09-09-2015, 12:57 PM
They arrived in France after packing the castle up for the past four days, and it would take another four to unload everything that they had brought along. Mathias went into the room that was considered his own. Every second Mihail was getting further away, and harder to find. He couldn't get Tzion to understand such things, he insisted on playing this game he had with Akela.
When they finally made their way to Akela's home, Mathias was shocked to see her large estate. He had expected to see a small home unable to hold many guests, besides her and possibly a fresh vampire that she was training. Instead, she had a large flower garden that surrounded her entire manor, as well as tall iron gates. Guards were placed strategically in the yard, but didn't seem to pay any attention to Mathias nor Tzion.
Mathias gave Tzion a look of irritation as they walked through the flowered path up to the doorway. Using the lion head knocker that was placed squarely in the middle of the door, they loudly banged waiting for any one of her number of servants to answer.
It was surprising to Mathias to sense only one vampire inside the large building. All of Akela's servants were human, he wandered if she kept them all around for food or if she just enjoyed their company more.
A tall, slender, gray haired butler opened the door, he gave no greeting nor questions, but stepped aside to allow the visitors in. It was a common occurrence for many elders to have their servants not ask questions, but instead lead the way to their coordinates. Mathias was a warrior, who could handle his own in almost any situation, and even he had his servants ask who was visiting. He could sense the type and strength of a vampire, but not who they were, except for those he had met before. However, Tzion and Akela had meet before, she knew that he was on his way long before they ventured to her home.
They walked behind the slow butler into a large room that smelt like rain. A thin, almost paper like divider stood between them and what was most likely a large container of water. Turning the corner of the divider they found an extremely large bathing pool, filled with the clear liquid, and swimming inside was the elder, herself. Her black hair nearly covered the full extent of her body as she swam under the water. The arms that were placed in front of her were a milk white, Mathias stared down into the water at the pale skin. When her face appeared, she gave a large smile with her dark red lips. Her light brown eyes sparkled when she saw Tzion, it was then he noticed the figure in her eyes.
Mathias turned his head to look behind him and saw a man barely alive, hanging against the wall in chains.
"Would you like some?" Akela's thick French accent asked. Mathias had never met Akela before, but he had heard of her, and knew she was not French. It made him wonder why she would speak with an accent.
He turned his head back to the elder, "Of the human? No, thank you, Lady Akela."
She gave another grin, "Forgive me, Tzion, I was not expecting you for another day or two. I know how you like to be in town a couple weeks before making your appearance here."
"You know me far too well." He grinned, "However, Mathias is in a great hurry and we desperately need to discuss an imperative matter with you."
"Of course, allow me to get out of my bath, and we can discuss this over a nice snack." Her now cold eyes shot to the butler, "Bring us something to feed on, Francois."
"Yes, milady." He bowed then left the room.
Akela swam to the end of the pool where a short stairway of six stairs lead her out of the water. Her hair was the only thing that covered her body, she didn't seem ashamed at all to be naked in front of them. Mathias did his best not to look at her, and Tzion didn't seem disturbed at all. Of course, Tzion hadn't touched a woman in a loving manner since he was a human married to a young woman, who had been killed in order to turn him into the prophet. Mathias had always been curious if that was what made him sour towards women, or perhaps he never cared at all.
"Why did you even bother to speak to him, Akela?" Tzion chuckled, "Do not play us for fools."
She, again, gave a wide smile, "Ah, and you know me far too well, I see." Her elder ability was that of mind control, and it wasn't until Tzion spoke those words to her did Mathias understand that her human servants were merely drones. She controlled their every thought and movement not allowing them to think or do for themselves. It was why she could have a half dead man hanging on her wall and not disturb the fragile emotions of the humans.
"You know, Tzion, one day I will break through your own mind, and you will be my own toy to manipulate how I please." Akela teased.
"Promises, promises, Akela. I longingly wait for that day, and yet it has not come to me." Tzion tried to sound as if he were flirting back, but Mathias knew his master better then he knew himself. There was a hint of disgust in his voice as he teased Akela.
She sat down in a chair and crossed her legs, still naked. The butler place three wine glasses of blood on the table then left the room when Akela waved her hand.
"Please, have a seat, gentlemen. Enjoy this with me, I was given eight sheep by an adoring neighbor of mine."
"Adoring? Why, Akela, you are making me jealous." Tzion quickly took his seat next to her, "Mathias, have a seat, and let's discuss this business with her."
Looking away from Tzion, Akela set her eyes upon him as he sat down. For a moment she gave an intent stare then return her look back to Tzion, "The Ancients have put a block on his mind as well, why?"
"Nothing slips past you, my dear. Yes, that is what we have come to discuss with you. The Ancients have put a group of elders together to help Mathias on his mission. It seems that only Mathias is allowed to have this information as to why and what, but we do get to know the who."
She returned her eyes to Mathias again, "Two challenges." A large grinned set on her face, obviously she enjoyed not being able to read others minds. However, he would not be the one to flirt with her like Tzion did, he wasn't that lonely.
"Yes, we have to destroy a bowery named Mihail…" Mathias began to explain, his voice had gotten stuck in his throat, when he saw the hungry look that Akela was giving him.
