FicWad

Chapter 26

They were stunned at the sight and the boldness of this girl to suddenly come in, and then calmly ask that question as if there was nothing wrong. As an answer to that, Ryuu said pressing his blade against her delicate throat, “That depends: why are you here?”
“I am here to wonder why you would want your friends to walk into a trap,” she answered, not even flinching, “Is it because you think you have a chance, or do they reflect your own suicidal tendencies?”
Now Jean-Claude had his hand on his saber, not certain of the nature of this encounter. One thing he had learned a long time ago: never underestimate your opponent, even in this case. When she saw this, she said, “Fear not, half-breed, for I share many of your dreams.”
Now Jean-Claude had a look of confusion, not sure where to go at this point. Ryuu kept a cold glare on his face as he stated, “Barging into this room: this proves what…that you’re friendly?”
“If you knew to whom you spoke,” she said, her tone changing, “you would not question any of my goings. What this does prove is, considering whom I am, I could just snap my fingers and have the lot of you disposed. However, it is because of the half-breed here, and his unique offspring, as well as the other offspring that intrigues me, and may actually help me bring order to my kind one day, and even achieve the dreams that we share. I’m surprised you don’t recognize me...”
And she dropped her head to be looking out of her brow, still smiling, “...Cain.”
Ryuu grinded his teeth together and said through them, “Yes…who calls on a devil’s reject?”
“My name is Mina,” she said, bearing her fangs, “Does that ring a bell?”
Ryuu only chucked, “It’s bringing back the faintest memories, but I am old so you must enlighten me and help refresh my memory.”
At this point, the person Jean-Claude knew him as was gone, an arrogant elder man stood in his place, this was the personality of Cain: vindictive, sarcastic, egotistical and self-centered. “Now did you think there was only one Tepes in the world?” she asked, not phased in the slightest by this reaction, though Jean-Claude was about as tense as an elastic band stretched to its uppermost limits. Ryuu said, in Romanian, “Spune-mi de ce esti aici, Mina,” which meant, “Tell me why you are here, Mina.”
She smiled, now being recognized, and said, “Because, I want to be sure that those who would help me seek the dreams that I and the mutt share have a chance to live.”
Jean-Claude was starting to get fed up with the references to half-breed, but she looked at him and laughed, “It still gets your goat, doesn't it. I’m surprised brother dear is not jealous of you.”
Ryuu sighed and said, “Mina, why exactly are you here? Most elder vampires have more than one motive, and yours seems a bit simple.”
She then said, “Okay, I admit my reasons are more selfish than I let on, but I would say that my reasons are such that happen to fall in your favor. Father lives in the past too much, and he is going to make us extinct if he is not careful. I have a dream, not to dissimilar to his, but more with a selfish motive: if I can establish a haven for vampires from where I can rule, we could have peace somewhat.”
Ryuu sighed and shook his head, a very sage, (and to Chiyuki annoying,) look came across his face as he said, “Correct me if I’m wrong, but we aren’t entirely trying to set up a Monarchy are we? That leads to corruption beyond tell. You sound like you’re not here for the cause we fight for, you sound like your here to insure that vampires can exist in the future, not coexist. You speak in an arrogant tone, but you are frightened, you know the power of those around us who could be summoned before to either destroy or restrain you within seconds, less time than you would need to escape. Why do you come to us, making these demands, making it sound like you hold the power here when right now, you have nothing in the slightest. Yours and my power is miniscule to the beings who reside here, who by now, probably know your here.”
As if to speak of the devil, Keelin came and stuck her head out into sight. Her eyes went wide when she saw the child, and a smirk came over her face. “Sad, sad,” she said, “It is what she possesses that would bring the coexistence: she is the key! Besides, in these modern times, we need coexistence, because vampires need humans to live. However, it does not mean that we should rule them either, because that would further interfere with coexistence. What I propose is something for the undead, to keep them out of your hair. Grandfather can’t see this, but I can, and that girl is the key. It would be a safe haven for them, and there would be a means to tend to them without interfering with either the human world, or what you are trying to achieve. I am sick of the infighting within our kind. You speak of future monarchy? That already exists amongst us, but it needs refining badly. What is worse, you far underestimate my power. Further than that, there are still three clans yet left, and they are all clamoring for me. Sadly, I rule them in name only, but for decades they have been subjecting me to a torturous purity test, just to prove who holds the power, because they feel that, through me, they could control our kind, and then, the world. This, I must stop. I am not asking you to annihilate those clans, but at the same time, they have to be put in their place.”
