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Post by Esme M. Lolland on Oct 17, 2008 3:25:12 GMT -1
Esme smiled as Vlad showed how he approved of her story, that it was sufficient. She even felt her cheeks get slightly warmer when he told her he approved of her in particular. She pulled at the sleeve of her sweater and then looked at Vlad. It appeared to her that he realized how nervous she was about being asked these question.
Esme played with a strand of her hair absent mindedly when he asked her what she wanted to ask of him. There were so many questions that ran through her mind, many about the supernatural, many about Morgan but so many more about him.
She decided to choose the most intriguing question in her mind, "How did you become a vampire... and has it been hard attempting to adjust to the times?... If you don't mind me asking."
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Post by Vlad on Oct 17, 2008 4:00:30 GMT -1
He laughed, loud and abrupt. Good questions the both of them, but difficult to word. She had inquired after second largest event in his eternal existence and the grandest challenge he faced and would continue to face. But, in order then.
"How did I become a vampire? I could recite the version for you that is clouded with myth and unanswered questions, the version recounted by the young author Bram Stoker. Though, I suppose he is not young any longer. But, no, the truth I think though it is far less fantastic than the literary tale.
Stoker did get a surprising amount of things correct considering we'd only met once for an interview, and briefly at that. I was a count, a man of wealth and property and married to the most wonderful woman you could imagine.." His eyes clouded here and he became lost within fond memories of his beloved, his voice retaining a dreamlike quality. "..she was tall, slender and pale with eyes more blue than the sea and hair darker than the bark of the pine tree. She was level, witty and the most kind hearted person that has ever walked this earth. I remember a ti-" He cut himself off and the dreamy smile faded from his face, realizing he'd been ranting and revealing more of his feelings than he'd meant to.
He cleared his throat and began again. "The Turks invaded my lands and a war followed. Thinking themselves clever..." A stop here. His voice turned savage, enraged and contained all the hatred of all the world. "...the Turkish general sent my wife a letter telling her that I had been slain upon the field of battle. In her grief, she threw herself into the sea from the tower of the keep."
"But I hadn't been killed, nor wounded for that matter! I arrived home victorious some weeks later to find the body of my beloved dead upon the floor of my chapel! I trashed the chapel and swore I would avenge my love!" Seeing her there, cold and unmoving, upon the marble floor had been more than his mind could withstand. Still the image was branded within his mind.
"Here is where Stoker looses his truth. I did not stab the cross and drink the blood, becoming forever damned. I left the chapel, blind and dumb with rage, doing naught but screaming. I screamed til my lungs were ragged and voice hoarse and then I collapsed upon the street and wept, silent and jagged. It was here that my sire found me and took me. So no, I am not the first vampire. How the first of us was created, I do not know."
He stopped, taking a moment to compose himself. His chest rising in quick, necessary but habitual breaths. Minute by minute, the breaths slowed and the rage cleared from his features. "Apologies, Ms. Esme. You simply asked a question, I did not mean to become so...emotional."
"Now, the second question is a simple matter to answer. Adjusting to the times is forever difficult and I am not very masterful as you can plainly observe. There are certain things, things such as holding a drink in a club or slouching a small bit that I have picked up on but each new century, or decade even, acts so differently that it is a troublesome thing to keep track of what is normal in what time period, or what location."
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Post by Esme M. Lolland on Oct 17, 2008 4:12:41 GMT -1
Vlad told her his story and Esme fought desperately her need to grab him, to hold him, to try and make him forget. If she were any closer with him mentally, that would be exactly what she would do. But having only met him twice and not knowing enough about Vlad, she resisted her urge and listened patiently to his tale.
She was quite familiar of the story of Dracula, in fact when she was younger it just so happened to be her favorite. Why she so loved the tragedy of a vampire at the age of ten, she never quite understood, but it had been fact. It was surprising to hear that story told almost exactly by the person who had lived it. She had always taken for granted that the story was merely a fabrication and when he had admitted to being Dracula she merely assumed the tale would be different.
Esme assumed that telling this story was more than enough to hurt Vlad beyond anything else, that it pained him to relive those moments once more, although he most likely did so every waking moment. She just begged for him to move onto the other question, for him to forget. She just wished she hadn't asked in the first place.
The second answer most definitely was easier for him, it fell from his lips like a confession that he had given many times before, well rehearsed and well put. "Perhaps," she chanced to ask yet another question, "you can be able to explain to me: how is it that the supernatural has been kept hidden for so long and only now is beginning to fight amongst itself over whether human beings will know of it's existence or not? Why not centuries ago? Why not millenia? Why not decades from now? What's so special about this time?"
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Post by Vlad on Oct 17, 2008 4:32:04 GMT -1
An approving look donned his features and he pushed the hurt back down inside of him. It went down reluctantly, one slow inch at a time until there was little trace of it left in his voice or features. "The moment I dare to think I understand you, my swan, you astound me yet again. I pegged you for intelligent when last we met, but not even those centuries older than you think to ask that question."
His body shifted unconsciously forward in the chair, so that he was bent at the waist and leaning, arm resting upon his knee, towards the girl. "Do you recall when I mentioned that there were those of us whose purpose is to keep the supernatural a secret? Well, as with all things some take this more seriously than others. Those of us who see it for how important it truly is formed a group of sorts some centuries ago. We call ourselves The Council. We are the reason why the supernatural have stayed hidden for so long. It consists mainly of myself, Morgan, a warlock Jonas and a soul collector, Judas." The Fifth played a large part in keeping the supernatural hidden of course but the girl knew nothing of the human group and if he could avoid telling her than he would save her the headaches.
"As to why now....we're trying to discover that ourselves." He couldn't say anything more but he had a strange urge to ask what his swan thought of Lucifer's texts and the angel Gabriel being within London's city limits. "We tread on dangerous ground, my swan, a different topic perhaps?"
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Post by Esme M. Lolland on Oct 17, 2008 15:29:51 GMT -1
Esme smiled, she had always been told when she was younger that all of her inquiries were tiresome. Her parents had always told her it was not ladylike to ask such question. They had always warned that it was curiosity that killed the cat, and that their kitten should not question what happens in her world. So hearing that Vlad approved of her questioning was merely fuel to the flame.
She nodded her head to his questioning if she remembered what he had told her the night before about the world of the supernatural. Of course she did, he was the first person to tell her what she wanted about this world, there was no reason why she'd want to forget it.
When he had told her to change the topic, that he didn't know exactly how to answer her question, she began to wonder if she truly had asked an off-limit question. If she had disregarded her parents warnings about curiosity just for it to be proven true by Vlad's unwillingness to answer her question. "Is it possible for you to explain more about the Council, then? How did you all meet and determine to fight for the same form of justice?"
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Post by Vlad on Oct 18, 2008 18:52:47 GMT -1
He smiled. "The past of the Council is most certainly within the bounds of conversation. It is the present which I would refrain from discussing, not out of any distrust held for you but because I do not fully understand it myself. I'd not have something I've told you be the cause of some harm that befalls you."
A bird darted past the window, a strange movement that was all in one graceful and jerky. His eyes followed it for a moment and then he began, a voice more rich than honey echoing off the empty room. "I cannot speak for where the others within the Council first met Jonas, but I remember the first time that I met him. His presence is not one easily forgotten." A shake of the head here. "Perhaps you'll understand what I mean sometime soon."
"But, yes, the first time I encountered the warlock. Keep in mind that this tale unfolds in times in which my morals were less present. I was a monster, a willing slave to my urges. Also, my swan, know that those times are long past." The fear from the girl a few nights previous was still fresh in his mind.
"I was charming a young noble woman in the marketplace. I held no true interest for her other than her wealth and...well, you can guess at my second motive. Lucky for the girl, Jonas saw through my false flirtations. He made his way to us and the force of his presence made me feel something I thought I'd lost the ability to feel, fear. Seven thousand years of pure power." He chuckled here.
"Jonas made the proper excuses to the lady, saying that he must speak to me at once and that he was sorry for interrupting. He pulled me aside and stared at me with the most disgusted look I have ever seen on his face since that time. He explained to me a different way of life, his way of policing the supernatural. I laughed at him and began to take my leave, thinking him some power sick fool. He called after me, saying that I would regret my choice."
"I continued to flirt with the young woman and eventually proposed. It was some decades later that I was revealed for the creature I am and the townsfolk rallied together to slay me. I was cornered, this was before I could fly, and who should step around the corner but Jonas. He saved my life that night, pathetic creature though I was, and we were friends from then on."
A slight pause here and another glance towards the door. What was keeping Morgan Le Fey? "It was sometime during your second world war that Jonas called us all together. There were eight of us, including Jonas himself. He gave a grand speech that night of how the humans were tearing themselves apart, how the supernatural was stretching those tears even farther. The words rung like the grandest of bells and at the end of that night, The Council was formed."
Another pause here, grief, anger perhaps? But only slight and gone within a second. "There are only four of us now but we continue to do what we are able to restrain the supernatural community. I suppose, we are the police."
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Post by Esme M. Lolland on Oct 18, 2008 22:24:19 GMT -1
Esme stared in awe as Vlad's silken voice rang from every corner of the room. She held her breath as Vlad recounted how he had met the leader of the Council, she had forgotten entirely how to breathe. It astounded her still that Vlad had ever been a slave to the monster within him, or even that he had come from a different age entirely. Of course his mannerisms showed it more than anything else, but there was no way that she could believe it, even now.
She watched in wonder at his slightest movements, the moments he stopped his tale to watch a bird or glance at the door. Hearing of Jonas, and slightly of the others, Esme was overcome by a need to meet these great beings. They would be the key to her future, she could sense it beyond anything else.
It saddened her to find that there are only four remaining, who or what could take down the other members? What could destroy an amazing group that dedicated itself to protecting the world as the human race had grown to know it? How could any one person be so against them to attempt to kill them one by one? Perhaps, that very person was the one that Vlad was attempting to protect Esme from by not telling her about the present, but rather the past. She had learned from all of her case studies and history classes that the only way to avoid a disaster of the present is to avoid the disasters of the past. Did Vlad realize that by telling her about his past he was warning her against the foul steps she could make in her present?
"Will I be able to meet the remaining members of the Council?" Esme ventured to ask, she so wanted to learn more about this world. Even if it meant learning about it through it's past rather than it's present, it was fine by her. "I would so love to meet those who have protected the world as it is. If it were in my capability, I'd love to help with your work as much as possible."
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Post by Vlad on Oct 19, 2008 5:45:03 GMT -1
He watched transfixed at the awe on the girl's face, filing the expression away within the vast caverns of his mind. It was new and therefore worth remembering. Not often did he find someone so interested in his tales, it was as if each word that he uttered was air itself and this girl were suffocating.
Her expressions made him long to reach into the girls mind and read her thoughts as he would a fine novel, but she would surely sense him and it was a liberty he would not take. At least not at this moment. He held no real moral qualms over it but he'd not risk offending his swan, especially not on this day. Meeting Morgan would be a challenge in it's own right, there was no need to add unto it.
"You'll meet one today, Morgan. As for the other members of the council, I dare not venture a guess. They are far older than Morgan or myself and prefer to remain far from the public eye. It is a possibility that you would meet them eventually." A soft smile turned the delicate corners of the mouth. "You help by simply staying hidden, it is harder than it sounds. Though if you wish to aid us farther, then meeting Morgan is a fine first step."
