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The road was rough as I rode thru the countryside. The cold bite of the winter air sent shivers down my spine. Indeed!! Why was I out here? Was I insane to be out in this kind of weather? Ah, well, apparently I was. The white flakes of snow tumbled down thru the air, creating a blanket of white upon the ground. Even clad in the finest velvet and silk suit, it only protected the flesh from so much of the cold.
The wind rustled thru the bare tree branches around him as the long ebony ponytail that was bound behind hid head splayed out and around his neck like vines to a tree's trunk. He was not the kind of gentleman that thought about woman all the time, at least, that's what Aaron thought of himself.
Aaron was indeed a very radiant and rich Marquis of the area, but; he was also very single and lonely. It was hard living up to certain expectations that the upper crust would normally frown upon if not met. Oh how he dreaded mingling with them. The false masks that everyone would put on to try and hide their true feelings towards each other. It disgusted him! And of all times of the year to hold a gala, this was ridiculous.
The brown stallion kept on its path down the road, hooves clopping against the hardened and iced over dirt road. No birds to sing their songs to echo in his mind, no, not at this time of year. His head lowered as a strong gust of wind forced tis way past him, the mane of the beast beneath him flying about the reigns as a sudden lurch of the animal sent a shock of fear thru him.
The sudden realization of what had just occurred hit him as his body slammed into the cold, hard earth beneath him. The snapping of bone against bone rang in his ears as his eyes looked skyward towards the heavens as a veil of darkness started to descent all around his vision. Pain writhed thru his body as his own blood seemed to slow down thru his very veins.
A pool of crimson stained the ground behind and around his neck. The wound was a fatal one indeed, and one that not even a skilled physician could repair. As his lifeblood seeped out to grace the ground beneath him, it was then he saw a woman kneeling beside him. Such a beautiful face, how he so wanted to feel those lips of red velvet upon his own. He was dying, and he knew it. If only he could have one more wish. Such a wonderful sight to see before dying! He closed his eyes as the waves of pain washed over him once more. The end was near. He could feel it's just as sure as the darkness pulled him into its embrace.
Several hours passed as Aaron started to cme around. The hazy vision told him that at least he was not out in the cold weather and snow. His senses started to slowly stir, along with one hell of an agonizing headache. "Ah, glad to see you are doing alright there young Marquis. Be still as i can tell you that you are safe and that you have had one very long evening." The voice sounded familiar, but thru the hazy memory and the waves of pain, he could not place it.
"Where am i?" The words escaping out thru parched and dry lips as Melanthus stood at the side of the bed. "You are at Muncaster Castle." The voice said as a hand rested upon his shoulder. Aaron sighed a bit as he tried to sit up and ignore the rush of dizzyness he was feeling at that particular moment. "How did i get here?" Melanthus took a seat at the side of the bed, pushing back the long ebony ponytail that rested over his shoulder. "We found you earlier tonight on the ground half covered in snow. It looked like you took one hell of a spill from your mount." Aaron managed to slowly and finally sit upright as he listened,"I feel... odd tho... like i can feel things more now, as if im more, attuned to them." Melanthus nodded as he lofted a brow, "You don’t recall what happened to you, do you?"
Aaron shook his head as a slight groan escaped his lips. "No, only thing i recall is a woman’s face looking down at me, then nothing but blackness." Melanthus nodded again as his gaze settled upon Aaron with a tiny bit of concern in his expression. "You are no longer mortal, my dear Aaron. You have been turned into something much more eloquent, something much more than anything else.. you are immortal now by my own hand." Aaron looked at Melanthus with a questioning gaze, "Immortal? How do you mean? And, please.. your name?"
“My name is Melanthus, Lord of Mentarriel Castle, Baron to these lands.” He said to the second question that Aaron asked. “As for what I mean, you are immortal. Meaning that you will never grow old, become sick with disease, or die.” Aaron blinkied his eyes a it more as he tried to understand what was going on. “But how can that be?” Melanthus leaned back in the chair as he went to explain. “You are now what others call a ‘Night Walker’. Our kind prefer the word of Kindred in truth.” Aaron nodded lightly as he remembered from his childhood the stories of werewolves and vampires as a slender brow arched. “you mean i’m a vampire?”
