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Huge pasting job! :) Nikita & Erik. :) - Part 1
Because I'm silly.
Erik gave a sigh of deep boredum, leaning his chin and cheek on his curled palm, ajusting his elbow slightly to find the groove in the 'royal' chair that had been worn from his adopting the exact pose he was in. Every week there seemed to be another one of these arena fights, either a grudge match or fight between a wild animal and a slave or something. He idly wondered how long he would have to be king before he could stop going to these functions, and began calculating out how many hours he had wasted in the year long peroid of his reign.
His math was interupted as there came the announcement of the comabatants. Someone's servent was being sent agaist the half-bred harem boy. Erik adjusted his leaning slightly to appear more intrested as the boy was led into the ring, noting the half vampire looked to have been starved. 'Wonderful. Adding to the bloodlust,' Erik sighed to himself in thought. Well, at least it would be a mostly clean kill if the boy lost. He looked as if he would suck up any stray drops from the sand if they spilled....
Nikita strained against the guards as the other slave was led into the ring. Guards were strong, but the other slave's blood was just as hot and he was allowed to eat here. He felt his fangs drop.
The guards left, signalling the start of the fight, and Nikita launched himself at the other man. His opponent made a move as if casting a spell and stood stricken when nothing happened. Nikita, used to this reaction from spayed opponents, ducked under the man's arms.
He realed as the man recovered faster than most and hit him to the ground, but got up to a crouch and launched himself at the man. Holding him with the desperation of having the scent of hot blood in his nose and being hungry, he sank his fangs into the man's neck.
He closed his eyes in bliss as the liquid filled his mouth and the man's struggles grew less. He pulled the man closer, trying not to let a drop of the precious liquid elude him. His body went limp for a moment in bliss before his mind filled with images not his own, something that always happened although he didn't know why.
Nikita dropped the body and rose, body not seeming to fit right briefly. His eyes darted around the ring before he grew accustomed to himself again and sank down on his heels to await the guards.
Erik blinked, strighening in his chair. 'Intersting....' he thought as the boy was taken away again. Apparently the boy did have some vampiric powers after all. Why was it that noone had noticed this before? 'Easy answer. They're all idoits,' he answered himself with a sigh. He motioned to one of his flunkies. "Have the boy brought to my chambers," he instructed. Having someone with vampiric powers, and not any of the rediculous limitations that normal vampires had, like that severe alergy to sunlight, could be useful. And if the boy had any abilities of his elvin parantarge.....
Nikita was yanked out of the cleansing water.
The guard looked him over, leering. "No reason to get dressed. The king wants you," he said, sneering the word king like it was a curse.
Nikita looked at the hand that was holding his arm until the guard pushed him away in front of him. "King's chambers. Now!"
Nikita trotted through the hallways, ignoring the obvious stares of the demon lords in his path. He reached the king's rooms and was anounced by the guard at the door. He entered and approached the king, kneeling on the blessedly clean floor.
Erik looked at the boy a moment. "Rise and state your name, age and race," he ordered.
Nikita stood slowly. "Nikita," he said in a soft, little used voice. "Twenty, I think. Elf and vampire." He'd grown used to saying elf first so others wouldn't accuse him of trying to make himself look like a real demon.
Erik nodded to himself. "Do you know what breed of elf?"
"All elves are the same," Nikita recited. "And all need to be killed."
Erik rolled his eyes, making a dismissive gesture. "Not if they know their place," he said with a near sigh. "Who's been teaching you this rubbish? There are at least thirty types of elves, all diffrent, all with diffrent annoyancies and abilites." He sighed. "What are your ablities? What can you do?"
Nikita relaxed slightly as the interview got to something he knew. "I can do whatever you want me to. I've been trained for any pleasure."
Erik made a noise of distain. "I mean with magic and such talents and all that... not any animal rot!"
The boy shrank back in confusion. "I just feed when I'm allowed. I'm not even a proper vampire - worse than the worst...."
Erik sighed again. "Personaly, anything is better then a proper vampire... if you can call such things proper." He adjusted himself in his chair. "Now... when you... feed," he said the word with distain. "What happens?"
Nikita looked at the man, desperately trying to figure out what he wanted to know. Slowly he began to answer, stopping frequently to see if the information was what was desired. "I bite the victim with my fangs...." He let his fangs drop to show them. "I take their blood.... That's all it is."
"And afterwards..." Erik said, trying not to sigh. It was obvious the boy had at least a half a wit, but most of it had been sucked out by the idoits who had trained him.... This was going to be tiring work....
There was a pause and then understanding dawned. "You mean the pictures," Nikita said, soft voice intense. "You know what they are." A statement, not a question. "Tell me," he begged, gold eyes fixed on Erik's blue ones.
Erik blinked a moment, then smiled. Maybe this wouldn't be as hard as he thought... "Is it like you're seeing through someone else? As if you've absorbed the memories from the blood you're injested?"
Nikita nodded eagerly, voice rising slightly in pitch. "Like I don't fit right. Like I should be someone else." His eyes widened. "How do you know?"
"It's something that happens to vampires. They... read the blood they take in." He paused a moment. "Allow me to show you how it works." He snapped his fingers and a servent appeared at his side. He said a few quiet instructions and the servent left again. He returned a moment, leading a confused looking demon of a low cast. "Give him your arm," Erik instucted the demon.
The man looked warry, but obayed.
"Now, Nikita. Taste his blood. Do not kill him as you do so, just take a small amout."
The boy licked his lips and slowly lowered his fangs to the vein in the turn of the man's arm. He let the sweet taste of the blood flow into his mouth a moment before the images came. Strong images. He recognized the man in them. He had served that man several times. The man he drank from had talked to the other man and told him things about the king.
Surprised at the surety of the knowledge, Nikita pulled away, licking his lips to clean them and looking between the king and the man warily.
"Now," Eric said, lips curling up on one side in antisipation. "What did you see?"
The lower cast demon looked worried.
"He talked with the lord chamberlain." Nikita closed his eyes. "He told him what you ate for dinner...."
Erik turned his eyes to the now panicking lower demon. "Is this true?" he asked in a smooth voice.
"My lord, you're going to believe this... thing? It lies!"
"He told the lord chamberlain which pots were for your room and which went to the halls," Nikita continued in a dreamy voice.
