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Valley of the Hunted (Frelance & Kikora)

Evo Var

Evo Var

Supernova
Joined
Jan 2, 2010
Location
Alberta
Ross slipped the letter back into his robes as he rode away from the boarded check. It had been a long time since he had been home and all he wanted to do was get rid of the food he had captured. He turned around and looked over the bodies slung over the the ten pack horses that railed behind him. There were two or three forms slug over the backs of each horse. They were from all over and there was at least one female and one male from each race he had found. Hr was hoping he would not have to go out and get more anytime soon.

As the town came into view he was careful to stay behind the suns rays. It would not kills him if he was in its rays for a short time but it would weaken him and that was the last thing he wanted. Once he rode into the village he went to the pub and as he dismounted he caught sight of a young human girl walking near by. "Hey, girl. Go get the towns witch or healer." He pointed to the pack horses. "They need food and water. They might have injures." He had tied up his horse and was working on securing the first pack horse. He was careful to hide his fangs and act as human as possible. He wanted to figure out what the state of the village and the other vampire where doing before he made his presence known.
 
For the past sixty years vampires have been the reigning species in the valley, their cunning driving down other races almost to extinction. There was little hope for any of the outer species to rebel, not with the ingenious system of control the vampires had over other races. The valley they lives in was surrounded by treacherous mountains, and any safe paths leading out were heavily guarded. Those who decided to try to climb their way up the steep rocky faces would find themselves the target for guards hiding in the forest below. The vampires themselves were hidden away in the inner city, behind a massive wall that was heavily guarded. Problems a forming militia planned to overcome in time.

One such member was young Teyha, a little white witch who resided in the tiny community. Her magic was powerful enough that at the young age of fifteen she was already in charge of the health of the the locals as well as much of the militia. Normally, she made a point to move only during daylight hours, but a sickly child forced her out well past sunset, and she was eager to return to her home.

She was passing quickly by the pub when she heard a voice, and turned to face a man as he tied his horse to a pole. Her eyes widened when she saw the people slung carelessly over the backs of the pack horses. "Are you mad?" She snapped, her face darkening some. "Why didn't you barrow a cart from one of the farms to bring these people in on?"

She sighed and turned away, waving her hand for the man to follow, "Well, don't tie those horses up. I am the village white witch. Please follow me, I'll take you to my home where they can be treated."
 
Ross tensed and almost growled at the young girl for her disrespect. He remembered just in time that she didn't know what he was yet. "Carts move to slow. The world is full of danger so why would I risk asking for help from anyone?" Ross looked away then untied the horses. Shaking his head he swung himself back into his saddle. He brought his horse level to the girl before he said anything. "Aren't you a little young to be a healer? I know that I have not been to these parts in almost sixty years but I have not heard of healers who are, how young are you?" Ross could smell her blood and it was starting to get to him.

Vikki re-arranged the bow on her back and look over at her brother. "Why do we carry these? It seems childish to carry swords, daggers and swords. We don't need them so why do we carry them?" She knew she was the youngest except for Ross but since he was not here she found that she was the one getting taught all the lessons she should teach him.

Merth looked over at his sister and barred his fangs. "You know full well that we keep these because we maybe need them in the future. These villagers if you can call them that will not stay submissive forever." He had always thought that she had taken these things to likely. Even when the conquered this valley she had not worn armor and it was hard enough to get her to use her bow. "Quite we are near the town." He didn't want to scare off any food that might be lurking. He swung off his horse and led it off the path and into a a clearing where he tied off his horse. "Get ready quite so that the fun can start."

Vikki followed her brother and was just making sure that both her daggers were secured so that they would not make any sound as they hunted. "I am done, lets get this started already." She walked with her brother as they moved through the forest.
 
Teyha shook her head slightly and sighed. "Yes carts are slower, but they are more stable. Even if you had arrived two hours later the people would be in better shape than riding on the back of a bumpy horse." She scolded again, and flickered her eyes up at him at the mention of sixty years. He must have moved to a smaller village in another region outside the town. "I am a white witch." She told him again. "We grow up fast, I was put in charge of this village two years ago, when I was thirteen." She sighed, and looked ahead as they approached a small shack at the edge of town, a worn down building that was close to the river. "The damn vampires take so many villagers it is difficult to keep up, we need all the healers available, and can't turn any away because of a petty thing like age." She turned partially to give him a smile, her earlier annoyance seeming to have faded into a friendly demeanor in a matter of seconds. "Now... Let's get these people inside, it's warmer there. I have food as well, if you hunger."