Melanthus chuckled a bit as he nodded. “Yes my dear Marquis, you are a vampire, just like myself and the others here.” “But, why am i a vampire?” What happened to me that made you do this to me?” The urgency in his voice was enough to tell Melanthus he wanted answers and soon. “From what myself and Dareal know, i shall tell you.” He took a deep breath and started to speak as Aaron listened carefully to his words. “Dareal and myself were out hunting. Yes it was daytime, but in the winter, the sun hardly ever shines as you well know. We heard your horse off in the dstance and proceeded to see what was going on. We found you laying in the snow, half covered and in a pool of your own blood. It seemd to us that you were thrown from your mount. We looked you over and saw that your injuries were well beyond help and you were dying. I had asked you if you wanted help, if you wanted to live, and that i could grant you that life.”
Aaron sat in silent thought as some of those garbled memories poked and prodded in his mind. “You agreed oyu wanted to live, so i brought you across into our world. If i had not, you would have died for sure, dear Marquis.” Several hours passed as Melanthus discussed how things were to be in the clan and started to tell him how to fend for himself and how to hunt. He also discussed the rules of the clan and what was and was not acceptable. Also things you -never- ever do as well.
It was then that a slender woman entered the room. Long strawberry blond hair framing her pale, oval face. Hazel eyes peered out beneath a pair of lush eyelashes. “My lord, tis near time for the sun to rise. Do ye need me for anything this eve, or is there anything i can get for you and the other lord?” Isabella was known for her kindness, but she had a temper that would shame anyone else in the clan. Aaron looked towards Isabella, smiling as she in turn returned the kind guesture also. “No my dear, nothing right now. And thank you for reminding me of the time.” Aaron could not deny that she was indeed almost as beautiful as the image of the woman he thought he saw as he laid in the snow.
Isabella nodded towards Melanthus and took her leave as she shut the door behind herself. “You may remain in this room if you so wish, or you may take one of the rooms beneath the main floor of the castle, that is up to you to decide.” Aaron nodded lightly as his words whispered out towards the tall gentleman before him.. “ Perhaps down below would be better.” Melanthus reached out and took Aaron’s hand as the now shaky kindred felt a wave of dizzyness strike him as he went to stand upon his own two feet. Melanthus held him steadily in place as he shook his head. “Are you sure you feel up to moving downstairs?” Aaron reached up and placed a hand upon Melanthus’s shoulders and held tight till he got his bearings back. “yes, ill be fine, just been laying down too long.”
Melanthus nodded as he opened the door and helped Aaron out of the room and towards the huge staircase that lead to the main floor below them. “This is quite a magnificant place you have here, Melanthus.” “Thank you, Aaron. I try to keep the place in good condition, considering its age. Its even older than i am to be honest.” Aaron blinked his eyes as one of his brows lofted, “How old is this Castle, of yours, Melanthus. If i might ask?” Melanthus motioned with his free hand towards some of the wall paintings and murals that depicted the countryside and various other things. “It was built around 1225 by some of my ancestors from the dark ages and was passed down from generation to generation to the oldest living heir of the family.”
“The workmanship is so detailed and well kept. Its amazing its held up for this long. Jut totally and utterly wonderful.” Aaron said as Melanthus slowly walked one by one down the steps of the huge staircase to leave them standing in the main foyer. From the far side of the foyer came a lone figure, dressed in the usual white ruffled shirt with lace framing the slender wrists. The figure moved closer yet, the candle light filling the room gave this apparent mans complexion almost an angelic look to it. Melanthus lifted his gaze to see the figure, Dareal, approaching them, smiling towards the elder kindred. “Ah, good evening Dareal. I assume Aarons room is ready downstairs?” “Yes, its ready and waiting for its occupant. Eerything he will need is there, and Justine has run a tub of warm water for a bath if he so wishes.” Dareal grinned towards Aaron, winking with a bit of a chuckle in his voice.
