Daughters of the Moon Pt. 06

Gwen was giving sword lessons to some of the house revenants when she received her grandmother's note. She had just put Callie on the ground and the revenant was getting to her feet sullenly. Callie had been a thrall with the house for the last year and had just been made a revenant a few weeks ago, so she was full of easily bruised pride.

"You can't over extend," said Gwen.

"Yes mistress," said the young girl sullenly. Callie was actually older than many when she was turned. She looked like she was in her mid thirties, but all revenants felt young to Gwen.

"I know it's tempting to just keep attacking, and remaining on the offense is usually the better plan. But it's critical to maintain balance while doing so."

"Yes mistress," said Callie. She had that dull, repetitive note in her voice people have when they're upset and not really listening.

"Callie."

Callie looked up at the tone in Gwen's voice.

"You should be proud of what you've accomplished. You're one of the best students I have. I know it doesn't seem like it right now, but you just have to file off a few rough edges and you're going to be the pride of the house."

Callie brightened at that, "Thank you, mistress."

"You can call me Gwen."

"Thank you, Gwen," said Callie. She actually blushed. Gwen lamented for a moment she had given up casual flings with the thralls. But it was for the best; Carla deserved all of her attention.

"Now, let's go again and this time just be a little more mindful of your placement and footwork and I bet I'll be the one on my ass."

"I doubt that but it's worth a try," said Callie. An eager smile had replaced her sullenness.

At that moment the courtier found her. Gwen still wasn't clear where the courtiers came from, how many there were, or even if they existed after they delivered their notes. Gwen always suspected they came from a vat somewhere and returned to it when their tasks were completed.

"A message for you from Princess Sophia, Ser," said the courtier. Gwen heard Callie gasp at the name.

Gwen took the note and read it without preamble.

Attend me. I have an errand to discuss with you.

Then she folded the note and gave it back to the courtier.

"Is she on her terrace?"

"Indeed, Ser."

Gwen nodded, "You can tell her I'll go there after I freshen up."

The courtier nodded and went to deliver her message and then return to his vat.

Gwen smiled ruefully at Callie, "Looks like you'll have to give me my just desserts some other time."

"You can only avoid me for so long, miss... Gwen," said Callie. Gwen smiled at the playfulness in her voice.

...

Gwen made her way out of the palace gardens and into the corridors, heading upstairs toward the royal apartments. The corridors were bustling with servants and courtiers who got out of her way as she passed. The palace had gotten steadily busier over the last few months as Sophia secured her grip on the kingdom and took full control of the government.

Gwen was a few corridors away from the royal apartments when she realized she was a little hungry from fencing practice. She had burned a little blood teaching the girls to use their gifts. It wasn't really a big deal but she realized she'd rather talk to grandma on a full stomach. She cast around, walking down a side corridor, until she saw a familiar face.

"Sarah."

Sarah froze and turned. She was a regular human servant with the house. She had been in the palace when they had taken the city and had accepted the palace's new masters readily enough. Gwen liked her because she had a high, breathy voice. It sounded really sexy when she was moaning in Gwen's ear.

Sarah walked up, eyes wide and a little hopeful, and curtseyed, "Mistress?"

"I'm going to an audience with gran... Princess Sophia, and I feel I should freshen up a bit."

Sarah took a sharp breath. The dress code in the palace had gotten looser since the Mircalla took control, so it was easy to see Sara's nipples stiffen through the light fabric of her servant's uniform.

"Yes, mistress. Shall I fetch you some grooming powder?"

"Yes, please."

Sarah left and Gwen cooled her heels off to the side of the corridor. Sarah returned a few minutes later with a small pouch on a silver tray. Gwen always laughed to herself when the servants brought whatever you asked for on a tray. It was such an unnecessary gesture, but most of the blooded seemed to enjoy it.

Gwen took the powder, "Thank you."

Sarah jumped a little. There were not many vampires that said thank you to the servants. Gwen knew a lot of her peers laughed at her behind her back about it. Gwen appreciated that Carla did the same.

"Would my mistress like help applying the powder?" asked Sarah.

This was such a transparent lie Gwen almost laughed. Grooming powder didn't require any help. You just sprinkled it on yourself and poof, you were all cleaned up. Then it occurred to Gwen some of her fellow blooded probably would make servants sprinkle powder on them. Most of them actually. But Sarah definitely knew Gwen didn't need help. That wasn't what she was offering.