Kaura was careful not to make a sound from the perch high up in her tree. Her arrow was notched, ready to draw back at the first sign of danger. She was one of the local militia that was forming in the towns, a group designated to keeping order in the village... And later to pushing out the vampiric influence and make the way for the rise of other species.

Her job today was painfully simple, to observe and not interfere. The bow in her hands to act as defense if she was attacked, and not to safeguard travelers from harm. Their forces wanted to know more about the capabilities of vampires, weaknesses they were not aware of... Ways to defend themselves.

Today, Ophelie was bait, or an experiment. Many human myths pointed to ways to repel vampires and it was time to test. The human woman volunteered herself for the mission, and was rightfully prepared. She was bathed in blessed water, said to burn vampire skin, and held a flask of it at her hip. Around her neck was a holy cross, said to repel vampires, and they had even taken a good bit of garlic and made her smell strongly of it.

'This is ridiculous' Kaura told her allies through thought. 'If it was so easy to ward off vampires then our villages would be safe.'

'Do not waver, child! No option should be ignored.' Janek snapped back. 'Ophelie is in the woods, the hunt should begin.'
 
"Part of my business is speed, I could not wait two hours." He could have but he wanted to get to the castle as soon as he could. "I was hired to bring these people as fast as I could." He looked over the building as they approached it. "I have met a few of your kind before. But your the first one I have met that is as young as you and in control of a village." He dismounted as they got to the house and tied the lead horse up to a pole near the door. He moved slowly down the line of horses and untied each of the people. He whispered to each one that if they relieved what he was then he would make them wish they were dead. "Thank you for your offer but I have fe- eaten already." He took the first couple of people inside her house.

Vikki and her brother had been walking through the forest for about ten minutes when she wrinkled her nose in-disgust as she barred her fangs. "Tell me I am imagining that smell." She hated garlic but she could still feed off someone who had eaten it. She glanced at her brother and then they both moved towards the smell.

"Don't be stupid you know what you are smelling." Merth could smell it as well but there was something strange about it. As they moved he looked around for any sighs of a trap.

Vikki was the first to see the woman and nudged her brother. "There right over there." Her voice was more of a hiss that anything else. "Shes mine. come if you want but I want her blood." She moved quickly but silently as she circled around behind the women. walking slowly and making almost no sound she got within five meters of her before she stopped and started laughing. "No, wonder I smelled you so far off. Good you reek."

Merth moved up to the edge of the clearing and studied the women. He smiled when he realized that she was just covered in garlic but she had not actually eaten any. He thought he could smell another sent but the garlic was so over powering that he couldn't be sure yet. He looked around again as he waited to see what would happen next.
 
"Business at the expense of health." Teyha sighed, examining each person as they were brought down, and healing any injuries she could find within a matter of seconds. "I don't see anything unusual." She murmured, carefully inspecting each person. "A few diseases, bruises, a broken bone. I have healed what can be healed, and they should be well for the night." She paused a moment, and moved to the drawer, reaching under it to pull at a tie, and drop a locked compartment there. She withdraw a small silver coin and grinned, moving back to the man. She extended the money on her open palm. "Here." She told him. "Times are hard, but healers are well paid. Use this to buy yourself a fast cart for your work." Teyha tilted her head to the side slightly, brushing a lock of curly back hair behind her ear in an absent gesture as she smiled at him kindly. "You should be able to buy a good wagon with this."


Ophelie spun on her heel as soon as the vampire spoke, her eyes narrowing. She clutched the silver cross around her neck, squeezing it so tightly that it left an imprint in her palm.

'They're there!' Kaura send across the telepathic lines, raising her bow to aim at the female vampire.

'Don't be stupid!' Janek snapped. 'Hold back! Even if Ophelie is bitten she will be fine. Hold yourself child.' He hissed, and Kaura froze, trembling slightly with her arrow aimed at the back of the woman's head.

"What do you want?" Ophelie asked, taking a step back. Her back hit a tree and she silently cursed, watching the approaching woman with a look of dread. She had never been bitten before, but the accounts by victims were never pleasant. "Please leave me be, I am just passing by to the next town!"
 
