|
|
Larynda shrugged her shoulders lightly as she stared ahead at the flowes in front of her. “Aye, i have a few things on my mind, indeed, Dareal.” While she sat upon the ground, the elder vampire pulled up a patch of earth beside her and casually folded his hands in his lap. He sat silently as to await the rest of her questions, for he knew there was more to her statement than what she had said. “Dont you evert think or dwell upon the past life you use to have?” A good question indeed and Dareal let out a bit of a sigh himself. “There are times that i recall how the warmth of the sun use to feel upon my skin. To hear the songs of birds in the morning as i would go out for my morning ride thru the woods.” He smiled fondlyfor a moment as larynda caught a glimpse of it from the corner of her eye. “Do you... miss it?” She murmured towards him. “Truthfully, yes i do. I wont deny that i was all that happy at first to be taken away from that life. No, indeed i was furious with the one who embraced me. But as the years went on, i adapted and got acustomed to the new life i was given, even if by force.” And she listened rather closely to his words, for it was very rare that Dareal spoke of his past life. “But ye seem to have adjusted fine, Dareal. I mean, i constantly recall back those two hundred some odd years, and i can see my mothers face before me. I can nearly recall down to the smallest detail of the things she wore, of the way she talked, and yet, she’s been dead just as long.”
Dareal nodded a bit as he listened to her words. “True enough are your words, m‘lady, but we have to learn to move on and try to forget about what has happened in the past. For dwelling within the shadows of memories that we all carry, can be more damaging than we think.” She sighed a bit as she nodded, tucking a few strands of hair behind her ears. “Just because we no longer linger in the light, does not mean we have to live solely in the darkness.” And oddly enough, his words did make some sense as he patted her shoulder lightly. “Yes, i know, but, what had kept you going for so long? You are one of the eldest of us all, including Melanthus. By right, either you or Michael should have been the leader of the clan.”
He then huckled slightly at her brazeness and honesty towards such a subject. “In truth, Larynda, i turned down the position because of the amount of responsibility that was involved in it. I do not have what it takes to keep a cool level head, unlike your beloved does. He is able to make such crucial decisions for the clan that i could never have made. He may be younger than myself and Michael, but he is a very strong leader and has lead the clan for many centuries after the original creator of the clan had passed on.”
She smiled a bit as she had plucked one of the dark crimson roses close by. “I guess, that even tho i was embraced so long ago, i do still linger and want at times to be in the light and to hear the birds and nature.” Dareal chuckled slightly as he looked at her, “You and a few others as well, M‘Dear. We do not forget what life we use to live, but we move on to new experiences and adventures.” With that he stood up, squeezing her shoulder one last time as he made his way down the winding path towards the gate at the far end of the garden.
No, she never would forget about her past life. Tho she did wonder from time to time how her family had done after her and her mothers fatefull day. They were one of the more well-off-to-do families, but she still wondered if back those two hundred some odd years if her father actually cried a river of tears for his loss. Silently she stood, rose still between her fingertips as they crept up to pluck the soft petals from the stem. Petal by petal they were plucked, drifting to the cold ground beneath her, all the while, walking down the cobblestone pathway towards the gate now as well.
She drifted out the gate, letting it shut with a bit of a creak as the last petal from the rose fell to the ground, leaving only the thorny stem in her hand. Small lcoulds of smoke arose from her mouth as she stepped outside into the cold wintery air. Tiny snowflakes started falling out of the sky, a think layer of the powdery stuff had already dusted the ground beneath her feet. Those deep blue eyes seemed to dance with a gentle smile deep within their depths. “Mother, i am so sorry; if only i could feel your hugs like i use to.” She sighed softly out from between her lips as she continued to walk across the courtyard.
And then, a soft echoe of a voice crept into her head, as if it was being said aloud clear as day. A voice so familiar, yet unbelievable as she stopped, letting the white flakes fall down upon her long tresses. “We all knew that our day would come, my daughter. Even if they come in ways that we are unprepared for. Each of us has a destiny, a soul purpose in life, even if we know not of it yet.”
