The Story of the Vampire, L (Completed | Featured )

Part 5 - Punish Him, Punish Him

When I went in to see how the younger ones were coming along, I walked in on Aulus and Nonus practicing their formal Latin together, and Cassius waxing his eyebrows in our silver mirror. 

"Come here, Donkey, and I'll paint you," I said to him, gently.

"It's Vasvius who paints me," Aulus said, a little haughty at being distracted. 

"Vasvius isn't working tonight, and I'm your new praeceptor, so you have to do what I say from now," I said, a little uncertainly.

Children always pick up on uncertainty, and subtle cues, and luckily for me, my brothers were more likely to be compassionate than derisive at signs of weakness.

"But you'll draw it wrong," Aulus said, coming to stand between my knees as I sat down.

"Why would I draw it wrong?" I asked, wetting the tip of my little finger and trying the kohl against it.

"You're not even heating it. You have to heat the pot a little or it won't be even."

"Maybe I do it differently than Vasvius. Would you stop it?"

Nonus, only ten, had taken the opportunity to fall asleep on our bed behind me, his back pressed against my tailbone. Aulus submitted to being painted, and Nonus rested his head on my lap after to get the same. 

"Don't lie on your face, little bug," I told Nonus, and he yawned with his eyes still closed.

"I want to have bread," he said to me, cutely. "Can I have some, praeceptor?"

"You'll have a little soon and eat better after our guests leave."

"Oh I never feel like eating after that," he said.

"Are you clean?" I asked him.

Nonus pinwheeled his arms a little, trying to wake himself up. "Yes, praeceptor. I washed after me and Donkey cleaned up the washroom."

We had running water in the house, and a perfectly serviceable washroom, but weren't allowed to use either. The only time those facilities were put to use was when clientele were in need. 

Cassius, by then fifteen, ignored all of this, but I could tell that he felt troubled. When the younger ones went off together to help Vivacio in the kitchen, Cassius turned to me finally and only asked, "Vasvius won't manage it tonight?"

"No, it's Vivacio," I said.

"The master has decided to keep you on in Vivacio's old position?" he asked, making the logical leap.

"That doesn't mean anything for you. He could tell you tomorrow that you're staying, or the day after that. It doesn't mean anything," I told him.

He gave me half a smile, but his eyes were fearful. "I go with honor," he sighed. "I don't need your comfort."

"Are you all right?"

"Did you see that they took Vivacio's loom away? He'll have been mad as hell," Cassius said, opening the trunk by the table, where our nice linens were folded.

"Hey, can you come here a second?" I asked.

"Yes, praeceptor," he said, half mocking, half serious. 

He came to stand in front of me and I embraced him, my cheek pressed against his waist. With gladness, I found that he began to run his fingers through my hair.

"Cry more," he whispered.

"Are you nervous about tonight? Doesn't it feel different than before?"