[IC] Blood Soaked Desperate Times

[HiddenBeauty13]

The sound of hoarse coughing could be heard echoing down the hallway that ultimately led to the king's chambers. No one botheree to go towards the disturbing sounds, though, as they all knew that doing so would only lead to the rising of the king's wrath. The king himself was on his knees, coughing into a silk cloth that he hoped would muffled the sound but soon realized that it could not silence it. With each cough, his body shook so violently that his kimono slide off his shoulders and onto the floor, revealing his body. His body was at its thinnest and signs of malnutriton were present. It was hard to eat when your throat was too sore to get anything down, or when your body seemed to reject everything that you ate.

After two more intense spells of coughing, it finally subsided, leaving the king with a sore throat and a burning sensation in his chest. Groaning, he slowly pulled the silk cloth away from his mouth and was not surprised at all to see the blood that had collected onto the cloth. He paid it no mind though; he knew that it was simply a new addition to the various stains that had already had their place on the once white cloth.

Tossing the cloth to the side, Hyugi realized that he no longer had the strengh to support his body weight and collapsed to the flood, breathing heavily. He had to lie there for a while until his vision stopped swimming as it usually did once he was done coughing his organs out. I wonder...I wonder how much longer I will be able to take this. The king thought to himself as he clutched at his neck. I've been able to ignore the affects of this since I ten...but I don't think my body can take it anymore. It was getting so bad that he often went days just lying in his bed, desperately wishing that his body was normal like everyone else's as he did when he was younger...but that wish seemed as though it would never come true at this point, which is something that Hyugi had finally accepted.

If I die right now, I think I will be okay with it. At least I would get to see mother. The thought was enough to provoke a sad smile from the king and he closed his eyes, silently willing himself to just drift away away into death. He never had the chance to meet his mother, but had heard many things about the former queen. Maybe he'd finally get a chance to experience all her kindness himself.

Hyugi....Hyugi....you can't just leave the kingdom like this. War would consume the nations and result in their destruction...However, with my help, I assure that you will live long enough to see peace between all three kingdoms... A familiar voice nagged at Hyugi, making him open his eyes once more. It always seemed to bother him whenever he had thoughts of death and he instinctively moved his head so that he could stare at the leather book that was currently taunting his concious.

The book was composed of dark leather that was tough enough to endure even the most severed of tears. On the covered was a round seal with a golden clasp that held the thick book closed. In addition, the word Demonis was engraved into the leather and filled with gold so that the letters popped out. Demonis is a spell book that was passed down through the Hisoro family generations...though no one ever got the chance to use it due to various reasons.

Hyugi usually ignored the book, not wanting to break the family's tradition of leaving the book closed. However, he'd become more and more drawn to the book since his rapid health decline when he became the king at only nineteen years old. Now, as he stared intently at the book, he knew that he would be the frist to open the book and use its power, especially if it could somehow heal his sickly body.

With a sudden surge of energy, Hyugi reached out and grasped the book with his hand. He the pulled it close to him and took out the key that would unlock the clasp and allow him to read the pages. Is this really what I want to do? The king asked himself and he hesitantly fingered the key. He had no idea what would happen when he opened the book...though if it was going to kill him somehow, then he hoped that it would be quick.

Hyugi....Hyugi....Hyugi....Hyugiiii.

The book seemed to chant and, after a while, Hyugi could no longer ignore its call. Taking a deep breath, he inserted the key and turned, watching as the clasp came undone and the book opened. During that time, the king had closed his eyes, ready to accept his fate, but as he open his eyes, he was surprised to see that the pages were blank. "What...what the hell?" He asked, his frustration and anger growing as he flipped widly hrough the pages. "Where is the writing!? Where are the spells!?" All the hesitation and fear of his ancestors for nothing. Hyugi was in such a rage that he barely noticed the tiny writing in the middle of one of middle pages. Raising an eyebrow, the king leaned forward and squinted so that he could see what was written there. It seemed like a name, a very exotic sounding name at that. Maybe this is the spell... Hyugi thought and then proceeded to say the name outloud:

"Kinn."

As soon as the the last syllable left this lips, the entire room suddenly became cold and became three shades darker as an unexpected wind blew out all the candles he had lit. A howling sound rang in the air at such a loud pitch that Hyugi ended up dropping the book so he could cover his ears. His heart beat widly as dark shadows rose up from the blank pages and wrapped around his bloody cloth. It was then swept away towards the middle of his room, spiraling so far up that Hyugi was sure that it was going to break hole through ceiling. This dark energy continued to spiral around the room, knocking over items and disorganizing paintings until, finally, it clear. However, what it left behind surprised the king more than the actual appearance of the dark enegry itself.

"Who are you and how did you just come from this book?"

[PopeAlessandros]

~A little girl hums softly as she plays with her little dolly. They are both clad in white, the frills and ruffles tossing gently in the late afternoon breeze. Around her the earth is barren, the grass long dead from the dark soil. Around her stones making the final resting places of most upon the mortal sphere loom, but she takes no notice of them. Her head turns, he gaze lacking with his as he approaches, Her bright blue eyes light up and she calls out to him.

“Come Kinn! Come play with me!”

His eyes go to the sky and in the distance a faint rumble makes it's way to his sharp ears.

“I don't know if that's a good idea . . .”