"Mmmm..." Erik said, smile growing more ferral. "Most intresting...." He snapped his fingers again. "Throw the Lord chamberlain into the jails. Interogate him thoughly." He turned back to Nikita. "You may finish him off if you wish."
Nikita's eyes snapped open and he looked at the man he'd just drunk from. He man shook his head and began to back away. Nikita stepped forward slowly. 'You can't go now,' he said silently. He breath sped as he took the now still man in his arms and buried his fangs in the man's throat.
Erik watched, mentaly making notes on the procediers. When the lower demon had been fully drained he nodded. "Very good. You may take his clothing to cover yourself. I'll order new things for you in the morning."
Nikita licked his lips clean and looked down at the man in his arms. "I'm staying?" he asked, hesitently.
Erik nodded."Yes. As King, I have right to any slave I chose, and I am chooseing to exersize this right. Do you eat cooked food as well?"
"I'm yours, then?" Nikita asked, ignoring the other question. The intensity on his face told that the answer to this was more important than anything else.
Erik nodded. "Yes. I am now your owner and master. You will obay only my comands and report to me any attempts by others to change that fact. Is this understood?"
Nikita sank to his knees, bowing double. "Master," he said. "I understand. I am yours alone."
Erik smiled. "You may rise," he said, voice holding a slight softer tone. "In private, there will be no need to bow before me, understood? Now, to re-address the question of your eating needs..." He paused. "Do get dressed. I expect you to be dressed at all times in my presence unless I tell you otherwise."
"Yes, Master," Nikita said, stripping the man as he rose. "I can eat what everyone else does." He paused, pulling the ill-fitting clothes over his nakedness. Putting the man down, he looked up at Erik through his lashes. "Am I allowed to?" The question had mild desperation to it.
Erik nodded. "Of course. It does me no good if you are starved. Come, I will have the cooks prepare us a meal." He rose to his feet, waiting for the boy.
NIkita rose eagerly to follow his master.
Nikita looked up at his Master's bed, trying to figure out what was required of him. Most masters would call him, but this one seemed to think he should know things. Maybe this was just another thing he should know. Which would be worse, going when he wasn't wanted or not going when he was?
After a hesitation, he climbed up into his Master's bed, curling at the man's side.
Erik made a noise that was almost 'Ewww!' and pushed the boy out of the bed. "What are you DOING?!" he exclaimed, bed sheats held close to him like a sheild. "I thought I told you, you sleep on the floor! That's what all the blankets and pillows are there for until those incompantants get a second bed in here!" He gave a small shudder as if trying to shake off the feeling of being touched. "Is tehre something wrong? Floor's too cold? You need more blankets?"
Nikita curled in on himself. "I'm sorry, Master! I thought you were testing me again." He looked up, expression unsure. "You really aren't going to have sex with me?"
Erik's eyebrow rose. "Have sex with you?!" he repeated, voice half destainful and half disbeleiving. "What on Earth for?"
"Everyone else seems to want to."
"Most everyone else is a moron." Erik sighed. "Rest assured I will not be requireing any... carnal dutys of you." He shuddered slightly at the thought.
Nikita bowed his head. "Please forgive me, Master. I didn't mean to give offense."
Erik sighed. "It's all right. We'll start your retraining in the morning," he said in a near tired voice. "Must remember to inform those dolts in handleing not to be filling slaves heads with this rubbish... but as a start: Never assume the wants of one are the wants of many." He paused. "Or vice versa for that matter. Now, get to sleep. I will not have lack of rest inparing your preformance or attention in any way understood?"
"Yes, Master," Nikita said, curling into his pile of blankets. "I will try not to fail you."
The next morning, Erik woke early, as he did most mornings. He looked over at the sleeping boy on the floor, thinking. 'The entire court will think I've taken a concubine," he thought dryly. Thought, if that thought were be to be held, at least it would be shown that he had good taste.
He rose from his bed, moving towards the window to pull aside the curtain slightly. Most of the castle was still alseep. The servents beleived their King slept much later then he did, and he liked to keep up the beleife. It was good to have some time alone without worry of attempts on his life, and when he could let down most of his defences, unobserved. He gave a small sigh. Being King was difficult. Especialy when the people you ruled thought you dispisable. He gave a small scowl. It wasn't HIS bloody fault he had been born looking more angelic then demonic. The fact that he had had that limitation only made his acheivements more impressive.
He streached slightly and rotated his shoulders, slowly shifting to his 'demon' form. Large white feather wings grew out from his back, magicaly bypassing his sleep clothing without ripping, and his hair grew long and pale. Once he had fully shifted he consentrated on changing his appearance once more. The feathers on his wings turned midnight black, the bone structure arching and curving to try and resemble gnarrled bat wings, and his hair turned a jet black, similar to his human appearance. He stood before his mirror, examening his changed appearance, scowling. No matter how he tried, he never could get himself to look properly demonic with the idiotic feather wings he had been cursed with. "How on Earth am I to strike fear in the hearts of the masses when I look like a bloodly ANGEL?" he muttered to himself.
"Master?" Nikita said in his soft voice. "Do you need me?"
Erik turned, "Eh? What for?" he asked, blinking slightly.
There was a pause and Nikita turned away. "I don't know, Master."
"Quiet all right," Erik said, turning back to the mirror. "I tend to mutter to myself in the morning. Good to get some personal time in, away from all the idoits in this place. You'll get used to it." He adjusted the look of his wings slightly and scowled. "Tell me, Nikita, what do you think of this form?" There was a breif pause. "Be honest. I won't harm you for any truthful answer. I get enough garbage from my staff about things..."
"It's beautiful, Master. A form that could call the world to do its bidding."
"How so?" Erik asked, still tweaking his appearance.
"Beautiful people can mesmerize others to do what they want them to. Like how they say the elves control the humans?" The gold eyes looked at Erik questioningly.
Erik gave a small chuckle. "Demons are not humans," he smiled, turning to face the boy. "Beauty in this world is not respected as in the elf lands. Here, strength of body is what rules. That and being able to bully, scare and threaten others into submission."
"But it isn't all," Nikita offered hesitently. "They all fought for me and said I was beautiful.... And I--" He broke off, looking at Erik warily.
"And you...?" Erik prompted. "Do say all that comes to your mind. I will not punish you for true speach," he restated. "And that covers matters of mind and heart as well."
