Birthright
Chapter 3: Crosses
Sofia was dying to know what Goodwyn wanted to discuss so urgently and why he felt it necessary to exclude her when he had never treated her as anything less than family in all the time she'd known the man. It was likely not the sort of thing Cedric would care to recount later, so she decided she wouldn't press him for details when she next saw him. Still, an endless supply of questions plagued her as she muddled through the rest of her afternoon — not just about the matter she hadn't been privy to, but also her new role as a Slayer and all that it entailed. Cedric had satisfied her to a degree, but there were things he was clearly attempting to shield her from and, while she appreciated his motives, she disliked the idea of going into this potentially dangerous new chapter of her life without being armed with as much information as possible.
It was with all of this weighing heavily on her mind that she sat pushing her food around on her dinner plate, completely unaware of the chatter going on around her or, more importantly, that it had ceased abruptly and all eyes were now fixed on her.
"Sofia!" Amber hissed under her breath, discretely nudging the younger girl's leg with the pointed toe of an expensive shoe.
Suppressing a sigh, Sofia turned her attention back to the present just in time to see her sister nod softly in the direction of their parents. "What?" was all she could come up with for a response, since she hadn't been following the thread of their conversation in the least. Her eyes travelled from the blond beside her to the faces of her other family members, only to be met with expressions of concern from all present.
"Sofia, sweetheart… you've barely said a word all day and you haven't touched your food, yet. Are you feeling alright?" Roland asked, examining her for some sign that she was unwell.
She had to laugh inwardly, the only person at the table aware that she now possessed a supernaturally robust immune system. At least, according to the handbook. She considered playing along. it would give her a chance to be excused early, after all. It dawned on her that if the entire palace believed her to be unwell, Baileywick — bless his heart — would be at her door every half an hour to check up on her, making it impossible to go out… vampire hunting.
She could barely think of it with a straight face, the ludicrous notion that among her other duties she would now be expected to steal away from the castle in the dead of night to fend off the legions of a demonic underworld that no one else believed to exist. Less than twenty-four hours ago, she could be counted amongst the sane, logical people who believed the monsters to be nothing more than the stuff of childish nightmares and idle village gossip, and now it was her sacred duty to spend the hours when everyone else was sleeping soundly in their beds finding and killing these fiends before they could cause any harm.
"I'm fine." It was a lie, of course. She was the exact opposite of 'fine'. "I just had a late snack and my appetite hasn't returned yet", she supplied, forcing the warmest smile she could muster.
To her relief this farce apparently appeased her family and everyone quickly returned to the previous topic, which she soon learnt was Amber's upcoming engagement ball. Speaking of being trapped in a life you didn't choose… Beneath the table, Sofia reached over and squeezed her sister's hand sympathetically. Alongside her new obligations, she would have to make some time to ferry the future Queen back to the Mystic Isles, if only so Amber and Harumph could say their goodbyes properly.
Sofia participated enough to avoid further suspicion and took the next natural lull as an opportunity to make her escape, with the permission of her parents. Careful to maintain appearances, she went to her chambers first, pointedly exchanging polite greetings with each servant she met on the way in order to establish a strong alibi.
Once alone in her bedroom, she shoved all doubt aside and stripped down, stopping only briefly to admit to herself what a relief it was to be rid of the bulky gown and all of her various trappings before tugging on her far more comfortable riding clothes for the second time that day. Content that she was as ready as she would ever be for what lay ahead, she hurried down the hall, this time taking pains not to be seen, and up the stone stairs to the Royal Sorcerer's tower.
The old, patinated gargoyles that she usually imagined were greeting her genially appeared to be warning her away instead, and she had to take several deep breaths to calm herself before she rose her trembling hand to rap on Cedric's door. Her knuckles didn't have a chance to make contact with the wooden surface before Cedric flung the door open and peered out, the frantic expression plastered across his handsome face replaced instantly with deep relief at the sight of her.
"Ah, there you are! What the devil took you so long?" he questioned, grabbing her arm and practically dragging her into the workshop.