"Times are hard, not everyone has it easy." He waited just inside her doorway after he brought the last person in. "I don't harm them they harm themselves. My job is to bring them to the castle, there condition doesn't matter as long as they are alive." He listened to her explanation. "I can move them tonight, you do not need to keep them here for the night." He watched her carefully as she took out the coin. He was tempted to move away from her but held his ground. He wished he had his gloves on so that he could take the coin without the silver burning him. "I don't need you money. I can get a cart of my own, I make enough for it." He forced his body to relax as he hoped that she had not seen his reaction to the silver. "Thank you but I cannot take your money."

Vikki smirked as she watched the womens reaction. "It doesn't matter how many times we come hunting you always ask stupid questions." She followed the women as she backed up. Vikki stayed about two meters from her because of the smell. "What I want to know is why did you cover yourself in garlic and why are you soaking wet? I find it hard to believe you would move between towns at night let alone when you smell so strongly." She had he hand on her dagger as he brothers words came back to her. These villagers if you can call them that will not stay submissive forever. She took a quick look around but she couldn't see or smell anyone other than her brother.

Merth saw a small but fast movement in one of the trees across the clearing. He bared his fangs and slipped one of his throwing knives out and held it ready as he moved around the edge of the clearing. He was staying back so that he could try and sneak up to who ever was in that dam tree. Merth kept going even as he stared to smell the sent of more people then the two people he could see.
 
Teyha froze with the coin half outstretched, her eyes wide on the man. "I thought you were delivering the sick." She whispered, confusion, and slowly flecks of anger clouding her expression. "You're helping work for those things?" She demanded, her fingers tightening over the coin. "This village is anti-vampire! We do not offer aid to those being nor to those who serve those monsters." She spun on her heal, tucking the silver back into her pocket as she moved. She pushed it into a drawer and slammed it shut again. "I don't have the power to stop you. Take the people and go. Enjoy your bloodmoney." She told him bitterly as she pulled open the makeshift door, and slammed it closed behind her.


Opheli took another step back, her eyes narrowing slightly. "I had heard your kind cannot touch these things, and would protect myself!" She yelled. She lunged forward, and tore the silver cross from her hand, swinging it at the vampiric woman in a desperate attempt to have the piece of blessed jewelry make contact. "Leave me be, blood feeder!" She almost screamed, her body tensing for impact in case she was wrong.

"Ophelie!" Kaura growled, raising her bow higher. She had it locked on the vampire, the iron tip glittering in the moonlight.

'What happened?!' Janek demanded, his usually calm voice rising in worry.

'She is trying to fight that vampiress with the cross!' Kaura threw back, her fingers itching to release.

'Hold your position, dammit! How many are there?'

'One, I can see only one.'
 
Ross smirked as she realized what he was doing there. He had been wondering what she was thinking but now he knew and he knew that he would have to keep an eye on this town in the coming months. "I am just doing the job I was hired to do and it just so happens that i get to come and see family at the same time." He backup as she approached and laughed when she slammed the door in his face. He was still laughing as he tied up the people again. Once he was finished he walked back up to her door and knocked. "Be smart and open up. We need to talk." If she didn't open the door he was going to smash the door down. Her defiance was making him want to taste her blood even more.

Vikki hissed and moved matched the womens lunge. She used one hand to grab at the chain while her other hand grabbed at her throat. She knew the cross was useless but the silver would burn her. "That was a stupid move, stop fighting and I can make this quick." she used as much of her strength as she could to subdue the women.

Merth was about half way around the clearing when he saw the glint of the arrow. He pulled back his arm and through the knife. He was aiming for the string of the bow and not the arrow. He had another knife out and through it a second after he broke cover. He took three steps before he jumped for the tree that the archer was in. The second knife was meant to hit the hand holding the bow. His jump took him half way up the tree. "Put that down now!" He glared at the archer and made sort order of the second half of the climb.
 
Teyha couldn't stand that the man was out there, securing the villagers to horses like produce to be brought into town. It infuriated the girl, and she wanted nothing more than to use her magic to subdue the man and break the prisoners free... But now was not the time for that! If she wanted brashly the militia would be exposed, and any hope for rebellion would be lost.

She plopped down on her bed, and pulled the thin blanket over herself to keep out any cold. "Leave me be!" She called at the knocking. "We have nothing to speak on. I wont stop you from delivering those people to hell, and I do not wish to speak with a vampire lap-dog!"


Ophelie was caught sooner than she thought, and cried out in pain, her eyes wide on the vampiress in front of her. It seemed the holy water had no effect at all, the woman didn't even seem distracted by the fact that she was drenched in it. She tried to pull her wrist free, to swing the cross up to hit her skin. That, at least, the woman seemed to avoid. Her arm wouldn't budge though, not even an inch. "I wont have my blood used to feed you, monster!" Ophelie cried, kicking her feet out to try to catch the other woman in the knees.


