Legacies of Blood

The sound of birds chirping somewhere outside the window wouldn’t have been enough to stir Elaina from her slumber if Elsebeth hadn’t thrown the curtains open. The redhead winced and rolled away from the light, wrapping herself in the landgraf’s silken sheets.

“Come on,” Elsebeth said, slapping Elaina on the ass playfully. “Time to get up. We’ve got breakfast here already, so you need to get it while it’s hot.”

“Do I?” Elaina protested, opening her eyes with her face half-buried in the pillow. It had become a familiar sight for her with how much time she’d spent face down in it the night before. The landgraf had made good on her word and then some, demonstrating considerable proficiency with the strap-on she’d introduced her to. Not content to let well enough alone, Elaina had decided it would be fun to throw a little magic into it, refining the function of the artificial phallus so it performed its best. Elsebeth had been enthusiastic about the little trick.

“Technically, no,” Elsebeth agreed. “But I’ve got a lot to do today, and I’d like to get another quick one in before I get the day started.”

Elaina propped herself up on her elbows to look back at the woman, messy ginger locks falling into her face. “Oh?”

“If you’re up for it,” Elsebeth smirked, her ash-blonde hair arguably messier than Elaina’s. “You seemed to have a good time last night, so I assumed you would be.”

Elaina thought back to the night before with a blissful smile on her face. It had been hours of trying various positions, drinking, eating, talking, and laughing. Something had come over the two of them, putting them in their own personal world of pleasure play. The swordmage had found her to be quite the ardent lover, one who needed to get quite the pent-up energy out of her system.

She was also quite versatile. The landgraf could assume a dominant role when it suited her, issuing commands and ruling over Elaina’s senses with absolute certainty, then switch to the role of the submissive and let the redhead run wild with her flesh.

“What do we have for breakfast?” Elaina wondered, rolling out of bed and leaving the sheet behind. Elsebeth was walking around completely naked, so Elaina so no reason she couldn’t do the same. Together, the pair padded barefoot over to the table where breakfast awaited them.

“Have a look,” Elsebeth said with a sweep of her arm toward the spread of breakfast pastries and sweets. “I noticed how much you liked the cake last night and realized it’s probably been a while since you’ve had the opportunity to indulge in sweets, so I brought you some more.”

“Thank you,” the swordmage said, eyes wide at the assortment of sweets that awaited her. “I didn’t even hear you leave.”

Elsebeth snatched one of the pastries from the center platter and took a bite. “I had them leave it just outside the door, so I didn’t have to go far. But I think a fireball spell could have gone off, and you wouldn’t have noticed with how soundly you slept.”

A flash of the landgraf between Elaina’s legs, as she held them open and railed her with the harness, went through the swordmage’s mind. “Not entirely surprising.”

The landgraf smirked with an imperious tilt of her chin before taking another bite of her pastry. Elaina had learned the night before that the woman prided herself not just on her sexual performance but in leaving her lovers thoroughly satisfied. “Last night, you said you wanted to talk to me about the vault.”

Elaina nodded, quickly chewing the bite of her own puffy pastry, and swallowed. “Yes. I had something I wanted to ask of you, but I admit now I feel a little bad asking after such a wild night.”

“It’s alright,” Elsebeth chuckled as she sat down in the same chair as the night before and crossed her long, toned, sun-kissed legs. “I was the one that had you put it off. Proceed.”

“Right,” Elaina nodded again, wiping some of the flaky pastry crust from her lips. It was a little strange to be making a proposal like this naked over breakfast, but she was running out of time. “I told you a little of my sister, how she sent me on my original errand here that snowballed into something larger.”

“You did,” the landgraf responded, pouring herself a hot cup of coffee before topping it off with a bit of cream and sugar.

Elaina sighed as she placed her hands flat on the table. “Well, it turns out there was more to it than that. She wanted me to get something out of the vault for her after closing the rift. The assumption at the time was that I would be the only one here.”

“It’s a good thing you weren’t,” Elsebeth remarked, taking a quick sip of her coffee.

The redhead offered a short laugh. “Agreed. However, the fact remains that she wants something rather specific from the vault. It’s of considerable value, however, so I would be willing to take it as my portion of the spoils if you were amiable to it.”

“Of course,” the landgraf agreed readily, taking another bite from her pastry. “Have you given any thought to my offer?”

Elaina stared at the landgraf in momentary silence before slowly relaxing into her seat. “Is one of those things contingent on the other?”