Soon others were coming out of the woodwork, and the ones that had been with Jean-Claude were startled by the sight, but the eight immediately dropped to their knees. Mina then said, “Arise, my loyal knights. All is well. Take your place by your princess.”
They all did so at that point, but Jean-Claude wanted more information. “Look Mina,” said Jean-Claude, but she said firmly, “Only he, (Ryuu,) has the right to call me that! You refer to me as ‘Your Highness’ mutt. Know your place!”
His blood was beginning to boil by this point, but the twins said, “No, father, let us talk to her, please?” as Mina said, “Now, elder one, would you kindly put your sword away?”
Ryuu chuckled and beckoned Keelin to go to him, but not sheathing his sword. Keelin blinked and stepped up to him, hiding behind his tall, not too bulky figure. Her eyes stared at Mina curiously, but she also seemed to be having a mental struggle. Mina, ignoring the blade, knelt down to meet Keelin eye to eye as the twins came astride her. Mina then said, “You don’t have to be frightened of me.”
Keelin tilted her head to the side and asked, “Why do you speak to Uncle like that?”
She smiled cutely and said, “I have heard about his temper, and I wanted to see how much control he had. It seems it is more than I had heard. Though I do have respect for him, you must understand, in my world, such as he have been both despised and feared. At one time, the gypsies used to capture anyone like him, and then use him to hunt down vampires. This is a different time, but your Uncle is still quite feared.”
She then looked at the Golconda and she said, “And when they know of you, you shall be feared by the three clans as well, because you stand to be a paradigm that may just spell them to be obsolete.”
Ryuu sheathed his sword after a quick order from Keelin to do so. “Ah, child, you’re learning,” she said, and then looked at them all, saying, “If you go to see grandfather, you know you walk into a trap, don’t you? I came to either make you avoid this, or at least give you protection on your way there.”
She then looked at the three, “I hear there are two more of you. Where are they?”
Jean-Claude looked at them knowingly, and they said, “Safe at home.”
“Too bad,” she said, “Because part of this was to teach you how to be royal yourselves. Now, where is this former Fount of Psyche?”
“She’s right here,” said Anjou as she slipped up behind Mina. Mina swung around angry at first, and then smirked, saying, “Yes, if I had to fear you, I would have been dead. So, you, Karin, are the one that started all this?”
“In a sense,” she answered.
Keelin stepped forward, something seemed not right about her. “Am I allowed to test her?” she asked, purring almost.
Mina’s nostrils flared and her eyes went wide. She said, “...and the child is possessed. My question is, who controls who?”
Keelin tilted her head to the side and asked, “That’s the question of the hour, no?”
“I am half-tempted to overwrite her, just to keep those things under control,” she mused, and then said, “I am afraid what you want is more than a test, child, you want my throne!” and that she said right up close, eye to eye. “That, I am afraid you cannot have.”
She got real quiet and serious as she said, “Tend to your own!”
Keelin laughed heartedly, “You believe I'm out for your thrown? No wise person, evil or not, would go after such a superficial position.”
She began to smirk and say, “Why do that speech and the mannerisms seem so familiar?”
Keelin tilted her head slightly, “Why does it to you? Do you remember me, child of the night?”
“If I do, then it would seem someone cut you down to size!” as she looked over her head to Jean-Claude.
Keelin shrugged and smirked as she said, “For now,” and the angry red glint left Keelin’s eyes as she sagged slightly from the arrogant posture she had just been holding. She stroked the child’s hair and face, stood back up, and said, “I say, you do have a bit of a problem on your hands. However, it would seem to me that, if that was who I think it was, then she is fighting not to be Keelin’s slave.”
