The Story of the Vampire, L (Completed | Featured )

Part 2 - Dominus

Escha, for no reason at all, liked Iovita. Escha followed the older boy around all day, like a little fly attempting to land. Occasionally, Iovita would try to swat him, or wave him away, but Escha persisted. Sometimes, the older boy would let him cuddle up, and that was enough to win Escha, heart and soul. 

Escha called him "Palomia", which I suppose is a name Iovita chose for himself, but it is not his name. When Escha came into the house, the older boy was fourteen. He was already bellicose and easily wooed into a fistfight, but Escha softened him, and they spent evenings together, reading in one alcove or another. I have fond memories of coming upon them, and Iovita trying to show Escha how the letters worked.

The poor boy had trouble with reading and writing. Whensoever as the tutor would swat him, Escha would come bawling and afraid to wherever I was and cling to my robe. If I wouldn't pick him up and comfort him, he would abandon my legs and run to his Iovita, from whom being ignored was far more acceptable. It did not mean that the older liked the younger as such, but he kept Escha safe from the fists of the other boys, and for that, I decided that he might be trained as junior steward, and kept on after he came of age. 

I had not decided it yet until Vasvius brought me his three selections, which were wholly unacceptable. I had walked the line of them, turning their faces with my hand, adjusting posture, and listened to their answers to questions asked by my steward, but they were none of them the right temperment. 

He had lined them up in the atrium, lit by evening light.

"You have purposefully brought me unworkable clay," I said to Vasvius, darkly. 

"This one can do figures in his head faster than any of the others," he said, in answer, "and speaks beautifully. He will make an excellent envoy for you, as would any of the others." He gestured to an auburn-haired boy of thirteen or so, who met my eyes when I looked at him. Vasvius bowed aside, so that I might look again.

"How he quivers, Vasvius. Look," I pointed. "You cannot teach fear out of a boy. In my presence, he fears for his life. Cowardice, I will not have. You know this."

"Show them kindness and they will grow to love you."

"Love does not preclude terror. A frightened boy is not fully of his own mind. Do not presume to teach me my business."

"No," Vasvius nodded, coming to my side and whispering in confidence, "of course, you are right. What do you suggest?"

The boys stood in proper silence, arms crossed behind their backs, as they had been told to do.

I inclined my head to the side in order to speak softly in his ear. "Pick one for yourself. Choose carefully. The auburn one will run, mark me. The middle one, suicide. I smell it. The one on the end is brittle and dry. There is no thrill in him, but there is no fight either. Pick one. If he dies, it is your affair. Exercise discipline."

"Certainly. I thank you. Please, if I may ask for more advice," Vasvius said, voice steady as ever.

"It is advisable to bind them. You may be the stronger, but there is still the threat of injury. I want no sound, Vasvius. If you disturb the children, it will be to your detriment. Have little over a long while rather than much all at once or you will regret it."

"The banquet for your patrons, later this week," he said.

"If you are strong enough to work it, do so. If not, instruct Iovita in that business."

"Iovita is belligerent and crass," he advised, reporting facts.

"Inform Vivacio that Iovita will be his second."