Victoria sat in her office discussing things of importance when the phone on her desk rang. Emelia frowned as she picked it up ending the conversation rather abruptly. "You better have good reasons, sorry for rudeness." The voice on the other end was a whisper but Emelia could hear it. A male voice she was familiar with. "My dear, Viktor is about to betray you, he is using you and you must hurry. Marcus is with me and has agreed to help finish him once and for all."
Her eyes widened as she stared at Emelia whom seemed taken aback by this. "Fine! We'll cut details later but I need to deal with personal and personnel issues first." Smacking the phone down she stared at Emelia, her white blue eyes silently breaking her down. It was more deafening then a Lycan's roar and more chilling then a vampire hiss.
"Here is likely where you draw the line. I imagine that this is the part where you dodge for the door and I reluctantly have to stop you." The elder shook her head.
"Why? Why help us and then destroy us? All whist killing lycans... What did you and him hoped to achieve?" The admiral leaned backwards in her chair, her now leather gloved fingers folded perfectly, presumably after years of practice and using it for intimidation.
"Let us not forget something. I aided *you* and not Viktor. There is nothing else that I care for then my brother and his beloved elder."
She smirked inwards, her face remaining neutral as she watched in amusement how Emelia snapped at her. "
You know nothing of that!"
The words were hollow to her own ears. 'She has lived for the better part of fifteen centuries. She has shared more stories with him then herself in all their years together. Of course she knew!'
"You two make a perfect couple might I add. My compliments to you and Marcus, but we must celebrate after this coup where we give the real elders their power. And the first vampire his coven."
With this she rose from her chair, her long coat she wore majestically flowing down just above her feet, giving her a look of authority Emelia knew so well. Viktor.
"Your not so different from Viktor, Victoria. This is why I will not warn him. It has no use, one will replace the other."
Her words seemed to stung her as the admiral slowly turned around. Without further notice she flung across the room and into her abdomen. Forcing her back against the wall with strength Emelia didn't even know she possessed.
"Viktor and I have been broken down to the core and are corrupted by power. But that is where our common ground ends. I am not Viktor. I am, still onto this day, Alexander's daughter. I split up because he would seem guilty if I operated from within his elements. I choose my fate by involving myself in this war. You know what will happen. I know what will happen. Alexander knows... And he respects my choice."
She wasn't holding her down anymore, her words were enough to pin her to the wall.
"You're not going to-"
"Yes I am. I have chosen my fate by killing the wrong side and I will make amends. Lucien can have me whole. But not before I have Viktor."
He voice was trembling, 'she was insane' Her mind had the sudden urge to just beat her down to make her stay where she was. In a desperate attempt she flung her arm around her neck and pulled her into an embrace.
"Your men may be meaningless to you, but you are not meaningless to me! Please don't do this!"
A shiver went down Victoria's spine as she was pulled into the hug, she didn't resist.
"When was the last time we had met each other like this?" She sighed the woman in her arms little to no different then the girl she had known over eight centuries ago.
1200 AD Castle Corvinus
She was walking towards the main hall, her hair tied behind her back in a tail and her purple velvet dress was flowing around her as she slipped down the steps. The main doors opened and the guards readied their weapons. They were expecting a mortal noble, a descendant from a newly established noble house. It's name had her puzzled what it could mean. But she had grasped the facts quite rapidly afterwards.
House Vladislous was a cover up for Victoria's own troop movements. The riders came in and immediately the servants got their horses. The cold interior of Castle Corvinus didn't do the eight members well. Each member was clad in ceremonial armor. Richly decorated blazon of house Vladislous. A silver Skull cracking in half. Each shoulder plate was decorated with a golden sun.
However unsettling the blazing golden suns were, it was nothing compared to the white blue eyes each member had. Victoria was upfront, along with, presumably, the captain of her escort. He seemed a Czech from the way he talked.
"We shall accompany you, my lady."
Probably the loose ends of a on the way conversation. Each member of her escort was armed with a deadly hand-and-a-half sword. (Also known as bastard swords) Unusual, her own death dealers were equipped with broadswords.
"Well gentlemen, Glad we are finally here. Now then." Victoria bowed to Emelia. "I am lady Vladislous, we wish to discuss a mutual peace hunting these wolves in your lands..."
Emelia's look remained cold, she nodded and motioned to one of her death dealers to guide them to the throne room. Upon entering a hush whisper broke the silence amongst the counsel members. 'Lady Vladislous' walked up to the small stairs that led to the platform where the throne was. Seated on it, Emelia.
"She has spoken of wanting peace and free reign to combat the plague that has ravaged our lands! I give you the bold lady Vladislous herself!...Speak."
Emelia kept her features cold but on the inside a leap of joy sprung to her chest. Her old friend had returned. The words she uttered were barely making their mind into her conscious as she studied her companions. Strange for them to have the same eyes as she did. They smelled human, but also of something else...
