Heirot

Maxwell opened his mouth, presumably to make one more attempt at winning five more minutes with his prize specimen, but before he could speak, Vlad used his mind to slam the door in his face, locking him outside the room.

Vlad turned his gaze to Tenele, who had just basically fended off his mad science stalker. He was embarrassed that he'd been taken by surprise so easily. But it was also a new and somewhat impressive concept to him that he was able to be weak in front of someone. He trusted her, and she didn't treat him like she expected him to be an invincible being. Actually, she was the only one he knew of who regarded him that way. "Well done," he said to her, climbing back to his feet very slowly. It wasn't that the wound was especially tender, certainly nothing beyond his tolerance, but he still had a lingering suspicion it might randomly burst into flames.

Tenele glanced to him as if she'd been shaken from a trance. "I don't like him," Tenele replied softly. "I guess his experiment worked." She didn't know if she was pleased or not. She was pleased that Vlad was unharmed, becasue that wound would have been very serious for him had it not worked. That's what had her so angry. What if it hadn't have worked? What if his foolishness had fatally wounded the vampire?

Atul had his arms folded and was leaning against one of the pillars supporting the ceiling. "Well, I'm thuroughly confused and intruiged all at once."

"Its a long story," Tenele told him as she sheathed her sword and leaned it against the wall. She went to Stalker and sat down next to him, because he didn't look well at all. It wouldn't be long now, and she knew that. So she sat next to him, running her fingers through his fur.

Atul's eyes narrowed, concerned. He didn't think it was a good idea for her to watch it suffer until it finally slipped away. "Tenele," he replied quickly, shifting off the wall. "Would you mind helping me with something? I have a lot of parentless children down staires... and I'm not quite sure what to do with them." Atul glanced to Vlad, wondering if he would mind if he tried to distract Tenele from the hell hound.

Tenele glanced back at him, her hand still stroking Stalker's head softly. He had tried very hard to protect her from Verin earlier, even if he hadn't been able to move. He'd probably used up all his energy to do so. "I..." She looked a bit torn.

"Go with him, if you want to," Vlad suggested, looking over at the wolf. "I have some ideas of what the doc was planning to try. By the time you're back, I'm sure he'll be fine."

Tenele narrowed her eyes. "I don't trust anything that crazed man was planning on doing," she muttered.

Atul placed his hand on Tenele's shoulder. "But, you trust Vlad," he reminded, and she watched Vlad for a long moment, contemplating whether she trusted him not to do something stupid.

Then again, Vlad didn't seem to think of Stalker as she did, so she doubted he would risk his life for the Hell Hound. Tenele gave a heavy sigh. "Alright, I'll go."

She bent and kissed the top of the wolf's head. "It will be okay," she told him, as if he could understand her at the moment.

Tenele smoothed her dress when she stood, still looking a bit dishevled from earlier. She glanced to the wound that had been in Vlad's stomach, as if checking to make sure he was fine. He seemed fine, but then again could he be faking it? He had recovered all too quickly. Then, again... he was not human.

"Okay, I'll be back," she walked to the door, and Atul followed her, glancing back to Vlad reassuringly. He had meant to come get Tenele anyway for advice on the situation and a few other things, but mostly to tell them that a ship was ready if they still required one.

Atul walked next to her down the hall, glancing to the side and admiring the dress she wore, and how it fit her nicely. "So... what was that all about?"

"A crazed scientist wanting to make Vlad immune to holy magic... and apparently he has succeeded," she told him. "So now Vlad is..." she paused her words, blinking. "Indestructable."

"Not completely," Atul reminded her. "Verin could rip him inside out if he wanted too."

"Don't say things like that," she whispered faintly, the idea sending a chill through her.

"I'm sorry," he replied quickly. "I didn't mean..."

"I know, its just I've had my feel of Verin today. I'm so tired of dealing with anything he's involved in that I don't know what to do. But, no matter what it seems he keeps dragging us back to him." She was worried, and why shouldn't she be. Verin's propsition was nothing but a warning. Come willingly, or come hard, she was still going to come with him. Or so he thought. But... why?

Atul asked her what she meant, so the rest of the way down the hall and to the first floor of the palace she explained what had happened, and what was said. He hadn't a comment for her at first, he just seemed rather stern the rest of the way. Tenele tried to ignore the elaberate bows as she went. Some rushed to her and touched her hand, saying things far to fast for her to understand, before smiling and running off.