Nikita's voice softened further. "I have destroyed some because others wanted this beauty for their own, and then had others come to 'rescue' me from these. Beauty can be power." He lowered his eyes. "Sometimes."
"Mmm, such is true..." Erik agreed. "But beauty's power is not one which you can rule a country with very well. Especialy not one such as this where anything that is seen as weakness is instantly attacked and torn to shreads," he said with a mild bitter tone. "Sometimes I don't know why on Earth I wanted this role...."
Nikita curled one of the blankets around himself and rose, moving to where Erik was and kneeling in front of him. "Master does well," he murmured. "Master knows things others don't."
Erik gave a light laugh. "Very true, very true..." he smiled. He streached slightly, expanding his wings some. "It's a shame, really... to be given wings that you can almost never show," he mused. "The only people who see them are the fools who I convince to hand me their souls on a platter." He gave a small snort of disgust. "Ah well. Thus is life, I supose." He looked down at Nikita and lightly mussed the boy's hair. "You are a good servent," he said in a slightly soft voice. "Maybe with some care you'll out shine...." he trailed off a moment and shrugged. "But we must see to your training first. I will be keeping you in my company constantly, except for when I bathe." He paused. "Oh yes, that is another thing. One thing I very strongly believe in is cleanlyness, therefore you will keep yourself in good condition, understood?"
Nikita's eyes glowed at the praise and he nodded eagerly.
Erik smiled. "How much do you know of hygiene?" he asked. "Do you need instructions on how to operate the bath?"
The boy shook his head. "The harem keeps cleaner than others, because of our duties, and I have always had... many duties." He looked down, lips pursed, and when he looked up again his eyes were clear.
Erik made another distainful noise. "Harem..." He said the word as if it were somthing untouchable. "Dispisable... fear not, you will no longer be given any such... 'duties.'" He retracted his wings back into himself, reverting to human form. "I am going to take my bath now. You will stay here until I emerge and then you shall bathe." He walked over to the closet, loosening his clothing.
Nikita nodded, remaining in place and pulling the blanket tighter around himself.
Nikita pulled the blanket around himself tighter as he left the bathroom, eyes darting around to look for Erik. He moved to stand slightly behind his Master, visible in the mirror the man was looking in.
The man didn't appear to notice him a moment, intently consentrating on something. Finaly, with a long suffering sigh, he turned. He gave a small smile at Nikita. "Very good. Now to see to your dress." He walked over to the closet. "The best dressmakers in the relm made these, which means they're not very good, but they will have to suffice until I can get over to a relm where they beleive in quality..." He pulled out an outfit made from a soft grey cloth that matched the decotation in Erik's own outfit. "Do put it on," he said, handing it to the boy.
Nikita hugged the clothes to him, looking at the blanket that wrapped him for a moment. With a minute shrug, he dropped it. He pulled the grey clothes on, smoothing them fastidiously into place. He looked down at himself, then turned his head to peer over at his back.
After a moment he bowed deeply. "Thank you, Master."
Erik smiled. "You are welcome. I beleive you will be the second best groomed invidual in the idoitic world. Now. The cooking staff should be awake, so we shall go to breakfast. While we are eating, I shall instruct you on rules of behavour for when we are in public. Anything you do not understand, do ask for clarifcation. Appearances are important. Do you understand?"
"I understand, Master. I will not embarrass you."
Erik smiled once more. "Come them," he said, walking to the door.
They arrived at the dining area. A sleepy servent quickly set the table settings and rushed to inform the staff of the Kings appearance.
"Now, am I correct in assuming you do not know how to properly use eating utenciles?" Erik asked.
Nikita looked at the table. "I am to eat at table?" He looked down. "I never have." His shoulders tensed as he began to fear that he would quickly break his word to his Master.
"Mmm. As to be expected." Erik said in a neautral voice. "Do be calm, I am not going to harm you for not knowing something that you would have had little possibility to learn. Now pay attention." He gave a breif discitption of the usages of each utencil, holding each up in turn. "Now, the best way to learn is by watching others, so when the food arrives, pay attention to how I eat, and seek to emulate it, understand?"
"I will, Master!" NIkita said eagerly. He began to sit and paused. "Where do I sit?"
Erik gave a small laugh. "The setting at my left side," he gestured with a smile.
The boy lowered himself into the seat, sitting demurely with his hands in his lap. He looked at the table and settings through his lashes, and then turned his head slightly to see the servants coming in and out of the room.
Erik watched him an nodded. "A very good idea to watch the comings and goings around you. Another thing you must quickly learn is that I am the only one you can trust."
The food arrived as he said this. He waited paitently for the servents to leave again, then held his hands a half a foot over his food, casting a small spell. Takign his hands away, he sighed. "As my point is proven. Do not touch the food on your plate," he instucted. He snapped his fingers and a servent hurried to his side. "Who cooked this meal?" he inquired.
"Cheif Tairounum," the man replied.
"Bring this dish to him and ask him to sample the eggs. If he refuses, have him imprisoned. If he does not, escort him from the castle instead. Either way, have a new meal prepared."
The servant bowed and took both Erik and Nikita's plates and left.
Erik sighed. "What, is that attempt number 272?" He shook his head slightly. "Either that or just horrible cooking... Now I ask, how am I to rule this realm if I must execute half it's inhabitants for trying to kill me!" he exclaimed, voice frustrated.
Nikita slipped from his seat to kneel at Erik's side, resting his head in the man's lap. "Master is better than them all," he said softly. "Any Master wants gone, I will remove."
Erik blinked at the boy's action, then gave a small smile, placing his hand on Nikita's head and gently stroking the hair. "Thank you," he said softly.
A short while later the servent reappeared with two fresh plates. "Tairounum took his own life when confronted, my lord. This food was prepared by Chef Raiiloul."
Erik nodded. Once the servent had left again, he once more cast his spell. He gave a small smile at the results and nodded once more. "This food is clean. Resume your place at the table, Nikita, it is time to eat."
The boy rose, taking his seat again. He looked at the food, licking his lips slightly at the scent, then looked at Erik for instruction.
"Follow my lead," Erik stated with a small smile.
Nikita watched the man eat, gingerly picking up the utensils. Watching Erik's hands like a hawk, he attempted to copy their movement. Slowly, he managed to eat the food set in front of him. He smiled up at Erik.