"As I stated to the head of your counsel and ruler of your lands, these savage beasts are a plague on the lands, your lands." Emelia knew this game well, Viktor used it against her before, yet Amilia was faster then usual to respond to this. Standing up in her elite death dealer armor that was richly decorated she remained cold and expressionless as she spoke. Her cobalt blue eyes were patiently scanning Valarious.
"And why does the head of this noble house make us such an offer? Is it because of 'incompetence' and you see pity and wish to aid us in destroying these beasts?"
Amilia was a tactician, her counsel seat was once occupied by Coloman, the head of the counsel and Emelia herself was quite worried about this shift in power. Amilia, now head of the counsel and leader of a entire death dealer legion. It was quite the accomplishment for her. Only now was she acknowledged by everyone as Viktor's 'Adopted street daughter.' Viktor altered history itself, making himself the first vampire instead. But Amilia couldn't be his daughter, she lingered too much in her human traits.
Thus Amilia, after the death of nearly everyone that knew this history in one of William's more devastating attacks became nothing more then an orphan raised from the streets. Emelia felt deep pity, though she rarely showed any of it to her. First she was made a vampire, a creature she saw as a monster herself, then she was turned into a weapon for Viktor to use and send out at will. Then he took her name from her.
Little did the elders know, Amilia would become famous, a legend amongst the death dealers. Those that knew altered the rumor. 'Amilia, the icy murderous elder.' But this only added to the already weak minded figure. It was not long after Marcus sired her that she became suicidal. She fought until death was upon everything that attacked either herself or her companions. Not one wolf survived.
It made Viktor think that she honored his gift granted by Marcus. But here, Marcus and herself discussed this. And both him and Emelia came to the conclusion that she wasn't trying to impress. She was trying to get herself killed in any possible way. Spending nearly days if necessary, hunting targeted Alpha's. Both confronted Viktor with this and showed him the error of turning her against her will. He would have nothing of it. Amilia was his (Adopted) Daughter, she would always be loyal.
Emelia's thoughts were interrupted by a question raised to her. The elder quickly remembered 'why' she was sitting there and had shocking come to the conclusion that she had stared at Amilia the whole time.
"Does Princess Emelia agree to grant this temporary access the our lands and hunt these creatures?" Amilia's voice remained controlled and cold as she sharply yet thoughtfully interrupts the elders thoughts. Little consideration was necessary.
She nodded to her and Amilia bowed her head in respect.
"I vote 'Aye' to this as well, more troops to combat and keep in check despite our ow numbers will be greatly appreciated, my lady." The counsel meeting ended and the nobles left with her escort to her chambers. Emelia descended her throne in order to gently pat her name carrier to stay put. She waited for everyone to leave, then motioned for the guards to follow.
Sighing in relief Amilia relaxed her pose, though still standing at full attention. Her eyes stared straight ahead. Not looking at the elder, keeping herself in check. A ability that surely took the better part of a century to master.
"At ease, counsel head." She sat down. Emelia sat in the seat beside her. Her pose relaxed but she sternly watched her. Amilia's gaze was upon her chest, still not meeting her eyes.
"How could you let this happen?" Emelia let it out, she needed to know. For more then six hundred years did she follow Viktor's orders, following them as precise as any soldier could. For more then six hundred years did Amilia follow her father and did everything he asked of her with her head bent.
Until finally, Emelia had started to read the history in castle Corvinus, Viktor's personal diaries of his human years. Amilia was his daughter, she was his heir and yet she was more a slave then any lycan was. Not physically in chains. But mentally destroyed so much that she couldn't possibly resist anything.
She had seen Viktor press her against walls early in her vampire life, telling her not to question him. And she was there when the last part of the broken daughter that still held it's own authority ordered everyone she was capable of ordering to leave. She then fell on her knees in front of Viktor, bringing tears into Emelia's eyes as Viktor's own daughter pleaded him to end her life, to kill her, set her into hibernation. Anything to just stop the pain.
Viktor told her he would never kill his flesh and blood. He refused to hear her pleas. He had death dealers drag her out of his sight as she was hurled up and marched into her rooms. Locked into them for three days. The day after Viktor proclaimed the new history, and that his daughter was a mere orphan from the streets he adopted. Emelia had thought to see Amilia fly at him, she had imagined a life or death battle between father and daughter. She merely bowed her head at him. Thanking him of the mercy he had shown. Emelia had nearly thrown up at the spot.
How could he do this? She was, later that night in Marcus' arms. Not crying for herself, but for her name carrier that didn't cry. Viktor had stripped that from her. But she knew what he was doing, she and Marcus knew. If Amilia couldn't release herself of her human thoughts and bonds. Then Viktor was going to do it for her. Later that night they were called upon in a private meeting.
"I wish you all to understand that this is by no means a coup to overthrow any of you."
The words would haunt Emelia until the day of her demise.
Amilia's gaze shifted to the ground. "What do you speak of, princess?"
Emelia's eyes glowed with a dangerous emerald light. She spoke in a whisper, unable to shout at her in her anger.
