Going to my father as he stood in my doorway, I approached him. In
his usual manner, he smiled softly and opened his arms to me.
Standing there in my father’s embrace, all the doubts, worries and
troubles of the day seemed to vanish. As my head rested against his
chest, I noticed for the first time that the sound of his heart could
not be heard. It would have troubled me if I had not known the
truth. As he released his embrace, but still held me, I met his eyes
with mine. What I saw there was a mixture of love, fear and pain.
“My beloved daughter,” he said softly “tell me why you asked Jacob
about the stories of the past? I thought we had agreed that if you
were to read anything you did not understand in the journals that you
either wait to speak with me or go to Klove for the answers.”
“I was worried about what I had read and Klove was so busy with what
he needed to do that I did not have the heart to trouble him. When I
saw Master Jacob, I asked him as he has never led me astray with
anything he has spoken to me of,” I explained.
Nodding, my father moved away, but held his hand out to me.
“Come,” he said gently, “Klove has dinner waiting for you. What do
you say that while you eat, we sit in the study by the fire so we can
talk in peace.”
“I’d like that,” I said smiling as we headed downstairs.
“Klove,” my father said, “bring my daughter’s meal into the study.”
“Very good,” he said bowing his head and going into the kitchen.
Within a few minutes, my meal was brought to me. It consisted of
roasted chicken breast, crisp green beans mixed with bacon and onion
and Kloves specialty… roasted potatoes seasoned with paprika and
topped with melted cheese.
“Enjoy your meal m’lady,” he said and left promptly.
“Father,” I said softly “I wish you could partake of this meal with
me.”
“So do I,” he said softly. “Only, don’t trouble yourself over that.
Enjoy your food.”
As I ate, he watched with a smile on his face.
“There is something I need to warn you of my daughter,” he said with
a sigh after my dishes were removed by Klove. “In three days you
will be of age and at that time, you will begin to change. Although
you will be able to walk in the hot warm sunlight and partake of such
meals, you will also have a heightening of senses and take on the
features that I here possess. If you are injured and lose a great
deal of blood, unlike mortals you will not die. Instead, you will
have a great lusting for blood. As such, you will need to feed as I
do. Also, if you are killed, I will have the power to call you from
the grave and have you live as I do in eternal darkness,” he said
softly. “However, if an enemy kills me, you will be released from
that part of you which is most like me and will be mortal and die as
all mortals do.”
“Father,” I said looking at him, “you speak of this as if it is a
curse. Why do you do that?”
Looking at the pain in his eyes, I wanted to cry.
“It is a curse,” he said softly. “You do not know how much I wish
that you did not have to suffer this as I do. Though I am curious on
one thing.”
“What is that my father,” I asked placing my hand upon his.
“After all you have read and what you were told,” he said softly
matching my eyes with his as his voice became filled with pain. “Why
do you not hate or fear me?”
“All my life, you have been my father,” I said softly. “That is how
I see you. I don’t see you as a monster or as being cursed or a
demon as others might. I see the one who helped to give me life and
who has loved me all my life as I love him. How could I hate you?
For to hate you is to hate that part of me that is most like you and
I can’t do that. I love you and always will.”
“You are so much like your mother,” he said standing in front of me
and taking my hands into his.
As I rose, he embraced me to him tightly but not enough to hurt me.
In his embrace, I could feel tears on his face.
“Please father,” I said drying his tears with my thumbs “don’t weep.
I didn’t mean to make you feel sad.”
“No,” he smiled. “They are tears of joy and love for you my dear.
Now let’s go outside to the gardens so I can properly answer your
questions.”
Once in the gardens, we sat beneath the light of a full moon on a
bench amongst the roses. In the distance, the sound of wolves
howling made the night seem magical.
“Where would you like to begin my child,” he asked tenderly.
“Tell me the story of how you became what you are and how you met my
mother. I don’t understand how she died,” I said softly.
“Then I will tell you all and if we run out of time, come to my
chambers with me to rest and I will continue it when awake,” he said
softly.
“Alright,” I said nodding.
Taking a breath, my father gazed up at the sky as if allowing them to
guide him to the point where the story would begin.