Ryuu almost had the desire to slap away her hand, but instead he let it go. “More opposite I would think, being as the other, from what we can see, has no such effect,” he responded.
“Has she shown that she can control that Jezebel?” questioned Mina.
“Not yet,” stated Ryuu, “mostly a power struggle, though I have some interesting theories about her purpose.”
Mina looked at him knowingly and said, “I don’t think you trust me enough to tell me what those theories are, so, I shall tell you what I have planned, and this includes the living vampires as well if you care to hear it. It may be many; many years into the future, but how long do we live anyway?”
“Me?” stated Ryuu, “Until the end of this world I believe: You? No idea.”
She giggled, and she said, “In fact, my concept was provided by none other than you, Jean-Claude.”
Jean-Claude looked at her oddly, and said, “Thank you for using my name, (and he heaved a big sigh,) your highness...but, are you telling me you have had spies in this since before Romulus and Remus?”
“Not every undead in America was attached to one of the 12 houses there,” she answered, “Oh, and by the way, thank you for eliminating them. They were nowhere near our caliber—that includes your little Clan—and nature had to cull them out. Anyway, I do not yet know where to put this, but instead of a skyscraper, I conceive of a whole island where all vampires, living and undead, can live free of harassment, and be able to function in the human world, like a Hong Kong is to China. We could be to whatever nation that we go with.”
“Um, the hook up with the U.S. Government right now is the best thing we have going,” he added, a bit irritated, “What you propose would expose us fully, and I have already acknowledged that something like that can never happen.”
“You cannot achieve it because you are not ruthless enough,” said Mina, “Now, don’t get me wrong. I do not think us superior to humans, nor do I seek to conquer the world, for that is also impossible. But, to keep them from going after us, we would have to use strength, and show the ability that we could not be stopped, and that does not always mean combat. There are other, subtler, craftier ways to get the job done, and send the message that, if you try to annihilate us, you may just be committing suicide yourself. I shared this with father, but he laughed, not because he thought it could not be done, but he just has no interest in cooperation. This is why he sees all of you as a threat. However, your Chiyuki is being held by him, and he has offered to meet with you in exchange for her release. However, do you even think for one instant that he would really release her?”
Ryuu smiled and said, “We don’t think he would. That’s why we are going after him. I know Chiyuki could wake herself up, and will soon enough. I’m confident in Chiyuki’s ability to escape. She can be more slippery then an eel when it comes to be needed. And, threaten? Our reputation in other places is deadly enough without having to re-enforce that.”
“Then what are you planning on doing when you arrive?” she asked with a raised eyebrow.
“Not my plan,” said Ryuu, “I was thinking on deception, and playing into Dracula’s hands till the last minute, but others might have other strategies.”
She tilted her head, looked at them, and said, “It’s as I thought: you have no plan. You shall have many dangers along the way, but many that could be thwarted by my presence. I am coming along on the journey, whatever you plan.”
She flipped open a cell phone, and called someone, "Vera, have the cars sent. Grandfather is going to learn a lesson on hospitality...what? Who? Yes, of course! We have much to catch up on.”
Ryuu waited, Keelin then got ready to pounce, and “attacked” Mina. “Kawaii!” she said, grinning from ear to ear.
Instead of being aggravated, Mina laughed, and said, “You have such spirit young princess! Who? No, Vera, not you. Keelin, say hi to Vera, my valet and good friend,” and held up the phone.
Keelin tilted her head to the side and grinned widely> “Hi, Vera Valet!” she said, cutely.
Vera laughed in that cute laugh that she had, and she said, “Hi, honey! Your Highness, the limo will be pulling up to the hotel soon. Who is coming?”
“Everyone here will stay in the villa not too far from here, and then we make our way to Bran from there,” said Mina, “Grandfather is in for a big surprise.”
She then hung up and said, “Everyone, gather your things. You shall be my guests, and believe me, you shall be perfectly safe...with me at least.”
Keelin tilted her head to the side and declared, “I don’t need any protection besides Ryuu. Ai says he is my guardian angel!”
She turned her head to look at him, and she said, “Who is this Ai: your wife?”
