Chapter 130: Veres

Stryg could hear Rhian’s bright laughter from across the stable. He pushed the stable gates open and walked inside. Gwen, the stablehand, popped her head out from one of the stalls. She wore two large brushes strapped on each hand.

“Mr. Stryg?” Gwen asked.

“Stryg?” Rhian poked her head out.

“Hi, Rhiannon,” he waved.

Before he finished talking she was already running towards him. Rhian hugged him tight, rested her forehead on his own, and closed her eyes in comfort.

Stryg couldn’t help but smile, “I’m sorry I couldn’t come to see you sooner.”

Gwen squealed quietly at the adorable moment.

Rhian raised her head and took a step back, “It’s only been a few days, I know you’ve been busy working hard with your training. Besides, every day Feli’s been going out with me in your place.”

“I’m glad Feli and you are getting along.”

“I think she’s finally getting used to my galloping speed, wait till she sees me run at my best,” Rhian laughed.

“That’s something I’d like to see.” Stryg smiled bitterly, “...Someday you won’t need anyone to accompany you when you go out.”

“No beastkin can go out on the streets alone, they’d get arrested or worse. That’s just the way it is, you don’t have to wear that sad face,” Rhian shrugged.

“It won’t be that way for you at least, I’ll make sure of it,” Stryg swore.

“It’s good to see you, Mr. Stryg,” Gwen bowed. “Are you going out by any chance?”

“Yes, that was the plan,” he said.

“Then I’ll get Rhian saddled up as quickly as possible,” Gwen nodded and rushed off.

“So, what have you two been up to?” Stryg asked.

“Gwen was brushing my coat, the brushes tickle my legs though,” Rhian lifted her sleek ebon leg to prove her point.

Gwen came back a moment later and began to place the saddle and straps on Rhian.

“She’s been doing a great job with my coat,” Rhian smiled.

Gwen blushed at the compliment, “That means a lot coming from you.”

“Of course it does, you won’t find a centaur like me ever again,” Rhian winked.

“Okay, I’m ready to go,” Feli stood at the stable gate. She was dressed in a long blue coat with a fluffy fur collar.

“Where are we going?” Rhian asked.

“Just to the Trade District to eat some food and spend some time together,” Stryg said.

“Stryg was invited by Callum Veres to a fancy party up north,” Feli said excitedly.

“Veres? That’s one of the Ruling Families, the one Nora and Clypeus were talking about,” Rhian recalled.

“The very same,” Feli nodded.

“Wait. Does that mean you’re going to be gone for a while?” Rhian frowned.

“Yeah, but so will you,” Stryg said.

“Wait, are you saying I’m coming with?”

“You didn’t think I was going to leave the best centaur behind, did you?” Stryg hopped onto the saddle.

Rhian turned back at him, her grey eyes filled with mirth, “Wouldn’t dream of it.”

Feli raised her hands, Stryg reached down and pulled her up with ease. She sat behind him and rested her arms around his waist.

“Thank you for the ride, Rhian,” Feli bowed.

“Anytime.” She paused at the gate, “Gwen, thanks for everything!”

“It’s been my honor,” Gwen curtsied as best as she could.

Rhian’s thin lips twisted to the side, “Yeah, we’ll work on that bow later.”