"I couldn't leave dinner too early without anyone wondering why and then I had to change", she explained, leaving out the part about how increasingly frazzled her nerves were becoming at the prospect of facing one of those things again.
"That's true. It's extremely important that your identity remains a secret, even from those closest to you", Cedric replied, leading her to the table.
On top, an array or weapons, some familiar and others less so, were laid out for her selection.
"Take only what you trust yourself to handle. Being face to face with a vampire is no time to learn a new weapon", Cedric instructed, watching as Sofia ran her fingers along the tiller of a large crossbow. "Do you know how to use that?"
"I've only shot a regular bow", she informed him, shaking her head.
"Damn. It's a rather good skill to have. Or, so I'm told… Never did get the hang of the thing."
Though Sofia felt inexplicably drawn to it, she heeded Cedric's warning and selected a composite bow, which either he'd strung in advance or wasn't aware it should be kept unstrung between uses, and slid it into an available bow case which she attached to a quiver. She peeked up as she fastened the straps around herself, and couldn't help the swell of pride that came from seeing how her knowledge, gained years ago from her visits with Carol of the Arrow, clearly impressed Cedric.
The exchange passed wordlessly between them, ending abruptly when Cedric turned back to the table and began stuffing several smaller items into the pockets of his robe, the coal-coloured one, she noticed in passing, then paused to study Sofia, tapping his chin in thought.
"Let's see now, I know there was something else. What was it?" he pondered aloud, though the playful lilt in his tone, paired with the mischievous glint in his amber eyes, gave her every reason to believe that he hadn't really forgotten whatever he was referring to.
He grinned at her, then raced from the room. Sofia used the minutes he was absent to collect a few of the long wooden weapons she'd used to finish off the previous night's opponent. When he returned, he presented her with a long rectangular box covered in deep red velvet. Sofia examined it curiously as he fumbled with the clasp, ignoring the temptation to reach over and open it herself, as he was obviously excited and she didn't want to ruin anything for him.
The container opened, revealing a length of black ribbon with a metal clasp on each end. An ornate cross was affixed to the centre, and the whole thing lay neatly on a bed of shining white satin. Sofia met his gaze as he lifted the choker and brought it to her throat, his slender, agile fingers deftly fastening the ends together behind her neck.
"What's this for?" she whispered, almost afraid that speaking would shatter the palpable intimacy of the moment.
"For your protection, of course. They react to crosses, remember?" Cedric pointed out, lightly flicking the symbol she now wore for emphasis.
Sofia did remember, it had said so in the guidebook, but it felt odd to wear the token of a religion she didn't follow so prominently. "Thank you."
It occurred to her to wonder if the band was waiting for whichever Slayer he happened to be assigned or if Cedric had selected it specifically with her in mind, but she ultimately chose not to ask him as she wasn't entirely certain she wished to know the answer. Before she had too much time to dwell on the origin of the gift, Cedric was urging her to hurry towards the seldom used back entrance of the tower.
"So, where exactly are we headed?" Sofia enquired as they made their way outside.
Her companion simply shook his head and they remained silent until they were well outside the boundaries of the palace grounds.
"We're going to the cemetery", Cedric finally explained as they stepped off the wide bridge to Dunwiddie. "Freshly turned vampires are easier to fight. They don't quite have the hang of their powers yet, and most have no idea what's happened to them. It's the perfect place to hone your skills."
They marched briskly through the near empty cobblestone roads of the village, the stillness of the late evening interrupted only by the occasional revelry spilling out of taverns littered here and there, their lights and cheerful ambiance beacons of safe haven defying the foreboding darkness of the night.
Sofia allowed herself a quick daydream that she and Cedric were just a couple of friends on their way to make merry at such a place, her with a hot cider and he with the whiskey she'd seen him drink before on special occasions. Perhaps they'd curl up in an otherwise deserted corner and trade stories of past adventures the other had already heard a dozen times before but never minded listening to again, or lose track of the hour while talking about potions and spells.
