The Family Tale

2.
The darkness was comforting and somewhat freeing even when it was cold. She found her-self in the dungeons toying with the manacles on the wall remembering the times the implements were actually used at the gatherings. The blood-wine tasted bitter on her tong but she drank it anyway knowing that she would need the sustenance. The night would be lasting for a while yet and it was just a matter of time before something would happen, Victoria wanted to be ready.
The cells were empty but still smelled of human waste and human fear. The stench had embedded itself in to the walls of the castle and she suspected it would never leave. Victoria moved deeper and deeper in to the caverns leaving the basement of the human made structure and in to the natural caves. Half precious stones were embedded in the rock glittered in the light of a torch she floated along behind her. In the distance there were sounds of water flowing . Victoria followed the sounds to a small pool and settled down next to it. The water was clear enough to see the florescent weed on the bottom and the eyeless creatures whose home it was. The peace of the place was seductive teasing her with promises of comfort and relaxation. Victoria wanted to resent the place for that but could not bring her-self to bother. There were far too many animate objects she could focus her resentment on. Instead she focused on the beauty of the place centering her-self in preparation for going back and attending her mother. The old hag would not release her until morning, Victoria was sure of it. Her mother wanted her to marry and settle down. Men would be introduced and horrified by what they found, her mother didn’t understand that men twice her age would never be able to tolerate her having been formed in the age when women were still submissive. The fact that he bottle was empty came as a surprise and Victoria contemplated throwing it in to the water and marring the beauty of the cavern. The though died an early birth as she decided that selling it would be better, any extra money would be handy.
“Victoria.”
She shivered turning to see the man standing in the entrance of the cavern. Sebastian looked feral in the half darkness moving towards her slowly.
“What are you doing here?”
The anger at his intrusion rang clearly in her voice.
“Did you talk to your mother yet?”
As he had often done in the past Sebastian ignored it.
“No, I was just about to go attend to her.”
“There is no need.”
Sebastian stood motionless and when he was silent Victoria could almost believe that he was a statue. The words confused her: her mother would never release her from her duties. She stood needing to feel like she was not intimidated by the man who still towered over her.
“Why is that?”
“Lady Black suggested that we spend some time together.”
An almost formal and terribly bland statement that made Victoria very uneasy. Sebastian knew something she didn’t and that didn’t sit well with her.
“Why?”
“She suggested getting to know each other.”
Another bland statement from the feral man. If she didn’t know any better Victoria would have said that he was something like embarrassed.
“Did she?”
There was an uncomfortable silence and the savage man sat down. For a moment he didn’t seem so much of a threat then the man looked up again and the feral eyes distorted the image.
“Your mother wants to find you a husband as soon as possible. I was recommended as a possible candidate.”
That was unexpected. Victoria was aware of the fact that the old hag was looking, desperately, for any more or less suitable candidate but Sebastian? Someone was going to pay for the recommendation.
“By whom?”
“What are you going to do if you know?”
Sebastian sounded knowing and amused which irritated her even more then the whole conversation.
“Kill the person.”
The smile was abrupt and frightening.
“That bad of a deal?”
“You never liked me why should I trust you?”
She was getting confused, not only was the conversation irritating but Sebastian wasn’t behaving as expected. As much as Victoria liked change in the world she disliked change in her personal relationships if she could even call them that.
“Who said I never liked you?”
He seemed genuinely surprised.
“You attacked me Sebastian. That sort of sends a message of dislike.”
The smile was aimed at her again and Victoria shivered.
“You don’t have a lot to do with lycanthropes do you?”
“Is that so strange?”
It was like he had forgotten that Victoria tried to have as little as possible to do with the family on the whole not just it’s furry members.
“Not really, but we are in your family. Usually all children get at least some education in their relationships.”
“I didn’t have much to do with the family.”
“And why is that?”
The question threw her and so before she caught her-self Victoria answered truthfully.
“I don’t particularly like the family. They expect too much.”
The man chuckled leaning back against the rocks. He stretched his limbs and Victoria looked away not wanting to admire the man’s body. It was irrelevant to the proceedings that the man was handsome, the man was also animalistic and unpredictable. Victoria didn’t want to be stuck with him for the rest of her life. Marriage meant a geis on the pair so they would not stray and she wasn’t ready for something like that.
“The family has always expected too much from everyone.”
She hadn’t expected him to have noticed.
“I’ve never seen you having particular difficulties with the family for as long as I’ve known you.”
