FictionPress.com - let the words flow| FictionPress.com - let the words flow |
| Home Just In Communities Forums Beta Readers Dictionary Search | Login Register Extras |
Summary: Creatures from fantasy coexist with human beings, both in harmony and in political strife. One such young woman, her Clan threatened, is caught in a dangerous position between others. Help comes from strange places as she journeys to secure her Clan once more, and retrieve her safety.
Warning: Nothing of note.
Copyright: I own the plot, characters, and anything else that isn't already known.
Please review if you read. Comments, ideas, suggestions, and helpful criticism is welcome.
“What makes you think that, dear cousin?” Vesh asked innocently. He sat in a straight-back chair as if it was a reclined cushion, barely sparing his relative a glance before returning to inspecting the full wine goblet in his hand.
“You hardly gain anything from this Pact,” Maledict insisted, standing by the window and narrowing his eyes suspiciously. “There is nothing to benefit the Tegosc Clan at all. So why bother?”
“You are not wealth-hungry, Maledict, I know that much about you,” Vesh said, as if his cousin was barely worth his time. “So why worry?”
“It’s not like you,” the younger Vampire said stubbornly. While actually one hundred and sixty-four, the Vampire appeared only twenty-five. His cousin looked to be in his late-twenties, but Maledict knew for a fact he was over nine hundred years old.
“Many things are not like people,” Vesh countered, and smiled coolly. “You’ll understand when we arrive at Gryphon Estate, cousin.”
“Why betroth me to this Lander woman?” Maledict demanded, and Vesh looked at him with an odd half-smile.
“Do you object so much to marriage?” he asked, “I have decided that it is time for you to marry and that is all.”
“The Tegosc Clan has never married outside the Vampires,” Maledict argued, “And you have always upheld that belief. What is so different about this?”
“We must be going,” Vesh said absently, turning his head slightly to look out the window at the bright moonlight. “We have been invited to Gryphon Estate by that fool Briathal for a visit. You will see your betrothed then. Let us depart.”
Maledict glared at his cousin’s back as the elder Vampire rose to his feet, but was unable to argue any further. Vesh had been the Clan leader for as long as Maledict had existed, and no one had ever opposed his rule after Zhao had disappeared over 600 years ago.
Lord Briathal Jaodh shot a cold look toward his twenty-two year-old daughter, his only child, and then turned back to his papers. His ice-blue eyes were clouded with anger, a fact that did not escape his perceptive daughter.
“Power is security, my dear,” he told her calmly after a moment, as if stating a fact, “The Tegosc Clan is in the most powerful Vampire House in the Imperial State – an alliance is mutually beneficial.”
“It seems that you’re gaining more than the Tegosc Clan is,” Naida pointed out, her eyes flashing. Her eyes displayed the usual traces of nobility – a narrow gold ring traced around her black pupils, accentuating her teal eyes. “We gain not only the protection of a Vampire clan, but more land as well. The Tegosc Clan hardly needs more land, and I find it difficult they desire humans in their clan. What do the Vampires have to gain by forming an alliance with a Lander clan?”
“It sounds as if you don’t trust our guests,” Briathal said dryly. His daughter choked on her words and sputtered for a few seconds, glaring at her father while she found her voice.
“Guests?” she repeated, her voice rising and falling simultaneously. “They’re here?”
“Directly below us if I’m not mistaken, my dear,” he informed her absently, lowering his head and returning his attention to the papers that were spread out across his desk. “And you know Vampires have extraordinary hearing. Seeing as you’ll be marrying into the Tegosc Clan very shortly, I suggest you offer your apologies beforehand.”
Naida clenched her fist at her side, and her father noticed the dark violet silk crumple.
“Not that dress, my dear,” he chided gently, without averting his gaze. “And fix your hair – you look as though you’ve been riding the horses again.”
Naida muttered something but obediently adjusted her pale red-gold hair to suit her father’s scrutiny. Fidgeting as he examined her, she sighed in relief when he finally nodded his approval.
“You do us proud, my dear,” he told her, before returning to his work. Naida, extremely nervous at having to meet her betrothed Vampire and the head of his Clan at the same time, merely nodded stiffly back and glided out of the room.
