Aridia - The Early Years (the rest of chapter 01)

[aridia]

{Chapter one cont'd}

As the rich dark heart blood slid down the blood groove in her dagger she stepped closer to him and caught him in her arms. His eyes were wide open with surprise as the life slowly faded from them and she growled softly. Her ears picked up footsteps then from a distance and she quickly dragged him into a nearby alley. She laid him on the ground and moving quickly she seemed surprised at how quickly she moved to gather traces of their scuffle. She knelt beside the dead man and sank her fangs into his neck as she tried to gather as much blood from his body as she could with no heart to pump it from his veins. She growled in frustration as she found she still was not sated.

In her frustration she took her dagger and the centurion's dagger and mutilated his body so no sign of her feasting would be easily found. She fell silent as she heard footsteps approaching the mouth of the alley. She slipped back into deeper shadows and unknowingly used a trait she had gotten from her sire. The shadows around her seemed to just swallow her whole as the footsteps turned into the alley following the trail of blood she had left behind. Her hunger seemed to be driving her insane as she remained still and watchful.

She tilted her head silently as she watched a cloaked figure approach and kneel beside the dead man. Her eyes blazed with a feral anger and hunger as the cloaked man rose t his feet once more and seemed to turn and looks about the alley for several minutes. The figure finally stopped and seemed to stare directly at her making her take an incautious step backward that toppled a heap of refuse. She dropped to a crouch and a feral growl erupted from her as she waited for the cloaked figure to come closer or raise a cry.

After what seemed an eternity and still no cry was raised and the figure simply stood there watching her she seemed to become more agitated. She finally threw one of the daggers she held with a great amount of strength but missed due to her inexperience with any weapon let alone throwing one. The figure then let out a soft chuckle that seemed to infuriate her more and she growled out "Who are you? What do you wish?"

The cloaked figure remained silent for long moments that only added to her frustration and growing fear. She seemed to crouch lower ready to launch herself at a moments notice at the figure if it dared approach her now. The figure finally moved but not in a way she expected. A hand appeared from under the cloak and was simply held out to her. She fell silent then and her golden eyes blinked several times as she sniffed the air towards the figure as if trying to figure out what it was. The figure carried an unfamiliar yet familiar scent to it. She finally rose to her feet but made no other move.

The cloaked figure finally took one step forward as a gentle masculine voice was heard near her ear as if he were close enough to be whispering in her ear while yet standing several feet from her.

"I am here to help you chylde. Be not afraid."

She whipped her head to one side as if looking for who spoke in her ear and seeing no one whipped her head back to look at the cloaked figure once more. The figure had not moved and she growled again though more softly. She eyed the hand still extended out to her and seemed ready still to bolt as she simply waited fearing a trick to trap her.

"I am Sabasti little one. I have been trying to find you for several nights and finally have caught up to you. Unless you wish to be found with this body and lose a fight you are unprepared for I would suggest you come with me."

Her golden eyes blinked at his words and she stilled herself to listen and could hear more footsteps approaching as he finished speaking. She looked around quickly and realized she had taken herself into a dead end alley wit the dead man and growled softly in frustration and fear once more. She finally took a step towards Sabasti but refused t take his hand as she did not want t give him a physical hold on her.

Faster than she had thought would be possible Sabasti simply stepped towards her and wrapping his strong arms around her lifted her from her feet and turned to run out of the alley before she could protest. The swiftness of his moves gave her a feeling of vertigo in her weakened state making her cling to his shoulders. She did however growl softly at him and try to bite his face. As Sabasti exited the alley he laughed and threw her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes and started nonchalantly down the street. As they reached the corner voices could be heard coming from around the corner and she stiffened when his hand came down hard on her ass and his voice rang out loud enough to be heard by the others still unseen but with a drunken slur that was not there before.

"Now come along home you idiot woman. It is after dark and you might get killed"

She heard several male voices laugh then as she started to struggle and kick as she was firmly held to Sabasti's shoulder. As they moved down the street they passed the roaming soldiers and they did not challenge Sabasti at all. Sabasti seemed to stagger under her weight and feigned drunkenness. Once they were clear from sight of anyone his step smoothed out and seemed to lengthen in stride as he quickly carried her down several alleys making her lose her sense of direction as she still struggled to be free from the iron bands of his arms that held her close to him.

