The beginning of all things

Written by; Thomas G. Arndt

With all good things come mistakes

Chapter 4

How could I have known that problem would bring others, I then went home and explained what had happened to Amy, she reassured me that it would be ok, and that we would watch to see which funeral home she was taken to. But she wasn't taken to a funeral home, she was taken to the coroner, I was beside myself, we moved as fast as we could, you see we had to save her and be there for the Prince. Then to my horror we found out why she was taken to the coroner, it seems that when a virgin pops, well they leave behind blood, coupled with me drinking her blood and her drinking mine, well there was a lot of blood. And now we were out of time, the Prince was in town and we had to explain my mistake to him, this was a fauxpas that could end my existence, and we would have to ask for his assistance on our behaves.

Timothy had set up the meeting sight as always, I had to bring in a favor that wasn't owed to me from Peter to watch Carla's body, and of course I had to sign has excuse from the meeting. Then both Amy and I walked in arm and arm as a sign of solidarity, and maybe just a little war mongering also, it wasn't that we were going to war, we just wanted to show our importance. They had set up a seat for the one whom was in trouble, and everyone I think had expected Timothy to sit there, it was a a surprise when I sat there, I could hear all the hushed whispers. I watched the Prince as he watched me sit down, in a way I think he really wanted to get rid of me, but in a way he had the problem of my mother, and he presence wouldn't make this an easy task. She then started to order people around so she could sit behind me, you should have seen how she commanded them, I had to be very proud of her with her power. Timothy had set up a table for them, it had five seats, the Prince would sit in the middle, his wife right to his left, and the rest of his council filled in the rest of the seats. As he was a Prince he had his guard, and they were at every corner of the table, and at every exit, no unwelcome guests would be allowed in while court was in session.

All the vampyres from the city then took their seats, then his entourage then took their seats behind all them, it was a very formal sight. He then used a very large stone and brought it down on the table, the crowd then grew quiet, but not totally silent. He then had to look at me, I saw his eye's drift to my mother, I knew he wanted to do this in the correct way. So he stood up and moved to the front of the table and sat on the edge, it was his way of being informal, then he asked his very first simple question, " Ryan you are at fault in this? This saddens me."

I looked him straight in the eye's as I replied, " Yes, the funds escaped because of me, Tim's only fault is that I asked him to cover it up for me, but I grew to reckless."

He shook his head as he said, " But you've served me so well for nine years, and profits were up."

I knew if I mentioned what I used the funds for it would be an affront to the crowd, after all she was a mere human, so I answered with, " I'll take what ever punishment you deem, but if it be in your will I really don't want to leave this city." he looked at my mother so I added, " My mother only found out yesterday, she has no fault in this at all."

Amy's eye's showed indifference as she stood up and said, " Yes, but he is my child, and I can't fault him for what he did it for."

I had saved Timothy so it surprised me when he stood up also and said, " I do have news on this situation, but I have to be allowed to finish."

He then moved back around the table and as he sat down he waved his hand and said, " Make your case quickly, I haven't the time for this."

Timothy then cleared his throat as he went on, " The simplest way to put it was that he did it for love, but he made many mistakes on his way to it, and that Peter not being here is one of the reasons why he made these mistakes."

He looked at me and asked, " Did you fall in love with Peter?"

I could see why he came to this conclusion, so I immediately said, " No. He keeps her protect while I'm here facing the judgment of this council, she in in the midst of her change."

This spoke to the new vampyre that had been created, he leaned to his right to council with one of his council members, but his wife broke the silence as she asked, " Husband can I hear hoe he fell in love?"

His head came up with an immediate smile as he replied, everyone knew they were strange, as unlike most Prince's and Princesses weren't in love like they were, " How can I deign my lovely wife anything, Ryan you may tell my wife your love story."

I had to hope that this might save me so I started my story, I started at the beginning in great detail, how she found me, and my deception with her mind, then how we re-met over time, then I went into my odyssey in my final falling in love with her. I was very careful not to dwell on that real mistakes, then I went into the ordeal with her uncle, and how I had almost took all their lives, and how I figured a way out of it so not to implicate vampyres. Then I went into our joyful union and my final creating of her, and everything that transpired between us, she seemed to be on the edge of her seat. Then I I got to my final mistakes, I also got very sad at the prospects of what might be waiting for me after I left this meeting, and her face showed genuine concern as I ended my tale. I then ended my statement with a remorseful plead to try and save her, and why she must be guarded. He then sat back in his chair as unmoved as before, he then crossed his arm's as he gave me a stern look, he turned his attention to my mother then. She gave him a wary smile as he then asked, " Will you make this right or will I have to serve the will of the High Council?"