"A bowery? You need a team of elders to kill one simple, minuscule bowery?" She interrupted him.
He didn't like being interrupted, "He isn't just any bowery, but I can't tell you the details of it either. Just know he has killed an Hallowed Elder already."
"Who?" She questioned, looking towards Tzion to see if it was true.
"Lord Wintor." Mathias answered.
Her laughter echoed throughout the room, "A rat could kill that elder, I am surprised he made it to a thousand years old. He probably succeeded from hiding from every challenge that came his way."
"That may be, but he still killed him. If you need any reason why this bowery should die, that should be it. He is attacking and killing Hallowed, both fresh and elder."
"Who said I needed a reason?" Her eyes lost their humor, "You are rude, and I don't like how you are treating me. I deserve respect from you."
"I don't even know you, I waiver in no direction. I speak to everyone this way, as I respect everyone until proven they don't deserve it." And she was beginning not to deserve it, Mathias had thought once his mouth was shut.
"You need a lesson in manners, but I don't have time to teach you." She looked back at Tzion, "I am hungry, Tzion, but I will leave with you soon. I suspect you have other elders that you need to gather?"
"Yes, milady."
"Then gather them up and bring them here, and then we will set off from there."
After those words were spoken the two men were shoved out of the villa by her servants as if they were strangers.
Mathias had to persuade Tzion to not move all his belongings to each country. Though he mostly lived in castles, he did own a wide variety of manors in different countries. He always seemed to be looking for a reason to move.
The journey to Spain was long as Tzion kept stopping to cleanse himself, saying he smelt like a horse. Mathias had to wait for several hours for him to bathe, he almost wished he had the guts to ride off ahead and make the Elder find his own way. By the time Tzion got half way there, he would be heading back with the two others.
When they finally arrived in Spain they found that Lycorisa and Jareth had been living in a church. However, most of their days were spent entertaining on the streets. Jareth played a vihuela while Lycorisa danced, charming the people that passed by with her vampiric alluring beauty. That is where Mathias first saw her, she wore no shoes and a long colorful dress. Jareth sat on a blanket behind her stroking the strings of the vihuela, as she danced and people that passed seemed almost mesmerized, throwing down coins onto their blanket as if it were routine.
She spun in her bright dress, as the rays of the sun sparkled on her dark brown hair.. Her eyes were a very light blue with a dark blue circling the outside of her iris. She was small in weight and height.
She smiled at everyone, and as she turned she hit the solid form of another Hallowed. Looking up she smiled gingerly at Mathias, she had not sensed their presence and they had not sensed hers either. Lycorisa had the gift to be able to block the sense of vampires from knowing where others like them hid, he didn't understand why that ability was needed during his mission.
He tossed a coin onto the blanket in front of Jareth's feet, who gave him a perturbed glare. He didn't want Mathias around Lycorisa as much as Mathias didn't want to be around her, but he wasn't here to court her. It was all business and he was sure that Jareth would understand as soon as the plans were revealed to him.
"Come to visit me, Mathias?" Lycorisa said flirtatiously.
"No, I have come under orders from the Ancients. I must speak with the both of you."
"Ah, there you two are." Tzion walked up behind them, "Lycorisa, your power has strengthened, you can reach far distances."
"Thank you." She smiled, then turned her eyes back to Mathias, "Come we can speak in the alley. Gather everything up, Jareth, and meet us there."
He nodded and stood up slowly, then began to push the coins into the center of the blanket. Lycorisa grabbed Mathias's hand and pulled him into the ally, while Mathias gave Jareth a look of apology as he stared up from his blanket at the sign of affection she was giving him.
"What do you two need?" Lycorisa asked with a smile, leaning up against the wall with her hands behind her.
"Well…" Both Tzion and Mathias began then stopped to look at the other.
"I think I can handle this one, Tzion." He said then turned back to her, "I need you and Jareth's assistance in catching a Bowery. I can't explain the details to you, because they are confidential. However…"
"Alright, sounds fun." She said before he could finish, she looked around him at Jareth who came in the alley, "Let's get ready, we are leaving now."
He gave a short nod. Mathias had never heard him speak, he only spoke to Lycorisa. At first, he thought that Lycorisa and Jareth were brother and sister. He as well had dark hair, and was of smaller build, but his eyes were a dark brown unlike Lycorisa's strange shade. He soon discovered that Jareth was madly in love with Lycorisa long before they were both made vampires. He hadn't spoken to anyone but her since he was a child, at least that was the rumor.
He often wondered why he didn't speak to anyone but her, but the courage to ask never had come to him. After a couple centuries he decided that he didn't want to know, it had to be a sad tale whether it was a tale of comedy or tragedy. Lycorisa was oblivious to his true love, and Mathias felt sorrow for him, even though he knew Jareth didn't care for him.
They met the two outside the church a few hours later, both had horses and a couple bags that they wanted to bring along. It seemed that Jareth was carrying things for Lycorisa and that he didn't really take much of anything. Lycorisa kept telling him to be careful with the bags as he tied them to the horse.
Beginning their journey back to France, no one spoke to anyone. Tzion believed he was better then anyone, Mathias didn't want to speak to Lycorisa, while she seemed unsure of what to say. Jareth spent his time giving hateful looks at Mathias, while Lycorisa looked at him smiling. He could see Tzion found humor in the situation, although he felt uncomfortable.
