To Claim A Crown Book One: The Half-Blood King (Complete)

6.

Raurlin pushes the door of the old-age home open. There is a nurse seated at the reception. Her name tag reads 'Wanda.' Raurlin glances at Jackson and Jackson nods once. Raurlin walks to the reception desk and leans on it slightly. The nurse is writing something in a small book and Raurlin waits for her to finish. She looks up at Raurlin and her heartbeat increases slightly.

"Good morning, Wanda. Here to see Tormund."

The old-age home, founded by vampires, originally as an infirmary to treat The Illness over the years developed into an old-age home as the born vampire population began dying out, especially after The Great War. Although the vampire gene never always showed some families that once carried the gene remained at the service of the vampire species. They became nurses at the infirmary and then the old-age home. Some made blood donations so that human feeding became less and less necessary. The donations also saw a decrease in human murders or accidental deaths from overfeeding. These humans became affectionately known as sympathisers.

Wanda stands up and lifts a clipboard. She tucks it close to her chest. She gestures to a long passageway and the three begin walking down the passageway. The click of her small heels rings loudly in Raurlins ears.

"We weren't expecting to see you any time soon Mr Tormundson" Wands says "I think your father has just finished with breakfast."

They walk from the passageway to an outside courtyard area where a vast amount of elderly people are scattered. Some couples are walking hand in hand, some are being fed by nurses. Raurlin hated visiting. He felt a sense of guilt given his unwarranted immortality. Across the courtyard there are a number of bedrooms, secluded. Vampires presumably all suffering from The Illness or those who were turned in their old age and choose to live out eternity in peace and silence.

"How is he doing Wanda?"

They come to a halt just a ways away from his fathers bedroom door and Wanda's eyes drop to the ground. Raurlin knows that there is no good news.

"He is quite far gone, Mr Tormundson. The dementia has set in quicker than we anticipated. He isn't violent though. At least not yet. There's a nurse, Rachel, who he has taken a liking to. He calls her by his late wife's name."

"Kalle."

Wanda smiles at Raurlin, softly, almost sadly and responds "exactly."

They walk to the door which is shut. There is a metal number five nailed into the door. Wanda knocks twice and a voice from the inside shouts to come in. Raurlin inhales deeply as Wanda slowly opens the door. The room is neat, exactly the same way that Raurlin remembered it. To the right of the room a bed with a TV in front of it and two the right a little kitchenette with a buzzing mini fridge. Just beside the door is a desk and a chair. There's multiple papers all scattered around the desk and a tightly bound leather journal atop it all. The journal is thick and there are bits of paper sticking out of it haphazardly.

Tormund is laying in bed propped up by some pillows. There's a show playing loudly on the TV. There's a nurse sitting beside the bed in a chair. She has wild blonde hair and Raurlin realises why his father had been calling her by his mothers name. Tormunds eyes seem glossy and his frame is frail. He holds a large white styrofoam cup and his hands tremble slightly. He sips at it and blood sits on the end of his moustache. He looks at the nurse, Rachel, with the same fondness he did his wife once.

"Kalle, send the boy to pick the berries in the field, please my dear. Or did I ask you already? I can hardly recall."

His voice is loud and booming, the same way Raurlin remembered it to be. Tormund used that loud booming voice from Raurlins birth. He pushed Raurlin to be an excellent farmer then an excellent warrior. Mediocracy was simply unacceptable and Raurlin grew to resent his father's intensity. The only thing that kept Raurlin present was his mother but after her death during The Great War Raurlin had no reason to stay with his father.

Rachel nods and she looks up at Raurlin "yes Tormund. I've already sent for the boy. Look who's come to visit."

Tormund's eyes fall on Raurlin and he huffs "Raurlin. I thought you were leaving for good. Isn't that what you told me yesterday? Or have you come to spew more hatred towards me. Well make it quick boy I have things to do!"

Raurlin walks in and sits on the edge of the bed, "nice to see you too Dad" he mutters.

Jackson leans against the door frame, watching on from a distance and Tormund continues.

"Your mothers death is not my fault! I didn't make her fight! She did it for you foolish boy, for you! Otherwise the lycan would have killed us all! Tell him Kalle!" Tormund turns to Rachel and a look of sheer bewilderment falls across his face. Before Raurlin can respond he's out of bed and is hoisting Raurlin against the wall by his neck.

Jackson immediately attempts to break them apart but he is flung against the room effortlessly. His skull cracks against the wall and is bleeding immediately. He slumps to the floor waiting to heal before throwing himself back into the fray between father and son. Rachel rushes between them and tries to separate the two. Tormund's eyes spill from the irises until they are a gleaming ruby red. The veins around his eyes seize up and two long fangs slowly drop from his mouth.

Rachel jumps back not having seen Tormund in his full shift state. She covers her mouth with her shaking hands to prevent screaming. Raurlin gasps for air as he feels the hands tightening on his throat. He grabs at his fathers hands struggling to speak, knowing that he will never be able to overpower his father. Tormund coughs and there is blood on his lips.

"You bastard boy! I told that trollop we should never have kept you! She just had to roll around the hay with that dog! That animal! I should beaten you right out of her!"

Wanda slams a needle into Tormund's back and after a few tense minutes he releases Raurlin who slumps to the ground coughing painfully. Jackson stumbles to his feet and walks quickly to where Raurlin is sitting. He crouches in front of him and examines his neck. Rachel helps Tormund back onto the bed. Tormund settles and begins silently weeping. He grasps tightly onto Rachel's hand muttering over and over again "how could you do this to me Kalle."

"A light sedative Mr Tormundson. This is his first violent outburst. Let me get you both a blood bag."

Jackson helps Raurlin to his feet. Raurlin settles back down onto the side of the bed. He reaches out and gently touches his fathers leg and asks gently "Pappa, why did you say that? Why would you say that about Mamma?"

Tormund looks up at Raurlin and his tears turn to a warm smile. He reaches forward and gestures for Raurlin to come closer. Rachel hesitantly stands up and walks to where Wanda is standing. Raurlin sits down into the empty chair and Tormund grasps his hands tightly. He raises Raurlins hands to his forehead then kisses his knuckles affectionately. A single tear drops from his left eye.

"My boy...my little Raur. Do you know why your mother and I named you that? Because of the way you roared at birth." Tormund chuckles fondly. The red eases out his eyes gently. He continues unphased "Oh I was mad at your mother, furious when she told me the truth about her infidelity. But the second I laid eyes on you I knew I would raise you as my own. Those hazel eyes with the golden irises. You get that from him you know. I wonder some days if he's still alive. If he would want to meet you."

Raurlin turns to Jackson tears pouring from his eyes, the realisation that this is likely his last conversation with his father before dementia turns to delirium hits him hard. Jackson steps forward and rests a hand on Raurlins shoulder. Tormund looks past Raurlin seeing Jackson for the first time since their arrival.

"Ah, Jackson. It's good to see you. You know I haven't got much time left. Look after my boy okay? Take him to meet his birth father. Help him discover who he really is. Then maybe he'll finally become king."

Tormund is silent for a moment. He let's go of Raurlins hands and they fall into his lap. The silence is loud and uncomfortable. Raurlin watches on as his fathers eyes disappear behind the gloss again. Tormund frowns and examines the room. He beams at Rachel and calls out "Kalle! You look more radiant than the day I first laid eyes on you!" He holds a hand out