The voice in truth made her smile all the more, sighing softly as she murmured as if in reply to the voice, that only she could hear. “I know that, mother..and i wish that the day would come that i could stand in the light once again, to feel the warm rays upon my skin, and no longer live in the darkness that i live in now. Yes, we adapt to what, life throws at us, but i miss so many things that i use to have back then, so much i have lost.” Then the voice picked back up, softer and yet, more gentle than before. “We all lose things in life, and we learn to deal with them. Do not deny what life you live now, nor what you are not only in appearance and mentality, but, also what you are in your heart. As long as you have that and do not try to shadow that part of your very essence, you shall never walk the darkness alone, for you shall always have the light that glows inside you. You have a wonderful husband, and one that cares deeply for you, if you had not realized this by now my dear. He’s given up so much of his own being, that he would do anything to please you, to keep you happy with him, for all eternity.” It was then a faint ghostly image appeared before her. Dressed in ancient finery clothing that dated back two hundred years before. Larynda blinked her eyes in amazement as she stared at the faintly visible figure of her mother. They say tortured souls always stayed around to guide those they left behind prematurely, perhaps this was one soul that wanted to see its daughter to realize what she truly had in life, at least.. the life she lived now.
"Yes, but still, i guess i still want to do the things i use to before this all happened to me." The figure smiled softly and nodded. "You must learn to move on my dear. You cant go back and change the past, no matter how much you want to. You have to learn to just let go." And as larynda listened, a gentle breeze brushed past her form, gently tossling a few of the strands across her eyes. As she brushed them aside and looked up, the figure was gone like it was nothing more than a dream.
She shook her head a moment, tho letting a smile crease along her lips, but a single tear slowly rolled down her cheek as well. She missed her mother more than anything, and she was right; she had to move on and leave all the bad memories behind. Not an easy task, but one she had to do.
Hours went by and Melanthus actually started to worry about his beloved. It was not like her to not at least let him know she was going to be gone for several hours. He had even called upon Dareal and Isabella to see if either of them had seen her. Dareal did confide that he had run across her several hours ago out in the rose garden, but left shortly there after to leave her to her own thoughts.
After talking to them, Melanthus decided to make his way to the last place she had been seen by the elder vampire, the garden. He should have known, or at least thought about her favorite place. He made his way there, only to step into a very silent and yet still empty garden. His eyes gazed around, searching for her, but to no avial. He frowned slightly as he shook his head. He could still slightly smell her scent upon the air. Yes she was here, but it was quite some time ago. "What is she up to?" He sighed as he walked down towards the gate at the far end of the cobblestone walkway.
Closing the gate behind him, he looked out inot the courtyard with a furrowed brow in thought. Indeed he's going to have to talk to her when she returns and find out where she had wandered off to. The cold winds blew past his form, bitting into his flesh as he started to make his way around the side of the house.
It was about that time that Melanthus stepped back inside thru a side door to the castle, only to be greeted not by Larynda, as he had hoped for, but Anthony. “M‘Lord, are things alright? You seem a bit, whats the word; annoyed?” He asked as Melanthus shook his head lightly. “Nothing really, Anthony. Just that our dear Larynda has yet again taken flight from us.” Anthony lofted a dark brow as his arms folded over his chest. “Hrm, how long has she been gone M‘lord? Do you wish for someone to go for a walk and see if they can locate her?” Melanthus shook his head yet again. “No Anthony, at least not right now. But if she does not return within the day or so, then we shall start lookin for her.”
Anthony nodded lightly towards him, “Yes, M‘lord, but im sure she will be fine, but caution will be used of course.” With those last few words, he took his leave from Melanthus and headed down one of the side corridors towards the lower levels of the castle. Melanthus sighed, then moved towards one of many parlors that he found himself resigning to when he had many things on his mind pertaining to the clan..and of course to his beloved as well. He remembers how much trouble she always manages to get into when she’s off on her own. Not like he’s not bailed her out so many times before, but he can not help but remember the most deadly of those encounters he saved her from, the one from Henry. That very thought of seeing her hurt again like that wrenched his gut into a knot. No, that could never happen again.
