian soldiers called out "The blood of our Lord Jesus Christ flows in the veins of our King."
"Jesus Christ?" Corvinus bellowed "Jesus Christ? Why put your faith in the blood of a dead God, when I offer you the blood of a living God… and all the powers that come with it."
"You would give us all Immortality?" Another soldier called out.
"Every single one of you, now what is it to be… a dead God that exists only in the blood of your King, and the hypocritical rants of a corrupt church… or me, the man who is offering you eternity on a plate?"
Markus allowed himself to grin as one by one the dozens of men who stood before him removed the Merovingian colours they wore, threw them to the ground a dropped to a knee before him. "What is your plan… My Lord?" Lestat asked with a bow.
"We find somewhere to shelter for a day or two, on the outskirts of the settlement, somewhere dark… and near livestock. I'll turn you all."
"All of us?" Lestat asked.
"Every last one." Markus nodded "Tell me Lestat, where is Holtz? Where are those Vampires I left guarding my brother?"
"We sent riders to fetch them My Lord, they should be joining us here soon, but if I may speak freely?"
"Please do." Markus encouraged him.
"Even when they get here, that will only be another twenty men at most, even with the fifty odd we have here, it is hardly an army My Lord. There are rumors that Viktor and yourself spent three decades building his and Amelia's Legions. We will be crushed."
"We will make our stand with my brother Henry, he will not turn me away… even if he wants to."
"Do you think he has an army?"
"He is a Corvinus." Markus smiled "Now come, we have work to do."
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Fortress Corvinus: Outskirts of Pest Settlement, four days later.
A group of soldiers stand like sentinels in their wooden watchtower, their fortress is a mishmash of Roman, Germanic and Magyar design. A network of wooden buildings, surrounded by a vast moat, a wooden fence as dense and as high as the Black Forrest, and a network of watch towers surveying as far as the eye can see. One of the soldiers is suddenly alerted by something, a mass of men moving in the distance "Riders Approaching!" He calls to his commander.
"Whose standards do they bear?" The commander asked calmly as he cast his glance to the distance.
"Are those our banners sir?" The younger soldier asked
The Commander narrowed his gaze as the waving banner of the Corvinus clan approached their position. "What treachery is this?" He whispered under his breath "TO ARMS!"
The approaching riders came to a halt at the edge of the moat, at the head of this small force, was Markus Corvinus, to his left a slight figure encompassed in a dark maroon cloak, his mysterious Alchemist, the man known only as Holtz. And to his right, the handsome Franc, and former Merovingian Emissary, Lestat. Following them, a small army of men, their eyes all a shining shade of cobalt, many of them with visible fangs. The bridge across the moat was not in place, and Markus was hardly surprised by what happened next, the huge wooden gates to the fortress opened, entire columns of men armed with pikes and shields, all wearing heavy dark armour filed out and took up a defensive position, from the watch towers and ramparts the flicker of flaming arrows became visible as archers took aim. Huge caldrons of boiling tar were wheeled into place, and the sound of galloping and horses could be heard from the surrounding countryside, Markus cast a glance over his shoulder as a huge cavalry force wielding lances blocked off their path of retreat.
"I told you that he would have an army." Markus grinned as a nervous Lestat beheld the fortress.
"Yes My Lord, but I was under the impression that they would be happy to see us."
Markus did not answer Lestat, instead he allowed himself to smile as the draw bridge descended and a group of warriors came into focus. They sauntered across the bridge, they were not in formation, nor were they particularly alarmed. There leader, a man in his thirties, tall and impressive, with a shock of red hair tied behind him. "Markus Corvinus I presume?" He asked in an unimpressed tone.
"Alexander." Markus exclaimed as he leapt from his horse "The last time I saw you, you were no more than an infant, and now look at you… all grown up… a man."
"Why are you here?" He asked sternly
"I need to speak with your father." Markus replied in a serious tone.
"Hhhmm" Alexander nodded as he eyed Markus's men "Your men will have to stay here."
"That is not wise My Lord." Holtz whispered to Markus.
"Surely the great Markus Corvinus is not too scared to travel alone?" Alexander mocked him "No need to answer, you may bring your Alchemist with you. The pretty boy and the rest of your men can stay here though."
"Very well" Markus nodded as Holtz descended from his horse to join his master "Lead the way."
Markus and his hooded Alchemist were lead across the bridge into the fortress, Alexander and his warriors seemed unimpressed by their new guests. "You're not afraid of us are you boy?" Markus asked as the bridge was raised behind them, cutting them off from their men.
"I have no reason to be." Alexander grinned, as his warriors laughed a little.
"I could think of a few." Holtz sneered, the glow of his eyes becoming visible beneath his hood.
"Holtz." Markus hissed at him.
"You forget where you are alchemist." Alexander replied in a menacing tone, before reaching over his shoulder and producing a mace from his back.
"Do not be headstrong Alexander." Markus patronized him slightly, grabbing the wrist of
his weapon hand "I am sure you are a capable warrior, but you are not a Vampire."
"No uncle…" Alexander grinned slightly as he wrenched free of Markus's grip and allowed his eyes to turn a menacing shade of blue, before displaying a set of ivory white fangs. "I am something else."
"What is this?" Markus demanded "How is this possible."
"This is not right my lord!" Holtz called out, only to be restrained by Alexander's warriors, all of whom had the same cobalt eyes as their leader.
"I don't care what you are, I will not be threatened." Markus hissed as he unsheathed his sword.
"ENOUGH!" A weary voice bellowed.
