Forums » Fantasy Roleplay » Essence of Blood (1x1)

"Excellent," he said, leading her through the streets to keep away from the crowds of people. He hardly wanted anymore drama from them. They came to a long, paved walk way, leading up to a large brick and wood mansion. He pushed open the gate to the estate, leading her onto the property. Even though it was dark, the light the moon gave off showed flowers lining the walkway and the sides of the house.

He stopped at the large wooden front door and turned to her. "Welcome to my home. You may enter," he said, pushing it open to reveal a low ambiance of light, and a sweet smell on the air. The atrium was well decorated, with antique but beautiful furniture and a grand staircase near leading to the second floor.

Zalia was glad they stayed away from the crowds. When they reached his house she smiled a little in relief and stepped in. After the door was closed, she looked at him. "Do you...have food? Actual food? Being what you are..." She swallowed nervously. "Y-yes, I know what you are.."

She was quiet for a moment, almost flinching away. "I'm sorry...don't hurt me." She cleared her throat. She was ready to be hit.

He was completely surprised by her reaction. The poor girl had obviously been through a lot. He looked at her, and smiled, giving a slight chuckle. "Seems I'm getting careless. Or perhaps thats just because you can sense it. I know about you as well, but I feel you are a mix more than anything. The feeling is very weak with you." He rubbed the back of his head and thought for a moment.

"There was some food when I moved in here, and some of it was well sealed, so I am sure that some of it is still good. There was fruits, and pickled items. I don't know if that will suit your tastes, and if not, I will gladly go get you something from town."

Zalia bit her lip. "I...yes. Halfbreed. My father is a vampire and my mother was a human." She cleared her throat softly. When he spoke of food she nodded in understanding. "Okay. Thanks." She had him show her where the food was and she took out the items. "These will do nicely." She made her own little dish of food and sat down to eat it. "Do you live here by yourself, Mr. Alezander?"

She frowned slightly and munched on her food. "I would assume you at least have servants or a blood doll. You can't really feed from people in the town continuously I suppose, it'd get too suspicious." She blinked and blushed. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to pry...I was just thinking out loud.."

"Not at all," he said, grinning at her embarrassment. "I actually do live alone, though. I don't mind the solitude. If I'm going to live for eternity, I have plenty of time to be around others. I like to distance myself every now and then. Helps me keep my sanity." He tapped his fingers lightly on the countertop, watching her eat. He was jealous, in a way. He missed the taste of foods, any foods.

"As for my feeding," he said, making his way over to a door, that most likely led to the cellar, and tapped it with his knuckle. "I have a... I guess you would call her an aquaintance at best -- but she brings me what I need every so often. It stays very cold down there to keep it fresh. I would advise you to stay out of there. As you may know, we tend to get 'protective' of our sources of food."

Zalia listened to him and nodded in understanding. "I don't need to feed much. When I do, I'll go feed from one of the townsfolk. I'm good with covering my tracks since it doesn't have to happen often." She was quiet for a few moments. "...I guess it wouldn't be too bad if I stayed here. I don't have anywhere else to say, stay, so if you don't mind..."

Maybe it would be okay for her to be near someone. Someone like her. But she didn't want to burden him or put herself in danger.

"I don't mind one bit, but that's completely up to you. I have plenty of spare bedrooms you can use, and I'll even let you pick out the one you like." He grinned, feeling somewhat excited to have someone staying with him; someone to talk to. It had been a while since he had pushed himself into making an aquaintence or friend. This might be good for him.

"Most of the rooms are upstairs, so feel free to look whenever you'd like," and then a serious look came over her face. "Aside from the cellar, there are two more room you cannot enter. The bedroom with the black doors. One is my chambers, the other--- is private. But feel free to venture anywhere else in the house."

Zalia was instantly curious to what the private room was, but she nodded. "Of course. Thank you." She smiled softly at him. "You are very kind, mister Alezander. Thank you." She stood up, having finished with her meal. "If you could show me those rooms, I can go ahead and choose which one I like."

She had another question however. "Aside from the three rooms I am not allowed to enter, what other rules should I be aware of? And what sort of schedule do you keep? Do you sleep or are you constantly up? Do you go outside often or stay indoors?" She wanted to be aware of such things.

