[30] Video: Her

[deathmerciful]

[Private to Claudia]

[He sounds hurried and feared . The walls had shifted and the time for lingering was over.]

Claudia. [Now a little stronger] Claudia?  Speak to me, please.

Comments

[Private/Video]

[killyourownkind]

[Claudia's face appears; she's somewhere dark, but the illumination from the journal highlights a sunken, almost emaciated face. She clearly hasn't fed in days.]

...Louis?

[Private/Video]

[deathmerciful]

[Louis' heart drops when he sees her countenance. All that he feared from when he was last haunted by her vision dissipates and all he wants is to find her and give her everything she wants.]

I am sorry, chere. What has become of you?

[Private/Video]

[killyourownkind]

[She wobbles a little; her movements are sluggish.]

Hungry...

[Private/Video]

[deathmerciful]

Claudia... [He cannot help but sound slightly disappointed, but it barely masks his worry. Louis may have scolded her in the early days but he knew know that if she had not fed she would have had a damn valid reason. He recalled there were more than enough souls on board and he even now he could feel the presence of more than enough bodies on the ship. Whatever happened must have been terrible, and his love was being kept away.]

Where do you hide? I will protect you.

[Private/Video]

[killyourownkind]

A closet. I must move soon. Where are you?

[Private/Video]

[deathmerciful]

The showers, or what remains of the changing rooms.

[Behind him a clear mosaic of a water snake is in view]

Do not move, I will come to you.

[Private/Video]

[killyourownkind]

I am moving to the second floor. Meet me there.

[Spam]

[deathmerciful]

[The vampire would have argued for her to remain hidden, but Louis he knew she would be set in her ways. Louis took to travelling to second floor. It was only one floor above his current position. He hoped to reach there first, passing some of those strangely garbed men on the way. They made him weary, but had only Claudia on his mind.

He reached one end of the corridor on the second floor and called out softly in a volume only an immortal could hear.]

Claudia?

Re: [Spam]

[killyourownkind]

[It took longer for Claudia to reach the second floor than it normally would have. Starved, she no longer moved at her usual 'blur' speed and fell on the stairs on her way. They were steep, now; when did they get so steep? When she emerged, it was in the common room, but her vampire eyes spied her love from a distance, on the opposite end of the corridor. At last. She was safe. All would be well again.]

Louis...

[She started toward him, slow even by human standards.]

[Spam]

[a_bit_put_upon]

[It was at this point that Quetzalcoatl stepped out of the Doctor's quarters, looking wholly embarrassing. Several different shirts (some kind of silk, as the Doctor didn't seem to own proper things of leather or fur) had been ripped to decorative shreds to adorn his arms and legs, larger swaths of the remaining cloth draped over his chest and hips and tied around the edges with shells and small jade discs (even if those were from Asia, hush).

His headdress, while slightly messy, was tall and bright, and had taken work and the demise of a few feather boas and native American headpieces to construct. Theatrical paint covered his face, red over his mouth and chin and vertical black stripes over his eyes.

He was pleased, and emerged proudly from his vessel's chambers to show himself and return to his temple in proper attire, when he noticed a sluggishly moving child in the corridor. Surely she was not injured? She looked like no warrior.]

Are you well, my daughter?

Re: [Spam]

[killyourownkind]

[Claudia knew the smell of a Time Lord by heart, now. Even the way they moved was distinguishable above that of humans. And the two heartbeats -- dead giveaway. He seemed to be moving in slow-motion when he emerged, and the vision the tiny vampire had of her love in the distant hall fogged over. Her mouth felt suddenly bone dry, and her fangs were bearing themselves before any thought of pretense could touch her mind.

Her eyes, pale and otherworldly were hard and terrible, like cracked, ruined marble. The gentle forward motion of her body turned toward him with a jerk, and before any could know what had occurred she'd caught his hand with her mouth, small white hands clamping onto him just seconds after.

It was a Time Lord. She could die. But she would die if she did not, and the temptation was too great.

The Warriors standing guard in the common room gave chase.]

[Spam]

[deathmerciful]

[Louis spotted Claudia at the other end of the hall. The relief that spilled from him was almost tangible. On the barge it had been merely months, but in reality it had been a century since he had inhaling the same air as her. This wasn't some fearsome apparition sent to torment him. All his senses were keened to her. This was real and everything fractured would be healed.

And then the fifth doctor emerged from his room and everything fell apart. He was certain of the man's identity, despite all his frills and adornments. The man was one of the time lords on the barge, with the poisionous heart beat. Louis's gaze shifted between Claudia and the doctor and he already knew what was going to happen.

He mouthed wordlessly at first, then he found his voice.]

No! No, Claudia! [His paramour attacked the war painted man and he cried out.] Don't!

[Louis rushed towards the pair in anguish. He could not let this happen again; not to her, but from out of another room to front walked out two gargantuan warriors. With their maquahuitl they

Re: [Spam]

[a_bit_put_upon]

[The God snatched his hand away in a physical reflex, angered. The fangs had punctured, but not enough to draw more than a pair of beads from his palm.]

What manner of creature...

[And then he heard the call. Quickly, his hands twisted round to catch her small forearms and lift her from the ground, his head swivelling at the same time toward the voice coming from the other side.]

An attempt on the life of Monotzontli, of my host and brother? After my vow to protect him, and the honour we show to our vessels? Techahuilquixtia! They demean us! Take that man! I will bring this little one to our Sister!

[Spam]

[deathmerciful]

[The warriors moved in toe against Louis, reaching for him. Although there was a gentleness to them, it was still intimidating and he beloved was in danger.]

Claudia!

[He screamed and bared his teeth at the warriors. In a rage he threw a marble first into the jaw of one of them. As it connected a shock of pain crackled up forearm and Louis' eyes widened in abject fear. One of the warriors moved a hand to Louis' head as he recovered and took a hold of his long dark hair. The other bore a dagger and took to Louis' hair, slicing most of it off in one fell swoop of the blade. Louis, mostly confused, tried to get to Claudia again but the creatures were still blocking the path. He called for her, reaching an arm out in vain as they carried him away]

Get off me!! Claudia!

[Spam]

[killyourownkind]

[Claudia didn't register the sound of Louis' voice over the slowly dying beat of her heart, pounding down to nothing in her ears. As the time lord lifted her, she whimpered, not even able to struggle.]

Please.

[There was commotion all around her, but all she could feel was the warmth in his hands, emanating from his frame.]

I am dying.

[Spam]

[a_bit_put_upon]

[Dismissing the man being carried away, he turned in the other direction with the creature dangling in his grip and began to walk toward a stairwell. He stopped again, however, when he realised she was attempting to speak. He lowered her to stand her on the floor without releasing her arms, but she seemed infirm and ready to collapse. Instead, he lifted her again to sit in the crook of one arm while switching the grip of his other hand to hold both of hers.]

What? How can you be dying? You have struck me, and nothing yet has been done to you.