"Absolutely," said Gwen, "I would really appreciate the help," said Gwen. She tried to keep from sounding too sarcastic but she couldn't help smirking. Sarah giggled and blushed at her smirk. The red in her cheeks made a trickle of heat flow between Gwen's legs and the hunger jerked sharply in her belly. She felt pressure in her jaw as her fangs fought to extend.

Sarah led her down the corridor and opened a door into one of the rooms in the hall. It was a well appointed sitting room done up in the gold filagree, carved vines style the palace had when they moved in that Gwen thought was ridiculously overdone. Gwen closed the door behind her and Sarah was making her way to one of the several loveseats scattered around the room. Gwen followed her and sat next to Sarah.

"How have you been?"

"I've been well mistress. I've missed you."

"It hasn't been that long."

"I know."

Sarah unlaced the front of her dress and pulled it from her shoulders, revealing heavy breasts that Gwen had enjoyed exploring in the past. Sarah tilted her head away from Gwen and closed her eyes. Gwen was in a hurry so she didn't draw things out. She leaned forward and kissed Sarah's neck, resting her open mouth over the vein and running her tongue along it. Sarah drew in a sharp breath. Then Gwen bit down and the blood filled her. It was warm and rich and full and it was everything she needed. Sarah gasped and Gwen felt the shudder run through her as the ecstasy of Gwen's bite filled her. Gwen began eagerly sucking on the wound in her neck. And Sarah started taking the long, deep breaths with the whispery moans that Gwen loved so much. The blood traveled down Gwen's throat and filled her. Ripples of pleasure radiated from her core that felt like a gentle, slow massage of a tongue on her clit at the start of tender lovemaking. Gwen used a thumb to run slow circles around Sarah's nipple, it was already hard when she began stroking. Sarah took some rapid, shallow pants and then cried out as she came, the orgasm sending shudders through her that Gwen could taste in her blood.

Gwen would have loved to take the time to really appreciate Sarah, the life and joy that her blood brought, but she was in a hurry, so she fed on Sarah in big gulps, reveling in her own small way at the excess of her feeding. Sarah came a second time as Gwen bit down on her neck once more, just for fun, crying out in her high, wavery voice as her body shuddered in Gwen's roaming hands. Then Gwen judged she had taken as much as she should and pulled out. Sarah gave a little cry of disappointment as Gwen's mouth left her. Gwen licked the wound, getting the last bits of blood and closing it off.

Gwen pulled back from Sarah, who was breathing deep as she came down from the bite. She had two red spots in her cheeks. But they were already fading, leaving her pale.

Gwen reached into her belt pouch and pulled out a small vial, "Here."

"It's alright. You didn't take much."

"Please. I know you still have work to do. I don't want you to be tired on my account."

Sara nodded, took the vial, and downed it in one swallow. Her paleness faded as the potion began to restore the blood Gwen had taken, "That's very thoughtful of you. Thank you."

"I'm sorry I was so fast."

"That's alright. The princess does not like to be kept waiting. Maybe... you could make it up to me soon?"

Gwen nodded and gave Sarah a smile, "I'd like that."

Sara smiled back dreamily. Her eyes were a little glazed. "I hope your audience goes well."

"Thank you," said Gwen, feeling some of the happy afterglow of feeding fade as anxiety about the the audience returned. She got up to leave.

"Mistress."

"You can call me Gwen. At least in private."

"Gwen, you forgot the powder."

"Oh, right."

Gwen took the powder from the pouch and sprinkled it on herself instantly the stains on her clothes vanished and her skin felt clean of dust.

"Thanks," said Gwen.

"Of course mis... Gwen. Anything for you."

...

Sophia's manservant led Gwen to the terrace where Sophia was taking her afternoon tea. The terrace overlooked the gardens and to Gwen's night vision they were lit in a glorious array of color. Flowers and perfectly manicured trees glowing in mage lights. The colors of the mage lights were chosen to complement the plants' natural coloration. With a start, Gwen realized you could clearly see the courtyard she often used to train. Her eyes roamed to the hidden grove where she and Carla made love on Carla's first night and many nights after. She couldn't see it through the trees, but Sophia knew the Oracle and nothing escaped her sight.