She nodded her head as she replied, " He loves her, but I should have been a better sire, I knew this was his first child, I should have witnessed it."

His smiles were always calculating, but his smile was bigger then this as he knew he had her, he then conferred with the other three. He then sat back as one of his council members then spoke, " Mistress you know this calls for his right hand, and in time he may have received it back. In this we though do not ask you of this, instead we just ask you of your time, it would be of great use to us if you open a true haven. The Prince will forgive Ryan of all offenses if you call out territory your own, as you know this calls for a haven, and your presence would make it a true haven."

Amy had a slight look of relief as she asked, " And can I make this haven where ever I choose, or will you dictate where I should go?"

The Prince then waved his hand as he replied, " I have no care where you make it just as long as it is in my territory. We have great power but lack the recognition we deserve. And as you are known for your peace mongering we will be seen a ward for peace also."

I knew this was wrong, she loved her house in Chicago, how could I make her leave her beloved haven there, then she surprised me with her next comment, " I've already left there, I was in the market for a new house anyways, plus I figured I would try to be close to my boy in Oklahoma City, so I sent my formal request in to the High Council, I only wait up on their letter." Of course my head snapped to her, and she was already giving me a big smile, she then added," But now that I've told you this, you must know that I follow my boy, and if any harm comes up on his head I will also make it known how you treat havens here in your territory, and in the end I would leave to never come back."

I couldn't believe it, she just threatened him, Timothy then spoke up and said, " She asked me the other day to find her a house, but I've only had enough time to narrow it down to about twenty houses. And with her final word I will go and find the proper house for her, and she has made it certain that the other ward in the city be represented in this, so as we stand we sit in limbo."

Oh I had to really smile at Timothy, he was a good man, he had left the Prince with a dilemma, and if we survived this I would ask him to live with us in our house. Then the Prince spoke up as he asked, " And what of your new love, will she be her first fledgling?"

He was very good at this game so I had to wonder as Amy replied, " Only if she survives her ordeal, you know they'll want to cut into her."

He knew he had put my life on the edge of a sword as he turned to conferee with the others three, as they talked the crowd grew ever so quiet, this had seemed to stun them. He shook his head as he came back with, " If she is to be one of ours then we must save her, but in the way you've sired her you've tied my hands, how many times did you allow her to feed off you?"

He had stepped it up for me, so what was I to say, so I went with what I knew, which after the start was little, " At least seven, maybe more." I replied then added, " After I started I was in the moment and can't tell you if I fed her more."

He turned to Amy and asked, " Do you know if seven will be enough?"

Even I knew the answer to this as she shook her head and replied, " I was negligent as a sire, I have no way of knowing, I should have been there, all we can really do is allow the family to have closure. I'm sure Ryan knows his duty to her now, he will be diligent in his presence to the protection at her grave sight."

This was the answer he was waiting for, so he turned to me and asked, " If she doesn't turn then what promise will you give me in return, will you give me your will in return, and I require it for thirty years, do you understand me?"

I knew what this meant, my life wouldn't be mine for thirty years, all my decisions would be his, even my final death. But she was mine, and my mind right then told me that I was hers, so I put my head down and nodded my head as I said the words he wanted to hear. " If my love doesn't rise, I commit my will to you for thirty years, this is my will to do and it will be your will to use as you see fit if this shouldn't occur, I so swear."

And of course that was my nail in my coffin so to speak, I had no way to know how he would use me, or if he even knew my past. All I knew is that I wanted her, and I think he knew that as he brought the stone down and said, " He has freely given me his will, and for now it is yours as we look to see if she turns, so it is spoken, so it is written, let it be done."

Was there anything that could save me at this point, yes, and with the glory of it she rose her hand, his wives hand came up, she would only do this to interrupt a judgment, and so would all if he didn't acknowledge her. He gave her a look as he asked in a flat tone, " Yes dear?"

She spoke at him more then to him, " I have a will to have him as part of my court if he fails, he has laid down his life for her, and I would have this to protect me. And Ryan if you should succeed I ask you to please consider being part of my court, I ask you to be my protector as you have been for your love."