“Sort of,” he said, now a bit sad, “If I could marry she would be. But she was murdered...”
His voice trailed off of the thought of it. Mina said with true sympathy, “I am so sorry! What happened?”
Jean-Claude spoke up and said, “She tried to take on Charlotte’s two goons when we took down House Amayah, and she should have handled it. We came up and saw it just as the killing blow was landed. It was a completely lucky shot. We have no clue how they succeeded. Believe me, between me, blade, Ryuu here, and Chiyuki, what we did to them would have been legendary, even in Hell!”
“Charlotte...” she said, trailing off in thought, “Oh, you mean that little monster that thought she was me? I certainly hope she got what she deserved.”
Ryuu growled lowly under his breath, remembering the hate he had felt and the monster it had taken, a monster he didn't even realize he could call on. The anger and sadness of that memory raced through his mind once again. “I...see,” said Mina, “I truly do feel extremely sorry for you. Yet, she doesn't seem to be far away, and...well...if the Selibri are as I suspect, then there may be hope for your Ai, and it could lie in the twins that she now bears,” and pointed to Anjou.
Ryuu turned his head slightly to Anjou, his face deadpan. Mina continued, “You see, it all depends. The children have already been conceived, but if we were to act at some point before the birth, Keelin could deposit Ai into the girl that she now bears, and she could be reborn. All Selibri learned that skill if they should have ever killed someone in feeding that they did not intend. They learned to contain a soul and then deposit it into a body later.”
Jean-Claude then said, “That doesn’t explain how she ended up picking up super-witch Teresa!”
“That can be explained in time,” said Mina, “For now, we must go.”
With that, the limos pulled up and whisked the party away to the villa.

When they got to the villa, it indeed looked like something in which royalty would vacation. The maids were quick to settle them and then Mina called them all to the back deck. Out there was the Jacuzzi to die for. It was huge! The eight were not there, though, for they had already gone ahead to prepare for matters. Mina stayed engaged in the talk, but she was also tending to other matters. Vera handed her a bottle and Mina dumped it into the rolling Jacuzzi and stripped naked before everyone. Underneath, she was wearing adult lingerie designed for her body, of which she stripped, and then entered the Jacuzzi. Jean-Claude turned beat red and faced away. Mina giggled at his modesty. Ryuu didn’t seem much effected, his mind was lost in thoughts of Ai being returned to him, but then something rained on his parade. “What if Ai wasn’t meant to be reborn?” Ryuu said, “What if she is in there to balance out Teresa, because both offer power to Keelin, with a light comes a shadow. Ai’s presence there is to offer Keelin with the good side of the power she now has and Teresa is there to show her the power she has and can use in a pinch, and obviously she has ulterior motives, and she knows if she can corrupt Keelin, she can control the vampires again.” Ryuu said, voicing his thoughts.
Mina’s head was above the water and she seemed to be rubbing herself down when Vera also stripped and entered the water with her, helping to do what she was doing, and doing it for herself as an odd smell permeated the area. Mina then said, “Yes, that does pose some problems. Teresa would not just go away, and to just extract Ai would corrupt Keelin quickly. You could put both into the babies, but then you would not want Teresa reborn as an actual vampire, unless you felt you could retrain her from diapers up. Yes, many questions...but I do think the mother has a problem with anything being inside Keelin other than Keelin.”
“Yes, Chiyuki has an issue with a lot of stuff,” Ryuu said, rolling his eyes, “But what if Keelin, along with the two entities in her mind bring her yin and yang, and give her balance and the life lessons and teachings we never could?”
“Then I suppose the ultimate decision would be up to Keelin,” said Mina, “After all, she's the one carrying them, and only she can truly voice what she wants.”
Jean-Claude was still turned away, and Mina said, (more cordially this time,) “Dear knight, (referring to Jean-Claude,) why so embarrassed? Why don’t you join us? I know about your skin condition, and this would help you greatly.”
Ryuu seemed to be heavy in thought and ignored what was going on around him, he was thinking of every way thinks could go wrong and how it could go right. Mina then said, “Oh, how rude of me...everyone is welcome in here with us. I put a special Shade Gel solution in here. It’s one of our scientists’ best inventions!”