“Thank you old man, im sure Aaron will make use of the bath. Nothing like a good massage and soak i would have to say.” Aaron took in the full converstaion as a soft humming of voices seemed to echo in his mind. It was not an annoying feeling in the least, almost more amazing and relaxing sensation as Melanthus headed him down the nearby hallway that spiraled downwards to the realm beneath them.
Slowly down the stairs one by one they descended. The darkness of the hallway reaching out to seemingly caress their bodies as if searching for comfort and warmth. The smell of dirt filled the air, foul and forboding. The stench of death and decay, yet.. something else in the air as well, something alluring and intoxicating as well to the senses.
The stone walls were lined with small candle sconces, seemingly almost dreary, but something enigmatic as well about them would also cast their own shadows to mingle with the others that loomed around the figures that passed down this hallway.
About every ten feet was a door made out of hard oak, engraved on the fronts with intricately etched symbols and even some names as well of those that resided within the rooms beyond. Most of th edoors looked ancient as well, compared to the last door they came to finally at the end of the narrowly lit hallway. A faint guesture of Melanthus’s fingers and a soft click was heard as the door opened efore them. Aaaron took a few stps into the room, the small of incense of sorts wafted thru the air as his vision sharpened and he saw the small thin stick billowing off the grey plumes of smoke.
The room itself was elegantly decorated with tapestries and a small bookcase along one far wall. Small candles rested upon shelves and on nightstands across the room. Nestled off to the side of the room, stood a cherry wood four poster bed. Dark burgandy drapes surrounded all sides of the bed as they billowed down from the canopy above. Black velvet curtains hung listlessly from the wide wihdows that let in the night air and moonlight that creeped slowly across the stoneworked floor. They must not be that far beneath the castle, he thought, if the moonlight was still able to filter thru. Black and crimson pillows laid nestled upon the black satin cover that cascaded into tiny ruflles that lowered and brushed lightly upon the stone floor.
“I do hope the room is to your liking?” Melanthus said as he stepped in with Aaron. “It shall do, nicely. But i wish i could go back to my own home and retrieve at least a few items that have sentimental value.” Melanthus shook his head slightly. “I’m sorry, but that is not possible. As far as everyone knows, you are quite dead my dear Marquise. If you were to show up there, hundreds of questions would be aroused and then how would you explain to them what happened?”
Aaron blinked for a moment, that possibility having not even crossed his mind. He sighed and looked back at Melanthus. “You have a point. I didn’t even think of what i would say if someone was to see me.” He mused for a moment, the corners of his lips turning up into a faint frown. Slowly he walked over to one of the plush chairs that complimented the decor and style of the room, and sat down in deep thought. “I’m going to lose my estate tho. That’s the last thing i have of my lineage and family. The lands, the castle, all of it will end up back in the kings hands.” Melanthus nodded lightly in confirmation to Aaron’s words. “Unfortunately, yes, I’m sorry Aaron.” His voice actually filled with a tinge of remoresefullness about the Marquis’s predicament. But there was nothing that could be done, nothing.
Aaron nodded lightly as he sighed, taking a look out the window nearby in silent thought. Melanthus nodded towardshim as he sent a mental link of appology towards the man as he turned and left Aaron to his thoughts. Several hours passed by as Aaron sat in silent contemplation of what has happened to him as of late. The sounds of crickets outside his window broke the silence of the dark night sky and reminded him of how lovely the powdery white snow glistened in the pale moonlight in a few of the sparce patches that had not melted from the previous day’s sunlight. “What to do.. what to do..” The light of the stars shone upon the black velvety sky as the distand howling of winter wolves as they ran in their packs. “To think, now instead of being the hunter, im now also the hunted.” A soft chuckle escaped his lips as he shook his head.