His voice fades, her name not reaching his ears even as he speaks it. She giggles as the wind becomes cold. The bite of it brings tears to his eyes. She smiles, turning back to her dolly. He reaches out for her, trying to tell her it's not safe here, however all that he can hear is the howling of the wind. It begins to rip at his clothes, the fine material shredding upon his body and leaving him bare. With a cry the wind at last reaches it's peak and with a cry like the ungodly winds he is torn from the earth and flung high into the air. . .~

~~~~*~~~~

His feet come to rest on a cool wooden floor. His body, clad in nothing but the moonlight streaming through the large open window, stretches and rolls as he awakens from his long slumber. He draws in a shuddering breath as the night air rushes over his body, refreshing him. As his arms come down the last bit of shadows moving freely throughout the room comes to settle about his shoulders and with a faint rustling noise a long black cloak appears around him. The thin, fine material moves freely as he turns towards the sound of a man's voice. Green eyes lock upon one another and his eyebrow raises at the question. His tongue moves slowly inside his mouth as it learns to work again. After darting out to moisten his dry lips it slips across his fangs languidly. “You call for me, and you do not already know the answer to that question?”

His voice sounds a little rough but smooths out as he continues speaking. “It seems I am called by one who did so out of ignorance.” He takes a deep breath through his nose and his left hand comes up. In his hand is held the bloody cloth the king had used to try and muffle his coughing. Kinn's eyes drop to the stained fabric and a faint smile curls his lips. Bringing it close to his face he takes a long whiff of the scent of the blood. As he exhales his eyes flutter close and a low groan rumbles in his chest. His eyes open slowly and his gaze moves back to the man who had summoned him. His arm drops and the cloth falls from his fingers. Moving closer to the man he smiles. “I can guess as to why you have called me. However. . . .” The last word almost sounds like a purr. “I need you to say it. I need to know, why have you summoned me, mortal?”

[HiddenBeauty13]

Hyugi could only sit there and watch in confusion as a naked male was left after the unexpected mass of dark shadows finally disappeared. Thankfully, he is clothed by that same dark mass but that didn't really improve the situation. The king then frowned when he saw the fangs on the man and immediately came to the conclusion that the man was either sharpening his teeth on a daily basis or was some supernatural being that supposedly did not exist in this world. Hyugi was so dee in though that he nearly missed the man's weird reaction to his silk cloth that he could barely stand the sight of, let alone the smell. Just what is going on here? I ask for a spell and I get a man who has some sort of fetish for the smell of blood.

Hyugi then moved back as the creepy male began to come closer to him, asking he why he had summoned him. "Look, it was not in my intentions to summon you...whatever you are. I just wanted a spell that could cure me of my sickness before it kills me." He replied with a soft sigh before looking down at his hands. "I've been this way since I was ten years old. I'm tired of it now, as it's slowly killing me from the inside. If you cannot cure me either, then nothing will..." The king muttered, his sadness and despair evident in his voice. It was also clear that, although he was upset, he would be willing to accept death if and when it decided to come and claim his life.

[PopeAlessandros]

'Such a lifeless man. He moves, he breaths, and yet he appears as a corpse' A slow smile spread across his lips and slowly he crouches down before the fallen man. 'That smell in his blood, it is definitely disease. It will take time, but I can purge it from him' As he settles in a couching position his cloak splits open, sliding against his thighs and coming to settle behind him like a cape. Reaching out he touches the man's hand softly. “I can smell it in you. The blood, coursing through you, riddled with a foulness that would soon claim you life if not dealt with.” Looking up into the human's eyes his smile fades even as his eyes darken slightly in interest. “I can heal this, but it will take quite some time.”

His fingers brush gently over the back of his hand, the pale clammy flesh making him cringe internally. 'This has indeed been ravaging his body for a long time. I am not going to like this very much. However, he called for me, so I must fulfill his wish' “I can take you blood into me, draining from you the disease and purifying you a little bit at a time.” He chuckles lightly. “It will hurt, as all healing does, and as I said, it will take a while. During this time I must feed only on you, so you must be ready when it is time. If not, your blood will begin to decay again.” His tongue comes out to slick across his fangs once again, the feeling of them on his tongue making him smile. His hand drops down before he draws it back to rest opposite the other perched on his right knee. “So, human, do you think you have what it takes to become one of the living?”

[HiddenBeauty13]

Hyugi watched the man with raised eyebrows. He could smell it on him? It made the king wonder if everyone else in his kingdom could smell his sickness but quickly dismissed the thought, deeming it irrelevant and quite ignorant also. This man was obviously a vampire,--which is a conclusion he had finally reached--one that the king had only heard about in fairy tales; so, of course, he could not only smell his blood in general but the disease there as well. He also knew that those fangs of his could be deadly and decided to keep a close watch, just in case.

Hyugi was then startled from his thoughts as he felt something touch his hand. Glancing down, he realized that the other male was touching him but decided not to pull away as he would do if anyone else tried to touch him. Usually, he would try to keep his distance between him and anyone else, even with the servants who's job included some form of physical contact. With the way his skin looked and felt, though, Hyugi didn't want anyone near, just in case they would somehow manage to catch the disease too. However, this situation was different. He figured that, since this man was supposed to be helping him, he would allow him to do whatever it took for him to clean his blood. "Of course. I don't care what you do, just please, make me healthy again." Hyugi practically pleaded with the man. Fear nor pain could keep the king from practically binding himself to this mysterious being that he called up from the spell book.