“No,” Elsebeth responded, a gentle smirk tugging at the corner of her lips from behind the rim of her coffee cup. “I just thought it would be a good time to ask. Compensation for remaining on with me would need to be factored into your portion.”

“Oh.” Elaina cleared her throat awkwardly before continuing. “The thing she wants me to get my hands on is a mirror. It’s some kind of powerful artifact belonging to her bloodline, the Oberites.”

“Should I be concerned?” Elsebeth wondered, setting her coffee cup aside and giving Elaina her full attention. “Surrendering such a thing to a vampire is no small thing.”

“I know,” Elaina acknowledged sheepishly. “But no, it is nothing to be concerned about. If I’m being completely honest with you, I think she wants to use the mirror’s power either to become mortal again or give her a means of having a child. She was robbed of that when she was turned.”

The landgraf’s expression softened visibly, and she looked away from Elaina for a moment. “I see. For someone looking forward to bearing children, it must feel like an essential part of her womanhood was stripped away.”

Elaina hadn’t thought of it that way before, but it made a lot of sense when she reflected on some of Kaethe’s behavior. She would be struck with moments of extreme melancholy, often becoming distant as she got lost in her thoughts. Supposedly, Oberites were prone to such bouts of depression, possessing the blood of fae while tainted with the curse of vampirism. The two weren’t meant to co-exist with each other.

“Very well,” Elsebeth agreed. “You shall have your mirror.”

The redhead perked up, a little surprised at how readily she agreed. “Really?”

“Of course,” the landgraf responded, flicking some of her blonde hair back over her shoulder with a brief moment of her head. “I’ve no reason to refuse. I have more wealth than I will ever need to rebuild Willowridge or restore the lands surrounding us. Even if I didn’t, I’d have no use for a vampire artifact outside their salable value. The client list for such a thing would be exceedingly small, likely residing entirely within the Obsidian Court. So it’s likely that it would end up there anyway.”

“Well, if that’s the case,” Elaina laughed a little nervously. “I suppose I should tell you about the other vampire artifact in there, in case you’d like to do that.”

“There are two?” Elsebeth asked incredulously. “You’re sure?”

“I am.” Elaina sighed as she peeled some of the outer layers of crust from the pastry on her plate. “I know she’d like to have both, but her preference is the mirror. With how big of a favor this is, I thought it prudent just to ask for the mirror.”

“What’s the other artifact?” The landgraf pressed as she rose to her feet, taking a step closer to Elaina as she caressed her shoulder with the tips of her fingers.

“A scepter,” Elaina replied as a tantalizing shudder ran down her back. “For the Draken bloodline.”

“Mm.” Elsebeth leaned close, kissing Elaina’s neck gently. “The ruling bloodline, if I’m not mistaken. The queen’s bloodline.”

“Y-yes,” Elaina confirmed as she shivered under the woman’s attention.

“I should like to have such a thing to negotiate with her face to face, then,” Elsebeth whispered into Elaina’s ear. “Stay with me, Elaina. You could be of great value in such negotiations, to say nothing of your value in my bed. You could help me rebuild. We could be happy.”

Elaina’s mind went blank, unable to form a response with such a beautiful woman on her neck, tantalizing as the offer was. There was still the matter of her and Royce, to whom she owed some allegiance, even if the witch had not explicitly asked for it. The two of them were meant to go south, where Elaina could finally begin training the way she had wanted for so long. The mystics of the vishanti people were famous for their sword magic and skill with the blade. If she stayed, there was no way of knowing if such an opportunity would present itself in Zelmesca.

“You don’t have to decide now,” Elsebeth continued, tilting Elaina’s head to capture her warm lips with her own. The redhead moaned gently into the kiss, feeling all the tension and worry draining out of her. Perhaps she could talk to Royce about it and see if there was a way to compromise between the two distinct life paths set out before her.

Elaina’s breath came faster as her mind became a whirlwind of half-complete thoughts. But such a whirlwind couldn’t stand against the all-encompassing fog of lust that was sure to overtake her if the gorgeous landgraf continued to let her hands wander across the redhead’s body. “I---.”

An abrupt pounding at the chamber door cut Elaina off, nearly causing her to jump out of her chair in surprise. Elsebeth straightened up immediately, moving quickly to snatch the silk sheet from her bed and tossing it over to Elaina. “Come!”

