The little boy opened his eyes, surveying the world around him. Dull, dark, and dreary; where he was, at least. His toes curled in the grass, hands picking at the clovers and weeds. His crimson eyes raked over the children he'd overheard laughing below, further down the hill and the end of the path up to his home. A gentle hand rested on his shoulder and he turned his head back to look up at the figure. His mother, a soft smile and hair black like the smooth wings of a crow. She leaned down, giving him a kiss on the head. "My songbird, what is it that you're looking at?"
He shifted, looking from his mother to the children, to the sun up high. "I… wish I could join them. I know that I can't go in the sun directly but, we've gone out in covered clothes before-" He was cut off before he could finish his words, a frown on his mother's face, not angry but disappointed… That was worse. "Kaiser. You know very well why you can't." Kaiser hesitated, tensing as he listened to his mother's words. "...Yes, mother."
She held out her hand for him to take, gently pulling him to his feet. She smiled briefly before swinging him up and holding him tight, fingers tracing and finding their way across his stomach as he began to laugh uncontrollably. "Wait! Mama- Mama stop it!" His giggles echoed as she stepped inside the mansion they called home. His mother's hold lessened and he ran for the stairs when he finally wiggled free, his mother following behind him at a walk.
He giggled to himself as he took the chance to hide, racing across the floor, hand running along the balcony before he dipped into the drawing room at the end of the hallway.
He glanced around the room quickly as he darted inside. The room was adorned in beautiful shades of green, olive and sage. Two couches faced each other towards the center of the room, a small wooden coffee table in the middle. Paintings hung on every wall and a wine cabinet, filled with a variety of drinks, sat against the west-side wall. The glass chandelier overhead clinked as he dove under one of the couches, it swayed with even the slightest of movement.
He made it under just as his mother walked in through the doors. She looked around, smiling to herself as she saw his hair just barely peeking out from underneath the couch.
Kaiser watched, hand covering his mouth, as she turned around and paced around the room, loudly exclaiming, "Oh my goodness, I could've sworn I saw my little bat run in here… maybe I was mistaken?" Kaiser watched as her feet left his vision, walking towards the door. He heard the door open and close, too preoccupied listening for her steps leading away that he didn't realize the slight weight now on the couch above him.
He snuck out after a moment, silently laughing to himself, only to yelp as he was picked up from behind and spun around in the air. His mother had been on top of the couch the entire time. She swung him around before eventually settling the giggling kid down on the couch. He laid down, looking up at her as he caught his breath.
"Do not be sad, Kaiser… you know I wish you could too, play with the children and see all the sights of the world. Until you can…" She trailed off as she leaned down, planting a kiss on each cheek. "We will make our own little world right here."
He'd leaned into his mother's embrace then, hugging her tightly before fantasizing about everywhere he wanted to go, everything he wanted to see, real or not.
Kaiser was older now, almost seventeen. He hand brushed against the painting they'd had done back then, later in the week. His mother sitting down in an ornate chair, Kaiser in her lap, Father nowhere to be seen. That 5 year old version of himself would be greatly disappointed in how little he's done since then.
He had done more than the little him, he reminded himself, as he turned back to look down the gallery towards the library at the end of the hall. He'd been set up there reviewing documents for the citizens, taxes, market reports, out of town trading, etc. He'd only gotten up a while ago when he felt he desperately needed a break. It wasn't like Father was around to scold him this time.
Everything took an embarrassingly long time to get done. Kaiser Castelieu, that's who he was, son of the Castelieus', the nobles that oversee the current town of Vakileh. For being the heir of such a mysterious yet prestigious noble house he was dreadfully lacking. Then again, when you're a vampire and everyone that you need to coordinate with is up and working at the time you sleep, it does make it quite a bit harder to get everything done.
He turned to the right, walking out of the gallery and into the main hall, past the music room and open terrace. He pried open the door to the dining hall, peeking inside. Nobody was inside, not a maid or butler, nor his Mother or Father. He slipped in, closing the door behind him as he walked towards the kitchen. He grimaced as his eyes trailed over the dining room table. It was an ugly orangish color of wood that was burnt and torn up, breaking corners and scratches in the table. He internally swore to replace it once he finally became head of house.
He slunk into the kitchen grabbing whatever bit of food had been left out from this morning's (night's?) meal. After a bit of stumbling around in the kitchen, trying not to be caught by his Mother or the Head Maid, he stuffed a bagel in his mouth, a small bottle of wine in his hand.
He moved to slip back out the door when he heard footsteps and the beginnings of a mumbled conversation quickly heading his way. It's not that he'd be punished by any of the maids or his mother for taking food but, rather, they'd most certainly lecture him on working too hard or staying cooped up in the library the entire night.
Kaiser looked around for a quick escape before smirking,, amused by his own sudden choice, and using what little blood magic he knew to open the window over the sink and slip out on the other side. He slid along the brick, sitting down outside and smoothing his hair down so it wouldn't pop up over the window sill.
He'd learned, in the last few years, that his long blonde hair had quite the habit of giving away his variety of hiding spots. "So many good spots unveiled by a few strands of hair." Kaiser whispered to himself as he licked his palm before running it over his head one last time; just in time for the door to practically slam open.
The wine almost fell out of his hand as he jumped, cursing silently as he fumbled to catch it. He certainly wasn't expecting such an explosive entrance from whoever just came into the kitchen. He couldn't recall anyone in the house that was ever one to slam doors.
Kaiser zoned back into the conversation as he held the wine close to his chest, crumbs of his bagel now on his loose white shirt.