When it seemed as though the vampire was not moving fast enough, Hyugi tore at what remained of his upper clothing until all that was left was his pants. He figured that exposing more of his sickly looking skin would urge the male to come and make him better already. The king just hoped that he would not regret the decision once the vampire started.

[PopeAlessandros]

Kinn watches with vague curiosity as the man rends his own clothing from his body. 'I must admit, that looks far more comfortable. Clothing is such a bother. It separates one from this other in a most unpleasant manner. However, that has no real bearing on the task at hand' Reaching up to the plain silver clasp at his throat Kinn snaps it open, causing the cloak to fall from his frame and pool around him on the floor. In the same motion he slides in closer to the other male. “Then it is decided. . .” He murmurs faintly, drawing the sickly body in close, flesh against flesh, until he can feel his magics working their way about the human. His arms snack around the man's torso, one hand on his back to hold him in place while the other one snakes up to grip his neck gently. His long fingers spread, forcing the human's neck to arch for better access.

A faint warmth radiates off of his body, the magics granted him for this task doing their work as he leans in for his first taste of the befouled lifeblood. As his fangs sink through the thin, willing flesh of his neck, Kinn cringes inwardly at the vile, rotten flavor. However he does not stop, his venom pouring through the wound to numb the area. 'That should help with the pain. I can not take too much, he could not tolerate it, and I don't think I could stomach it. . .' He can feel himself gagging after only a couple mouthfuls and with one last swallow he releases a new venom to put the man to sleep. Coughing lightly he pulls back, a faint shudder running down his spine. As soon as he's sure the man is asleep the vampire picks him up and places him on the large bed.

'That shakes have begin already. This stuff is potent. Maybe it isn't natural?' He watches his trembling fingers and shakes his head. 'Indeed, this may be the work of an outside force. He has been this way since childhood. Who would wish this on a child? Even we who are born of the night do not bare our fangs at ones so young. . . .' Crawling carefully over the slumbering man Kinn settles into the bed next to him, drawing the blankets up to cover the man and keep him warm. Kinn however lets the night caress his now shuddering figure as his body tries to cope with what he's just ingested. 'This is going to be very unpleasant for me. I should be well enough by morning. . .' With that he lets himself slip away while his body continues to do it's work.

[HiddenBeauty13]

Hyugi did not resist when the vampire pulled him in close and the king shivered slightly as his body touched his, which was slightly cooler than his own. He did not have much time to dwell on that as his head was tipped back, exposing his neck to the man's fangs. Hopefully it won't hurt more than my throat does when I am having an episode... The thought caused him to shut his eyes tightly in unexpected fear. What if he couldn't handle it? No, it was too late now, the vampire already had his eyes locked on his neck and was ready to do as he asked. There was no turning back now.

A strangled cry bubbled from Hyugi's throat as the pair of fangs pierced his skin, bringing an unimaginable amount of pain with it. "I-It hurts...!" He breathed and dug his fingers into the palms of his hands to keep him from passing out. Thankfully, the pain subsided and Hyugi assumed that the man had used some form of numbing venom to do so. However, the king was too busy trying to recover from the initial pain to worry about the fact that he couldn't feel the area anymore. "Hurts..." He mumbled as he felt his eyes began to get heavy and, for some reason, he felt really tired. Must be...the venom... He thought right before he lost consciousness, his vision blacking out completely.

The sound of soft laughter reached his ears and, as he opened his eyes, he sees what seems to be a woman. She is slightly blurry but he can make out a few facial features. He watches as she turns her head and looks down at him, smiling a bit to herself before gently reaching up and running a hand through his hair. ''My baby...'' She says weakly to him and the baby boy watches as his mother's face suddenly begins to deteriorate...

Hyugi woke up suddenly and grasped at his bare chest, gasping heavily for breath as the covers pooled in his lap. Sweat covered his body and his face was pale, as it usually was after having that same nightmare multiple times during the week. I really wish that they would not happen so often. It makes me want to avoid sleeping for a while... the king thought as he stared out the semi open window in front of him, watching as the sun's rays bathed the floor in warmness. It took a while for his breath to return to normal and for his heart to beat at the pace that it was supposed to. Once the affects of the nightmare subsided, Hyugi moved his hand from his chest and placed it beside him, only to touch someone's bare chest. Jumping a bit in surprise, he glanced to his right and discovered that a pale man was lying on top of his covers; he looked comfortable enough, as if he belonged there and Hyugi raised an eyebrow. Just what happened last night...?

He remember falling into another coughing fit for nearly an entire hour, then giving into his temptation of using the spell book to find something that would heal him. Oh. That's right. Instead of a spell, he got this guy, though Hyugi had to admit. After getting some blood sucked out of him the night before, he did feel like he had a bit more strength in his body, though it would not be enough to get him up and walking out of his room. "Hey, hey you..." He called to the vampire, nudging him slightly with his thin elbow. Hyugi needed to get him up and hidden somewhere before his servants came as they usually did to watch him get dressed since he would not actually let them help.

"Hey. Wake up.."

[PopeAlessandros]

As soon as the other body in the bed shifts, jostling the whole thing as it rises without warning, He is awake. 'I do not want to get up yet. Perhaps he will let me sleep in. . .' He suppresses a smirk as the cool clammy hand presses against his chest before being withdrawn swiftly. 'Don't suppose he use to touching people. Not in his condition' Kinn begins sending threads of energy about his body, making sure that the poison from before has worked it's way completely out of his system. 'As long as the magics are doing their thing, all of his new blood created after this point should be pure, and untaintable. This will take a long time, and the last withdrawal it going to be interesting. . .' Kinn groans as his hopes of a late morning are dashed by an elbow to the ribs and a voice calling for him to wake.