In the throne room was a group of children ranging in ages from what seemed like 5 to 13. They were a mixture of boys and girls. Dirty, and ragged. Tenele's heart ached to see their sad faces when they looked at her. But, some brightened, the older ones, who must have heard whispers of the Goddess.

Tenele thought for a moment about what to do with orphans. They needed a good place to stay, one where they would recieve no ill treatment. "When the First Queen's wars was over Ighten was left with a surprising amount of orphans. To deal with this the Queen created programs. Girls and boys were educated together. They recieved the same school and combat training. Except the girls had the choice of being inducted as a Queen's Maiden, and the boys had the choice of becoming officers in the military. It was just something to keep the orphans off the streets and out of harm. You could start a program like that for the children who have lost parents in this civil war."

Atul glanced from her to the children. "Thank you, that's a good idea."

He then slipped his hands into his pockets and smiled at the children. "Soo... who wants to meet a goddess?"

The children laughed and several raised there hands. Some didn't smile or move at all. "Atul..." Tenele hissed.

"What?" he smiled broadly as he tilted his head in her direction. "I have to cheer them up somehow."

Vlad calmly watched them go. The moment they were out of the room, he looked down again at his stomach, touching it cautiously. He still didn't really believe it was healed. Blood came away on his fingers, but wiping it only revealed pale, unbroken skin. There was no damage. Was he really going to be able to walk into a church if Sinead ordered him to? He was starting to think it was possible.

But even if he was invincible, they had to get out of Atul's country. Verin was being too feisty, and he was breaking the rules Vlad had thought existed about interfering with mortals. How had Verin been able to attack her, not just once, but several times now? Why did he want her to come with him?

The vampire turned his attention to Stalker, who was lying painfully still on the bed. The hound's eyes were a dull black, and it didn't respond to Vlad at all as he approached it. "Well, I'm going to go ahead and take a guess on this one," Vlad said, holding out his arm to the hound. "I'm the vaccine now. I did the hard part already, all you need to do is bite." He pushed his wrist just below the beast's nose, but Stalker made no move to bite it. The wolf rolled its dull black eyes up at Vlad and stared at him.

"That was an order," Vlad clarified. The beast didn't move. Perhaps it literally couldn't move.

Vlad frowned at the hellhound and withdrew his arm. Had he waited too long? "Useless mutt," he muttered. He extended a long, sharp claw and drew it down his vein, sending a cascade of blood down his hand. He lifted Stalker's head in his other hand and tilted it upward, letting the blood pour into its mouth. "There, no effort," he told the beast. "Just swallow."

Stalker squinted up at him. After a few seconds, his eyes fell shut and his head grew heavier in Vlad's hand. The faint murmur of the beast's presence blinked out in the vampire's mind. Vlad stared at the hound's still body. Several minutes passed. Without a word, Vlad set Stalker's head back on the sheets and clamped a hand over his healing wound. There was no point in wasting blood now. "Damn," he said quietly.

Tenele talked with the children, and comforted them by telling them how happy she had been to grow up under the care of the Queen, and all the wonderful things she was able to learn and experience. Turned out, that the only thing the children really wanted for comfort, was someone to cheerfully play a game with them. They were pulling Tenele around the center of the room. The older ones were a little apprehensive about being so playful, but the younger ones didn't seem to realize the devestation of the past few days. Tenele smiled depsite herself as they pulled her along, Atul following with a smile.

She didn't recognise the game that they wanted to play, but she found it amusing. You blind folded someone, and spun them in a circle, to disorient them, and then you had to find them just by listening to the noise they made. Once the rules were explained to her by Atul, they both snuck around the room with the other children as one of the smaller girls giggled playfully and swept her arms out to catch them. Tenele was just stepping out of the way when she stepped on something crunchy, she wasn't quite sure what. The little girl swept her arm the other way and grabbed hold of the fabric of Tenele's dress.

Atul laughed. "Guess that means your it," he replied, taking the sash from around the little girls eyes and holding it out for Tenele. "Turn around." He smiled at her, and she twisted around, giving a great heavy sigh. "Don't worry, I won't spin you too hard."

He pulled the fabric across her face and over her eyes, tying it tightly. Then, his warm hands grabbed her bare shoulders and he began to spin her around. She laughed after the first couple of turns because she was already having a hard time keeping her balance. Then, he kept spinning her faster and faster and then he let go. She stumbled on her feet, and could hear the children laughing. She followed the sound of their voices, knowing she had gotten close to some, for they screamed rather loudly when her hand swept by.

