“I need to replenish my powers,” Foster said. “You should as well. I will not stop the hunt until my vengeance is sated. We were fools to not have seen the shaman’s tricks. No more. Ho, ho! It will be a glorious battle, and even more so with you at my side. Together we shall be unstoppable!” Foster rubbed his hands with fiendish delight.
“Bring me sugar, and lots of it!”
“You’re too quiet.” Foster sighed. “Micah will make a full recovery. Don’t worry.”
“You should not have brought him with you.” Ivan frowned.
“You don’t understand,” Foster said. “There was no other way.”
“If he dies I will not forgive you.”
“Your blood saw to his survival. Come, you need to eat.” Foster’s eyes flicked toward the hostess. “What about her?” Ivan ignored him and he continued. “What… don’t you eat? You’re discreet but I know you must get your blood somewhere. Come on… how do you do it?”
“I’m going to eat you if you don’t drop it.”
“Oh, come now. You’ve puzzled me since the first moment we met. You’re so different from the vampires of my world. In Eolande vampires are bloodthirsty savages bend on feeding and nothing else. You show nothing but restraint to the point of idleness.”
“I suppose I've mellowed with age.”
“Oh, I don’t believe that for a minute. Your heart is desperate for a reason to burn once more. You relish the hunt,” Foster said. “I can see it in your eyes. So I must ask you this….”
“Ask me what, fairy?” Ivan was clearly in no mood for games.
“How long are you going to waste away here?”
“What do you mean?” Ivan narrowed his eyes.
“You know exactly what I mean.” Foster said. “A man of your caliber needs more to do than sit around and wait for the sun to set. You dither about with these boys, for what reason?”
“Micah is my friend,” Ivan said. “I need no other reason.”
“Answer me this, then. I know enough human history to know that your talk of warfare is dated. Tell me… just when were you born?”
“A while back,” Ivan said with a smile.
“You speak of castles and armies, of armor and swords. Can I hazard a guess and suggest perhaps seventeenth century?” Ivan shook his head. “Fifteenth, then?” Ivan shook his head once more. “Come on then, out with it.”
Ivan said, “I was sixteen when I joined up with the Saxons, hoping to march against Pepin and the church that betrayed my family lineage. We believed the sons of Merovech were untouchable despite the power the mayors had garnered, and once they secured the church they needed us no longer. They tried to shear us like sheep and hide us away in a monastery, taking our birthright and my rightful place in history. I couldn’t bear the shame and so I ran. My father died and I never heard what happened to my brother. I spent the next nineteen years of my youth hell bent on bloody revenge, and when that wasn't enough I spent another several hundred years after my Rebirth signing on with whatever tribe at the time was warring against them, going as far as to sack Paris, and for what? The Arnulfings won.”
“You are… far older than I imagined,” Foster said, eyes wide. “Your wisdom then must be incomparable to mine. I am humbled to fight at your side.”
“I have found that vengeance is nothing more than a grist stone grinding its way through countless lives but for all the grinding, it produces nothing but a thirst for more blood. A king is offended. He wages war. The people defend. The attacked retaliate. Vengeance is demanded, meted, returned. I witnessed the borders of Neustria bounce back and forth, the names changed and changed again, but what it took me too long to realize was that the people on the ground were the ones who suffered. Nothing changed for them. They dealt with the same burnt fields and starving children. For what?”
“That is the nature of war,” Foster said. “They understand the price. What of it?”
“How little you understand. I see so much of my younger self in you.”
“Should I be honored or insulted? Am I wrong to seek vengeance? Glory? Power? What then would you fight for if not these things? You speak of glory all the time.”
“Justice for my friend matters,” Ivan said. “I find honor and glory in the battle to protect those I love.”
“Prince Foster, allow me to ask you a question.”
“Go on,” Foster said.
“What does justice look like for Eolande?”
“Justice for Eolande? Why… I….” Foster trailed off, deep in thought. With the crown upon my head the power of the Fee will be mine, I will have the power to destroy my brother… I hate him. I hate him I hate him I hate him! The fairies eyes burned and his fists clenched tight. I’ll kill him and have Gelfrey put his soul into a toad and then I’ll kill the toad!
“I see,” Ivan whispered. He shook his head with a sad sigh.
“You have given me much to think about,” Foster said, regaining composure. “I have one more question for you.”
“Once this business with the elf is dealt with would you join me? With you at my side Eolande could be saved from the heinous crimes of my evil brother. The people would be free. We would be heroes.”
“Join you? In your realm?”
“Yes. Fighting the good fight? You’d have to get a new sword of course, and armor to be fitted, but we could manage quite well. I have many wealthy supporters in the Lavender Vale and the Lord of the Marches owes me debts. You would have lands, titles, power, prestige… a righteous glory would be yours.” Foster allowed himself a small grin as Ivan’s eyes lit up. I’ve played the War Board for years now with this man. I know he loves his pawns. If he thinks me a pawn, will he love me as he does Micah? Would he love me enough to fight for me, as I fought for him? I want… no, I need him at my side. Foster said, “I can’t do it alone, your majesty. My people are being executed in droves and I sit and do nothing. With your wisdom and guidance I could make a real difference for my people.” I could destroy my brother for what he did.
I ate all my money and then some! Foster cleared his throat.
“Be a friend, take care of this for me?”
“You tricksome gadfly!”
I see this shall require drastic measures…
Foster burst into tears. “I’ve lost my homeland… I don’t have any money… (boo hoo hoo) oh great Oracle bless me, I’m just so distraught over the grievous injuries Micah sustained… it’s all my fault…I didn’t have enough magic to restore him and he was beaten so savagely… (boo hoo hoo) it was horrible… bless his noble soul!”
“You spent over one hundred and twenty dollars,” Ivan said. “On sweets!”
“I’m sorry,” Foster sobbed.
“You ordered eight cupcakes at $5.99 a piece. You ate twenty donuts! Why order so much if you didn’t have any money?”
“I’m so sorry,” Foster sobbed. “I was hungry! I can’t think straight if I haven’t had any sugar.”
“Make a scene while I run for the door,” Foster said.
“You’re impossible,” Ivan said with a sigh. “Here.”
“You see? Where would I be without you? Say, spot me a couple of bucks?”
“You want more money?”
“Wait here,” Foster said.
“There was a gas station across the street,” Foster said. “I got you one. It’s red. You like red.”
“That is disgusting,” Ivan said. “I don’t want that.”
“I can feel the power coursing through my veins!”
“You fairies are baffling creatures.”
“Sugar converts directly to mana,” Foster said. “Now I’m powerful enough to battle that wicked elf. Let them witness the power of the Fee!”
“We’ve wasted enough time. We’ve prey to hunt and we’re all the closer to morning.”
“Indeed. Will you consider my request?”
“We shall talk more after this business is dealt with,” Ivan said. “You have intrigued me.”
He’ll join me. I can feel it.
Meanwhile…
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