Erik returned the smile, gently correcting Nikita's actions. "Much cleaner then eating with ones hands, don't you think?"
Nikita nodded. "Thank you, Master," he said softly.
After eating, they returned to the room. "Now, though I feel it is unnessacary, when we are in public for the first few times, I will have to show physicaly that you are now my possession." He walked over to his drawers and picked up a leash and collar from ontop it, holding it as if it was a dead rat.
Nikita took the collar gently, buckling it around his neck under his hair. He stretched and bent his neck slightly, testing the give. Satisfied after a moment, he turned his attention back to Erik. "Am I to have public duties, Master?"
"You are to do as I say, and not speak unless spoken to." Erik was quiet a moment, then knelt down, taking the boy's arm in his hands. "I am going to mark you astraly now. This will be a mark that only you and I know of, and will enable to me find you if the need arises." He held his hand over the boy's upper arm about an inch in the air. "Now, this should not hurt, and if it does at all, it should only for a short moment."
Nikita looked at Erik trustingly, holding his arm tensely. Master knew best.
"Just try and relax," Eril said in a slightly soft voice. He closed his eyes, etching his symbol into the boy's aura. "There." He let go, standing back up. "Can you feel that?"
The boy felt a tingling on his arm and nodded. "It's like light," he offered hesitently. "Light above my arm." He looked at Erik, trying to see if he'd said something right or wrong.
Erik blinked. "Truly?" he asked, voice intrigued. "Most intresting... can you tell me more of what you see?"
Nikita moved his arm slightly. "It moves with me," he said. "It's like you put the light in me." He looked confused. "But it's above me. But I can still feel it." He stopped, retreating to silence, face confused.
"That's wonderful! You can sence the change in your aura!" Erik exclaimed exuberantly. "Tell me... do you see this... light, or just feel it? Can you see the light around others?"
Nikita's eyes widened in mild distress. "I've never looked before. Sometimes, when people do things to me, I can tell it. Like an itch or something. I've never tried before...."
Erik put a calming hand on the boy's shoulder. "Be calm," he said, voice holding a hint of gentleness. "I'd like you to try. See if you can see the energy around me."
Nikita let out a breath slowly, letting Erik's touch calm him. "You have light all around you. Like the light you gave me." He held a hand out to the air almost two feet away from Erik. "It ends here. It's around me too." He looked down, adding in a softer tone, "It's warm."
Erik smiled softly. "Thank you..." he said in a soft voice. He leaned down and kissed the top of the boy's head.
Nikita looked up, eyes wide with wonder. "It's strong," he continued softly. "Like it could eat something whole."
Erik gave a small laugh. "If only that were physical as well," he smiled. "Ah well. Thank you, Nikita. When we are at court, do try and see if you can perseive the aura's of the others as well, if you can do so unobtrusively. Any information you can gather at all will be most helpful to me." He paused a moment. "Do you have any other powers or abilities that you know of?"
The boy thought a moment and shook his head. "I didn't know I could do this."
Erik nodded slightly in dissapointment. "We will have to explore this at a later time. Perhaps I shall get a book on elves and see if we can figure what type your blood is from." He looked out the window a moment. "It would appear the court is assembling. Come Nikita." He walked to the door, opening it.
Holding out the leash that attached to his collar, the boy approached.
Erik looked at it a moment, then sighed, accepting it. "If I'm pulling too tight, signal somehow. Sneeze or something. Cough politely, something small and not very noticeable. They see crulty as a virtue for some deranged reason. I mean, how are we to keep our slaves loyal if they're in pain and unhappy?"
Nikita held the leash loosely. "Master won't hurt me," he said trustingly.
Erik smiled. "Very true. As long as you are loyal and obey me, I will not hurt you."
Erik walked with Nikita at his side, heading back to the room. "Now, there is this annoying cheif of staffs meeting which noone who is not of the inner circle may attend, which means you must stay here, understood?"
Nikita nodded. "I will wait for Master here."
After Erik left, Nikita curled up on the man's bed. He closed his eyes, content to doze in the warmth of his Master until he was needed. It seemed a short time later that the door opened, an act that slowly roused the boy. He looked up to see a stranger near the door
Nikita rose, approaching almost silently. The man had a sharp knife with him and was hiding in a place that the person who opened the door wouldn't see. The boy realized in anger that the man was there to kill his Master.
The man didn't know his danger until the fangs sank into his throat and then it was too late to fight. Nikita took a moment to try and sort the images that had come to him, to try and find who was paying the man, but came up with nothing. After another moment's thought he realized that there was always a guard on the King's door.
He turned, opening the door quietly.
Erik walked down the hall towards his room, a large dusty book under his arm. "Imbicils. I tell them to dust the library and what do they do? Send some moron in who nibbles on the covers! It's no WONDER we're the..." he trailed off, spotting the gaurd at his room. The man seemed... differnt. Slightly glazed. Erik frowned. "Gaurd," he called, getting the man's attention.
"Yes, my lord!" The man saulted.
Erik blinked. 'My lord? What rubbish is this?' he wondered to himself. Normaly the gaurd either grunted in his general dirrection or mumbled something. He paused before his door, examing the man further. "Has there been any activity?"
There was a slight pause. "Yes, my lord. There was some."
Erik raised an eyebrow. "Of what sort?" he asked slowly.
"There was an intruder."
Erik looked at the man a moment. "Did you stop him?"
"No, my lord."
"Well why the bloody hell not?! What on Earth do I pay you for anyway? You--" Erik paused, noticing something. "Turn your head so I may see your neck," he ordered.
The man did so. Two small puncture wounds were evident.
Erik mused internaly. The hight and angle seemed consitant. "Carry on," he said sharply, turning the knob to his room.
He opened the door slowly, alert for the intruder. He paused as the door stopped, hitting something. He slid into the room, turning to see the obstuction. "Huh." He blinked a moment. The demon on the floor was very obviously dead... his skin was paler then ivory and he looked very dried out on the edges. Erik poked the demon's head with his boot and nodded, seeing the twin puncture wounds.
Turning again he looked to his bed and smiled slightly, seeing Nikita snuggled up on it, half burried by his comfortor. The boy's skin was almost rosy, holding a creamy ivory look, rather then the dead white pallor it had been before. "Nikita," he called in a soft and calm voice.
