I let go off Asha's hand, and marched straight towards Adein with as much confidence as I could muster. I felt my heart skip a beat as Asha's anxiety suddenly invaded our bond, I saw Xaseah shudder as she felt it too. Asha was afraid, it was somewhat understandable, but I needed her to be calm.
I could not afford to show my enemy any weakness, and even though I was not really in the mood to admit, both Xaseah and Asha were a pert of me now, and as such an weakness shown on their part, could also be counter as mine. I turned to her and blinked slowly at her, I met my by bond tell her everything I wanted her to know.
She calms down after much struggle, still anxious, but it was under control for the most part. I was thankful for that, I was scared myself, and Xaseah was not in a position to give me this strength and courage I needed to face Adein. Only Asha could do it, and it to was strange that a woman who I've only known for five minutes would affect me so, but I felt like I've known her a lifetime.
As I marched towards Adein, I looked at the other vampires around, there was a varying degree of emotions on their faces, a multitude of different looks. Each one of their gaze conveyed a feeling, a hope, and a story. A people that have been put down to the very depths of the ground, thrown of their pedestal, casted out from their throne of supremacy.
The vampires were a perfect but sample of the phrase a fall from grace. But their eyes had fire, determination that's been built and tempered over the thousands of years they've had to suffer adversity, pain and torment. In their eyes, was strength. Strength of will, of hope, of faith, of heart, and above all, of bonds. This vampires were not here to watch one of their own get executed, or tortured. They came here for a fight, to save a person then y shared a bond with. To save a member of this or family.
It was funny, the memory I just had about that scarred high elf woman, had portrayed vampires in an entirely different light. She had said that they were beings of darkness and negativity, despair was their default setting, but here I am, standing amongst them and feeling nothing but an endless amount of love.
Because that's the only word I could use to describe this emotion in the air. The vampires may have been created from the worst part of existence possible, from the darkness and the negativity it hides. But in the thousands of years of captivity and suffering, they had learnt to do one thing, and do it properly. They had learnt to love. And if that was not enough juice to instill courage into me, then I doubt there's nothing else in tune world that can do so.
I looks at Adein trying to come up with a way to save Xaseah, a fight was out of the question, and there was only one option, buy it would leave me exposed. Very much so, and in danger from the more extreme vampires in the pit. But in the end, I have to try my best and come up with plans and contingencies as this one sided negotiation was about to start.
"Hello Adein, it's goo to see you...….again." I said in a solemn voice.
Adein picked up on my subdued voice and capitalized on it, like a hungry wolf that has smelled weakness. Maybe it was, but I had to do this for Xaseah.
"Well hello trashy lord of the vampire scums. How's you new life treating you, not too difficult I hope. The last time I saw you, you were cowering at my feet and covered in piss. I have to say that's a position that fits you more than any other you might find yourself in. You should thank me for it."
White hot anger lanced through me, and from the bond Asha was furious, even Xaseah who was injured badly and on the cusp of death was so angry her body shook with wrath. A ripple went through the ranks of vampires gatherer around. They were mad, and with Asha at the helm, they were about to go charging in the next second.
The werewolves began to crouch low as they let our bestial snarls and exposed their fang filled mouth with saliva dripping from between their teeth in anticipation of the coming fight. I was worried, should a fight break out between the two groups, there would be too many casualty on the vampires side, if not an outright one sided massacre. There was no way I could calm them down, not at the rate this conversation of mine was going.
If Adein disrespected me one more time, they will attack, consequences be damned. Which was something I desperately want to avoid. However, should I keep using my subservient tone of voice, Adein will keep insulting me, and the vampires would attack. I was afraid challenging him would put Xaseah's life In danger, but now it was not just her life that was on the line. I could not put her life over theirs, even if I hardly knew any of them.
It was the classic one life for the multitude scenario, I did not want to have to make such a choice. But I don't think I really have a choice.
"If your mouth wasn't so foul, and your attitude so despicable you would have looked a lot more handsome." I said with a nonchalant voice.
"What did you say?!" Adein asked with his voice slowly rising up.