His eyes crack open, the light in the room wreaking havoc on his head as it seem to pierce directly into his brain. 'God, it's been forever since I've had a poison hang-over. This day will not be pleasant' After a few seconds he blinks a few times and looks to the man who summoned him. 'He looks better' He simply looks at him for a few seconds, then with fluid grace he sits up and moves into a long stretch, His arms arch up over his hid and his muscles flex beneath his skin as he pulls them tight. The movement pulls a few loud pops from rebellious joints and with a sigh he drops his arms down to his thighs. His eyes move to the window and with a glare he waves his hand. With a click the window snaps shut and the shudders follow suit, blocking out some of the sunlight now plaguing the room. Looking to the bed's other occupant he gives the man a blank look, blinking once slowly as he waits. 'I wonder which I will be this time. Will I be a lover? No, not with his illness. . .A doctor? Perhaps. I hope he doesn't try to make me a secret. That never works, and it's annoying.' Raising a questioning eyebrow he simply waits for the man to speak.

[HiddenBeauty13]

Hyugi could tell that the male was not a morning person by the way he groaned once he finally awakened. Sorry, but I'm more of a morning person than a night person. The king thought with a sigh, hoping that they wouldn't have any conflicts because of it. The sound of the window closing startled him from his thoughts and he looked over to the vampire with a surprised expression on his face. He can do that too? Just what else is this man capable of? He unintentionally began to think of all the 'super powers' that he had read about in books as a young boy for a moment before finally realizing that he man was waiting for him to say something.

"You must get up and put some clothing on before my servants come." Hyugi explained with a slight frown; he realized that he had no where to hide the man as his room was composed mainly of open space that of separate rooms. So he had to think of another idea, one that he figured would be more believable. "I'm going to tell them that you're the doctor that I summoned last night, but it would look questionable if you were lying here next to me." He added, glancing towards the door. The king knew that they only had a little bit of time left before the first servant arrived and he did not want to encounter the awkward moment that was bound to come, especially since his servants knew that he rarely let others in his room, let alone in his bed. Suddenly, a knock echoed throughout the room, making Hyugi jump slightly.

"King Hyugi, may I enter?" A feminine voice called from the other side of the door, followed by another light knock that made the king's face go pale.

"I-I, uhm, give me a moment please!" Hyugi stuttered uncharacteristically before turning to the male beside him and gesturing for him to get up. He didn't mean to be so demanding, but this was something would travel through the castle faster than wildfire and he did not want to think of the embarrassment that was bound to result from it.

[PopeAlessandros]

'So, a doctor. Good choice' His face does not show it but on the inside he pouts at the fact that he has to put on clothing now. 'Clothes are such a nuisance. Clothes should be outlawed' However before he can express his displeasure there is a knock at the door. His eyes pan over the the large ornate wood covering the entrance to the room. Taking a deep breath he takes in the scent of the ones behind it. 'Two young woman, smell of cleaning supplies. And a young man, more cleaning supplies and some incense. Common servant with the favor of a richer human. Most likely a lover'

He blinks slowly once at the man sharing the bed with him before sliding off the plush mattress and popping a few more joints. As his arms fall to his sides the cloak that had gone missing some time in the night from the floor re-materializes around his nude figure. The fabric knits together in the front so he can move without his bare body being exposed with every step. The voice calls through the door once more, “Highness, is everything alright?” Kinn turns back towards the bed, crossing his arms over his stomach after pulling his hood up. His thin fingers slip into opposite sleeves as he waits for what is to happen next.

[HiddenBeauty13]

"Ah, yes. You may enter now." Hyugi responded and watched as his servants entered. However, they immediately paused once they noticed the vampire standing near the king's bed. "Your highness? Who is that?" One the women asked cautiously as the male servant instinctively reached for the blade that he kept handy for times like this. Sensing their distress, Hyugi held up his hand, signaling for them to stop. "Don't be afraid. This is Kinn, my new doctor. I summo--called for him during the night as I heard that he may have what it takes to heal me. So far, he has shone some proof but it will be a long treatment. With that being said, he will become a guest in our home and I expect for him to be treated just as well as you all treat me." He tone was light but the servants knew that Hyugi was serious about what he'd said.

"Oh...I understand, your highness." The male said with a slight bow as he returned his blade to its original hiding spot. He then turned to Kinn and bowed again. "I apologize for pulling my weapon on you, Doctor. My name is Roy Karp and I will be under your command as well." He then straightened once more and walked over to the king's bed. "King Hyugi, shall we get your bath ready now?" Roy asked and then walked towards the washroom as Hyugi nodded, the two women following shortly afterwards. Their eyes seemed to be glued to the mysterious cloaked figure as they left the main room and their whispers plagued the quiet room. It was only then that Hyugi turned towards his new 'doctor' and spoke. "I hope you don't mind, but you might have to wear different clothing when we're out of the room. It might raise some alarm in the castle if you walk around in that." He suggested, judging by the reaction that he received from his personal servants. If they responded in that way, who knew how the others would? He also had no idea how the vampire who seemed like dislike clothing would respond to his suggestion; Hyugi just hoped that he would at least see where he was coming from, thoughl.

[PopeAlessandros]

