Nightly Lessons Book I: The Book of Beginnings

[Peeker]

"I didn't say that!" Aleksandr chuckled, softly smiling at Alice's facial expression. "Its Gabby's stool, and Gabby's hairbrush, love. For a very good reason. ...she could be rather short-tempered in her own right.... and rather malicious to visitors - politely, mind you... but the letter of the law does not always match the spirit.... ...she did very little that was punishable in front of guests - but when they left... she was upbraided quite often... and that never led to a happy conclusion."

Gabrielle had, however, not been a typically girl. As Aleksandr had said before, much of his time was spent feeling more like a doctor than a teacher, and more time spent feeling like a teacher than a father. He had loved her, yes, but was fully aware that there were times - he was sure, even now - when she was separated... where she blocked herself away from others.. .especially men. She still missed her husband, though she had long since accepted that things had changed.

No... it had not been a normal fledglinghood. Now that he thought back on it, Aleksandr was almost surprised that Gabby had gotten in trouble... but there you had it: fledglinghood was regressive first, and progressive second. One had to relearn a great deal before leaving their Sire's house... and one's very way of thinking and acting changed as a result.

[Kira_Wolf_Cub]

Alice thought for a moment and nodded her head. Aleks was right on tha half. The brush had been referred to asGabby's brush in the beginning before it became her's. She had just never really thought about it.

"That's true... I guess you're right about that," Alice ran her fingers quickly across the piano has the keys got a little funny on the score. It was a lot like the strange part of Janus' violin piece. "Oh! I remember something else..."

She turned and looked at Aleks with a friendly smile.

"Can we go to King of Knives'? They had swords, and I'd like to get a rapier to practice with."

[Peeker]

"Your modern swords are trash." Aleksandr said flatly.

He clapped his hands together, and a heavy oaken chest, lacquered black, bound by large bolted straps of leather, materialized in front of them with a bang. Its lid slowly lifted.

Ten House-daggers, the same tool that Aleksandr had used during the Hunt of Edward Valentine, lined the chest, all nestled in black velvet. Closer to the far edge of the box lay, in order, an old looking straight sword - a Roman Gladius. A rapier. A long sword, and a large, slightly tapered piece of wood that Alice would not be able to identify: an unstrung bow.

"If a rapier is what you need, then my rapier - our rapier - is what you shall have. I shan't be buying my Alice your modern trash, built for dreamers or madmen. You shall have a proper warrior's weapon."

His voice suggested that was final.

[Kira_Wolf_Cub]

"But King of Knives make since swords too," Alice started at first when the box appeared before her. She wacthed as Aleks willed the lid open and looked wide eyed at it's contance. "Are those..."

She looked at the crest embedded into the handles and sheaths of each of the blades. She looked at the long sword, possitive that with her small frame she would not only look silly holding it, she would topple over first if she ever used it. She then gently reached out and picked the rapier up.

Although Alice didn't know it, it was an Elizabethian styled rapier, a net work of metal strings wrapping about to form a protective cup around her hand as she took a hold of it. There was a flicker of magic and she saw the blade take on a more feminie appearance, still deadly looking, but feminie. In fact, she would almost describe the blade as elven looking.

"It's beautiful..." Alice looked awe struck at the blade, noting the crest of the Rastline on the hinge between the blade and the handle. Because Aleks could really stop her, she ran her fingers lightly against the blade and winced, pulling her hand back. "It's silver... of course it is. You said it was your's after all..."

She set the blade back into the box and looked at Aleks.

"you really mean I can have it?" He didn't miss the flicker in her eyes that told him that he had surprised her. Alice had never though that he would allow her to have something so fine and deadly at the same time. "Wait... I thought you said that you didn't keep weapons. Then... why do you have these?"

In all of her history lessons, she had yet to reach the wars. Any of them.

[Peeker]

In response, Aleksandr reached into the box, and tugged out one of the daggers, holding it lightly by the sheathe.

"I do not have an armory. The House Dornell, or even my Sire's home.... they have entire rooms filled with armor and weaponry, both of ancient times and modern." Aleksandr carefully moved his fingers across the dagger's pommel, getting used to its weight again.

"I have no use for such things. ...and I was never any good at fencing to begin with. I do not move when charged - I do not feint. I block, and I remove the opposition.... I am stubborn like that."

The dagger was pulled free of its sheath, and Aleksandr cut through the air in the shape of a figure eight with a simple one-two motion, almost playfully.

"I am magi. When my enemy is before me..."

The silvered blade was suddenly wreathed in blue fire, which spilled from the tip, taking the form of curling, writhing, snapping snakes. The eldritch creatures snapped at the empty air for a moment, before Aleksandr shook the dagger, and they vanished, fading into nothing.