How could you refused such a courtly request, so I had to smile at her as I said in truth, " As you know I've give my will to her, so my will isn't my own, if she should turn then put your request to her, and if she says yes then I will do her will and serve you my Princess."

My Prince had a great big smile on his face as he said, " Very well spoken young Ryan, if she shouldn't rise then he serves as my lovely wife's protector, if she should rise then his will will be tied to hers whom is our newest fledgling. So it is spoken, so let it be written, let it be done."

Then his stone came down, he waited a few moments as he looked around, then the stone came down again and he spoke again, " Is there any new business?"

And with this we had achieved what we had set out to do, so I removed myself from the chair and sat next to my mother, I held her hand as tightly as I dare. We would never leave a council meeting no matter how boring it was, even though my every thought was an my Carla. He finally ended the meeting with one final comment, " I will be back to see my new haven Amy, and I hope to see my new fledgling young Ryan, I would hope all this effort was for not."

As everyone left my only thought was to get to the coroners office, I had instructed Peter to keep their minds busy, but he informed how he had to also break several scalpels and how the power seemed to go down a few times. He had did me better service then I had asked for, but I had asked him to be vigilant and now I was asking him to be vigilant just for a little while longer, I had to wait up on Amy for the next part. She had to iron out a few details with Timothy on the purchase of her new house, she was very particular in the house she would live in, as I waited I called a friend whom was a friend to vampyre, he owned a mortuary, and set my simple plan in motion. He then made ready as I had told him of what we would do, this was really a simple part in general, the most complicated part would be handled by Amy as she was older, and I would handle the supplement parts as it were. She had to go into the mind of the coroner that was handling Carla's examination, what she had to do was no simple task, I had to grab hold of any doctors that were needed and redirect them to the point of need.

And that's why this would be Amy's job because it took so much control, most of our kind that didn't know what they were doing would irrevocably damage a humans brain, it took very careful manipulation here. Well unless you were or had a gypsy, but we were fresh out of them, plus the expense of hiring one could be prohibitive. And like I wanted to give up my first born child to them, well they are expensive, the first born child thing I just added, their ways were strange though. We had to work on then all the early evening, then in the morning when they came in we had them call the mother, oh we let them go home first of course. My friend made his appearance just as Amy had the doctor call her mother and release the body, my friend offered her unbelievable prices on a funeral, since I didn't have to work on him, I worked on one of her friends to help her out. She took all the information and handled the funeral needs, and two things then happened out of my control, one the funeral team arrived right after that, and the friend had to cover this, the second was just how much the funeral would cost.

Well it was really out of my hands anyways, I had kept the Prince informed at all the things that we were doing, he then bought her a golden coffin, who buys golden coffins anymore, I had to get with my friend to make sure it was a good mahogany one. I kept all the silk though, he also bought her so many bouquets of flowers, I mean the family should have of course bought flowers, he used personal florists to do this, and we had to go in and put from anonymous on every card. She had far more friends then she should have had, it was so beautiful, that when I could, I took pictures for and album for her, I wanted her to have a record of her funeral. As was the norm she lay in state for two days, then they closed her coffin, that night we removed her body, we may should have waited, but for some reason I felt safe in doing this. We took her body to my newly put on the market house, it was a common thing for the mortician to offer a private viewing. He felt that she was far beyond this viewing so he felt it was safe, and it was safer to remove her body because in Oklahoma and many states it was common to encase the body in cement, I was good but I don't think I could have dug through cement.

In the end she never had a private viewing, we know this because we had an army of vampyres watching the funeral. And that night we brought her home she had her first bath in my house, Amy and I gave it to her body, we had to remove all the stuff that made her look natural for the funeral, and as Amy put on her new underwear, I retrieved her dress that I had bought for her so many months ago. It was that navy blue dress with the black stones, we then moved her to Amy's bed, then we put her shoes on, I had retrieved two pair from her house, we decided on her sandals as they were easier to do up. Straps, who can't do up straps, of course I had no thought on the three inch heels, I just looked at what seemed to be easier to do up, in hind sight I should have put on her other shoes, not that she hurt her self or anything, you'll read. It was reassuring to already see the change within her, and Amy commented on how lovely the dress was, finally I laid her as I thought she would be the most comfortable. Then as we waited we did the only thing we could do, we went out and sat at my table and discussed the move to her new house which hadn't been decided yet.

