Sins of The Father

Chapter 1: I Saved Him from Himself

“I don't know which language they'll speak. This will allow me to understand them no matter what.”

Ignotius nodded, understanding why it held the image of the goddess of wisdom. “We must be off.”

Isaac nodded, walking out of the room and into the hallway. He popped his head back in a moment later, staring quizzically at the old vampire still standing in the messy room. “Are you coming?”

Ignotius shook his head. Isaac was known to be absent-minded, but this was ridiculous. “You do realize of course that the palace is fifteen hours by plane?”

Isaac was obviously confused. “So?”

“We need to arrive in Naples within two hours, before night falls.”

The young man obviously did not get his meaning, shaking his head and raising his eyebrows as though Ignotius was the one being difficult. “And how do you propo-oh.”

The vampire saw the gears in his head click together, and the smile fell from his face. “Sorry,” Isaac said, “long day.”

Ignotius held out his hand in reply, and Isaac grasped it, squeezing his eyes shut tightly. “I hate this part,” he moaned.

“Oh yes, by all means, Master Isaac, let us take a plane and let more bodies pile up because you do not enjoy teleportation.”

Isaac cracked an insubordinate eye open, but Ignotius simply pursed his lips and concentrated, pulling them into the ether with a single thought. The air was forced out of Ignotius' lungs, but being that he did not need to breathe it did not affect him. He knew full well what Isaac was feeling though, and he did pity the young man. When traveling by teleportation, the air pressure was enough to crack ribs if not done carefully, and he knew the sorcerer was struggling for air. He would have abundant amounts when they landed, but while in the vortex there was none to be had.

Ignotius toyed with the idea of keeping them in the ether for a few seconds longer, but knew that even if Isaac did not realize, Master Amaedus would. While the king would not dare reprimand him, he would give him the look he so hated. Single eyebrow raised, lips in a thin line, eyes burning with disappointment. Ignotius allowed himself the odd smile while he knew Isaac could not see, and landed them directly in Amaedus' office, doing his best to jar the man a smidge.

Isaac was definitely not used to such travel, and collapsed to the floor as soon as his feet were corporeal again. Amaedus was seated behind the desk, pen in hand, scribbling furiously at a large stack of paper at least three feet high. Signing his name quickly, he would discard one sheet and lift the next, sign again, then repeat the process. He looked up when Isaac coughed, and looked quizzically at Ignotius. “Why does he smell of giant's blood?”

Ignotius frowned. “He was trying to enlarge a certain part of anatomy.”

Amaedus' eyebrows shot up. “Okay? I think I will pass on the minutia.”

Isaac's hand shot up into the air, his face still in the carpet, voice straining as he struggled to pull oxygen into his starved lungs. “Not mine!”

Amaedus nodded slowly, a small smile pulling at the corners of his lips. “Right. We will be off as soon as I can finish this stack of paperwork,” he said, shaking his obviously cramping hand.

Ignotius' frown deepened and he shook his head at the frivolity of youth. “If you had attended to your duties when they first crossed your desk, you would not have had to do it now. I would apologize for the inconvenience, but truly, it is your own fault.”

Amaedus rolled his eyes while Isaac picked himself up from the floor, a single hand on his chest. “Hey, bud,” he said to Amaedus, who smiled.

Ignotius could not sit idly while such atrocities went unchecked. “Master Isaac,” he said, voice dripping with exasperation. “You can not refer to the king of vampires and the entire supernatural world as 'bud.' Please refrain from doing so, and show the proper respect and reverence.”