Erik gave a sigh of deep boredum, leaning his chin and cheek on his curled palm, ajusting his elbow slightly to find the groove in the 'royal' chair that had been worn from his adopting the exact pose he was in. Every week there seemed to be another one of these arena fights, either a grudge match or fight between a wild animal and a slave or something. He idly wondered how long he would have to be king before he could stop going to these functions, and began calculating out how many hours he had wasted in the year long peroid of his reign.
His math was interupted as there came the announcement of the comabatants. Someone's servent was being sent agaist the half-bred harem boy. Erik adjusted his leaning slightly to appear more intrested as the boy was led into the ring, noting the half vampire looked to have been starved. 'Wonderful. Adding to the bloodlust,' Erik sighed to himself in thought. Well, at least it would be a mostly clean kill if the boy lost. He looked as if he would suck up any stray drops from the sand if they spilled....
Nikita strained against the guards as the other slave was led into the ring. Guards were strong, but the other slave's blood was just as hot and he was allowed to eat here. He felt his fangs drop.
The guards left, signalling the start of the fight, and Nikita launched himself at the other man. His opponent made a move as if casting a spell and stood stricken when nothing happened. Nikita, used to this reaction from spayed opponents, ducked under the man's arms.
He realed as the man recovered faster than most and hit him to the ground, but got up to a crouch and launched himself at the man. Holding him with the desperation of having the scent of hot blood in his nose and being hungry, he sank his fangs into the man's neck.
He closed his eyes in bliss as the liquid filled his mouth and the man's struggles grew less. He pulled the man closer, trying not to let a drop of the precious liquid elude him. His body went limp for a moment in bliss before his mind filled with images not his own, something that always happened although he didn't know why.
Nikita dropped the body and rose, body not seeming to fit right briefly. His eyes darted around the ring before he grew accustomed to himself again and sank down on his heels to await the guards.
Erik blinked, strighening in his chair. 'Intersting....' he thought as the boy was taken away again. Apparently the boy did have some vampiric powers after all. Why was it that noone had noticed this before? 'Easy answer. They're all idoits,' he answered himself with a sigh. He motioned to one of his flunkies. "Have the boy brought to my chambers," he instructed. Having someone with vampiric powers, and not any of the rediculous limitations that normal vampires had, like that severe alergy to sunlight, could be useful. And if the boy had any abilities of his elvin parantarge.....
Nikita was yanked out of the cleansing water.
The guard looked him over, leering. "No reason to get dressed. The king wants you," he said, sneering the word king like it was a curse.
Nikita looked at the hand that was holding his arm until the guard pushed him away in front of him. "King's chambers. Now!"
Nikita trotted through the hallways, ignoring the obvious stares of the demon lords in his path. He reached the king's rooms and was anounced by the guard at the door. He entered and approached the king, kneeling on the blessedly clean floor.
Erik looked at the boy a moment. "Rise and state your name, age and race," he ordered.
Nikita stood slowly. "Nikita," he said in a soft, little used voice. "Twenty, I think. Elf and vampire." He'd grown used to saying elf first so others wouldn't accuse him of trying to make himself look like a real demon.
Erik nodded to himself. "Do you know what breed of elf?"
"All elves are the same," Nikita recited. "And all need to be killed."
Erik rolled his eyes, making a dismissive gesture. "Not if they know their place," he said with a near sigh. "Who's been teaching you this rubbish? There are at least thirty types of elves, all diffrent, all with diffrent annoyancies and abilites." He sighed. "What are your ablities? What can you do?"
Nikita relaxed slightly as the interview got to something he knew. "I can do whatever you want me to. I've been trained for any pleasure."
Erik made a noise of distain. "I mean with magic and such talents and all that... not any animal rot!"
The boy shrank back in confusion. "I just feed when I'm allowed. I'm not even a proper vampire - worse than the worst...."
Erik sighed again. "Personaly, anything is better then a proper vampire... if you can call such things proper." He adjusted himself in his chair. "Now... when you... feed," he said the word with distain. "What happens?"
Nikita looked at the man, desperately trying to figure out what he wanted to know. Slowly he began to answer, stopping frequently to see if the information was what was desired. "I bite the victim with my fangs...." He let his fangs drop to show them. "I take their blood.... That's all it is."
"And afterwards..." Erik said, trying not to sigh. It was obvious the boy had at least a half a wit, but most of it had been sucked out by the idoits who had trained him.... This was going to be tiring work....
There was a pause and then understanding dawned. "You mean the pictures," Nikita said, soft voice intense. "You know what they are." A statement, not a question. "Tell me," he begged, gold eyes fixed on Erik's blue ones.
Erik blinked a moment, then smiled. Maybe this wouldn't be as hard as he thought... "Is it like you're seeing through someone else? As if you've absorbed the memories from the blood you're injested?"
Nikita nodded eagerly, voice rising slightly in pitch. "Like I don't fit right. Like I should be someone else." His eyes widened. "How do you know?"
"It's something that happens to vampires. They... read the blood they take in." He paused a moment. "Allow me to show you how it works." He snapped his fingers and a servent appeared at his side. He said a few quiet instructions and the servent left again. He returned a moment, leading a confused looking demon of a low cast. "Give him your arm," Erik instucted the demon.
The man looked warry, but obayed.
"Now, Nikita. Taste his blood. Do not kill him as you do so, just take a small amout."
The boy licked his lips and slowly lowered his fangs to the vein in the turn of the man's arm. He let the sweet taste of the blood flow into his mouth a moment before the images came. Strong images. He recognized the man in them. He had served that man several times. The man he drank from had talked to the other man and told him things about the king.
Surprised at the surety of the knowledge, Nikita pulled away, licking his lips to clean them and looking between the king and the man warily.
"Now," Eric said, lips curling up on one side in antisipation. "What did you see?"
The lower cast demon looked worried.
"He talked with the lord chamberlain." Nikita closed his eyes. "He told him what you ate for dinner...."
Erik turned his eyes to the now panicking lower demon. "Is this true?" he asked in a smooth voice.
"My lord, you're going to believe this... thing? It lies!"
"He told the lord chamberlain which pots were for your room and which went to the halls," Nikita continued in a dreamy voice.