"You are free to do as you wish. I only ask, that if you make a mess, you clean up after yourself. I am not strict, as you will find. As for myself, I sleep mostly during the day, in my room, and only venture out when I feel the need to." He pushed himself away from the counter, and made his way toward the staircase. He escorted her to the second floor, beginning the tour of the rooms. The first three were decently sized, one having mixtures of turquoise, emeralds, and dark blues; the second having reds and browns; and the third showing off dark grays. The next few, lacked some furniture, and he recommended not choosing them. The he opened the door to the last room on the right, showing an extravagent display of whites and golds. It even had its own bathing room, as well as another room that could pass as a living room.

"It's up to you whichever you would like," he said.

Zalia nodded in understanding and followed him as he gave her the tour. The first few rooms were nice, especially the one with the pretty colors. When they came upon the last room however, she grew confused. Surely this was far too extravagant for her! "What room is that for?" she asked quietly. "It couldn't possibly be a normal guest bedroom, it's too different from the others. Was it made for someone special?"

She couldn't help but be curious. This whole place made her curious, he made her curious. Practicality said that the white and gold room would be the best, because of the bathing room and the livingroom, so that she wouldn't have to go out and disturb Alezander's rest if she was accidentally too loud walking around the house. But of course there was that part of her, pounded into her by her father, that claimed she only deserved one of the ew that lacked furniture. She wasn't worthy of the nice ones. She hardly even deserved a bed.

Upon these thoughts her expression changed. Her eyes half-closed and grew far off and her face looked sad. Finally she closed her eyes completely. Submissive to the cruel thoughts in her head. "I'll take one of the last few. But not this one." One of the very few he'd specifically recommended her not choosing.

She couldn't help but open her eyes and look a little longingly at the pretty white and gold room. After all, she was still a girl, and she wanted to be pampered. But she knew she didn't deserve it, so she turned and went to open the door of one of the rooms missing some furniture.

"What happened to make you think you don't deserve such nice things?" he asked, knowing all too well the look on her face. It made it want to show pity, but he felt that would be rude. He merely wanted her to enjoy her time here, to enjoy her life, like he had when he was growing up, before everything happened.

"I insist you take this room," he said, walking to her and holding the doorknob of the room she was about to open, so she couldn't do so. "I'll let you in on a little secret. This house belonged to my family for many, many decades. But I left half a century ago, confused and desperate to find out who I was. And when I returned, recently, there was no one here. That room, belonged to my sister. I loved her very much, and we were practically best friends. I know she would want you to stay there. And I want you to as well."

He closed his eyes, reminiscing about his childhood. "She was a lot like me, and if she were here, she would be just as persistant." He gave a warm smile to Zalia, hoping she would reconsider.

Zalia flinched when he called her out on her thoughts. She would listen to him before she answered of course, and after the major guilt-trip sob-story about his sister, she sighed and relented. How was she supposed to refuse after that? "...alright." She let go and stepped over to the fancy room, standing in the door for a moment.

"My father." she said finally. "The vampire. I was a disgrace to him. He made sure that there wasn't a single minute in the day where I felt that I was actually worth something. To him, I was a filthy half-blood. Someone who could be his new punching bag."
She didn't look up at Alezander. Her eyes were focused on the floor.

"Because of him, I'm always thinking those things. I'm nothing. I'm just an inconvenience on everyone who meets me. I'm a burden. I'm not worth the effort. I don't even deserve to live. Everyone, especially him, would be better off if I just didn't exist."
Tears glistened in her eyes and her voice grew tight, but she refused to let a single drop fall.

"I'm nothing."

"That's hardly true. If it were, I wouldn't be allowing you to stay here, now would I? If anything, people like him, and the arrogant nobles out there tonight, deserve what you are feeling and thinking." He made his way into the room, moving over to the dressers and rummaging through them. "If anyone ever gives you anymore trouble, just let me know. I don't tolerate that behavior; especially someone who doesn't deserve it. The way the children were behaving around you tonight, makes that clear."

