Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ Lysanthy ❯ Two ( Chapter 2 )

Chapter Two

 

Elliott Lavater Lysanthy had a chaotic past that even he did not pertain to understand. It was a 6,000-year-old journey complete with death, betrayal, and immorality, not to mention immortality. Yet, after all this time he was sure that too many things could change after only 2,000 years. He needed answers quickly, and, though he had faith in Amelia's intellect, was sure that too many things could go amiss in a 10-year-old's mind.

However, he did venture into getting what information he could from her. A week after his release, Elliott and Amelia found themselves in a large town called Cordovar. At an Inn, Elliott threatened his way into a suite and there the pair recuperated.

"Amelia, I have some questions that need answering."

The girl, who was lounging in rags on the expensive, silk covered bed, said obediently, "Ask away, Master Elliott."

His first question was, "What is known of the Miduleh? I mean, what can you tell me about it?"

She inhaled slowly, then released her breath in a flurry of words. "The Miduleh is an apocalyptic creature who comes to 'right the wrongs of society' every two millennia." She was reciting a common statement, he gandered, which was helpful.

"I don't know what that means," she continued, "But I know that it was a bad monster who fought the hero, Lysanthy, and his friends. Together they stuck Miduleh back underground and made all the bad stuff go away, but they died, too."

"Who were his-er my friends?" Elliott sounded irritated, which scared Amelia. She didn't want him to be mad at her. Over the last few days, she had come to understand that Elliott Lysanthy was a very moody person. His mood swings were often so violent that she had difficulty dealing with them. They were worse for her because she was so young and rarley understood what he got so upset about.

"Nera and Ish-Ishmeral." She finally answered. "Nera was the Vampire Queen and Ishmeral was the Werewolf King."

"They were all legends, then?" His voice was edged with venom. The little girl guessed that the legends may have gotten some of their information wrong. She would definitely take her Master's word over that of history.

"Yes, Master Elliott. They have flags for them that are flown at every parade."

Elliott paced as he thought. Nera and Ishmeral were scoundrels. Those two had betrayed him in every possible way. They used him until the very end, after which he had gotten revenge. Then, of course, there was the whole "we-monks-shall-seal-you-into-the-ground-until-need-for-you-doth-rise-ag ain-thing" which ruined his would-be moments of triumph.

"Master Elliott?"

Amelia's timid voice broke through his concentration, making him respond rather snappishly. "What?"

She paled as she sat up on the bed. Elliott mentally scolded himself. He didn't know how to act around a child, especially a human one. "I'm hungry," she finally replied, looking as if she had done something wrong.

"Oh." He often found himself forgetting the girl's need for nourishment. Not to mention her need for clothing, which was also becoming rather demanding. Over the last week he had discovered that human needs were far more fickle than that of vampires and werewolves. It was strange, because he had never really spent much time with any human before.

I need money. He thought desperately. In years past, all he need do was mention his name, and he got whatever he wanted. Unfortunately, times had changed, and people even had trouble recognizing him for who he was. It would be difficult to get his reputation rolling again. Until then, he would have to threaten and steal for what he needed. It was humiliating to resort to such things.

Amelia was staring at him. There was that look again, the face that said she feared him yet stayed because she felt indebted, or perhaps she was just in need of guardianship. Yet Elliott had to wonder if she would ever turn away from him as others had done in the past. He immediately pushed those thoughts aside. She was only ten, and he could sense her trust of him emanating from her every movement.

Now there was something. Trust. People trusted him to do his job: kill the Miduleh, kill the monsters, save the people! But they never really trusted him or figured things out for themselves and let him live his own damn life, however a pathetic one it was. But this girl....this child did trust him, despite her fear and angst. Still, he had to know.

Elliott walked to the bed and kneeled onto the floor beside it. Amelia stared at him quizzically, all dread replaced by curiosity. "Would you ever betray me, Amelia?" He asked upright, feeling foolish for asking a child such a serious question.

Amelia squinched up her nose in a perplexed manner. "Um...no? No. I would not, Master Elliott." She leaned forward and wrapped her arms around him, nearly falling off the bed to do so. "I would not!"

