[IC] Teachers Pet

[Nord]

"That is just the thing though, when we bite, we are consumed by are animal urges and it becomes very hard to stop. Most Vampires choose to bleed their victims dry, which means that they will not have to drink again for a long time, although that means that the Human dies obviously. But, there are a few of us that choose not to kill, but it means that we obviously have to drink more often. I suppose most Vampires believe that we are superior to Humans and that we can just kill them for pleasure whenever we want."

He chuckled at her misconceptions.

"I wish I owned a castle, that would be very fun. To be honest, we Vampires are solitary creatures, choosing to roam the world for many reasons. Mixing with Humans is mostly because of a need than because of lifestyle. Even I haven't mixed with many Humans throughout my new life. It's hard to find someone who is interesting, or worth time. Do you think that you can live up to that?"

Azrael cast a probing eye of the girl to see if she was being serious.

"You think we Vampires just grow on trees? Just because you are Royal does not mean that you would be any more likely to find a Vampire in this world. There are not many of us and, believe me, a Vampire will only be found when he or she wants to be. I must reiterate, we Vampires are quite solitary and free-spirited, to be under the command of another, albeit as a ruse, would be most uncomfortable. Plus, I would be somewhat limited in my actions during the day."

He watched as she undressed under her covers and then turned to a tall mirror in the corner of her room. His old black suit was starting to look rather torn and scruffy. Being a traveller like he was didn't afford him the luxury of more than one set of clothes, and after being out of society for as long as he had. He brushed his waistcoat and watched as dust and tiny bits of thread drifted onto the floor. I think that I may need some new clothes.

"Vampires can spend a moderate amount of time in the sun, but too long can be dangerous or even fatal, that goes for continuous exposure too, we need to take a break from time to time. Garlic? Hm.. I personally do not like it, but it is not fatal or anything like that. Of course you have your holy objects too, crosses and water, that is all nonsense too. Honestly, we are just like Humans, just a little bit tougher."

He said with a wink.

"Married, huh? I suppose that is what is required of the children of Royals and Nobles. A pity, I would hazard a guess that most couples forced together like that rarely find love or comfort in the arms of their spouse."

He picked up a piece of parchment that was on her bedside table and looked it over. Then he looked back at her.

"A pretty young girl like you will make a beautiful trophy for a lucky man, heh. Have you met any of your potential suitors yet?"

[Miku]

Evangeline nodded along, listening to Azrael talk about vampire facts. She found it to be very interesting stuff, and didn't mind being corrected about certain myths and stories she had heard growing up. The princess smiled a little as she watched Azrael examine his suit in the mirror. She hadn't really been paying attention to it until now, but it was a little tattered and dusty, like he'd been sleeping somewhere for a thousand years. Without saying anything, she pulled her covers down and crawled across the bed until she reached the table there. The girl reached into the top drawer after opening it and she pulled out a small bag of gold coins. She had no problem paying for some new clothes, after all, she had basically unrestricted access to funds, so she could do what she liked with her money. Evangeline sat on top of her covers and she held out the bag to Azrael, smiling a little. She was in her little white night gown, so it was safe for her to come out of her bed, but it was honestly a little cold being out from under the covers.

Unfortunately, her smile disappeared when Azrael asked her about the arranged marriage she would soon be involved in. "I....I don't want to be a trophy.... I don't want to marry some old disgusting pervert who can't keep his hands off of me..." Evangeline sighed and pouted a little. "I haven't met any of my suitors yet, Tomorrow afternoon my mother's hosting a tea and inviting everyone along... I don't want to go out there and face all those men, it's not fair... why..why should I experience marriage but not love? I might be a part of the royal family but that doesn't mean I'm not allowed to love someone... I'd rather die, be locked up somewhere. I'm not marrying any of them, I don't care what my mother and father say."the girl folded her arms and sighed softly. Now she had been put in a bit of a bad mood, and she was no longer interested in talking about the subject.

After a bit of chit chat, the vampire and the princess separated for the night. He said he would come see her if he had time, and she was satisfied with that. Perhaps she would be able to tell him about her awful day, or something equally as exciting. After closing her bedroom windows, she flopped down onto her bed and lay there for quite some time, staring up at the ceiling as she mulled over some thoughts. Tonight she had met and possibly befriended a vampire, and she seemed to be perfectly alright with that. He was kind considerate and helpful, traits that she didn't really find in any human men. With a heavy sigh, she crawled under her covers and tried to get some sleep before the big day tomorrow.

The next morning passed quickly for Evangeline. She was busy with her mother sorting through dressed that she could wear. They eventually decided on a white lacy dress and some white high heeled shoes that buckled up at her ankles. Evangeline's maids tended to her hair and made sure it was beautifully curled before they headed downstairs and revealed the girl to her suitors for marriage. When she was finally ready, Evangeline headed out with a white parasol in her hand, as the sun was a bit strong for her, despite it being winter time. The princess headed out to the land that extended from the back of the castle. The servants had done a good job making the gardens look beautiful, so at least she had one thing to be happy about. Evangeline peered out into the garden from beneath her open parasol. She stared at the suitors as they sat there drinking tea and eating biscuits. They were all at least forty five years old, and it sent an uncomfortable shudder down her spine. This couldn't be happening right now. "Lord, give me strength..." she muttered under her breath.

[Nord]

Azrael didn't feel comfortable about taking money from the young princess, even if her family was the wealthiest in the country, but, he had to admit, his clothes were probably beyond repair and it had been a long time since he had carried money. Reluctantly he took the small pouch of coins and slipped it into a pocket inside his waistcoat.