His eyes seem to almost glitter beneath his hood as Kinn eyes the servant entering. 'Fear, distress, protective posturing. None of these are suspect' He raises an unseen eyebrow at the young man reaching for something inside his kimono. 'Good instincts. He may be useful' Taking a deep breath he almost grins, but manages to refrain as the bedridden lord begins speaking. 'Too bad I must feed exclusively from the sick one. The young one smells tasty' Turning his attention to the man on the bed his eyebrow raises once again. 'He sure can spin quickly. I suppose it is mostly believable, however I wonder if they will think it odd to have not seen me come in last night' Shifting his gaze back to the young man he bows slightly in acceptance of the apology.

Watching as the servants leave the room Kinn ignores the lord at first, his mind on other matters. However after a few moments silence he turns back to the man who summoned him. “They will get use to it. Once you begin to heal, it will be of no matter what I wear, and until then they are free to think of me as they will.” A hand slips out to gesture at the front of his robe. “The fabric is sealed, I know how you humans worry about showing off your bodies so I will take care as to not expose myself in what you would call inappropriate manners.” Glancing down Kinn shifts slightly further into the room as the morning sunlight grows stronger against the floor and begins it's slow crawl across it.

Looking to where the servants had vanished he moves closer to the bed, stopping just short. His robe moves smoothly against his skin, brushing the covers as his forward movement stops. “The closer I am to you, the better. I would prefer to share this room with you, however I have known many humans who find such things distasteful or scandalous, so if you insist on my resting in a different room it must be as close as possible.” His eyes travel up the blankets to the man's face. “No matter what you decide, I will be spending most of your waking hours with you, and I will check on you as you sleep. Please make sure they all know this so I will not have to deal with the hassle of being stopped by the guard as I do what you have asked of me.”His expression is neutral, one eyebrow raised in question.

[HiddenBeauty13]

Hyugi nodded after listening silently to what the vampire had to say. He had no idea why he had to stay with him at all times, but the king figured that it was one of those unimpeachable things that he would simply have to go along with. Being around someone all the time when you are used to staying alone for long periods of time will take some getting use to on Hyugi's end. However, the king was willing to put the effort into it, especially if it meant becoming healthy once again. A few moments later, the sound of footsteps could be heard and, as Hyugi turned to look behind him, he noticed that the servants had left the washroom in order to come and retrieve him. "Your highness, your bath is ready." Roy announced with a slight bow and moved closer to the king so that he could help him to his feet as he always did.

Hyugi nodded and allowed the man to gently grab him by the arms and lift him from the bed. It wasn't as difficult to stand as it usually was, since Kinn had cleansed his blood the night before, but his body still felt heavy and movements still felt slower than what they should have been. The king clutched Roy's arm as his head began to spin slightly and the servant looked at him with concern. "Are you alright Your Highness?" He asked, concerned clear on his face. Hyugi figured that Roy was thinking of the other times when he'd practically passed out in the male's arms just from standing up too fast. "I'm fine...Don't worry about me." The king replied with a reassuring smile, though Roy didn't seem to buy it. He shot one more glance towards the vampire before leading Hyugi over to the awaiting bath. While Roy bathed their King, the two female servants began to pick out something for their king to wear from his wardrobe, which was filled with robes of various colors. However, Hyugi preferred to wear red so that is exactly what they pulled out: a red robe with golden trim, one of the king's favorites. One of the servants then made his bed before neatly lying the robe and Hyugi's under garments on the bed. This process only took a few minutes and, once they were done, they stood by the bed side by side, their hands clasped behind their backs.

As the sound of water splashing occasionally filled the air, the two would periodically glance over to the king's new doctor with curious eyes until, finally, the eldest one, who had long brown hair and cool blue eyes, decided to speak. "I apologize beforehand if this is rude to ask this of you, but where exactly do you hail from?" They had called doctors from near and far, from nearly town and country, and yet, this was the first time they had ever heard of this doctor so of course they would be curious and maybe even a bit skeptical of him as well. As they waited for an answer, the brunette would look over to the washroom to make sure that Roy was still occupied with the king. She knew that he wouldn't approve of her questioning guests like this but she just had to know.

[PopeAlessandros]

Kinn watches with mild interest as the man is helped out of the room by his servant. 'I will need to get a base line eventually as to how he functions so I can measure the improvements as they come' He slowly wanders around the room, his keen ears picking up the sounds from the bathing room helping him keep track of the progression of the cleansing. 'He made no offer for me to follow, so I will stay here for now' As he moves about the room he trails his fingers over various objects. The solid feeling of the world around him feeling a bit foreign after being asleep for so long. 'It is like learning to live again' His own thoughts make him smile slightly, his eyes trailing over the king's female servants. 'They are practiced in their duties, it seems he has a routine. This is good, structure is essential'

When they finally finish with their task and come to a stop beside the bed he turns his attention back to his exploration of the room. A beautiful jade dragon statue causes him to pause in his slow wander. His fingers begin running across the entire figure, taking in as many details as he sensitive fingers can find. 'This is very old, it carries with it many memories' His smile returns for an instant before fading back to his normal cool indifference. He makes his way nearly to the same wall as the door to the washroom when a voice behind him draws his attention. His body freezes for a moment, his head tilting as he contemplates the question. 'How to answer. He and I have not discussed this. Is there an wrong answer? No. . . .I do not suppose for one so desperate as he that any land could be held as taboo to providing this kingdom with hope'