As he sat in the parlor, a few other members of the clan had wandered in and out of the room. Talking to him about what new things were going on, what things needed to be done and the like. At least it was something to take his mind off of Larynda, for the time being anyways. The hours passed unnoticed by him as he had been reading a book between meetings with everyone, and sippin on a glass of brandy. Two hours before daylight, and she was still not back. Now it was making him start to worry. Damnit, where was she? No word, no nothing from her. The chimming of the grandfather clock across the room told the time clearly, and it was indeed late. If she was out now and on her way back from wherever it was she was at, she had to hurry. Sure, daylight was one of the personal enemies of vampires, but not as harmful as most mortals thought of it. It was more of an annoyance. The bright light would usually end up causing them discomfort upon their vision, and all tho as the lengends went which said it would burn their skin; that was one falsity. It did not burn the skin, mainly just irritated it since their skin was pale and unuse to the sun. The pigments in normal skin had been removed upon their transformations, leaving it that ghostly creamy white color.
Another chime of the clock, one hour left and no Larynda. Melanthus finaly stood upon his feet, putting down his book and strolled out of the room towards where a few of the clan members were left and went to each of them one by one and asked if they had seen her return as of yet. None of them had seen her, and twas then that Melanthus gave the word to Anthony to send out a search party to locate her on the following eve. It was not unlike her to at least not check in or send word, she’s not been so negligent like this in so many years. Everyone understood and they all retired to their chambers in the lower parts of the castle to sleep till the following eve, leaving Melanthus for the first time in a long time, to sleep alone in his room. That did not settle well with him as he crawled into the elaborate bed that sat up against one of the walls on the far side of the room. He could only hope she was alright, and that she had not done something stupid like the ‘henry’ incident.
The morning and afternoon passed, tho not a very bright day at all. Gloomy skies foretold of an oncoming storm that was rolling into the area, about ready to unleash its anger to rain down upon the lands beneath the heavens. Larynda had indeed not returned the previous night, rather having taken a long walk or rather, ‘flight’ back to her hometown, roughly 3 hours away from her current home. She had taken what her mother’s ghost said to heart and headed straight for the one place she had not been to since her own death, the cemetary where her whole family had been burried at upon each of their own deaths. It was a large cemetary, but prodominantly used for the upper crust of the town and the wealthy to be burried at. Many crypts were thru out the area, showing names of the families upon the fronts of them so all could see who was burried within those sheltered stone buildings. Most of the names she knew, Courtiear, Davenport, all names she knew from her past. Now those she knew laid peacefully within those stone walls, away from all worries and the pains of life.
As she passed by each of the crypts and the monuments, she looked at each one carefully, vaguely remembering where her family was suppose to be burried. It had been a very long time since she had stepped foot upon holy ground, and it gave her the creeps indeed, of course, cemetary’s always gave her the creeps since she was very young. Finally she reached the spot where her family’s final resting place. A tall angular building, like the others in its vicinity, made of marble stonework and elegantly hand crafted with her family name etched across the top of it.. D‘Ynnsti-Aerilon. Yes, she did not tell the clan her true name before her death. They knew it was Larynda, but she would always either give a false last name, or only use part of her true name. In either case, not even Melanthus knew of her true name, that she always tried to keep to herself, since it was the only part of her that still was untouched, so to say. The gargoyles on the corners of the pillars gazed outward in defiance to the sky, the family crest upon the doors that lead downwards into the crypt. She reached out, brushing her fingertips against the door, tracing the seal as her other hand came up, giving the knob a turn and pushing it inwards.