Despite the fact it had aged, Markus recognized the voice, and instantly turned to face it. "Brother." He breathed, as he looked upon the withered old man that stood at the end of the corridor. His hair and beard had turned white, his once powerful stance had been reduced to a slight hunch, and his armour had been replaced with traditional Magyar robes.
"It has been a long time Markus." Henry Corvinus sighed as he looked upon his timeless brother.
"Yes it has brother." Markus replied.
"I am sure you have questions."
"Yes I do." Markus replied.
Henry let out a sigh and nodded "Put down your weapons… and I will do my best to answer them."
"Father!" Alexander spoke sternly.
"I still command here!" Henry barked at his son "Put down your weapons, I will speak with my brother alone." Alexander placed his mace on his back once again, as his warriors released their grip on Holtz, only then did Markus sheathe his sword. "Your Alchemist will be safe here Markus… Come with me."
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Two sons of the Corvinus clan sat facing each other for the first time in three decades, they both studied each other for a time, neither one breaking their silence, that was until the Elder brother finally spoke the first word "What…"
"What is my son?" Henry asked
"Yes." Was Markus's simple reply.
Henry said nothing, he looked down allowing his long grey hair to fall in front of his face, then slowly he lifted his head, his hair fell away from his features revealing a menacing cobalt stare and Ivory fangs. "He is the same as me."
"My God." Markus mumbled "Brother what has become of you?"
"That is an interesting tale, however I can not give you a simple answer. Thirty six years ago you came to this settlement to ask me to join you. You said that you could make me an Immortal, just like you. You said that like William had been transformed by a wolf, so to had you been transformed by a bat. I declined your offer, and you left… only you left the bat behind. It bit me. And over the next few days I became different… I became this."
"But you have aged brother. How can you be a Vampire?"
"I am not. Although this… condition has slowed the ravage of time I do age, and one day I will die."
"But how can Alexander have the same condition? He was born before the bat bit you?"
"He did not always have it. My other children were the first to inherit my… condition, it was only then I knew I could pass on my legacy."
"You have more children?" Markus smiled slightly.
"Fourteen altogether." Henry replied coldly "From five wives. I was confused when this transformation occurred, like you I turned to alchemists and Holy men for help. But then I went further a field… to Persia. Their knowledge of the body is not based on superstition, but on observation. Although they can not tell me why I have become this… they can tell me how others do. It is in my blood… and my seed apparently, for it is not only my children that have inherited my condition… but my wives as well… and their lovers."
"You allow other men to take your wives?" Markus spat in disgust.
"Yes." Henry nodded "For it is the only way our numbers could be increased. In these last three decades we have gone from me to more than a thousand."
"But how can you convince people to follow you?" Markus asked somewhat bewildered "These are superstitious people… God fearing people… I had a hard enough time convincing people to join me with immortality as an incentive. How did you do it?"
Henry laughed slightly at his brothers question "Before the Romans brought their new God here, the inhabitants of this savage land worshiped in a very different way… the Union of a man and a woman was a sacred act not a sin. I merely took us back to those old beliefs, it was not hard, when you have the money to control education, and the man power to drive out the priests you can achieve pretty much anything."
"Paganism." Markus sneered
"Survival Brother." Henry corrected him "Do not tell me you have not lied to sire your progeny."
Markus was left dumb struck at his brothers revelation "What does this condition allow you to do?" Markus finally asked.
"We are stronger than men…" Henry began proudly "… although not as strong as you, we are faster than men, although not as fast as you. We live longer than men… although Immortality is beyond our reach."
"The sun?" Markus asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Ah yes…" Henry began as he slowly removed a glove from his left hand and held up a twisted and disfigured claw, burned beyond recognition "…the sun is something of a problem."
"My God brother…" Markus choked "… you do not heal."
"Alas I do not." He smiled slightly as he slid his glove back on "If my flesh sees the sun, it stays scarred for life… or we burn to death slowly with prolonged exposure."
"Say one of your enemies were to strike you down with a sword…" Markus probed him.
"Then I would not get back up." Henry stated simply "We are as vulnerable to mortal wounds as all other men."
"How do you fight?" Markus asked in sympathy
"The same way I always have brother…" Henry smirked slightly "… I try to avoid mortal wounds."
Markus again fell into silence as he studied his brothers now withered features. "Viktor is coming for me brother."
"I rather thought that was why you were here." Henry nodded. "I trust he is bringing a legion with him?"
Markus merely nodded at his younger brother's question.
"I have long suspected that Viktor's share of the savage land would not keep him happy for long… I always knew that he would want more. I thought that when Amelia began to amuse herself with Byzantine Emperors, the Eastern Empire would be enough to keep her interest, but even she has returned to these lands… and now I trust your beloved former fiancé rides with Viktor?" Again Markus nodded. "Very well…" Henry continued "… I always knew that the progeny you and William sired would bring nothing but misery to our home… although I must admit, I rather thought William would be the biggest threat. It would seem that it is up to my bloodline to restore order."
"You mean…" Markus asked with a gleam of hope.
"I mean I have more than five hundred of my kindred at arms, one hundred of them cavalry, I can probably raise another few hundred mere mortals from the surrounding Villages. If we were to combine these with your force of Vampyres, we could defeat Viktor."
Markus breathed a sigh of relief, however he knew there was something he had to say "Brother before you agree to this, just remember, Viktor and Amelia each have a legion… we would be outnumbered and out matched."
"They are coming here for you… which means we can stay on the defensive, we hold this fortress at night and send the mere mortals after them during the day. We can win brother."
Markus smiled as he held out his hand "The sons of the Corvinus clan… together again." He smiled widely.
Henry returned his brothers smile and took his hand "Together again."