"How have you been?" She finally asked, "I haven't seen you in such a long time, I've missed talking with you."
"I've been living in England." Mathias answered her.
"Oh… aren't you from Italy?"
"Aren't you from Greece?" He retorted.
She frowned, "No, I'm from Ireland, but I like Spain better."
He felt his cheeks flush at his error, "Alright then." He looked forward and caught Jareth's frown deepening.
He wasn't exactly sure why Jareth disliked him, but he had managed to lower it down to a couple of reasons.
His most favorite being that Lycorisa had been chasing him since the day they met, and never gave Jareth a chance to be anything more. If it was not that it was because Mathias wouldn't ever touch Lycorisa for any other reason then business. He hated being around her. Jareth might want Lycorisa to be happy and could see that Mathias wasn't even willing to try. He had come to the conclusion that it was probably a combination of that two.
"You and I should…" She began, but was interrupted.
"You and I shouldn't do anything more then find this bowery then go our separate ways. We both know nothing could ever…" He looked at her face, her mouth had dropped, her cheeks had turned red, and it seemed she was about to cry.
Her horse sped up ahead of everyone else and then slowed, she kept her distance for the remainder of the day. Mathias turned his head to look at Jareth, whose frown had only deepened.
"And you need to stop staring at me like that, you damn mute! If you want her to know you love her, then you need to open your mouth and tell her!"
Jareth gave a deep sigh which gave a slight hint to how deep his voice might be. He didn't seem bothered by Mathias' name calling, and continued to glare.
"Apparently, the way you are doing it hasn't work in what over a thousand years? I think you need a new tactic, Jareth."
His eyes left Mathias's face, and stayed on Lycorisa ahead of them for some time. He finally decided to catch up and ride next to her, leaving Mathias behind with his master.
"A marvelous plan that was, and it went so well, don't you think?" Tzion said with sarcasm. "Though you feel free to cast all your emotions out to others at anytime, others do not. You took that girl's heart and smashed it to pieces, before she was even ready to be rejected by you."
"I did nothing to her."
"Why couldn't you just have been pleasant and then went your separate ways when this was all over. You didn't have to…"
"Tzion, I know. I was in an uncomfortable position and instead of being strong and baring it, I tried to escape from it."
They were both quiet for a moment, "Did it work?" Tzion broke the silence.
"For a couple seconds."
That evening around the camp the men sat staring into the fire, while Lycorisa went for a walk. She hadn't been able to sit still since the argument, it took a few moments but Mathias finally decided to go find her. They needed to talk, he didn't have the right to say anything to her. He took her friendly nature and turned it into something filthy, he had decided. Once again he had to remind himself that he was the monster not anyone else.
He found her pressed against a tree, staring up into the sky at the moon. Slowly, he walked up behind her and tried to give a half decent grin. She looked at him for a moment from the corner of her eyes, then looked back at the moon. Her arms folded then, which told him she was still angry and would be stubborn.
"Lycorisa, I came to apologize about what I said earlier. I didn't have the right to…"
"To assume just because I am nice to you that I have a desire to be with you."
He sighed for a moment and brushed his fingers through his hair, "I'm sorry." He expected her to deny it, and just having her deny everything made it all the easier.
Slowly her head nodded, accepting his apology. It was time to leave her to her thoughts, but as he walked away she grabbed his arm. "Am I that obvious?"
"To everyone."
"I'm sorry, I don't mean to bother you with it."
"It's not that…"
Her forefinger covered his lips, "Mathias, although you may not know much about me, I know a great deal about you. You aren't the type to take a lover, and you never have been with anyone since your vampiric embrace." She sighed then turned herself to look at him, leaning her shoulder against the tree, "You are going to betray everyone, and I know because of that you will never be allow to belong to any one person. I have come to terms with it, and I never had any intention on acting upon it."
"I see your logic." Suddenly he felt like he was the one being rejected.
"But you can at least let me pretend, can't you?"
"I didn't want to lead you to believe anything would happen."
She gave a short nod, "I know, and I appreciate it. At least, I would if I actually thought I could have anything to do with you. Like you, I'm just not meant for a great love."
Her last sentence came as a shock to him, not only was it something he said about himself, but she had Jareth, "What about Jareth?"
She laughed, "He's like a brother to me. We grew up together, besides the only reason I am still with him is because I am the only one he speaks to."
"He's in love with you, Lycorisa."
She gave a short nod, "I know, I am not as stupid as you may think."
"How do you know?"
"Besides the fact that he is immensely jealous of you? He has only told me everyday of my life."
"Why does he only speak with you?" Mathias suddenly gathered the courage to ask the question, as they were being open with each other.
She shrugged, "His father was a rich man. Jareth had no siblings and there would be no more after him. His mother was unable to get pregnant again because of his birth. He was lonely, and his father had many slaves that had children. He allowed Jareth to pick a child to live in the manor and be his playmate. He went through all the boys, and Jareth hated them all. Finally, his father took me into the manor, and we became friends." There was a smile that kept playing on her lips. "When he was ten, a sickness had taken several slaves' lives, so I was sent out to work in the field. I was sad to be away from the manor, but pleased to be with my family again."