“Something isn’t right,” Naida murmured to herself, holding her fingers to her temple. Born with a Power, Naida was able to sense danger in a certain area around her, whether it concerned her or not. However, this danger most certainly concerned her, if the sharp pain had anything to say about it. Considering how much danger was involved in an agricultural Clan – even the smallest of chances – Naida was more often than not under a strain throughout the day, causing her to develop a short temper.
When the pounding in her skull didn’t recede, she tuned it out to the best of her ability and continued her walk to the hall where the Vampires were sure to be found, dreading the imminent future.
“Most likely she is homely beyond belief and only thinks about politics,” Maledict muttered, giving his cousin a dirty look, the mention of a Power only increasing his suspicions. “A regular nag. You have never been known to be generous with anything that might benefit yourself, Vesh.”
“True, Maledict. However, she is quite a beauty, and you will find her quite pleasing, I hope,” Vesh added with a nod, and then turned in his seat as Naida quietly knocked. “You may enter!” he called, his tone one who was the master of the house. The young woman reluctantly came in and stopped several feet short of the Vampires, her gaze anything but warm.
“I came to offer my apologies, Lord Vesh,” she finally told them, the words obviously costing her effort. Vesh examined her with amusement, and then stood up gracefully.
“There is no need to apologize, Lady Naida,” he said, his tone turned quite formal, taking her hand, “I offer you my deepest and sincerest affection in this binding of our Clans.”
“That’s not much,” Maledict thought dryly, while inspecting his intended bride. While she had paled under his cousin’s gaze, he noticed that she began to flush under his scrutiny. Averting her eyes to the wall nearby, she gazed stoically at them instead, trying to pretend she wasn’t avoiding their eyes.
“Father also said to tell you he’d be down shortly, and apologizes for the wait,” she offered after a moment, apparently trying to save her father the risk of offending the Vampires, but Vesh shook his head.
“There is no point in lies, child – we can hear much better than that,” he informed her, and she merely nodded in resignation. “However, you appear rather hungry, and I assume that you were kept waiting to eat with us,” Vesh continued. Vampires did not need to eat regularly, but were known to dine with Landers as a sort of entertainment.
“Thank you for your concern, Lord Vesh, but I am quite fine,” Naida said, regaining some of her royal dignity. Vesh gazed at her calmly and she quickly paled again.
“I insist,” he said mildly, breaking the tense after a few moments.
“It would be an honor,” Naida finally forced out, and gingerly took the Vampire’s offered arm as he led her to the feasting room. Maledict followed them, still suspicious of his cousin’s behavior. Normally, Vesh despised all Landers and only showed interest in a young woman when he was feeling particularly vindictive.
“That meal was very delicious, Lady Naida,” Vesh said primly, when they had finished, “Please send my regards to the cook.”
“Of course,” she nodded, having kept her eyes on the table throughout the meal. Maledict noticed that she attempted to keep conversation to a minimal when forced to reply to Vesh’s occasional thoughts, and wondered what was on her mind.
“Naida?” a young girl, perhaps ten or so, crept into the room, her sleek silver-green tail twitching.
“This is Cusi, one of the Tigix race,” Naida hastened to explain, holding the girl with one arm protectively. The Tigix’s tail matched its eyes and ears, which protruded from a head of short and curly dark brown-red hair. Her fur was a burnished brown color, and she wore a short navy-hued dress and was barefoot.
“Pleased to make another acquaintance of the Realm of the Gryphon,” Vesh said graciously, but the Tigix merely hissed at him, ears flattened against the back of her head angrily. Naida’s face reflected her feeling of horror, seeing displeasure cross Vesh’s face, and Maledict rose swiftly.
“Cousin, we should retire soon,” he said, averting his cousin’s attention from the young Tigix. “It would not do to be late for our meeting tomorrow morning with Lord Briathal.”
Vesh’s gaze lingered on Cusi’s face for a moment longer, and then his face resumed a calm expression.
“Of course, Maledict,” he nodded, and rose as well. “Good night, Lady Naida.”
“Good night, Lord Vesh – Lord Maledict,” she said, nodding as they left the room. Casting a nervous glance at Cusi, who seemed unaware of the danger she had put herself in, she sighed as the pain that had flared up unbearably when Cusi had hissed finally receded a bit. “That other Vampire is the one I’m supposed to marry?” She had covertly examined the younger Vampire during the meal and noticed that he always appeared to be relaxed and at ease, in a more casual manner than his cousin had, and acutely aware of his surroundings while appearing to be paying no more attention than a Lander would in their own home.