Slowly as the hourse crept by further, the once bright twinkle of starlight faded slowly as a faint glimmer of sunlight started to kiss the morning horizon. He knew he should have slept after Melanthus had left his room, but he could not sleep, besides, he loved to look at the wintery wonderland that surrounded the castle. From what little he had seen of the castle, it was immense and he knew he would have to explore the gorunds further once he felt up to it and got some sleep. His gaze liftd as more of the first rays of light started to enter into the realms. It was going to be a gorgeous day, he could tell! Just too bad he could not be awake to watch the sunrise anymore this day. Time was fading for him this day, and sleep finally was beconing him to embrace its offer and sleep in its comfort, an offer he could not pass up, indeed.
The hours passed as Aaron slept. The servants and the others of the huge castle doing their necessary duties, tho not bothering the sleeping few kindred who tended to rise late in the afternoon to early evening. Melanthus had been up and down all morning and afternoon, the sunlight not seeming to bother him in the least, unlike most kindred of his kind. The tales of sunlight burning their kind, all fairy tales. Granted, there were some of their kind that did not like the bright light of the sun.. kindred were weaker during the daylight hours..but they could still go out in it.. but generally preferred not to.
It was the ringing of the huge grandfather clock that had woken Aaron from his sleep. The gonging of five in the evening brought the sleep slowly out of his eyes. With a bit of a grunt, he managed to slide from beneath the sheets and stand fully, stretching his languid body as he noted that he was still wearing the clothes from the day before.
Slowly after the sleep left his eyes, Aaron started to strip off the clothes that he had so carelessly fell asleep in. A good hot shower was what he needed to wake himself completely. Letting his pants fall to the ground, he made his way towards the bathroom and the thought of cleanliness.
As Aaron stepped into the bathroom, a knock at the bedroom door brought him up short as one hand snagged a nearby towel just in time to wrap it around his waist as the door opened and in stepped Isabella with an armload of towels and fresh sheets.
Isabella was taken aback as her eyes fell upon the almost naked body of Aaron, blushing feverishly as she near practically dropped the sheets and towels. “I’m sorry! I didn’t know anyone was in. I didn’t hear a reply, so I...” Aaron chuckled as his chest muscles twitched spontaneously. “Tis alright my dear. I barely heard the knock. Tis truly alright.” He said, smiling as he let her into the room. Isabella was rather red faced still, quite embarrassed as she dropped the clean sheets on a nearby chair, then turning to head into the bathroom to place the towels in there.
Aaron let his gaze follow her every step, grinning lopsidedly. “So, tell me, what is your name? I never have gotten it, that is, if you don’t mind?” Isabella smiled even more as she heard his question. “My name is Isabella, and yers is Aaron, as I have heard.” Aaron grinned broadly as he stood there in just his towel. “Ah, well, seems word does get around. Tell me, how long have you been with this clan?” “Well, roughly one hundred thirty-five years, M‘lord. Lord Melanthus is very protective of his clan members, as you will find out.” She spoke towards him, as her feet padded over towards the chair that held the sheets for his bed. “Don’t let me keep you from your shower, M’lord. I promise I wont peek.” She said, laughing as Aaron blinked, blushing himself as he realized he was standing in front of her, still clad in only a towel. “Ah, well, yes, i guess i should get cleaned up.” He sputtered as he made a hasty retreat to the bathroom to shower.
Isabella in the meantime, after hearing the door close to the bathroom and the running water, stripped the bed and put the clean sheets on in a matter of moments. She smiled to herself as she imagined what Aaron could look like stark naked, water beads rolling down his masculine chest muscles. The very thought made her insides quiver as she let out a wistful sigh.
She really wanted to spend some time with him, but she wondered if he would accept an invitation from her. She was not overly beautiful, like a few of the others there, but she had a few other charming assets to her character as well. She stepped over to the nearby desk, picking up the nearby quill, dipping it in ink and taking a sheet of paper and writing her invitation to Aaron for a late night get together.