The stench of death was the first thing that caught her senses. The musty air of the ages gone past filled her lungs as she stepped down into the crypt, letting the door shut behind her with a creaking sound. Down the steps she crept, the darkness filling the passage all the way down. Half way down, two sconces on either side held torches that one could light to give one’s vision an easier chance to see what was before them. She fished around for matches or something that might serve to light the torches, but to no avail she did not find anything upon herself to light them. She pursed her lips in thought as she kneeled down and ran her hand along the stone steps, searching to see if maybe the last visitor here might have left a pack of matches or something to light the torches with. After searching, her fingertips brushed against something very small and rectangular. She picked up the small box, seeing it to be an old tiny carboard container of matches. Well, at least someone decided to be kind to leave a way of lighting them for the next person. Upon striking the match and lighting the torch, the passageway was not faintly lite on both sides, bathed in a soft golden glow. She took one torch with her, and continued down into the depth of the crypt. Not a sound came from below as she descended, only the soft crackling of the fire that burned upon the torches. The light filled the huge room as she stepped down into it. Indeed it was a very large room.
Before her there must have been at least twenty or more crypts that formed various rows along the walls. Larynda blinked her eyes a bit as she neared the first stone crypt. A stone worked female form graced the top of the first one she came upon, eyes etched in and eternal peaceful look. Who was she? Larynda asked herself as she walked around the crypt, looking for a name or something etched on the side to tell who she once was. A small plaque on the end of the vessel read the womans name, Emilia Aerilon, beloved daughter of Christine Bauer-Aerilon and Lord Richard Aerilon.
She lofted a brow as she looked at the name engraved in the stonework. A name she was not familiar with, at least not the first name. The last name tho was definetly of her own family, but this was most likely a distant cousin.. or descendant that followed her own line. She moved on thru the room from crypt to crypt, reading various names on the sides, some of the she finally recognized as being her grandfather and other various members of the family that she knew from her former life. As she turned a corner near one of the pillars, she stumbled upon four crypts done and etched rather distinctly upon the top and sides. It was obvious that these people were a bit more important, but definetly not decked out like a king or queens crypt would be.
As she started to look around each, studying how decorated and elaborately carved they are, she blinked her eyes a bit to see the names upon the sides of the crypts. The first she looked upon was the one with the stone statuesque form of a gentleman in his mid forty’s with a beard and a noble look upon his face. She smiled as she knew off the bat who it was.. her father. The stone likeness was nearly exact, even down to the tiny scar that she recalled when she was young that rested upon his upper left cheek. A wound that was inflicted upon him when she was so young, caused by one of the horses they owned when he was accidentally thrown from its back.
Her fingers continued to brush along the stone figures face for a moment longer, letting a few soft tears roll down her cheeks as they were shed. "Hello, father, I’ve missed you." She managed to murmur beneath a few of the tears. She and her father may not have been the closest in the family, but she still loved him all the same. She smiled as she remembered the last time she saw him. The memories slowly coming back of all those centuries ago.
She managed to fight off more of the threatening teasrs as she then turned towards the other three crypts that lay bathered around her fathers. Thenext one she came to was another male figure, etched in stone as well, but wearing what looked like to be an ancient set of plate mail, tho without the huge helm that usually comes with such an outfit. This figure, however, she did not reocgonize at least, not to her knowledge. The name enscribed upon the side panel was one that had a very interesting sound to it, tho still not unusual to hear it, just she’s never heard anyone in her family with the name of Christian. As she looked closer, the date on the side near the name was nearly over a centry previous to ther fathers death. Must have been one of her past relatives before her fathers time. Either a great great grandfather or great great uncle, who knows. She spent a bit of time looking over the symbols that were etched in the shield and sword stoneworked figure as she sighed and then hesitantly moved towards the other two.
She made her way towards the third one in line, skipping over the second one for now. This one was a bit smaller of a crypt, more slender and shorts in length. There was no detailed person on the top of this one, only inscriptions and intricate designs across the edges of the lid. Running a hand across the side and top of the lid, her fingertips felt the chisled surface of the designs that decorated this rather simple casket. She smiled as she looked over the cript a bit more, then blinking as she came across the name etched on the side. Her lips slowly curled into a frown as she noticed the name, Lady Cathline, her mother.
