The present...
The door to the bedroom slowly crept open, paving the way for the lifeless light of lamps decorating the corridor. Followed by it was a person who wore a clean, neat butler suit like one from the movies.
The servant's face turned into a grimace as the pungent smell of heavy sweat and blood filled his nostrils, his hand immediately went to his face, trying to not to breathe it in.
He looked around, his eyes trying to peer through the darkness or at least somewhat adapt to it. And then, a second later, something inside it moved, a small sound that boomed inside this quiet, shadowy space.
The servant's expression eased slightly as he, after a moment of hesitation, finally spoke up, addressing the pile of blankets.
"Young Master, the dinner is ready."
He paused for a moment and then added with a lighter tone.
"Your father would appreciate your company."
After those words resonated in the darkness for a few moments, the servant quietly retreated into the corridor, closing the door behind him with a soft click of its lock.
- Sigh
A muffled sigh came from beneath the giant pile of cotton and fur that shook violently as it fell to the floor with a muffled sound. The smell, which could be felt in the entire room, intensified the instant they expanded, their insides filled with sweat like someone had spilled a bucket of water over them.
The boy's figure revealed itself in the darkness, his pale, glistening skin shining in the shadows, which dissipated the moment he pulled the curtains open.
His brows flickered, not yet accustomed to the sudden burst of light that came from the sun hanging in the middle of the sky.
"Shit."
Vlad muttered under his breath before looking down at his wet body, which, alongside his bed, was entirely drenched with his sweat and blood.
'And here I thought that it would be cold tonight.'
Even broadcasts can't be fully right, seemingly telling one thing while something entirely different happens.
Not that he could blame them, people aren't some sort of gods that can predict everything that could or might happen.
Through the window, which was twice the size of his body, he watched the endless expanse of the city, which was slowly starting to come to life alongside the first signs of dawn peering through the fog. Right below the towering citadel, beside the tall walls of his home, stood countless goliaths of reinforced metal that covered the view as far as the eye could see. Citizens exited their premises, looking like nothing but mere specks of dust under the cloudy skies.
He closed his eyes slowly, taking in the warmth of the sun before stiffly stretching his arms above his head.
"Mh-Alright." He mumbled to himself and stood up from the bed, a look of mixed disgust and exhaustion forming on his face after finally taking notice of his messy room.
'No wonder Gabriel left so quickly.'
Vlad lifted one of the blankets, bringing it to his nose and almost gagging.
'I should clean up first...'
***
Walking down the corridor, Gabriel tried to forget the sight of his lord's detestable room, his mind focused on finding the cleaning supplies with which he could scrub each inch of his room.
He stared off into the corridor, his eyes passing by the long walls of white, polished marble and potted plants that looked rather otherworldly for the surface. His feet, which he tried to put into a calm pace, couldn't help but stumble over the red carpet that littered every corner of the citadel's corridors.
'May God forgive me for harboring such thoughts towards the young master.'
His eyes fell as he clasped his hands below his waist in a silent prayer.
'And may he guide him through these harsh times.'
Finishing his little prayer, he looked up towards the corridor where it branched off into the wall on his right. He took a sharp turn, trying to get to the supply closet as fast as he could, but instead, he was met with something akin to a wall, hitting him straight in his sharp nose.
He fell back, barely managing not to break his back due to the impact, catching him off guard. His hands, with which he held onto the wall to slow down his fall, now hid his nose that had started bleeding.
"Watch where you're going!"
Gabriel spat loudly as he stood up and looked around, his eyes turning wide.
'Where did..'
Because there was nothing to bump into.
Confused, he rubbed his head a few times, probably feeling that his time was coming sooner than expected. The workers who walked past him couldn't help but give strange looks, which he ignored, changing his current destination and heading straight to the doctor's office.
***
'Much better'
Vlad smiled to himself as he stood in front of his bed, taking in a long breath of fresh, clean air.
The room was now clean, devoid of any sticky smells or lingering sweat. His bed was tucked nicely, with the red blanket and white pillow, which he pulled out from within his large wardrobe. Walls of fresh white marble were illuminated under the sunlight, as well as the desk next to his bed, made of light hardwood, and a full-body mirror in which he checked out his face and body that was still steaming from his quick shower.
Vlad's eyes wandered off somewhere as he fell into thought, and soon landed on his wardrobe that seemed to ask to be opened. He looked down at himself, at his trained body that was now covered with nothing but a single long towel wrapped around his waist.
'It wouldn't hurt to wear something clean aswell.'
Turning around one hundred eighty degrees, his hands pulled on the two thick handles, leaving the wardrobe wide open.
It was big enough to fit a car inside, and yet the clothes it was filled with were nothing but suits, white shirts, polished boots with glints of sunlight reflecting into his eyes, and some underwear hidden inside one of the boxes at its bottom.
There were his old training clothes as well, hidden behind everything so no one would notice them, useful enough to pick up the lingering dust.
'Now what should I...'
His hands dived into the wardrobe, submerging inside his thick piles of clothes, grabbing hold of each suit he found expensive but then putting it back in place with a sigh of disappointment.
For a moment, he worried that nothing was fitting the occasion; The clothes, even if expensive, couldn't be put on without any thought, there had to be more than just convenience for them, it made people take you seriously, without ever looking down on you. It was also the hardest part of his day to find something that wouldn't earn him an earful from Gabriel.
Thankfully, stashed behind a couple of boxes was a suit his father had gifted him on his sixteenth birthday, the very one he had approved and suggested for Vlad to wear whenever they would be together.
He pulled it out, careful not to ruin the design which was imprinted on its torso. It was pitch black, a color of night that would blend within the shadows perfectly whenever one would look his way. Its chest was decorated nicely with emblems of his country, a shield, and two swords crossed behind it. Its edges shone with a strange silver hue that stuck to the material like some sort of fog, making it seem as if he himself was a part of it.
Without much problem, the suit slid onto his body; the shirt and pants, which he thought would be too small, were actually the perfect size, not restricting his movements and feeling comfortable at that.
He stood in front of his mirror, spinning a couple of times to see if he had put it on correctly. Then nodded to himself, satisfied.
"Thank god it's still clean."
Correcting his sleeves, he headed for the door while simultaneously trying to shape his messy hair.
And then he froze.
A gust of wind had managed to make its way through his closed window, making him turn stiff at the feeling of the autumn breeze.
It was cold, biting into his skin, but warm nevertheless.
It wasn't until a voice echoed from behind him that he eased up slightly, putting his hands down to his sides calmly. The crimson curtains to his room snapped loudly, making him turn around and face his window, which was now open.
"Whew~ Lookin crisp."
He joked, eyeing Vlad from head to toe as he sat on the window's edge. It was strange. Why was it that his heartbeat always quickened when he sat there? Vlad looked down in thought.
With a light gust, the tall man leaped from the window up to Vlad, his body moving so fast that he didn't notice him appearing before his very eyes. Two dots that looked like strands of grass were focused on him, staring deep inside his very own.
As his long hair fluttered in the wind, Vlad felt something round pushing on his sternum. Looking down, a pommel of a shortsword was in the man's hands who gripped it by its metal blade.
"Would you like a quick spar?"
The white-haired man asked with a mischievous grin.