"Mmmm..." Erik said, smile growing more ferral. "Most intresting...." He snapped his fingers again. "Throw the Lord chamberlain into the jails. Interogate him thoughly." He turned back to Nikita. "You may finish him off if you wish."
Nikita's eyes snapped open and he looked at the man he'd just drunk from. He man shook his head and began to back away. Nikita stepped forward slowly. 'You can't go now,' he said silently. He breath sped as he took the now still man in his arms and buried his fangs in the man's throat.
Erik watched, mentaly making notes on the procediers. When the lower demon had been fully drained he nodded. "Very good. You may take his clothing to cover yourself. I'll order new things for you in the morning."
Nikita licked his lips clean and looked down at the man in his arms. "I'm staying?" he asked, hesitently.
Erik nodded."Yes. As King, I have right to any slave I chose, and I am chooseing to exersize this right. Do you eat cooked food as well?"
"I'm yours, then?" Nikita asked, ignoring the other question. The intensity on his face told that the answer to this was more important than anything else.
Erik nodded. "Yes. I am now your owner and master. You will obay only my comands and report to me any attempts by others to change that fact. Is this understood?"
Nikita sank to his knees, bowing double. "Master," he said. "I understand. I am yours alone."
Erik smiled. "You may rise," he said, voice holding a slight softer tone. "In private, there will be no need to bow before me, understood? Now, to re-address the question of your eating needs..." He paused. "Do get dressed. I expect you to be dressed at all times in my presence unless I tell you otherwise."
"Yes, Master," Nikita said, stripping the man as he rose. "I can eat what everyone else does." He paused, pulling the ill-fitting clothes over his nakedness. Putting the man down, he looked up at Erik through his lashes. "Am I allowed to?" The question had mild desperation to it.
Erik nodded. "Of course. It does me no good if you are starved. Come, I will have the cooks prepare us a meal." He rose to his feet, waiting for the boy.
NIkita rose eagerly to follow his master.
Nikita looked up at his Master's bed, trying to figure out what was required of him. Most masters would call him, but this one seemed to think he should know things. Maybe this was just another thing he should know. Which would be worse, going when he wasn't wanted or not going when he was?
After a hesitation, he climbed up into his Master's bed, curling at the man's side.
Erik made a noise that was almost 'Ewww!' and pushed the boy out of the bed. "What are you DOING?!" he exclaimed, bed sheats held close to him like a sheild. "I thought I told you, you sleep on the floor! That's what all the blankets and pillows are there for until those incompantants get a second bed in here!" He gave a small shudder as if trying to shake off the feeling of being touched. "Is tehre something wrong? Floor's too cold? You need more blankets?"
Nikita curled in on himself. "I'm sorry, Master! I thought you were testing me again." He looked up, expression unsure. "You really aren't going to have sex with me?"
Erik's eyebrow rose. "Have sex with you?!" he repeated, voice half destainful and half disbeleiving. "What on Earth for?"
"Everyone else seems to want to."
"Most everyone else is a moron." Erik sighed. "Rest assured I will not be requireing any... carnal dutys of you." He shuddered slightly at the thought.
Nikita bowed his head. "Please forgive me, Master. I didn't mean to give offense."
Erik sighed. "It's all right. We'll start your retraining in the morning," he said in a near tired voice. "Must remember to inform those dolts in handleing not to be filling slaves heads with this rubbish... but as a start: Never assume the wants of one are the wants of many." He paused. "Or vice versa for that matter. Now, get to sleep. I will not have lack of rest inparing your preformance or attention in any way understood?"
"Yes, Master," Nikita said, curling into his pile of blankets. "I will try not to fail you."
The next morning, Erik woke early, as he did most mornings. He looked over at the sleeping boy on the floor, thinking. 'The entire court will think I've taken a concubine," he thought dryly. Thought, if that thought were be to be held, at least it would be shown that he had good taste.
He rose from his bed, moving towards the window to pull aside the curtain slightly. Most of the castle was still alseep. The servents beleived their King slept much later then he did, and he liked to keep up the beleife. It was good to have some time alone without worry of attempts on his life, and when he could let down most of his defences, unobserved. He gave a small sigh. Being King was difficult. Especialy when the people you ruled thought you dispisable. He gave a small scowl. It wasn't HIS bloody fault he had been born looking more angelic then demonic. The fact that he had had that limitation only made his acheivements more impressive.
He streached slightly and rotated his shoulders, slowly shifting to his 'demon' form. Large white feather wings grew out from his back, magicaly bypassing his sleep clothing without ripping, and his hair grew long and pale. Once he had fully shifted he consentrated on changing his appearance once more. The feathers on his wings turned midnight black, the bone structure arching and curving to try and resemble gnarrled bat wings, and his hair turned a jet black, similar to his human appearance. He stood before his mirror, examening his changed appearance, scowling. No matter how he tried, he never could get himself to look properly demonic with the idiotic feather wings he had been cursed with. "How on Earth am I to strike fear in the hearts of the masses when I look like a bloodly ANGEL?" he muttered to himself.
"Master?" Nikita said in his soft voice. "Do you need me?"
Erik turned, "Eh? What for?" he asked, blinking slightly.
There was a pause and Nikita turned away. "I don't know, Master."
"Quiet all right," Erik said, turning back to the mirror. "I tend to mutter to myself in the morning. Good to get some personal time in, away from all the idoits in this place. You'll get used to it." He adjusted the look of his wings slightly and scowled. "Tell me, Nikita, what do you think of this form?" There was a breif pause. "Be honest. I won't harm you for any truthful answer. I get enough garbage from my staff about things..."
"It's beautiful, Master. A form that could call the world to do its bidding."
"How so?" Erik asked, still tweaking his appearance.
"Beautiful people can mesmerize others to do what they want them to. Like how they say the elves control the humans?" The gold eyes looked at Erik questioningly.
Erik gave a small chuckle. "Demons are not humans," he smiled, turning to face the boy. "Beauty in this world is not respected as in the elf lands. Here, strength of body is what rules. That and being able to bully, scare and threaten others into submission."
"But it isn't all," Nikita offered hesitently. "They all fought for me and said I was beautiful.... And I--" He broke off, looking at Erik warily.
"And you...?" Erik prompted. "Do say all that comes to your mind. I will not punish you for true speach," he restated. "And that covers matters of mind and heart as well."