"Thank you, princess, I will endeavour to repay you for your kindness."

They talked for a little longer. Evangeline mainly conveying her distaste for being forced to marry someone a lot older than her.

It grew late and the girl started to show signs of tiredness so Azrael bid her farewell and left through the same window that they had entered not so long ago. He retraced his steps back through the castle grounds, up the large wall, and jumped down to the city floor, scaring a local drunk man at the same time.

It had been a while since he last visited the establishment, but Azrael had remembered that there was a local tavern that catered to the creatures of the night. It was run by the same family for generations, providing a safe haven and a warm place to stay for visiting Vampires, in exchange for money, or favours. Navigating by rooftop he found the small little building in no time at all. When he entered he was greeted by a young man. He was wearing a short-sleeved shirt and Azrael could see many cuts along his arm, no doubt he had let a few Vampires drink from him over the years, another service that they offered.

"Ah, good evening, young master. Would you perhaps have a room for one to spare for the night?"

The boy nodded and looked away awkwardly, stroking the cuts on his arms.

"It will just be the room and nothing else..."

The boy nodded again and led the stranger down some stairs into a cellar and showed him to a heavy door. He used to hands to push the door open. It creaked heavily to reveal a very empty bedroom, apart from a solid stone block in the shape of a coffin in the middle of the room, with three candles melted on the end. The boy grabbed a torch from the hallway and lit the candles and then turned to leave.

"...actually, there is one thing."

He handed the boy the bag of coins.

"I need a well made suit like the one I am wearing please, I assume you can have it ready by late tomorrow afternoon?"

The boy nodded.

"Very good. Pay for the room with that money also, please. If the suit is a good quality, you may keep whatever is left."

A small smile appeared on the boys face as he nodded yet again, he was obviously not used to more kinder Vampires. Azrael gave the boy his measurements for the suit and then sent him on his way.

The vampire sat on the stone coffin. He removed one the apples that he had bought earlier and started eating it. With no more than five bites the apple was nothing more than a core. He placed the second apple on the floor and then lay on top of the stone coffin and tried to fall asleep.

Azrael woke up to find a wooden chair in his room with a freshly made suit folded on top of it. He really did love the family that ran this tavern, so efficient. He removed his old clothes, folded them and put them on the floor next to the chair. His new suit was black from top to bottom, just how he liked it. He slipped it on and he could instantly tell that it was of great quality.

As he ventured upstairs he realised that it was still light outside, but past midday, so the suns light wouldn't be fatal, he would just get a feeling of numbness across his body as a side effect.
He walked through the city until he arrived back at the castle. He had decided to pay the Royal Family a visit as he was interested in what type of people the new King and Queen were. Seeing Evangeline squirm in front of her suitors would also be quite amusing. He walked around the perimeter of the castle wall until he could see the tops of the gardens trees poking over the low garden wall. He leapt up and grabbed the top of the wall and flipped over it, landing softly on the over side. He landed next to a servant who was carrying an empty tray. They looked at each other for a second before Azrael coughed into his hand.

"I could not be bothered to walk all the way around, that is okay, right?"

And then he walked off toward the crowd of men on the far side. Azrael guessed that these were the suitors, and he could see why Evangeline had been upset about it, they really were quite old or bad looking. In some cases both. It was funny, Azrael would be the oldest one there, and yet looked the very youngest by far, so much so, he was worried that he may stick out. Not too mention that he was dressed in black and they were all in bright colours, reds, blues, greens, all the family colours. Honestly, all the colour was making Azrael nauseous.

He was collared by what seemed to be a late forty year old man, with greying hair and blue eyes, and a red coat, white trousers and a black hat and gloves. Azrael almost laughed at the odd sense of style, he hadn't seen such attire for years.

"Excuse me, young man, just who are you, this is a private gathering."

Said the old noble.

"Yes, the one to meet the princess, correct? That is what I am here for, sir."

He said with a bow.

"Oh, and my name is Azrael, not young man. Now if you will excuse me."

Azrael took a few steps backward before turning and walking away. He was not about to waste time talking to these old men who thought they were better because they had power. He swiftly moved to an unoccupied table and poured himself a drink. He slipped his hand into his pocket and with his other hand brought the warm drink to his lips as he studied the castle grounds. It was truly a beautiful sight.

[Miku]

Evangeline hadn't even noticed Azrael's presence yet as she headed out into the sunlight, dress and hair flowing elegantly behind her. It felt like all the men's eyes were on her, and it made her feel very uncomfortable. The girl greeted several older men, keeping her free hand to her side as she did not want them to kiss her. Evangeline was trying her best to just keep things short, but not sweet. If she acted disinterested enough, maybe they would just leave her alone and wouldn't harass her to pick them over another suitor. The bored looking princess eventually wandered away from the men and she just so happened to look to her left. Azrael was sitting there casually with a cup of tea, sipping it like he belonged there. Of course she was incredibly shocked, but in order to not raise anyone's suspicions, she did her best to keep a straight face as she walked over to him, her stride oddly elegant, something it had lacked from the night before.

Evangeline stood in front of the table he was sitting at and pulled her parasol closer to the back of her head so no one would be able to read her lips. "Azrael, I thought you would be coming to visit me tonight...What are you doing here? Did you buy yourself a new suit with the coins I gave you? It...it looks nice, but you shouldn't be here, I'd feel awful if you were hurt because of what the sunlight does to you." the girl narrowed her eyes at him a little, obviously disappointed with his lack of obedience."A-anyway, if you're not going to leave, how am I supposed to explain to my mother as to why you're not on the guest list? She'd murder me if she was under the belief that I snuck a commoner into the castle grounds without permission." Evangeline sat herself down at the table opposite of the vampire. The look on her face right now communicated the fact that she was both disappointed but relieved. Perhaps he would be her ticket out of here and she wouldn't have to socialize with the others. That was something she could live with.