Her smile faded, and Mathias waited for her to compose herself to finish the story.
"Jareth wouldn't eat, wouldn't drink, wouldn't speak to anyone. He became sick and was dying, so I came to visit him one day. His mother thought it would make him feel better. As soon as I stepped into his room, he began to eat, drink, but would only speak to me in whispers." She swallowed, "When I left he began starving himself again, until his father finally understood. I became his pet from then on, no longer a friend."
"That is a sad tale. I never suspected that you were a slave as a human." Mathias leaned against the same tree with her. "How did the two of you end up as vampires?"
The question made her frown, "When I was sixteen, I was still a servant in the house, and I would often serve food at dinner. One day I dropped a plate of hot food on my master's lap. He began to hit me, beat me, saying that I was a spoiled slave and had done it on purpose. Someone push him off me, and when I looked up it was Jareth. He had turned the tables on his father, and left him a bloody mess. His mother had seen the love that Jareth had for me, and gave us some money to start our lives far away from the manor. I didn't want to go, but I had no other choice. I would be killed for what Jareth did, if his father awoke." A tear streamed down her cheek.
Mathias stared at her as she tried to find the words to finish her story. When he wasn't sure that she would, he spoke. "Why did she help you?"
She shrugged, "She never loved Jareth's father, and had been forced into marriage with him. She didn't want her son to marry someone he didn't love, but she never stopped to ask me if I loved him in return. After we escaped, Jareth spent all his money, and we ended up having to work odd jobs and travel a lot. We came to this abandoned house one day when it was raining very hard, and went inside. During our sleep, our master came to us and turned us into vampires. We do not know his name, though we should, as his knowledge was past down from him to us. Eventually, we met an older vampire who helped us learn the ways."
"I am sorry to hear that it was not your choice." Mathias had been surprised at how long winded her story had been, but knowing had given him some insight to this woman he had once thought childish.
She nodded slowly, "Yes, almost hard to believe it happened to me, it was so long ago."
"I know what you mean. I remember my human life as if it were a night time story that my mother had told me."
Lycorisa smiled, "It's hard to imagine little Mathias snuggled up under his covers with Mommy Mathias reading him a bedtime story."
Mathias grinned, "Mommy Mathias." He chuckled.
"Mathias?" She waited for him to look at her, "Who was your mother? No one seems to know."
He shrugged, "The only thing I know about my mother is she was a slave to a prominent Roman noble, who was my father. His wife could not bare children, and he had a love affair with the slave woman. After she gave birth, he sold her, and kept me as his son. I was not the only child who came to him in this manner. There was a brother who was a month older then me, and several older sisters."
"That's terrible. You never knew who your mother was?"
"I did not. Though I am sure she would of rather had me kept by the nobleman then sold into slavery like she was."
Lycorisa gave a nod, "My parents were pleased that I lived in the manor and was a favored servant. So, to have your child accepted as noble blood must be better." She muttered the words to herself, but she had meant for him to hear them.
He nodded, "I suppose so. I am heading back to camp, I will see you later."
When he arrived back to camp, he found Jareth and Tzion exactly the way he had left them. Both staring into the flames, and lost in their own thoughts.
Jareth glared at him as he sat down, he had to speak with him as well.
"Tzion, could you excuse us?" Mathias asked.
"Of course." He got up and walked away.
"Jareth, I want to apologize for what I said to you earlier today. I don't have any right to involve myself in your matters. I just wanted you to know that Lycorisa and I will never be more then friends, and that I swear on everyone that I have ever loved. Understand?"
He gave a nod.
"She knows this, and I know this." He didn't feel this was enough, and heard Lycorisa's words in his head. "I am destined to be a traitor, as I have already proven myself to be before. I am not meant to mean anything to others. However, she should, but she doesn't feel she is meant for a great love."
Jareth sat quiet.
His silence made Mathias nervous, and so he kept talking, "She told me why you only speak with her, Jareth. Pretty selfish if you ask me."
The scorn on his face remained, and they fell into silence for some time, "If I talk, she'll leave." Jareth's deep, booming voice spoke. It was a strange voice to come from such a thin man.
"Yes, I know." He tried not to seem surprised that he spoken.
Folding his hands in his lap, he stared down at them, "They gave us powers that complimented one another, we can't survive without the other."
"Only together to survive?"
"She doesn't love me, she doesn't even like me. She stays here out of pity." He watched as Jareth's eyes began to fill, "I've always loved her, and I always will. I would rather be with her forever and never touch her, then never see her at all."
Mathias folded his own hands, and gave a loud sigh, "We can be more friendly to each other now, right?"
Jareth nodded, "I am sorry, but I am jealous."
"Of?"
"She'd rather have a man that doesn't want anything to do with her, then me who does everything for her. She…" his voice fell silent as Lycorisa stepped out of the forest.
"Hello." She smiled at them, taking her seat next to Jareth, surprising both of the men. She placed her hands around him and hugged him.
Jareth whispered in her ear.
"For being you." She told Jareth, and then smiled at Mathias.
Mathias grinned at Jareth, who returned the gesture.
Giving a yawn, and stretching her arms, she began to lay down on her blanket, "Well, I am tired, let's go to sleep shall we?"
