Vampyre: Desire Immortal

Chapter 17

The Caves of Rotou

Let us climb to lofty heights

and touch the stars of deepest night.

*****

The Caves of Rotou sit high in the mountains near Castle Corlac. They are wonders of Nature, sheer rock walls, and so tall the clouds kiss their peaks. From here, darkling souls look down upon their prey.

The worn hollows in the barren, rocky crags have been safe havens for the clan of Ichor for ages. Here, the darklings rest, if they choose to do so. But in the valleys below, they mingle, walking among the human prey during the hours when daylight lures the unsuspecting from their dreary huts or beckons them to travel beyond the thick stone walls of Castle Corlac.

*****

"Why are we packing all these things, Master?"

"I cannot know what we may face. I have seen the blacksmith. He has agreed to help me. I will go to him soon and gather all he has made. You are right, Xhahari," said Perdix, "the people of this valley are being hunted. I should have known better than to delve into the magic of the Infinite Shadows. All I have managed to do is to add to their clan. More Ichor means more human sacrifices. What was I thinking?"

"Do not blame yourself, Master. Your love for the Princess made you want to help her."

The old man's eyes grew large. He smiled.

"I forget you know my reasons," said the old man, "but you must never breathe a word of your knowledge to anyone."

"You have my oath," said the young man. "But there are many things I do not understand. Why did you go to the Queen to sire a child in the first place? There was already a male heir, five years old at the time."

"It's complicated," said Perdix. "The king cannot perform his male duties. He has never been able to, but that was a secret closely guarded. I was younger. My alchemy was strong, but no spell was strong enough to make his seed fertile. Everything was tried.

The King wanted a male child. He was obsessed with having one. And the Queen was just as desperate to give him what he wanted. He would rid himself of her and find another female womb more fertile.

Dyryke was my rival. His magic was quite powerful. I still believe that if he'd only worked with me, instead of against me, that we could have found a potion to make the spindle of the King work as it should. But Dyryke would not hear of it.

My rival was the most handsome, charming fellow in Megara. If he had come to me with the same bargain that he made Her Majesty, I would have lain with him myself!"

Xhahari laughed.

"He convinced her to give His Highness an elixir that he'd made to make the King sleep soundly. As our King snored beside the Queen, Dyryke came to her."

"In the same bed?"

"Of course. You would not expect Her Majesty to couple with Dyryke on the cold stone floor! And as luck would have it, her womb was fertile, and the seed Dyryke planted within her took hold.

She was with child.

The King was overjoyed. Dyryke had convinced His Majesty that the omens were good and that all the signs pointed favorably that a male heir would be conceived. The King and Queen made the most of this great news, drinking and feasting privately in her chambers. He drank the potion and felt the heat grow inside his body.

He fell sound asleep beside his wife, snoring loudly enough to waken the dead. He remembered nothing of that night except what the Queen told him. How he had conquered her. What a beast he had been. The king swelled with pride.

The male child was born. The bells tolled. But our joy was short-lived."

"He did not live long. I have heard the stories," said Xhahari.

"You have heard the stories that were allowed to be spread. They did their job. Throughout the realm, there was much sorrow. The royal child died in his sleep at but five years of age, taken away by evil spirits intent on breaking His Majesty's heart. I know the stories, Xhahari. I spread them myself."

"To protect the Queen?"

"To save the realm," said the old man.

"What really happened?" Xhahari asked.

"Dyryke and the Queen drowned their child."

Xhahari paled.

"It is true," said Perdix. "I was there."

"But why?"

"Come," said Perdix, refusing to answer. "We must be on our way."

"Where are we going?"

"To the Caves of Rotou."

"But that is where the Ichor live."

"Precisely."