Turning slowly, his robe swishing lightly against the floor with the motion. The servant visibly swallows as their eyes lock. His seem to glitter out of the darkness beneath his hood and the younger one returns her gaze to her feet. Attempting a light tone he replies, “I am from Terra Firma.” When she simply stares back at him he shakes his head. “It was a joke, the meaning of those words lost on you I suppose.” She nods slowly, a flush setting up in her cheeks. Looking towards the splashing sounds from the other room he lets out a sigh. “I am from a place you have never heard of, in a land you have never seen.” She nods once more, knowing better than to question any further. 'Indeed, she cares not where I am from. All the care she has in the matter is what I may do for her ruler' Looking once more about the room he lets the knowledge seeped into every crack and crevice sink into him, gaining knowledge in a way no human could think to comprehend as he waits for his ward to return.

[HiddenBeauty13]

The female servant fell silent after that brief conversation with the king's new doctor, though her mind was flooded with thoughts of what he had said. A man from far away...how is it possible that King Hyugi contacted the man and he came so quickly? Unless the he contacted the doctor without out knowledge... The girl silenced her mind and focused once she noticed that the splashing had stopped. Moments later, Hyugi and Roy exited the washroom. Even though the king had a towel wrapped around his waist, both girls turned away to give their King some privacy as they knew that he did not like people looking at his body. "Rhea, Tiona, can you gather all of the servants and tell them to meet in the dining hall? I have to make an announcement and I'd prefer only to say it once." Hyugi said as Roy unwrapped the towel from his waist and began to towel him off. It was one of the things that Hyugi hated about himself: he was too weak to do something as simple as that for himself. Brown eyes watched as the two female servants left, muttering a soft 'yes, sir', leaving the three males alone in the room. An uncomfortable silence plagued the space, making Hyugi a bit uneasy. If his own personal servants were suspicious of the man, there would be a good chance that the rest of his staff would not accept him so easily either. The king just hoped that Kinn's arrival would not break the usual atmosphere of his estate, though Hyugi had a feeling that it had happened as soon as his servants walked into the room.

Roy finished toweling the king off in silence and then proceeded to help Hyugi into his clothing, starting first with his undergarments and then with his robe, one that brought out the king's green eyes. Once done, Roy then excused himself, saying that he would gather all the stragglers into the dining room as well, leaving the king alone with his new doctor. "I am going to tell everyone that you're doctor from a land that no one here has even dreamed of before." The man stated as he shuffled over to a nearby dresser where he began to brush his hair. "You were contacted about a month ago through an urgent letter from me and I escorted you in myself to avoid alarming everyone else...That's the story we're going to stick with for your arrival. However, they will be curious and maybe a little suspicious of you, so you will have to come up with something but I'll try to keep everyone from hounding you with questions all the time. Just do not mention the book." Hyugi added, though he was sure that Kinn already knew that. After brushing his hair a few more times, the king began to walk towards the door; his head was held high, hid back straight and his strut proud as usual. He looked like any old king and, if you didn't hear his coughing shaking the walls of his estate every other night, then you probably wouldn't have even known he was sick. "C'mon, it's time for you to meet everyone else."

Hyugi led the mysterious male through various halls, some of which were covered in intricate flora designs while others were exposed to the crisp morning air that filled the king's lungs. The sound of running water could be heard nearby and birds chirped a sweet tune as they bathed in one of the king's bird baths. The usual murmur of servants voices was absent and Hyugi smiled slightly to himself. As always, he could rely on his three personal servants for anything and, as he slide open the door to the large dinning room, he could confirm that they had did as they were told. Thirty five males and females of all ages sat around the long table, laughing and chatting away happily. No one looked upset or underfed as some servants are in other countries; Hyugi prided himself on treating his servants fairly and with care. They had already prepared breakfast and the delicious smell nearly made Hyugi drool over himself, but the servants had no touched it yet as they had been waiting on their king. When they noticed that Hyugi had arrived, they all stood and bowed to their king, saying a cheerful hello as they did so. However, those cheerful looks turned to ones of confusion when they noticed Kinn standing beside their king.

"You highness? Who is that an standing beside you?"

"Is he a new servant?"

"No, we would've met him then."

"When did he get here?"

The small crowd began to ask question after question and Hyugi held up a hand to silence them. "Please, take your seats and enjoy your breakfast. I'lll explain everything while you eat." And that's exactly what Hyugi did, telling them the story that he'd made up a little while earlier with Kinn. Some seemed to believe him but, while others were skeptical about it, they didn't dare voice their oppositions. Once done, Hyugi went and fixed a plate for both Kinn and himself then offered one to the vampire. "Here, eat up."

[PopeAlessandros]

With a relaxed sigh Kinn settles with his back against the wall beside the doorway leading to the bath. A low hum starts up in this throat as his mind wanders here and there, surveying all he's learned. He closes his eyes, examining what he can while he waits. 'This place if fairly old, as far as humans are concerned. Many lifetimes have been here and gone since even last I was in this land. I recall now, being here twice before, however back then things were far more savage' His brows twitches slightly as he hears the king exit the water and begin making his way back to the room. With the door between the others and himself he allows himself a little time to himself as the king addresses his subjects. When he hears the door leading to the hall close behind the woman Kinn kicks the door beside him lightly so that it swings shut and he can see the other two males clearly.

