Administrator
|
" Your original plan was to get the document from my king, and negotiate for your wife's life with it, wasn't it? " Vampire bid him quietly. " You'll be just doing what you originally planned... If you manage to convince them to give you your wife without a fight or anything in exchange for document, so I could just track it without danger for you two, it would be handy... But if you do not, I'll do my best to track her myself, and will get down to it from the moment they show themselves. I'd be more confident if I wasn't damaged, like this, but I hope it will wear off until the time we go out. I can't promise anything but to do all I can. While I'm trying to find her, I won't be able to protect you, though, so you'll just have to try your best not to die. They might wish to kill you too, you know, once they get the document... Or as soon as they see you with document... It tends to be easier to just pick up something from a dead body... "
" Maybe I could help a bit. " Melody offered quietly. " I am the wind. Maybe not much from knives - but if someone tries to take him out with an arrow, then, I could make sure arrows miss. That much, I could do... He should still carry a good armor, though, to discourage them, at least... " |
Administrator
|
"Under a cloak, maybe, otherwise it may look like I came seeking fight," Lorenzo said. "I don't want to give them any excuse..." |
Administrator
|
" Sure. " Erdel nodded. " There is other thing. I can only do this, if my king is safe. I don't want any shenanigans, from your side, mind me. Meaning, one of the Demons needs to stay with him, to protect him at all times. " he said sternly. " Tide is strong and can get by well on his own, but he's also someone they may know or recognize... Xia may be harder to order around, but she is fast, and can fly. We need to see which of them is better for which assignment this night. One should be with Lorenzo, one with Svarik. "
|
Administrator
|
"I think Xia won't want to part from me no matter what we decide," Svarik noted. |
Administrator
|
" Alright then. " Vampire said calmly, as it seemed something cicked in from the army, from time when he was high officer and had to make assignments and was one living orders more often than taking them. " Xia will stay with meadow king. If any trouble shows up, fly far up in the air, far from arrows range. Avoid fight, if you can. Tide, you wil follow Lorenzo through second layer with me. While I investigate smells, you will step in to protect him, if he is atacked. "
|
Administrator
|
"In the morning," Svarik agreed. "But until then, you get a big pot of tea and good rest." |
Administrator
|
" He's not going anywhere until the morning, either. " Erdel pointed at Lorenzo, grimly, but with demanding voice, avoiding to look at him. " Tide, you was trustworthy so far... " he said, wincing only a little, when he remembered how he tried to open his mouth as one would to a dog, but he did not dwell on it. " I will trust you will keep an eye on him, and not let him speak to anyone. Find him a room on the attic close to ours, so we can all be in each other's reach in case of danger. Just give him some painkillers, first. I didn't pick up any artery, but I think I did dig into a bone. Night is still quite young, he's going to need painkillers for that. "
|
Administrator
|
"Tide can take care of that," Svarik assured him. "Let's go and have some rest." |
Administrator
|
" Sir... About my son... My family... " Sage brought himself to ask tensely then, not knowing what to say, but worried sick about their safety.
Despite tired and worn out from poison, vampire knew this was important, and he could not ignore him. " Be at peace, kind man. I promise, if your son spoke the truth this time, then we shall be merciful and reasonable. If he didn't... Then we will see what we shall do, but we shan't allow anyone innocent to suffer over his wrongdoing. You was kind to us and went out of your way to help us, and that is least we can do, to return you with same measure. " he put hand on man's shoulder, watching him in the eyes intently. " Listen carefully, for I have the task for you as well tonight. " he told him seriously. " Do not intervene. We must not give any reasons for suspicion. You have numerable family, though, many kids and grand kids.... Be discrete about it, but do go and check out right now, to see if all of them are safe, and to get them guarded well. We can not allow another kidnapping. And, just the same, as soon as you can, send a little piece of Amelia's wardrobe to me through somebody of trust, so I can get as used to her scent as much as possible through the night and track her faster. Understood? " " Yes, sir, I understand. " kind man agreed amiably, indeed feeling urgency to check on everyone of his, to make sure they're alright, and seeing cooperation may milden the sentence for his son, and therefore willing to swallow his pride for such thing. He bowed lightly, and right away, resisting urge to glance at his son, he left. |
Administrator
|
"I believe that you are not involved in this, and your son acted from fear for his wife," Svarik assured him. "I hope all will sort itself out tomorrow." |
Administrator
|
When Sage left, Tide picked up Lorenzo underneath the arm, to not let him out of sight.