Larynda sighed as she read the name, fingers shaking slightly as they brushed along the intricate lettering. "Mother, im here. I have been searching for you. When you, came to me last, you said i had to move on with my life, that i had to let go of the past." She sighed softly as those words spoke out like a very soft breeze. "I, know that is what i have to do, but sometimes i cant help but think of the past, and how much i miss you." Her somack started to knot up inside her as suddenly a very soft ghostly voice started to fill the room. She stiffened slightly as she heard yet again her mothers voice.
'"Dear Daughter, the past is now the past. There is no way to return me back to the living. Fate has a funny way of telling you when its your time to go." Larynda nodded her head lightly as she saw the ghostly figure of her mother move closer to her. Cathline smiled as she started to take on a more solid form rather than her ghostly image. It was then that Larynda ran up and enclosed her arms lovingly around her mother. Cathline then smiled as she as well embraced her daughter. "Hush my dear one, I will always love you, that shall not change. But enough tormenting yoursefl over things you had no control over. I have been watching you for the past couple hundred years, and Melanthus has been very concerned and worried about you through the years. Why are you not happy with him? Are you still holding onto the painful memories of days long past?" Larynda sighed softly as her eyes lifted up to look up at her mother.
"Yes, im very happy with my love, but, there have been numerous times when i feel like blowing him up for everything that has gone wrong in my life. To blaming him for killing you and for turning me into one of his kind." "But you do love him? Do you not?" Larynda smiled as she sighed and leaned slightly against the crypt of her mother. "Aye, I do, just sometimes its hard to let go of the past. I could have been taken away by some unkind and evil bastard that didn’t care what happened to me." Cathline smiled softly as she nodded towards her daughter. "Yes, you could have been, but you were not. You see, even sometimes the worst of situations, all works out for the best in the end. But you must realize that even your kind will never be allowed into and pst the gates of the all mighty above. Your kind is known as the "Damned" or "the Lost"." "Yes mother, i know. I was told after my embracing what we were and why certain things we could no longer do, or see, and the things we were capable of doing in order to survive." A soft sigh escaped past her lips, and cathline nodded once again, smiling. "Then you do understand. Then the next thing you have to do, is follow your heart. Do not shut out Melanthus, that would be your downfall if you do. Be happy and you will always have my love and my blessings in whatever you do." With one more hug for her daughter, she disapeared once again to the heavens above.
After Cathline left, Larynda no longer had the urge to check or look at the last crypt that was left. She had her mothers approval and wisdom from all the talks they have had, now it was time to go home. She was not sure how long she had been in this place, for it seemed that time had stopped after she first entered the musty and ancient burial grounds of her family and ancestors. She turned to walk up the stairs that led out of the tomb, but as she neared towards the top of the stairwell, she stopped and quickly backed away, daylight. She muttered to herself about how long she had been here and how Melanthus would be worried sick about her being gone for so long. Many thoughts ran thru her mind as she turned to look for a place to settle down till the night came and she could leave to head back home.
Daylight had come and gone in due time, giving over to the inky darkness that slowly covered the skies. Tiny pinpoints of light started to appear, and Melanthus had already awoken and moved into his usual den, drumming his fingers upon the table before him. "M‘lord, she’s still not returned. Its nearly two days since her dissapearance. Shall i gather a few people and start to seach the area in hopes of finding her?" Damien, one of his most skilled and loyal hunters had been constantly worried about his lord and for the lady larynda. he truly hated seeing his lord like this, and he had vowed many centuries ago that he would help his lord in any way he could, no matter what the cost.
Melanthus looked up at Damien and with a rather quiet, yet worried look upon his face. "Yes, we have waited long enough. Gather up a few people and go out and see if you can track her down and bring her safely home." Damien bowed towards his lord and turned upon his feet to head out and start gathering a few people. Melanthus had definetly grown very worried. He sighed as he looked around the rather silent room, eyes slowly lowering to look at the table before him. "Come home, please, my love. Please be alright." He sighed once again as he sat in the plush chair behind the old oaken table.