Sabasti finally stopped and she could only see that they seemed to be on a street with shuttered buildings showing no light from doorways or windows. Those buildings that were not shuttered had doors hanging from hinges and windows that gaped like sightless eyes back at her. She started to struggle again as she felt him seeming to be looking for something on his person. His iron grip held her firm as she heard a lock thunking in the otherwise silent area. He pulled the door open then and stepped through the doorway and she reached to try to grab at the doorframe. He stopped when he felt her grab the door frame and hissed quietly "Let go or I will rip your arms off."

She seemed startled by the viciousness of his voice after he had spoken so calmly to her before. She released the door frame and let him carry her inside. The door seemed then to close of its own accord and she started to tremble with fear. He moved through what seemed a rabbit's warren of rooms and halls and descended stairs. As far as she could tell they were going deep into the ground and she whimpered as her fear became stronger and she felt more and more trapped.

He finally stopped and gently lifted her from his shoulder and set her on her feet but still held her arms to be sure she could stand as well as to keep her from trying to run as he spoke "Welcome to my home little one. You will not be harmed as long as you cause no harm or try to run." As he spoke light seemed to come to the room and she looked up at the still cloaked figure before her. He was easily much taller than she and obviously stronger as well.

She remained still as she tensed and looked around with a deep fear showing in her eyes along with her hunger and near insanity. She frowned slightly as her gaze took in the rich carpets and pillows strewn around the room and she realized her bare feet rested on thick pile carpets underfoot as well. She looked up once more and tried to see into the deep shadows of the hooded cloak. He spoke once more in a soothing tone of voice "I will let go if you give your word that you will remain until we have spoken." She seemed to consider this for a long moment while still trying to peer into the shadows of his hood before she finally gave a tired nod.

Once she had nodded her acquiescence he released her arms and deep bruises showed from his fingers and she took a step back from him. She remained on her feet for only a moment longer however before her exhaustion and hunger took its toll on her as well as her fear making her sink slowly to the floor and just lie there with eyes open. Sabasti growled softly and she jerked slightly in fear letting him know she was still awake and aware. He knelt beside her then and pulled his hood back from his face before unclasping his cloak and pulling it off to drape over her form giving her a measure of warmth she had not felt since the had been embraced.

She turned her golden gaze to study his face as blood tears slid from the corners of her eyes. He reaches with his long slender hand and gently wiped the tears from her face. Hid own visage was dark and swarthy. His features were patrician and like those found of gods with a patrician nose that was long and straight. His thick brows were placed over emerald green eyes that seemed to sparkle with a life of their own while under his nose was a full generous mouth of a dusky rose color.

As she stared at his face her body began to tremble hard as she could not seem to tear her own gaze from his to see what the rest of him looked like. The blood tears continued to slide from her eyes leaving a faint reddish stain on her skin. Sabasti simply remained still except for wiping her tears with a finger and gently caressing her cheeks as if trying to calm her. He smiles faintly with one side of his lips lifting wryly higher than the other side giving him a slightly roguish look. She finally gathers enough courage to find her voice and simply asks "What do you want of me?"

"Companionship."

She frowns as she hears only this one word and disbelief fills her eyes but then realizes she could hardly stop him doing anything since he had so easily brought her here. Sabasti seems to read her mind and he sighs softly as he settles on the floor next to her and simply slides his hand to her shoulder. He rubs gently at her shoulder as he starts to speak "Of course as beautiful as you are it would not hurt my feelings to wish more but I do not like such things to be forced and will leave that for you to decide. I have been watching you and I wish to help you. You need to be taught what you are and how t be one and live."

She listens to him and slowly starts to relax from the rubbing of her shoulder. She seems to let his words sink in before she finally tears her gaze from his and she stares blankly at the carpet she lies on "I know what I am. I am a monster." Her voice is filled with self disgust and pain as the memory of the red haired woman slipping away into the night returns. She closes her eyes at that pain and a soft whimper is barely heard. Sabasti hears her words and when she closes her eyes and whimpers he scoops her up in his arms and just holds her close. He rocks her gently as he rubs her back "You are not alone. We are monsters but we are also still mostly ourselves."

She shakes her head and buries her face against his cloak that is still wrapped around her as she speaks what to her is truth. "I am a horrid monster as even my creator abandoned me." Sabasti blinks his emerald eyes when she imparts the news to him as he had thought perhaps her sire had been killed. "Are you certain your sire or creator was not killed?"

"She left me. She made me and slept a day with me then slipped away without telling me who she was or what she had made me into. I was left with this hunger I cannot appease."

Sabasti sighs gently then and leans back to look at her face and into her eyes as he speaks "She should not have left you so but I am sure she had reasons for such. You still have much to learn and if you will allow me I will teach you what I can. How long since you have fed properly? Do you know how to feed yourself properly?"

She stares into his eyes and seems to lose herself in the emerald depths of his eyes then shrugs. Her voice is little more than a hoarse whisper when she finally speaks "I kill and drink what blood I can get before it stops flowing from the body. I kill and kill and kill but still hunger as I cannot seem to get enough to stop this hunger."

Sabasti laughs softly and she glares at him. He hugs her closer to him and tilts his head closer to her ear and whispers "I did not think you had been feeding enough when you could not stop me and I did not have to use very much of my strength to bring you here. I will feed you little one this time but you must not take too much and stop when I tell you."

She blinks at him in confusion as she does not understand how he is to teach her anything if he dies to feed her. He gently settles her so that she is sitting on the floor beside him and using one of his sharp nails slices his wrist open and holds it out to her as blood slowly wells up in the cut. She watches him closely and when the scent of his blood rises in the air to her nostrils a deep feral growl escapes from deep in her chest. She looks into his eyes with a mix of disbelief and hunger plain in her gold eyes. Sabasti simply nods and holds his wrist closer to her as a drop seems ready to drip from his wrist. She lunges at his arm and grabbing it in a vice like grip plunges her fangs deep into the wound and feeds deeply and hungrily as she growls again.

As she seems to become lost in the feeding and the sensation of the vitae that is so different from the blood she had been feeding on. She feels it revitalizing her and giving her strength as her hunger starts to dull. She pulls back then sinks her fangs again into his wrist savaging it as she drinks more of his blood. He watches her in silence and slowly as he tries to appease her hunger his skin takes on an even lighter tone and seems almost ashen when he finally ells her to stop.

When she ignores his telling her to stop Sabasti frowns and twists his wrist to get her attention and trying to break free of her grip which had been getting stronger. He finally growls at her and lightly cuffs her alongside the head. She blinks at being cuffed and still feeding from his wrist she peers up at him. As her gaze meets his she feels his power and seems to become mesmerized. He smiles faintly as her gaze is locked to his and he speaks in a very soft voice "Stop little one. We shall hunt in a short while and you will be filled." She very slowly releases his wrist though it can be seen how difficult it is for her to tear herself away from his wrist and blood.

Sabasti smiles at her gently then and tugs to pull his arm from her now seeming nerveless grasp and brings his wrist to her lips and slowly licks the wound closed as if to show her how it is done. He reaches then and caresses her cheek before sliding his fingers through her hair. His hand gently grips the back of her head as his fingers tangle in her hair as he lets her feel the power of his gaze and his command of the blood she had drunk from him. She shivers then and seems to cringe within though outwardly she does move.

Sabasti very slowly leans forward and to her it seems he will do what he said he would not. Her eyes fill with surprise when his lips press to her forehead gently before he sits back and releases her head and turns his gaze from hers. She sits looking at him for a long moment before she finally drops her own gaze to looks at her hands that now rest in her lap. Sabasti reaches out and takes one of her hands in both of his and speaks softly "As I said I will not force such a thing. What is your name little one?"

"Aridia" It is the only name she has ever known for herself and she speaks it easily but with no pride in it or seeming herself either.

Sabasti frowns at her tone of voice and seeming lack pride in herself. He looks her over carefully then and frowns at the disrepair of her clothing and the filth that lives under her broken nails. He speaks softly once more "You need to get cleaned up and put on clean clothing. Something more suitable than that rag you are wearing now." He rises to his feet and moves to a corner of the room and moves a carved screen out of the way to reveal and tub that he begins to fill with water from the many jugs lining the walls. He sets more to heat for her bath as she remains where she is and just watches still unsure of his intentions.