" I will keep him... this fledgling... safe... Thank you... " he just whispered hoarsely, looking with shame at the floor, ready to leave too, to find them some room upstairs to be at till morning. |
Administrator
|
Svarik took the big pot of tea from Garnet and led Erdel upstairs. He locked both the door and the trap door leading to the roof and told Xia to guard. Then he poured a big cup of the tea for Erdel. "Try to relax now, alright?" |
Administrator
|
Erdel took the cup, looking rather more shaken now, when they were alone. He was just looking at it tensely, not seeming to feel safe.
" I am not sure... I can drink it... " he said slowly and tensely still, in a silent plea - he seemed on edge of his nerves still, his eyes randomly unfocused around, as if he anticipated danger even now when there was none. |
Administrator
|
"You need to rest," Svarik said. "We will not let anyone in, whatever he would claim. Try not to worry, alright?" |
Administrator
|
" I am sorry, sire.. For everything. " vampire whispered then weakly, looking at the floor, as if some things were only slowly dawning on him. " I wished to warn you, somehow... That I was poisoned... That you should excuse yourself and run right away, while I still had some strength left... But there was no polite way... I hoped that if I keep calling you by your name instead of title, you may see something is wrong.. I am sorry for that too.. " he murmured quietly. " I just thought you would read through it.. I meant no... disrespect.... "
|
Administrator
|
"You did? Oh... I did not realize. I'm sorry, it feels more natural to me to be called like that, and I was already tired... it didn't occur to me. We should decide on some signals, if this is how it's going to be now. I hoped that things like this won't happen anymore..." |
Administrator
|
" I would never mean such disrespect to you. You are my sir and my master. I wouldn't do such thing so lightly... " vampire whispered quietly. " I... did not mean no disrespect... when questioning our hosts, either, sir. I just... Know you have a soft heart. I know you'd be too soft for them to speak up willingly, if they just felt safe. I wanted to pressure him for answers, while I could. " he added then, with embarrassment. " I felt so ill and faint... I feared... I may leave you alone to deal with them. " he gulped, evading his look. " I wanted to at least.. get you answers before then... So you can better know what to do... sir... "
|
Administrator
|
"I fear I'm rather bad in this..." Svarik sighed. "Calling me by name seems like no disrespect to me." |
Administrator
|
" I am just glad you're alive and well. You can learn everything, as long as that's the case. " vampire sighed tiredly. " I have been in army for long. I know how things work... But I can only help as little... " he said tensely. " As it must not look I am making calls for you. I fear I may have disrespected you tonight more than you've even noticed... which I guess is not smart of me to point out.. but.. I wouldn't want someone else doing same... without you learning to notice... "
|
Administrator
|
"How about you teach it to me then? But later, when you are well rested and this is sorted out. Until then, I will keep to what I can do better. Just lie down and relax, please..." |
Administrator
|
" Am I worrying you? I am sorry... I didn't mean to be an inconvenience, like this... " vampire's eyes teared up, as he sow how intent Svarik was about him drinking, while he himself was torn. Having to drink something he knew was ill for him, that cocoa that he didn't want, still lingered within his mind, as a bad experience hard to brush off. He gulped, not wanting to displease Svarik, though. He did not feel safe to drink. He tried to compose himself, though, and he shakily started drinking, only a bit, tiny gulps of politeness, struggling with each.
|
Administrator
|
"You are not an inconvenience," Svarik assured him. "And if you don't want to drink, then don't. I admit I couldn't relax now either... not before it's all resolved. What should we do then? And how do you feel now?" |
Administrator
|
" Like I am not dying anymore, which is good for a start... " critter said tensely. Little bit of suppressed miasma was still lingering around him, reflecting his tenseness and fears. " But not well enough. My senses are dulled... The stupid boy... " vampire shook his head. " If he had just asked, I could have helped, with mind unclouded and clear. If I don't recover by the morning, it will be bad... And... I admit, too.. " he whispered. " I can't relax either... before it's all resolved... not while I am like this... "
|
Administrator
|
"What would you like to do then?" Svarik asked. "Play some game? Some music? Or lecture me?" |
Administrator
|
" Lecture you? Like, in scold you? " through more hazy thoughts, vampire didn't get what king meant. " Well, there're certainly many things you do not know of authority and such, which is a bit funny, since you're supposed to be THE authority... But it's not worth a scold, I think... " he tried to make a shaken joke. " You've been doing fine so far. It was nice to watch you, just get on friendly terms with anyone. As for dignity and greatness, being able to issue orders and give good ones... I guess such things take time, and with time comes confidence to be great too. I personally had lot of time in army to get comfortable in my position and confidence in my abilities, but after all that happened, I am not really much confident anymore either. Who am I to lecture you? I've never met an emperor, only generals. From where I stand, you and Falcon're doing a pretty decent job, as a team. "
|
Free forum by Nabble | Edit this page |