Armand
Michael
Eva
*****
When Deianeira woke up, she saw Lyserg at the window, shirtless, leaning with his hands on the sill. His well-built back was even more attractive under the morning dim light. She greeted him with a lazy voice.
Dei: Good morning.
Although numbed by the endorphins, she felt very tired after last night. Lyserg's blood was so tasteful for her that she woke up in the morning craving for more and, recalling last night's events, she put a hand at her head, dizzy. She saw the blood on her bed and also some ashes next to her left hand, as a spark of her fire had appeared during the imprinting. Her neck hurt, but the blood had long dried.
Elated by the new experience, she tried to take in everything as it happened, but now she felt a little guilty. She played with fire and she got hurt. She couldn't help herself from making a connection to Darion and their kiss because he pulled away at the right time, but Lyserg was clearly not the type to stop once the game was on, but one to go with the flow. Lyserg did not answer her, instead he growled in a low tone.
Dei: Are you alright?
Lsg: Your blood.
Dei: My blood...?
He came back to the bed, his expression frowned, and lay down as if he had just returned from a battle. Deianeira took a closer look at him, as he seemed to be in pain.
Lsg: Your blood has so much venom. It affects even me...so strong.
Dei: Venom? My blood??
Her question had hi. raise his voice and he had not looked at her once.
Lsg: Yes, your blood has venom, was I not clear?
Dei: Alright, stop shouting, I am only surprised to hear this.
Lsg: And surprises keep coming.
Dei: What do you mean?
Understanding she would not receive any blood from him, she tried to take her mind off it.
Lsg: You understood last night what exchanging blood means. The way you saw part of my memories and shared my feelings, I shared yours too.
Dei: What did you see? What angered you so much?
Lyserg's frowned stare was pointed at the ceiling, as if he had him in front of his eyes and he spit his name with hate.
Lsg: Darion; everywhere around you.
His clenched his fists, remembering how she almost begged Darion to drink her blood, how easy she gave in to him and, more exactly, their last walk together during night time, shortly before his and Ramisu's arrival. This enraged him the most.
The moon was well up and Deianeira and Darion were on the river bank looking at the stars. A cold wind was blowing her hair and Darion got closer to her.
Dr: Are you cold?
Dei: I never feel cold when I am with you. I don't get to see you much around me nowadays, I miss you.
She grabbed his hand and kissed it shy and Darion did the same as the river was growing more restless.
Dr: I am sorry, Deianeira. It is not your fault.
Dei: Then? I miss your touch on my skin, I miss our talks. I have been feeling so restless lately.
Knowing Lyserg and Ramisu were getting closer every passing hour, he could do nothing but sigh.
Dei: Did I do something which upset you?
No longer being able to control himself, Darion pressed his lips on hers gently, laying her on the riverside. She answered him back, brushing his hair and making eye contact with him.
Dei: Let us stay here tonight. I do not want to leave this place.
They were surrounded by flowers which gave a nice scent and it was relaxing for both of them.
Dr: What do you do to me? The harder I try to pull away, the more I need you.
She kissed his neck passionately.
Dei: I don't want to lose you. I was made for you, my heart tells me that. This is our truth, when we are lying here in this embrace.
He found it too hard to pull apart, as he kissed her neck as well.
Dr: One way or another I will keep my promise to you. You will see.
Dei: Good, because I intend on staying alive as much as possible.
Darion grabbed a flower and put it in her hair.
Dr: You are so gorgeous in your simplicity. Everything you put on seems so beautiful.
Dei: Darion, I want to give you something.
He looked surprised when Deianeira pulled out a little chest box and handed it to him. Ypon opening it, he discovered a lock of her hair tied with a red thread. He stared at it and then closed the box, clutching it in his fist, as if he was never going to let go of it.
Dei: No matter what happens, I will always be with you. And you will always be with me.
She grabbed the lace at her neck in her fist and put her head on his chest.
Lyserg's eyes were slowly changing their colour.
Dei: What happened in the past stays in the past.
She reached for him, but he suddenly got up, starting searching in the room, throwing everything in his way and his behaviour nade Deianeira get up confused and scared.
Dei: What are you doing?!
Lsg: Where is it?