Ryuu glanced up and said, “Okay,” as he then stripped down to his boxers and got in there. Mina then said, “Keelin, care to join us?”
If Jean-Claude had been Japanese, he would have been bleeding at the nose by now. Anjou said, “I believe it is because of his beliefs.”
“Beliefs?” Mina asked, “Oh...you mean...yes, I see that poses a problem for him. Well, dear knight most chivalrous, I forget that you have been so exposed to the human world that you do not understand that outward appearances bear little on our perception of sexuality.”
Keelin stuck her tongue out tauntingly at Jean-Claude. “Come on!” she said, pulling on his hand, “Please come sit with me!” starting to take of her corset dress and boots.
He was stuck between a rock and a hard place, and he could not refuse her face. He then put his scarf over his eyes, got into his tightie-whities, got into the water, and said, “I take this off on one condition: you all keep yourselves at neck level! I really don’t believe in mixed bathing.”
Anjou was laughing at her big brother, considering that things like this really showed his soft side. Anjou then said, “Remember, ours is a different world.”
She then got down to a teddy and joined them. Keelin giggled at Jean-Claude’s silliness and got into the water and sat on his lap. “You I have to stay at neck level Jean-Claude?” Ryuu asked, chuckling.
“At your age, I don’t think it matters,” said Jean-Claude, but Mina wanted to be mischievous, and she said, “Underwear? Vera...”
In a flash, everyone was naked. Jean-Claude looked like a cooked lobster, to which Mina and Vera laughed heartily. Mina said, “In our world, outward appearances matter little. Because of the fact that any of us could end up at any age when turned, we learn to love the mind, and not the body. To us, it is a small matter. It should be to you.”
“Who says?” asked Jean-Claude, now not daring to take off his blindfold, lest he see his kid sister in her birthday suit.
Mina reached up and pulled off his blindfold, and he saw Keelin, who he picked up off his lap a bit for reasons along with keeping her head above water. Ryuu just rolled his eyes. “C’mere Keelin,” he said, guiding Keelin to him and sitting her in his lap. When that problem was resolved, Ryuu started staring off into space, trying to sort something out in his head. Suddenly, Jean-Claude’s eyes rolled up, and he sank down to his neck and said, “Oh...my...God! This feels so good on the skin—very sensual...uhh! What did you call this stuff?”
She then said, “Shade Gel.”
Keelin was grinning from ear to ear and relaxing. Even Ryuu was feeling the effects. “This is very relaxing I might have to mass buy it,” he joked.
Mina then announced, “What this does is makes us impervious to indirect sunlight for about 15 hours, and direct for 15 minutes. It is the best thing for vampire skin.”
“Ah!” Ryuu said, nodding, “That makes sense.”
Vera reached over and pulled over a Thermos. She poured Mina a glass. It looked and smelled like blood, and she drank it with ecstasy. She then said, “Try some. This is another of our inventions! Please, everyone try.”
Ryuu drank some, and then handed it to Keelin, who drank some, and clicked her tongue around in her mouth, trying to figure out the taste. She then handed it to Jean-Claude. He took and drank, and it looked, felt, smelt, tasted, and gave the same sweet effect that blood does in the way that a vampire craves. Ryuu blinked, and glanced over to see his reaction. Jean-Claude looked like he was having an orgasm, though there was no real way of knowing in the bubbling water. Ryuu laughed slightly at Jean-Claude’s face and covered Keelin’s eyes. The combination of the Stigma with the bubbles and the Shade Gel literally caused him to climax, though no one could see it. Mina smiled and said, “Jean-Claude, you are not ashamed of your vampire side, but there is so much about that from which you shy away. Well, what is everyone waiting for? Drink up!”
Ryuu didn’t drink much of it, he didn't seem to be enjoying as much as the people around him, but seemed to still be thinking. Keelin on the other hand seemed to be impatient to see if it was going to be passed around to her. The only thing that kept her from jumping the person who had it was Ryuu holding her down and patting her head. Vera then said, “Believe me; it took a long time to get that right. Yet, thanks to knowledge of the serum Blade injects into himself, which is so foolish, we were able to perfect it.”
