"We have discussed it," Tibor said, folding his arms across his chest. His tone suggested he would argue even if Vlad beat him again. "One of us must come with you this time. It's not right that you go alone."
"I don't need a guard," Vlad said, a little drily.
In truth, he was amused by Tibor's insistence.
What trouble could he get into that the little fledglings could help him with?
"That is not the point," Tibor said. "Count Bela does not need a guard, but he would take one if he went to the city. Also, it is an escort. Not necessarily a guard. Take Galosh if you don't want anyone else. You can kick him when you are angry."
Vlad grinned.
It sounded tempting.
Galosh would certainly make the trip less boring.
However…
"If you insist, I will take Bally."
"Bally?" Tibor scratched his head. "Truly?"
"Why not Bally?"
Tibor shrugged. "I thought you would want someone useful."
"Tch." Vlad sighed. "You are all useless to me, Tibor. But you are becoming less useless. Bally is not suited to the way of the Black Dragon Great Sword Art. He lacks the temperament for it. It is a waste for him to be here like this. The most he will gain is more bruises and broken bones."
"He's trying!" Tibor scowled. "We may not all achieve what you can, but he managed to summon his blood energy yesterday. It was an achievement."
"It is not much," Vlad snorted. "Most of the others have done much better. Before you speak again and earn a bloody nose, I am not taking him because his sword is useless. I am taking him because he might learn something more suitable. It is as I said before. The Black Court is not just the Great Sword Art."
"You will teach him something new?"
"I will give him the bones," Vlad confirmed. "What he makes of it will be up to him. Also, he will need to earn the trust of the Brides if he wants to learn it properly. We will see how useless he is."
"Hmm." Tibor nodded slowly. "It is his opportunity, then."
"I cannot guarantee success," Vlad said, wrinkling his nose. "Much relies on how he performs for those witches. Their tempers were never simple. If he offends them, he will need to walk an inferior path."
"I understand." Tibor glanced to the window. The fledglings were working through the first few steps as best they could. He grunted as he saw Metto stumble awkwardly. "Some are not suited for battle."
"It is fine," Vlad said, waving a hand. "It is good enough they learn some basic skills with their brothers. It is good for the Court."
Tibor squinted at him. "You are strange."
"Strange?" Vlad squinted back at him. "Do you want me to beat you again?"
"You have more power than you should," Tibor said, shaking his head. "And you know things. Things which might be secrets. It is strange, Vlad. The others say so, too."
"Tch." He threw a scowl towards the courtyard. "If you have time for gossip, then you need more training."
"One day, you will trust us to tell your story," Tibor said firmly. "Our meeting wasn't easy. And your training technique is not as light as Elder Laszlo's. But everyone understands the why of it. Whatever reason you have for hiding from us, everything is different now. We're brothers, Vlad. Secrets are for strangers. It would be good to remember this."
"Some things are not so simple," Vlad said softly.
"We are brothers in the Black Dragon Court. That is simple."
Vlad drew his lips back into a rueful smile.
He'd heard these words before.
Ferenc had often said something similar.
"I will think on your words, Tibor," he said truthfully.
"It is all we ask."
"Send Bally here. I will give him the good news."
Tibor grinned. "I'm sure he will be happy to be coming along."
As Tibor left, Vlad contemplated their relationship. Tibor was right. Their meeting hadn't been easy.
But in hindsight, Tibor had been protecting the honour of the Court against Vlad's careless words.
It was hard for Vlad not to forgive him for that much.
But how could he tell his brothers his story?
They already thought he was crazy.
If he told them he was actually the same Vlad whose tower they had cleared, would they think he was truly mad?
Still.
Tibor's words gave him another burden. It didn't sit right on Vlad's shoulders to keep secrets from the Court. While every vampire had secrets, it wasn't right to hide something so important from his brothers.
It would be nice if he knew how it was that he had come here. At least he would have an answer to their obvious questions.
"Troublesome," he muttered, shaking his head.
