Once Upon a Vampire's Dreams

The Turquoise Sea

Kaname Kuran, head of the Kuran family and a pureblood vampire, sat in
the elegantly furnished sitting room of Asato Ichijo, the grandfather
of Takuma Ichijo; one of Kaname's friends and classmates.

"I hope you don't mind me taking you away from Cross Academy for the
moment, Lord Kaname," Ichio told Kaname as he sat on the blue sofa
across the coffee table from Kaname.

"Of course not, Ichio," Kaname answered. "Especially when it concerns
one of my classmates."

A knock sounded on the polished mahogany door.

"Enter," Ichio said.

The door swung open and a young maid came in, her blue uniform
matching the blue carpets and walls of the sitting room; it was oddly
disorienting. She stared at the floor and carried a silver tea tray
laden with a blue and white teapot, two matching cups, cream, sugar
and assorted confectionaries. She set them out on the coffee table.

When she was finished, she knelt in front of Ichio and bowed her head.
"She is ready, Master," the maid said quietly.

"Very well, you may go."

The maid stood and walked over to the door. She held it open while a
butler came in clad in a black suit with an unsettling blue shimmer to
it, dragging a young girl behind him by the arm.

She wore a nearly transparent pink dress whose thin straps nearly fell
off her thin shoulders. She didn't have any shoes and her long, silver
hair was tangled about her face. Yet what Kaname found most striking,
and a little disconcerting, about the girl was her eyes. They were a
beautiful turquoise and were completely emotionless, as if they
belonged to a blank slate.

The butler bowed to Ichio and then proceeded to drag the girl over to Kaname.

"For you, Lord Kaname," Ichio said with false sincerity. "You must
keep up your strength. Living on blood tablets at that Academy must be
difficult."

Kaname smiled politely. "Thank you for your concern, but tea will be just fine."

Ichio pursed his lips in disapproval. "Very well, Lord Kaname," he
said, snapping his fingers. The butler bowed again and left the room
with the girl.

Ichio leaned back against the sofa and crossed his arms. "As you know,
I only allow Takuma to attend that Academy because you're there, Lord
Kaname. My only concern is that the finer points of Takuma's education
will be lost between the cracks, so to speak. That is why I ask your
permission to have Takuma work on a small project for me. If you're
willing, of course."

Kaname inclined his head toward Ichio. "Of course. I see no problem."
Yet, anyway. Ichio most likely had a scheme against Kaname up his
sleeve, but Kaname would let things fold out for now. It was all part
of the greater scheme of things.

Ichio smiled a curt smile. "Thank you, Lord Kaname. I will inform
Takuma of the arrangements this evening."

Just then, another knock sounded on the door.

Ichio looked mildly irritated. "Enter."

The same butler as before opened the door and walked in. He bowed to
Ichio. "Master Ichio, an urgent message has come from the Senate.
Several Hunter were seen near the Council building."

Ichio nodded, dismissing the butler and turned back to Kaname. "My
apologies, Lord Kaname. It seems I have an urgent matter to attend
to."

Kaname stood and grabbed his overcoat from the back of the sofa. "I
understand, Ichio. I'll show myself out."