Victoria couldn’t help noticing wryly.
“I have been subtle for the most part, and intimidating when everything else didn’t work.”
“I suppose you can afford it.”
“Yes I can.”
A cold sure statement from a cold pragmatic man.
“And what would I gain from this union?”
“The protection of my reputation. You would be free to do as you like without the family’s disapproval.”
He was offering a lot maybe even too much.
“Instead they will disapprove of you for letting me run wild.”
“Yes, but I can handle it. You obviously have trouble.”
Victoria snarled.
“I don’t need a keeper!”
“No you don’t. But they think you do and that is all that matters.”
“I will not marry for convenience sake! The geis…”
She was surprised that he didn’t seem to understand.
“The geis will not be spoken I will not tolerate it. We should move with the times and not live in the Middle-Ages as pleasant as they were are gone.”
That comment threw her again.
“You lived the Middle Ages?”
“I was young.”
“Why are you still considered a child then? You should have long since joined the ranks of the elders?”
If she had been confused by the man before she was even more so now.
“I do not wish to concern my-self with policies and other affairs. And they don’t need me meddling.”
“I need to think.”
The feral man stood again shaking him-self like a dog.
“No, you do not have a lot of time left. Your mother intends for you to be married by the end of the gathering. You must give your consent now or you will be given to someone who will not appreciate your quirks.”
“My quirks?”
Victoria was liking the situation less and less with every passing moment.
“That’s what the elders are calling them.”
“Is that why you are making the offer?”
She needed to understand what was in it for him. Her side in the whole deal was obvious, painfully so for everyone to see.
“Yes, I enjoy your presence.”
“Because I am an easy target?”
“Are we back there again?”
The man was obviously amused, he took a step closer and Victoria was forced to retreat from him until she was with her back against the wall. Sebastian smiled trapping her between his arms as he leaned closer.
“You didn’t answer the first time.”
“Lycanthropes test their prospecting partners to make sure they will make worthy mates. They challenge their intended in any way possible.”
Confusion was slowly but steadily turning in to panic even if it went coupled with understanding.
“You have been challenging me since I reached puberty.”
“Yes and you responded beautifully.”
Victoria could feel his breath on her cheek and the heat radiating from his body, it seemed to scourge her.
“Did my mother actually ask you to keep me company?”
She pushed the panic down turning it in to suspicion.
“Yes in case you found out what was in store for you and decided to take off.”
“And she would allow this union?”
Something just wasn’t right Victoria could almost taste the wrongness in the air.
“She will not be able to protest if it is already consummated.”
She gasped finally finding the strength to push Sebastian away and create some distance between them.
“This is too fast. I don’t know you and you expect…”
“You have slept with humans without even knowing their names. Besides I will not take offence to the fact that you are not pure.”
The amusement had disappeared Sebastian was serious again.
“And everyone else will…you don’t play fair.”
“I don’t have to.”
She didn’t want to say yes, she also knew that she couldn’t say no. Sebastian scared her, always had with his posturing and dominance games. And yet at that moment he was her only hope, her only choice. Smugly he leaned even closer moulding their bodies together and taking in her sent. Victoria couldn’t hold in a gasp when fangs brushed her throat and the man growled pleased with the response.
“I want an answer Victoria. Now!”
One of his legs parted hers pressing them even closer in a parody of a lover’s embrace.
“No geis?”
She panted the words it would be a small piece of freedom but it would be something. If she really didn’t have a choice in the whole matter Victoria desperately needed at least something.
“I don’t think we will need it.”
The world sounded more ominous then they should have.
“I don’t like you. How do you know that I won’t fuck around on you?”
“You won’t want too.”
Somehow during the short conversation Victoria had ended up straddling Sebastian’s thighs and his head buried in her chest. Victoria arched in to him at the same time wanting to scream or pull away.
“Cocky.”
“I haven’t had complaints yet.”
The amusement was back again.
“You intimidate them too much to speak up.”
It irritated Victoria igniting her temper again.
“I thought I intimidated you too.”
“So does my mother, and I still stand up to her.”
Sebastian pulled away with an angry growl actually staggering a few paces back.
“We are not doing this here. I refuse to take my future wife against the wall of a cave.”
“And here I thought you would enjoy this. Most of the family would get nostalgic about the good old days.”
In a desperate situation she needed to push. Sebastian had been pushing and needling for years and she had to get her own back, somehow.
“I am not most of the family.”
“Then what do you suggest?”
“Come with me.”