Vampire: Dark Ages - Act II - Scene 1: The Crossroads

[Marianna]

I consider for a minute. "No, it's not Claudio. It's Roderigo. My wits are still scrambled. This Claudio is the one that....turned me into this, no?"

[Seska Karantanija]

"Correct. Claudio is your Sire."

She steps into the doorway of the cell for a moment and calls to her retainer, "Pierre? Would you see if any animals have recently been prepared for village rituals? There should be enough blood remaining for our guest if so."

Seska contemplates for a moment. "We shall need to get in the habit of keeping the excess. And consider ways to preserve it. And make it more palatable." More to herself than anyone else, "Maybe this fountain will work. That would solve a lot of issues."

She steps back into the room. "Why don't we head upstairs? Pierre can bring your meal to the dining room after retrieving it from the servants."

[Sabine]

Such a bother. "I don't know about you vampires, but my kind find animal blood to be very bland. Humans have so much more verve, I think."

"Drink your cows if you must. I suppose it's so much more practical. But why drink water when there is wine at hand?" I gesture at Roderigo, who probably tastes delicious.

[Goatkiller666]

Pierre nods and mutters something before moving away quickly to attend to his errand.

The four vampires and Roderigo arrive in the dining room, with Roderigo staying behind but near Marianna. He pulls out the chair for her, looking a little unsure of himself since there's no food or settings on the table. But it seems the right thing to do, when gathered around one.

A few minutes later, Vida enters, followed by Bojan carrying a large iron kettle filled with blood. Vida says, "I wasn't sure what the proper setting would be, but this was the only vessel we had big enough to hold all the blood from a deer. Should I... " she tapers off. "What is the etiquette, m'lady?"

[Seska Karantanija]

Seska finishes Vida's question with an answer. "A cup and a towel."

"Sabine, she shall find her tastes in time. For now she needs sustenance and to learn anew."

[Sabine]

I mutter. "Fine. She'll learn because we're teaching her. But if you want to teach her the wrong lessons..."

But I mutter it in Greek.

[Taduz Illyannovich]

"Sabine maybe right, which lessons? Rodrigo is untrustworthy. We know what the deluded group of Claudio's told us, what the Fop Hardestat tried browbeating into us, and what we've discovered."

And I have a feeling we've each discovered something different for ourselves.

Smirking "Given the first two sources, there could be a conflict of interest in what deemed is proper"

[Seska Karantanija]

"The lessons she must learn for herself. We can tell her what we have been told, what we have discovered, but ultimately she can decide for herself."

"None of which changes that she is hungry now and forcing upon her ways which she is unfamiliar and uncomfortable with will not prove helpful. Just because you are now comfortable drinking directly from a mortal does not mean you were several weeks ago, nor that she needs do so right now."

"Obviously she is suffering from some kind of trauma after events at the monastery as she remembers nothing up to this point. At least pretend to show a little empathy and recall the position we were in but a few weeks ago."

[Sabine]

"Shes in the same position we were. We had Hardestadt and that foppish boy Raphael telling us all the things not to do, because it was dangerous to them if we did those things."

"Marianna has friends, telling her not to do things because we've tried them and know they don't help. Like feeding from animals, directly or not. When I was just a little girl, my hounds and I hunted a stag and I drank it down pure and hot. It was good, when I was an animal girl myself. But now, I'm a noble lady, and I know better."

"Put the blood in a cup, if you want. High fashion and all that. But let it be human. It's so much more refined."

[Seska Karantanija]

"She, however, is not a noble lady. She has asked for the blood of an animal and it is thus provided. It will sustain her. She has an eternity to refine her palate."

[Sabine]

I sniff with disdain. Then I turn away and look at some bit of fluff on the wall. I don't want to be confronted with poor parenting.

[Taduz Illyannovich]

"If she wishes fresh human blood, it's available. If she wants animal blood, it's been gotten. What we learned on our own is that it's about choices."

Make slave useful for once in his miserable life. I want to see the horror, her reaction, already this is fascinating to watch. Cloistered woman confronted like this. Her breakdown, she was on the cusp. If only I could feel how she feels.