Minutes passed, and still all was quiet, till the silence was broken by shrieks of joy from down the hall towards the foyer. He stood up, furrowing his brows as he stepped out of the den and made his way towards the foyer. In the meantime, Larynda hat returned and entered thru the front door, getting a rather huge hug from one of the maids that opened the door. Larynda laughed, then as she was hugged, her breath was nearly taken away by the young maids strength in the hug. "Where have ye been, ‘cheri?" "I’ve, been doing a lot of thinking, tis all, miriam." A few more kindreed had been making their way towards the front door, Damien in the lead. Larynda looked up as the six kindred came to a stop just short of the small gathering. "Well, looks like we are no longer needed, gentlemen." They all groaned simultaneously as Damien grinned and bowed to Larynda and the others at the door, then turning back around with the rest and headed back downstairs to the living chambers and few of the more smaller parlors.
Melanthus had nearly bumped directly into Damien as he rounded the corner. Damien managed to do a rather comical sidestp so to not get knocked donw by his incoming Lord. "Damien, what is causing that racket down the hall?" "Well, M‘lord, I do believe you shall have to see for yourself." Damien grinned rather broadly as he bowed and took his leave. Melanthus scoffed as he had always hated such cryptic responses to his questions. Course, he should have expected that from Damien. With a deep groan, he rounded the corner of the hallway.
A few other kindred had come into the rather loud foyer, one of the men giving her a gentle kiss and hug. Aaron was always one of the kindest kindred in the keep. Melanthus came around the corner as Aaron had given his beloeved larynda a huge hug. He just stood there, looking at her as she knew and felt her own beloved so close by. She glanced and looked directly at him, smiling loving at him, even tho her dress was such a royal mess. Dirt, leaves, and even grass littered the hem of her dress. Slight traces of mud splotches were as well noticeable.
All Melanthus could do was stand there in disbelief and shock. Larynda grinned wickedly as she left the small gathering and went over to her beloved, arms open wide. After seeing that lok upon her face, Melanthus smiled rather lecherously himself aned moved to intercept her.
"Well, it is good to see my vixen back in one piece and safe.” A grin spreading even more across his handsome features as his arms tightly wrapped around his beloved’s body. “I am sorry i have worried you so, M‘lord. It’s just that over these many centuries, i started to doubt so many things in my life and what i had become.” He nodded lightly as he held her close. “You had me worried out of my skull. I had begun to think that you had suffered at the hands of a hunter.” He sighed as he looked deeply into her eyes as they shimmered back into his. “I know i should have told you, but i just needed time to sort things out.”
It was about that time that Isabella and Dareal had come into view in the hallway where everyone was grathered, blinking as they just had no idea what was going on. Of course, as they watched their lord and lady, they forgot that they were holding hands in front of everyone. Larynda and Melanthus had turned to look at the two, both grinning as the other two kindred blinked as to what the grins were for, before realizing why and with a clearing of Dareal’s throat and a blush of Isabella’s cheeks, they both without a word skittered past everyone and headed for the door to go outside. “Well, it seems the ole’ chap might have something there, dont you think m‘dear?” Melanthus said towards Larynda as she grinned right back at him. “Aye, he may m‘lord, he may. I guess that shall be another story for another time, and im sure we shall hear about this one.” A haughty laugh echoed thru the room as everyone slowly drifted off from the pair, leaving them to their own devices as they strode thru the dimly lit hallway and down towards their own room down below for the night.
Another tale has been told, and yet so much more has yet to unfold for those that are part of this clan. May the darkness fullfill those that seek its warmth, and bring comfort and guidance when all is lost and not all are certain of what path’s to take. There is always a fine line between the darkeness and the light, you just have to be willing to choose your path and follow it thru along with your heart, no matter the darkness that shadows it.