After sitting there silent for a moment, the princess spoke again. "My outfit...do you think it's too much white? Mother wanted to show off my purity to the suitors, but if you ask me, I think that's disgusting. Parading around and letting them bask in the prize of my virginity, it's....what's the word...creepy? I suppose.... anyway, would you like to go for a walk, maybe?" the girl smiled a little as she stood up from her chair. She hoped he would come with her, as she wanted to desperately escape more awkward situations that were sure to come.

[Nord]

Azrael sat with his delicate china cup in his hand, carefully sipping the tea from time to time. He couldn't help but admire the sheer beauty of the castle garden, the fact that something so colourful and fresh could live so peacefully in the hustle and bustle of this never sleeping city. Once you entered the city limits, it was very rare to see any form of nature, it was all roads and houses packed together, there was just no room for plant life.

The sun was starting to take affect on his body as his grip on his cup loosened a little bit. He put the cup on the table to be safe, he wasn't sure if coming out today had been the wisest idea, but the thought of seeing Evangeline squirming in front of these old men caused Azrael to chuckle ever so lightly.

With that thought, the Princess appeared in front of him. It would be common courtesy for the man to stand in the presence of Royalty, and even though Azrael was a Vampire and didn't conform to Human rules, he did not want to cause a fuss. He stood, and the bowed deeply to her.

"Honestly, Princess, I wanted to see the castle during the day, and I was also hoping that I may get to see the new King. Then, there was the thought of you having to awkwardly meet all of these fine gentlemen, heh. Yes, I know that it is not much different from the old one, but the cut is surely more regal, fine craftsmanship I must say. You should not worry about me, my dear, this is not my first outing in the sun, the only real damaging effect is that I will end up as weak as a Human for a while, ha."

He winked at her as he joked.

"Hm... Are you trying to say that I could not pass for a Nobles son in front of the Queen, that is quite mean of you, Evangeline. If she does decide to question me, then I will deal with it at the time."
They both sat at the table, and Azrael finished off his tea with one quick gulp. He was about to open his mouth to say something when the Princess spoke first. Azrael cast a judge-full eye over her body before replying.

"I have never been one for fashion, I must say, but what you are wearing is quite nice. Though as you may have gathered, I do prefer black clothing. I think you would look nice in black, it helps compliment are skin colour. Also, if you were to wear black, your pale skin would surely force all men to become lost in the beauty of your face. I suppose being a virgin is a special thing, to be the first one to do something with someone in any manner of things makes it more special. Experiencing things for the first time is supposed to be exciting. Though for old men like these, you would probably not be their first, and being with them, you would not treasure doing things as much as you might, these men care nothing for romance."

Evangeline quietly stood and waited for Azraels decision. Making no hesitation, he stood next to her, bowed gently then raised his arm, seeing if she would take it.
"If milady would do me the pleasure?"

If asked with a little smirk on his face.

"Perhaps once around the garden to get away from all of these handsome suitors of yours? What troublesome pests they are, heh."

[Miku]

Evangeline turned herself around and looked down at the dress she was wearing. Hearing Azrael compliment her in such a forward manner almost made her blush, but she wasn't about to do that in front of him. The princess moved some of her dark hair from her eyes and stared off into the distance. At first it seemed like she was staring at the vampire, but she was actually just staring at one of the castle walls behind him. Those castle walls were the things that were stopping her from getting out of this place for good. Although she might not openly admit that she constantly thought about running away, it was always in the back of her mind. Getting away from here, having a new life somewhere, it all sounded very appealing to her. Unfortunately the girl knew that she'd never be escaping the castle walls for good. She had duties as a princess, those duties were to marry someone, have lots of children and leave heirs for her kingdom when she died. It was all a little bit morbid, and Evangeline didn't like the sound of that lifestyle at all.

Suddenly, she was snapped out of her thoughts and she looked up at Azrael. He was offering her his arm. "Umm....a-alright.." she stuttered awkwardly, taking his arm with both of her hands, keeping herself close to him in case they were approached by someone she didn't want to speak to."I'll do anything if it means that I can get away from those old men...It's disgusting, to think I have to marry one of those and fake being happy for the rest of my miserable life..." Evangeline trailed off as they started to walk away from the men. When they were out of sight, she moved to rest her head against his shoulder. The princess felt like she was able to trust Azrael, even though she probably shouldn't be feeling like that. Vampires were dangerous creatures, right? Evangeline had always seen them as heartless and emotionless creatures that fed on humans and lived in the darkness, but she was honestly glad that she seemed to be wrong about some of the stereotypes.

"If I asked you to help me escape from here forever, would you consider it?" the girl asked curiously, letting go of his arm and walking on her own for the moment. "I understand that it sounds really silly...a princess wanting to leave the lap of luxury and live like a commoner...b-but..this life I lead is so lonely." Evangeline started to distance herself from Azrael and she started to play with some strands of her long black hair. The girl stood there in silence for a few moments, keeping her back to her friend for the time being.
"What if my mother and father pick you out of the other suitors, what happens then?" Evangeline asked, turning around and facing Azrael again. The girl was full of questions and curiosity, but she couldn't help it. She'd never met an actual vampire before, so she was naturally interested in learning what they were all about."I mean, I don't think it's going to happen, but you never know, right? ...What are we going to do? My parents would never be silly enough to marry me off to a commoner, but...I suppose vampires have the ability to toy with people's minds, don't they?" Evangeline flicked some of her hair over her shoulders and she tilted her head to the side, wondering what his response would be.