He closed the dresser drawer and moved to the closet. "You are beautiful now, but I'm sure with a bath and a change into clean clothes, you will be breath-taking." He soon closed the closet door as well, and made his way back over to her. "Feel free to pick out any clothes you'd like. I believe they will fit you almost perfectly. I particularly like the light blue sundress in the closet."

Zalia just shrugged a little at his words. Words told to her once had no meaning. Her father's words had been pounded into her for years and years, and only emphasized by how ostriched she was from humanity. When he spoke of her being beautiful her cheeks turned red. She was shy, certainly.

"u-uhmm...thank you.." She nodded a little. "A bath sounds good. I uhm...I'll see you later.." Once he left the room, she'd shut and lock the door, then go to take a nice hot bath. After getting all cleaned up she got out and dried off. Finally, she stood there at the closet and stared at that sundress. Well, he had said he'd liked it. So there was no harm in wearing it, was there? Hesitantly, she put it on. Then she unlocked her door and stepped out into the hall, considering exploring the mansion.

While she went to bathe, Alezander had ventured downstairs and into the cellar. It was dark and very cold, but his eyes let him see well, and he felt no temperature, so he was comfortable. There were several velvet padded chairs, and bottles upon bottles along the wall. Most were empty, but a few held a thick crimson liquid, quite simple to guess the fluid. He sat now, lounging in one of the chairs, sipping on a silver goblet filled with such contents. Silly, he supposed, but he enjoyed the feeling it gave him, feeding out of such finery.

And even as he sat there, seeming to only be focused on the glorious life force in his hand, he continued to hold that majestic appearance. And soon, he found his goblet empty, turning his eyes for a moment to the remaining jars. He shook his head, knowing he was sustained for the moment and did not need anymore. But he was running out, hoping that his 'aquaintance' would return soon with more for him.

He stood slowly, wanting to stretch, but instead moving to a table to set his goblet on.

Zalia walked around the mansion, exploring it while keeping in mind the places where she shouldn't go. She wasn't used to being in a sundress so she was a bit self-conscious, tugging a bit on the outfit here and there. She had brushed her hair and let it down, though she doubted it did anything to make her look pretty. She could not find Alezander, so she assumed he had gone into one of the forbidden rooms.

Zalia spotted books upon a shelf in the livingroom and she immediately fetched one. She sat down on the couch, tucking her legs underneath her and spreading the skirt of the dress over her legs. Then she opened the book and began to read.

Alezander closed the cellar door behind him, taking a deep breath and leaning against it. His hair fell before his face, as he seemed to be in thought once again. He found himself doing that a lot in this house. He raised his hand to his face, rubbing it lightly, before standing up straight and making his way to the main room. There, he spotted Zalia.

"Ah, finished. And look how nice that dress is on you. It's a very nice color." He smiled noticing the book she was reading. "You can read as many of those as you want, as much as you want. I don't use them, so someone might as well."

Zalia looked up as she heard a voice and blushed when he complimented her. "O-oh, thank you..." She tucked some of her hair behind her ear and tugged on the dress a little once more, self-consciously. "Oh, thank you. I like reading...It's what I do in my spare time." It was the only getaway she used to have from her father. She'd hole herself up in the library and hide in the corner for hours, just reading book after book.

"Oh, uhm, thank you for your hospitality. You've been very kind to me.."

He smiled, giving a small chuckle. "When I left home, I found out the hard way what the world is really like. And to meet someone who has lived like that all their life -- I just feel the need to show generousity. The person who changed me was... like you. A half-blood. But I could never hate them." He made his way over to a large chair, sitting in it sideways with his legs over the arm.

"I'll buy you more books. So you never get bored. I'm sure you will tire of my presense over time, so it's best I give you something to take your mind off the world."

Zalia looked up at him. Like her? Another half-blood? She smiled slightly and looked back to her book, but she was still listening to him speak. She truly was thankful for his kindness.

"W-what? Oh, n-no, you don't have to do that! I-I'll never get tired of your presence, I promise! I-I mean, I've been alone for so long, it's nice to have someone else around..." She blushed a little and squirmed slightly. She looked at him for a moment or two. "How old are you? I mean, physically." She found his way of sitting kind of odd. But of course, he himself was interesting and different.