"How and whom she drinks from is up to her."

[Sabine]

I reach out a finger to trace the line of a thin crack between two stones in the wall.

I'm ignoring everybody's foolishness.

[Marianna]

I see the group arguing amongst themselves in a language I don't understand, but I see the cup, and even though my mind is shrieking and recoiling from the idea of drinking blood, my mouth waters and I gulp it down. The taste is metallic, but so different from what I remember from tiny cuts. It's so rich. My new teeth ....fangs, like an animal?...are extended. How strange.

The blood sates me, but strangely, the urge to chase something, to bite, to rend, washes over me. I'm not like that. I don't harm things. I hated hunting...but the thought of slashing and throat and watching the lifeblood course out it almost delectable now. My fingers curl up and though I have no breath, i feel quickened, somehow. It's terrifying.

"Why am I feeling like this? I feel like I need to run or...." I trail off, unable to explain this sensation.

My eyes land on Roderigo, "Why do I want to bite you?"

[Goatkiller666]

Roderigo looks at Marianna. "Your skin is pale, but not gaunt. It's harder to tell with the Cappacodians how much they've fed. But I think you're not on the verge of madness from the hunger. You want to bite me because I smell like food. However, I am valuable food... valuable in other ways, that should be considered before you drink from me.

If you would like a sip, I am quite full myself. It would not unduly harm me if you were to take a quick quaff, to notice the difference."

He unstrings his jacket's arm, so he can pull the sleeve up high enough to expose his elbow. Marianna can see how the one vein on the inside of his elbow is tremmering with each heartbeat. When you are done with that, drink your fill of this deer's blood. See how you feel there."

[Taduz Illyannovich]

I close my unfocued eyes. I take in every detail of Marianna's revulsion, the scent of Roderigo's fear, wishing I could experience it myself from her view.

Do it. Shake off the shackles your man on a stick imposed. Drink. Kill him for all I care, but free yourself. Revile what you were, and lust for what you have become.

DRINK DAMN YOU

YES DRINK DRAIN HER AND HIM KILL THEM ALL

..I will deal with you later.

[Marianna]

My mouth is watering, but my brain is screaming in pain and revulsion. Don't do it, don't do it, don't, don't, don't. Something in the back of my mind is telling me that this is an affront to god. A sound comes out of my mouth that sounds vaguely like a hiss. I'm so angry. This god abandoned me. Instead of giving me a decent death and heaven, I was turned into this.

Like lightning, my hands shoot forward, grabbing a knife off of the table, and I make a small slash in Roderigo's arm. I've never moved so fast. As the blood flows out, I watch it, dumbstruck, for a moment, and shakily lower my lips to his arm.

It's like heaven. It is the difference between water and perfect sweet wine. It's a fine steak compared to stringy mutton. I moan in pleasure. How can the others resist tearing this one to shreds?

I want to keep drinking, I never want to stop. I don't want his death on my hands, though, and it takes everything in me to pull myself away. I feel strangely energized, and almost euphoric, almost like I'd had too much wine. How strange.

[Taduz Illyannovich]

Eyes closed, a smile of triumph crosses my face.

Congratulations sister, you have taken your first step on the road to...where?

"It would appear young Marianna is a trifle unsteady on her feet."

Without opening my eyes, turn to Roderigo, "Assist her to a chair."

Now the real reaction, once it sets in.

[Seska Karantanija]

Seska sighs in resignation. No point letting this go to waste. She half fills her own cup before cutting her hand and bleeding into it to fill it fully. After a few swirls to mix the concoction, she takes a sip. It is both acrid and sweet.

She shrugs and says, mostly to herself, "Could be worse. Needs mead."

Her focus changes from the cup in her hand to those around the table. "If the blood for our ceremonies will be insufficient to your tastes, something will have to be worked out. I'll not have you going around draining my people."

[Sabine]

"They are yours to protect, of course. But it is a poor host who offers spoiled cream while there are goats who need milking."