My heart skipped a beat with fright, but there was no turning back now. I had chosen to go down this part, and to be honest it felt right. There was a pride deep within me that would not let me allow anybody to walk over me, especially a bastard like Adein.
"Oh? Didn't you hear me, I said you're an ugly bastard."
"Oh ho! Lord Kael, you seem to have found your balls. Congratulations, but are you looking to die?" Adein asked with narrowed eyes and an unsettling smile on his face.
"Die?, are you qualified to make they threat. I might be a prisoner here, but I'm still a noble you pathetic waste of space. Your previous transgressions aside, should the world outside find out you're treating a noble lord, of one of the founding families of Shearath like crap, they will make sure to wipe out you and the rest of your family out of existence. They might even show you a little 'Love' before sending your bastard ass on your merry little way to hell."
The nobles of Shearath did not care for me one bit, however they had a reputation to uphold. If it's found out that Adein had pissed on me, they would have to make an example out of him. After all it wouldn't do for the world to think that it was a good idea to humiliate a noble, much less the only heir of one of the founding families.
"Lord Kael, you better watch your words, this is my prison!, I can make your life here very miserable your Lordship." Then he spat at the ground.
I bent my head to one side, and wore a pensive look on my face, almost as if I was trying to figure something out. Then I asked him with all seriousness I could muster.
"Did you say something, because honestly I stopped listening the moment you said Lord Kael. Every other thing was bla-bla-bla-bla I'm a giant turd. And your mouth stinks, so this whole conversation is extremely uncomfortable for me."
Adein was so angry his entire head had turned purple in rage. It did not help that the vampires all spotted giant grins on their faces. The mockery on their faces did not need to be spelled out, it was quite obvious, and so was the feeling in their hearts. No matter what happens after this, they all knew they were leaving here with a victory. But I had to strike while the iron was still hot.
"Look Adein, let me help you out, and not blow this entire matter out of proportion. The death of...um...…..the death of...….urgh I could swear I remembered his name. What was it again, Upi, Uli,...…Urine"
"His name was Uzi!" Adein shouted at me. He was really furious.
"Yes of course I remember now. The death of Uzi is nothing more than accident, it's a tragedy, but an accident none the less since Uzi fell from the top of a cart and broke sell his bones. Xaseah was just an innocent bystander that tried to help him, but ended up getting caught in this mess. So please temper justice with mercy hmm?, I will pay for an damage you incurred in regards to the death of such and upright and upstanding mutt, I mean guard."
I've played my hand, I couldn't put more pressure on Adein without this turning into a full blown fight. But I had left and escape route for him, a way for him to hurt me and exact the punishment he so badly wants to mete out. Since he can't hurt me, and I would mist definitely not let him hurt Xaseah without putting my self in harms way and putting him in trouble, the only option he had was to hurt my money. It was a win, win situation for everybody.
He had tortured Xaseah to the point that's it's not exactly sure if she would survive her wounds or not. He has humiliated her and left her body bare to the lustful gazes of the guards and the pitiful gazes of the vampires. This was a humiliation she would never forget, a stigma she has to carry for the rest of her immortal life. In a way he won, it was not a satisfying victory, but he won.
"50 million gold sheras!"
There was a ripple among the vampires at the absurd amount he called. It was a massive amount of money, and the fact that he was making me pay that amount fro a werewolf who was not worth more than 500 silver sheras in the slave market, made them see red. But it was within my limit, this amount of money meant nothing to me at this point.
I threw a bag towards Adein that he caught deftly. He opened it and peered inside, pulling out a familiar earthen flask.
"What's this?" he asked in suspicion.
"Your fifty million gold sheras of course."
He looked at me with a distrustful gaze, before pulling the cork over the flask. He peered into it, and took a sniff. Then he smiled so widely I was afraid his mouth would stretch to proportions unimaginable. Then he turned to his guards.
"Let her go, we're done here."
I almost fell back on my ass in relief, but thankfully Asha was there to support me. My nerves had been on dye the entirely time I was busy blackmailing Adein. He could have ignored all I said and killed Xaseah, I doubt that with my current strength I would have been able to stop him. But I did it, I saved her. I really am a hero.