Chapter 30
Previously: Obsidian: Ash and Moonbeams – Chapter 29
Having observed the exchange and yet again seeing what his beloved appreciates in the man, Radu does let his amusement show when he rises to his feet after having been instructed to do so, by a grunt that certainly is made extra rumbly and deep for his benefit, and nothing more than a chin wag towards the door.
“I suspect I will not need to lecture you on the virtues of not tattling while at the Court. However, even if you would, you have my promise to keep you safe. I confess to not having the latest train schedule on me, so I cannot give exact estimates as to when Lord Silver and I will return from London and the Court.”
He bows slightly to Master Lancaster and Quincy before turning to the door and asking Lord Silver to take the lead. Should he be questioned for daring him to turn his back on the voivode, he shall ask for directions. Radu sees no reason to be combative. Truly, that is not in his nature in the first place.
“… You’re taking the train?” Master Lancaster inquires with him and Radu hardly needs his mental skills, the look is most perplexed. He can only assume that he is not acting as vampiric as many a story makes all their lives out to be. One might think that vampires have no everyday conveniences and inconveniences.
“I may be a voivode, but I am quite minstrel-leaning, as I believe I mentioned before. Neither do I imagine that Lord Silver is much inclined to trust me to carry him safely, especially not given certain colour patterns.”
Maybe it is a bit of a frivolous display, but if he does not show his knightly powers on occasion, people might remember that he may not always have had them, so, with a chuckle, Radu turns around again.
For a better performance, he swipes his arm dramatically downwards in a bow, then on the upswing transforms into a bat, finishing the roll in the air before changing back to his human form again. Pleasingly to his own need for appearing civilised even with a knightly display, his feet only make the slightest sound as he lands and takes another bow. “I am more inconspicuous on a train, and the closest teleporter is in London.”
~
Arthur has to agree that a white bat isn’t the most inconspicuous… and of course at Radu’s words, he thinks of their London door, and whether to mention it- which means, now Radu probably knows about it. This mind-reading business is just as much a pain as he thought it would be.
~
Instead of a question from Radu it’s Quincy who reacts, by starting to snicker, tugging on Arthur to lean in so he can whisper: “I told him not to be so rude but clearly, I’m being rude, I can’t help it.”
Rude is evidently not something Radu likes being, Quincy can so see that he’s making a point of turning away. Whether he really can help listening in, Quincy has no idea about. Cycy’s ears are better than his whispers often enough. A voivode, well, now he feels like he needs to find better ways to have privacy.
Although, bitterly, he thinks he lacks that anyway with the fae castle he’s in. Radu warning them earlier didn’t feel like any news, they’ve suspected it anyway. But Radu offering them a way to speak more freely, that felt like a real boon. So really, there’s only one way to answer when Arthur asks him what he thinks:
“That you’ll declare me utterly insane for what I’m about to do.”
Shrugging, Quincy jumps up and lifts his arm.
“Darling! Moonshine! Hold it there. Take the faster route; I want my wife back this week if I can help it! This way.”
~
“Oh, I am so very flattered. I shall endeavour to find an equivalent endearment. Please, allow me more time. My control of your English is only rudimentary, after all,” Radu tells Quincy as he follows after him immediately while John is giving Arthur a look in which even he can clearly read the ‘what the fuck?’.
Arthur… sighs. “At this point, I’m not even surprised…” he tells John, and follows Quincy and Radu just… out of what feels like morbid curiosity. And also… they might have avoided using it themselves last week due to it being another thing they got from the fey, but, well… Maybe it’ll give the fae a moment’s pause if they notice a powerful vampire using it. One can hope.
“You are impossible! Rudimentary, my tiny tush! I’ll sit you down with Cycy once we have her back and you two can read poetry together. That should help you out with your stunted language abilities.” Waving a hand and not looking in Radu’s direction as he says it, Quincy probably doesn’t notice the expression Radu makes at that suggestion, but John clearly does and glances at Arthur.
“Am I hallucinating?” he hisses at him.
