The wolf with the blood red roses.
Alyssa and Brian had left their respective packs shortly after they had met each other for the first time. That was when the started a life few Tuccian's ever managed to work out - one by themselves, away from a pack, living a solitary life. And what is even rarer, was that Brian and Alyssa managed it, very successfully. They had their own little tavern, which was open day and night, friends that were mortals and very willing to help them out. They were protected by their human friends, and in return, they protected their human friends from other vampires. A good little arrangement. And, eventually, Alyssa conceived and they had a son. They called him Rigel. And Rigel grew up into a fairly stunning young man, carrying the height of his father, they eyes of his mother. and the red hair of a distant relative. Yes, Alyssa and Brian were both made when Libertine and Liam had drank the blood of Nicki, and Brian, sired by Libertine, absorbed some of this blood, and Alyssa, created by Liam, inherited it two. Both passed it onto their son - the first Tuccian to be born a vampire.
Strangely, one might not think it, but they would have to. Rigel aged. He grew from an infant to a fully grown man, and continued to do so. He grew older. which meant, in some strange way, he was decaying. For to develop, one has to hold the magical contradiction, of de-composition. One cannot have one without the other, and when Alyssa and Brian found out, when the finally clocked onto what was their greatest fear, they were devastated. But they did not tell young Rigel this, who feasted on flesh and blood, held the super-vampire strength and feared the sunlight. No. The let him grow into a fine young man, who carried a certain arrogance about him which earned him the nickname "Wolf with the Red Roses" Amongst his human playmates. They knew what he was, and yet did not fear him. Would you fear someone you had grown up with?
***
Rigel rose from his bedroom under the tavern. He was a late sleeper, and idly he stretched, grabbing the candle nearest him and fumbling about for his tinderbox in the darkness. His grey eye's weren't full developed to their full vampiric strength, but already it was clear that the youth was going to be some sort of extraordinary vampire - what with having lived with the strengths all his life and kind of, having them.squared as it were. Finding the tinderbox, there was a sharp click and the youth lit the candle, casting dancing shadows about his neat room. It may be in the cellar, but his parent's and their friends raked in enough money from their fairly successful tavern, called "The Nosferatu" Something that he and his family thought fairly amusing, and then eventually the joke wore off with time. Rigel's room was tidy, a four poster bed in one corner, a neat tidy desk next to his bed, and his bookcase on the opposite wall. He had a lush crimson rug in the centre of the floor, and the remaining wall possessed the heavily barricaded metal door and his wardrobe. One of Rigel's joys was dressing well. Shaking off the day-sleep, The youth stretched, and pulled on his dressing gown.
"Now. what to wear to greet my adoring public today." The youth mused, flicking some of his scarlet hair over his shoulder. Flicking open the door, gently placing the candle on the floor, his eyes ran over his expansive collection. After all, the money that Rigel made his parents allowed him to keep. After all, they had little use for their cut of the profits from the tavern to spent on food. Young Rigel hummed a song, picking out a black velvet loose shirt, and pair of leather trousers, and his favourite boots. He dressed, tied his hair back and let himself out his room, heading up the stairs to the main tavern, slipping in first through the wine cellar and pantry(the tavern had two floors below ground, the entrance to the deepest a well locked trapdoor in the wine cellar) and then up stairs, through the kitchen out behind the bar. Gently he nodded to the barkeep - Marcel, a youth a few years older than him.
"Ah Rigel, finally up I see?" The dark haired mortal teased, rubbing down the bar top in preparation for the busy hours of the night-time. Day was hardly ever busy, except at lunchtime when occasionally the ladies of the town would turn up and have a lunch out, away from the children. The busy rush was a few hours after nightfall, when the farm workers returned in the mood for drinking and merriment - and who could deny them? Certainly not the folks who made their business from it. Rigel stretched, a thin languid stretch, hair glimmering as he took a candle and began to light the hundred of candles that here simply everywhere in the small tavern.