Elaina wrapped the sheet around her just before Kitch entered the room. Sitting in her chair, the swordmage tried to remain as unassuming as possible, but with her tousled fiery hair, she stuck out like a sore thumb. The kyrsahn warrior glanced in her direction and did a double take as the redhead brushed a few errant locks from her face and offered a small wave.

“What can I do for you, Miss Steelwhisker?” The landgraf asked from behind a changing screen, drawing the warrior’s attention away from Elaina. “I hope it’s quite important to interrupt my leisure time like this.”

“*Oui, Madame,*” Kitch responded, standing at attention as she continued to speak in Orpevan. It wasn’t a language that Elaina spoke, but she was surprised to find that Elsebeth could. She was a remarkably educated woman.

“In Zelmescan, please,” the landgraf requested as she stepped out from behind the changing screen, wearing only a set of lacy lingerie that was not unlike what she’d worn the night before. She moved about the room, gathering her things as she fixed her hair. Elaina couldn’t help but admire the graceful and authoritative way the noblewoman moved. “There’s no reason to remain covert around Miss Woodlock. I trust her.”

“Of course,” Kitch acknowledged, glancing again at Elaina in her state of undress at the breakfast table. “Trevik has informed me that there are items missing from the vault.”

Elsebeth tilted her head to one side as she gazed into the mirror on her vanity, replacing the earrings from the previous night with a more conservative set. “How would he know if something is missing when he’s only just started.”

The kyrsahn shifted her weight before taking another step closer to the landgraf. “Madame, he has made considerable headway in cataloging the vault. He was at it all day yesterday and most of last night, breaking only for sleep. Even though he has much more to do, he insists that of the items he had already inventoried, there are some now missing.”

Elaina had only just taken another bite of her pasty when Kitch had spoken. Her chewing slowed suddenly as she glanced in the landgraf’s direction. Elsebeth turned, her brow furrowed with irate concern. “He’s certain.”

“*Oui*,” Kitch answered, her whiskers twitching as she straightened up.

“Has he informed you what items are missing?” The landgraf pressed with a distinct edge in her voice.

“A few magic items waiting to be identified by Resius,” Kitch responded. “Namely, an old scepter and a mirror.”

Elsebeth’s anger was palpable despite how well she kept her composure. Kitch’s ears turned slightly as her whiskers twitched. Elaina felt like the bottom had fallen out of the room, and she was in free fall. Everything they’d done together the night before suddenly vanished into memory as they were yanked forcefully into the present.

“Summon Lady Dashiell and the cuirizu to the main hall,” Elsebeth ordered. I wish to speak with them immediately. Have Resius, McKenna, and Arkere meet us there.”

Kitch clicked her heels together and bowed crisply at the waist before hurrying from the bedchamber to complete her task.

“I swear, Elaina,” Elsebeth said once the door closed. “If your sister sent you here to distract me while her allies plunder my coffers, I will be forced to act swiftly and decisively.”

Elaina rose from her chair, dragging the sheet behind her as she approached the landgraf. “Elsebeth, please, remain calm. I don’t think she would---.”

“Calm?” Elsebeth interrupted icily. “Do I not seem calm to you?”

“You seem angry,” Elaina noted as Elsebeth quickly pulled on the rest of her clothes.

“Why shouldn’t I be angry?” the landgraf asked as she shot Elaina a brief glare.

Elaina chewed her lip as she closed the remaining distance between them, placing a hand on Elsebeth’s shoulder. “I didn’t say you shouldn’t be. I don’t think this was my sister’s doing, but if it was I will be right beside you to demand answers.”

The righteous fire in the woman’s eyes diminished, and she offered the redhead a short nod. Just knowing that Elaina would stick with her a while longer to see this through went a long way. Elsebeth reached up to the sheet wrapped around the swordmage and pulled it free to discard on the floor at their feet. She took a moment to look Elaina up and down, making no effort to conceal the lascivious nature of her admiration. “Grab something out of my wardrobe and get dressed. I’ll wait for you.”

Elaina did as she was told, even though much of what was in Elsebeth’s wardrobe wasn’t likely to fit her properly. She was much taller and bustier than Elaina was, but the alternative was putting on the outfit she’d briefly worn for their date the night before, which didn’t seem appropriate considering the circumstances. She did her best to pick out something amid Elsebeth’s traveling clothes that looked like it might fit and put it on. Though convinced that her sister would never have done such a thing, the thought that Myanna might have done it began to enter her mind. The cuirizu had known the artifacts were there and what to look for. Perhaps she’d lacked confidence in Elaina’s ability to convince the landgraf.