Arthur is busy blinking, because… because Radu has no business looking adorable, nope, so not, that’s a voivode, big, scary voivode, not Frimble when you hold his favourite treat in front of his nose.
Except that’s really about the look on Radu’s face, there. (And he’s not actually that big. Shorter than Art, Arthur’s sure, and slimmer, too.) So he answers John’s glance with about the same expression.
Running a hand over his face, John shakes his head. “Right, London. Got to change, actually.”
“Just go, darling, I’ll show Radu through and call him a cab. Letting those shoes onto Arthur’s old streets would be a fashion crime,” Quincy tells him, but Radu waves that away.
“Please, you should see the latest collection from that Indian tailor everybody at the Court is crazy about. Orientalism is all the rage in the human West now, is it not? Maybe once we have Darcy back, I could take you two shopping?”
Now it’s Quincy with the puppy eyes, or rather the sparkling eyes. “I insist! You owe me that and a hundred more things for that whole disaster.”
“Greedy.” It’s said with a chuckle from Radu before he gives the door a curious look.
“It’s a fae magicky short-cut,” Arthur explains. “It leads to my old house, in London. It’s not as fancy as this side, so yes, call a cab before someone tries to pick-pocket the fancy gentleman…”
~
“I believe joking about that merely providing on-the-trip snacks would be seen as distasteful, yes?”
Oh please, who is that drac trying to fool? Angelic expression and all, that one can have a biting sense of humour. Quincy snorts and approves!
“Believe me, you don’t want to bite that, gross.”
Opening the door, he gives the miniscule iridescent shimmer a look. Had it not been there, or did he not notice it before? It does look like the colours when he is running the ley lines, which apparently is what he did the day he abducted Arthur down to the beach, the books could tell him at least that much.
His face must have given him away, Radu is leaning in, clearly observing his expression closer than the actual door, maybe he’s wondering if this is a trap? If he is, he acts just as badly as Darcy’s drac would. Chuckling and just stepping right across, although again with the snappy comment. Hah, the man is delightful company!
“It would appear I still have all my limbs. I hope that is not disappointing.”
~
“Since you’re saying you’re going to help get Darcy back, no, not disappointing,” Arthur informs Radu. “And yes, I’d find that joke distasteful, because not everyone gets lucky like me.” He gives Quincy a bit of a look for his quip, too. Those “gross things” were after all him, not long ago at all.
“Sorry, honey, I merely meant the amount of washing, nothing else.” Quincy gives him an apologetic look while Radu tilts his head.
“May I inquire as to the meaning behind your observation of you getting lucky? I am not sure I see the connection to the joke I never made.”
Arthur hesitates- but Radu’s walking into his old house and can see perfectly well that it’s not the place of some noble fallen on hard times, and if he hasn’t yet, he’ll notice Arthur’s lack of proper breeding soon enough, and also… he realizes he’s not really ashamed of his background. He knows what people can and will think of it, but… it’s not like he picked it.
“Until I met Darcy, I was… well, not one of those kids, but like those kids. Except I met someone who offered me a place that’s warm and dry and where I can have as much food as I want. And that was just luck.”
Obviously listening, Radu nods along and is about to answer when he startles slightly at turning into the corridor. “My, but that is a very impressively-sized painting. In either case, I believe in the responsibility and duty of those with power and wealth to succour those less fortunate. I am well pleased to hear that Darcy exemplifies this. However, I still do not see the connection. Even had I made the joke, no harm would have befallen those pickpockets.” He sticks a hand into one of his pockets and shows off an assortment of coins. “It is there to be pocketed by those who have a need. They only need to fear me if I sense worse crimes. I do not harm humans on principle unless provoked.”
Arthur blinks at him. “…You mean it would’ve been the kind of joke you don’t mean at all, rather than the kind you say as a joke because you mean it but it’s not okay to mean it, so you pretend you’re just joking?”
Radu pulls a face and seems to bristle for a moment, but then his eyebrows rise and he turns to bow deeply to Arthur, of all things!