Dei: What are you talking about?
Lsg: That bastard's lace, where is it?!
His voice thundered in her ears, startling her.
Dei: I threw it away, don't you remember?!
Lsg: No, no, I put it on the bed and we left. You didn't have time to throw it away.
Dei: Lyserg, you are unwell now, calm down.
Not hearing her anymore, he threw everything off the table with the mirror and Deianeira hold her breath when she saw a glimpse of the lace in her jewelry box.
Lsg: Where is it?!
She went to Lyserg and grabbed his arm in an attempt to stop him.
Dei: Lyserg, stop, you are frightening me!
But Lyserg turned to her, his eyes completely red, and grabbed her face with his other hand, speaking to her through his teeth.
Lsg: He gave you a cold shoulder and you still long after him. Here I am, making a fool of myself every day and you still play hard to get.
He pushed her away, but his blood was boiling and the venom started to affect him even more. His vision blurry, he fell on one knee and put his hand to his head. Deianeira was breathing heavily, almost shaking after Lyserg's sudden outburst, she wanted to run away at that very moment, but, seeing him tormented not only by her past, but also by her venom, she could not abandon him. After all, it was her fault. She rushed to his side and grabbed his head in her hand and, though Lyserg tried to push her away, she did not move.
Dei: Stop moving, I will help you.
Lsg: Why? You are still longing for his touch. Why would you help me?
Dei: I care about you, you fool. I craved your blood and last night I had your lips on my skin, nobody else's.
Lyserg looked at her, doing his best to calm himself down. He did not say anything, but he allowed Deianeira to hug him and felt her calm energy surrounding him, the beating of her heart against his chest warming him up. Seeing his eyes back to normal, she helped him lie down on the bed.
Dei: Try to get some sleep, I will go get changed and come back to you right away.
Before leaving, he grabbed her wrist ro stop her, ad if he expected her never to return.
Dei: I WILL come back to you, Lyserg. I won't leave you alone, I promise.
Her words comforted him the same as Damien's words had calmed him when he was a child and he let go of her without saying anything. His bloodlust had ended. For him, Deianeira would be the fire he always needed.
After entering the bathroom, Deianeira fell down on her knees with her back against the door and she was so scared that her hands were shaking and tears started falling, unable to hold them in anymore, but she brushed them away quickly with her hands. She was no fool and she understood that she could have been killed, that Lyserg would harm her if she didn't learn to defend herself. With a gesture of hand, a flame appeared in her right hand, thanking fate that she had learned to make the fire appear whenever she wanted.
The more she thought about the situation, the flame started turning from red to blue. She was amazed as she could feel both the fire and her healing energy manifesting in each other at the same time. The flame lasted about a minute, but it comforted her only so much. Without wasting anymore time, she undressed and got in the bathtub.
The next few days Deianeira did her best to pretend nothing ever happened and Lyserg, feeling guilty for losing control, did everything to comfort her and make her forget about what happened. At times he was seriously considering erasing all her memories about everyone else but him, but no, he was not weak and he was not to be defeated by Darion. His triumph would be tasteless if there were no battles to win.
They were in the dining room, when the entrance door was heard, followed by the loud voice of a woman. He had felt them getting closer days ago, but they must have felt the unfamiliar aura too and decided to pay him a visit. It was already too late to run and he could only hope the visit would be as short as possible.
Eva: Lyserg? Where are you? Ugh I am so hungry right now, I need my special bottle.
Lyserg closed his eyes and let out a sigh, out of reflex. A tall lady with blonde straight chin-length hair and brown eyes entered the room and the aura in the house instantly changed into a heavy one. Deianeira's first words that came to her mind when she saw her were royalty and mightiness. She and Lyserg got up and he gave the woman a tight hug.
Lsg: Mother, you didn't announce me you would visit me.
Eva locked her gaze on Deianeira, her smile fading away, as now she felt her aura very clearly.
Eva: Lyserg, this is...
Her eyes turned red in an instant, but Lyserg took Deianeira's hand and pressed on it, signaling to her to bow her head. She didn't dare to watch Eva in the eye.
Lsg: Yes, she is Deianeira.
Dei: Pleased to finally meet you...
