FicWad

Sergian was waiting the following day and the General found he waited rather a while; this was, in fact due to the boy having never dressed in buttons or tailored clothes before. Ani had to do all of the work as the boy blankly stood there soaking in how she did things. She found him strange to have around compared to the ones they had in before, the ones that talked a lot and wanted to know all about the place. This one had no name, no real voice for opinion and yet behind those eyes was a solid intelligence. Sergian smiled as he came along behind her and skipped the formalities that might have occurred when the boy ran over and took his hand. Sergian nodded to Ani and off they headed to meet the master of the castle, the Lord who had yet to be named too.

"Come along little scribe." Sergian led him down another set of tunnels. "Tonight you shall meet with the man that now owns you. All you must do is what he asks, once that is done each day you will have time to yourself. That time you may use in any way you see fit."

"I should like it to be with you." He said softly. "Though I am not strong of arm I would like to learn the tactics of your warfare."

"Then I shall make time for you when I can." Sergian nodded.

The General slid a door open, taking them into an opulent room with rich tapestries and gold decorations the likes of which had never been seen by the boy before. He stood by the doorway and looked around before his eyes settled on the middle of the room at the man in the middle of the rich goings on. The man stood slowly, an air about him that spelt of power and the knowledge that he had it. He had deeply set brown eyes and shoulder length deep brown hair; he cocked his head and seemed to muse over the little thing in front of him.

"Do you have a name boy?" He asked, in a deep voice that seemed to weigh the room down with his authority. The boy shook his head. "You cannot hide behind Sergian forever child. Come forwards and let me see you."

The boy stepped forward towards him, both hands held at his side gripping the seams of the pants he had been adorned in. His eyes met with the new gentleman’s and the man looked back watching him. He was a curious child, he was a bright child and the master of the castle smiled to Sergian. Yes, he had found him something to interest him finally.

"Lord Ferencz may I go?" Sergian requested and at the nod of his masters’ head he left the room pulling the door closed behind him.

"So you do not have a name?" The man leaned over and pulled the young teen to the seat near his own. "Here they call me master or Lord Ferencz but when we are working you will call me Vladimir. Now..." He put a piece of blank paper on front of them both and took a piece of charcoal out. "Let us give you a name." He looked at the boy and smiled before writing a long list of them down. "Pick the one that looks good to your eyes. There is no need for you to worry about what it says for now." The boy looked at him for a long time as if trying to sense if there was one he would like. In the end the silence just left him moving his hand over the paper until it rested on a word. "Valeck, okay that will do, do you like that name?"

"It is a name." The boy said simply. "What will I do now?"

"Learn to read and write." Vladimir told him.

It remained that way for several months, Sergian would teach him skills of tactics and discuss weaponry, taught him the manners for the table at meals they shared together and slowly the young boy became nocturnal for Vladimir never wished to have his audience during the day. Valeck did not mind, he learnt the skills of the very rich and powerful. He learnt to read and write! He learnt of clothes and fashions but more importantly about how he would need to learn to keep up with them too.

Valeck would listen to every word and Vladimir never had to repeat something to him. The boy simply continued along with his work, never having to ask more than once about the things he learnt or to be reminded of rules. He never stepped out of the room unless it was daylight or he was escorted, he felt it, the danger that lurked without someone present with him. At night the castle was like a beast threatening to lure in unwary travellers. He knew better than to tempt a beast, its fangs would be vicious and he was not with weapon to combat it.

For seven years Valeck lived happily with the education he had been given and learning from the General, who had in fact become more like a brother to him over those years than a man picked to train him as a scribe. Sergian however within the last year or so had grown slowly more distant and the young man wondered if perhaps soon they would loose contact altogether. It was something that played on his mind, he enjoyed having a friend to speak with and the General gave him comfort when he had been spooked by noises in the castle as a younger man.