“My apologies, I have not been among people not from the Court for too long, it appears. You would not know that House Draculesti frowns upon the random hunt. One of the few things my brother and I agree on. We will not treat humans as if they are below the capacity for consent. Our livestock is well-cared for and entitled to refuse us. I grant the same opportunity to any human I would avail myself upon for my own needs. I am most certainly not a Lugat!” He spits the last word out with a sound of revulsion.
“…What’s that?” Arthur asks- it occurs to him that maybe he should worry about provoking Radu when he clearly has so much distaste for whatever it is, but… he’s been pretty provocative so far and he’s still alive.
“I see your education has not been taken seriously.” Straightening out, Radu scoffs. “No wonder, given who is your contact at the Court. In any case, Quincy, this is especially important for you, as it is one of the taboos you should be aware of even as a dhampir. A Lugat is the abominable wretch of a vampire who kills for their blood needs. Unnecessary, uncivilised, abhorrent, inhumane, and extremely stupid.”
Quincy shivers and goes pale. “I don’t like violence.”
“So that’s… actually really rare?” Arthur asks, just to make sure. Just because something is frowned upon, doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen, and frequently, after all…
“It always was kept in check by the Houses, but after the last war and now with how many humans there are: A Lugat is a danger to all of us. Many Houses will hunt them down personally.” Sighing deeply, Radu shakes his head. “Which, of course, can only happen once they have made themselves a nuisance. I cannot give you exact numbers; I have to assume some are as clever as they are wicked. A vampire was a human once and you should be familiar with what humans will do onto other humans for their amusement with precious little consequences unless caught. It is rare, but not as rare as I would wish it to be.”
Arthur nods thoughtfully. “Well, it’s good to know that it’s not just considered normal, at least.”
“Can we talk about nicer things now before my imagination decides to give me nightmares?” Quincy asks with his hand on the front door.
“Sure.” Arthur gives him a smile, looks back up the stairs at the horse painting, though he can only really see the frame from here. “Darcy gave me the painting. Since I like horses, she insisted that I should have a life-sized painting of one here.” The memory makes him smile wistfully.
~
“That seems like something she would do. Dear straightforward drac of hers.” Radu’s smile isn’t wistful, it’s longing, and he is well aware. His and Quincy’s dracs are a pity to perceive in their whimpering. And yet, is it not a balm to behold a kind soul sharing in his pain?
He shall find ways to express his appreciation thereof, but then he turns to the door and gets interrupted in that thought. He has to rather agree with Quincy’s earlier statement, he would prefer not having to walk those streets any longer than necessary.
“I shall wait here upon our transport’s arrival. It saddens me to say, as I fear it may insult Master Lancaster, but I would indeed prefer to refrain from spending an extended amount of time in these conditions.”
~
Arthur only looks out, and can’t blame him. He knows these streets aren’t pretty, but it’s still astonishing how shabby they look now that he isn’t used to them anymore, doesn’t see them every day anymore.
“It gladdens me that you have found a better place in life, and it also gladdens me that dear Quincy’s life has improved. Having my brother as his father is horrid enough, having Harker,” shaking his head with a glint of fangs, Radu’s voice goes quiet,” it was too much.”
Arthur finds himself giving Radu a curious look. “Do you really mean that? That you’re glad that I don’t have to live here anymore?”
~
“You may check the history books if you do not believe me, I have always worked to the best of my ability for places like these to not exist.”
He lets his mind wander over the area, his gaze following more out of old human habit than need. What he perceives causes him to sigh deeply. Some things do not appear to change, no matter how old he shall yet become.
“All this pain. A good ruler should strive to not let their citizens live in avoidable poverty. Alas, I have not held political power lately, but please, ask the humans at the Court. The reputation I have with them is the dearest thing to me I have left after my brother stole all else that was dear to me.”
~
Arthur thinks he definitely wants to hear from those humans at the Court what they think of Radu’s claims.
Running up behind them, John looks relieved to find Arthur apparently unharmed, then groans when Radu cautions: “My senses are not as keen as many knights’, so should you have hunting equipment on you, I would advise against it. I can protect you, the human accompanying me, I cannot protect a hunter at the Court.”
