The Lemniscates

30. Victor De Maltes, Serenne and Mikkel (Part 1)

- Ha! Victor! Sorry to keep you waiting. Final preparations have taken longer than expected.

- Uncle.

- Majesty.

- Serenne. Did you explain him the mark?

- It's done, Majesty.

- Good. Come both, let's walk a little. The palace gardens are beautiful in this period.

- Uncle? I know you leave me the throne and you'll leave. Can I know where and why?

- Tell me, Victor, do you know who my father was?

- My Grand-father, uncle.

- Of course. But not only. Our father was the First.

- The First ?

- Oh, I'm not King because I am the son of the First, but because I am the most powerful. And also because I knew how to federate all families. It plays a little.

- So my ability to stay in power also depends on my ability to be stronger than them.

- Good. You understand quickly. You'll have to be smart and intelligent. They're all sharks.

- I had noticed.

- But this is not enough either. Do you know how your father died?

- Killed by humans.

- Yes, but why?

- They were more numerous.

- Really? That's what you think of your father? He was a vampire, son of the First. You really think he would have been so easily killed by humans even in large numbers?

- I...

- At the time, a demon sowed chaos wherever he set foot. The humans at that time were weak, and were alarmed over almost nothing. The demon was becoming a problem. His reputation began to grow and human casualties became important. Whole villages were eradicated. As vampires, we had to intervene.

- It was not your responsibility.

- In fact, it was. The deal that was passed between the First and Ienan to remove the mark was to protect the population. Moreover, this makes sense: If all humans were to die, what is there left to eat? We had to protect our herds. So we fought the demon. It was a long and tiring battle. But even with the two of us, we failed and were seriously injured. Your father held longer than me but even he ended up falling. Humans found him and frightened killed him. Humans have not found me and with time, my wounds have healed. Since that moment I swore that would never happen again.

- What happened to the demon?

- Ienan killed him a few weeks later.

- Why Ienan was not there when you needed him?

- It isn't his responsibility to babysit us. He travels a lot and is not always aware of everything. He is fallible.