The door being open was not an unfamiliar sight, but it was strange that he was expected to go through it, in order to leave the cell. They were letting him out at last, after all this time; he had lost track of how long he had been confined.

Has it been weeks? Or months?

Two vampires had opened his cell, nodding for him to get out. He doubted for a moment, but he eventually obeyed reluctantly, not wanting them to unsheathe the swords on their belts. Not that they would need to use weapons to force him… Their hands were as sharp as the talons of a bird of prey. He had nothing to fight with, and his human body was easy to rip into pieces.

Once out, he walked fretfully between them, clutching his right shoulder with deep breaths. One soldier marched behind him, forcing him to follow diligently the other, who led directly through the dark corridors.

While he made way in silence, he could not avoid noticing that the dungeons were empty. All the cells were collecting dust, with not a single soul trapped in them. He was led through long endless hallways, yet he did not cross a single one that was used.

Wherever he was being taken, only they knew. He had been unconscious when he was brought into the fortress, so he had no idea of what he was going to see. With the hateful glares those two were giving him, he knew he should not open his mouth to ask. They seemed to feel more hatred than Nerys, albeit very well contained.

Goddamned vampires… I should be the one to show this much loathing.

Bastian huffed, because he received a faint shove and glare. The guard behind him had not taken kindly that he had slowed down, lost in his exasperated thoughts. He was quick to fasten his pace again, but not without glaring back and snarling.

“No need to push me, dammit. I’m going…”

They did not comment or act on his derision, because they reached some stairs. He looked up curiously, noticing the faint light that came from their end. After a minute, while he took each step carefully, he spotted an iron door above. They soon opened it, and he could only groan and raise a hand over his good eye, blinded by the sudden light that came in. They luckily waited a moment for his vision to adapt to the sunlight, not making him advance right away.

When he recovered and was led out, he could only walk in a trance, staring at the huge courtyard. Huge walls and towers surrounded it all, but they did not feel as oppressive as the ones of his cell, for they could not hide the bright sun above. His eye fixated on the clear blue sky, its view no longer constricted by a small barred window. The guard behind him wondered how he was not stumbling while he walked, because his head was leaned up to gaze at the clouds, with no regards for his own steps. Still, he had to stop and pay attention soon enough, because the two vampires halted suddenly.

They were not alone in the courtyard, not for long. A figure emerged from a door that led into the castle, approaching them even if the day had just started. Most vampires were now resting, preferring to roam in the night… but that did not mean they could not venture under the sunlight, if old enough.

Bastian gulped, because a very stern looking vampire eyed him all over, with a subtle hint of contempt in her eyes. She soon sighed exasperatedly, looking down at the document in her claw, her tone almost bored.

“Fine, let’s see.”

He glanced slightly at his sides, because he spotted how those two guards saluted, like if she was an important official. Her prideful expression and stance hinted she was, but not her smug dismissive attitude.

“First of all, human… This fortress is, to put it plainly, huge. And I doubt I can boss you around if you have no idea of where to go and what to do. So, for the time being, I’ll go easy on you. No need to thank me.” She waved a claw at the soldiers, yawning. “Show him the west wing today, and give him a cleaning rag. He’s not that blind, so he should be somewhat useful.”

Bastian almost let out a profanity, not liking how he was looked or spoken at. He controlled himself, however, keeping quiet as she gave a sharp nod and walked away. The other two vampires prodded him forward again, commanding harshly.

“Come on!“

He leaned away from them with a snarl, advancing on his own. Although he knew to be careful, he could not avoid but show some faint defiance.

“Yes, yes, got to move! I’m visually impaired, not deaf!”

The guards would have smacked the back of his head right then, but Nerys had forbidden laying a single nail on him. So they just led him towards the surrounding galleries, in order to reach the inner hallways and rooms, which Bastian observed very keenly.

—————–

He took a deep breath, brushing off the sweat on his forehead. In front of him laid many boxes, piled up near a wall in the courtyard. He had carried them all out of the storage, as told. All they had asked was there, so he was done. He sighed and smiled sadly, proceeding to outstretch his arms and crack his neck. Moving heavy supplies was a tiring task, but it was still better than scrubbing floors, something he had done for days.

With this chore completed, he took a moment to look around him, raising an eyebrow. He could only see two other figures in the courtyard, servants. His eyes narrowed, looking at them with wonder. When they noticed that he was watching them, they seemed to glare at him. They walked out of sight, whispering something with disapproving scowls.

Even the humans here seemed to dislike him. All had given him the cold shoulder when he tried to near. After days of exertion, he was beginning to grasp how things seemed to work in her domain.

There were vampires all around, always. Most were soldiers, committing to their daily patrols. It was in the nights when the rest of the court would wake, much more active. He knew it because he had seen it, every time he was led back to the dungeon, while the sun hid.

Every morning, he would be let out again, and he would not be the only human to greet the day. There were quite a few, always roaming through halls and galleries. He had expected her clan to have servants, slaves… but none of them acted like they were.

Her human helpers never seemed angered by their assigned tasks, and he did not see them be commanded harshly, not once. They looked willing, glad to serve in this castle, and it honestly baffled him. He had noticed bite marks on some of their necks, yet they showed no concern for it. Perhaps they had no reason to worry, as strange as that would be. He had not seen a single vampire mistreating a human, not yet. That fact was hard to believe, but he could not refute what he could see with his own eye.

Bastian looked down again, frowning. He let himself lean against a pillar, resting while he pondered deeply. He had never heard of any clan that ruled like this, ever. Even if there were some lords that did not torment their serfs, they still saw humanity as a tool, a lower race.

The humans in this place seemed to enjoy some kind of independence. They were not only allowed to exist to serve the whims and interests of the clan. There were barely any orders, like if they could choose to aid as they wanted, without consequences.

