by Emera Rose
"From rags to metal to silks. " Jett replied looking away.
"What does that mean?"
"Laramie, I’ve not always been royalty, actually I was little more than a slave in my starting days."
"Impossible!" I said, my eyes trained on his face. I wanted to know more.
"It's true. I am a child of a farmer," he sighed. "But, never mind that I’m sure you don't want to know about my pig farm."
"My lord, you would be wrong, please," I begged with my eyes, "tell me."
Chapter 10
"Jett! Come here, boy!"
I hunched further into the corner, wishing to the gods he wouldn't see me. I was filthy from the day's work and had not yet eaten. Even so, I knew crossing pa would be bad for me. I would stay in this corner until he passed out from the drink if I had to, more importantly, if he let me.
"Jett, do you hear me?" His voice rang out, hurting my ears.
"Here!" I stood in the corner, making sure not to stand on any of the metal poking out of the floor. "Yessir?"
"Whatyadoin?" He slurred, his body was swaying slightly from side to side, even seated.
"Nothing, not doing nothing."
*Whack*
"Don't talk back! You worthless…"
The beating began, I curled myself into the tightest ball I could manage, he would hit me with whatever was close, screaming things at me. Pa was always mad, always. After about twenty minutes of him beating on me, and my blood splattering the floor and walls, he finally used his foot to push me away. His signal that he was done for the night.
I wiped the blood that was pouring from my mouth, my body still hurting from the beating and the tight position it was in for so long. I took stock of myself; nothing was broken this time.
I crawled back toward my corner, promising myself I wouldn't cry tonight. I’ve had it worse, much worse.
***
"I was the child of a poor farmer, he hated his work, he hated me, and he hated the kingdom." Jett looked at me, a pained look on his face.
"Oh, I grew up on a farm as well. We raised horses." Trying to get him to continue, "So how did you get from farmer to King?"
"My father sold me to my sire."
"He sold you? That’s horrible!"
"Not really, my father never really cared for me, and he only needed me around to help with the farm, so when he gambled that away, he had no use for me."
"So you were a slave, then?"
"Not exactly... you see, my sire, Ergo, was a bit obsessed with me. He said that he saw a power in me that he too once had, which dwindled long ago. He felt he could mold me into a better person, a better vampire than he could be."
"Was he right?"
"Yes and no." He sighed and looked away from me again. "Yes, because he taught me so much, he educated me, traveled with me, and showed me what real loyalty meant." His eyes darted to mine swiftly then dropped back down. "He took me near battles, and areas riddled with plague. I worked hard, daily. He never wanted me to take advantage of what he was showing me. He felt privilege was a weakness."
"All that sounds wonderful. Why wouldn't these experiences make you a better person?" I was confused. This Ergo had taken him from a family that just used him as a whipping boy and took care of him.
"He showed me everything, and then on my twenty-first birthday, he said I needed to transcend. I didn't know what that meant. At the time, I knew that my sire was a bit odd, he never went outside in the day, never seemed to eat, and loved his red wine but never got drunk as pa did. Then one day, he brought me to an empty tower and kissed me on my neck. It was a strange thing for him to do as he rarely touched me, let alone been close enough to place kisses on me. I was fearful at first; I thought he was leaving me. I thought for sure he would abandon me in the tower. I watched as he walked out of the tower and locked the door, all the while I begged for him to tell me what I’d done. I screamed my apologies, but Ergo never returned."
"The kiss, he’d infected you?"
"Yes, he’d done it so quickly, I had no idea I was bleeding until I looked down and saw the trail behind me. It took twelve hours for the process to be completed."
"Wow, just twelve hours? I thought it was longer than that."
"Well Ergo, was an ancient vampire, and his venom was potent. That was in my favor, as the pain of the change is more than most can tolerate, many do not survive the change. Too much strain on the heart. But with his venom, though the pain was severe, it was over quickly."
"Then what happened?" I was hooked.
"After the change was completed, he came back and told me it was time for my new training. I was confused, but I trusted Ergo. He had yet to harm me, and every challenge or teaching made me better. I was ready.
I followed him out of the tower and was assaulted by my new senses. I could hear everything, and I could see for great distances. I could feel the air on every pore. Then I tasted the venom in my mouth. I could feel the lust for blood clouding my mind, my muscles coiling, waiting for the kill to come. I felt murderous. I remember looking at Ergo and seeing the smile on his face. He made me a killer, he made me a monster, and with everything, in my dwindling soul, I hated him for doing so."
I gasped loudly at this, "You didn't want to be what you are? You don't want to be a vampire?"