[Nord]

When Evangeline had taken a hold of the Vampires arm, he led her towards the main part of the garden as they talked. She continued to talk about her dislike of suitors chosen for her by her parents. As they left the sight of the group that had gathered for the tea party, Evangeline seemed to grow more relaxed and even dropped her head onto Azraels shoulder as they walked through the gardens, surrounded by tall bushes displaying colourful flowers. Azrael coughed into his free hand, it seemed that sun was affecting him more than he thought it would.

"Help you escape forever? That would be a very hard thing for you, because you are the daughter of a Royal Family, do you think they will just accept that you are gone? They will always be searching for you, meaning you would not be able to move so freely and you would have to always be making sure your identity is hidden. As long as your parents thought you were alive the search would never be stopped."

Azrael saw the sadness in her face before she turned her back on him. She posed another question.

"I honestly did not come here to become your suitor, heh. I would think that your mother and father would probably figure out that I am no one... special, anyway. Especially if they arranged for these suitors in the first place, they may not know the faces, but their names and titles will be what they are looking for."

Mind control, that was indeed an ability that Vampires could use, but unfortunately Azrael had never been so adept with it, and the thought of manipulating someone like that never sat well with him, not that he disliked anyone who was willing to use the skill themselves.

He shook his head.

"Mind control is not something that I tend to dabble in, and to use it on the King and Queen? That would be a situation that even the bravest would generally keep a distance from. Plus, if it were that easy, do you not think that some Vampire would be the ruler of the known world already?"

He said with a smirk on his face.

"Do you honestly hate this life that you have? You know, the world out there is much more difficult."

He said motioning toward the castle walls and beyond.

"If somehow I did help you to run away, I do not really want to look after a human girl who has no worldly skills. No offence, milady."

He said, smiling gently and hoping that she wouldn't feel offended. He felt like he shouldn't encourage the girl to run away from the castle again. The loss of a princess would be a very big event, the whole city would be in an uproar, maybe even the country. As Azrael thought about it, if the girl managed to leave the country she could possible escape her life of Royalty, or if she was clever enough, she could fake death. That was a trick many Vampires used when they took on an apprentice or brought someone into the Vampire fold. Being dead was than being missing, nobody goes looking for a dead person, and Vampire is best not haunted by their old life, luckily, after a century or so, anyone who knew you passed on and Vampire could truly be free.

"Do you think you could truly be free of your Royal heritage? A missing princess is not so easily forgotten, especially if your getting married increases their power, not that I am saying that is all you are worth to your parents."

He said, once more coughing into his hand.

[Miku]

Evangeline listened as Azrael spoke to her, but it wouldn't be easy to convince her to stay home and be a good little princess. "You've no idea just how boring it is to sit around all day and eat cake and read books and wait for a rich man to sweep you off your feet and take you away. The girls in the books that I read go on adventures, they find romance on the seas and have grand adventures. I understand that it's all fictional but it sounds a lot more interesting than the life I'm living now." the princess sighed softly, as if she was dreaming about escaping to a different life. "Besides, life isn't supposed to be easy. An easy life is a life that has not been well lived, if you ask me. It's not like I chose this lifestyle, I was born into it. I am sure that many commoners wish they lived in the lap of luxury, but there is a much darker side to it that they do not see." Evangeline moved some of her long hair over one of her shoulders and she made her way back over to Azrael, grabbing both of his hands without warning.

"I couldn't bring myself to ask you to look after me, I'd manage just fine on my own. But anyway, I don't think you'd be able to bear seeing me go off on my own, so you would probably feel the need to protect me anyway, correct?" Evangeline teased with a small smile. Running away was a very serious decision to make, but the princess felt like she was prepared for that."I don't need anyone to take care of me, but some company would be nice. Keeping my identity a bit of a secret might be difficult, but perhaps I could get a home somewhere on the outskirts of the city where it's quiet, I could manage. I can cook, clean....that's perfect housewife material, is it not?" Evangeline giggled softly and gently let go of Azrael's hands, letting him have them back for the moment.

"Unfortunately, I'm not worth much to my parents. I'm the only child so all the pressure to produce children is on me, and I must deliver. Providing them with an heir is what I am here to do. Of course, if I was unable to have children I might be cast out into the open, but I'm not willing to get to the point where I find out...." the princess sighed and grasped Azrael's arm again, leading him into some shade so he could sit down at the stone bench that was under a large tree. "Is being a vampire really that difficult? Will it hurt? You get to live for a very long time, right? You get to be fast and strong...."Evangeline trailed off and peered up at Azrael with those curious eyes of hers. Perhaps she was just romanticizing when it came to vampires, but she was eager to know more about them. "Vampires don't breathe, do they? I could very well pretend I'm dead and fool everyone in the kingdom~" for some reason, that brought a smile to her face. Anything to get out of the kingdom, she'd do it.