To her amazement, Eva hugged her, leaving Deianeira mute and frozen.
Eva: Eva. The pleasure is ours, I assure you. You are finally here! Mikael, come here! Your son has a very important guest. How are you Deianeira? I hope my son treats you well.
Dei: I am very well, thank you. Lyserg is very kind to me.
Eva: My Lyserg? Of course he is.
She was strugging not to laugh out loud at the thought of a kind and calm Lyserg when a blonde man entered the room with a servant following him and helping him take off his coat. Eva's eyes were back to their usual brown and the man kissed Deianeira's hand and she bowed her head ashamed.
Mk: Such an honour for the house of Maharet. Do not feel anxious in front of us, dear. We are just a humble family. We felt your astonishing aura as soon as we approached the lands, but I had to see this with my very own eyes.
Lyserg wanted to say something, but Mikael interrupted him.
Mk: Lyserg, can we see you in my study room?
Lsg: Sure. Go back to the room, I will follow you shortly.
Dei: I will wait for you there.
On the way to the study room, Eva told Lyserg about their trip having to end sooner due to recent attacks, but, as soon as they entered the room, the mood changed and Mikael's expression turned dark.
Mk: She is still part human. And she is still here.
Eva: Lyserg, what is going on with you? Have you lost your mind? Does Leon know about her still being here?
Lsg: Mother, don't get me started with this. I know what I am doing, Leon doesn't need to know anything yet.
Mikael hit the desk with his hand.
Mk: Listen to yourself, boy! If Leon finds out you've been keeping her here, instead of taking her straight to him, we will be in great trouble.
Eva: Had we not decided to visit you, you would have never told us, would you? Son, ruining our relations with Leon is not an option.
Lsg: I know that, will you listen to what I have to say? I will take her to Leon, I had to earn her trust first.
Mk: That I see you have already achieved, judging by the smell surrounding her.
Lsg: I need only a bit more time.
Eva: Why? What are you waiting for? If you want her trust then turn her into a vampire, she will blindly follow you.
Mk: No, Leon wants them alive. Is the other one here as well? Is she with Ramisu? I can feel one more...
Lsg: No, we've only found her so far. Don't you understand? We can't go to Leon before having both of them.
Mk: I am not comfortable with lying to Leon.
Lsg: Lying? Why is this lying? Did he ask about them and I said something untrue? He doesn't know anything.
Eva: Don't talk like that in front of your father. Don't take Leon's name as a joke.
Lsg: Leon, Leon. She is promised to me; me! Whether I do Leon the favour of taking her to him or not, it is my choice!
He would not risk for his parents, very loyal to Leon, to ruin everything he and Ramisu have been planning for years, but all their questions enraged him and he found it difficult to control himself.
Eva: Lyserg! I don't recognize you anymore, how can you speak like this? Is she clouding your judgement?! Having Leon take us under his wing is a gift we cannot risk!
Having never had shouted at his parents before, he looked away ashamed of his outburst.
Mk: You're dismissed.
Eva: Mikael!
Mk: I don't want to see your son right now. Don't be a disappointment and make sure everything will go on smoothly.
Lyserg bowed his head and left the room, slamming the door behind him. He wished he could have told them to leave, he wished he had the courage to tell them they did not have to put up with his rebelliousness, they could just go back to their own house. But that was not the way he had been raised.
Eva: This child will take us to the grave, I'm telling you.
Mk: You are the one who insisted on accepting him in our house.
Eva: Don't you even start with it again.
Deianeira heard the door opening and Lyserg entering, his aura dark. She rushed to him and hugged him.
Dei: Are you alright? What happened? Is it because of me?
Lsg: No, nothing happened. It is just the effect of spending more than ten minutes in the same room with my parents. They tend to visit without announcing me, I hadn't planned for this to happen. I have been so focused on you, I failed to feel them approaching.
Dei: You don't get along? I expected you to be happy to see them.
Lsg: We get along as long as I do what they want.
Dei: Then what are you not doing exactly?
Lsg: Informing them about every step I take. Let us not talk about this, it angers me even more.
Dei: As you wish.
After she tiptoed to kiss his lips softly, he grabbed her waist and pulled her closer, feeling calmer already.
Lsg: You are my best medicine, my little sparkle; mine.