“It’s all part of the master plan,” said Mina, “Having that will be key to our future.”
She saw Keelin fighting, and she poured a glass for her and said, “Drink, darling one.”
Keelin gulped it down at fast as she could, and then handed the glass back to Mina, and didn’t ask for more. Ryuu smiled slightly. Mina smiled and said, “Such a polite but insatiable child! Anyway, what I have planned far surpasses anything that you have yet attempted, dhampir, and yet, is a safer situation.”
Ryuu directed his attention to listen to what Mina was going to say. “Safer? Is that even possible?” he asked.
She smiled a sly smile and said, “You have no idea just how deep the Tepes fingers run, do you? To say we were rich would be a horrible understatement. It is said that God owns the cattle on a thousand hills. We own at least a hundred! We could buy and sell the world, and still cut a profit! Right now, as we speak, the world’s largest artificial island/landfill placement is being built right of the coast of Tokyo. As I said before, we could choose any country, but that is the best place. Its size rivals that of Manhattan or Hong Kong. There, we shall build a bund...”
“An alliance, or a republic,” said Jean-Claude.
“Ah, you know your German,” said Mina, “Yes; it will be a physical manifestation of that alliance, between our kind, and us and the humans. I know what you are going to say: humans will never accept us. While that is true to some extent, what I have in mind will make them back off. Let us just say that I have the ability to make them an offer they can’t refuse.”
Ryuu blinked, “And Mina, you make them this offer, but what if humans start to fear us, we wouldn't live in peace, we’d be making humans live in fear. And eventually they’d retaliate; wouldn’t that put all of use in danger and ruin the whole thing the dream had been working on?”
First she smirked, then she smiled, then she let out a generous laugh, saying, “You have been a vagabond for so long you have no idea what has been going on in the world. Popular fiction and media have been turning our kind into heroes. Now, who do you think was responsible for that? Our kind is far more accepted than you realize! Furthermore, they are going to learn quickly just how much power I wield. When I said I was a princess, I wasn’t exaggerating! To give you an example, the economy of Japan is in the tank—4 quadrillion yen in the hole. I have moved in several companies which I own that have been starting to reverse that trend. When the time comes to bring forth the bund, and our existence, I will offer to pay off the entire debt in one stroke. If they do not capitulate, I pull the companies out, and Japan collapses. I have other means to deal with their parliament beyond that if need be, but believe me, they would be fools to refuse me.”
Jean-Claude pondered this and said, “Essentially, you’re going to buy Japan!”
Her face turned a bit sinister, but she said, “Essentially, yes. They will be so indebted to me, they will have to listen. We end up being like a Hong Kong, and they shall be forced to protect us. If other countries grumble, I could show them how many nations are bolstered by my wealth, and collapse the world economy if it came to it. They have no choice! Besides all that, once the vampires are on the bund, they will have to stay there, and cannot leave without special visas, just like any other nation. No humans will be allowed on without proper visa and escort. We would still be a part of the world, yet separate from it, and a part of the world economy. Jean-Claude, if you had tried it your way, and not did what you did with your own government, you indeed WILL HAVE killed us all!”
“I’d have rather died finding peace then buying it,” Ryuu commented, “That is what you are doing, it is not real peace when money is its founder.”
“You do what you have to,” she said, “We shall have peace for our people, no matter what the cost. Besides, once they see the positive changes it brings about, they will forget all that and embrace us. In truth, the only thing we have to fear about war-wise is from our kind, and not the humans. For the humans, our people have researched and found that, for them, with us out of their hair on the bund behaving ourselves, then that would be fine with them, as long as we behave. The Beowulfs will help with that, believe me!”
Keelin nodded and stared up for a bit, then closed her eyes and swayed side to side to some unheard music. Vera smiled and said, “What are you enjoying, little one?”
“Music,” she said, “Did you know Ai plays flute?”
That jolted everyone to being more awake, and they all looked at Ryuu. Ryuu blinked and asked, “What? Ai plays flute...”