“Laramie, I hated myself from the moment I was created, I would’ve never agreed to something like this no matter how much he thought I would gain from it. I never wanted to kill others, to harm others. All I wanted was to travel and maybe become a fisherman. Once Ergo realized that I intended to deny my nature, he lashed out against me, training me harder than ever, ridiculing me for being weak. Instead of staying strong to my morals, I gave in. I killed to eat, for fun, for practice, for anything. This pleased Ergo, and he thought I was coming around, so he rewarded me. He taught me to fight and taught me so well that the King's army requested that I be placed directly at the King's side. There I killed more, learning simpler ways to feed, learning tricks to disarm any enemy. I used my anger and my angst to improve, it was my fuel. I never lost a battle as a guard. I was the best, all the guards and those that wanted to be a guard looked up to me. Instead of basking in it, like the king and Ergo thought I should, I became more and more hateful.
Ergo paraded me around like his prized possession, and all the while, my hatred for him grew. With every kill, I wished nothing but death on the man who caused me to be this way. Finally, many years after I was placed in the guard and Ergo had changed me, I’d pretty much come to terms with what I was. The seething hatred I had for him was still there, but it was latent, just sitting there in the back of my mind. I maintained my position in the guard, always learning new ways to kill and hunt, and studied different war strategies. My eyes always on the prize, until Deeana." He gave a small smile, and my heart clenched for him, she wasn't here, that could only mean bad news.
"You loved her?" I asked, even though I already knew the answer.
"With everything I was and would never be. Deeana was a human, and she was so full of life. I had originally taken her to make her my meal, but within moments I could tell she wouldn’t be used for that purpose. She was so strong-willed and curious. Always curious." He laughed before he continued, "After a while, we became inseparable. She found the most obscure places to visit, to try new foods, new clothing, plays, every day something new, and every day I was smiling more and more. Time passed, and she became restless and decided we should be married. I was ecstatic. I didn't think it was possible that she loved me in the same way I loved her. With this, I was ready to let the anger go. We set up the most beautiful small wedding, very quaint as she called it. I was walking to her room the night of our wedding when I knew everything was wrong; I could hear her mewling. I rushed into her room and the worst sight of my life." He closed his eyes tightly like he was in physical pain. "Ergo, the bastard had her and was draining her, by the time I reached her, he’d killed her. I just couldn't understand why he would do something l
ike this. Why would he hurt me in such a way? I asked him, and all he could tell me was that she made me weak. I tore him to pieces, literally. The only regret I have besides not getting there in time to save the love of my life was killing him so quickly. I should’ve made him suffer for eternity."
There was nothing I could say to him, this pain he was feeling was eating him alive. I wish I could help him let it go, but I couldn't. I’d never been in love, and I have no idea what he was feeling.
"I am so sorry that happened to you, Jett. But I’m happy that you were able to know you were loved."
"What?" He looked at me like I was crazy.
"You went from one person who beat you to another who just used you. Your whole life, you have been treated as if you were nothing more than a mere trinket, but with Deeana, she loved you. She wanted to spend time with you, to hear you talk, and to be with you. She showed you that you were capable of being more than just someone's prize, that you were more than just a trinket."
He looked at me, a small smile playing at his lips, "I guess you’re right about that. I was, at one point, loved. Now that I think about it, it is a nice sentiment."
"Exactly, and who knows, maybe next time it won't take you by surprise when the next maiden falls for you." I laughed but instantly stopped when I saw his expression.
"There will never be another."
"Surely, later on, when-"
"No! She was it, never again will I allow that to happen. Never!"
I took a breath, moving my eyes down. All I wanted to do was throw the covers over my head and hide. "You said in the beginning that he educated you, how so, just in the art of war and such?"
Clearly happy to be off such a hard subject he exhaled and continued, "No, he taught me all matters of arithmetic, logic, the sciences, and the arts. I am sure I could give even the most experienced scientist a run for his money. I am quite skilled in logic fares."
There goes that dimple again.
"My word, that sounds wonderful."
“What about you, which area did you excel at?"
"Well, I never received any schooling, so I guess I don't excel at anything." I wish I could shrug right now.
"Wait, never? What about when you were younger?"
"I was here when I was younger."
"Well, can you read?"
"No, Jett, I cannot." I sucked in a breath once I heard how sharp my voice had gotten.
"I am sorry to be so intrusive Laramie, I just do not see how that is possible. I send you to get loads of parchments for me, and you always bring back the correct one." He shook his head.
"I have a wonderful memory, you show me once, and I will know where it is. I am pretty sure I could draw you a picture of the exact location of anything in your chambers." I was a bit proud of this fact.