He lets his eyes rove openly over the ailing man, examining him at a distance as the servant works. 'I can see him almost building himself up as the other works. Like he is preparing for some great feat' He cocks an eyebrow at the thought, but like so many others of his pointless observation, it slips swiftly from his mind and leaves him once more with a blank expression. As the last servant leaves Kinn moves in closer, his curiosity piqued again as the man seems to change even as he speaks. 'A simple story, it will not be difficult to recall or stick with' He lets out a sigh as the man gets steadier and steadier as he prepares for the day. Should he be one for such things, Kinn would find himself impressed. However as it is, he is simply a bit curious. Human have always fascinated him when it comes to such things.

He lets out a light “Hnnnn.” as he follows the man out of the room and down the hall. His hood keeps his face deep into shadows, and with his ands slipping into opposite sleeves there is nothing really to be seen of Kinn. The opulence of the halls the walk down would have most turning their heads in fascination, however Kinn stays focused on the king as they walk. He will have time later to get a good look as such things, but for now things about him need to be settled should he ever wish to walk the halls freely. His head tilts ever so slightly at the sound of many voices up ahead. Without a word he moves right up behind the king so that he is less than an arm's length away. He blinks slowly at the sudden bombardment of questions and a few of his own spring up in the process. Most nobles he's ever know do not only not dine with their servants, but also do not put up with such straightforward questioning.

However he keeps his thoughts to himself and follows close behind the king, but at enough of a distance for it not to look strange. He looks over the servants, their curious gazes switching between the king and himself as the man relays to them the same story he told Kinn earlier. When at last he finishes and fixes up two plates of food, Kinn moves to stand beside the empty chair at the head of the table and takes the plate offered him. As his hands slide out of his sleeves he can feel all eyes in the room on him. A few servants even gasp at the sight of the long pale fingers holding the plate in place. His nose wrinkles at the smell of the food, however after a little thinking he picks up the chopsticks and pulls a bit of fish flash from it's bones and begins eating. He is rather comfortable standing and turns down the chair brought for him to sit beside the king.

Instead he uses his vantage point to get a good look at the entire staff, his nose working to pick out each and every scent so that he will later be able to identify and track each one. 'Should any one of them be in on the king's poisoning, this will make it a lot easier to find out. I can track as well as if not better than a hound from the old woods, and if any of these comes near a poison I will know' His eyes track over two the three from earlier. They seem to be telling everything they can about their morning encounter with Kinn. The woman at least. The male however remains focused on Kinn, his eyes narrowed as he tries to asses his lord's new doctor, as if eyes alone could tell him something they could not before. Slowly the servants finish, excuse themselves, and leave with their plates off to what Kinn can only assume is the kitchen, before heading off to continue their morning chores. Kinn hands his plate off to one such servant and she gives a little bow before leaving the room with a faint flush in her cheeks.

[HiddenBeauty13]

Hyugi also watched his servants eat and converse about Kinn while he got to work with his own breakfast. While many seemed to accept the new doctor, some seemed very skeptical about the man and glanced at him cautiously but Hyugi believed that they would all eventually accept Kinn. Or at least that is what he hoped. While thinking, the king continued to eat from his plate, though he ate much more slowly than everyone else. His throat, as usual, was sore from all the coughing he'd done the night before and the food irritated it slightly as it went down, making the man grimace slightly. In the end, Hyugi ended up giving his half finished plate to one of his servants to clean up. He'd instructed them way before now that they could have whatever he could not finish himself. Sighing a bit, the king ignored the faint rumbling in his stomach before slowly standing to his feet, gesturing for Kinn to stand as well. "Come, I'd like to give you a tour of the place." He said with a slight smile. It only seemed fair to at least allow Kin to become familiar with his new surroundings.

After making sure that Kin was following, Hyugi led him from the dining room and back through the hallways but, instead of leading him to his room, Hyugi decided to first take Kinn to one of the many gardens that grew within his estate. In the middle of this particular garden sat a pond that was gloriously lined with multi-colored rocks. Inside the pond swam a pair of golden scaled fish that seemed to glow in the sunlight. Around the pond grew batches of minimus aureus grass and, inside the grass grew various types od flowers, such as the anemone keiskeiana and the bletilla striata. Underneath every patch of dissectum atropurpureum trees that grew were benches in which people could sit down and enjoy the fresh air. All in all, it was a really nice sight and the garden was actually one of Hyugi's most favorite places. It allowed him to forget his sickness for a bit.

The thought of his sickness sparked some curiosity in Hyugi about Kinn. Just what had he been doing before he accidently summoned him. Did he sleep the entire time or did he keep himself occupied with something else? Eventually, the curiosity became too much and Hyugi could no longer keep silent. "Kinn, before I summoned you here, what did you do?" The king asked, keeping his voice low just in case a servant happened to be nearby.

[PopeAlessandros]

Kinn watches curiously as the king does not finish his rather sparsely laden plate. 'We must put a stop to that as soon as possible. Whatever is keeping him from eating, I will have to ask him because food in very important to all living things' He tilts his head, a light pop coming from his neck at the motion, but his eyes stay trained on the king as he stands. He nods submissively and follows after the lord as he leaves the dinning hall, his focus on the man in front of him. 'He really does put on a tough front. I wonder how hard that is. His servants seem to know he's sicker than he acts, but they are keeping it to themselves for the most part. I wonder if that's under orders. I really should find out the relationships here between he and his underlings. It will help me act appropriately' His focus shifts ever so slightly as he takes in the palace's many little bits and pieces that make the surrounding more pleasant.

