Chapter 11: Preperation

The dormitory was still in slumber when Matthias returned in the early hours of the morning, hair and cloaks damp with sleet. His robes clung to him uncomfortably as he silently stepped between the two rows of bunk beds, submerged in the darkness. Soft snores were the only audiable sounds as he stopped beside the bunk which he shared with Kitti

Kitti was in deep slumber, his slow breathing hushed and gentle. His blankets were wrapped around him as one might imagine a glow worm and only a vague mass of blonde and brown hair protruded from beneath.

Matthias felt his remaining anger from hours before, melt away into the night as his gaze fell upon his best friend. Contentment filled the large gap that his anger had left. Perhaps he had spent his entire life wandering alone, but he had seen many more sights than most seventeen year olds, witnessed far more events than most seventeen year olds and experienced emotions way beyond those of any typical teenager. Not only that, but he had made a reliable friend in those years. The only friend that had stood beside him no matter what he did or said. The only friend who be completely lost if Matthias left. If Matthias hadn't spent so many cold years wandering the planet, he would never have met Kitti in the previous year. Himself and Kitti would never so much as crossed paths and for that, at least, he was grateful.

He pulled off his damp cloak and sat himself down onto the edge of his bed. That was when his eyes caught Romeo's empty bed, neat, untouched, unslept in. The dark blankets were pulled up over the soft pillows into a neat edge. No creases marred the surface and Matthias knew that Romeo had not so much as touched his bed since the day that he had told him and Kitti that Mr Spline had seen him in Adlington's Bookstore.

As he blinked on at the undisturbed bed across from him, Matthias began to recall what he had said in Spline's office that evening. He had strongly touched on the cause of Romeo's sleepless nights and then regretted it instantly. He hadn't realised what it must be like to have constant nightmares about the death of your mother and dare not sleep inside the school for fear that the other boys will laugh.

Now, wondering for the first time where Romeo could be spending the night, Matthias found that he no longer felt the need to sleep. He watched on over at the perfect bed laying feet before him and felt a small twinge in the centre of his chest. He cast his gaze out of the nearest window. Through the gap in the curtains he could glimpse the starry night and the icy snow built up on the window ledge outside. The moon, bright and bold, glittered and emanted a soft glow in the calm night. Wherever Romeo was, he would certainly be uncomfertable. But there would be no use in trying to persuade him to come inside and sleep, Matthias knew for sure that he was too headstrong for that. The boy's own foolish pride would keep him out there in the glistening snow, wandering aimlessly and lost...

Matthias startled slightly when a soft voice broke the silence of the room. "Hmm, no-I don't want...no-no-please...not the SPIDERS!" the bed jerked and Matthias leapt to his feet.

In the darkness of the dormitory he could see Kitti sat upright in his bed, as rigid as stone and eyes wide. "Kitti?" asked Matthias softly, nearing the top bunk bed and resting his hands on the edge of the mattress.

Kitti slowly turned to him, shaking with terror. The whites of his eyes were the only source of light in the room and they seemed to shine with fear in the shadows. "S-S-Spiders...dey...dey wannid me to...Mr Spline was gunna feed me to da spiders!" he replied, voice shuddering.

Matthias did his best to conceal a smile and gazed on at his friend thoughtfully, "You tell that Mr Spline to keep his spiders where they belong." he said.

Kitti nodded innocently and pulled the blankets over his head as he settled down again. Matthias, however, turned his attention back to the nearest window.

Before he realised it, his hand was against the cold glass and he was staring out again over the lights of River-Dale...

The next morning was Saturday and the usual business of late breakfast and lounging seemed to be echoing about the school as it always did. The dining hall was scattered with a few groups of dispersing boys eating cereal and sandwiches, whilst the rest still slumbered in their beds. Outside the world was calm again, white snow piled high like pale folds of cotton, the sun was shining slightly, emerging between the drifting cloud just enough to throw minor rays down onto the earth and warm the air. The teachers were sat in their offices, planning the week ahead and marking the previous weeks work, drinking from warm mugs of coffee and nibbling absently on biscuits...all that is...besides Mr Lockwood.

Mr Lockwood's office was littered with suitcases, different shapes and different sizes, all spilling their mis-matched contents out on to the cold floor. The aging desk that stood in the corner was adorned with splaying books and crumpled papers, the chair behind it was piled high with a series of assorted files, each one tattered and slightly bedraggled. And amidst it all stood the tutor, frowning upon the room with pale eyes, his brow crumpled. He was not dressed in his usual school-robes, the blue and grey tatters had been replaced with a beige shirt that seemed a few sizes too large, a pair of creased brown trousers and scuffed black shoes. His hair too, seemed different, it had been combed earlier in order for it lie flat, only now it seemed to have gotten bored of obeying him and was sticking up in odd places.