"Vladimir," Valeck came in with the night’s books, ready to work as he was instructed to, "where is Sergian? It has been three weeks since we last spoke."

"He will not be speaking with you again." Vladimir opened the book and handed him the papers. "He has his own work which has become more demanding of late. I do not wish his temperament to overshadow yours. You let him lead you too much." With that the conversation ended as Vladimir knew that the boy would never ask him to elaborate. The night wore on; Valeck would occasionally look towards the mentor and wonder how he stayed in such good shape. The man had not aged since he had arrived, but then again, it was possible that this was due to some childish expectations that he might go grey over night.

It took until Valeck's nineteenth birthday for him to accept that he was not going to see Sergian again, the realisation came hard and without welcome. He ventured out of the sanctuary of his room that night, he wanted to be able to see him and it was because of that he felt a willingness to be disobedient; he had never felt such a thing before. It was better to have the curiosity now he had an idea of the place at any rate, so Valeck armed with the short sword he had never hit a thing with headed towards Sergian's quarters.

Sergian was in no mood to be polite and had no idea of his coming visitor. Only recently having been turned into a vampire (or Kindred as they called themselves) he threw the ratted body to one side in the hallway as he opened the door. He did not dispose of dinner plates as a mortal so why should he now? He turned to see the young man walking his way, he closed his mouth and the two men regarded each other warily for a moment.

Valeck’s heart thundered in his chest as he stepped back and into a tapestry on the wall that came clattering to the floor as the brass pole holding it bounced. Valeck’s hand went to his mouth, he was a demon! The creatures that he had been warned of were real and now here he realised that he was most likely a prisoner; the thought sent a chill through his very bones.

Sergian sighed and walked towards him feeling awful that he had to find out this way but feeling no remorse for his actions. Vladimir had made sure that he would feel nothing for his actions, had voided his mind of the notion of guilt but somehow deeper in his heart the vampire had one weakness, the boy. He looked at him and put his hand out watching as Valeck stepped back again.

“I wouldn’t hurt you.” Sergian said his eyes soft though the blood on his shirt told a story that indicated otherwise.

“What did… how?” Valeck’s eyes watered.

“Vladimir.” Sergian looked at him. “What do you think he was? He never ages, had lived here longer than your village has existed. I made a mistake and now I am his thrall forever.”

“Is this, what will happen to me?” The corridor suddenly felt like the smallest place in the world.

“If you make a mistake then most likely.” Sergian nodded softly and threw his filthy top over the dead mans’ face. “I’m sorry boy.”

“If it is to happen,” he looked into the man’s eyes, “it will be on my terms and I will make him want me.”

“This is not a game!” Sergian’s glare to him was full of anger, full of disappointment that the boy could not understand the dark curse.

“If I am going to die it is better to engineer that timing.” He told him and turned around. “For better to face it than to run from it and you told me that when I was worried about the monsters remember?”

“Valeck.” Sergian’s shoulders relaxed. “I am sorry I cursed you.”

“I have had eight more years than I probably deserved. Thank you for that.” Valeck smiled softly though his friend could not see it.

Sergian slid down the wall when he was gone. The master had changed him and he had not sensed any emotion before that moment. He had just been able to kill, to drink and to fight. How had the boy managed to do that to him? He threw his dagger into the wall opposite and groaned. This was a complication he did not like.

Valeck on the other hand headed to the library and shut the door. Out of sight the usually quiet young man started to chuckle. Not only had he been scared out of his wits he had sensed the power he could get from such a thing. This news was fantastic and he brushed the long black hairs from his face. If he could have a fraction of that power and find a way to take out Vladimir his peasant days would end.

He had to have that power but he had to do it in a manner that would keep him from suffering the same fate as Sergian. He had to have the control to take the castle lord out. He wanted that… needed to savour that power and then… a cold smirk came over him, the blue eyes swimming with a burning desire from the usually reticent orbs. A goal had been found and it was going to be fun testing the limits.