Once Sabasti had filled the tub with warm water he walked back over to her and reaching down takes her hand once more and pulls her to her feet. She rises passively to her feet and a look of defeat fills her eyes as the realization that he could do as he pleased with her had sunk in while she had been sitting and watching him. Sabasti notes her passivity and shakes his head. He leads her to the tub as he decides he is going to have to show her that he means his words. He slowly and carefully removes the dirty rags she had been wearing and throws them disdainfully to the floor. He looks her body over once she is nude as one might appreciate a piece of artwork. He takes her hand once more and draws her closer t the tub and sweeps her off her feet before settling her into the warm water.

She yelped as she was lifted off her feet and her hands came up to grip his shoulders as he swung her around and settled her into the tub. Her gaze lowers once she is settled and she rests her hands under the water on her lap. She seems determined to make him prove his words as her eyes close halfway. Sabasti chuckles softly to himself as he settles himself next to the tub and soaks a sponge that he proceeds to rub soap into. Her reaches and lifts one of her hands tenderly in his own as one might a dear child. He starts to wash her hands and each finger making sure t get it cleans then moves up her arm to her shoulder. Her repeats the process with the other hand and arm before starting to gently wash her face. He seems intent only on what he is doing and casts no leering gaze at her body as he washes it. She glances up at him from time to time only for his gaze to lift to her and a gentle smile cast upon her.

When he finished washing her body he poured more water over her hair and set to washing it with gentle massaging strokes to her scalp. He slowly finishes bathing her and washing her hair then takes her hand and urges her to stand and tugs at her gently for her to exit the tub. She follows his tugging and steps from the tub with her gaze lowered and her skin shines like alabaster. Sabasti takes a thick towel and slowly dries her body limb by limb then taking up a second towel starts to dry her hair. When he had her dried off he moved to a chest and retrieved a raw silk robe of a molten golden color that matched her eyes. He slowly slid it carefully over her arms and closed it then tied the sash and led her to a pile of pillows where he indicates he wishes her to sit. She slowly sinks onto the pillows and a soft sigh is heard as she had not felt such luxury before in her short life. He moves to a smaller chest and removes a fine ivory comb and moving behind her starts to gently comb her hair. He removes tangles with out tugging or pulling on her hair or head until it is dry and lustrous. He leans then to press his body close to hers from behind and wraps his arms around her.

Aridia tensed as his arms cam around her and she closed her eyes as if waiting for what he would do next. For the first time in her life she felt a measure of comfort and a sensation of being wanted. She remains still as she has no clue what he would wish of her when he holds her in this manner. She very slowly relaxes and tentatively leans back against him and seems relieved when he only leans down a bit more to press his lips to the top of her head before he begins to speak and explains to her what had been done to her and what she now was.

She keeps her eyes closed as she listens and from time to time a shiver courses over her body. With each shiver Sabasti leans and presses a kiss to the top of her head as if wishing to assure her that she will be alright. She finally opens her eyes as she realizes just what being what she is now entails. As her mind comes to terms with what he tells her his arms slowly slip from around her until just his hands rest on her shoulders. He finally moves to stand directly in front of her and reaching out with a slender hand her curls a finger under her chin and gently lifts her face to his gaze. "Look at me Aridia."

She slowly focuses her gaze on his as tears well in her eyes. He shakes his head gently before he speaks. "Do not cry little one. It simply wastes blood that you need right now and will not change who or what you are. Do you wish me to teach you what you desperately need to learn to survive as what you now are?" She does not hesitate as she nods and speaks in return in a soft voice "Yes."

He smiles then and leans to kiss her forehead once more before releasing her chin and stepping back away from her. He seems to study her then motions to the room at large. "You may sleep where you wish as the sun will rise soon and we both will 'sleep'. When the sun sets we will wake and I will teach you how to hunt and feed."

She peers up at him then simply curls up on the pillows where she sits as she feels the languor of torpor coming her. Sabasti watches her for a long moment then moves around the room making sure it is sealed and will not be entered while the sleep. Sabasti finally settles in his usual place and closes his eyes to let the torpor take him over just as the sun rises over the horizon.