Vivienne

Denise walked up to the third floor and grabbed a small stack of boxes. “The secondary bad news is that the vampire queen is coming.”  The Darla seemingly floated back to the table with the four small boxes in hand. “I will need all of you to help me wrangle her in.”

Brian grimaced and hit the table, “I thought the point was to kill this vampire, not wrangle…”

The Darla flashed her devious hazel eyes at her student. “Brian.”  She half snarled, “Refrain from interrupting me with your hatred.”  Taking a deep breath and walking to Brian first, she handed the big man his box and patted him on the shoulder. “Your vigilance and determination to save Casey from the fiend is commendable.  Please be calm, you are among family here, we love you.”  The Darla winked. “Pick your battles, my novitiate.  You will have plenty of time to get Casey back, don’t worry.”

Brian felt the words from his teacher start to soothe his mind, “You are right, Loved One.”  His eyes scanned the red box with a gold ribbon tied to it. “Thank you for your generosity, My Loved One.”

“You’re very welcome, Brian.  You have come a long way in only a few days.”  She handed a black box wrapped in gold ribbon to Jonah. “Captain Charles Jonah. This is for you.”  The Darla smiled and spoke to the group, “He has distinguished himself among us by selflessly sacrificing his own body in some cases, in order to facilitate intricate spells that protected all of us.  Like tonight.  Without the extreme use of his skills, we wouldn’t have escaped in time.”

“Loved One.”  Charles bowed his head wearily. “I don’t have much magic left in me.  Look.”  He raised his sleeve and exposed the pale skin on his arm. “It has fed on me too much.  I didn’t heed your warnings about maintaining food stores.”  He flicked the gold bow on the box. “I love magic too much.”

The Darla leaned over and kissed her fellow mage on the cheek, “Don’t worry my friend, I know how low your reserves are and have accounted for it.”  Denise walked and handed Captain Kino a deep orange box with the same gold ribbon. “Captain Angelie Kino.”  The Darla began, “I never expected to have a woman of such strength and determination within my humble home.  I realized your potential after your first hand to hand fight with one of the night stalkers.  You have developed into a machine that can cleanse the battlefield clear of them given enough time.  You fight with such grace that I sometimes believe that you missed a calling earlier in life.”

Humbly accepting the box, Angelie studied the meticulous way it had been covered and tied. “You dote on us too much, Loved One.”  Captain Kino looked up, “I love and serve you.  I don’t do this for gifts or accolades.  I am protecting the others out there and protecting you, Loved One.”

Finally, Denise set a green box in front of Raollet. “My oldest disciple.  My oldest friend.”  She pointed to the silver wrapping on the box. “I wanted yours to stand out a little from the others.”  The Darla turned the old farmer’s head slightly and kissed his lips. “My confidant.  You have been at my side, unwavering since I awakened you all those years ago.  I couldn’t have imagined your whole dedication to the cause.  You’ve seen the struggles over the years and every time, plotted and planned ways to keep the path alive.  Tonight’s attack was a crowning achievement in the history of the Awakened.”

“My dedication is my love for you, Denise…”  Raollet paused and looked at the others, “...Loved One.”  Reliving some of the more tender moments between himself and Denise, Raollet blushed when the woman kissed him on the lips. “I’ll never leave your side, Loved One.”  His brown eyes shone with admiration, “I love you. Always.”

The Darla nodded and walked to the end of the table. “Please.”  She held up her hand, “Open your gifts.  Crafted with my own hands, those boxes hold my love for you four.”

Captain Kino pulled the delicate gold ribbon free of her burnt orange box and lifted the top. “It’s a feather.”  She pulled the little card that accompanied the gift. “Hawk’s feather.  The hawk symbolizes protection, guile and dedication.”  Angelie put down the card and lifted the feather for the other three to see. “Thank you, Loved One.  I will treasure this always.”  

Captain Jonah slipped the gold ribbon off without pulling the bow, and slid it onto his wrist. “You took the time to make it perfect, why destroy the art?”  He lifted the top from his black box and picked up the trinket slightly confused. “It’s a scythe, Loved One?”  Charles chuckled when The Darla pointed into the box. “Right.  The card.  Let’s see now.”  Captain Jonah sighed and read. “The scythe, the source of power for the Grim Reaper.  Harbinger of Death.  Quietly leading the ghosts to the next realm, the next life.  The end of one cycle and the beginning of another.”  He tumbled the trinket in his hand for a couple seconds. “Ceramic?  I love it.”  Charles bowed his head, “Thank you, Loved One.  I lived to serve your love and wisdom.”

Brian gazed longingly at his red box. “This is almost a waste of time, Loved One.”  He jerked the ribbon free and flicked the small box open. “I would prefer to save Casey…” He lifted his little object and turned it over a few times to figure out what it was.  He looked up and saw one of The Darla’s slender eyebrows raised. “The card.”  He haphazardly dug out the little card, “Flame.  The symbol of purification, inner illumination and in some cases destruction.  The flame is both helpful and hurtful, provides warmth and can burn.”  Brian squinted and dumped the object back in the box. “Loved One, You promised me that I will save Casey, bring her back to me.  Remember?  Tough love?”

The Darla held up one of her slender fingers and pointed to Raollet.

Captain Mattson held the box up to Denise and let her graciously pull the bow away from his green box. “My thanks, Loved One.”  He winked and lifted the top to reveal a bright red heart.  Raollet felt a rush of emotion and a tear slipped down his cheek when he lifted the delicate object from the box.  He wiped the tears from his eyes and chuckled, “Gimme a minute and I will read the card.”  He laughed, “I knew you loved me, D…”  He stopped and picked up the card. “The Heart.  A symbol of all that is steady and beating with purpose.  The shape denotes love and caring, it is the central part of the body and without it the body is unable to survive.  Provides the pulse and rhythm within.  Delivers what is necessary to maintain balance, delivers the cure to plague and disease.”  Raollet finished reading the card and palmed the red heart in his wrinkled hand. “Thank you.”

The Darla clapped for the small group. “They are more than symbolic, my friends.”  Closing her eyes, Denise summoned the black and green tendrils of magic and lifted the four trinkets so they were eye level with the group. “Brian.  To answer your question, These are more than objects of valor.  They contain a part of my own magic to imbue you with more power so that you can face down the coming vampire queen.”  Easing back her magic, The Darla forced the items into each of their palms. “On the count of three, break them and breathe the magic into your bodies.”

The four sat quietly and watched The Darla.

“Three…two…one.”

All four of them broke their tokens at the same time and breathed deeply.