He paced the room, striding over the clothes and literary works which decorated the ground as he did so, his blue eyes rather dull and his smile a little less cheerful. He paused a moment beside his desk to let his eyes drift over a black and white photograph laying there amongst the papers. Two boys...one ever so slightly taller than the other...were gazing innocently back at him, their faces masked in youth and adolescence. For a while he stared on at them as a small lump began to form in the bottom of his throat, his eyes resting mainly on the taller of the two. "Mr Lockwood...sir?"

The voice was hesitant and Lockwood spun around to the face the doorway, swiftly pushing the photograph under a pile of books. Matthias was stood there, his black cloak had been abandoned for a long-sleeved midnight shirt and a pair of black jeans, his hair however was the same as always. Extended strands of shadow falling across his eyes. "Sir?" he asked.

Lockwood nodded for the boy to enter and Matthias obeyed, swiftly stepping into the cluttered office. "Ah...Matthias..." the tutor said after a while, "What...brings you here?"

Matthias hesitated a moment, his eyes casting over the contents of the room and then replied, "I was wonderin' if you could tell me what's goin' on about this trial...?"

"Ah...the trial..." Lockwood smiled weakly and turned his back to the boy, "Mr Spline has already told the headmaster...the trial is to take place this afternoon in the head's office...you and Kyne are to be present at that time."

"I won't let you lose your job." Matthias blurted, his tones definate and angry. "I won't betray you."

"You will do what I tell you to." answered Lockwood shortly.

The young boy scowled, his ashen face in a manner of despair, "But sir..."

"When you and Kyne arrive at the trial you will keep silent until spoken to, you will not respond to any comments that either Henry, the headmaster or myself make. You will stay silent until spoken to by the headmaster. At this point you will admitt that I told you of the Rite, of your past and of your mother. You will also admitt to the fact that I revealed that I was a vampire." Lockwood told him, his attention laying towards the window.

"NO!" cried Matthias, his viridian eyes wide with horror, "No, I won't! I won't betray you!"

Mr Lockwood drew himself up straight and after a moment turned back to the young child, "I am the tutor Matthias...you will do whatever I ask you to."

"Not if it's wrong I won't!" Matthias replied, "You'll lose your job and then where does the Rite stand? Without you here Spline and Palfrey can get their hands onto the book with ease!"

"Without you they can, yes." the teacher corrected, his voice calm now, "I will only be living in the town, if you are still present here it makes it incredibly difficult for them to gain access...me on the outside and with you in...it is a winning combination. Whereas if you and myself are both out of the school it makes it so much easier for them. As soon as you show loyalty to me they will expell you..."

"I refuse to do it..." Matthias answered softly.

The teacher sighed, his eyes softening. He fumbled with the books piled upon his chair, picking them up and placing them onto the cluttered desk. Slowly he perched himself down onto the empty chair and put his weary head in his frail hands. "Matthias...Matthias...child..." his voice was tired and it seemed that every syllable was a strain to utter, "Matthias...you have no idea how much like your father you have become..." He slowly lifted his head to the boy, dull eyes awash with grief, "Strong minded is one thing...troublesome, however, is another..."

The young boy peered back at the tutor, face crumpled into an odd look of puzzlement. "I beg your pardon, sir." he said, stepping over an open suitcase on the floor and drawing himself over to the desk. "What do you mean...troublesome?"

"You are just like him...Matthias. More than you know..." Lockwood's sudden referal to Matthias's long dead father made the boy feel slightly uneasy and he fidgeted a moment with the long cuffs of his shirt before Lockwood's tones came to his ears once again, "What are you thinking, Matthias?"

The young boy lifted his gaze to the tutor who was now peering up at him solemnly, his tired face a mask of sympathy and rubbing one arm tentively, the boy replied, "It's strange hearing you talk about my parents...no one has ever spoken of them before..."

"Yes...I suppose it is." answered Lockwood, "It's difficult to believe...but I was once like you, child. Only my parents were...murdered." He paused a moment, taking in Matthias's surprised expression and then went on again, "You see, I come from a long line of...creatures of the night...my mother and father were both full bred, two youngsters from two different pure blooded families. Unfortunately, mortals have a problem with this fact...the fact that vampires exist is one thing...the fact that vampires are living and breeding in their town, is another.

My parents were found out to be vampires when I was fifteen and they were killed. Therefore that's the reason why I fled to River-Dale. There I was fortunate enough to meet Matthew who said that he had a spare room at his house and that I could stay there with him if I liked...he was a kind fellow...even at the young years of eighteen you father was one who knew where his morals lied.

I guess Matthew became more than just a friend to me...he became almost my older brother. With no parents and no siblings I had nobody to look up to and admire. Your father, being three years older than myself and being the strong fellow that he was, took on that role..."

Silence echoed about the room for a moment, both vampires lost in thought, until Lockwood stood up, straightening out his shirt, "Let's not depress ourselves too much, not yet anyway." He strode around the desk and placed a hand on Matthias's shoulder, "Please don't give in to that streak of strong mindedness, child...I'm relying on you to stay out of trouble at this trial...please, don't let me down..."