[Nord]

Azrael took his leave from the castle, it seemed that he hadn't drawn much suspicion from anyone at the party. It had been quite an interesting afternoon, the castle grounds were much more exquisite than he remembered, and talking to Evangeline had been quite amusing. He'd never really talked to humans about the Vampire world, but there had been something about the girl that prompted him to keep talking. Although he wasn't sure what that was. He was still worried about the girls desperate desire to leave, it would surely leave the Kingdom in such disarray. And he wasn't sure how the young girl would cope in the outside world, if she had a Vampire master she would get the adventure she dreamed of. Azrael had travelled alone for a long time, perhaps it was time to blood himself an Underling, and a human Princess would be a treasure Underling within the Vampire world, a rarity, as Vampires mainly picked people who wouldn't be missed or those who were already twinned with solitude. It was a long but uninteresting trek back to the Vampire Haven that he was staying at, and he would be glad to finally be out of the sun. His skin was starting to darken and sting. He'd need a good meal and a long sleep to recover from his adventure in the sunlight, he wouldn't be able to feel the sun on his skin for a few days after today. He entered through the doors and noticed a woman sitting against the bar. He had to do a double take before he heard her words. "Elizabeth? Wha- What are you doing here?" Of course he remembered Elizabeth, he still remember the first time they met, like it was yesterday. --------------------------------------------------------------- It was a dark and stormy night, lightning flashed every few seconds illuminating the old woods. Azrael splashed thought the water soaked mud, his steps getting heavier with every stride. He occasionally slipped on the slick surface. He clutched his blood soaked shoulder, an arrow poking out through from between his fingers. He could feel the tip scraping the bone in his shoulder every time his arm moved even the slightest bit. He no longer heard the voices of his pursuers, meaning his master had successfully drawn them off of his Underling, who now feared for his masters safety. The blood was flowing heavily from his wound, down his arm and dripped from the young Vampires fingertips. He started to feel light-headed and with a strike of lightning in the distance behind him, Azrael slipped for the finally time. He lay face down in the mud and decided he could no longer move. "Could this be the end..?" His eyes closed, and the Vampire passed out from a mixture of fatigue and blood loss, leaving his fate to nature. "Sorry... Master.."

[Miku]

"You'll catch your death out here lying like that...."a soft voice came from the darkness, a warm hand at his cheek. The young girl who had come to Azrael's side was surprised to find him so....cold. He lacked any warmth, something was obviously wrong. The girl reached up to his shoulder and felt something sticking out of it. Of course, it was a little too dark for her to be able to see anything, but she could tell that it was an arrow, and the scent of spilled blood was in the cold night air. "O-oh dear...you're hurt...l-let me help you!"she offered. Unfortunately, she didn't receive a response back so she assumed the young man was just unconscious. She hoped that he was alright and not seriously injured, as she only had fairly basic medical knowledge and skills. With some effort, she managed to haul him off of the ground and place his arm around her shoulder. Now she found herself covered in mud and leaves, but it didn't matter. It seemed that her regular nightly stroll was going to get a lot more interesting. Every now and then she glanced at the young man, but it was far too dark to see him properly, so she relied on the minimal moonlight in the sky to guide her way home."It won't be long, you'll be alright~"she said softly, cheerfully, almost. Her voice was warm and it carried a rather caring tone to it. Elizabeth had always found joy in taking care of others, and when she was old enough she wanted to become a nurse and help the sick and the wounded. When she arrived back home in her modest log cabin, she flopped him onto the bed in the guest bedroom with a great deal of effort. His weight, although he wasn't incredibly heavy, had tired her out and she was ready to climb into bed herself, but unfortunately she had work to do. Saving this young man's life was important. In a rush, Elizabeth darted around and gathered medical supplies and some candles so she could see what she was doing. With gentle and nurturing hands she treated his wounds, did what she could. When she believed that he was thoroughly stitched up, she placed warm blankets over him and sat by his bedside. She would stay until he woke up, no matter how long it took. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Elizabeth was quite surprised to find that Azrael remembered her name so well. A soft smile spread across her face and she shrugged her shoulders lightly. "I'm here because...well, I suppose there's no point in dancing around it...I..I missed you very much. I wanted to see you again."she looked up into his eyes and fiddled with her hair a little. He looked almost the same as the day they had met, except maybe just a little taller and more handsome, but she wasn't going to say that in a room full of unsuspecting people. "I'm quite good at tracking down a familiar scent. I'd say it's my one and only talent....and I'm glad that I managed to come to the right place to find you. I had to ask around a little. Not many knew of your location but they did tell me some places where you frequented most."Elizabeth nodded firmly, obviously quite proud of herself for tracking him down with her expert skills. "Anyway...we shouldn't talk here, there's too many prying eyes and ears."she added seriously, her face turning quite stern for a moment before she grabbed his hand. Without any hesitation she pulled Azrael along behind her. Elizabeth had rented out a room for a couple of nights in case it took longer than she expected for him to turn up, so they had a somewhat private place to talk, at least. They headed up some stairs and the woman let them in to her temporary accommodation. She flopped down on her bed with a soft sigh and she smiled a little."You looked quite surprised to see me back there... Did you miss me?"she asked softly, moving some of her bright orange hair out of her eyes. Her eyes were a dark green, they were kind. Hostility was never present in her gaze. It wasn't in her nature to be hostile towards anyone. "I certainly missed you. It's been far too long, Azrael."Elizabeth added, gazing up at him, eyes longing for an answer.

[Nord]

"You wanted to see me? I see. It had been so long since we last met, I was sure that you had found a new stimulus with which to enjoy." He said with a taunting grin as he stared into her beautiful eyes. He had always thought of them to be her most attractive feature, they complimented her face exquisitely. He knew that all the men, and Vampires, always fell for her bewitching hair, but Azrael couldn't help but feel the thrill when he knew her eyes were upon him. When there gazes met, he felt his body go numb and his legs pull him towards the Vampire seductress. That's what made her so dangerous. Not that he would ever complain about letting his animal lust take over. He broke his gaze and strolled to the bar and took a metal mug from the bartender. It was filled to half way with the warm red fluid that all Vampires craved. He sat next to Elizabeth, turned to face her, and took a deep swig from his mug. He licked his lips almost seductively toward his female company as she continued to talk. He smiled impishly. "Oh, I think you have a lot more... 'talents'... than you think you do." Using his finger he brushed some blood from the corner of his mouth before licking it off of his finger. "Indeed. I prefer to keep my business to myself, so I try to not reveal my plans to many people. Apparently those I have told are not as tight lipped as I had once thought, heh. But then, I am sure you would of found me without them anyway, huh?" Grabbing his hand, Elizabeth led Azrael away from the bar and towards the main stairs. They went up to the next floor before entering a small room at the end of the hall. There were no windows in the room so as the stop any Vampires from feeling uncomfortable during their stay. In the middle of the room was a normal bed, as opposed to the thick slabs they had in the cellars where Azraels room was. Some Vampires still enjoyed humanly comforts, and it had been a long time since Azrael had allowed himself the pleasure of using one. "Hm.. Miss you? I must say that from time to time I have missed your company, but these last few years, I have been exceedingly busy with requests from our fellow Vampires. But now that you are here, I forget why we ever parted ways all those years ago. You are still as beautiful as the day I first lay my eyes upon you. You have not been causing too much trouble in the world of men have you? I know how you just love to break hearts." He said with a smile. "Do you know, a few months ago I passed through that forest where you found me all those years ago. It was quite nostalgic. If I had not been on a quest for Master at the time, then I would have started my very own hunt for you." He cupped the side of her face in his hand and stroked her cheek with his thumb and gently smiled at her. "It is good to see you again, Elizabeth."

[Miku]

"You know why we parted, Azrael, you left me all alone not too long after turning me into one of your bloodsucking creatures. I was left to fend for myself, and I was never able to find you again. I had nothing that I could use to track you with, no possessions. You left me alone and it really really hurt, I don't think you understand just what you did to me. Maybe it was the guilt of turning me into a vampire that made you leave? You loved me too much to sit there and watch me suffer, so you abandoned me and left me in the cold." with a gentle hand, Elizabeth placed it over Azrael's as his thumb was at her cheek. She nuzzled her cheek into his grasp for a moment before pulling away from him, obviously still hurt by what had happened. "Just how many years was it? Did you lose count just like I did?" she asked him, her piercing green eyes burning into his before she turned her back to him and faced the bed. Her arms were folded, posture clearly communicating that she wasn't happy at the moment. "Do you still love me, at least? I... I've missed you...so much. So much to the point where I didn't so much as look at another man because I hoped that one day we would meet again and you would remember me." Elizabeth sighed and shrugged her shoulders lightly, knowing that Azrael probably didn't feel anything for her anymore. It was understandable. It had been a very long time since they had seen each other. Things changed over time, after all. Suddenly, she turned around and placed her hands at his chest. "I want you to love me again. I need you. You could...you could come back home with me and I'll make the cakes you used to like...I'll serve you tea...I'll do anything you want me to, I don't care, as long as I get to be with you..."Elizabeth stared up at Azrael with a frown on her pale face. She was quite desperate to have him back in her arms, in her life. "P-please..."she whispered softly, her face burying itself into his chest. She didn't want to move. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Evangeline was at the party that was being held for her and her very soon to be husband. She really wasn't into any of the festivities that were going on and she kept well away from the disgusting old man that she was going to be married to. He was a king and in need of a wife capable of bearing children. Why she had to be the chosen one, she didn't even remotely understand. The princess simply stood there with an untouched glass of red wine in her hand, expression clearly not amused. Occasionally she joined in on the conversation with different figures of the community, but she mostly kept quiet. In her head, she was formulating a plan in order to let herself escape from the castle once and for all. She cared not for her parents, they meant nothing to her. She cared not for the man whom she was to be wed. He was approximately thirty years older than her and he was grotesque in terms of personality. All he cared about was her ability to produce children for his kingdom. After some time had passed, she excused herself from the current circle of conversation and she headed upstairs. When she was in her bedroom, she locked the door behind her and started to get out of her fancy dress. She would not be able to escape comfortably in such an outfit. The princess dressed herself in something more comfortable and fetched a rope from underneath her bed. she tied it to one of the bed posts and tossed it over the windowsill nearby, watching as it landed on the ground below. Evangeline took a deep breath and glanced around her room once more. She would miss her comfortable bed and her elegant clothes, but she was ready to get away from this life. The young woman packed a bag, placing coins and a few personal possessions inside before she hoisted it over her shoulder and moved to her window. With a little hesitation, she took a tight grip on the thick rope and headed down the castle wall, making sure to be as quiet and careful as possible. If she was spotted or heard, she'd never be allowed away from her husband. When she was about a meter away from the grass, she jumped down and landed carefully, looking around to see if she was surrounded by guards yet. Fortunately, the coast was clear. The gates were open and currently unguarded, as they were too busy getting people inside and socializing, so now was her chance. With surprising speed, Evangeline bolted towards the gates. When she had passed them, she just kept going. She had no intention to stop now. If she did, she would be found, and if she was found....well, she was trying not to think about that. Evangeline ran and ran until she could run no more. Eventually she found herself in front of a building. It looked almost like a tavern, but she wasn't sure what it was, exactly. She was exhausted and out of breath, so she decided to head on in. The young woman pushed open the door and let herself inside. There were...lots of odd looking people in here, it seemed. Biting her lip, she closed the door behind her and looked about. They were looking at her funny for some reason, and it made her uncomfortable. Suddenly, a man grabbed her by the arm, and then another. They were eyeing each other off quite viciously, but they weren't saying anything."H-hey, let me go! I didn't say you could touch me!" the princess started to scream as loud as she could, despite how tired she was. She kicked her legs about and tried to get her arms free, but unfortunately she wasn't able to escape their grasp.

[Nord]

"Yes. I remember. But you knew that it was coming. A Master cannot care for their Underling forever. As soon as they are able they must be left to find their own course in life. We Vampires do not have a pack mentality, or a society based on the need for company. We are solitary creatures of the night by instinct. Of course, that is not to say that we dislike company, or that we choose not to take a partner." He said, once again staring into her eyes. "To be abandoned is almost like a right of passage, surviving that means you are welcome into the fold as one of our bretheren. Be glad that I saw you worthy, as if I had not, our laws demand that you should be silenced." He said with a sadness in his eyes, as if the very thought of Elizabeths life being extinguished in such a manner was a great tradgey. Azrael moved his hand onto her shoulder. "It has been fifty-one years, six months and seven days since I left you. A date I shall never forget." He said with a warm smile. "Elizabeth, you could have any man you wanted. Or even any Vampire. I'm sure even the greatest of our clan would fall to their knees for even one chance at wooing you. Why would you devote such time and effort for a lowly creature such as I. I have no real merits to my name, no such reknown within our people, I am just another face in the crowd. You know I care for you, I always will, but you could be a Godess amongst out people." He clasped his hand over hers as he looked at her. It was true that she was quite saught after amongst Vampires, he had heard her name many times from other Vampires. A beauty such as hers was rarely known amongst Vampires, even a female was quite rare. He had to admit that seeing her now brought back old feelings, ones he couldn't resist. He dipped his head towards hers, she closed her eyes as their lips drew closer, Azrael could feel her soft breath caressing his lips. "AHHHHHHH!" Azraels head jerked back just before he pressed his lips onto Elizabeths. A loud shreik had filled the building. "What was that? Sounded like it came from downstairs." Azrael let go of Elizabeth and headed out of the door and onto the upstairs landing that overlooked the bar room floor. The bar had turned chaotic. There was a human barman on the ground, blood pouring from his nose and four Vampires, who had previously been gathered around a corner table, encroching upon a stranger who was cowering by the door. One of the Vampires had the girl by the arm and had lifted her a few inches from off of the floor as she kicked out at her assailant. It took Azrael but a second to realise that the girl was Evangeline. "EVANGELINE!" He vaulted over the handrail and landed on the baroom floor. He slipped round the three other Vampires before grabbing the front Vampires wrist, twisting it sharply so that he dropped the princess. Azrael swept his foot behind the Vampires leg and then jammed his elbow into his face, smashing the Vampire into the floor. He span on his left foot, before sharply raising his other up, kicking a second Vampire in the chest, causing him to fly several meters back, crashing into a table. He gave the other Vampires a taunting glance, but none of them challenged him or retreated. Azrael made a snap descision and picked up Evangeline with one arm under her legs and the other supporting her back. He kicked open the main door of the tavern and slipped out of the building into the darkness of the streets, he had no idea where he was going. "Are you okay? Just what the hell were you doing there!? You could of been killed you idiot!"

[Miku]

Evangeline had looked to the stairs when she heard her name being called. Luckily for her, Azrael was there to get her out of this mess. Within a blink of an eye, he was down on her floor and coming to her rescue. A couple of moments later, she was back on her feet and the vampires around her had seemingly been defeated to the point where they would not fight back. Azrael had picked her up without warning and headed out of the building, placing her on her feet a couple of moments later. The princess took a moment to catch her breath and she looked up at Azrael when she was ready to speak. "I....I ran away...because I'm going to be getting married in a few days and....and I didn't want to... I wasn't going to throw away my life like that..."the girl bit down on her lip softly and moved to bury her face in his chest. It was obvious that she was quite upset and scared by what had just occurred. Naturally so. "I'm so glad that I managed to stumble upon where you were...I was worried that I wasn't going to see you again, or that you would try to find me, but it would be too late...y-you have to understand. Do you honestly think I want to live my life tucked away in a room to produce children for a man I do not love? It's disgusting..."after embracing him for a couple of minutes, Evangeline pulled away and searched through the bag she had taken with her. "H-here...I prepared these for you in case we ever met again..." she pulled out a few vials of her blood sealed with a cork, her pale hand offering them to him without any hesitation. "Now you can just think of it as a thank you. I did it this morning...i-it took a little while but I managed." Evangeline smiled softly up at the vampire, waiting for him to take her gift. Elizabeth on the other hand, was not too happy. She had followed Azrael out of the room and downstairs to see what was going on, but she hadn't acted in order to save the girl like he did. He had called her name. He knew who she was. They seemed to be quite acquainted with each other. With a sour look on her face, she watched as he had picked her up and brought her outside into the darkness. Elizabeth followed along and with folded arms she stood in the shadows, watching as the two of them conversed. "Just who is this?"she asked softly, moving some of her fiery red hair over her slender shoulders. "I don't believe you told me you had a little girl running after you."the woman added, looking Evangeline up and down. She was obviously quite wealthy, part of aristocracy no doubt. She watched as the girl looked over at her. She seemed to be quite frightened of her, which brought a smile to the vampire's face. "Don't tell me you're going to turn her into one of us.... I'd be most disappointed if that was your intention, Azrael." Elizabeth looked up at the man and wrapped her arms around one of his, showing Evangeline that he belonged to her and no one else, in case the girl had planned to steal him from her at some stage.

[Nord]

After exiting the building, they headed down the street for several blocks before rounding a corner onto a desolated alleyway where Azrael gently placed Evangeline on the ground. He let her catch her breath as he awaited her explanation. Azrael didn't really know what to say, he just placed a hand on her head and gently stroked her hair as her face became buried in his chest. He'd grossly underestimated her desire to not continue with her life of Royalty. "You are glad that you almost got torn apart by Vampires? I tried to warn you that the world is not a safe place for young girls." Normally Azrael didn't concern himself with humans, and he had seen his fair share of victims within his Vampire life, but, there was something about this girl, perhaps it had been her blood, or maybe Azrael just found her amusing. Whatever it was, he couldn't help but notice that he'd just totally abandoned Elizabeth, a Vampire he'd known for half a century, for Evangeline, a human he'd met only a few days ago. Such behaviour was unknown to Azrael, it was puzzling to him. He shrugged off such thoughts as Evangeline retreated from him and rifled through her bag. After several seconds the girl pulled out a few glass vials filled with red liquid which Azrael assumed could only be blood. He took the vials and studied them. He looked at the girl as she knelt on the floor. "Um... You are giving me your blood? Why did you even have these on you anyway? Could I not just take the blood from the source now that you are here in front of me? Heh." He said with a smirk on his face. Not that he had any intention of attacking the young princess. Just then, Elizabeth exited from the shadows. Azrael had completely missed her presence as he had been concentrating on Evangeline. "This is Evangeline, I met her the other night, she has been... keeping me company over the last few days. It is only by coincidence that she found me tonight, but she was lucky I was there." He smiled at Evangeline as he patted her on the head reassuringly. "And this is Elizabeth, and old friend of mine." He said gesturing to his fellow Vampire. "No. I have no intention to turn her into a Vampire. She knows nothing of the world as it truly is, let alone about us and our kind. I could not in good conscience subject her to the world in such a harsh way." He looked at the little princess fondly. "Though she has probably put herself in an incredibly difficult situation. And I'm feeling a little mischievous. So I am going to take her away for a while, if she so wishes." He held out his hand to the girl and pulled her to her feet. "Your place is near here, right? Elizabeth. We are going to intrude for a while if that is okay, do you want to tag along." He wasn't really asking her permission, but he was hoping that she would tag along. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- They had walked for several hours after exiting past the city walls. They had headed toward a nearby forest that was both old and vast. Azrael and Evangeline had been walking side by side with Elizabeth bringing up the rear of the group, she had been very quiet throughout the journey. Just as they entered the forest, Azrael noticed the young girls pace start to slow, obviously becoming quite fatigued from her escape from the castle, her encounter with the Vampires, and now the long trek to Elizabeths woodland home. "Are you tired, little one? We must keep moving if we are to avoid the sun, and your inevitable pursuers. Here..." He knelt down on one knee in front of her, offering to carry her once again. She seemed reluctant at first, but Azrael left her with little choice but to accept the offer. They walked on for a while longer, before Azrael felt his passengers body go slightly limp. Apparently the day had taken it's toll on her and she had quietly fallen asleep on the back of the Vampire. He just smiled to himself and carried on towards the house where he'd first met Elizabeth.

[Miku]

Evangeline had made sure to stick close to Azrael when he introduced her to Elizabeth. It looked like the woman was a little pissed off, so the girl had a firm grip on his arm as she stood there, just in case things went a little south. "I-it's nice to meet you..."the princess stated in her soft voice, bowing her head lightly. Soon, she was helped up off of the ground and she continued to cling to Azrael, not daring to let go of his hand. "I'll have you know, I know lots of things about vampires because you told me..."the girl pouted a little and looked up at the woman who was in front of Azrael. She had her arms folded. "Letting a human like her into my home isn't the best idea you've ever had, but fine....I'm sure you know which way we're going."the redhead stated, narrowing her eyes at the young princess before she turned her back to the both of them. It wasn't long before they were on their way to Elizabeth's home. Evangeline trusted that Azrael wasn't going to be leading her into any sort of trouble. She hoped things wouldn't end badly for her. Elizabeth kept at the back of the group as they walked, keeping a close eye on the young girl walking beside her ex-lover. Eventually, after quite some time of walking, she noticed that the girl was slowing down. She was probably tired, it was not surprising.Stupid, useless girl....she'll only be a burden. I won't have her come between us. those thoughts constantly ran over in the woman's mind, and she clenched her fists as she walked. She could feel herself becoming increasingly angered with this strange girl. When Azrael asked if she was tired, the princess nodded her head slowly and looked up at him."A-ah that's embarrassing...I can walk, it's fine, really..."she stuttered awkwardly, taking a step back from him in order to kindly decline his offer. Unfortunately, he picked her up anyway. He was admirably strong. Evangeline wasn't sure just how strong he was, but it was certainly something that she admired. Evangeline didn't bother to protest, as she knew he wasn't going to be putting her down again. After about thirty minutes of sitting comfortably in his arms, she ended up falling asleep. "I can't believe you let a human come with us. What is wrong with you?"Elizabeth asked once the girl was fast asleep. She moved so she could walk beside him."Do you know how much of a risk she poses to us? Just who is she, anyway? Some peasant girl? She looks a little too clean for a peasant....Just where did you find her, Azrael?" of course, Elizabeth had a lot of other questions for him, but those were the main ones she wanted answered at the moment."Sh-...she stole you away from me. You still owe me that kiss from earlier."she muttered under her breath, moving past him and into the darkness. Elizabeth was angry enough at the moment to not talk to him. It seemed like he had his heart set on that stupid little human girl.