บท 51: Sanguini Castle II
The attacking army had retreated as soon as the clan head was beheaded, as if that had been their goal from the beginning. Just a moment later, the branch family leaders had arrived in the area.
The sight that opened to them was desolate, as if a hurricane had passed through – around a hundred people were down on the ground, bleeding from various wounds, too starved to heal. Almost everyone else looked extremely pale, even for a vampire, and gaunt as if mere steps from death, a strange concept for the undead. All of them were already reverting to the more human-like form to conserve the last vestiges of their energy.
Finally, their eyes landed on the clan head, or what was left of him, a headless corpse. A short distance away from him stood black-armored Brigitta, the head's wife and the four descendants, their spheres of blood mist still surrounding them.
"What the hell happened here?", Yamofey asked. While he was shunned and suppressed by the new clan leader, he had always been loyal to the clan and the right-hand man of the previous leader. While he had no desire to become a clan head himself, the matters of the clan were important to him.
"A pack of wild mutts came and attacked the castle, and then a company of knights were summoned for reinforcements, then their commander, some sort of half-creature killed dear old dad, that's what happened!", Lucien shouted indignantly.
"I think it's time for an emergency council meeting.", another one of the branch family heads said.
"Agreed.", multiple voices said at once.
The spheres of red mist disappeared around them, being sucked back into their chest and the wound rapidly healing.
Suddenly, a large white crate appeared in the middle of the battlefield.
'Sorry for the trouble. Get well soon 😊' was written on the side of the crate.
"What is this?", Yamofey asked.
Seeing the note, he pointed at one of the vampires that looked relatively less wounded. "You there, open it and see what's inside."
The vampire, without a choice but to obey, carefully lifted the lid of the crate. He quickly noticed just how light the lid was. Once he saw what was inside, he wished it had arrived much later and he had opened the crate only after everyone had left – it was filled to the brim with blood packs.
Why was a blood pack so precious to a vampire? There were two main reasons: one, consuming human blood would promote healing in a vampire. Two, each time a vampire consumed human blood, they would get a little stronger, the reason why even the previous leaders that had gone into slumber were fed a steady stream of blood. Feeding the ancestors was the obligation of each successive clan head, as they would be fed in turn once they went into slumber.
"Well, what's in it?", Yamofey asked, as the vampire had been staring at the contents with a regretful look.
"It's blood, sire! The crate is filled with blood packs!"
"We're not so weak to accept the pity of the enemy! I will personally execute anyone who touches that crate!", Lucien shouted out.
Dorne, meanwhile, whispered something into the ear of one of the vampires. Then he said: "It's time to begin the meeting."
The branch leaders and the previous clan head's family left the scene, entering the castle.
As soon as the leadership, a vampire went to the crate and took out a blood pack.
"Pass them out to everyone that is wounded, young master Dorne's orders.", he said.
The crate's contents decreased quickly and each of the vampires had a pack of blood. They made a careful cut into the pack and smelled the contents for anything harmful to their kind before digging in. A while later, another round of blood packs was handed out to everyone that hadn't fully recovered, leaving only nine packs at the bottom of the crate.
Meanwhile in the castle's meeting hall
There were fourteen men sitting around the table while the head's seat was left empty, with three youths standing behind it. While they were children and still weak, due to their blood purity and innate control, they were the only reasonable candidates to become the next clan leader.
"Let's get started.", one of the branch heads right next to the clan head's seat spoke up. "Dorne, you're the one who was appointed as the heir apparent by Vincent. Speak, what would you do as the clan head?"
Dorne seemed to take a while to think before saying: "I think we should conserve the clan's strength. Our father has been lost and the clan is weakened. We should make sure that the people have enough strength to protect the clan's territory."
The old vampire scoffed at that and some others had displeased expressions.
"As the eldest, what would you do, Lucien?"
"We should find them and collect the debt of blood! They dared to attack us at our own home, at the grounds of the castle of our ancestors! We cannot let that stand! We're lacking strength? Did you see the men on their side? They are all stronger than the knights of old. We will turn them into blood slaves and our clan will grow stronger with their blood! Once we find them, we will attack with the entire clan, then we will have enough strength to take them all at once!"
"I'm with brother Lucien!", Davi declared. In his mind, he was thinking that men like those would have beautiful women, women who he could take as his personal blood slaves. He was already imagining a lineup of those fresh and young women with legs to die for.
"What makes you think they don't have more men like those? For all we know, that could've been a small part of their forces! Those knights were just a single battalion!
Besides, we have no justification to exact revenge, as our father fell due to his own selfish desires.", Dorne exclaimed. He didn't want the clan heading into a death trap and getting slaughtered to the last. It would still be fine if the enemy had only one more battalion, but if there were more than that, even all the vampires in the clan wouldn't be enough for a victory.
