The Vampire's Crimson Kiss (Editing)

Chapter 36/Electra

Soon I sat in an abandoned church that Malphas was using as his temporary court. Malphas organised everyone to look more in number than we were and to stand arranged in a pale copy of the formal arrangement of courts. He moved his advisor the one they called Uncle Jimie from the chair on his sinisterr ( left ) side for the prime advisor. Uncle Jimie looked disturbed but positive. Around the camp the news was to avoid the friendly Jimie. He was older than Malphas with thin blonde hair and a open smiling almost jovial manner. To the world, he came over as the slight buffoon, the joker, the merry maker. Yet the advice with the harem was to be glad you had Malphas' mark and leave it at that. I couldn't see what everyone to would think to fear him. I had been in Malpha's camp a short time but I had discover a lot about the people who made it up. I guess I admired Malphas for keeping this band of vampires who had nothing to bind them but dislike of Sadismann, together. I felt myself reaching into the pocket of my dress fiddling with the pencils I kept there. Then I pulled my hand out - I had nothing to be nervous about. 

Malphas put a camp chair next to his sinister side to hold his guest in high honor. I picked a point near by and got a board out and pen to write upon if called. I pulled the hood and partial veil, the familiar's used to ape their owners dislike of sunlight, down. I sat down and looked to the floor. Through my veil I watched Electra come in. She certainly seemed in a happy mood, better than she was in  She walked towards Malphas, and as I suspected did not look at me.

"BROTHER" shouted Electra as she approached, she strode in boldly. Her clean, new clothes a contrast to the rags the court wore.

"ELECTRA my dearest sister" said Malphas equally loudly.

These public declarations were common for the Vampires. Their conversations were at times dark scripts.

"How was your journey? was the moon kind?" said Malphas it was a ritual greeting. He said it in the black tongue and you could see people flinch at it's intonation. "welcome to my squalid exile. If you had sent a message ahead I could offer you a feast maiden to share with me" He added indicating the court.

They came together and hugged both elegantly and a little formally. The continued to speak for a while, every second I plotted what to do. Then the ritual turned to real conversation. She seemed more relaxed with Malphas than with Sadismann. o

"Your brother..." she said.

"The usurper" he corrected.

"Our mutual enemy has sent an offer. He gives you and your court a week of free passage so that you might attend his wedding." she said handing over a letter. 

"Is it the live stock he is wedding? I thought the fewer who knew of that the better for all concerned." said Malphas. He

This was needless, he knew about the duchess, she knew about the duchess, she knew he knew about the duchess and he knew she knew. Yet the whole illusion was continued.

Electra smiled "No it is to the duchess of the Lobishomen. It is a legitimate union. "

Malphas blinked his eyebrows to Electra. He knew something about the duchess. It was unclear what. I was busy being worried. Fortunately, I kept my head down and wasn't noticed but was left wondering what this might be. 

"Hmm I will have to consider this," said Malphas.

I knew little of him but I knew he wasn't going to say yes. Attending Sadismann's wedding would legitimise Sadismann's rule of the Dukedom and coven. He would be split between expanding the coven lands by marriage but that would make Mapha's claims own lighten. He wasn't going to do that.

Malphas indicated the seat next to him.

"Come sister, come sister. The sun will rise soon stay with us this day, you must have been long looking for us" said Malphas.