"-Well, what did you want to do Ms. Idona?" That was his Mother's voice and- "You are of higher authority than me, don't call me Ms.; and, with all due respect Madam, I'm not sure." That was the Head Maid, Ms. Idona. She always despised anyone calling her with any kind of formal title.
"I've helped as much as I can but, if you'll allow me to speak plainly, Madam?"
"Go ahead."
"Both you and the Head of House have focused far too much on Kaiser becoming the next head, even while knowing about the-"
"Ms. Idona!"
Kaiser leaned in as he heard his mother cut off Ms. Idona sharply, with a tone he hadn't heard from her before. Not anger but… something else. He held the bagel up to his mouth as he finally relaxed and leaned back. He knew he shouldn't be eavesdropping on his own mothers conversations but when they'd already so bluntly referenced him… He just had to know what was going on, especially with the urgency in their voices.
"You know I've never been one to mince my words, even to you."
"I know-"
"You need to train him. It's inevitable. You know that."
There was a long pause of silence before he could hear his mother's voice again. "...I know." She was quiet, tone soft, almost resigned. There was a bit more shuffling as one of them walked closer to the window and Kaiser shrunk down as far as he could go, just in case. He was quite tall after all, even at his age.
"Besides, if he can sneak around like he does, he can certainly start learning to use the inherited magic bestowed upon him a little more gracefully." Kaiser barely even had time to process Ms. Idona's words before he was roughly yanked up by a hand from inside the kitchen. He felt, and probably looked like, a kitten caught by its scruff, bagel still in his mouth and bottle of wine held close.
He blinked at his mother's face, expressions changing rapidly from being surprised and shocked to being dumbfounded to being amused. He glanced away from her and up at Ms. Idona.
See, Ms. Idona was the Head Maid but it'd be more accurate to call her Castelieu's main bodyguard. Despite being an old woman she was almost unnaturally built, half a foot taller than the rest of the servants of the house and sleeves that were always on the brink of tearing from the sheer amount of muscles in her arms.
She stared down at Kaiser with a, frankly, unimpressed expression. Her tight ponytail falling over her shoulder. Kaiser laughed awkwardly before moving one hand away from the wine bottle and waving softly. "Ah… good morning? Good night?" He heard his mother heave a deep sigh, mixed in with a soft chuckle.
"It's good morning for us human folk, young master. Care to explain what you're doing?" Kaiser immediately began to ramble, stumbling over his words and gesturing as much as he could with one hand occupied and the bottle of wine slipping.
He was so very grateful when Ms. Idona simply cut him off by pinching his lips together before settling him back down on solid ground. As much as he loved Ms. Idona, she was downright terrifying when angry and, if she was angry at him, he certainly didn't want to be still in her grasp.
Though, that didn't seem to be the case as she simply reached forward to take the bottle of wine from him. Opening the door for both his Mother and him to step out. Kaiser looked back at her with a confused expression only to be led away towards the table by the gentle hand of his mother.
He sat down as his Mother instructed, sitting across from her by their normal spots towards the head of the table. He waited for her to say something but she simply shook her head at his inquisitive glance.
Ms. Idona returned from the kitchen shortly after, a sandwich for his mother and a plate for him to eat on. She muttered something about 'also need to teach him table manners' as she turned away. Only then, after being fully settled, did his mother speak.
"Little bat…" Kaiser sighed and rolled his eyes teasingly. "Mama please." She chuckled at his reaction, his recent dislike for the "childish" names certainly hadn't gone unnoticed, she just decided not to care. "Little bat… you are a smart one, always have been. Tell me, have you noticed anything off about the town files recently?" Kaiser tilted his head. "Anything from… anywhere?" "Yes, anything from anywhere."
He tore off another piece of bagel, stuffing it in his mouth as he thought. There was always something different with the town papers, from new tax numbers, to Vakileh income, to complaints and suggestions, but… he could assume that's probably not what his mother was looking for. His mind raced as he tried to remember if anything was different.
After a minute or two of silent thinking he swallowed, licking the crumbs off his lips. "Is it the amount of people leaving?" It was true, he'd remembered it despite how he usually didn't focus on such things because it was just… strange. Maybe he was overthinking. Fortunately though, his mother nodded her head. "Yes. Quite a few people have been leaving Vakileh recently, or rather, quite a few have been called up to the capital."
Now that was strange. The capital of Windum? Named Windum itself? Calling up residents of Vakileh? His mother didn't even need to prompt him as his mind began racing for an answer as to why; he could only think of one thing. "Are… we couldn't possibly be…"
"Preparing for war?"
He froze at the words his mother cut him off with. The way she said it simply confirmed it to be true. "...Why?" His eyes trailed the soft, yet tired smile that graced his mothers face. "Something far out of our control. Either way, songbird, if you were truly eavesdropping before then it shouldn't be any more of a surprise that I'd like you to start being magically trained. Just in case the war were to ever reach our town."
Kaiser leaned back in his chair. It wasn't a bad idea and, wow, he was still reeling from the idea of their little town being engulfed in war. Everything was moving so fast. He stumbled for some sense of familiarity. "Father can't-" "he wouldn't be the one training you." Add another mind breaking thought to the pile and you too can have your very own Dumbfounded Kaiser Castelieu™.
He turned his gaze up towards the ceiling, silently counting the crystals hanging down from the two chandeliers in the ceiling as he desperately tried to calm his thoughts. His mother spoke up again after a moment, tone gentle. "If you need some time to process-" 'Who?"
"Yes?"
Kaiser turned his head back down to look at her. "You said Father wouldn't be teaching me… so who?" It was silent once more, both of them whispering their words at this point. His mother took a deep breath.
"Do you remember Mia?"