The fantasy came to an end as they approached the outskirts of the village and the cast iron fences and marble mausoleums of the graveyard came into view, and Sofia worried her lip as reality set back in, closing the distance between herself and her mentor — Watcher, her brain corrected, though she still wasn't entirely certain what the role entailed — for the added reassurance his nearness always brought her.
"Do you feel anything?" Cedric questioned, brushing a hand against the small of her back as they skirted cautiously through the large metal gates and onto the dirt paths that cut their way between the headstones and statues that marked the individual plots of villagers laid to rest in these hallowed grounds
Her father was here, somewhere, though she couldn't recall the exact location of his grave.
"Nauseous. And a bit clammy", Sofia answered honestly, causing Cedric to stop and look her over carefully.
"There's no need to be worried, Sofia. Remember, you were born for this." She managed a smile and a quick nod, though his words of encouragement did little to subdue the frenzied pounding of her heart against her breast, or slow her racing pulse which sent rushes of blood thrumming through her ears.
They drink blood, she reminded herself with a shudder.
"I meant can you sense any demons nearby. Slayer intuition and all that", Cedric added as they entered a section of new plots, recently dug earth filling the damp, cool air with a pungent, somewhat pleasant aroma.
Sofia did her best to calm herself, reaching out with her mind in search of the sensations she'd felt when encountering the man — vampire — at Royal Prep. Her flesh chilled and goose-pimpled, the tiny wisps of hair on the back of her neck bristled, and every one of her senses attuned together, mysteriously heightened to a point she'd never before experienced, like a cat able to predict an oncoming storm. She swallowed thickly, her speed dwindling to just above a full stop so she could process the flow of innate perceptions being fed directly to her brain.
"I– I think so. Over that way", she answered, pointing further down through the row of graves.
They continued in the direction her instincts indicated, Sofia growing more sure in her assessment with each step. They passed a stone that sent her spiralling into overdrive and she reached out and placed a hand on Cedric's arm, stilling the man.
"Is this it?" His eyes flashed at her in the moonlight before he turned to read the engraving on the headstone. "Benjamin Goode. Ironic, innit?" he mused softly.
"What do we do now?" Sofia breathed, staring at the grave in front of them.
Cedric spun and gestured to a pair of raised headstones across the path. "Now, we wait", came his casual response, and he left her side to claim a seat on one of the markers, patting the other one in case she hadn't understood that she was meant to sit down and somehow relax until Benjamin made his appearance.
Sofia crossed to stop in front of the stone meant for her, running her hand over it reverently and welcoming the feel of cold, grey marble beneath her heated palm.
"You might as well sit. No telling how long this will take."
She perched herself on top, keeping a watchful eye trained on Benjamin's grave. Beside her, Cedric produced his wand, twirling it idly between his nimble fingers the way he tended to when he was apprehensive.
"I thought there was nothing to worry about", Sofia commented.
Cedric missed a beat and the wand dropped to the ground below him. "Who's worried?" he demanded, leaning down to brush his hands through the grass until he retrieved the magical tool. "I'm merely impatient to meet our new friend here."
"How long do you think we'll have to wai– " Sofia didn't have a chance to finish, because the dirt mound across from them began to shift as if Benjamin had been waiting for his cue to rise.
On the edge of her peripheral vision, Sofia caught Cedric trading his wand for a sharpened stake and she made a mental note to find out later why magic was ineffective against the undead creature currently clawing his way to the surface. For the time being, she readied her bow, hoping to end the encounter before it could turn into an all out battle like the last one. All she had to do was keep steady and aim.
Apparently, Benjamin had been a young man with shaggy dishwater blond hair, as that was the first thing Sofia saw as she drew in a breath and pulled her bowstring back, lining it up with the corner of her mouth. Wait for the heart. Next came a boyish face with penetrating steel grey eyes, a charming upturned nose, and a strong jaw. The utter normalcy of his appearance disarmed her and she exhaled her held breath.
"Sofia, shoot!" Cedric's command shocked her into action and she let loose her arrow as Benjamin lunged forward, hitting him in the shoulder.
"Damn", she muttered, throwing the bow to the ground and withdrawing her own stake.