As we sat there the most wonderful thing happened, it was as if seeing an angel that had rose from her slumber, she waked out and gave us a full yawn. I had to give her my loving smile as I asked, " How do you feel, do you need anything to eat, are you hungry?"

She smacked her lips as if she had just woken up from a long sleep and replied, " I'm starved."

Well you didn't have to tell me twice, I immediately got up and retrieved two cups of blood, with this I put a bottle of white wine under my arm and a fluted glass in between my fingers. Then I moved to the table where she sat down, I put one cup in front of her, the other just off the mate, and the fluted glass next to the first cup. I then said, " Drink the first cup straight down."

As she removed the lid I poured her a glass of wine, as she started to drink the blood Amy whom sat next to her said, " After that chase it with about half the glass of wine, then take your second cup and mix it with the wine, it's our way of hiding what we drink."

This was all new to her, but she did it as if she had done it all her life, and as she sipped at the wine I added, " We normally just down the last of the blood, but since it's your first time you can pour yourself a second glass of wine, it can be disconcerting your first time."

But she was a trooper and downed the cup, then went back to nursing her glass of wine, she then did pour her another glass of wine as she asked, " So now I live with you?"

I had to shake my head as of course she didn't know the news and replied, " I have to take care of you, but now you're under my Mom's roof, and it's good because she's relocating to the city so she can train you, she's looking for a house now."

She looked at me with a sad look as she asked, " Why can't I just live with you?"

I so wanted to hear this, and her new voice was like music as she spoke, I was so enthralled by this, it was Amy that spoke the news, " He will dearie, you see Carla, the Prince is forcing him to live with me also, so the two of you will be under the same roof."

Se had a worried look on her face as she asked, " Oh the Prince, I forgot about him, was he very mean to you, was he very mad at you?"

" HE WOULDN'T DARE!" My Mom said with a little force.

Carla had a little concern on her face as she asked, " Then what did happen?"

I had to chuckle as I replied, " I told a nice story of a love and many mistakes, he didn't buy any of it, then Amy threatened him, and of course laid down the law, he tried to side step, then his wife the Princess laid the law down, and in the end he saw the light."

" So you're not going to tell me, you're just going to tease me."

Amy then put her hand on her arm as she said, " He's telling you the truth, even though he's glossing over parts, it was touch and go at times, I had to threaten a sanction of his territory, his wife did step in, and in the end he had to recant, well except for one thing, and your arrival made him owe his will to another."

" Oh I'm sorry Ran, so do you owe your will to the Princess then?"

I replied with a big smile, " Not exactly, but lets not talk about that now."

Amy then said in a stern voice as she scolded me, " Ryan Allen Nolan! She deserves to know." " But-" is all I got out as she cut me off with, " It's you Carla, he now owes his will to you as your protector and sire."

She then squeaked out, " Me!"

I just nodded my head as Amy continued, " We should call the Prince and tell him you're awake, after all he wants to meet you as well."

She squeaked out again, " Me?"

I nodded my head with my great smile as I took her hand and said, " He's gone now, and he'll come back as soon as we get a house set up, he wants to see his first true haven, and of course his first true fledgling student."

" Whoa, well at least we'll be in the same room."

" Well not exactly."

" What, but I thought, Ran I want to be in your room, why can't we share a room?"

Amy took her chin in her hand as she said, " It's vampyre law, a new vampyre can't marry until they are six years old."

Carla crossed her arm's and said in a disgruntle voice, " It's a stupid law, do they even want any of us to get together?"

I replied, " Well it's because of our nature, you see we're loners at heart, you could say it's a form of vampyre consoling, you could think of it as premarital therapy."

Amy snapped, " That's why vampyre divorce rate is so high!"

Carla quickly asked, " What? Why?"

I then replied with a little chuckle as I believed I was right in Amy's thought, " She's just making a joke, the last vampyre divorce we can't even remember, so the divorce rate maybe as high as one maybe two percent."

But Amy quickly corrected me with, " No Ryan. I mean vampyre marriage is so rare these days, well unless it's political, they seem to happen once a month some place."

Amy had a scared look as she asked, " Could I be married off in a political marriage?"

