The Eyes of Death Book 1 - The Taru

Chapter 15

** Francine looking at Tali **

They stood facing each other for a while, then they both opened their eyes. For a moment, I thought Lord Raffiano was crying, but he quickly composed himself and put on his usual business smile.

"Thank you child. Thank you."

He went back to his seat.

"And my Lord, are you satisfied with her recollections?"

"Yes, very." He nodded with a smile. "You may rest, I will have the High priestess of Ma 'at come here to officiate your vows and then you are free to go anywhere you see fit. Though I will impose a discreet escort throughout your travels?"

"Why the escort my Lord? I have my bodyguard with us and he is quite efficient?"

He simply smiled "It is not a matter I wish to discuss at the moment, you will simply have to trust me on this, it is necessary."

I acknowledged as one did not refuse Lord Raffiano, head of the Vampiric Inquisition. If he said you needed protection, you needed protection. I was curious as to why though?"

We got out of his office and were escorted to a room that had been prepared for us. Of course, to call this a room was an insult. This was more the royal suite, with all the trimmings. As usual Tali was totally amazed about it all. "You like it I see?"

"Like it? Its like in a dream or something. Its amazing." I again loved how she was always amazed at every tiny detail, always feeling like she wasn't supposed to be treated like that. It didn't grow old and I suspect it never would.

I went to the bar, took out a bottle of Champagne and poured us two glasses. I handed one to Tali "To a long life together" she smiled and said "To a long life with you!" I could see the love she had for me in her beautiful blue eyes.

"What did the Inquisitor say to you, what did he do?"

"He helped remember the truth behind my nightmares, that each time I would find a vampire, the Grand inquisitor would have him or her killed to prevent me from turning."

"Ouch that is so not cool. How long has this been happening?"

"Pretty much from the moment I died back in ancient Egypt. All in the name of his 'GOD'. "

"Yeah right, as if any god would tolerate what he does."

She shrugged, "Anyway it's not easy to take him down, if you miss just one acolyte he survives and you can't eliminate them one by one, if he realizes what is happening he'll just create some more in secret. Trust me its been tried by many."

She visibly remembered more, though I suspect she would tell me when she was ready. Her shields were up and barring me from anything but surface thoughts.

I decided to change the subject. "So Love, ready to get married?"

"OH BY THE GODDESS! I don't have a dress..." I started laughing so hard it hurt.

"Relax honey its ok, we have everything we need here." I proceeded to the bedroom where two dress travel bags had been put on the bed.

I pointed to the one on the left "This one is yours put it on, the ceremony is in two hours. I will take mine and go somewhere else. Got to keep 'SOME' of the traditions."

She smiled and said "Ok, two hours only. Be careful ok?"

"No worries dear, nothing can happen to us here."

I took my dress and went to a separate room that had been prepared just for me.

But just before leaving "Oh and redo your makeup for the occasion ok?" I snapped my fingers and unlocked her makeup spell. A huge grin appeared on her face. I was in for a surprise I guess.

I went to my assigned room and took out my dress. It was gorgeous and matched perfectly Tali's in every way. It was a black silk strapless floor length mermaid dress, with a sweetheart neckline and a cathedral length train. It was insane, I couldn't wait to see Tali in hers, that and her face when she saw me.

I went to the makeup table and started doing a very elaborate 14th century French inspired look. I then proceeded to do a Fishtail braided lopped hairstyle. I had brought very classy 6 inch blacklaced stiletto booties, perfectly matching the dress. After all this, I slipped the dress and shoes on, put on a gorgeous necklace that Louis XIV himself had given me when I was much younger.

I looked at myself in the mirror, the result was stunning, I had put a lot of effort in the last hour and a half and I was proud of the results, it showed the passion I had for Tali. Not being able to comfortably sit down easily with the dress, I decided to walk down slowly to the small cathedral area by myself, flanked with 2 guards of course. I would have to get used to that for a while.

Having been here a few times, mainly for weddings of very important vampires, I knew where the cathedral was, so walking there was no trouble. Though my look did attract attention to me. Even though the news of a vampire wedding did travel very fast in our community, it was another thing for the only child of a 1st born to hold her wedding. My status as a 2nd born hadn't sunk in till very recently. I must have been immersed in my thoughts as suddenly I was right in front of the cathedral's open doors. I entered and waited for my Master who was supposed to escort me to the altar. He appeared not long after. He was dressed with a 17th century black tuxedo and shoes. He was well combed and looked the part of a 17th century gentleman. He was wearing the customary veil that a Master should wear when giving away a child, a strange tradition that had been imposed by the ancients since the beginning of times. No one knew why it was so and questions on the subject didn't amount to much of an answer besides "It's Tradition".

As the ceremony was about to begin, he escorted me to the altar. Everyone who was anyone important in our community was there. That these people were here on such short notice was bordering the realm of mythical, but the fact that such important people HAD actually come was a sign of how powerful and influential my Master was.

The cathedral itself was dedicated to the old gods, each wedding involved a different setup based on which priest would officiate the wedding. Now it had been decorated and dedicated to Ma 'at for the occasion. The priestess of Ma 'at who was presiding was a mystery in and of herself. As a human living back then, she was first a witch, then converted to a priestess of Ma 'at to be later turned by an unknown Vampire. That was, according to legend, 6000 years ago, which would place her as being a first born. It didn't make sense really as she was not one of the 5 we knew existed.

Suddenly all whispers stopped and all eyes were to the entrance. Tali was standing there, with Lord Raffiano as her escort. She was wearing of course the same dress as me, with a beautiful necklace that I had never seen before, it must have cost a fortune. It was a string of small diamonds that surrounded her neck, with a larger Opal set in gold as a pendant in front. She had her hair long straight and had done a 15th century elaborate Italian court makeup perfectly. She was the vision of perfection itself. In front of me was a veritable goddess.

Then, suddenly looking at her, a memory that I had repressed a long time ago came back to me.

I had seen her before.