“But I thought hunters are basically no threat to any higher-powered vampire?” Arthur asks.
~
“That does not mean that they will tolerate one amongst themselves in our own city, our own sanctum. I know my word means nothing to you, but please, I promise it is safer without any hunting paraphernalia. However, feel free to carry any human weapon of your choice; I do understand the importance to not feel unarmed.”
The fucker really looks and sounds all diplomatic with the way he’s inclining his head there, ugh, still, now he has to turn around with an annoyed grunt. John gets it, though, he’d swat at a mosquito, too, if it got into his room. Then he realises the irony of the allegory and just marches back to hand Art half his kit back.
~
“I suppose…” Arthur says in reply to Radu… He can kind of see how it maybe would be insulting, but on the other hand… can they really blame a human for wanting to be armed as well as possible? He doesn’t think he would, but what does he know, he’s not a vampire.
Returning to the house, Quincy smiles at both of them. “Did I just see John turn around? But I finally got a cab! It’s a pain getting one here.”
“My apologies, I was worried for his safety as I suspected him to have used the chance to procure hunting equipment, and many vampires will kill a hunter on sight, especially in their own houses, for fear of them having come up with some new form of warfare,” Radu explains to Quincy as he takes a step outside the house.
“How do you mean, especially in their own houses?” Arthur asks curiously. “Like, if a human who’s… affiliated with vampires becomes a hunter?”
Radu looks over, then must realise that his choice of wording wasn’t clear to Arthur, going by his answer:
“My apologies, not vampire Houses, but ‘house’ as in their abodes. Despite being generally powerful, vampires are not bereft of wanting safety in their own homes. For many, the Court is a home.”
Arthur looks a bit confused. “Ah, in that sense… but does that mean the Court has houses? Like… isn’t a court a house by itself…?”
With a chuckle Radu, moves his head side to side. “Your London would dwarf the Court, but please imagine it more the size of Whitby than of one single building. It is more a county or province rather than one house. It harbours castles as much as open steppes for the more nomadic Houses.”
Quincy all but pouts at hearing that. “And I have to sit out on being able to see it!”
Arthur’s eyes do go rather big at that description as well. “That… does sound interesting…”
“I would imagine you, Master Lancaster, from what I heard from my beloved, would be most interested in the library. It is the fae landlord’s personal library and has been there for longer than us vampires. I am not sure of its exact age, but it surely predates the Roman Empire.” Radu is smiling at Arthur while he says it, and it looks so real. So nice. Then he inclines his head towards Quincy.
“I apologize for my weakness to not being able to take you safely. Once we have completed our current quest, I shall endeavour to use my talents to find a way to serve you better in your desire to see the Court.”
Arthur most definitely is interested in a library that predates the Roman empire… Not that he’s likely to be able to read whatever language it’s written in. His Greek isn’t anything much to mention, and who knows what other, even older languages there might be… He’s also rather confused by Radu’s words to Quincy- he sounds like he… really wants to make it possible for Quincy to go to the Court?
~
“Oh hush, Moonshine, we can discuss that once we have a Darcy to pout any old vampires into silence if you show up with both of us. She’ll keep me safe and you can keep her safe, hm?” Quincy has to stop himself from reaching out to put a hand on Radu’s arm, so instead, he wonders…
Can he?
He reaches out with his thoughts and feelings instead, imagines his drac nudging Radu’s with its snout, and the twitch and Radu’s pupils dilating tell him that worked, perfect, a wide grin spreads on his face, he likes this cheat on touching Radu, who seems… flustered. Which is much better than scared, Quincy decides before turning.
“I better make sure the cab really shows up, honeys!”
~
Arthur leans against the wall of the hallway while he waits- and really has the urge to ask Quincy what is going on, because… well, because sure, Quincy is the social one, but it’s still strange that he’s taken to Radu so much…
Or is it? He was nice to Arthur right from the start, too, so maybe it’s really a Quincy thing…
~
As Quincy dashes off again, down the street, Radu finds himself taking a step after him, feels an urge to not let him walk through streets like this alone.
The sweet young man who dares to talk to him like this, whose drac nudges his. He felt it, felt it like he felt Darcy’s, felt Cansu’s.
No! He needs to make sure he will be alright.
Another step, then his arm comes up and he calls. “Wait, căldură mea! Let me accompany you.”
He hardly notices that his feet move too fast for a human, he just wants to be closer, close enough, and Quincy’s face lighting up at hearing a pet name makes it clear that yes, he should be closer!
~
Arthur leans out the door to watch- that seemed a slightly… extreme reaction from Radu. Kind of odd… but in a protective way?
If Quincy thought it was odd, it’s not showing as the two of them fall into lockstep, already back to chatting with each other, getting out of view before John is even back. Arthur takes that to mean the cab is waiting around the corner on the main street rather than bothering driving in for his door, so waits where he is so he can send John after them.
When John does come back down the stairs, his shotgun on a sling over his shoulder, he gives Arthur a look. “Don’t tell me they went for a romantic stroll or something.”
Arthur gives him a consternated look back for that. “Romantic? No, Quincy went to check on the cab and Radu didn’t want him to go alone… Uh, I don’t think that’s romantic?”
He’s pretty sure his neighbourhood doesn’t count as romantic for strolls, anyway.
“I was joking. I hope. Those two weird me out.” Rolling his eyes, John looks down the street. “That way?”
“Me, too,” Arthur admits. “And yeah- main street’s around that corner.”
~
About to walk off, John hesitates. Part of him just wants to march on. That’d be the stoic guy thing to do. The thing he wants to project. Worse, the thing he wants Arthur to remember him as.
Just, what good did that ever really do him?
He grinds his teeth, fights with himself for a moment longer, but then puts a hand on Arthur’s shoulder. “Just in case I don’t come back: Promise me not to give up on finding Darcy. Promise me to look out for Quincy.”
Arthur meets his eyes, nods gravely. The kid is good like that. “I promise. But please do your best to come back, I don’t want to lose someone else…”
“Good.” Sliding his hand over to the strap of the gun, John grunts, it’s fine for him to have said something so openly caring if he just plays it off now. “I’ll at least shoot him if he tries anything.”
Yeah, that should do, now he can turn around. Don’t look back, seem completely confident, just walk to the end of the street, measured.
~
Only a few moments after Arthur watches John vanish around the corner, Quincy reappears, smiling as he walks back.
“…Aren’t you at least a little worried?” Arthur asks him, curious- he certainly is, but Quincy doesn’t look like he is at all.
“Sure I am. That fae might decide not to help, fae are arses after all.” Huffing, Quincy gives the house a glare before getting back inside.
“…But not about Radu?” Arthur closes the door after him and follows him.
~
“He’ll try his best with that fae, I’m sure.”
No John, no Radu. Quincy really could do without having to go back to the castle. It has his two least favourite people lingering. Bloody fae. But then, this area really is shabby. Fine, he supposes he will wait over there.
And at the very least, he gets to enjoy how curious Arthur’s look is. “You really are sure, aren’t you? That’s not just a figure of speech. Um… why?”
That is adorable, but also, one of those questions that show off once more that Arthur never is sure what he can ask. Gentle now, he might spook otherwise and ask even less. Also, the chuckle helps with the situation, and with the pang of seeing that oversize painting that really screams Darcy.
“Can you be a bit more precise? Why will Moonshine try his best? Why am I sure? Why am I not worried about him trying his best?”
“I meant, why are you sure. But the other two are also good questions,” Arthur says as he climbs the stairs after him.
Now, obviously they are all good questions, that’s why he suggested them, but then again, they also really are just variations of the same underlying reason for why he feels so sure.
“They all have the same answer,” he reassures Arthur, smiling at him and taking his hand again while he opens the study door. “Radu’s drac needs Darcy and dracs are disasters at lying.”
That smile stays right where it is, given that Quincy can tell just how happily Arthur holds his hand.
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