The vampire, perhaps deterred by her shot, took off down the path. Sofia chased after him at a speed she hadn't known herself to be capable of. Cedric was right. The fledgling vampire lacked the capacities of the last one and it didn't take long before she caught him, tackling him from behind like he was a dazzleball opponent.
The two of them tumbled to the ground roughly, and Sofia's shoulder struck hard against the black base of a looming angel statue, but she was so focused on her target that she barely registered the pain before she raised the pointed weapon into the air above her head, ready to drive it into the monster's heart. She had underestimated Benjamin's strength, though, and he threw her off of him. As she struggled to her feet he pounced on her, knocking her back onto the ground. Gripping her wrist, he tried to turn her own stake against her.
"Cedric!" she screamed, using all her might to maintain the few centimetres between her weapon and her chest.
She kicked wildly, doing all she could to struggle out from underneath the vampire's weight. The sound of heavy footfall would have caught her attention, if it weren't a matter of life and death to keep her eyes trained on the hand firmly ensnaring her wrist. Above them, Cedric blinked into and out of sight, appearing only long enough to ram into Benjamin before vanishing again. Sofia capitalised on this stroke of luck, kicking the stunned man off and leaping to her feet. Benjamin recovered just as quickly, fleeing down a path that led further into the graveyard. Sofia began to pursue him until she heard the strangled, mournful cry of her name. Cedric.
...
Cedric raced towards Sofia and Benjamin, horrified by the sight of his best friend about to be done in by her own stake. He made a run at the vampire, attempting to dislodge him from his position on top of Sofia. Just as he struck against him, a pair of strong hands grabbed him from behind and dragged him backwards, flipping him onto the ground.
To his left, Cedric could hear the continuing sounds of Sofia's battle, which he found oddly reassuring now that he couldn't see what was happening. He drew back his fist and attempted to punch the vampire on top of him, but couldn't get any leverage in his current position. The fiend flashed him a wide, toothy grin as his face transformed to reveal his true, demonic visage. The feed. Cedric fought to reach one of the weapons in his robe, but halted suddenly, his will to fight back draining as he realised he could no longer hear any sign of his charge.
"Sofia–" The choked cry was his, but he was barely aware that he'd spoken. I failed you.
The vampire leaned in, and time ceased as he ignored his oncoming fate in favour of listening for any sign of Sofia.
Sharp fangs just grazed his flesh when the monster above him decayed into dust. Sofia, looking every bit like an angel of mercy, reached her hand through the grey haze. Cedric accepted the gesture, letting her help him to his feet.
"Benjamin?" he croaked out, rubbing a spot on the back of his neck that ached from his fall.
Sofia shook her head. "He escaped", came her short reply, accompanied by a quick glance in the opposite direction.
"What? Why didn't you chase after him?"
The question earned a scoff and an incredulous glare from Sofia, who busied herself with brushing the dirt off of his robe. "You were two seconds away from being dinner. Why do you think I didn't chase him?" she demanded, retracting her hands to rest them squarely on her hips. "We're in this together, remember?"
"That's not… entirely what I meant when I said that." He sighed, deciding that they'd both had more than enough excitement for one night. "I suppose we can always find him tomorrow."
Without warning, Sofia closed the narrow gap between them to wrap her arms around his neck. "I thought I was going to lose you", she confessed with a sniffle, prompting Cedric to return the embrace.
"I'm not that easy to get rid of, dearest." Cedric's poor shot at humour was rewarded by a tight squeeze from Sofia.
"I see why Goodwyn was concerned", a voice, decidedly female, spoke from behind them.
5.10.18: Updated for typos and grammatical errors.
3.9.18 Author's Note: Action sequences are still hard. I managed to elaborate, though, and rework the switch to Cedric's POV so it's less sudden and we see what was happening with Sofia while he was fighting. Other than that, there are no major changes to this chapter, but there is some added content in the form of Sofia's thoughts.
Original Author's Note: Reminder to self... Action sequences are hard to write. Hopefully this is passable. I'm not really complaining, it was fun, just difficult. The last few paragraphs accounted for like 90% of the time this chapter took to finish.
