Chapter 2 Long Journey

• She gathered her gear and went outside to get her horse saddle, she wasn't going to stay the night though the stars were now hidden thanks to the storm clouds rolling in. She didn't care too much for the rain, but it was part of living on the road. She slid on the hood of her cloak after she had mounted her horse. He finally came outside, she had seen the young tavern maidens trying to get his attention they may have as well have taken off their clothes. However tonight wasn't about fulfilling his personal need but more along the lines of getting Isadora to come with him. They had many miles to travel before taking the ship back to his master's castle. She wasn't much of a talker he gathered that much already, but she wasn't jammering on and on, either. Inside the tavern she had most of her facial features hidden, out here he could see her eyes just exactly like a cat's eyes. They were copper with a kiss of gold but it was written on her face that she had lived long enough to know to trust no one. She didn't look much older than sixteen, most girl's would have already been married off by now. She on the other hand, kept the world at a distance. He had seen the kill she had recently made, so she wouldn't need to feast of any human's life force for a while. It's like for him, he didn't need to feast on blood everyday but he couldn't allow himself to go for long periods, either. He fed on human blood maybe once or twice a week, unless he was on a mission. Though, he wasn't born a vampire like his sire had been. Caelan had been turned when he was fifteen, he remembered that day all to well.
• The rain began to fall as lightning struck the sky above, the rumble of the thunder wasn't that far behind.
• "If you wanted to, we could have left in the morning."
• "Why? Are you afraid of a little rain?" She replied in a mocking tone meaning to be light-hearted. He laughed though it wasn't the annoying kind, it was however low and hearty.
• "I know that cats don't like water." He said this as his horse had passed hers, for he was setting the pace for them tonight. He didn't like traveling during the day because most people feared vampires and his skin was more fair than even those who were considered royalty.
• "Just like vampires hate the sun?"
• "That's not exactly true. I do not turn to ash or become burnt during the sunlight hours. However, I do stand out which is why I don't go out as much."
• ****NEW CHAPTER****
• "No worries then. I do not travel during the day hours, regardless."
• "Why?"
• She turned to him and pointed at her eyes as her response. She hated to be ask questions but she figured they were going to be this trip for a while might as well have some sort of dialogue.
• "Your eyes are always like that?"
• "Wasn't always. Once I turned twelve, they became like this almost like over night. So vampire, am I safe enough to eat garlic or do you faint at the smell?"
• "Garlic, wooden crosses, sunlight, and whatever else you have heard are myths. Vampires are sensitive to silver but most creatures of the night are as well."
• "Silver, but your blades are silver as are your daggers and bolts."
• "As I said, most creatures of the night are sensitive to silver. Some, it will kill them instantly and others just slows them down."
• She however was immune to the silver, but she too had been looking as to what her weaknesses were in case she would ever face that moment where she needed to know. Though fire hurt and she had been burned before, it wasn't enough to kill her and once she feasted on the human's soul she was healed, recovered completely as if she was never cinged. She however wouldn't reveal that, allowing others to believe that she was weakened by silver was on them, not her. They didn't speak much for a while as they traveled the muddy roads, even through the following day, the rain never stopped. They traveled onward even though many of the humans were doing their best to work through the rainfall, it did get to a point that even she and Caelan had to find shelter. Inside the abandoned house, she had managed to start a fire so that she could dry her clothes and though she was able to change into something dry, he on the other hand didn't have to worry about getting sick or anything as she did. But at least he took off his boots, he had on some kind of armor she had never seen before. Her own was leather and with some steel, she had made her own especially learning to live out on her own. She didn't need to rely too much on anyone, but at the moment having another body in here wasn't unwelcomed either. It had been too long since she was around someone or anyone for this long. She was sharpening her blades as the fire crackle, the lightning struck very close but she knew the horses were safe in the makeshift barn that would at least keep them dry, too.
• "So how long have you been on your own?"
• "Long enough."
• "Interesting, so long enough is what ten years or twenty years or more?"
• "Over fifty years."
• "You have fought in many battles then?"
• "So have you."
• "Yes. I am well over a hundred, so war and battles have seen and fought in many. We may have fought together or against each other."
• She was a soldier of fortunate, however there were cases that she stayed in a small village if there were no one there to defend those; she only accepted jobs that meant no killing innocent. She drew the lines at children and mothers, even single fathers who had lost their wives due to illness or birthing. Her skills were not cheap but those willing to pay also played by her rules. She stopped sharpening her blade for a moment and looked to see him watching the flames as though he was watching his life. She looked back at her blade, "I see their faces too. Those I have killed and those who died at my side, though it doesn't keep me awake. Somethings stay with even after some time has passed by."