"I see, well, that won't do." He stood from the chair, my eyes following him the entire way.
"I am sorry, did I do something-"
He cut me off, "No assistant of mine will be without the knowledge to read or write. I will come to you every day so that I can teach you. You will learn, it will be hard, you will want to give up, but it will be worth it."
"My lord, you can't be serious-"
"Oh, but I am! Allow me this indulgence, please, I haven't had the opportunity to read for pleasure in so long. I think you would really like it."
He seemed so happy, I couldn't deny him, and if I was honest with myself, I did want to learn. "Ok, I will give it my best shot."
"Great! We will start tomorrow."
"As you wish."
"Ok." He looked as if he didn't know what to do with himself. He straightened his tunic, giving his hands something to do. "I must be on my way then. I will be back tomorrow."
"I look forward to our first lesson," I said, not wanting him to see that I really meant it. I would miss him when he left.
Chapter 11
The days blended into the weeks, minutes into hours. True to his word, every day, Jett came and taught me a little. To say it was a struggle is an understatement. I was able to pick up on the letters easy enough, but the phonetics of it was the hardest part. He drew crude pictures and made strange sounds, all the while never making me feel stupid or like a small child. I was grateful for that.
"Laramie, just sound it out, you’ve done this one before."
He held the book open, my eyes straining as if that would help my tongue form the correct sounds.
"Boo...booo-ll-it? Boolit? Bullet?"
"Yes, that's correct, now continue," he trained his eyes back to the page.
"The bullet tears through the leether.."
"Leather."
I let out a sigh signifying my annoyance, and he noticed my frustration.
"So, are we done for today then?"
"It's not that I do not enjoy the lessons, Your Majesty. It's just the content of the lessons I don’t enjoy."
"What do you mean?" he closed the book and looked at me.
"Well, everything we read seems to be about someone dying, war, or fighting. It’s a tad tiresome to read about hate all the time. Would it be possible for us to read something a bit lighter?”
"Ah, I see. So action does not interest you? How about some fantasy? Romance?"
I let out a small giggle. I could just picture Jett reading a romance book, how strange a sight that would be, "Well, I’m not sure what my cup of tea would be, but maybe we can try some different ones?"
"As you wish." He smiled in his radiant way again and stood from the chair, "But if you start crying due to the words in a book, I swear I will never come here again."
I let out a louder laugh, "I promise you no tears." I waved my hand through the air to cross my heart. His eyes nearly popped out of his head. "What?"
"You moved."
"No, I didn't, I’m still on constriction."
"You did, you moved your hand."
I looked down at my hand, realizing for the first time that my neck was moving, I was able to move my head up and down, and not just my eyes and facial muscles. I slowly lifted my hand testing what he’d said. "Well I'll be, you’re right, I am moving!" I lifted the other arm, bent at the waist, stretched my neck from side to side. I couldn't move my legs as of yet, but I was just so happy to have any movement.
I laughed and laughed as if I’d never moved before, looking at Jett, I realized he was not laughing with me. "Jett, what’s wrong?"
"Nothing, why would anything be wrong?"
"Well, you’re standing there like you just drank some spoiled blood."
He let out a sigh, "Well, as pleased as I am that you appear to be getting better, I’m a bit upset that you’ll be moving on soon. As much as I hate to admit it, I do not relish not having our little lessons anymore. Once you are up and about, we will not be able to do this."
"Why not?"
"I can't be seen with you in this manner."
This was starting to get annoying, "And why not? Are you the King or not? Why do you let them dictate who you speak to or how you spend your time." I lowered my voice, remembering that I was speaking with the king and not just some random slave. "I understand that you have to keep a facade for those in the kingdom, but you should not have to change what you want, so they see you a certain way. You will be King until you die, there is nothing they can do about that no matter their opinion of you."
"Such fire, you would make a good counsel."
"What is that?"
"Someone one would go to for advice."
"Oh, I don't know about that. I don't know many things; I just know how to survive." I lifted my hands again, taking stock of my body. My skin was intact, but it was strangely pale, like I’d been wrapped in bandages for months, and I guess I had been. I could see all the veins running through my arms and not just the thick ones, the small ones in my hands as well. I needed to get some sunlight somehow.
"Well, Laramie, I must take my leave. Until tomorrow."
“Yes, until tomorrow."
***
Two weeks later, I’d completely regained the use of my legs. My skin had healed almost perfectly, and only a few feather-light scars remained in some areas. Only I would be able to see them. I spent as much of my time trying to improve at reading as I did at trying to get my legs as strong as they were in previous times. It was tough work.
"Laramie, I think you are well enough to leave the medical bay," Priam spoke while palpating my legs.