Kaura wasn't fairing much better. She had the bowstring drawn back, her eyes glued forward when the first dagger struck. It cut her bowstring and embedded itself in the tree while she scrambled to her feet. 'It's a trap!' Kaura thought desperately, dropping the4 bow to pull out a dagger. She managed to dodge the second knife, and leapt to another branch to put distance between her and the vampire.

'What's going on?' Janek called desperately.

'There was a second hiding, I've been attacked!' Kaura shot back. She leapt back again, expertly landing on the thick branches of another tree. "Leave me be vampire!" She called. "I am not afraid to fight your kind should you give me no other option!"
 
Ross had been expecting her to tell him to leave so he just gripped the handle of the door ready to force it open. Her next statement was true enough but the last part pissed him off. He let go of the door and kicked it in instead. As he walked in he looked at the girl and pulled back his hood exposing his pale skin. He smirked at her and exposed his fangs. "I am no lap dog, I am one of the rules and I don't take kindly to having my food insult me." He walked forward using his speed it seemed more like a blur of movement and he was looking down at her. "I will have to make sure you and your village learn to respect us again." He bent over and placed his hand on her throat and tightened it slightly. "If you try to scream or try to cast a spell I will crush your neck like a twig. Do you understand, young one?"

Vikki smirked at the women and pressed her body against her. She felt the silver cross graze her hand. She hissed and pulled her hand away. "I hate .." She stopped her self before she gave away that it was the silver that burned her and not the actual cross. She grabbed the chain and ripped the cross off it. "Your mine if I want you, I rule here and you are my food. Its as simple as that so get used to it!" She could here her brother in the tree above her but he could take care of himself.

Merth yanked the two knives from the tree as he watched her jump to the next tree over. "There is always another option when it comes to dealing with my kind." He moved to the end of the branch and leaped to one just above her. "I want to know who you are working with thats all. I can find out what i need from them. Your jump food in my eyes." He held both throwing knives in one hand and held a small dagger in the other while he balanced above her.
 
Teyha tensed when the door handle jiggled slightly, and she turned in time to see it kicked open. "If you break it, you will pay for it!" Teyha growled, scrambling to her feet. "I am the healer of this village I will not...." Her rant was cut short when the vampire pulled back his hood and barred his fangs. Her face drained of blood almost immediately, and she took a half step backwards, her eyes wide and locked on the creature. Why was a vampire delivering his own food? She didn't have much time to think before he moved, face to face with her in an instant. His hand clasped her throat, and he squeezed hard enough to get his point across. "I wont scream." She managed to choke out, eyes wide with fear. "But I wont be your food! I am the healer! You might not give a damn what happens to the people outside your walls, but I will not see them die. Release me now, leach."


The vampires briefly hissed, and ripped the chain away, throwing the silver cross onto the ground some distance away. The closer the vampiress moved to Ophelie the harder her heart pounded, and she was almost frozen in fear. "I'm not a meal." She managed to force out, unable to even back away with the tree pressed behind her. "I'm a human being... Ruling or not you have to right to bite into me..."


Kaura tensed when the armed man leaped to the brance above her, and she jumped back again, keeping him in view the entire time. Elven speed matched Vampire well, but if she could not see him she could not react. "I work for no one." Kaura snapped. "I am a hunter, the village I live in is short on food, I was hunting. I saw your kind attacking that young woman and thought I might help." She told him.

'Janek?' She questioned in her mind throughout, knowing he was listening now.

'Set it down.' He responded with a sigh. 'We cannot move yet, I'm sorry child, you knew the risks.'

Exactly the answer s he did not wish to hear. All the same she held her dagger out, and released it, letting it fall to the ground below. "I am not here to pick a fight."
 
Ross released her neck and let his hand rest at the base of her throat. "Smart move." He backed off a bit but kept his hand at her throat as he looked her up and down. "I don't know what my family has done for the past sixty years, I left as soon as we had control of this valley." His hand slid up her side as he looked at her with lust filled eyes. "I will not kill you but I am hungry and your going to be my next meal." His arm wrapped around to her back and pulled her against him. "I will not make you to weak as long as you don't struggle. If you do struggle you will not be able to heal anyone for a week. Is that clear young one?" He was letting the leach comment pass for the moment but if she used the word again he would make her pay.