They all nodded and laid down on the blankets they had brought along. After a few moments, Tzion walked back in from the woods, "Thank you for inviting me back." He said and Lycorisa chuckled.
When they finally made their way to Akela's home, Mathias was shocked to see her large estate. He had expected to see a small home unable to hold many guests, besides her and possibly a fresh vampire that she was training. Instead, she had a large flower garden that surrounded her entire manor, as well as tall iron gates. Guards were placed strategically in the yard, but didn't seem to pay any attention to Mathias nor Tzion.
Mathias gave Tzion a look of irritation as they walked through the flowered path up to the doorway. Using the lion head knocker that was placed squarely in the middle of the door, they loudly banged waiting for any one of her number of servants to answer.
It was surprising to Mathias to sense only one vampire inside the large building. All of Akela's servants were human, he wandered if she kept them all around for food or if she just enjoyed their company more.
A tall, slender, gray haired butler opened the door, he gave no greeting nor questions, but stepped aside to allow the visitors in. It was a common occurrence for many elders to have their servants not ask questions, but instead lead the way to their coordinates. Mathias was a warrior, who could handle his own in almost any situation, and even he had his servants ask who was visiting. He could sense the type and strength of a vampire, but not who they were, except for those he had met before. However, Tzion and Akela had meet before, she knew that he was on his way long before they ventured to her home.
They walked behind the slow butler into a large room that smelt like rain. A thin, almost paper like divider stood between them and what was most likely a large container of water. Turning the corner of the divider they found an extremely large bathing pool, filled with the clear liquid, and swimming inside was the elder, herself. Her black hair nearly covered the full extent of her body as she swam under the water. The arms that were placed in front of her were a milk white, Mathias stared down into the water at the pale skin. When her face appeared, she gave a large smile with her dark red lips. Her light brown eyes sparkled when she saw Tzion, it was then he noticed the figure in her eyes.
Mathias turned his head to look behind him and saw a man barely alive, hanging against the wall in chains.
"Would you like some?" Akela's thick French accent asked. Mathias had never met Akela before, but he had heard of her, and knew she was not French. It made him wonder why she would speak with an accent.
He turned his head back to the elder, "Of the human? No, thank you, Lady Akela."
She gave another grin, "Forgive me, Tzion, I was not expecting you for another day or two. I know how you like to be in town a couple weeks before making your appearance here."
"You know me far too well." He grinned, "However, Mathias is in a great hurry and we desperately need to discuss an imperative matter with you."
"Of course, allow me to get out of my bath, and we can discuss this over a nice snack." Her now cold eyes shot to the butler, "Bring us something to feed on, Francois."
"Yes, milady." He bowed then left the room.
Akela swam to the end of the pool where a short stairway of six stairs lead her out of the water. Her hair was the only thing that covered her body, she didn't seem ashamed at all to be naked in front of them. Mathias did his best not to look at her, and Tzion didn't seem disturbed at all. Of course, Tzion hadn't touched a woman in a loving manner since he was a human married to a young woman, who had been killed in order to turn him into the prophet. Mathias had always been curious if that was what made him sour towards women, or perhaps he never cared at all.
"Why did you even bother to speak to him, Akela?" Tzion chuckled, "Do not play us for fools."
She, again, gave a wide smile, "Ah, and you know me far too well, I see." Her elder ability was that of mind control, and it wasn't until Tzion spoke those words to her did Mathias understand that her human servants were merely drones. She controlled their every thought and movement not allowing them to think or do for themselves. It was why she could have a half dead man hanging on her wall and not disturb the fragile emotions of the humans.
"You know, Tzion, one day I will break through your own mind, and you will be my own toy to manipulate how I please." Akela teased.
"Promises, promises, Akela. I longingly wait for that day, and yet it has not come to me." Tzion tried to sound as if he were flirting back, but Mathias knew his master better then he knew himself. There was a hint of disgust in his voice as he teased Akela.
She sat down in a chair and crossed her legs, still naked. The butler place three wine glasses of blood on the table then left the room when Akela waved her hand.
"Please, have a seat, gentlemen. Enjoy this with me, I was given eight sheep by an adoring neighbor of mine."
"Adoring? Why, Akela, you are making me jealous." Tzion quickly took his seat next to her, "Mathias, have a seat, and let's discuss this business with her."
Looking away from Tzion, Akela set her eyes upon him as he sat down. For a moment she gave an intent stare then return her look back to Tzion, "The Ancients have put a block on his mind as well, why?"
"Nothing slips past you, my dear. Yes, that is what we have come to discuss with you. The Ancients have put a group of elders together to help Mathias on his mission. It seems that only Mathias is allowed to have this information as to why and what, but we do get to know the who."
She returned her eyes to Mathias again, "Two challenges." A large grinned set on her face, obviously she enjoyed not being able to read others minds. However, he would not be the one to flirt with her like Tzion did, he wasn't that lonely.
"Yes, we have to destroy a bowery named Mihail…" Mathias began to explain, his voice had gotten stuck in his throat, when he saw the hungry look that Akela was giving him.
"A bowery? You need a team of elders to kill one simple, minuscule bowery?" She interrupted him.
He didn't like being interrupted, "He isn't just any bowery, but I can't tell you the details of it either. Just know he has killed an Hallowed Elder already."