"Will you stop imagining things? There's no way that men that talented can be easily found and trained! There is no way there's more. Besides, there are still our ancestors. If things get difficult, we can awaken them.
Even the enemy's leader was just a youngling, using a magic tool to turn the tides of the battle. If we take him out first, our victory is assured!
The killing of our father is not justified at all! That Lestoat bitch is just pretending to be a leader all the while wearing a skirt! Do you really think a woman would ever be qualified to become a clan head if it wasn't for that idiotic rule about the last surviving member getting the position without a discussion?"
Elsewhere, Snape was suddenly feeling a sense of inexplicable amusement welling up within him. He very nearly started chuckling to himself as he closed the lid on another batch of potions that were meant for the 'Werewolf Academy'.
"It seems that there's two candidates for the next leader, as Davi is willing to follow Lucien's lead, should he get the position. It's time to vote. Those in favor of Dorne, raise your hand."
Five of the vampires raised a hand, Yamofey among them.
"Very well. Those in favor of Lucien taking over as the clan head?"
Six hands were raised, among them the vampire who had just spoken.
"It is decided then. Lucien shall be our new clan head! Clan head, take your seat and let us discuss the future of the clan."
"Yeah, sucker! Get out of here, Dorne!", Lucien shouted. One or two of those that had voted for Lucien suddenly had second thoughts, but it was too late now.
Dorne left the council room, keeping a dignified expression, even when his heart was aching for the future of the clan.
Meanwhile, Lucien spoke: "First of all, those that voted for me. Move on closer. You're the sensible ones here, can't have my trusty advisors too far. Those that voted for Dorne, to the end you go, especially you, Yamofey! Those without the balls to vote, make room."
Once the council members had shuffled around the table, some reluctantly and others with satisfied expressions, Lucien continued: "Oh, right, those at the end should give up two thirds of their subordinates and land to my advisors, it's only their due tax. You have two months to get them moving.
Next up, find out how that bitch found us. Their forces should be stationed around that area, so we can find them and attack when they least expect it.
Wasn't there something about a place on Long Street? I want our men to stand guard around it and kill any traitors that think switching sides is a good idea. There's no need to attack the place, that would make the enemy more vigilant."
After Lucien had changed a few more things he hadn't liked during his father's rule, he dismissed the meeting and made his way outside.
He quickly walked over to a certain white box, with its lid where it was supposed to be. The vampires there had only recently finished recovering from their wounds and thus were still sitting around, absorbing the remainder of the nutrients.
As Lucien opened it, his face quickly turned black with rage. He had planned to keep all the blood to himself, thinking that none of the vampires would dare go against him, yet now nearly all of the blood was gone.
"Which one of you dared go against my orders?", Lucien shouted, his eyes glowing red as he looked at one of the weaker-looking vampires.
The vampire, unable to resist the compulsion from the member of the main family, simply pointed at a certain vampire and said: "It was him. He gave blood to everyone."
Lucien walked towards the vampire that was pointed out to him and spoke: "Good, very good! I will make an example out of you!"
The vampire, terrified by the shadow of death looming over him, said: "It was head Dorne's orders!"
The vampire had believed that Dorne becoming the new head was only a matter of formality, as it had been the wish of the previous head, so he had addressed Dorne as such.
"Look at me! I am the new head, not that daddy's boy. I gave you no such order, I gave an order not to touch the blood! Now, die!", Lucien shouted, his wrath still unquenched. He then thrust his hand into the vampire's chest and pulled out his still beating heart.
"That's what'll happen to traitors!", Lucien shouted, turning to return to the castle – he had no interest in the pittance of blood packs that were left in the crate.
Meanwhile, in Dorne's study
Dorne had returned to studying the history and politics between the clans. He hoped that once his elder brother's ineptitude as a leader came to light, there would still be a clan left for him to lead.
Suddenly, there was a knock on his door. "Enter.", he said.
A middle-aged looking vampire came in.
He then took a knee in front of Dorne and spoke: "My family will support you as the rightful heir."
The man was then followed by five others that did the same.
"Sadly, I have no way of rewarding your loyalty. We will have to be patient until Lucien is proven wrong, no matter how many the sacrifices."
Suddenly, the door burst open once again and a terrified vampire rushed in. "Master Dorne, Lucien has executed Thomas! He called Thomas a traitor for sharing the blood packs!"
"What? Has he lost his mind? The clan is weak as it is, now this!", one of the men that had pledged their loyalty exclaimed.
"It really can't be helped.", Dorne spoke. "At least he didn't execute everyone that received a blood pack.
Now, please leave, I don't want Lucien getting paranoid about me and you all having a private discussion."
The vampires left, not paying much attention to Mary that was currently heading to pick new blood slaves to have fun with, after she had gotten a bigger quota from Lucien. She noted the fact that something suspicious was going on, deciding to inform Lucien about it once she returned.
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