Dei: How can I make you happy again? I like your smile more than your frown.
Hearing her speaking so softly to him, he showed her an honest smile.
Lsg: Just never leave my side. I don't know what I would do without you.
Dei: I won't.
Rm: Wake up, Elain! It's just a dream!
Ramisu had been shaking her for a few minutes and she still wouldn't get up, but, after one more try, Elain got up suddenly, shouting Deianeira's name and breathing heavily.
Rm: What's wrong? What have you been dreaming about?
Ela: Deianeira is in danger, I have to see her.
She got up searching for some clothes to change in an agitated manner.
Rm: Why? How do you know? Lyserg would have told me.
Ela: I felt it, she is scared. I am sure Lyserg did something, I must see her.
Rm: Look, Elain, maybe you should calm down. It was just a dream.
Ela: It is happening now, I can feel her.
Rm: Deianeira is fine, listen to me.
Ela: I am not asking for your approval, Ramisu. I have to see her right now.
Rm:. Look, I will inform Lyserg that you want to come and I will go with you later. You will see there is nothing wrong. Maybe she is scared because Lyserg wants to imprint on her, it could be such a thing as well. Give them time. If you won't calm down in an hour, I will reach him. But you can't just go over there out of the blue.
It was the first time Ramisu felt that kind of gaze coming from Elain. She did not hate him, but she hated his words.
Ela: The same way you promised to help me with my training?
He looked at her in surprise and she understood she had never taken her request seriously.
Ela: Do you think I was just joking? I had already started training with a sword with Eden. I am serious about it.
Rm: And you didn't get hurt?
Though he had tried to cut down the tension, Elain eyed him with anger, as she zipped up her dress.
Rm: I was just joking, relax.
Ela: I am not laughing.
Rm: Then follow me, I will take you to the armory right now, to show you I will keep to my promise about Deianeira as well.
Grabbing her hand, he led her to the armory and opened the door with a slam. Across the room, shields and swords were hanged on the wall, while crossbows, bows and arrows, spears and machetes were laid next to the walls and on the shelves. The room was poorly lit, but Elain could still see all of them very well and she was mesmerized.
Rm: Make yourself at home. What are you looking for exactly?
As odd as it might have sounded even to herself, she felt like home, as the feeling of Deianeira being in danger had already vanished.
Rm: You should pick an easy sword, since you are not experienced. A heavy one may only slow you down.
But she was not even hearing him anymore because, out of hundreds of weapons, one of them had caught her eye immediately. She approached the sword hung the highest from the ceiling, with an ivory hilt and curved engravings on the blade. The guard was in the shape of two devil horns curved at their ends and it seemed untouched for decades. Ramisu followed her closely.
Ela: What is the story of that sword?
RM: It is a trophy from a very old battle.
Ela: Can I have it?
Rm: You haven't even checked them all. Are you sure?
Ela: Yes, I feel like this sword is the one.
Without questioning her choice, he pulled the sword down from where it was hanging and handed it to her.
Rm: The tilt is made of white-gold. Also, the sword is quite old, it will have to get polished and sharpened.
Ela: It feels so light in my hand. I used my father's old sword before, but that one was so much heavier.
Ramisu was intrigued, especially because gold was by far one the heaviest metals used for the tilts of swords, but also because he knew very well whom it used to belong to.
Rm: Well, then it's yours. Let us go outside.
As soon as they reached the outskirt at the back of the mansion where hunting grounds started, Ramisu called a young man who was just about to go deeper in the forest.
Rm: Armand!
His short grey hair had blue shades that matched his eyes of a light blue. He bowed his head in front of Elain.
Amd: Elain, finally meeting you in person. I am Armand.
Ela: Nice to meet you.
Rm: I need you to do me a favour, my friend.
Amd: Anything for you.
Rm: It is actually for her. You are my best swordsman, I want you to make a fighter out of her.
He would have expected anythinf from Ramisu but that and Armand ran out of words. He did not say it out loud, out of respect for Elain, but for a woman, a half-human one, holding a sword was not something usual.
Amd: Are you sure?
Ela: I am.
Amd: Alright then we will meet...
Ela: Now. Not will, I want to begin now.