Vikki only smiled at her words. She reached up pushed on the side of the womens head until her neck was exposed. "Human or not you are still my food just like I was before I was reborn." She leaned in and grazed her lips over her preys neck. She took a breath as she opened her mouth. Her fangs had just pierced skin when she heard a whistling and yanked her fangs from the womens neck as she jumped back just in time. The dagger thrust into the ground and stopped with the blade buried up to the hilt. She looked up to where the dagger had come from and saw Merth. "What the hell was that? I thought you could hunt better than me!" She licked her lips to get what blood was on them as she looked back at the women. "Be thankful that I am not in the mood to feed and run. Now!"

Merth tilted his head to look at her. He didn't believe her story. She had been in the try before they had come along. This must have been planned from the start. Smiling he shook his head. "If thats how you want to play then by all means lie through your teeth." He turned his back to her. "Go back to your hunting and we will go back to ours." He jumped to another tree, then another and kept moving until all the trees in the area were moving and it would be impossible for her to see which way he was moving. He kept moving until he was behind and above her again but this time he stayed hidden. He was waiting to see what she would do next.
 
Her entire body tensed as Ross looked her over, and she shuddered slightly in disgust. His hand moved up her slowly, and glowered, pulling away slightly. "I do not care to know your story, whether you lived in the valley or not." She growled. He tugged her close, and she kept as far back as she could manage, her eyes locked onto his, full of rage. "I will not fight you now." She told him bluntly. "Take what you want, parasite, and leave." She pointed out the door, "My blood is what you want? Take all you wish, I care not." She bluffed, feeling her stomach knot in fear. Would it hurt? Fangs piercing her skin would without a doubt be painful... What kind of creature existed like this?


Try as she might Ophelie should not break free of the Vampiress' hold. She struggled desperately, small whimpers escaping from her lips, and she squeezed her eyes tightly shut. Her head was forced to the side, and the woman moved closer, her fangs brushing over her pulse lightly before she bit down. Ophelie gave a terrified shriek, feeling her blood rushing out to the other woman.

A moment later she was jumping away, and Ophelie fell to her knees, eyes wide and locked on the blooddrinker. 'Why?' She questioned, before seeing the silver hilted dagger embedded in the dirt before her. She snatched it, and turned to run, a hand clenching her torn skin. 'Teyha...' She thought desperately. 'Get to her.'


'He doesn't believe me!' Kaura growled, watching the Vampire on the other branch. She took a step back, wishing she had another weapon, but for now she had no way to defend herself. Instead of attacking, he jumped away, moving from tree to tree too fast for her to see. 'He's gone.' She sent to Janek, her eyes narrowed slightly.'

'I doubt it.' He returned. 'Your weapons are gone, you cannot hunt. There are various traps in the forest though, listen to me and I will guide you to them. Be quiet, pretend you are working.'

'Yes sir.' Kaura responded silently, and she leaped forward, holding her stringless bow in her hands. Once far enough from the clearing she dropped down, and under Janek's instructions searched for rabbit snares, gathering the poor creatures that had been caught already.
 
Ross snarled at her when she Called him a parasite. He had let he insults go but he decided that it was time to teacher her a lesson. He roomed his hand into her hair and tightened his grip as he pulled her head to the side to expose her neck. "I would Have made this easy for you but you have know respect." In the blink of any eye he sunk his fangs into her neck and started to feed without giving her anytime to get used to the feeling. Usually he would have gone slowly and waited for his victim to come to terms with the pain before he started to feed but this arrogant child had gone to far.

Vikki growled at the women as she snatched the knife and ran. She was tempted to run after her but almost getting stabbed by a silver hilted dagger had made her loose her keep to feed for the moment. She retreated into the shadows of the forest until she saw her brother jump from on of the trees near by her. "What they hell was that all about? Something is going on that I don't like."

Merth followed the elf for a while but he finally got frustrated and turned back to return to the clearing. He still didn't believe her story but he didn't have the patience to track her, not with Ross due to arrive any day now. He landed at the base of one of the trees and turned to his sister as she spoke. "She dropped the dagger not me. But your right something is going on. Lets go back to the castle. I don't want to miss Ross if he arrives tonight."
 
Teyha's eyes widened slightly when he wove his fingers through her hair, and yanked her head to the side. His fingers dug in sharply as his head dipped towards her frantically beating pulse. Before Teyha had a moment to prepare, he plunged his fangs deep into her throat. Teyha cried out sharply in pain, tears springing in her eyes as he gulped mouthfuls of her precious blood. She pushed against him desperately, trying to break free of his greedy mouth. "Stop it." She whispered hoarsely, "It hurts... Damnit... It hurts, let me go!"

Kaura waited until she was absolutely sure that she wasn't being followed anymore to run back towards town. 'I don't like this.' She sent to Janek as she went, her face darkened with worry. 'They are hunting in pairs? One watching while the other feeds?'

'I told you not to raise your bow.' Janek growled back. 'You could have gotten you both killed.'

Kaura sighed and growled to herself, spotting a few blood splatters on the ground along the path. "Ophelie?" She called softly, rushing forward to track the specks. "Ophelie?!"

"Over here." The girl panted, leaning against a tree. She clutched the wound on her neck with one hand, trying to stop the bleeding. Kaura's eyes widened slightly, and she pulled a handkerchief from her pocket, and hurried to the girl, pressing it to the injury. "To Teyha?" Ophelie asked softly, and Kaura nodded, looping an arm around her waist to help her through the woods.
 
Ross felt part of his mind flow into her as he fed on her. If he wanted to he could have searched through her mind for anything he wanted but all he wanted to do was to drain her of the strength to heal for a week or so. He dug his fingers into her scalp as she pleaded for him to stop. Be quite and let me feed you foolish child. Next time you see me maybe you will be more respectful. He would have yelled at her but using the connection her blood created would have to do for now.

Vikki nodded and headed back to the horses with her brother in toe. They didn't speak as they walked to the horses as they were lost in their own thoughts. Once there the mounted the animals. Vikki looked at her brother as she spoke. "We should head to town and see if we can find Ross. He should be here by now."

Merth shook his head. "No, we go back to the castle and report what happened then maybe we can go a search for him." He turned back towards the castle and fell silent again. He could hear his sister ride up beside him but she did not try to speak to him.
 
Teyha whimpered when his fingers dug into her scalp, wincing when his voice sounded inside her mind. 'They can talk in my head?' She thought in disgust, her fingers tightening on his arms as he drank. "Next time?" She gasped, her body racked with pain. She was panting now, her head growing light as he drained away her strength, and she found to her horror she couldn't even reach her magic to strengthen herself. "You're not welcome here." She growled, not caring how he gripped her hair. "Feed off my kind like we're cattle.... Herd us.... Take people from their homes...." Her fingers slowly lost her strength as he drank, and her eyes closed, her head tiling back to lean against his hand.

Kaura supported most of Ophelie's weight as they made their way to town. One arm looped over Kaura's shoulder, while the Elf kept her human friend close to her side for balance. It took several long minutes for them to finally break free of the woods, and they stared down the steep hill, to the village below, where the only witch in ten villages lived, the young Teyha.
 
Ross let the equivalent of a laugh roll through her mind when he heard her thought. It seemed that His family either did not use their abilities to there full extent or had not learned how. He could feel her body fall back on his strength to hold her upright. He pulled out slowly and cleaned the wound by licking away any remaining blood as he took some herds from a pouch at his side. He pressed the herbs into the wounds and within a minute the bleeding had stopped. He smiled at her he lay her down in her bed. "Yes child, there will be a next time." His voice was as soft as velvet as if he we speaking to a young child, which in his eyes he was. "use this time to think about the wrongs you have done and learn from them." He stood up and walked out of her home. He mounted his horse and rode off towards the road up a steep hill that would take him to the castle. He pulled up his hood just in case he met more villagers along the way.

Merth and Vikki arrived at the castle and dismounted quickly. Vikki went a head while her brother went to find a stable boy. Vikki went straight to the elders Chamber and stood in the center of the room as she waited for Merth and the elders to arrive.
 
Teyha winced slightly when she heard his laughter in her mind, disgusted that the bloodsucker was able to exist in there, even for a short time. He withdrew himself slowly, and pressed herbs to her wound, stopping the flow of blood before he all to gently laid her on the bed. If she had the strength, she would have hit him then, but her arms felt as through they were weighed down with iron, and she could not lift them an inch. "I have done no wrong!" She called after him weakly. "You and your kind use people for your own sake... It's deplorable."


Nearly twenty minutes had passed before Kaura and Ophelie reached the small hut where Teyha lived. They missed the horseman as he left, but pushed their way inside. "Teyha?" Kaura called, listening for any sign of the girl, but found none. Kaura let the human down on a cot, and hurried through the house, finding Teyha unconscious on her bed, two small fang-marks in her neck. 'Janek!' Kaura called through the bonds, waiting for him to answer before she continued. 'Teyha has been attacked, she wont wake.'

'The healer?!' Janek shot back, concern in his mental voice.

'Yes. She has fang-marks in her neck, but Ophelie needs attention now!'

There was a long pause as Janek seemed to think over his options. 'I'll send a healer from our village, we have two. She'll cover until Teyha recovers.' He sent at last.
 
As he rode to the castle Ross could not help thinking about the things the young witch had said as he left her. He had heard it all to often throughout his travels. But to him people were food just like cattle to them. He had seen kingdoms where the peasants were treated horribly and the rulers were human just like their subjects. He smiled to himself as pondered over her words. If only she knew what the world outside this valley was like she might not be so ungrateful. He stopped at the gates of the castle and studied the guards as they studied him. After a few tense moments he laughed and pulled back his hood while his fangs were exposed by his smile.

"Good, I am happy to see you are alert and suspicious of new comers." Ross pulled out the letter that had gotten him into the valley and handed it to one of the guards. "I am expected as you can see by that letter." The guard read the letter then quickly both of them moved aside for Ross to pass. Ross took the letter back as he passed by the guard. He found that there were already enough peasants waiting for him to take care of the horses so he dismounted and walked straight into the castle.

"They were trying to kill us, I am sure of it!" Vikki was about to boil over because the elders could not get it through their heads that the humans had tried to kill her and Merth. "I mean no disrespect but we must hunt them down before they get stronger. Kill them all if we have to!" She snapped around as she heard someone walk up behind her but relaxed just a bit when she saw it was only Merth.


Merth had listened to Vikki's out burst so he knew there was no use in repeating her words. "I cannot say weather or not she is right but I know that the humans are up to something." He paused and looked to all four of the elders that sat at the head of the room. Making sure he made eye contact with each one before continuing. "They seemed to be testing our weaknesses. The one on the ground was soaked in holy water, covered in garlic and she wore a silver cross." He paused again to give the elders time to take this in. "I have been getting reports that point to an increase in resistance amongst those cattle out there." His voice turned into a snarl as he spoke the last few words. He suppressed a smile as he saw his words taking affect.
 
It was Kaura's turn to tend to the wounded now, and she desperately wished she had spent more time studying with Teyha how to treat injury. Currently she was rummaging through the cupboards, until she came across a small linen wrapped parcel, with willow bark inside. She eagerly pulled out a few chunks, hoping to dull pain with a tea brewed of it.

"Don't use that unless you would like to kill these women." A sharp voice called from the doorway, and Kaura turned, taking in the details of the newest occupant. Her lovely face was already deeply lined, her dark hair pulled back, and sharp points of her ears clearly visible. "Willowbark thins blood, they have lost quite enough."

"Elder." Kaura said respectfully, hurrying down from the stool she was using. She bowed awkwardly, and smiled.

"No time for that, no time." The older Elf whispered, moving swiftly to Ophelie. "So caught up in war and violence that children are not taught the art of healing. Pushed aside for battle." She almost spat the last word, and frowned, running her fingers over Ophelie's wound. "You were both seen then?" She asked softly, her eyes flicking up to Kaura's, and the younger woman confirmed with a nod. "The three of you then, and by the sight of your healer, the one who fed on her was not gentle either." She sighed softly, and looked sharply at Kaura. "Elder Janek wants you three to have no contact with the resistance for now, child. Not for several months yet..."

Slowly Kaura nodded. "I will continue to play hunt in the woods." She said softly. "If I am being tracked, they will only see me gathering rabbits."
 
Ross had walked in a few moments after Merth but he was careful to stay just inside the doorway. He remembered that the Elders would have to address him if he had moved any farther into the room. For the moment he wanted to watch and listen. After Merth had made his speak to the Elders Ross saw his opportunity and walked up behind Vikki before he spoke. Causing her and Merth to spin around at the sound of his voice. "It seems that you have more problems that I thought." He pulled back his hood and seeing everyone's eyes flick to his lips he licked them clean of the small amount of blood he had left on them. "Ah, the elves blood is sweeter than I remembered. But that is beside the point. You called me back from my travels and on my arrival I find that the healer of a village very close to the Castle is apposed to us? At first I thought that she was just to young to understand how lethal her attitude could be but now I am thinking that you have let things slip away." He actually thought that they were all to sure of themselves but he could not come out and openly say it. "But I am prepared to offer my help in the matter. You will have to pay for the expenses, of course." He watched the anger flare in their eyes then settle to a slow smolder. He hid his smile at that. They needed him and they knew it to.

