Angel of Darkness (DARKNESS #1)

IX

"But if the boy did make a blood oath, then surely that means..." Damian trailed off. His fingers drummed absentmindedly against the cool dark maple of the table. "Who let such a young child wander into the forest? Humans always stay out of the woods. We've all heard the drivel that they believe," he continued, completely puzzled. Cyan pursed his lips. "The humans always are terribly quick to poison their children against the kingdom. But perhaps this child did not have parents?" The three advisors were not strangers to human cruelty. The humans that immigrated to Lysithea often came with a different set of morality than then vampyr. And there were often clashes over it.

Asteaia, the one solely human state within Lysithea, was where most of the country's small human population lived. And typically, the Lysithea government stayed out of their affairs, respecting their right to nationhood. But the small settlement was a constant issue, demanding funding from the rest of the Kingdom while contributing hardly anything. Some vampyr's held the opinion that the settlement should be demolished and the humans expelled from the kingdom. They saw the kingdom's human population as little more than cattle. But that went against the foundation of Lysithea; it was the land of the persecuted. The Kingdom had been initially established as a safe haven for vampyr, who had been hunted down and systematically killed across the continent. It was due to a terrible prejudice, and hundreds of thousands of innocents died for it.

But the Great War of Independence had ceased over 500 years ago, and now Lysithea was a prospering nation. They were rich in natural resources, and had an extensive well educated and specialized labour force. The extended lifespan of the vampyr helped ensure that. But the human settlement had the worst living conditions in the country. True, there were attempts by the Lysithean government to fix it, and extensive work on the late King Cerberus' part to ameliorate some of the poverty, but it still persisted. And many of the vampyr had ties to the deplorable living conditions in Asteaia, yet reviled the human state and the people within it. Hundreds of years of hatred and violence towards the vampyr made them extremely critical of humans, if not outright prejudiced.

Aspen and his partners knew that there would be rebellion against the new king - he was born human after all. He would be questioned, especially by the old blood nobles. And King Cerberus was beloved by his people - his majesty would be compared to him his entire life. In fact, Aspen was certain that the only reason the council wasn't demanding the removal of his majesty was that King Cerberus himself had selected the boy. To perform a blood rite lawfully, the individual being turned and their maker needed explicit permission from the high council, which was nearly impossible to get. But King Cerberus had created the kingdom, and the council respected him and his wishes deeply enough to allow it.

A knock at the door startled the men out of their musings. Lord Aristogeiton entered, dark shadows under his eyes. The three men stiffened at the sight of them. Hadn't they left for Ruzar? They had taken the loss of their dearest friend, Cerberus, particularly badly. Not that the late King's death didn't wear on them all. The three advisors mourned the loss of who had become a strangely parental figure. The late King Cerberus and Lord Aristogeiton were pseudo-fathers to the three of them, and it hardly mattered that the three of them were well into adulthood, and served under him. Cerberus and Aristogeiton had looked out for them all the same. Aristo had been the King's closest friend and confidant. Cyan motioned for them to sit, patting their hand to comfort them the best he could. The elder vampyr smiled sadly, the pain in their eyes evident. "You know... he always thought of you three as wards of sorts. He made me promise to keep an eye out for all of you," Lord Aristogeiton mused.

The three advisors tensed.

Aspen felt strange becoming Regent, with Damian & Cyan becoming his head advisors. The power dynamic was strange, and though they were not equals in rank, they certainly were in their relationship. Aspen had talked to his lovers in depth about this new shift, and the three of them agreed that the change in title would not involve a change in heart.

Most of all, it felt strange without King Cerberus. Aspen still couldn't bring himself to sit at the head of the table in the Queen's study, the seat that used to belong to the king. But Aspen didn't have the time to properly grieve. He had a kingdom to watch over, and more importantly, a ward to protect. A ward that was an incredibly hurt and vulnerable boy.

Aristo's eyes softened. "I know the court was speculating about me returning home to Ruzar. But I could not live with myself if I abandoned you kids, especially after..." the man choked, his words cutting off. He swallowed, silent for a moment before continuing. "And especially not mon nouveau petit-fils."

Aspen smiled at them with watery eyes. Aristo patted Cyan and Damian's hands in comfort. "He would have wanted me to stay. To mend our messy little patchwork of family. He loved you like sons, you know?" Cyan nodded. "And he was our King and guardian. We will miss him endlessly."

The vampyr's long lifetime was a blessing as much as a curse. Grief never left your soul, and watching those you love die and continuing to live with that grief for hundreds of years could tear a soul apart. Time may mend the wound, but it cannot erase it.

Aristo pulled out a chair and swept into it. They were graceful in everything they did, moving through the air like silk curtains in the wind. "Now. There lies a large predicament on our hands, but know that you shalln't face it alone."

Damian squeezed his partners' hands tightly. "Envisioning myself as a paternal figure is so foreign, I fear I will wholly fail" he struggled, seemingly at a loss for words. "To adequately protect him, and you— my loves, from everything." He finished solemnly. Aristo glided a hand over Damian's hand, patting it lightly. "That is not the responsibility of a single man. We must prioritize collective over singular action." Aristo highlighted.

The elder straightened. "To adequately protect our King, we need not a sole protector, but a web of bulwarks." The Regent and his two advisors nodded, following along. "Appointing a close guard, other than those present, someone who will be less suspected is impertent." He paused. "It is of my opinion that another adolescent, closer to the King's age would be preferable. Ideally, a youth that the high council would respect. An old blood noble. If the country associates the King with such a figure—it will quell the notion of an outsider attempting to twist the nation."

Cyan tisked. "The council oft forgets that King Cerberus was not of noble blood. The bones of this country are that of a common man—whose achievements will always surpass being born."

Damian nodded. "All the same, they view him as a threat. He was chosen by our late King, and volunteered his life, an astonishingly brave feat for a child." The man paused his voice dropping, "and likely, some suicidal urge has tainted our child's decision." Damian's eyes clouded with a known understanding. Of that, he understood their King well. They were the same in that way, as he too shared an intimate relationship with death that few others would understand.

Cyan's hand held his tightly, as Damian pulled his lover into a tight hug. "I will not leave you, mon coeur," he whispered tenderly. The other man buried his head into the crux of his neck all the same. Aspen's grip tightened on both of their hands. When Damian sensed his lovers had calmed, he continued. "The council respects and revere him, but abhors him all the same."

Aristo looked away at that, the sentiment clearly painfully resonating with him. "We all have our marks, but not all of them are visible" Aristo murmured absentmindedly. Realizing he had all but zoned out he coughed, regaining his focus. "I am of the opinion that the Marquis Asmodeus Einari would be a suitable guard and companion for the King. He comes from a highly respected family, and the young lord has a good heart."

Damian, Cyan and Aspen all exchange glances. Lord Asmodeus Einari's numerous sexual trysts and arrogance were widely known. Many respected the young man and his father, captain of the guard Lord Osmond Einari, despite the scrutiny the Einari family had been under the last few days. This would likely serve as a mutually beneficial arrangement.

Aristogeiton caught the men's doubtful look. They smiled, "The bravado and arrogance of a young man, especially one so privileged. Cerberus was like that once, many many years past." The trio looked intrigued. After a moment, Aspen nodded. "I will send word to Lord Osmond Einari and his wife at once, and we shall discuss the future proceedings with Lord Asmodeus as well. We shall collectively see to it that our young King is protected, and has the opportunity to enjoy his youth."