Sophia was seated at a small, well appointed, wrought iron table. She was in one of her usual simple yet well cut red and black dresses. Her only ornamentation was a brooch with the house's bloody crescent made of rubies. Kneeling at her feet was a man in rough breeches and shortsleeves, his eyes fixed at the ground. Gwen recognized him as one of the barons who had defended the city when they had taken it.

Sophia looked up as she approached, "Ah, granddaughter. Please, have a seat."

Gwen very carefully sat across from her grandmother. Sophia took a sip of tea as the manservant poured a cup for Gwen.

"You're looking quite nice tonight."

"I took a few minutes to freshen up."

"Ah, I was waiting a bit longer than I expected. But if you had to choose between timeliness and presentation I feel you made the right choice," said Sophia.

Gwen shifted in her seat a little. She could never tell if Sophia was teasing her or not.

"How goes the training of the new recruits?"

"Its going well, grandma," Gwen knew Sophia enjoyed that label when they were alone, "They're a good group of girls. Most of them seem eager for the new life we've offered them. The house chose wisely."

"Excellent. It's wonderful to watch the house grow and flourish. With our new conquests and Anika's wonderful invention we can support more blooded than ever before. The new blood we have brought in makes me excited for the future in a way I haven't felt in decades."

Gwen started to get nervous. She had never been good at reading the hidden meanings and innuendos Sophia always put in her words, but she had a feeling the mention of new blood was also referencing one new member of the house that they very pointedly did not talk about. After being accepted into the house Carla had become more social. She attended Caroline's salons, went out with her lab mates, and attended every one of Elaine's recitals. She had even started dragging Gwen out with her, and Gwen now had a small handful of cousins she felt a little more comfortable with. But Carla had very pointedly never gone to court again and avoided any gathering where she had to be in the same room with Sophia. Worst of all, she let everyone know this was very much on purpose. Gwen did not want to discuss Carla's avoidance of Sophia and she kept dreading Sophia bringing it up. And Sophia kept not bringing it up. It was driving Gwen crazy.

"You said you had a task for me?" Asked Gwen, trying to head off any questions about how she was doing, because questions about how she was doing would inevitably touch on how Carla was doing.

Sophia raised an eyebrow, and Gwen realized Sophia knew exactly why Gwen had asked.

"Just business, my grandchilde?"

"I'm sorry. My life is kind of boring. Just training and patrolling."

"That is a shame. You should take some time to enjoy yourself."

Gwen didn't say anything. She had been enjoying herself quite a bit; attending some house social events with Carla, moonlight walks in the garden with Carla, trips to the music halls with Carla, lying in bed for hours and making love to Carla. Gwen couldn't tell Sophia about any of it. Gwen wondered if Sophia was trying to trick her into bringing her up.

Then Sophia reached her hand out and the lord on the ground next to her put his hand in hers. She brought it to her mouth and bit into his wrist. The lord on the ground shivered and gave a quiet whimper, somewhere between pleasure and hopelessness. Sophia's throat worked as she fed and the man shivered and breathed hard while still looking at the ground. Gwen saw a tear twinkle in his eye. Sophia dropped the hand and licked her lips. The man brought his hand back to his side and made no other reaction.

"Did you want some?" asked Sophia.

Gwen swallowed. She liked to humiliate asshole guys as much as the next Mircalla, but Sophia could be a little intense, "Thanks, but I just ate."

"I see. You do look pleasingly flush. Very well then, to business." said Sophia. She took a sip of her tea to wash down the blood.

"Aemon's Rest, One of the medium sized townships in Hartshire, is refusing to pay their first blood tax. They have already sent the rest of their taxes, but when the new baron sent the blood collector to the town they refused quite vigorously. The blood collector was able to escape with his distiller but a guard was killed."

"I see. And you want me to go collect."

"Precisely. The lands have been granted to the Draculs, but the house primaries have decided to send a mixed force to foster the continued cooperation between our houses. I want you to take a contingent of our skeletons and help deal with this small rebellion. It will be a good opportunity to give the new revenant recruits some experience."

Gwen hesitated and Sophia picked up on her uncertainty in an instant.

"I would have thought you would jump at the chance for some excitement, since your life is so boring."

"Oh it sounds fun I just... have responsibilities here."