"Now now Marcel. the sun has only just set, so do shush." The town knew their was vampires in their midst, but this little family had made a habit of feeding purely on animals. Rigel was busy behind the bar when his parent's returned with their stock of fresh vegetables from the local grocers. "Ahh, Marcel, settling into your new job I see?" Greeted Brian, placing the wooden crate on the bar top. Alyssa, quiet by nature, presented them with only a nod before heading into the kitchen to start cooking the most popular meals that patrons ordered. Rigel couldn't resist the opportunity and grabbed Marcel into a cuddle, dipping him to press his lips against the dark haired youths. "And you're settling into your new relationship I see Rigel."
The vampiric youth grinned, released his boyfriend and stood up straight, refilling a patron's tankard with mead from the open barrel before answering. "Good evening to you too dad." And there it was, that customised trade-mark lopsided grin that Rigel pulled off so beautifully, while Marcel blushed profusely. The town of Messuah was a refuge for all - it judged none and was accepting to all type of lifestyle. Elves who had fallen in love with drows were accepted here, man who lay with man, woman who lay with woman, vampires in love with mortals, mortals in love with centaurs, and yes, even Anthros were all accepted here, as long as one got their head down and made their own way, judged no other, and caused no fuss. It was a good town, and there was now so many there that a university had recently opened - as there was now enough professors willing to pass on their information. And now, the first tax had been introduced, and that was too fund two things, a city guard (which was hardly needed due to the thick walls about the town) and the building of the university, and the payment of the professors. But the tax for professor payment was being dwindled out, as if people wanted to go their, they would have to pay. It was working out so far, and many professors, if one was willing to finance, funded students they thought had potential to go far who could not afford the fees, although the fees were not steep. It was a good town, and rich in it's various customs.
"Rigel, your mother and I need to talk to you about something. think you could leave your new lover for long enough to entertain us?" With that his father vanished into the kitchen, and Rigel let out a dramatic sigh, walking over to Marcel and flicking a lock of dark hair out the boy's eyes. "Ahhh. I guess I can leave you for long enough my pet." A playful wink and the boy headed through the swing door, pausing to take the heavy crate out his mother's arms (not that she needed assistance, being a vampire and all) and placing it on the huge table. He stretched some, leaning over to have a good old nosy at what was in it, while his father began to talk.
"Well. Rigel, you know that you're a vampire because me and youth mother are."
"Well, duh dad."
"Don't interrupt your father."
"Sorry Dad."
"It's ok son, just learn to control that tongue of yours and we'll be in business. Anyway, as I was saying. You weren't bitten. Now, when most vampires are bitten, we stop aging. But evidently. since you've been born, you've. kept aging."
"So?"
"You're not going to stop, from the looks of it."
The youth frowned some "You mean.I'm going to get old?"
"Not only that." sighed his mother, walking to him and placing a hand on his shoulder. "You'll. you. We talked to a vampire expert at the university. He heard a legend about a Tuccian that. was born. It. It." She sighed. "Died."
"What, like had her head cut off or something?"
"No, of old age Rigel."
The youth stood stock still, flabbergastered. A frown caressed his features, and for a moment he blinked at his parent's. "Ex.excuse.me? I'm.I'm. mortal? A mortal vampire? Or a vampiric mortal I?."
Brian and Alyssa stood there, tears in their eyes. "It. hurts us as much as it hurts you son. We can't imagine life without you."
"That's why. we want you to go and find Nicki Saffron. He knows people, he knows. magics. He's a legend, you've heard the stories. Maybe he can give you immortality somehow."
"Can't you just bite me?" The youth exclaimed, digging his fingers into an apple, the juices trailing down his fingers and dripping onto the floor. Silently, sadly, his parent's shook their heads. At that, shock and stunned, Rigel turned from them, heading into the bar room, grabbing a bottle of whiskey and without so much as a second glance at Marcel, who gaped at his speed, headed down to lock himself in his room and get drunk. It was the only way he could think of coping.