Gwen paled, mortified. Rhian cantered away.

~~~

The first flakes of snow began to fall as they held steaming mugs of hot cocoa. Most people were too busy going about their daily lives to notice the snow. Stryg, Rhian, and Feli stood in the middle of a bustling street in one of the many marketplaces in the Trade District.

“You’re supposed to blow on it a few times before taking a sip, otherwise you’ll burn your tongue,” Feli warned.

“But, he’s just drinking the whole thing at once,” Rhian pointed.

Stryg drank down his mug of hot cocoa, before ordering another right afterward.

“Stryg should not be the standard for anyone to gauge themselves by on anything,” Feli shook her head. “Plus, he’s a greedy little glutton.”

He moved the mug aside and took a playful bite out of Feli’s hand.

“Ow!” Feli yelped. “Dammit, your teeth are sharp.”

Stryg hissed into his mug and kept drinking.

“Okay, that’s it, I’m not wasting time, no more blowing or whistling or whatever.” Rhian drank the hot cocoa.

She spat the drink in a spray and screamed in pain. Her mug slipped out of her hands. Stryg skipped a step closer and caught the mug before it spilled.

“Ish hawt, ish hawt!” Rhian had her tongue out and waved her hands frantically.

“Wait a second!” Feli quickly ordered a mug of cold milk and handed it to Rhian.

She gulped it in an instant and sighed in relief. “Thanks.”

“No problem, next time please listen to reason,” Feli sighed.

“Right, don’t drink it all at once,” Rhian nodded.

“That’s not what I meant.”

Rhian turned to Stryg, “Thanks for saving my drink. Time for round two.”

Stryg lifted her mug and drank it all.

“E-eh? Ah, wait! Wait, dammit!” Rhian yelled.

She grabbed Stryg by the shoulders and shook him, but to no avail.

Stryg licked his lips, “Ahhh, much better.”

“How could you?” Rhian’s eyes watered.

“One more hot cocoa, please,” Feli shook her head.

“Right away, miss,” the vendor nodded.

“It’s snowing,” Stryg looked up at the grey sky.

“Which is why Rhian and I brought coats. It’s been getting pretty cold these last few weeks. That thin jacket isn’t enough, love. You should really take care of yourself better,” Feli frowned.

Stryg hugged her tight, “Why do I need a coat when I’ve got you?”

“You can’t just stick to me all the time,” Feli raised an eyebrow.

“Watch me,” Stryg buried his head in her chest.

“Finally,” Rhian grabbed her mug of hot cocoa.

“Stryg,” Feli played with his hair.

“Fine,” he sighed.

Stryg stepped back and pulled out a purple scarf with a blue snowflake pattern from his satchel. He wrapped the scarf haphazardly around his neck.

“That’s new. I didn’t buy that for you and you never go out of your way to buy yourself clothes,” Feli stared at the scarf.

Stryg rubbed the end of the scarf between his fingers. “It was a winter gift from a friend,” he muttered.

“I see…” Feli hooked her arm with his, “Well, let’s do a bit of sightseeing before we call it a day, we still need to decide on where we should hold our wedding reception.”

“Can’t that wait? The wedding’s in spring,” he said.

“We are not leaving our wedding plans until the last minute,” Feli’s face darkened.

Stryg stopped, he wasn’t sure he had ever seen her look so angry. “Uh, okay.”

Her demeanor changed instantly, her lips curled up in a smile, “Great.”

“So, which road are we taking tomorrow, Master? The North or East Gate?” Rhian asked as she sipped her drink.

“Neither, we’ll be going by the West Gate,” Stryg said.

“Wait, but that leads to the docks. Are you saying we’re going by ship?”

“Yup, I’ve never been, but I hear their fun.”

“Fun? How about a recipe for vomiting all afternoon, ugh,” Rhian groaned.

“Are ships that bad?” Stryg tilted his head.

“Not inherently,” Feli put a finger to her lips. “Although, I do hear a lot of people get seasick while on the Dire River.”

“Seasick?” Stryg asked.

“It basically means getting very nauseous. Back when I worked at the Merry Crescent I used to hear sailors tell stories about people throwing up all the time.”

“I’m not so sure about this ship thing anymore,” Stryg grimaced.

“You’ll be fine, there are certain teas that help with nausea we can pick up. Actually, I guess this is a good time to bring it up,” Feli took a deep breath.

“Hm?”

“Remember I told you I wanted to invest into a caravan so that we could begin making a profit instead of just letting our money sit there?”

“Yeah,” Stryg nodded.

“Well, my reading lessons have been going pretty well and I can finally look at the public reports with a detailed eye. In fact, I’ve been looking into them pretty extensively the past few weeks.”

“That sounds great,” he smiled. “Did you figure out where we should invest?”

He didn’t really understand how investments worked or caravans for that matter, but he trusted Feli and that was enough for him.

“Not exactly. I haven’t figured out a specific caravan, but I realized that it’s actually better if we invest in a trade ship instead. Whole groups of caravans have been recently disappearing in Dusk Valley, hurting merchants' profits enormously.”

“So, what’s the plan?” Stryg asked.

“I spent years listening to sailor chatter at the Merry Crescent tavern and I paid attention. I know enough about the ships and their crew to have a good idea of which to invest in. All we really need is a merchant who knows the maritime business to help us set up some trade deals.”

“And where do we get one of those mari-whatever people?” Stryg asked.

“The higher-end sectors of the Trade District,” Rhian spoke up. “Karlok, the vampire who owns the Swift Winds where I grew up, used to work with several maritime merchants.”

“Perfect, I’ll look into it,” Feli clapped her hands together. “Now, time to find some wedding sites!”

“But I still want more hot chocolate,” Stryg muttered.

“We’ll come back later, come on,” Feli pulled him by his hand.

Stryg glanced at Rhian’s half-filled mug. He licked his lips.

Rhian took a step back, “Eh, n-no. No. Not again, no! Noooo!”

~~~

Callum Veres ran down the hall of his family’s mansion, ignoring the strange looks of the servants. This was his one chance to meet with Gian Gale. He’d be damned if he lost it because he tried walking with the grace of an aristocrat.

Gian was the great uncle of the current Lord Gale and one of the oldest and most loyal vampire retainers of House Veres, Callum’s father trusted him explicitly. The only thing Gian was known for more than his loyalty was his vast knowledge of the Veres family. If anyone knew about the Blue Rose, it was Gian.

The old vampire had spent most of the past year away on a mission given by Lord Veres IX, but he had just returned to Hollow Shade for a few days. This was Callum’s one chance for the answers he had been desperately searching for. He pushed past door after door until he ran into a tea room.