He stood there, thinking it all over, unaware that he was being approached. He yelped when a guard spoke up starkly behind him, glaring and taking him by surprise.

“If you are done, go feed the horses in the stables!”

After the scare, he huffed with a hand over his racing heart, but he still nodded quickly to convey he understood the order. He could not get used to being neared by vampires, not even if these were not as dangerous as others he had confronted. The things he had seen them do in the past would never fade from his mind, keeping him wary.

The soldier walked away and left him alone, which helped him relax somewhat. By now, they did not bother to lead him to ensure he would do as told, because they knew he would obey without question.

Perhaps they did not treat the other humans harshly, but they sure loved to mess with him, as much as possible. All these days, they had given him nothing but endless exhausting errands. However, he did not mind it that much, because anything was better than pacing all day in a dark cell. While working, he could at least feel the wind that flowed through the courtyard. Maybe the tall walls of the castle kept him trapped with vampires, but he could move more or less freely, even if still wearing handcuffs. He could do something, keep his mind busy.

Bastian shook his head and looked towards the stables, which stood near the gates of the fortress. The faster he finished the tasks, the sooner they would let him rest. He would be able to go back to his cell early, before night fell and all vampires roamed awake. The fewer bloodsuckers he saw, the better.

He had never thought he would enjoy the idea of being in that dungeon, but things never were as expected. His cell was less bleak now, because there was more stuff in it. He had been given a small table, a chair, clothes, ink, papers, and a quill. They even gave him some cards, to keep himself entertained.

It almost looked like a room, if one ignored the depressing fact that the door was always locked and the space was shared for everything. Still, the improvement was there, which could not be denied. Nerys was not lying when she said his servitude would be rewarded.

He finally reached the stables, and he noticed well how a few guards glared suspiciously at him, because the gates were very close. The idea of running for it did cross his mind, but he knew he would just be layered with arrows, so he quickly forgot about it and focused on the task.

The clan had multiple stables, but this one was the most important of them all, and the only one inside the castle’s walls. They kept the horses of the officials inside it, easily accessible by the gateway. In the past days, he had seen a few vampires grab their stallions to leave for the fields, and a few servants go in to keep it in order. Today, he would enter it for the first time. Feeding the animals would be an easy task… but it would bring sad memories. He had lost his horse when he fell under their claws, and he was sure he would never see it again.

Bastian pushed the door open, and then walked in begrudgingly. At first, he glanced over the steeds monotonously, merely intending to spot where the hay was kept. By looking for it, however, he noticed something. He halted sharply, staring at the farthest stall. His eyes narrowed, for the horse inside it caught his attention. He slowly advanced towards it, in doubt.

It was only when the mare looked at him that he gasped in surprise. He trembled slightly, recognizing the whiteness of its coat and that dusky mane. He leaned on the door of the stall, and the horse let out a calm huff, allowing him to raise a shaky hand to its head. A small incredulous laugh escaped him, because he saw the familiar branding on its hind leg.

“Y-you are alright.”

His mare gave him a small nudge, which got a tired chuckle out of him. He kept on petting her, shaking his head in disbelief, his eyes tearing up slightly. The last time he saw his horse… was when his eye got scarred. He saw her run away, from the vampires, the fire, and him.

“I thought that-“

Another voice finished for him.

“That it left you behind?”

Bastian tensed and turned sharply to look back, startled. He soon frowned, because he saw Nerys there, leaning on the doorframe with her arms crossed. She snorted sadly, because she had managed to catch him off-guard again, and it did not fail to make him stare warily. He did not move as she did, calmly and slowly. She spoke while she stepped towards her own black steed, her tone almost light-hearted.

“Your mare did run, but only from the fire. While we hauled you away, she kept following us from a cautious distance. My men got quite a few kicks when they tried to get a hold of her reigns. Stubborn owner, obstinate horse, I guess.”

Bastian gave Nerys a thoughtful stare, calming down slightly. She was not looking at him, simply focusing on her own horse, caressing its head gently with a claw. He whispered tentatively, grasping his right arm nervously.

“You took care of her…”

It was not a question, but a fact. His mare was giving Nerys a calm look, and not a single horse was anxious in her presence. Her green eyes moved subtly, fixating on him. After contemplating his somber expression for a few seconds, she answered his words with a shrug.

“You thought we killed it, didn’t you?” Nerys let out a quiet sad laugh, because Bastian dared admit with a shaky nod. “I don’t see why I should put down a good horse for simple spite. Although, I must admit she was quite hard to control for a few days; it took time for her to stop trying to trample us.”

His horse had known Nerys before all had gone to hell, and it could still recognize her. He looked up nostalgically, brushing that long mane with a hand, recalling better times. Those days were gone, and he knew it well.

“Only we were able to tame her…”

Bastian blinked in surprise, because Nerys commented on his reflective whisper, which she would not have heard if she were human.

“No. It was not like that.” Nerys shook her head, stepping away from her steed. “She would not let anyone get close with a saddle, not until you did. You have always been good at gaining the trust of animals. Well, in reality… everyone’s.”

Bastian did not even know what to think as Nerys walked away, firmly. She halted at the door and looked over her shoulder, letting out a few offhand words before leaving.

“Now, I was going to feed my horse myself; but seeing that you were told to do it… I shall leave it to you, Bastian.”

He averted his gaze as she walked out, feeling his heart pound, disconcerted. His eyesight was not as good as it was before, but he could still swear she had smiled for a second, like she used to do.

Outside, where the human could not see, the vampire let out a tired sigh. She buried her face against her claws, trying to ignore the pulsing in her veins, which called for that luscious blood.

She had not expected to cross paths with him. It bothered her, greatly, because she had been trying to avoid it.

I almost give in again…