***
It went on like that for several days, Rigel becoming more and more dishevelled in his appearance, only emerging from his room to grab a bottle of whiskey, and to head back down stairs. But one day, things changed. He emerged, looking a little hung over, with a rucksack and set of plain travelling clothes. He bade Marcel farewell, apologised for the shortness of their relationship, nodded to his parents that he'd try his best, and would only return once he would live forever. And that's how Rigel hit the road, looking like many mortals for that elusive secret to immortality. The wolf with the red roses.
http://profiles.yahoo.com/le_loup_avec_les_roses_rouges
Alyssa and Brian had left their respective packs shortly after they had met each other for the first time. That was when the started a life few Tuccian's ever managed to work out - one by themselves, away from a pack, living a solitary life. And what is even rarer, was that Brian and Alyssa managed it, very successfully. They had their own little tavern, which was open day and night, friends that were mortals and very willing to help them out. They were protected by their human friends, and in return, they protected their human friends from other vampires. A good little arrangement. And, eventually, Alyssa conceived and they had a son. They called him Rigel. And Rigel grew up into a fairly stunning young man, carrying the height of his father, they eyes of his mother. and the red hair of a distant relative. Yes, Alyssa and Brian were both made when Libertine and Liam had drank the blood of Nicki, and Brian, sired by Libertine, absorbed some of this blood, and Alyssa, created by Liam, inherited it two. Both passed it onto their son - the first Tuccian to be born a vampire.
Strangely, one might not think it, but they would have to. Rigel aged. He grew from an infant to a fully grown man, and continued to do so. He grew older. which meant, in some strange way, he was decaying. For to develop, one has to hold the magical contradiction, of de-composition. One cannot have one without the other, and when Alyssa and Brian found out, when the finally clocked onto what was their greatest fear, they were devastated. But they did not tell young Rigel this, who feasted on flesh and blood, held the super-vampire strength and feared the sunlight. No. The let him grow into a fine young man, who carried a certain arrogance about him which earned him the nickname "Wolf with the Red Roses" Amongst his human playmates. They knew what he was, and yet did not fear him. Would you fear someone you had grown up with?
***
Rigel rose from his bedroom under the tavern. He was a late sleeper, and idly he stretched, grabbing the candle nearest him and fumbling about for his tinderbox in the darkness. His grey eye's weren't full developed to their full vampiric strength, but already it was clear that the youth was going to be some sort of extraordinary vampire - what with having lived with the strengths all his life and kind of, having them.squared as it were. Finding the tinderbox, there was a sharp click and the youth lit the candle, casting dancing shadows about his neat room. It may be in the cellar, but his parent's and their friends raked in enough money from their fairly successful tavern, called "The Nosferatu" Something that he and his family thought fairly amusing, and then eventually the joke wore off with time. Rigel's room was tidy, a four poster bed in one corner, a neat tidy desk next to his bed, and his bookcase on the opposite wall. He had a lush crimson rug in the centre of the floor, and the remaining wall possessed the heavily barricaded metal door and his wardrobe. One of Rigel's joys was dressing well. Shaking off the day-sleep, The youth stretched, and pulled on his dressing gown.
"Now. what to wear to greet my adoring public today." The youth mused, flicking some of his scarlet hair over his shoulder. Flicking open the door, gently placing the candle on the floor, his eyes ran over his expansive collection. After all, the money that Rigel made his parents allowed him to keep. After all, they had little use for their cut of the profits from the tavern to spent on food. Young Rigel hummed a song, picking out a black velvet loose shirt, and pair of leather trousers, and his favourite boots. He dressed, tied his hair back and let himself out his room, heading up the stairs to the main tavern, slipping in first through the wine cellar and pantry(the tavern had two floors below ground, the entrance to the deepest a well locked trapdoor in the wine cellar) and then up stairs, through the kitchen out behind the bar. Gently he nodded to the barkeep - Marcel, a youth a few years older than him.
"Ah Rigel, finally up I see?" The dark haired mortal teased, rubbing down the bar top in preparation for the busy hours of the night-time. Day was hardly ever busy, except at lunchtime when occasionally the ladies of the town would turn up and have a lunch out, away from the children. The busy rush was a few hours after nightfall, when the farm workers returned in the mood for drinking and merriment - and who could deny them? Certainly not the folks who made their business from it. Rigel stretched, a thin languid stretch, hair glimmering as he took a candle and began to light the hundred of candles that here simply everywhere in the small tavern.