" No dearie, you're to young yet, I have been offered up a few times, that's why I gave up my house until now. No one can make you wed if you have no home, or land, well at least until now."

I then told her in my best strong voice, " Over my dead body!"

Carla then said in a concerned voice, " No one get Grandma unless we decide otherwise, and Ran it has to be her decision ok, she always has final choice in this."

I have no idea of what Carla was doing, but it was easy to agree with her as I said, " You got it Babe."

" What did you call me?"

" I'm sorry. You don't like it. I'll never call you that again." I spoke this as quickly as I could, I really didn't want to be in trouble with her.

" Ran it's ok. Can you call me that again. I just want to see how it sits."

" Ok Babe."

" Ok, that may take a little getting use to, but I think I can deal with it, what do you think grandma?"

She then replied in a gruff voice, " Call each other what you will Baby, Babe, Honey I don't care, it's all between the two of you, but I do have a problem with you right now."

" What's the problem Grandma?"

" THAT'S IT!" She snapped, then added, " Do I look old enough to be a Grandma?"

" S, s, sorry, do you want me to call you Mom then?"

" That's reserved for your sire, and that would be Ran, you can call him Father or Dad, it has to be agreed between the two of you."

" Wow, Dad and sugar daddy all in one."

I had to smile at her as I said, " I look only seven years older then you, so sugar daddy might be a little hard to sell, and as way of father and Dad, well I'm sure you wouldn't want to do with your Dad what we'll most likely be doing, even if it is your will, so I think Ran would be better, or a pet name."

" Eww, well if we are to be Honeys, then I think I would prefer that also."

" As I said, and I think I like that also, Honey, what do you think, we could be honeys for our Honey's."

" Ok, far better then Babe, Honey."

" And in six years we can make it official and be wed."

" Man I wish we could share our bedrooms now."

" It will come in time, as vampyres everything comes in time, but we will always be Honey's."

Amy cut in with, " Ran I just realized something, she's not talking about marriage like it's what we see as, dearie you do know that you can always share his bed with him right?"

She blinked her eyes as I went through what we had just talked about, " Wait. What? The bedrooms, ok she's right she's right, we can always do that."

Carla was reasoning at the same time, " But you said, then you said, and then, hey it's not the same, do you have to be married to share a bedroom, I mean do think there maybe a way."

Amy had a strange look as she smiled at us, I had turned to face her, I could see her mind go through it as she shrugged her shoulder's and answered, " The law only covers marriage with vampyres, vampyres share relations all the time, so I guess it would be possible, well you might want to act as if it's just an act then a relationship, but she might have found a loop hole." I looked at Carla as she gave e a shy smile, I then turned to Amy and she added, " Well stupid tell her that you don't like her, but you'll have sex with her, then my hands are free."

Could I do this, could I tell the woman that I loved that it was nothing but platonic, would I tell her it was nothing but sex to me, then she said as if she was reading my mind, " Ran I like you, but I don't love you, would you do me the honor of having sex with me, and love me after six years, will you do me this honor as it is my will."

I think it was that last word that help me do this, so I turned my head so I didn't have to look at her as I said this, and I made sure I was looking straight at Amy. Then I spoke, " I except your will, and it would be my honor to except you into my bedroom as your sire and protector, I say this to my teacher as a witness and to your mentor so she will except your decision, will you honor us as her mentor."

" Yes Ran I do except this, now finish."

I then turned back to her and finished with, " And as your sire I say that after six years I will love you, if you can love me."

" Yes Ran, yes."

Then of course I had to ask a very important question, " Does this mean I can't do what normal lovers would do?"

Amy asked, " What do you mean Ran?"

" Well I kind of like kissing her, well and other stuff that you would normally do in public, you know like what we are doing now."

Carla then kissed me as we still held each others hands as she asked, " Like this?"

Amy then replied, " Ok, around those whom don't know and in public, no petting, but in present company I'm fine with it."

I then said a very Oklahoman thing, " Well Gosh Darn."

Carla laughed as she asked, " Did you just say gosh darn?"

Then I put on my best Oklahoman accent as I said, "Well darn little wuman, what ya gona do about tit, ifen I did?"

She laughed as she replied, " Well dar Pa, I just guess I'm a goin ta have ta whoop ya."

" Ma! Sissy is a goin ta whoop me."

Amy then said in a stern voice, " You two are giving me a headache, wake me when the two of you are done."