"By the elders you know what I speak of, Amilia. How could you just let him!? You are older them me! A few years, sure. But you are as old as him! You were his daughter! His heir ! And you let him walk over you like this?" She spat these words at her. Amilia's gaze didn't shift from the ground. Her shoulder slumped as her shield finally gave was for the elder to see her bare, the girl she had first met.
"I... He...He is my father! His words must mean my command!"
"ENOUGH!' Emelia yelled at her, the women next to her quickly winched and lowered her head into submission. "Forgive me, princess! I didn't mean to offend you!" Her voice trembled. 'She thinks I am like Viktor' Emelia's voice in her head rang. 'She can't see my sympathy.' Compelled to get her answer, she switched tactics. She pulled the apologetic and submissive woman into her arms.
Amilia only shivered as she allowed herself to be pulled over. She let Emelia make her sit on her lap and be pulled into an embrace. Here she couldn't hold back and burst into silent sobbing. The only human thing she had left. The only emotion she had felt in six hundred years washed over her in clean waves of pain. Sadness in it's purest forms.
"I'm sorry, My lady!" She tried to keep herself at bay. "I cannot control myself..." Emelia could taste her fear, her fear to be punished because of showing how weak she could be.
"Shhhh. There, there now, my child. You're safe now. I won't hurt you, I just want to know. Why, why do you allow yourself this torture. More sow how do you endure this?"
Emelia held her head on her shoulders. Feeling centuries of sorrow exposed as her shield crumbled as a vampire in sunlight.
"I don't want what I am! I cannot forgive myself for my ability to be corrupted into this... Monster!"
Emelia knew what it was she referred to. And to the day it shocked her. All her generals were given the choice to remain human or become immortal. Viktor, in his arrogance and selfishness made Marcus turn her, he was still recovering from his death experience as a loud scream ran through the entire castle, a shriek that could only be described as a dying woman in agony.
The coven's history was covered in sad events. Marcus, William. But nothing compared the tales left unwritten or untold. Her deeds went down into the coven's history as the most heroic death dealer to have ever been graced to serve directly under the eldest of them all. Her suicidal attacks deeds of courage and bravery, her orphanage to her 'rise' (Emelia would snort in defiance at this word as she read through the new history.) as Viktor's most trusted and loved daughter an example to all.
It needed no explanation that the real Amilia wasn't brave, heroic or even courageous. Only eager to end the suffering that she unwillingly was made to endure. Her life endless torment as time and time again she threw herself into the claws of the wolves, emerging victorious to her father's pride. To him a sign of her defiance of fear. To Marcus and Emelia, pure suicidal attempts that Viktor either didn't see or didn't want to see.
"There is nothing I can do to alter you back. But I can make your pain ease, if you would just talk to me..." The sobbing woman in her arms could not utter a word as the main doors opened and Marcus strolled towards them stopping dead in his tracks. Amilia shot a glance and gasped nearly trembling in fear as Emelia sighed in irritation.
"Marcus, I had her nearly calmed, then you barge in. What's next, Viktor?"
A frown crossed his face as he casually walked towards the two woman, the Emelia not even the eldest. "I am sorry, my darling. I didn't know you were repairing her mental state."
He eyed the heaving body of Amilia, who's gaze remained fixed away from either elder's eyes. Emelia glared at him as he continued. "I had warned your father of course that he should consider a better solution, of course. But I am sure you knew how that went..."
The body on her lap began to sob again, desperate to control what the elders set ablaze in her chest and eyes.
"Imagine my surprise after years still that you haven't had the slightest hint or thought of treachery."
Emelia glared at him. "Don't even think about it!"
Yet as she spoke these words a faint whisper came from the once perfect and still form of a death dealer. "What is thy will...My lord?"
Marcus was simply grinning. "You know, since I am you sire. I am also, sort of, your father..." Emelia looked at his baffled. 'Where is this going?' Amilia stirred in her arms and dared for the first time that she had ever seen, to stare at Marcus' eyes.
"What do you mean, Marcus?" Emelia wasn't getting her picture right, she needed more info before she could be sure.
"Quite simple, If Viktor can alter history, then so can I! She's our daughter!" He offered her a mischievous grin, his sarcastic smile made her nearly forget how preposterous the remark actually was.
"Marcus, sometimes I question your sanity." Emelia allowed herself the faintest of smiles. "But now I am quite sure you're insane! Alter it without Viktor? How in the elder's name would you do that?"
He shrugged but looked at a red eyed Amilia, 'She is so sweet when she is astonished.' "Would you like that, my dear? A daughter?" Emelia looked at the woman in her arms then back at him.
"A bit old to confess, but yes. If you can't help yourself. But 'do' ask her if this is what she wants first. Unlike last time." she added this sarcastic remark much to his pleasure. His humor continued to amaze her.
"Of course, my darling," He added the last with his sarcastic voice yet again.
"So, Amilia. How would you like to be more then a 'orphan' at the mercy of Viktor? Our daughter? Would you like that?" A silent Amilia nodded to him. "If you can make the pain stop... I'll give you anything..."