The swordmage pulled on a pair of riding boots when she was finished dressing and pushed her ginger hair back out of her face. The two left the bedchamber without a word, walking briskly until they reached the main hall. It required a little effort on Elaina’s part to keep up with Elsebeth and her longer stride.

As they approached the hall, the soldiers stationed at the doors threw them open for her so the pair could enter. Emerging into the main hall, Elaina could see others already gathered for what they assumed would be routine official business. The look on the landgraf’s face immediately told them it wouldn’t be.

Resius stood close to the head of the hall, waiting patiently for Elsebeth to take her rightful place in the ornate chair nearby. As Elaina approached, he made eye contact with her and she offered him a smile. He looked much better after getting a good night’s sleep. She caught a brief glimpse of the amulet around his neck beneath his armored coat. Trevik stood across from him with his characteristically sour expression fixed upon his face.

Not a minute after, Elsebeth sat upon the chair at the head of the hall, and Elaina took position next to Resius, Azade, and Myanna stepped through the main doors. Myanna looked the same as she had when Elaina last saw her, but Azade wore an impressive gown composed of living plant life that looked as though it could have bloomed on her that same morning.

“You wished to see me, Lady Amberdeen?” Azade asked pleasantly.

Though Elsebeth’s chair wasn’t a throne per se, Elaina noted that she certainly occupied it as if it were. The fact it sat on an elevated dais only added to the appearance. “Indeed, I did, Lady Dashiell.”

“It must be a matter of great importance,” Azade remarked cooly. “To summon me as a woman of lesser station. Only those of a higher rank may summon me in such a way---or you, for that matter.”

“I meant no disrespect,” Elsebeth replied as she leaned forward in her seat. “But it is a matter of some urgency that requires our swift and immediate attention.”

“Our?” Azade wondered curiously as she glanced around the room, her gaze pausing briefly on Elaina.

The landgraf placed her hands on the arms of her chair as if to brace herself. “I’ve received word from Mr. Arkere that there has been a theft from the vault. Your cuirizu companion is one of few people who has knowledge of the vault’s interior and what is contained within.”

“Is this an accusation?” Azade asked, squaring her shoulders as she lifted her chin.

Elsebeth remained careful with her words and tone. “Of course not. But she has expertise that might be useful in the matter.”

Azade’s eyes flicked briefly over to Myanna before settling back on the landgraf. “I see. In that case, it would be my pleasure to be of assistance to you. What is the nature of these stolen items?”

The landgraf took a breath and relaxed slightly. “Magical. Though moderately skilled in such items, Mr. Arkere is by no means an expert. Anything he was not able to identify immediately was set aside for my occultist Mr. Resius and my witch Ms. Mc---.”

Elsebeth’s brows furrowed as she glanced around the room. “Where is McKenna?”

The room’s occupants looked at one another, silently repeating the question to each other before looking around in hopes of spotting her. Elaina frowned and shrugged as Elsebeth looked to her for an answer. Had she not spent the night with the landgraf, she might have had an answer for her. Instead, she was clueless.

“Where is McKenna?” Elsebeth repeated with a raised voice.

Kitch stepped through the main doors, her expression difficult as ever for Elaina to read. She noticed the rat-like ears on the top of her head pressed back firmly against her skull. The landgraf’s gaze fixed itself firmly on the kyrsahn as she approached.

“Steelwhisker,” the landgraf said, bidding her to speak.

“Madame,” Kitch began, taking a moment to catch her breath with what must have been a great deal of running around Willowridge’s grounds. “Royce is gone.”

“Excuse me?” Elaina blurted out, unable to believe what she’d just heard. “What do you mean gone?”

Kitch glanced at Elaina before silently seeking permission to speak further from the landgraf. Elsebeth nodded quickly and motioned to the swordmage with one hand. Azade’s expression turned curious.

“I searched for her, Elaina,” Kitch said with an unusually empathetic tone. “But I didn’t find her anywhere. I checked the hospital wing, the mess hall, and the baths. Even her tent is missing.”

“W-what?” Elaina’s blood ran cold as she envisioned the tent they had shared in the bailey suddenly vanishing into thin air. Everything they shared, everything she owned, was gone.

Kitch’s whiskers drooped as she shook her head. “I’m sorry, Elaina, but Royce McKenna has vanished.”