"...I act as a magi should act."

He sheathed the dagger, and carefully rested it back in the chest.

"I am not so arrogant as to use weaponry that I can not defend myself with. We must all be able to protect ourselves, and each other. When we are challenged... when we have need... then we will arm ourselves. ...but I do not live in a world of such bloodshed. Not when I can avoid it."

Aleksandr reached under the first layer of velvet, and revealed a scabbard and belt for the rapier. When Alice took them, they too, changed slightly. "I am sure that your Grandsire will grant you a weapon of your own when he is satisfied with your training. You will simply have to bear my blade until then - it will appreciate the exercise, I am sure."

[Kira_Wolf_Cub]

Alice held the rapier in her hands and turned to hug Aleks closely. She felt honored to be holding his sword. She roase from the piano bench and strapped the scbbard to her side and pulled out the sword and flicked it in her grip. She smiled broadly as she realized how well it fit in her hands.

"Thank you Aleks," She sheathed it again. "Thank you so much."

[Peeker]

"King of Knives..." Aleksandr chuckled to himself, stroking the girl's hair as she buckled the sword to herself. "Randall Matris! Now that man was a true artist with a knife - yet he wasn't called 'King'... no, Matris the Butcher... Lord of the Knife..... that man once single-handedly dismissed a detachment of Dornell followers, did you know that? Anyone who got near him was struck down instantly..."

The man sat back down at the piano, as though moving on once again. "You are quite welcome, Alice. I know you will treat it well." There was a pause. "Refusing to treat your weapon with respect... that, my love, would a reason for the cat. You understand, yes? While it makes the blood race and the eyes widen.... there is so much less joy in this than there appears to be. The romance of battle may leave you entirely the first time you witness it." A chord. "Yet.... the blade is a beautiful thing."

The black chest closed, and vanished, its lid's bang echoing throughout the room.

"When you return to your room, you'll find a small stand you may place your weapon, m'lady." Aleksandr said, lightly.

[Kira_Wolf_Cub]

Alice pretended to battle a distant enamy, staying clean of Aleks and other objects in the room. It was clear most of her movements were from movies, the moves flashy and without real direction. The only move she could right at all if she was fighting someone would be a lunge and block.

"This is so beyond awesome! I can't wait to show Dimi this," Alice laughed as she retreated and pressed her 'foe' continuously. "I can't wait for my first battle. I bet they're exciting. The clanging of swords..."

She recalled vampires saw little use in guns since the wounds were always small and they could healfrom them quickly. Swords make greater wounds and lasted longer.

"It has to be so wicked to be a warrior." She hadn't heard Aleks' comment on war.

[Peeker]

The older vampire frowned. Had she been listening? "Wicked is a good word for it."

Aleksandr stood suddenly, and reached into his coat. A quick conjuration brought one of his daggers to his hand. Playing around with her sword. He sighed. If the threat of the cat wouldn't do anything to her mind right now, perhaps an example would.

"Alice."

He waited until she turned, and drew his own dagger with a flourish. "En garde." He challenged, smiling trustingly.... and the second she lifted her own weapon to him, it clattered out of her hand - the man had moved halfway across the ballroom in an instant. His hand was under her armpit, the pommel of the dagger pushing firmly against her side - if he'd wanted, he could have severed a vein, possibly killing her. Sounds filled the room - footsteps, shouting - shadows flickered across the pair's face. Smells of sweat and fear filled the air. A scream - and then the glamour vanished.

"Like I said, love. War is not a game." He kissed her forehead, and resheathed the knife. "For my sake, take it seriously... I want to know I can leave you to your own devices."

[Kira_Wolf_Cub]

Alice had smiled at first and readied herself for his attack. She knew she wouldn't stand a chance against him in battle but still it was thrilling to to try. She gasped though as the sword fly from her hands and clattered to the floor. She wasn't holding the rapier right yet, still too losely.

She gasped as the handel of Aleks' dagger pushed against her and she stood helpless with him holding her firming under the arm pit, knowing full well what he could do with her like this. As the shadows appeared along with the black voices Alice felt her blood both rush through her veins in excitement and fear, the scream wrapping itself around her heart of a monet as it faided.

"Like I said, love. War is not a game." She felt him kiss her forehead in a loving manner before he left to sheath his blade once again. "For my sake, take it seriously... I want to know I can leave you to your own devices."

Alice stood frozen for a moment and nodded mutely. She then gathered the rapier from the ground and checked it to make sure it was alright before sheathing it.

"Sorry... I hadn't ment it like that," She stood up again and looked at Aleks. "It's just... they make them sound so... exciting."