Merths mood had quickly turned from frustrated to happy the back to frustrated before turning to furry as Ross made his entrance. "You have no say in what goes on here, you left as soon as we started to rebuild and now you want us to pay you after we invited you back into the safty of our territory?"

Vikki was watching Ross intently as he spoke to them all. She had remembered him to be a rash and unpredictable person when they had last seen each other but now he seemed to have gotten control of himself more than before. She was tempted to take a step back from him just in case he was trying to give her a false sense of security but she held her ground.

Ross leveled his gaze on Merth but stayed calm as he thought of his answer. "If I recall correctly, you had no problems with me leaving because that meant you would not have to worry about me taking the glory or the higher honor, so I think you should have no say in weather or not I have power in this court."

Merth was about to give his own version of events when he heard one of the Elders. "Both of you shut up. We don't need to hear you to arguing about this not with the matters at hand. Ross tell your plan." The elder Shifted position as the other Elders nodded in agreement.
 
Luckily nothing was serious, or so the elderly healer had told Kaura quietly. She sealed the gash in Ophelies neck, and let Teyha sleep, the red marks in her neck a "Symbol" or so the woman had said. Once done, she shooed Kaura out of the hut, and with nowhere to go, the Elf wandered once more into the woods. The next few weeks would prove exceedingly dull, she thought to herself, without so much as meetings to attend to keep her mind at ease. She sighed heavily to herself in agitation, and made her way to set larger snares. If she couldn't help with the rebel ion, at least she could ensure that everyone was fed.

~~

Hours passed and it was well into night before Teyha and Ophelie woke, each feeling worst for the ware. "Nothing worked." Ophelie crocked, but was quickly silenced by the old elf, fussing in an undertone for her to forget about all of that.

Teyha couldn't though. She swung her legs down so her feet touched the floor. She felt cold, unbearably cold. "He said he's return." She croaked. "?He said there will be a next time. And he knows I am a human sympathizer."

No one spoke, and Teyha couldn't bear to look up, afraid of the looks of pity that would be painted on their faces. She wondered, dimly, if the vampire would execute her publicly, and make an example of those who fought against him.
 
Ross explained that he planned to boost the population in the valley with loyal peasants of all races. As he explained the finer points of his plan he had the slaves that he had brought with him be lead into the room. He smiled as he saw the want to feed in the eyes of all the others in the room. "These are just examples of the type of being you can hire or buy out side of our Valley." He turned away and went to the first person in the live. "What was your profession?" The man looked to be about 30 and was still strongly built even after being in slavery for some time. "I am a warrior, I was betrayed by my men and sold off to the slavers." Ross smiled at him and went to the next person. This one was a human female who held his gaze without flinching. "And you my dear? What do you do?" She smiled as she replied. "I was a spy until my kings lands were taken and his loyal servants were sold into slavery to die." Ross laughed and turned back to the elders. "You see if we want loyal soldier then all we need to do is buy up the slaves as they are presented and give them a choice of freedom in return for their loyalty or a long life of hard ship. These two," he pointed back to the man and women he had just spoken to. "As well as all the others I brought back with me have already agreed to give me their loyalty and blood for there freedom."

~~~~~

After hours of debating the matter the elders told Ross and the other two that the matter would be decided upon in the coming days. Everyone left the room and headed up to the top of the keep. They walked in silence until the arrived in the circular room at the top of the tower. Ross immediately moved to the window while Merth sat down in an arm chair by the blazing fire and Vikki lay down on the bed.

Not being able to take the silence any longer Vikki asked the question that was one her and her brothers minds. "How much has changed out side of the valley?" She and Merth had not left in the past sixty years.

"Many things and nothing all at the same time. Our kind has been hunted down in large areas of the world while in others it is like here. The elfves still have power but I am not sure how much. Human have become the rulers of most of the open lands between here and the Elves kindom but it is odd. The humans co exist with many other races sometimes in on kingdom each race will have its own village while in others every village is a mix of a few races."

They talked until the sun came up then Ross closed the window and left Merth and Vikki alone to talk as he retired to his room so he could sleep off the rest of the day and decide what to do about the Elven healer.
 
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