144. Family Reunion (1/2)
follow-up fic to blood droplet 87 - parentage. read that first, preferably, although you'll be able to pick up the gist without. reviews would be so appreciated you wouldn't believe. enjoy!
disclaimer: not mine.
"bertrand," came the whisper in the middle of the day, and the tutor snapped awake. there was a long, silent pause, and then, "...dad?""malik," he called quietly, "come in." he climbed out of his coffin and, when the door didn't open, went to let his son in – his son, his son who'd just called him dad. "what's wrong?" malik glanced around to check that nobody was looking, then practically dived into the darkened coffin-room and shut the door, clicking his fingers at a candle as soon as the room was secure."i need to tell you something- about- about mum." he sounded like a little boy, woken from a nightmare, and bertrand didn't even think before settling them both on the chaise and putting a comforting hand on his shoulder."i'm listening.""she's not dead. and she's here. and i think... i think she's going to hurt you." malik's eyes were wide, and bertrand could see a very familiar fear of rejection in his eyes, a look he knew appeared on his own face in unguarded moments as he tried to help vlad.
"alright," he told him, not taking his hand from his shoulder but squeezing softly in reassurance, "what makes you think i'm a target?""you know the count's not my father. it'd mess with her whole- you're not angry?""i'm extremely angry that your mother's here without making herself known, not to mention using you, but i'm not angry with you, no.""i think i got ryan killed.""did you kill him?""no, but mum-""well, then. it's her fault, not yours. now, does she know i know you're mine?""she's met you. she must know you're smart. she's probably worked it out. besides, me sneaking over here wasn't exactly subtle.""hm. has she been manipulating you?" for a moment, malik looked torn, but eventually the torment in his eyes won out."...all my unlife. i just- she's my mum, but i- i just wanted to get away from her. that's why i was a street-fang for so long... but she always found me, and now this-""it's alright. you've got me now. but malik, i need you to understand, if she goes after vlad-""you'll kill her." it wasn't a question. "she is after vlad. she wants me made heir instead of him, i don't know how far she'll go to do it but i'm guessing pretty far-"
"traitor!" the air by the door suddenly rippled, and malik jumped as his mother screeched at him. bertrand, however, simply looked up with an air of mild perturbation."elizabeta. how lovely to see you again.""don't bother with your pretty words, bertrand. you're next, once i've disciplined my unruly child-""malik," bertrand continued in his deceptively gentle tone, "will you do me a favour and go and have a chat with your
other? safety in numbers, and all that.""my- oh. yeah, i'll-" his mother tried to stop him from reaching the door, but malik was faster than he looked, and bertrand was right there to block elizabeta's way."now, i think you and i have some catching up to do, don't we?""fine," she snarled, "have it your way. you're first, and then i'll deal with the children. i'll just have to become the chosen one myself, baby face and all.""over my dead body," bertrand growled, and she laughed."that was rather the idea, sweetheart.""i can't believe you didn't tell me about malik. you never wanted kids, elizabeta. you could have left him with me.""oh, i didn't spend a lot of time raising him. i thought a male heir might be useful. as it turns out, though, he's a bit of a disappointment. he takes after you that way.""he's a good kid.""i know. awful, isn't it? now, let's get you out of my way so i can deal with him."
she rippled, then, changing shape until she was smaller, more masculine. vlad."let's see how the honourable bertrand du fortunesa fights his chosen one." she seemed certain it would wrong-foot him, but he'd just watched her change, and he knew vlad's physical limitations almost as well as he knew his own. they'd sparred often enough; now as long as he remembered to allow for elizabeta's different fighting style... she attacked and he defended himself, never letting her near the door, gradually shifting towards where he'd concealed a stake long ago. he managed to land a few decent blows, even without moving out of the way of the exit, and she laughed harshly."oh, you do remember how to play. seems you're not as loyal to the chosen one as you'd like to pretend. let's see how your self-esteem has held up all these years."
bertrand was facing his own double, all of a sudden, and his other self was cackling madly."i think i'll wear your face while i kill our worthless son and-" but bertrand – the real bertrand – had the stake in his hand now, and the thought of malik being betrayed by both parents in one fell swoop spurred him forward. elizabeta looked down at where the stake had pierced her chest – though it still looked like bertrand's – and let out one more disbelieving bark of laughter before crumbling to dust.
bertrand took a deep
eath, locked the door, and went to get changed. he would deal with the dust on the floor later, and he and malik would have to talk about what the boy wanted done with his mother's remains – personally, bertrand would have been glad to flush them down the toilet, but he wouldn't do that if malik might be upset by it – and changed his clothes. this was going to be enough of a shock, without his father walking in covered in the dust of his mother.
the handle turned, and then there was a knock on the door just as he was doing his shirt up, and vlad's voice called out."bertrand? do you need help?""no – go and sit with malik, will you?""he told me-""i'll come to you in a minute, just look after him." vlad obediently returned to his room – bertrand heard the door shut – and bertrand finished dressing quickly. crossing the hall, he knocked on vlad's door and waited anxiously to be let in.