Atul watched with a grin as she stumbled around, grinning broadly and looking lovely in the morning light. "Go, she'll get you," he whispered to a little boy and he looked up to Atul a little fearfully. He probably wasn't entirely trustful of Atul yet, but he seemed to like Tenele well enough. The little boy heeded his warning, however the warning had caused him to be discovered.

"I hear you," Tenele laughed. She started making her way towards him, sweeping her hands out. He backed away, edging towards the balcony and the curtains that seperated the throne room from it. He brushed up against a pillar, having to jump back from her hands. He laughed out of habbit, and she grinned. She knew she had him then. She rushed forward and tripped on the base of the pillar, stumbling off to the side and through the curtain that he'd just stepped through. Atul caught her, spinning her around as he did so she was on her feet again, but he held his arm there for some reason. He told himself it was because he wanted to make sure she had her balance, not because he liked it there.

He reached up with his other hand and pulled the fabric away from her eyes and down around her neck. "You are clumsy," he told her, his eyes flickering over her face.

She laughed. "I was blindfolded. I'm lucky I didn't run straight into the pillar," she told him, straightening up. He was still looking at her strangely, and she'd seen that look before, so she averted her eyes from him, taking a careful step back to put some distance between them. He caught her hand though, very gently and pulled her back.

His warm brown eyes looked at her very intently and when his hand cupped her neck and cheek and he leaned in for what she knew would be a kiss, she tilted her head back. "Atul..." she whispered. She felt sorry for evading him in such away, but saying his name seemed to bring him back to his senses.

Atul slowly dropped his hands. "I'm sorry," he replied. He scoffed at himself. "I don't know what came over me."

The children were peeking through the curtain now, and she felt her face flush a bit. "Its alright..." she told him. "Here, will choose someone else. The prince and I need to talk very quickly," she told one of the older ones. The boy nodded, taking the fabric from her, and he ushered the children away. Her green eyes flickered back to Atul. "Atul, you are a kind man, a good man, and I care for you. My heart, though... Maybe in some other life we could have, but I can't change my heart."

"I know," he replied. "I'm not implying I want anything, it was just a slip. You will both be very happy together and he will take care of you."

She smiled softly.

"Since he's imune to holy magic, think you'll be able to drag him into a church long enough to get married?" he asked her with a laugh.

Tenele blinked. "Married?" she laughed a little uncomfortably.

"What? You've never thought about it?"

"Its not that I've never thought about it," Tenele replied turning towards the balcony railing. "Its just... its never been an option. I don't think Vlad really would want to marry me. He's already technically bound to one woman, why bind himself to two? Besides, no priest would -ever- marry us."

"I could marry you. I mean, you know... preside over the ceremony. I'm king, that's one of my duties," he told her, coming to stand along side of her. She was frowning, and he didn't understand why. "I'm sorry if I'm being personal."

"No, its not that. Its just... its never been an option, and I don't want to think of it as an option... because if he doesn't want to marry me when he can marry me, then I think I might be hurt by that. I don't want to think about it, so therefore I won't be hurt by it."

Vlad wasn't really sure what to do with his apparently dead familiar. He sat for a few minutes just staring at Stalker's body. He felt incredibly tense, like he couldn't look away. Why was he having so much trouble accepting this?

Because he's family, the thought seemed to cross his mind of its own volition. He tossed aside the idea as ridiculous, but then again...hadn't he said something like that earlier? Or had he just been hallucinating? Families were dangerous. They were a lifetime commitment, and the people he could consider potential family members were bound to have much shorter lifetimes than his. In was an exercise in masochism.

"Stalker," he called the hound in a low voice. "Hey, get up."

Atul was called away shortly after she'd said that sentence. He had grander things to do than talk about marriage with her, but he had made her promise to let him know when they were leaving. She told the children good bye, and even though they had just met they clung to her sadly. She kissed the top of a little girls head, and the child scampered off to her friends. Once again they stood in a group, looking dirty and dissheveled, but she knew they would be well taken care of.

When she reached her room she paused at the door, afraid to open it and find Stalker the way he had been. She tried not to think of it, and imagined him bouncing around happily... or as happy as a hell hound could look. With a deep breath she opened the door and stepped inside.

When Tenele came in, Vlad was sitting up in the bed with his back to the headboard. Stalker was pulled up against him with his head in the vampire's lap. Vlad's hand was resting on the back of the wolf's neck. His other wrist was resting just in front of Stalker's face. He looked up at Tenele seriously. "We may have a problem," Vlad said grimly.