Nikita's voice softened further. "I have destroyed some because others wanted this beauty for their own, and then had others come to 'rescue' me from these. Beauty can be power." He lowered his eyes. "Sometimes."
"Mmm, such is true..." Erik agreed. "But beauty's power is not one which you can rule a country with very well. Especialy not one such as this where anything that is seen as weakness is instantly attacked and torn to shreads," he said with a mild bitter tone. "Sometimes I don't know why on Earth I wanted this role...."
Nikita curled one of the blankets around himself and rose, moving to where Erik was and kneeling in front of him. "Master does well," he murmured. "Master knows things others don't."
Erik gave a light laugh. "Very true, very true..." he smiled. He streached slightly, expanding his wings some. "It's a shame, really... to be given wings that you can almost never show," he mused. "The only people who see them are the fools who I convince to hand me their souls on a platter." He gave a small snort of disgust. "Ah well. Thus is life, I supose." He looked down at Nikita and lightly mussed the boy's hair. "You are a good servent," he said in a slightly soft voice. "Maybe with some care you'll out shine...." he trailed off a moment and shrugged. "But we must see to your training first. I will be keeping you in my company constantly, except for when I bathe." He paused. "Oh yes, that is another thing. One thing I very strongly believe in is cleanlyness, therefore you will keep yourself in good condition, understood?"
Nikita's eyes glowed at the praise and he nodded eagerly.
Erik smiled. "How much do you know of hygiene?" he asked. "Do you need instructions on how to operate the bath?"
The boy shook his head. "The harem keeps cleaner than others, because of our duties, and I have always had... many duties." He looked down, lips pursed, and when he looked up again his eyes were clear.
Erik made another distainful noise. "Harem..." He said the word as if it were somthing untouchable. "Dispisable... fear not, you will no longer be given any such... 'duties.'" He retracted his wings back into himself, reverting to human form. "I am going to take my bath now. You will stay here until I emerge and then you shall bathe." He walked over to the closet, loosening his clothing.
Nikita nodded, remaining in place and pulling the blanket tighter around himself.
Nikita pulled the blanket around himself tighter as he left the bathroom, eyes darting around to look for Erik. He moved to stand slightly behind his Master, visible in the mirror the man was looking in.
The man didn't appear to notice him a moment, intently consentrating on something. Finaly, with a long suffering sigh, he turned. He gave a small smile at Nikita. "Very good. Now to see to your dress." He walked over to the closet. "The best dressmakers in the relm made these, which means they're not very good, but they will have to suffice until I can get over to a relm where they beleive in quality..." He pulled out an outfit made from a soft grey cloth that matched the decotation in Erik's own outfit. "Do put it on," he said, handing it to the boy.
Nikita hugged the clothes to him, looking at the blanket that wrapped him for a moment. With a minute shrug, he dropped it. He pulled the grey clothes on, smoothing them fastidiously into place. He looked down at himself, then turned his head to peer over at his back.
After a moment he bowed deeply. "Thank you, Master."
Erik smiled. "You are welcome. I beleive you will be the second best groomed invidual in the idoitic world. Now. The cooking staff should be awake, so we shall go to breakfast. While we are eating, I shall instruct you on rules of behavour for when we are in public. Anything you do not understand, do ask for clarifcation. Appearances are important. Do you understand?"
"I understand, Master. I will not embarrass you."
Erik smiled once more. "Come them," he said, walking to the door.
They arrived at the dining area. A sleepy servent quickly set the table settings and rushed to inform the staff of the Kings appearance.
"Now, am I correct in assuming you do not know how to properly use eating utenciles?" Erik asked.
Nikita looked at the table. "I am to eat at table?" He looked down. "I never have." His shoulders tensed as he began to fear that he would quickly break his word to his Master.
"Mmm. As to be expected." Erik said in a neautral voice. "Do be calm, I am not going to harm you for not knowing something that you would have had little possibility to learn. Now pay attention." He gave a breif discitption of the usages of each utencil, holding each up in turn. "Now, the best way to learn is by watching others, so when the food arrives, pay attention to how I eat, and seek to emulate it, understand?"
"I will, Master!" NIkita said eagerly. He began to sit and paused. "Where do I sit?"
Erik gave a small laugh. "The setting at my left side," he gestured with a smile.
The boy lowered himself into the seat, sitting demurely with his hands in his lap. He looked at the table and settings through his lashes, and then turned his head slightly to see the servants coming in and out of the room.
Erik watched him an nodded. "A very good idea to watch the comings and goings around you. Another thing you must quickly learn is that I am the only one you can trust."
The food arrived as he said this. He waited paitently for the servents to leave again, then held his hands a half a foot over his food, casting a small spell. Takign his hands away, he sighed. "As my point is proven. Do not touch the food on your plate," he instucted. He snapped his fingers and a servent hurried to his side. "Who cooked this meal?" he inquired.
"Cheif Tairounum," the man replied.
"Bring this dish to him and ask him to sample the eggs. If he refuses, have him imprisoned. If he does not, escort him from the castle instead. Either way, have a new meal prepared."
The servant bowed and took both Erik and Nikita's plates and left.
Erik sighed. "What, is that attempt number 272?" He shook his head slightly. "Either that or just horrible cooking... Now I ask, how am I to rule this realm if I must execute half it's inhabitants for trying to kill me!" he exclaimed, voice frustrated.
Nikita slipped from his seat to kneel at Erik's side, resting his head in the man's lap. "Master is better than them all," he said softly. "Any Master wants gone, I will remove."
Erik blinked at the boy's action, then gave a small smile, placing his hand on Nikita's head and gently stroking the hair. "Thank you," he said softly.
A short while later the servent reappeared with two fresh plates. "Tairounum took his own life when confronted, my lord. This food was prepared by Chef Raiiloul."
Erik nodded. Once the servent had left again, he once more cast his spell. He gave a small smile at the results and nodded once more. "This food is clean. Resume your place at the table, Nikita, it is time to eat."
The boy rose, taking his seat again. He looked at the food, licking his lips slightly at the scent, then looked at Erik for instruction.
"Follow my lead," Erik stated with a small smile.
Nikita watched the man eat, gingerly picking up the utensils. Watching Erik's hands like a hawk, he attempted to copy their movement. Slowly, he managed to eat the food set in front of him. He smiled up at Erik.