He would dare not express his concern over Morgan's obvious tardiness but it worried him still. The boards barred the light from the windows enough so that only small streams managed to find their way through. He wondered at why the girl hadn't asked the obvious question as to why he was able to function during the daylight hours, or whether he lay down each night within a coffin.
He removed the top hat and placed it in gently on his lap but left the glasses where they were upon his face. The sunlight would not burn him but that did not mean it was comfortable to look at. "Your turn again to answer the questions, Ms. Esme. Your favourite subject in school and why that one?"
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Post by Esme M. Lolland on Oct 19, 2008 12:51:34 GMT -1
Esme was reminded once more to breathe when Vlad's smooth voice began to answer her newest question. She was happy that Vlad trusted her enough after meeting her only once before to bring yet another member of the Council into her life. She felt honored that he would give her such a fine opportunity.
He expected her to remain hidden to help the Council? That really did sound like a ridiculous plan, unless he meant keeping hidden from the humans. She had been able to do so for quite some time now, it wouldn't be hard for her to keep that up. It was fairly helpful that she was able to sense a person's aura, being able to tell what one person was different from the rest. But he promised it would be harder than it sounded, so what exactly had he in mind for her?
Esme had finally begun to wonder what was keeping Morgan so long? Was she told the wrong time to meet? Perhaps. But whatever the reason that kept her, it had to be something much more important than meeting an impish new witch... that means she could be doing anything.
"I'm not quite sure what my favorite subject is," Esme pondered. "I quite enjoy my courses on International law, as far as my parents are concerned. I find it fairly intriguing as to how our country comes into play with the scandals of so many others. There was actually once a lawsuit between a Luxembourger and the British government because he had kidnapped and wed a minor from England in Spain and expected the English government to honor their marriage. It astounds me how so many people try to get away with so much just by going to another country.
"But truthfully, I'm really interested in the Guardian Ad Litem programs. My parents don't think I should even be taking a course on it, because, as lawyers, we're never to get involved emotionally in our cases, so being a Guardian Ad Litem is the worst idea possible. But I just find it so intriguing that it's even possible for the government to take custody of a minor in the case of a civil lawsuit. Especially that a Guardian Ad Litem can be called upon by the lawyer or a judge, even at times the minor itself. I would much rather be helping in a trial as a Guardian Ad Litem, with a heart, rather than a lawyer without one."
Esme looked Vlad, to see how he accepted her speech about law. It was one of the last things she had ever spoken to anyone about. She'd tell them she was studying law and then delve into a conversation about the new Coco Chanel line, rather than about how much she disliked being a lawyer because many of them are cold and heartless, her parents included. Of course, a lot of money was involved in the business, as well as a lot of passion, but never a lot of compassion.
"I fear I may be boring with my talk of law. Growing up in a family comprised of solely lawyers, you could get me going on the subject for quite a while. Not that I enjoy it that much, but there's no one subject that I'd be more interested in studying."
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Post by Vlad on Oct 19, 2008 16:47:22 GMT -1
She did not lie when she said that she enjoyed her classes dealing with international law but it was a simple thing to discover where her true passion lied. Guardian Ad Litem, never being much interested in law himself, the phrase was not one he was familiar with though the Latin within the words aided in a somewhat sketchy definition.
Would her parents not be proud of her for her passion? It was, after all was said, in the field of law. "If Guardian Ad Litem is where your heart truly lies then nothing, your parents included, should be permitted to bar your path. A cliche speech, I realize, but a fitting one in this case. Human life is short, one century may not seem so to you but to me even the oldest of the human race are but infants. Do that which you can derive most pleasure from Ms. Esme, because you will be riddled with regrets if you do not."
He chuckled. "My swan, no utterance of yours could bore me. You could make a description of the weather of interest." True though it was, he understood it not. It had been countless years since he'd met so interesting a human. Esme. M. Lolland was a refreshing break in the monotony of eternity.
In the interest of conversation, he'd continue their game of inquires. "Your views on the political trials of this age?" Things that were common place today, abortion for example, were unheard of in his age.
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