"Nothing that can't wait a week or two."

Gwen gave up. Sophia had her, "I'm just worried about Carla, leaving her alone."

Sophia took a sip of her tea, letting the silence stretch.

"By all accounts Carla is thriving. Anika has mentioned she has been a valuable addition to her assistants."

"Yes, but..."

"And she has finally opened up to her sisters in the house."

"I know, but..."

"And though I appreciate the care you have shown your new childe, Carla is a competent young woman and I have no doubt she will continue to flourish in your absence. Some time apart may be good for her. It will help her define herself independently of you."

"Right, yes... I'm sure you're right," said Gwen. She could hear the weakness in her voice. She wasn't any less worried but there was no way she could voice any concerns to Sophia.

"Then it's settled. You leave tomorrow night. The village is in lands I've bequeathed to Lord Marcus Astra Dracul so you will be accompanied by his childe Helena. Helena will nominally be in charge but Lord Marcus has made it clear to her that she should defer to your superior military experience. I understand she is very skilled with the Tempest and will be bringing an Engine, should you need support."

"Great..." said Gwen. She knew Helena. They had worked together during the siege of Tamlin. Helena was forty years younger than Gwen but still treated her like a bratty younger cousin with bad manners. But Gwen had been forced to work with far worse people and she knew how to grit her fangs and bear it.

"House Gevudan will send Christoph with a warband and the Savons are sending William with a contingent of larvae."

Gwen sighed. Will was the best Savon she could have hoped for but she really hated larvae. The Savons, degenerates that they were, were the only ones that still used them.

Sophia marked her reaction, "Please try to contain your disgust. The Savons are valuable allies even with their peculiar habits. Make every effort to be courteous. It will serve the house to forge strong bonds with the other houses as we face the future."

"That sounds ominous. Is something happening?"

"Not yet. But the Dragon and the Good King are racing towards their inevitable confrontation. There are many possibilities depending on the outcome of that meeting."

Gwen never had much of a head for politics and couldn't begin to imagine what any of those possibilities were, but she did understand making friends, "Well, I'm sure we'll get along fine. I'll make nice like I always do."

Sophia smiled indulgently, "I have every confidence in you."

...

"I don't like it," said Carla

Gwen was back in their room and Carla was pacing in front of the bed. Even though Carla was distressed, it was hard for Gwen not to just stare at her and admire her beauty. She was the very model of a blooded member of house Mircalla. She was everything Gwen wasn't. She was tall and elegant, with long dark hair as black as a moonless night and big dark eyes that missed nothing.

"I'm not happy about it either. But I serve the house and this is how I do it."

"It's not that. I know you're one of the best warriors the house has and I'm so proud of you for that. But Sophia's trying to separate us. She wants to get me alone."

"You think so?"

"I know it."

"I think you're reading into it too much. This is a totally normal thing for me to do."

"But you didn't have a rebellious childe before."

"Are you rebellious?"

"I am to her, And I...I'm worried about the Savons. They're always watching."

"I thought Will said you were safe."

"He said I'm safe because I have you to protect me."

"Maybe you should stay in the palace while I'm gone then. They can't try anything here."

"I don't like the idea of being locked up."

"I know. It's not great, but you should be safe here. Unless you...want to come with me?"

Carla stopped, "Go with you? To go fight?

"I mean you could fight if you wanted. Your swordplay has gotten really good. But I just meant come with me. It's a week there and a week back so it'll be like a camping trip. The Savons are sending Will so you'll have another friend. And the revenants coming with me are a great bunch of girls. It could be fun."

"That does sound fun," said Carla. Then she paused, "but what about when we get there?"

"You can just stay at the camp. It'll be fine."

Carla glanced at Gwen, suddenly looking uncertain, "While you go kill people?"

"I mean we're going to suppress a rebellion, it's an ugly business. We probably won't kill too many people. They're peasants so as soon as the first few go down the rest usually run away."

That seemed like it upset Carla even more. "A rebellion by people against getting their blood taken."

"I guess. But it doesn't hurt them. And we need it. You and I both do. I mean this village belongs to the Dracul but there are other villages and towns that give us the blood we drink every night."

Carla gave Gwen a flat stare. Gwen couldn't read the expression.

"I think I'd rather stay here. I'll stay in the palace."

"Are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine."