Blood Relations [M]
 

Locked in a marriage to cement their clans’ relationship, two young vampires are forced into a relationship that neither wants.
One vampire, upstanding and intelligent, stands for his clan and accepts his fate as betterment of his people.
The other, angered by his lack of choices, turns his back on his promises and seeks another – possibly endangering the fate of the two clans.
Under the disapproving eyes of the Elders and the watchful gaze of the Elected Vampires, the two must make the best of their marriage to keep their respective clans from falling apart.
But one does not intend to cooperate…

Rating: M
Characters: playing it by ear
Open for others: No.

he fell on his bed tiredly. no, he fell on their bed now. he refused to look at the other. this was without any doubt the most asinine thing he had ever done. he knew it had to be done though. of course it had to be done. he began digging his palms into his eyes hoping to distract himself from the inevitable.

Druist looked at the other from the corner of his eye. Enraged that he was forced to go through with this, when his heart belonged to another. He let out a gusty sigh, to show he was not at all enthusiastic for this.
They had to consummate the marriage, to cement the two clans' - one clan now - relationship. Yet he felt sick to his stomach at the thought of touching another. It had to happen, he knew, but every fiber of his being rebelled.

he had an idea "are there any cups or bowls?" he sat up and leaned on the bed-frame. if he had to blood-let the least he could do was spare them both one humiliating act tonight, they were not lovers and he would not share a lovers embrace with this....boy

Druist nodded, then said "Yes. You'll find them in the cupboard under the mirror." He was glad his "husband" felt no need to share a union with him other than what was required. This was utter nonsense, but as the only Prince of his clan he was forced into it. He gritted his teeth at the thought.

he ignored the other and nipped at his wrist trawing a bit of blood. when he had filled the bottom of the cup he stuck his wrist to his mouth and handed it over "drink then it's your turn"

He took the bowl, masking his distaste. Quickly, he sipped from the bowl, then opened a vein on his own wrist to add his lifeblood to the bowl. He placed it back on the bed. Looked away. "Done."
He paused. For a second. "Now what?" he asked, moodily.

((sorry for whatever reason it posted twice in a row))

he drank it quickly and laid the bowl to the side, now that that was done they could get back to important matters "there is still the issue of territory, each year the humans encroach farther onto our lands, it is wrong and we are too big to be supported much longer without tillable land and game, we have to push them back by any means, i refuse to move back farther into the mountains"

He stood up, not looking at Sain.
"Hmph. Well, that is business for tomorrow's council, not tonight. What are you planning to propose, fly down on the humans, terrify them into going back to their little flat lands and small villages?"
Secretly, Druist agreed. Completely. But they couldn't risk it. Not more exposure.

he stifled a growl. "i married you for politics, what else would you expect from me but that?" he went back to leaning against the headboard "though i suppose you'd like to skulk out of here as quickly as you can to go play with your lover"

Druist stopped cold. Upper lip raised. Hands clenching.
He turned slowly refusing to rise to the bait. When he faced his 'husband' his features were a polite mask. "What did you want to discuss, dear?" he said. A snarl was barely suppressed in his words, though he knew he couldn't push the vampire too far - if any of the Council or Elders knew about his secret love, the marriage would fall apart and the clans would both be ruined. Because of him.

he turned his nose up and his face away "nothing, nothing at all" he was pleased to get a response from the other though he would have rather gotten the other to sit down with him and talk about this, it was crucial that they both could join together and push against the council, their combined strength would be enough to push those fools into action. he gave the other a minute or two to stew before he spoke again. you have to stay for a couple hours at the very least lest someone get suspicious, the least you could do is sit down and talk to me."

Druist felt his temper flare. He controlled it. Barely.
"Fine. What would you propose we do about the humans? An open attack could endanger our existence - vampire hunters from all over the world would be flocking to take our heads. Any other ideas?" he asked shortly.
He moved over and sat down. Far away from his dearly beloved. He folded his arms to hide his clenched hands.

"we have the autumn hunt still, the forest is still in our control, we can deny the humans the rights to join, they need the meat as much as wee need the grain, surly with a little pressing they could be persuaded" personally he would not mind barring them from the hunt altogether anyway, the humans were such a cruel and uncouth lot, butchering beasts they did not want, taking more than they needed. it was disturbing and wrong.

"Maybe... perhaps a treaty? We could work peacefully with the humans, so they don't have reason to hate or fear us."
He crossed his legs, irritated. He had not asked to be born into royalty. He had not wanted to sacrifice his interests for those of the clan. Maybe that made him selfish. He didn't care. He just wanted to be left alone with the one he loved.
"Or would you rather present them with an ultimatum? Refuse to let them participate unless they cede land to us."

personally he'd rather all the humans were slayed or driven away but he did not want to do anything to hurt or jeopardize the safety of the clans "either work but a fair exchange may be the better route, it would spare a lot of blood and many lives where-as a straight denial would most likely leave them resenting us. i do not want to risk our people's safety."

He raised his eyes to the ceiling. He didn't want to discuss these matters, he wanted to be with his love. "They can resent us, but they are not stronger than us. Deny them rights to the hunt unless they agree to give us the land we want. Do it in a way that makes it sound like we're treating with them, I don't care. If you want the land, take it."

"but" he retorted, "there are much more of them than us, to every one member of our people they have two full-fledged adults. strength in numbers is not different form strength of the individual when in battle" he spoke the last bit with a lilt, he was starting to feel peculiar from the blood exchange. he wondered if the other could feel it yet "no mater how it's done we cannot be rash or quick.. quick to run into things"

"You're the one who wants them all dead." Druist felt his body start growing cold. From the blood exchange, he was sure. "Treat them as though they are our equals, you know them, they'll lap it up. Negotiate land from them, then invite them to the Hunt. Simple. Make them feel as though they're not being forced into the decision."

"true, but not at.. not as the cost of our people" he paused, the chill had spread to his fingers now, he wished it would end soon though he knew it would be a bit before that. he pulled his limbs to his body to stay warm, he could see know why it was always a pre-coital action. "and we have tried that method before, it is how we got into the entire disaster to begin with, only the reasons have changed"

He ground his teeth in frustration, and started shivering. "Then do what you please. What would you suggest?" Politics was not his things. Blunt force and frank statements got him where he needed to be, not a load of political needling that the vampires seemed to love.

he threw his arms in the air and raised his voice "i don't know!" he tucked them in his lap as he felt the under-the-skin itching start. "if i knew this issue would be resolved." he felt unnaturally agitated and he wondered if it was an effect of the ritual or if it was just prolonged exposure to the other.

He flinched at the outburst. The ritual shouldn't be that irritating to the other Prince. He did not want another shout from him, though, so he gently said, "perhaps... a clandestine meeting with some human leaders? We could pay them well or quietly threaten them to move their people away. Or both. The mass of humans would not have to know, and no blame would fall upon us. If one of the leaders told the tale, who would believe him?"

he raked his nails across his arm. "humans are stupid things, they will believe anything their leaders say, they are like ants, industrious and quick to grow as a whole but puny and mindless as well." his spine took up the itch as well, he felt the need to get up and move, to do something. instead he stayed where he was and took it out on the other "i know you feel it too, what is the matter with you, are you so used to it that you can stand there and take it in stride?!" he hated that book, he would burn it as soon as he could leave this awful room. it only said a discomfort, this felt as if something as prickling at him from all angles. he took his scratching to his side.

His eyes narrowed. He had spoken gently to avoid more anger on Sain's part, but it appeared the other would rather act like a brat. Here he was trying to politely work out a solution, and the other was treating him like this. Well, no more. "I'm not used to if, for your information," he snapped angrily. "I just feel that as a vampire prince, I should show a more dignity and control than a youngling, which you are doing a remarkable impression of."

his mouth snapped shut with an audible click and he dropped his hands quickly to his sides. his anger left him though the itch remained. he did not scratch it however for the other was correct. he looked away, "i am sorry, you are right."

Druist was surprised. He had expected him to keep acting like a brat, but the other had calmed down. He was still irritated but said nothing because he did not want to make things more tense. "Apology accepted." he said instead. "Like you said earlier, humans are stupid and look to leaders to listen to. But they'll condemn the ones they don't trust or consider crazy. It's in their nature. So do you think that this will work?"

"no, no i don't think it will." he sighed "this is not working, i feel too muddled. i don't even know what to say" he slid off the bed and went over to the other stripping as he did so "go be with your lover, it's not fair to you to have to stay and keep me company" he tugged and pulled at druist's outfit giving it a rumpled look. he popped off a button and ruffled his hair "there, you did your part" he turned back around and crawled into the bed. he shivered once "if anyone asks you i fell asleep" he turned his back to the other and was silent.

Druist opened his mouth, uncertain. Closed it again. He didn't know what to say. "Thank you," he finally said. He left the room to find his lover, leaving the other behind. He hoped the side affects would not bother Sain for long. The boy had shown unexpected compassion for him, and probably did not want a part of this relationship any more than he did. "I will see you tomorrow, at the Council?"

he said nothing, though from the sound of the door none was expected, the question ended with a sharp click of the door. he hoped the other at least could get what he wanted.

Druist walked through the corridors to his room, where he expected his lover to be waiting. He liked that his 'husband' allowed for this part of his life but he was worried that the other Prince might try to use it as leverage over him. Well it did not matter now. Here was his room. His love would be inside.

he lay at the window singing "georgie porgie pudding pie~ kissed the girls and made them c-" he was interrupted as the door-latched was turned. he frowned as his lover came through the door "and how many girls has my king been kissing tonight?"

Druist made a face though he really was amused by his lover's silliness. "None, just had to share blood with the other Prince, you know that." He shivered, he was still cold from the exchange. He stopped thinking about it and smiled. "How are you?"

"lonely" he slipped from the window loosing the robe that clothed him "you are cold still aren't you? you are supposed to couple until it passes or was he not enough" he kept his face soft though his words came out bitter. he reached the other and wrapped his arms around the best he could. "it should have been us" he buried his face in the hastily donned shirt of his love.

Druist's face went to stone. "It should have." He bit his lip in anger at the things the Council forced him into. Like it was his fault he was born as the sole Prince of his clan! He hugged his lover back. "It should have, my love," he murmured as he put his hand on the dark head of the only one he loved. "And to worsen things the one I'm married to knows about us." He pulled back and looked into the other man's eyes. "He could use it to threaten us," he said.

he chuckled mirthlessly "i know that boy he does not care about us, we were never important enough for that before why start now? he does not love you only your votes" he leaned forward on his toes to reach the other. "but enough of that, i am here now not him"

"No, but he could use it to force my vote." Druist looked out over his lover's head. He sighed. "I don't like him knowing about it," he added, unhappy. But he bent down anyway to press his lips to the others'. "You are right - he isn't here now. It's just us." He still felt unhappy, though, and the effects of the exchange still bothered him.

"just us" he repeated and pulled the other onto the floor. he would make the other forget the spoiled princling.

He let the effects of the blood exchange take over, now. Smiling slightly, he allowed his lover to erase any memory of the other Prince as his skilled fingers ran over his body, making him shiver in delight. Tomorrow he would worry about the other. For now, he allowed himself the pleasure of having his own lover. He removed his own shirt, pressing his lips against those of his true prince.