Feeling strangely relieved, he decided to believe her and sighed contentedly. "Alright then." He wrapped his arms around her small frame uncertainly. Elliott decided that he needed to acquire a familiarity with her kind gestures. "To eat, then?"

She tilted her head and beamed up at him. "Yes!"

* * * * * *

"What is he?"

"Have you ever seen such a person?"

"Who is the little girl? Is she his?"

"Who is that man? A vampire?"

"He might be a vampire."

"Do you think he'll cause any trouble?"

Elliott listened to the faint muttering of all the people in the restaurant and wanted nothing more than to rip each and every one of their head's off. Vampire....he'd been called on before, but he hated it. He was Lysanthy, the legendary demon who harbored the souls of many within himself. He was their "savior", who hated them for making him so.

"Is the girl hungry?" A woman's voice sliced a neat line through Elliott's thoughts. He turned to the friendly brunette who served the customer's at the bar where they were sitting. She was looking piteously and disapprovingly at Amelia's state of appearance. Her countenance thoroughly irritated Elliott. He grimaced at her.

Amelia, on the other hand, perked up cutely at the lady's question, but Elliott unhappily squashed her hopes. "She is, but we don't have any money."

"Well, what about you? Aren't you hungry? Wait, are you a hunter? You know, some of those hunters were killed in the north a few days ago. It was confirmed recently by the only survivor." Her babbling was the very opposite of fixating.

Feeling agitated, Elliott did not strive to sound ceremonious. "I do not eat. I do not hunt. Leave me be."

The brunette let out an unladylike snort, before saying, "Fine. Little girl-"

"-Amelia." Elliott corrected, secondarily sending a warning to his ward, who ignored him unexpectedly. Amelia grinned from ear-to-ear. "My name is Amelia, lady."

The "lady" grinned. "Hungry, Amelia?"

"Very hungry.." The little girl looked down embarrassedly as her stomach let out a weak growl. She blushed, startling a strange reaction from Elliott.

He growled fiercely.

Amelia bit her lip and bowed her head. "I'm sorry, Master Elliott." Suddenly, Elliott became increasingly aware of his emotions. He felt very bad about taking care of Amelia so poorly, and here she did not fear him as others did, yet he was steadily increasing her fear of him. What was wrong with him? He would never have resorted to such a low state of dishonor in the past.

Before the brunette could scold his behavior (she was about to), he reached across the table and place his fingers under Amelia's chin. Gently, he lifted her head so that he could look her in the eyes, which were filling with her unshed tears.

The legendary demon, who was feared and respected throughout the world, smiled pleasantly and said the only thing he could think of to that 10-year-old. "Forgive me, sweetlet. I don't mean to be so cruel to you. I am not accustomed to the companionship of one so sensitive. Do you forgive me?"

Amelia's eyes shone brightly; their elegant gold hue was nearly glowing in the dim light of the room. She placed her small, fragile hand against Elliott's long-nailed, pale one and smiled innocently. "Yes, Master Elliott. I know. You are a nice monster. I remember."

He smirked before carefully pulling his arm back across the table. He glanced up at the lady, who was staring at him with clouded eyes. The demon chuckled. After all this time, he could still charm any lady with a smile or the smallest, gentle act.

"Um...would your girl like some food?" The brunette was speaking nervously. There was something like weightless venom flitting through the air. It was Elliott's overbearing aura, which even he could contain only so much of.

"That would be wonderful," he said darkly. Secretly, he was amused with himself. Mind control was such a simple task. "Would it be...on the house?"

The waitress smiled. "Certainly."

"Very well. We'll have it then."

She sauntered off, charmed.

Amelia was giggling. Elliott glanced at her and raised a curious brow. "What?"

"You tricked that lady!" The child exclaimed quietly. "With your...magic?"

"Immortal powers are overwhelming to most mortals. However," Elliott was thinking to himself as well as out loud, "It seems to have little effect on you."

Amelia grinned. "I like Master Elliott. He doesn't need to control me. I will do what he says anyway."

Ignoring her strange manner of speaking (in the third person), Elliott said calmly, "But I would never seem so wicked to Amelia as I do to others. She is scared of me but not that scared. Anyway, don't bite your lip like that anymore. Remember what happened last time? "

The ten-year-old grinned. "Yessir."

* * * * * *