“I wanted to apologize for tonight,” he said, bowing slightly.
“It is customary for a Vampire to creep into a woman’s chambers at night?” she asked stiffly, trying to fight down her fright, and he straightened with a small smiled on his face.
“I was merely curious about Cusi,” he said, motioning to the bristle-tailed girl. “Most Tigix scorn society, outside their own. Is she your servant?”
“No!” Naida said sharply, and her features softened when she glanced back to the angry Cusi, who had moved to her side and was clutching her arm protectively. “She was orphaned by the army of the Realm of the Unicorn six years ago when they invaded. I took her in, and I consider her a sister.”
“I see,” Maledict nodded, and strode to the door. “I wish you a good night, Lady Naida. And I suggest you lock your doors and windows,” he added, before gracefully unlocking it and taking his leave. Naida stared after him, and exchanged a glance with Cusi when she was sure he was gone.
“I think we should do as he says,” Naida told her, loosening her hair and letting it fall to her mid-back. Cusi nodded, her eyes wide, and rushed around the room securing all the locks. Naida suddenly shivered and instinctively glanced around, almost fearing what she would see. Nothing appeared, of course, and she relaxed her muscles forcefully.
“All done, Naida,” Cusi called, crawling into the king-sized bed they shared. Naida nodded, and after casting another glance around the room, climbed under the quilts as well. Closing her eyes as Cusi snuggled into her arms, Naida’s last thought was the image of Maladict as he warned her. To her own amazement, she was forced to admit she found the Vampire very physically attractive.
“I’m not sure what you’re talking about,” Maledict replied calmly, without looking up from his book. The younger Vampire was apparently unworried about his cousin’s rage, but Vesh noticed that Maledict had almost imperceptibly tensed in the chair, ready to react to any threat.
“You told that girl to lock her doors and windows,” Vesh hissed, baring his fangs. A crimson light flashed in the younger Vampire’s eyes briefly before he looked up, his face devoid of all emotion.
“Yes, I did. I thought you were up to no good.”
“Maladict…”
“Sucking her dry because of some fetish you have is not what we came here to do!” Maledict snapped, cutting off his cousin’s warning tone. “You came here for some reason other than to form an alliance, I know that much. There are things you still haven’t told me –”
“I don’t plan to, either.”
“–but leave the girl out of this. Her father is a conniving, greedy bastard of a lord who sold his own daughter for more land. She is not to be touched!” Maledict snapped, surprising himself and Vesh at the threat. Vesh remained silent for a moment before shrugging and smirking knowingly at his cousin.
“I see. You have my word – I shall not touch her in any way,” Vesh swore, twining his fingers in an ancient Vampire Code. Maledict eyed his cousin in disbelief for a moment, and then shrugged carelessly. “We are meeting Briathal in several hours,” Vesh continued, glancing at the rising sun. “Do you know what about?”
“He didn’t tell you?” Maledict looked up in surprise, and sighed when Vesh suddenly broke out laughing.
“Apparently, the fool believes he can trick a Vampire!” he chuckled, calming down. “What a sly cretin. He’ll soon learn better, fear not. Until then, let us see what this Lander wishes to try.” Maledict nodded in agreement, having no patience for idiot Landers who though they could possibly trick a Vampire.
“They wouldn’t dare, my dear. They want this alliance,” he assured her, and she laughed bitterly. Dark rings under her eyes served as a testament to her stress, and her red-rimmed eyes were bright with distress.
“It is you who want this alliance, Father!” she exclaimed, “There is no reason for them to cooperate, especially if you’re going to try this! You’re a fool!”
“Naida, you will remain in your chambers until you are summoned,” Briathal said sternly, and she snorted.
“You can’t order me to my room like I’m a wayward child anymore,” she retorted, her glare an icy one she had learned from her father himself. He abruptly rose to his full height, which was rather impressive, and glared down at her.
“I am your sovereign ruler, Naida. You are dismissed, or I shall be forced to lock you up instead,” he said coolly. Naida stared back defiantly for several long moments before dropping her gaze and stalking out. Her dark-blue gown swished around as she slammed the door shut.
Please review!!