“And you didn't know that?” asked Jean-Claude, but Mina continued as if this was inconsequential, “The real threat comes from three noble houses that want my crown. That is where you and your wunderkind come into play.”
Keelin blinked and repeated, “Wunderkind?”
Mina smiled and said, “You and the others are going to be the new nobility amongst the vampires. The old nobility only care about power. You five are like me: you care about people—vampires and humans. I would be queen of all, of course, but Sophia would be second only to my own authority. This, with the intricate plan, and the Stigma, (which will keep us from feeding on humans,) will help propagate things. I even have a school designed where humans and vampires shall interact as peers started, though no vampires yet attend.”
She stuck a leg out of the water, caressing the substance in it onto her legs better, and said, “Everything has to be done correctly, of course, but with your help, it can be done. The only problem right now is grandfather. He would try to stop it. Like I said, though, he lost his grip long ago like Ceausescu did long ago, and he needs to go. He doesn’t even acknowledge me anymore.”
Keelin blinked and listened. “Would being queen make you supreme ruler?” she asked.
“I would be Queen of the Night, but not the world,” she said, “Global conquest is far from my ambitions. Yet, you, little one, seem to have a heart for the undead. Do you want to help people?”
“I do...” Keelin said, “Where are you going with this?”
"Remember the Selibri you sent with Romulus and Remus? Well, there are more of them. They live in abject fear. Because of their soul preserving abilities, they have been accused of being soul eaters, which is far from the truth. Yet, because the nobility shall be Selibri and Golconda at that, they could find safety with you and with me in the Bund. There are also the fangless to worry about.”
“Fangless?” Ryuu asked, slightly worried.
Mina then said as the climbed out of the bath and began to dry off, “These were humans turned against their will, and to keep their humanity, they had their fangs pulled out. Many are living with me in the castle, but hidden, and I give them the Stigma they need to survive.”
Ryuu rubbed the side of his face, imagining his mouth without his fangs and the pain it would cause him. “So, you see, this Bund is much more than just some power thing,” Mina continued, “There is great protection that it would provide, and it would give us peace at last. Dhampir, your Dream could become a reality, but it has to be done right.”
She looked at them desperately and said, “I need your help.”
Keelin blinked and glanced at Ryuu for advice, and he only shrugged. “I follow Keelin,” he said, “It’s her decision if I come.”
Keelin then glanced over to Jean-Claude. Jean-Claude sat still with tears in his eyes. He reached over for his trench coat and wrapped it around him, and said, “I have never met the likes of you. I wish...”
She walked up after dressing and tenderly took his hand, saying, “You had met me when your parents died? Indeed, I wish I could have been there for you.”
He went to his knees and was now bawling like a baby, saying, “I swear my fealty to you. This happens, or I die trying!”
She kissed his forehead, saying, “I accept.”
She went over and took his saber and drew it. She then said, “This will have to be done later in a formal setting, but I can act now.”
She tapped his shoulders and lightly on the side of the head with the flat of the blade, saying, “I dub thee Knight of the Blade, Hand of the Queen. Arise, Sir Jean-Claude.”
Keelin shyly got up and out of the water, still dripping wet and walked up to Mina. “Uh.....I don’t know how to say it, but can I help too?” she asked.
Not caring if she was wet, she smiled, scooped her up, spun with her like she was her own daughter, and said, “You wonderful child! Of course you can!”
Keelin grinned from ear to ear. Ryuu got up, got dressed, and waited patiently for Keelin to be let down. She set her down and said, “Now, you need to go dry off and get dressed, okay?”
Keelin nodded and ran back to Ryuu, who was holding a towel for her. “So, when do we get started?” asked the newly knighted Jean-Claude.
“As soon as it becomes late afternoon,” answered Mina, “Have your children ready, because, if we are encountered along the way, we may need them. We shall keep the Selibri hidden. We shall go to the parts of the fortress grandfather knows nothing about and we shall plan the coup d’état. Now, I understand that Jean-Claude and Anjou are quite the musicians and singers. I wish to be entertained!”
With that, they gladly obliged, and played Moon Shadow. Ryuu listened, enjoying the music, but his thoughts were on what the next day would hold.