He would think about it another time.
"Umm…"
Vlad looked up. Bally was squirming in the doorway.
"What are you doing standing in the doorway like a useless bastard?"
"I'm here!" Bally chirped, scampering into the room. He looked torn between bowing, getting on his knees, and running away as fast as his legs could carry him.
The look of terror in his eyes didn't ease as Vlad slapped a hand down on his shoulder.
And stared deep into the fledgling's crimson eyes.
"Bally," he said at last. "Your sword skills are trash."
Bally gulped. "But I managed to-"
"Trash," Vlad repeated. "Your control over blood energy is weak. You are lucky to use the Crimson Wave technique. It will give you enough control to survive. But even with that, it is not enough to master the Black Dragon Great Sword Art. You are useless at it. You always will be."
"Oh." Bally's shoulders slumped and he looked down at his feet.
And sniffled as he anticipated rejection and getting sent away.
Vlad slapped him on the side of the head. "Stupid. You are useless trash. But do you think I would chase you up and down the mountain if I had no solution for you? Do you think I would waste my time on worthless bastards?"
"You can fix me?" Bally asked, eyes wide. "Truly, Vlad?"
"Fix? No."
"Oh."
"Stupid," Vlad sighed. "The Court is not just the sword. Do you know any army which has only one weapon?"
"I don't know," Bally said honestly. "Vlad, my father was a baker. Before coming to the Court, all I knew about fighting was from bullshit stories."
Vlad nodded.
It wasn't unusual.
"Hmph." He patted the fledgling's shoulder. "Go find Elder Amir. Ask him for a short sword. The blade should be no longer than wrist to elbow. Sturdy. Also, a brace of daggers. He will know what I want for you."
"Elder Amir? For weapons?"
Vlad grinned. "He will know what you need. He's a librarian."
"Oh," Bally scratched his head, not getting it. "Of course."
"Ask him for a copy of Darkest Shadows. He will know of it. When you have them, pack a bag for a few days and come back here."
"A bag?"
Vlad swatted Bally on the side of the head. "Why are you wasting time asking useless question?"
"Sorry!" He twisted around and sped from the room. "I'm going!"
Watching him go, Vlad pursed his lips.
The shadow arts had never been something Vlad felt incredibly confident with. But he knew enough that he wouldn't shame himself too much in front of the witches.
With luck, they wouldn't care too much about Bally's failings.
Vlad's expression turned grim as he thought about what he was going to say to the lost Brides.
And how many of them he'd have to kill before they listened.
Count Bela watched young Bally scoot across the courtyard. He was heading for the library. He wondered what sort of fire Vlad had lit under the boy to leave his face looking so terrified.
Turning from his window, he sat at his desk and pulled out a heavy tome.
Opening it up, he started reading. The book was written in Hungarian and he pressed is fingers to his forehead as he translated it slowly. Elder Laszlo might have been some help, but the count wasn't sure the vampire was ready for such knowledge.
Carefully, he read the tome.
Jotting notes as he went.
Soon, he heard a gentle tap at his door.
"Enter."
Elder Amir came in, his eyes amused though his face was struggling to find an expression he considered suitable.
"I just had an interesting visitor," Elder Amir said.
"Young Bally?"
"How did you know?"
"I saw him running towards the library," the count said. "What did he want?"
"It was the strangest thing," Elder Amir said. "He wanted a copy of Darkest Shadows. I told him we had no such thing, of course. But he said Vlad had sent him for it."
"Did you give it to him?"
"I did."
The count nodded. "Well. Things are changing fast, old friend."
"You know what else that cheeky bastard asked the boy to get from me?"
"What?"
"A short sword. And a brace of daggers."
The count blinked. "He didn't."
"He did!" Elder Amir threw himself into a small couch by the door.
"How could he know?"
"I have no idea." Elder Amir chuckled, a little bitterly. "Perhaps we should just hand the Court over to him now? It would save a lot of time…"