They are not in the halls long however, the king's first destination close at hand it would seem. As they pass out into the open air Kinn makes sure all of his flesh is hidden before he too steps out into the sunlight. 'It is good that it is an densely populated garden. This provides a lot of shade. However I should perhaps remind him the detrimental effects of such places on my health' Even with the slight misstep by his new master Kinn does take the opportunity to admire the local flora. The many colors speckled about the lush greenery makes him sigh softly. It has been quite the long time without such sights.

Eventually the king stops and Kinn picks a spot near to him beneath a Japanese maple to stand within ear shot of the man. The thick leaves and flowers allow him to push back his hood, allowing his long hair to fall loose and his eyes to wander more freely. The fresh lush smells around him Make the vampire sigh softly, taking deep breaths. His face remains neutral, but inside he does get a small thrill of pleasure from the exposure to nature. His attention however is soon caught by the human as he asks about what Kinn does between summonings.

He lets out a sigh, the same question asked of him a hundred times by a hundred different souls, some not even the ones he was summoned to. ”I suppose the like of a summoned creature wold be a curiosity for most sentient beings, having never experienced it for themselves, and the chances of ever doing so slim to none' His head tilts to the side and he murmurs, “I sleep. It is less a sleep and more a state of being unaware of anything. Like a candle that is not lit, I have no light, and there is nothing of me for me to be. I do dream on occasion, but I am not sure how often, since measuring time would require my knowing that time is passing. My dreams are memories of my summonings past. As the creature I am, I can not make new dreams, only review my memories.”

His head tilts tot he other side. “Speaking of what I am, I would request that you remember what I am and perhaps not lead me into the sunlight without warning again. I can become a little focused at times, and should I not catch myself, the painful burns would be my only warning before I am burned beyond repair.” His voice is not angry or with reproach, a simple tone of query and a polite request.

[HiddenBeauty13]

Hygui swore softly to himself as Kinn reminded him of his sensitivity to sunlight. He had nearly killed the vampire before he even had the chance to truly cure him! "Of course, I'm terribly sorry about that." He said sincerely, his tone holding a bit of sheepishness in it as well. "I will make sure that I provide you with a wagasa the next time we take a trip outside so that you will have even more protection from the sun." The king informed Kinn with a smile before gesturing that he follow him once more; Hyugi did not want to keep the vampire out in the sun any longer than he had to be. In any case, he could always look at the garden from one of the walkways if he ever wanted to come back with the vampire. Once they were back on one of the open hallways, Hyugi paused a moment so that he could think of where to take Kinn next. Outdoor gardens were out of the question (at least, during the day time it was); He already saw the dining area and most of the rooms in the castle were just rooms--nothing too special--but Hyugi figured that he could show Kinn the castle's training area for his samurai.

"I'll show you the training area next." The king finally announced with a slight smile before leading the vampire down another series of hallways, though he was careful to avoid the ones that were fully exposed to the sun, which was now climbing steadily into the sky. Soon, the sounds of determined grunts and swords clashing against each other rang in the air, signifying that they were approaching the training grounds. "You'll be able to see the whole training grounds from up here." Hygui stated with a hint of excitement as he ascended a flight of stairs that would eventually led to another open hallway in which they could view the training grounds from. While the king wasn't one to brag, he was certainly proud of his samurai. As expected, they were hard at work, despite how relatively early it was. Some men were dressed in simple cotton pants and shirts, punching and kicking away at stuffed dummies with deadly strength. Others were fully clad in bright red gusoku and, with a sword in hand, they practiced sword play with each other. A man would occasionally fall while trying to do a jump kick or get his sword knocked out of his hand by a fellow samurai but in the end, he would get right back up and fight once again. That's what Hyugi liked about them; they were strong and seemingly invincible...unlike himself. "I wish I could train like that..." The king mumbled softly to himself.

Ever since he was younger, Hyugi always wished that he could wield a sword like the samurai. Unfortunately, he became sick before he could truly receive training from his father. Then, by that time, he'd become so sickly that he could barely hold a cup of water by himself without shaking, so wielding a sword was definitely out of the question. Hyugi had been so heartbroken over the fact that he hadn't left his room for nearly a week; he felt as though his unexpected sickness had robbed him of his most precious dream. Despite that, his fascination with samurai hadn't wavered, even after all these years.

Clang!

The sound of swords clashing pulled the king from his thoughts and, with a pained frown, he turned away from the beautiful sight. It was coming, he could feel it and soon, a coughing spell fell upon him once more. He didn't want to disturb the samurai, nor did he want them to hear him, so Hyugi traveled a little ways away from the opening back to the stairs and sat down there. The king quickly pulled out his handkerchief and pressed it to his mouth, trying to stifle the noise, his body shaking with ever cough as he did so. While this spell was considerably shorter than they usually are, he still saw a few spots of blood on the cloth when he pulled it away. "Damn..." Hyugi mumbled breathlessly to himself as he rested his head against the wall. As expected, it would take more than one "session" with the vampire before he was completely cured, though the king wasn't sure if he would last that long.