"Stalker seems to have a taste for my blood." His empty expression spread into a smirk.

Stalker's huge tongue flicked out and licked coarsely along the skin of Vlad's arm. The vampire's self-imposed cut had closed a few moments ago, but that didn't seem to discourage the hellhound from continuing to lap at it. Stalker's bright ruby eyes flashed over to Tenele, and he took his attention briefly away from trying to lick Vlad's skin off to show the maiden a huge, cheerful yawn.

Tenele paused after she closed the door when her eyes caught site of them. For a moment she stood there, a bit surprised, and then she grinned. "He's feeling better! Just look at his eyes!" She walked forward quickly, the beautiful black fabric of her dress billowing around her. She climbed up onto the bed next to Vlad, facing Stalker's head, and she cupped the wolf's face in her hands. "Ohh, I'm so happy your feeling better!" She scratched behind his ears before leaning over and wrapping on arm around Vlad's neck, giving him a big loving kiss on the cheek. "Thank you," she told him with a smile before kissing his lips.

Vlad smiled and returned her kiss, pulling her in close. Stalker observed them with his usual steady gaze, making no move to concede his spot on Vlad's lap. The hound wasn't allowed there often - well, ever, really - and seemed intent on staying put.

Vlad knew this moment almost hadn't happened. For a while, he was sure he would have to tell Tenele that the hound was dead. But at the last moment, things had finally come together. He was still a little high on the relief. "I love you so much," he said into her hair. "Thank you for earlier. If you hadn't been there, I might not have held on long enough. I'm sorry I frightened you."

Tenele smiled at him as she drew back to look at him. She loved to hear him say that he loved her, it made her stomach fluttered and her heart warm. One arm draped around his shoulder and her other hand rested on his chest. "Its fine... I'm not frightened anymore. So everything is fine. Just as long as you never, ever do anything like that again." She looked into his eyes and then smiled wirely. "I can't wait to be back home, where we can relax maybe? Do you think Sinead would allow for us to have a few days off. I could think of a couple of relaxing things we could do that don't involve fighting..." She kissed him softly, slowly, the sadness having washed away with the sight of Stalker whole and well. She hadn't realized how much he meant to her until then, but then again when Vlad had been controled by Verin, Stalker had been her only tie to him, and in some strange way a comfort and protector. She felt relief, and that made her happy.

Vlad opened his mouth to her kiss and licked along her top row of teeth playfully. He felt like lying there with her and devoting the rest of the day to cuddling and nonsense. After coming so close to losing so much, politics and strategy felt like his last possible priority. He wanted to enjoy Tenele and Stalker and ignore the rest of the world. "I'll see if I can talk Queenie into giving us some down time. The doc seemed to think she had a job lined up for us. Or rather, mainly for you. Something about churches being robbed and peacekeeping on the Border." He reached into his pocket and pulled out the stone Maxwell had given them to return home. "Technically, we can return any time now. Stalker is more than stable enough to travel."

Tenele looked at the stone in his hand. "Atul wanted us to say good by before we left," she told him, her hand going down to pet Stalker's head. "Besides, he's our friend, and it would be wrong if we didn't. He's in the main courtyard answering some questions about security."

Tenele reluctantly slipped away from Vlad, though she could think of many things she wanted to do in his arms at the moment, there were a number of other things she had to do. Once they returned home she was sure she'd have to go through a debreifing in front of the military council and the Queen. More like an interrogation. She would need to arrange for a way to get in contact with Atul, because there would need to be a treaty signed. Lots of work to do, and now this new job. Didn't seem like very much time for relaxing, but she planned to make the best of it anyway.

She grabbed up her sword and then turned towards Vlad. "Alright... Its time we went home."

"Let's go see him, then," Vlad said as he stood up, upsetting Stalker's comfortable position. The hound seemed to revert quickly back to the alert servant rather than the doted-upon pet as he sprang to his feet, all four of them, and leapt back down to the floor.

He pulled on a black shirt from the chest of drawers and opened the door for Tenele. They got some strange looks as they came down the stairs. Apparently the drama of earlier had spread by word of mouth, and a few people were watching to see the supposedly wounded vampire and Lady Tenele emerge together. Vlad returned their stares with an uninformative smirk as they proceeded quickly through before the locals could build up the nerve to ask questions. A few minutes later, they were walking across the courtyard toward Atul, who was speaking with several men.