• "It's not the faces that keeps me awake, it's the ones that you couldn't save that makes you wake up."
• She nodded she knew exactly what he meant, for she too innocent blood on her hands though she had saved many lives it was the ones that she was too late to save. She began working on her other blades to drown out her own thoughts but already she had made a connection to this vampire, but he at least wasn't trying anything. By morning, she looked out to see if the skies were done crying but apparently she had more to cry about.
• "Once it slows down, we can get back out."
• She grabbed her bow and arrows, "I however need to eat, and I know vampires don't exactly become friendly when starved."
• "When I get hungry, I too will go hunting."
• "I don't like when innocent people are being fed on."
• "Then we have something in common. I don't exactly feed on innocent people. Our master has a few that stay in the castle not as human cattle either, and then if jails become overfilled we have slim them down."
• She looked at him then went out the door, even though it was raining and most animals were not coming out she however she wasn't in the mood for elk or deer. She had her heart set on some fish as she got herself set up where she could hunt and not be bothered. She raised her bow and aiming for her moving target that would soon become her meal, she slowly released the air right as her finges released the arrow. Her arrow didn't miss as the fish felt the arrow going through it. She quickly pulled the rope until she was looking at her soon-to-be meal when she heard a scream not too far, with her coppery eyes she could see a girl being chases by men on horses. Her clothes were torn and barely hanging on. She tied her catch where she could return, she landed on her feet and dashed off. Still holding in her hands the bow as she was preparing the arrow with another one she held in her mouth. As she aimed her bow at one of the men she didn't see him when he came out of nowhere but for a vampire his size she had to admit he did move fast. The young girl manage to escape though she did turn around which made her run even faster. Caelan sunk his teeth into two of group that was chasing the young girl. Isadora aimed the arrow at the others who were trying to help their friends but each one of them fell to the ground except the last one who managed to get away. While Caelan was finishing his meal, she on the other hand did what she would normally do which was cleaning up the mess. She took what she needed off the men like always, then burying the bodies deep into the ground. Their blood was now mixed into the soil. She left their grave uncovered so that the vampire could dump the remains. She however went to where their horses were, it was then she discovered that there were others who were tied together being forced to walk however many miles barely clothed. She cut each of them out of their bindings, telling them to use the horses but follow the water. She only took what she needed before leaving them to their fates. Caelan wasn't where she had left him but at least he got the message about the uncovered grave. Isadora went back to the tree where she was to get her fish she had caught for she was starving by now. Getting back to the rundown home they had stayed in the last couple of days, she ate her fish the discarding the remains into the fire. She hadn't seen her lynx the last couple of days, her pet at times went on her own but she always managed to come back.
• ****NEW CHAPTER****
• That night they were able to get back on the road, though it was raining still it did let up some plus they couldn't afford to lose anymore time. Caelan had fed, so he was good for a while. Though the only draw back of feasting on evil men, was the reliving their lives through their blood. Caelan witnessing their lives and thoughts he could do without but that was how he learned about what was going on in the world.
• "It's interesting how you ignore things."
• Isadora having her face uncovered not even using her hood allowing her creamy brown hair to spill past her shoulders, a mass of waves he could see.
• "Ignoring what?"
• "You didn't flinch when you saw me feeding instead you finish killing the rest of the crew. You haven't talked about what you saw, so either you are ignorning what you saw or I am not the first vampire you have ever been around."
• "I have seen my share of different creatures, though the humans call us monsters, and yet they are a lot worse than we. I have seen my share of vampires and yes I had to kill a few along the way."
• "You have killed vampires?"
• "I don't believe harming the innocent. Guess you can say I am not as ruthless as they say I am. I dispise the attacking of the innocent."
• "It happens every day."
• "Not when I am around."
• "You cannot save everyone."
• She didn't say anything now she was annoyed though he couldn't see her face, he could tell from her scent from her emotions was putting off that he was getting under her skin. He learned a weakness of hers something she kept guarded which was she already knew she couldn't save anyone, but she held herself accountable when she failed. She didn't say another word for the longest though dawn was approaching, for the first time in days the raining had finally stopped. He knew he needed to hide but instead he put on his cloak with hood, they would have to stay off the road till the sun went down. She stepped off her horse taking everything off including her saddle then swatting the rear of the horse. He knew what she was getting at, they would cover more ground on foot than on the horses back. Them being creatures of the night, they could cover more ground. He gathered his long sword and shield, placing them on his back then he too had swatted his horse then catching up to her.