Erik returned the smile, gently correcting Nikita's actions. "Much cleaner then eating with ones hands, don't you think?"
Nikita nodded. "Thank you, Master," he said softly.
After eating, they returned to the room. "Now, though I feel it is unnessacary, when we are in public for the first few times, I will have to show physicaly that you are now my possession." He walked over to his drawers and picked up a leash and collar from ontop it, holding it as if it was a dead rat.
Nikita took the collar gently, buckling it around his neck under his hair. He stretched and bent his neck slightly, testing the give. Satisfied after a moment, he turned his attention back to Erik. "Am I to have public duties, Master?"
"You are to do as I say, and not speak unless spoken to." Erik was quiet a moment, then knelt down, taking the boy's arm in his hands. "I am going to mark you astraly now. This will be a mark that only you and I know of, and will enable to me find you if the need arises." He held his hand over the boy's upper arm about an inch in the air. "Now, this should not hurt, and if it does at all, it should only for a short moment."
Nikita looked at Erik trustingly, holding his arm tensely. Master knew best.
"Just try and relax," Eril said in a slightly soft voice. He closed his eyes, etching his symbol into the boy's aura. "There." He let go, standing back up. "Can you feel that?"
The boy felt a tingling on his arm and nodded. "It's like light," he offered hesitently. "Light above my arm." He looked at Erik, trying to see if he'd said something right or wrong.
Erik blinked. "Truly?" he asked, voice intrigued. "Most intresting... can you tell me more of what you see?"
Nikita moved his arm slightly. "It moves with me," he said. "It's like you put the light in me." He looked confused. "But it's above me. But I can still feel it." He stopped, retreating to silence, face confused.
"That's wonderful! You can sence the change in your aura!" Erik exclaimed exuberantly. "Tell me... do you see this... light, or just feel it? Can you see the light around others?"
Nikita's eyes widened in mild distress. "I've never looked before. Sometimes, when people do things to me, I can tell it. Like an itch or something. I've never tried before...."
Erik put a calming hand on the boy's shoulder. "Be calm," he said, voice holding a hint of gentleness. "I'd like you to try. See if you can see the energy around me."
Nikita let out a breath slowly, letting Erik's touch calm him. "You have light all around you. Like the light you gave me." He held a hand out to the air almost two feet away from Erik. "It ends here. It's around me too." He looked down, adding in a softer tone, "It's warm."
Erik smiled softly. "Thank you..." he said in a soft voice. He leaned down and kissed the top of the boy's head.
Nikita looked up, eyes wide with wonder. "It's strong," he continued softly. "Like it could eat something whole."
Erik gave a small laugh. "If only that were physical as well," he smiled. "Ah well. Thank you, Nikita. When we are at court, do try and see if you can perseive the aura's of the others as well, if you can do so unobtrusively. Any information you can gather at all will be most helpful to me." He paused a moment. "Do you have any other powers or abilities that you know of?"
The boy thought a moment and shook his head. "I didn't know I could do this."
Erik nodded slightly in dissapointment. "We will have to explore this at a later time. Perhaps I shall get a book on elves and see if we can figure what type your blood is from." He looked out the window a moment. "It would appear the court is assembling. Come Nikita." He walked to the door, opening it.
Holding out the leash that attached to his collar, the boy approached.
Erik looked at it a moment, then sighed, accepting it. "If I'm pulling too tight, signal somehow. Sneeze or something. Cough politely, something small and not very noticeable. They see crulty as a virtue for some deranged reason. I mean, how are we to keep our slaves loyal if they're in pain and unhappy?"
Nikita held the leash loosely. "Master won't hurt me," he said trustingly.
Erik smiled. "Very true. As long as you are loyal and obey me, I will not hurt you."
Erik walked with Nikita at his side, heading back to the room. "Now, there is this annoying cheif of staffs meeting which noone who is not of the inner circle may attend, which means you must stay here, understood?"
Nikita nodded. "I will wait for Master here."
After Erik left, Nikita curled up on the man's bed. He closed his eyes, content to doze in the warmth of his Master until he was needed. It seemed a short time later that the door opened, an act that slowly roused the boy. He looked up to see a stranger near the door
Nikita rose, approaching almost silently. The man had a sharp knife with him and was hiding in a place that the person who opened the door wouldn't see. The boy realized in anger that the man was there to kill his Master.
The man didn't know his danger until the fangs sank into his throat and then it was too late to fight. Nikita took a moment to try and sort the images that had come to him, to try and find who was paying the man, but came up with nothing. After another moment's thought he realized that there was always a guard on the King's door.
He turned, opening the door quietly.
Erik walked down the hall towards his room, a large dusty book under his arm. "Imbicils. I tell them to dust the library and what do they do? Send some moron in who nibbles on the covers! It's no WONDER we're the..." he trailed off, spotting the gaurd at his room. The man seemed... differnt. Slightly glazed. Erik frowned. "Gaurd," he called, getting the man's attention.
"Yes, my lord!" The man saulted.
Erik blinked. 'My lord? What rubbish is this?' he wondered to himself. Normaly the gaurd either grunted in his general dirrection or mumbled something. He paused before his door, examing the man further. "Has there been any activity?"
There was a slight pause. "Yes, my lord. There was some."
Erik raised an eyebrow. "Of what sort?" he asked slowly.
"There was an intruder."
Erik looked at the man a moment. "Did you stop him?"
"No, my lord."
"Well why the bloody hell not?! What on Earth do I pay you for anyway? You--" Erik paused, noticing something. "Turn your head so I may see your neck," he ordered.
The man did so. Two small puncture wounds were evident.
Erik mused internaly. The hight and angle seemed consitant. "Carry on," he said sharply, turning the knob to his room.
He opened the door slowly, alert for the intruder. He paused as the door stopped, hitting something. He slid into the room, turning to see the obstuction. "Huh." He blinked a moment. The demon on the floor was very obviously dead... his skin was paler then ivory and he looked very dried out on the edges. Erik poked the demon's head with his boot and nodded, seeing the twin puncture wounds.
Turning again he looked to his bed and smiled slightly, seeing Nikita snuggled up on it, half burried by his comfortor. The boy's skin was almost rosy, holding a creamy ivory look, rather then the dead white pallor it had been before. "Nikita," he called in a soft and calm voice.