The Darkest Hour

The Darkest Hour, Chapter 1:

Sandra, a supposedly friend of Venom’s, didn’t feel particularly bad for Venom’s death on a personal level, more because gave some hope to this hopeless community, decaying in its numbers.  Sandra personally didn’t like Venom very much, but she was an extraordinary hunter and a good strategist, when she would bother to come out of her depressive states

Sandra sighed as she leaned against a cushion she was privileged enough to have. She lived in a small village owned by the neighboring manor’s Overlord.  She was, in general, a slave of his and as to do as her Vampire Master commands.  But this Vampire had a peculiar dislike of leaving his manor too much, even if it was to flaunt his elevated status in their not so elevated faces. She heard he was somewhat of a Literature scholar, preferring to study old human Literature than venture towards adventure like his stupider and riskier blood-drinking brethren.

For her, it meant that she was free… somewhat.

There were guards surrounding the village; no human was left walking unsupervised or unobserved. There would always be a shape-shifter or a werewolf keeping his watchful eye on her if she made her way to her Grandma’s or if she ran to the emergency room, bloodied and stabbed.  They would, of course, never interfere, unless they had direct orders from the Vampire.

But there were times when these watchful guards weren’t very watchful; times when they were drowsy, tired or distracted. In these rare times, she would escape to an underground meeting where she and the few brave enough would discuss rebellion in hushed voices. Venom used to be a part of this group and, whenever she wasn’t being snarky or depressed, she would be a great contributor as she had more freedom in moving around, not dominated by vampire nor limited by humanity.  She used to instill hope in them, even though she claimed she wasn’t hopeful at all, when they thought they should just accept their father. She would say kind words truthfully. Sandra hoped that she would be the mouthpiece of their group if their hushed whispers had ever risen to actions that required masses of angry, charged people. She had hoped too much.

A sudden loud drumming sound distracted her from her thoughts and she stood up to see what was to be announced. Human heralds announced news that the Vampires and Dragons wouldn’t bother to themselves, not their supernatural guards. She had never seen a guard speak and she wondered if they had their tongues cut off when they were young.

The herald, a flustered fellow who felt overwhelmed by the eyes trained on him, rolled open a piece of scroll and read aloud.

“Folks of this good town, be ready to receive a guest. Highly esteemed and very gracious, Lord Sastra would be making his presence between you. The Overseer of the neighboring Lady’s land, his approval would put out her majesty’s wrath. Treat him well and kindly before I’m ready to take him into my care.”

With a flustered bow, the drummer and herald turned and left on their horses, the eunuchs closing the gates of the manor behind. They left her peers in the midst of breathless conversation. Quickly, they decided where he was to live, the nicest house in the village, the mayor’s. Soon, they all picked the girls he was to make meal of, or the boys, depending on his mileage. They planned entertainment for him; scantily dressed girls dancing. Most of the decisions made didn’t include her, which was alright with her as she didn’t want to dance scantily clad, but the elders decided that she would share her rooms with the mayor’s daughter when the Overseer took into the mayor’s house. All of this seemed unnecessary, as the Overseer was to live only a day with them, but Vampires expect to be entertained constantly by humans and all that the humans fear was falling short of that desire because that could mean various forms of punishment.

This did deter her a bit, though.  She had planned to meet with her fellow rebels the next night; the Overseer’s arrival would surely put an end to that as the guards would be ten times more aware with him around. Hopefully, she would be able to slip past them, if not then…