"Who?" She questioned, looking towards Tzion to see if it was true.
"Lord Wintor." Mathias answered.
Her laughter echoed throughout the room, "A rat could kill that elder, I am surprised he made it to a thousand years old. He probably succeeded from hiding from every challenge that came his way."
"That may be, but he still killed him. If you need any reason why this bowery should die, that should be it. He is attacking and killing Hallowed, both fresh and elder."
"Who said I needed a reason?" Her eyes lost their humor, "You are rude, and I don't like how you are treating me. I deserve respect from you."
"I don't even know you, I waiver in no direction. I speak to everyone this way, as I respect everyone until proven they don't deserve it." And she was beginning not to deserve it, Mathias had thought once his mouth was shut.
"You need a lesson in manners, but I don't have time to teach you." She looked back at Tzion, "I am hungry, Tzion, but I will leave with you soon. I suspect you have other elders that you need to gather?"
"Yes, milady."
"Then gather them up and bring them here, and then we will set off from there."
After those words were spoken the two men were shoved out of the villa by her servants as if they were strangers.
---***---
Mathias had to persuade Tzion to not move all his belongings to each country. Though he mostly lived in castles, he did own a wide variety of manors in different countries. He always seemed to be looking for a reason to move.
The journey to Spain was long as Tzion kept stopping to cleanse himself, saying he smelt like a horse. Mathias had to wait for several hours for him to bathe, he almost wished he had the guts to ride off ahead and make the Elder find his own way. By the time Tzion got half way there, he would be heading back with the two others.
When they finally arrived in Spain they found that Lycorisa and Jareth had been living in a church. However, most of their days were spent entertaining on the streets. Jareth played a vihuela while Lycorisa danced, charming the people that passed by with her vampiric alluring beauty. That is where Mathias first saw her, she wore no shoes and a long colorful dress. Jareth sat on a blanket behind her stroking the strings of the vihuela, as she danced and people that passed seemed almost mesmerized, throwing down coins onto their blanket as if it were routine.
She spun in her bright dress, as the rays of the sun sparkled on her dark brown hair.. Her eyes were a very light blue with a dark blue circling the outside of her iris. She was small in weight and height.
She smiled at everyone, and as she turned she hit the solid form of another Hallowed. Looking up she smiled gingerly at Mathias, she had not sensed their presence and they had not sensed hers either. Lycorisa had the gift to be able to block the sense of vampires from knowing where others like them hid, he didn't understand why that ability was needed during his mission.
He tossed a coin onto the blanket in front of Jareth's feet, who gave him a perturbed glare. He didn't want Mathias around Lycorisa as much as Mathias didn't want to be around her, but he wasn't here to court her. It was all business and he was sure that Jareth would understand as soon as the plans were revealed to him.
"Come to visit me, Mathias?" Lycorisa said flirtatiously.
"No, I have come under orders from the Ancients. I must speak with the both of you."
"Ah, there you two are." Tzion walked up behind them, "Lycorisa, your power has strengthened, you can reach far distances."
"Thank you." She smiled, then turned her eyes back to Mathias, "Come we can speak in the alley. Gather everything up, Jareth, and meet us there."
He nodded and stood up slowly, then began to push the coins into the center of the blanket. Lycorisa grabbed Mathias's hand and pulled him into the ally, while Mathias gave Jareth a look of apology as he stared up from his blanket at the sign of affection she was giving him.
"What do you two need?" Lycorisa asked with a smile, leaning up against the wall with her hands behind her.
"Well…" Both Tzion and Mathias began then stopped to look at the other.
"I think I can handle this one, Tzion." He said then turned back to her, "I need you and Jareth's assistance in catching a Bowery. I can't explain the details to you, because they are confidential. However…"
"Alright, sounds fun." She said before he could finish, she looked around him at Jareth who came in the alley, "Let's get ready, we are leaving now."
He gave a short nod. Mathias had never heard him speak, he only spoke to Lycorisa. At first, he thought that Lycorisa and Jareth were brother and sister. He as well had dark hair, and was of smaller build, but his eyes were a dark brown unlike Lycorisa's strange shade. He soon discovered that Jareth was madly in love with Lycorisa long before they were both made vampires. He hadn't spoken to anyone but her since he was a child, at least that was the rumor.
He often wondered why he didn't speak to anyone but her, but the courage to ask never had come to him. After a couple centuries he decided that he didn't want to know, it had to be a sad tale whether it was a tale of comedy or tragedy. Lycorisa was oblivious to his true love, and Mathias felt sorrow for him, even though he knew Jareth didn't care for him.
---***---
They met the two outside the church a few hours later, both had horses and a couple bags that they wanted to bring along. It seemed that Jareth was carrying things for Lycorisa and that he didn't really take much of anything. Lycorisa kept telling him to be careful with the bags as he tied them to the horse.
Beginning their journey back to France, no one spoke to anyone. Tzion believed he was better then anyone, Mathias didn't want to speak to Lycorisa, while she seemed unsure of what to say. Jareth spent his time giving hateful looks at Mathias, while Lycorisa looked at him smiling. He could see Tzion found humor in the situation, although he felt uncomfortable.
"How have you been?" She finally asked, "I haven't seen you in such a long time, I've missed talking with you."