"Now now Marcel. the sun has only just set, so do shush." The town knew their was vampires in their midst, but this little family had made a habit of feeding purely on animals. Rigel was busy behind the bar when his parent's returned with their stock of fresh vegetables from the local grocers. "Ahh, Marcel, settling into your new job I see?" Greeted Brian, placing the wooden crate on the bar top. Alyssa, quiet by nature, presented them with only a nod before heading into the kitchen to start cooking the most popular meals that patrons ordered. Rigel couldn't resist the opportunity and grabbed Marcel into a cuddle, dipping him to press his lips against the dark haired youths. "And you're settling into your new relationship I see Rigel."
The vampiric youth grinned, released his boyfriend and stood up straight, refilling a patron's tankard with mead from the open barrel before answering. "Good evening to you too dad." And there it was, that customised trade-mark lopsided grin that Rigel pulled off so beautifully, while Marcel blushed profusely. The town of Messuah was a refuge for all - it judged none and was accepting to all type of lifestyle. Elves who had fallen in love with drows were accepted here, man who lay with man, woman who lay with woman, vampires in love with mortals, mortals in love with centaurs, and yes, even Anthros were all accepted here, as long as one got their head down and made their own way, judged no other, and caused no fuss. It was a good town, and there was now so many there that a university had recently opened - as there was now enough professors willing to pass on their information. And now, the first tax had been introduced, and that was too fund two things, a city guard (which was hardly needed due to the thick walls about the town) and the building of the university, and the payment of the professors. But the tax for professor payment was being dwindled out, as if people wanted to go their, they would have to pay. It was working out so far, and many professors, if one was willing to finance, funded students they thought had potential to go far who could not afford the fees, although the fees were not steep. It was a good town, and rich in it's various customs.
"Rigel, your mother and I need to talk to you about something. think you could leave your new lover for long enough to entertain us?" With that his father vanished into the kitchen, and Rigel let out a dramatic sigh, walking over to Marcel and flicking a lock of dark hair out the boy's eyes. "Ahhh. I guess I can leave you for long enough my pet." A playful wink and the boy headed through the swing door, pausing to take the heavy crate out his mother's arms (not that she needed assistance, being a vampire and all) and placing it on the huge table. He stretched some, leaning over to have a good old nosy at what was in it, while his father began to talk.
"Well. Rigel, you know that you're a vampire because me and youth mother are."
"Well, duh dad."
"Don't interrupt your father."
"Sorry Dad."
"It's ok son, just learn to control that tongue of yours and we'll be in business. Anyway, as I was saying. You weren't bitten. Now, when most vampires are bitten, we stop aging. But evidently. since you've been born, you've. kept aging."
"So?"
"You're not going to stop, from the looks of it."
The youth frowned some "You mean.I'm going to get old?"
"Not only that." sighed his mother, walking to him and placing a hand on his shoulder. "You'll. you. We talked to a vampire expert at the university. He heard a legend about a Tuccian that. was born. It. It." She sighed. "Died."
"What, like had her head cut off or something?"
"No, of old age Rigel."
The youth stood stock still, flabbergastered. A frown caressed his features, and for a moment he blinked at his parent's. "Ex.excuse.me? I'm.I'm. mortal? A mortal vampire? Or a vampiric mortal I?."
Brian and Alyssa stood there, tears in their eyes. "It. hurts us as much as it hurts you son. We can't imagine life without you."
"That's why. we want you to go and find Nicki Saffron. He knows people, he knows. magics. He's a legend, you've heard the stories. Maybe he can give you immortality somehow."
"Can't you just bite me?" The youth exclaimed, digging his fingers into an apple, the juices trailing down his fingers and dripping onto the floor. Silently, sadly, his parent's shook their heads. At that, shock and stunned, Rigel turned from them, heading into the bar room, grabbing a bottle of whiskey and without so much as a second glance at Marcel, who gaped at his speed, headed down to lock himself in his room and get drunk. It was the only way he could think of coping.
***
It went on like that for several days, Rigel becoming more and more dishevelled in his appearance, only emerging from his room to grab a bottle of whiskey, and to head back down stairs. But one day, things changed. He emerged, looking a little hung over, with a rucksack and set of plain travelling clothes. He bade Marcel farewell, apologised for the shortness of their relationship, nodded to his parents that he'd try his best, and would only return once he would live forever. And that's how Rigel hit the road, looking like many mortals for that elusive secret to immortality. The wolf with the red roses.
http://profiles.yahoo.com/le_loup_avec_les_roses_rouges