• "Take it that you want this journey to be over?"
• Her coppery eyes reflected some hostility though he didn't know why it thrilled him but her wild eyes should have put fear in him but instead he knew he was getting under her skin, which was becoming like the thrill of the hunt.
• Though she preferred riding because it was easier to blend in with others however they had to make up for the nights they were unable to travel. Though rethinking everything over, they would have been better not having their horses, but then they wouldn't have discovered the young maidens, who were about to be sold. Life always threw a wrinkle, yeah these were the things that bothered her maybe in some way she never would understand life. Already, she had so much to learn. At some point in the journey he had caught her running on all fours though she hadn't morphed completely. Isadora wanted to get to the ship that was supposed to be waiting on them to take her to meet the vampire's master also known as a sire. Though he never said who had turned him, so master seemed more appropriate than sire. Through the darkness they found their way back to the ship that had just arrived and sure enough Caelan could see his brothers that served the same master.
• "We made it."
• "Great." Isadora having been soaked by the rain that came and gone, and now she would be on a ship crossing even more water, but at least she was going to find out about this Dagen von Draak and how he knew her real name and maybe find out what else he knew. Maybe he would be able to help her find out about who and what she was. However she wondered what was the price for her to get the answers to her many questions. Was she willing to pay that price, but without knowing she would never feel complete, either. This was her chance and she was willing to pay whatever the price was in order to feel complete. Caelan stepping on the ship first when Keane came out of the shadows, he was not as tall as Caelan. Keane was slender build with darker hair and eyes like grey stone. She learned that Keane was one of the eldest that have been with their master the longest. They were not ready to set sail, they didn't expect that Caelan would have been able to convince her to come let alone be here when they first arrived. Right before she went into the small village the captain of the ship who was Keane stopped her, "Here, people are very protective especially when it comes to strangers. It's best not to leave the ship already you both have drawn some attention."
• she barely turned to see some of the people gathering around wondering who manned this ship for it wasn't like the ones they were use to. They knew this ship as death. They had heard tales from others that had been on sea about the ship that hardly had a crew not even pirates that had stormed it had survived, their bodies founds slumped over drained of all their blood. She went to cover her face for it was her eyes that would have given her away. Her eyes had never been the same once she had turned the age of twelve.
• ****NEW CHAPTER****
• Keane led her to the armory down in the belly of the ship, where she saw the other crew members they were not as many as humans would have on board however each vampire on board had the strength of ten or more men; so they didn't require as many to be on board. He tossed her a pair of black leather pants and top, so that she could get rid of what she had on. The put on the boots that went over the pants and went to her knees. Then putting on the armor over her shirt so that she could could appear like the others on board. Her top had padded shoulders and a belt that crossed between her breast plate and snapped right in front where her belly button was, but it was hidden behind her top. She kept her own weapons though of course the captain handed over a new crossbow which was better quality than the one she had. Even the new bolts were pure silver, she could see that their master wanted the best of the best. Even those on board had been chosen for one reason or another. She didn't know how long they were going to be out for sea but she could tell already that guards were appearing right outside. She knew the language here, hearing the guards calling towards the ship asking to speak with the captain. Keane appearing back on board and speaking in the similar language for those in this village. She heard the captain telling the guards they were leaving, only came here to trade. However he was told that they were not welcome here that it was best to go elsewhere. Again, the people saw them as monsters even though they appeared just any other person, but who really were the monsters here?
• They were out to sea and many of the others were doing their part to head back home, she on the other hand was drifting further and further away from her homeland, to be honest her home was with her elderly mother who was no longer here. Beside her was Jett who managed to get on board before leaving though she hadn't seen her lynx in days but here she was as though she had never left at all. She wondered at times what this crazy lynx was hiding, what secrets did she really know. This was another part of her story waiting to be told, the clouds behind them were not following, it was as though the storms of her life was seeing her off. She didn't sit around but assisted with what she could, though being around the others they seemed to watch her but not saying much of anything. She knew she was different, they let it known in many ways what they thought even if words were never spoken. She alone in a world, one of her kind, but in adversity she wasn't going to let herself be torn apart. She was here for whatever the reason, and one day she knew she would have the answers and maybe somewhere she might find one that was one of her own kind.