"I've been living in England." Mathias answered her.
"Oh… aren't you from Italy?"
"Aren't you from Greece?" He retorted.
She frowned, "No, I'm from Ireland, but I like Spain better."
He felt his cheeks flush at his error, "Alright then." He looked forward and caught Jareth's frown deepening.
He wasn't exactly sure why Jareth disliked him, but he had managed to lower it down to a couple of reasons.
His most favorite being that Lycorisa had been chasing him since the day they met, and never gave Jareth a chance to be anything more. If it was not that it was because Mathias wouldn't ever touch Lycorisa for any other reason then business. He hated being around her. Jareth might want Lycorisa to be happy and could see that Mathias wasn't even willing to try. He had come to the conclusion that it was probably a combination of that two.
"You and I should…" She began, but was interrupted.
"You and I shouldn't do anything more then find this bowery then go our separate ways. We both know nothing could ever…" He looked at her face, her mouth had dropped, her cheeks had turned red, and it seemed she was about to cry.
Her horse sped up ahead of everyone else and then slowed, she kept her distance for the remainder of the day. Mathias turned his head to look at Jareth, whose frown had only deepened.
"And you need to stop staring at me like that, you damn mute! If you want her to know you love her, then you need to open your mouth and tell her!"
Jareth gave a deep sigh which gave a slight hint to how deep his voice might be. He didn't seem bothered by Mathias' name calling, and continued to glare.
"Apparently, the way you are doing it hasn't work in what over a thousand years? I think you need a new tactic, Jareth."
His eyes left Mathias's face, and stayed on Lycorisa ahead of them for some time. He finally decided to catch up and ride next to her, leaving Mathias behind with his master.
"A marvelous plan that was, and it went so well, don't you think?" Tzion said with sarcasm. "Though you feel free to cast all your emotions out to others at anytime, others do not. You took that girl's heart and smashed it to pieces, before she was even ready to be rejected by you."
"I did nothing to her."
"Why couldn't you just have been pleasant and then went your separate ways when this was all over. You didn't have to…"
"Tzion, I know. I was in an uncomfortable position and instead of being strong and baring it, I tried to escape from it."
They were both quiet for a moment, "Did it work?" Tzion broke the silence.
"For a couple seconds."
---***---
That evening around the camp the men sat staring into the fire, while Lycorisa went for a walk. She hadn't been able to sit still since the argument, it took a few moments but Mathias finally decided to go find her. They needed to talk, he didn't have the right to say anything to her. He took her friendly nature and turned it into something filthy, he had decided. Once again he had to remind himself that he was the monster not anyone else.
He found her pressed against a tree, staring up into the sky at the moon. Slowly, he walked up behind her and tried to give a half decent grin. She looked at him for a moment from the corner of her eyes, then looked back at the moon. Her arms folded then, which told him she was still angry and would be stubborn.
"Lycorisa, I came to apologize about what I said earlier. I didn't have the right to…"
"To assume just because I am nice to you that I have a desire to be with you."
He sighed for a moment and brushed his fingers through his hair, "I'm sorry." He expected her to deny it, and just having her deny everything made it all the easier.
Slowly her head nodded, accepting his apology. It was time to leave her to her thoughts, but as he walked away she grabbed his arm. "Am I that obvious?"
"To everyone."
"I'm sorry, I don't mean to bother you with it."
"It's not that…"
Her forefinger covered his lips, "Mathias, although you may not know much about me, I know a great deal about you. You aren't the type to take a lover, and you never have been with anyone since your vampiric embrace." She sighed then turned herself to look at him, leaning her shoulder against the tree, "You are going to betray everyone, and I know because of that you will never be allow to belong to any one person. I have come to terms with it, and I never had any intention on acting upon it."
"I see your logic." Suddenly he felt like he was the one being rejected.
"But you can at least let me pretend, can't you?"
"I didn't want to lead you to believe anything would happen."
She gave a short nod, "I know, and I appreciate it. At least, I would if I actually thought I could have anything to do with you. Like you, I'm just not meant for a great love."
Her last sentence came as a shock to him, not only was it something he said about himself, but she had Jareth, "What about Jareth?"
She laughed, "He's like a brother to me. We grew up together, besides the only reason I am still with him is because I am the only one he speaks to."
"He's in love with you, Lycorisa."
She gave a short nod, "I know, I am not as stupid as you may think."
"How do you know?"
"Besides the fact that he is immensely jealous of you? He has only told me everyday of my life."
"Why does he only speak with you?" Mathias suddenly gathered the courage to ask the question, as they were being open with each other.
She shrugged, "His father was a rich man. Jareth had no siblings and there would be no more after him. His mother was unable to get pregnant again because of his birth. He was lonely, and his father had many slaves that had children. He allowed Jareth to pick a child to live in the manor and be his playmate. He went through all the boys, and Jareth hated them all. Finally, his father took me into the manor, and we became friends." There was a smile that kept playing on her lips. "When he was ten, a sickness had taken several slaves' lives, so I was sent out to work in the field. I was sad to be away from the manor, but pleased to be with my family again."
Her smile faded, and Mathias waited for her to compose herself to finish the story.