A long table sat in the center of the room with several dishes of food. A glass of fresh blood sat on each end of the table. The chair at the head of the table was empty. But, an elderly vampire sat at the foot of the table. Gian’s grey beard was immaculately groomed as usual. His hands were covered in wrinkles and spots, but they were steady and did not tremble. His bright crimson eyes were filled with a life that belied his true age.

Callum froze in his steps, he placed a hand over his heart and bowed deeply, “Forgive me for the intrusion, Gian, sir.”

“Little Cal, is that you? My, you have grown these past few years,” Gian bowed.

“It has been quite some time,” Callum chuckled.

“I wish I had gotten a chance to see you grow more into the man you have become. You left the mansion at such an early age. As for me, I have been gone this past year, but I am glad Bellum has blessed me with the chance for us to meet. You look strong and healthy. Of all your father’s children, you look like him the most.”

Callum’s eyes widened. He bowed deeply, “You honor me.”

“The honor is mine, Little Cal or should I just say Cal, now?”

“From you? I’d be honored by either,” Callum smiled.

“You are too kind,” Gian laughed. “So, to what do I owe this unexpected visit?”

“I spoke with my father recently and I learned some interesting details about House Veres. I had some questions about my family history and I was hoping you could shed some light on them.”

“Well, then you came to the right place. Ask away.”

“I wished to know more regarding Lady Veres, owner of Krikolm.”

“There have been many Lady Veres who have wielded Krikolm, you have to be a little more specific.”

“Ah, sorry, of course,” Callum cleared his throat. “Do you know anything about Lady Veres, the Blue Rose?”

“Oh, you mean Lady Stryga Veres.”

The room suddenly felt very small, as if the walls were collapsing on top of him. Callum could hardly breathe.

“Stryga?” He choked out.

Gian nodded, “Quite right. She was born a little over three centuries ago. Stryga was one of the most powerful family leaders House Veres had ever seen and indeed a wielder of Krikolm, the last wielder to be precise. Had she not been lost she would have brought House Veres to an age of prosperity. A true tragedy what happened to her and the Veres family.”

Callum stayed quiet, his body felt cold.

“Little Cal, are you alright?” Gian leaned over.

He cleared his throat, “I’m fine. Just fine... By any chance, do you know why she was called the Blue Rose?”

Gian lifted his glass and stared at the blood within, “She was an exotic beauty by most standards. Her father was a dark elf from the Northern Lands. The dark elves up there tend to have more of a blue shade of skin rather than grey. Stryga inherited her father’s blue skin and white hair.”

“Blue skin, hah….” Callum ran a trembling hand through his hair.

“If she didn’t smile and reveal her fangs, Stryga could have passed for a dark elf. But, there was one unique trait that made her stand out among all the beauties of Hollow Shade.”

“What?” Callum swallowed.

Gian pointed at his eye, “She was said to have enchanting violet eyes.”

“Violet? W-was it a mutation?”

“No. It was just an incomplete dominant trait.”

“I don’t follow,” Callum frowned.

Gian leaned back in his chair, “Normally, a child inherits one physical trait from one parent or another. For example, if a man has blue eyes and his wife brown, their child will either have blue or brown eyes. Now, rarely, a child is born with a mixture of both traits. In Stryga’s case, she inherited a mixture of the blue eyes from her dark elf father and the crimson eyes of her vampire mother.”

“That must be very rare, almost impossible to replicate,” Callum muttered to himself.

Gian chuckled, “I suspect you may be right, there aren’t many dark elf-vampire hybrids after all.”

“I have another question, if you don’t mind.”

“Of course, fire away.”

“...Hybrids can’t have children, right?”

Gian smiled sadly, “If I’m being completely honest, that’s a difficult one. We can’t actually prove that hybrids can’t. The correct answer would be hybrids don’t have children. At least, none that we know of. The problem is there aren’t many hybrids in the first place. But, I don’t wish to give you false hope. It is very unlikely you will ever have children.”

Gian placed his hand on Callum’s shoulder, “I’m sorry, little Cal.”

“I was hoping for a more reassuring answer,” he trembled.

“What are you doing here, little brother?”

Callum turned to the door and was faced with a tall dark-haired beauty, her crimson eyes staring down at him.

“Hello, Carmilla. It’s good to see you," Callum bowed.

“Mm, likewise. Now, why are you interrupting my dinner? Gian has important intel reports on Frost Rim to disclose. It is not for the ears of a child,” she walked over and took a seat at the head of the table.

“Carmilla, always focused on duty. You should rest and try to enjoy yourself once in a while. You are only young once,” Gian chuckled.

“I am the eldest and heir to my father and this House. Fun is not a luxury I can afford,” Carmilla swished her glass of wine around.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t realize you were coming, sister. If you’ll excuse me, I’ll leave you both to your dinner,” Callum bowed.

“You may go,” Carmilla waved him away.

Callum left without another word. He had hoped Gian would give him the answers he needed. Now he had a thousand more questions and he dreaded each answer.