"Jareth wouldn't eat, wouldn't drink, wouldn't speak to anyone. He became sick and was dying, so I came to visit him one day. His mother thought it would make him feel better. As soon as I stepped into his room, he began to eat, drink, but would only speak to me in whispers." She swallowed, "When I left he began starving himself again, until his father finally understood. I became his pet from then on, no longer a friend."
"That is a sad tale. I never suspected that you were a slave as a human." Mathias leaned against the same tree with her. "How did the two of you end up as vampires?"
The question made her frown, "When I was sixteen, I was still a servant in the house, and I would often serve food at dinner. One day I dropped a plate of hot food on my master's lap. He began to hit me, beat me, saying that I was a spoiled slave and had done it on purpose. Someone push him off me, and when I looked up it was Jareth. He had turned the tables on his father, and left him a bloody mess. His mother had seen the love that Jareth had for me, and gave us some money to start our lives far away from the manor. I didn't want to go, but I had no other choice. I would be killed for what Jareth did, if his father awoke." A tear streamed down her cheek.
Mathias stared at her as she tried to find the words to finish her story. When he wasn't sure that she would, he spoke. "Why did she help you?"
She shrugged, "She never loved Jareth's father, and had been forced into marriage with him. She didn't want her son to marry someone he didn't love, but she never stopped to ask me if I loved him in return. After we escaped, Jareth spent all his money, and we ended up having to work odd jobs and travel a lot. We came to this abandoned house one day when it was raining very hard, and went inside. During our sleep, our master came to us and turned us into vampires. We do not know his name, though we should, as his knowledge was past down from him to us. Eventually, we met an older vampire who helped us learn the ways."
"I am sorry to hear that it was not your choice." Mathias had been surprised at how long winded her story had been, but knowing had given him some insight to this woman he had once thought childish.
She nodded slowly, "Yes, almost hard to believe it happened to me, it was so long ago."
"I know what you mean. I remember my human life as if it were a night time story that my mother had told me."
Lycorisa smiled, "It's hard to imagine little Mathias snuggled up under his covers with Mommy Mathias reading him a bedtime story."
Mathias grinned, "Mommy Mathias." He chuckled.
"Mathias?" She waited for him to look at her, "Who was your mother? No one seems to know."
He shrugged, "The only thing I know about my mother is she was a slave to a prominent Roman noble, who was my father. His wife could not bare children, and he had a love affair with the slave woman. After she gave birth, he sold her, and kept me as his son. I was not the only child who came to him in this manner. There was a brother who was a month older then me, and several older sisters."
"That's terrible. You never knew who your mother was?"
"I did not. Though I am sure she would of rather had me kept by the nobleman then sold into slavery like she was."
Lycorisa gave a nod, "My parents were pleased that I lived in the manor and was a favored servant. So, to have your child accepted as noble blood must be better." She muttered the words to herself, but she had meant for him to hear them.
He nodded, "I suppose so. I am heading back to camp, I will see you later."
---***---
When he arrived back to camp, he found Jareth and Tzion exactly the way he had left them. Both staring into the flames, and lost in their own thoughts.
Jareth glared at him as he sat down, he had to speak with him as well.
"Tzion, could you excuse us?" Mathias asked.
"Of course." He got up and walked away.
"Jareth, I want to apologize for what I said to you earlier today. I don't have any right to involve myself in your matters. I just wanted you to know that Lycorisa and I will never be more then friends, and that I swear on everyone that I have ever loved. Understand?"
He gave a nod.
"She knows this, and I know this." He didn't feel this was enough, and heard Lycorisa's words in his head. "I am destined to be a traitor, as I have already proven myself to be before. I am not meant to mean anything to others. However, she should, but she doesn't feel she is meant for a great love."
Jareth sat quiet.
His silence made Mathias nervous, and so he kept talking, "She told me why you only speak with her, Jareth. Pretty selfish if you ask me."
The scorn on his face remained, and they fell into silence for some time, "If I talk, she'll leave." Jareth's deep, booming voice spoke. It was a strange voice to come from such a thin man.
"Yes, I know." He tried not to seem surprised that he spoken.
Folding his hands in his lap, he stared down at them, "They gave us powers that complimented one another, we can't survive without the other."
"Only together to survive?"
"She doesn't love me, she doesn't even like me. She stays here out of pity." He watched as Jareth's eyes began to fill, "I've always loved her, and I always will. I would rather be with her forever and never touch her, then never see her at all."
Mathias folded his own hands, and gave a loud sigh, "We can be more friendly to each other now, right?"
Jareth nodded, "I am sorry, but I am jealous."
"Of?"
"She'd rather have a man that doesn't want anything to do with her, then me who does everything for her. She…" his voice fell silent as Lycorisa stepped out of the forest.
"Hello." She smiled at them, taking her seat next to Jareth, surprising both of the men. She placed her hands around him and hugged him.
Jareth whispered in her ear.
"For being you." She told Jareth, and then smiled at Mathias.
Mathias grinned at Jareth, who returned the gesture.
Giving a yawn, and stretching her arms, she began to lay down on her blanket, "Well, I am tired, let's go to sleep shall we?"
They all nodded and laid down on the blankets they had brought along. After a few moments, Tzion walked back in from the woods, "Thank you for inviting me back." He said and Lycorisa chuckled.