Nightly Lessons Book I: The Book of Beginnings

[Kira_Wolf_Cub]

"Alice! Hold your tongue!" Alek snapped. "My girl has a giving heart, Razziel. You must forgive her. She will not make the same mistake again." He promised. Alek's entire body was trembling. "Now... get your hands off my girl." Alek added, dangerously. "I've already told you that under my roof, children will be disciplined as I see fit - especially my children."

"NO MASTER!" Janus leapt from the table, and knelt behind him. "Its my fault! I am at fault, Master! Please! I know! I repent!" He only knew one way to get Razziel's attention. He reached up, and touched the man's elbow. "Please..." He begged, eyes moistening - the girl had just been (gently) punished - he'd seen it - she didn't need to get it again.

"AWE!" Alice yelped as Razziel made sure to peirce her skin befoer letting go.

She shoot out of her chair and hurried over to Aleks, frightened. a few dropplets of blood formed on her face but the wounds healed instantly. She was shivering from it, frightened by the anger that Razziel had shown her.

"I will not be insulted, Alexander," Razziel calmed himself, pleased that he had shakened the girl. "I demand that this is delt with immediatly and as for you...." He turned and looked at Janus and noted how he was submissive. "We will discouse this on a later date."

He looked between the three, thinking on how to deal with the situation . He still needed to gain Aleks vote for his enterance to the coven and his anger have most likely damaged his chances a bit.

"I suggest my Lord that we have the children retire early for the night," He then returned to his seat, still vissibly angry. "With something to think about as well."

Aleksandr seethed. "I believe-" He carefully checked Alice's face, making sure her cuts were healed. "-that my girl has been frightened enough that she has much to think about." Alek snapped his fingers, and the chair she'd been sitting at floated to further away from the table. He pointed to it, and she went to sit down. "Along with that scare, I'm satisfied leaving her with a very strong warning tonight... as for your boy..." Alek gazed evenly at Janus, whose eyes had taken on that resigned, icy-cold cast again. "...I cannot presume to discipline your child. Such would be rude..."

Alek's ear twitched. In the back of his throat, barely even whispering, Janus was thinking of speaking: 'I'm not a child...' Alek said nothing.

"If, however, you wish to give my Alice a demonstration... I will have her watch as you discipline your own fledgling.. unless you'd have me do it for you."

Janus had straightened up, and looked straight ahead at nothing, hands laced behind his back, feet spread slightly, waiting for his instructions.

Razziel looked angerly at Aleks and Alice, namely Aleks.

"I'd gladely show her what would happen if she ever visits my own home and shows the same disrespect, but I am not pleased that you will not correct her current misdeed," He made his thoughts know as Alice returned to her seat looking between the three of them. "Janus, hands on the table if you please..."

"Aleks..." Alice was still shacking visibly, and her voice small, as she watch Razziel take a few swings in the air with his cane as if to test it. "Please... you can't possibly..."

Janus said nothing. He only placed his hands on the table, and bent over - his eyes sparked straight out, looking right past Alice and Aleksandr, drilling a hole into the far wall. His face looked determined. He'd been here before.

"Be quiet, Alice. I said be quiet." Alek snapped. "You will shut your tongue, or so help me, I'll paddle you purple. We must watch, now - you will learn... discipline is a varied experience. Now be quiet, and take your own punishment... if you look away, I'll put you over my lap and force you to watch."

Alice whimpered as she looked at Janus. She really wanted to run off and not see anything. He looked so calm about it, so militrary like following orders as Razziel treated the cane in the air

Razziel bared Janus slowly stretching out the wait for the punishment.

"I'm very disappoint in you, Janus. I thought we were over such lessons. To think you need a reminder so soon..." He sneered at the boy and steped a bit away. "You will recieve ten lashes Janus and you will count them and bare they as a Dornell, is that clear?"

He didn't really wait for the boy to answer before he brought the cane swiftly to his rear as hard as he could.

"CRACK!"

The boy made no sound. His brow furrowed and then relaxed. His eyes shone like lanterns.

"One, Master."

Alice sat shell shocked. the sound of the cane was painful in her ears and yet Janu sjust bore it. She looked weaking at him wanted to stop Razziel but feared for her own bottom.

CRACK!

Razziel brought the cane down again. "Be thankful Janus. I am being generous tonight..."

CRACK!..... CRACK!... CRACK!

"T-two, Master!" Janus pronounced. "Yes. Your generosity is undeserved, my Lord-AH! Three, Master! F-f-f-four! ...uh... M-master..." The boy gasped - the fourth had crossed the other three, taking his breath away...

"Five, Janus. If you do not count them they will not count," Razziel snarled as he noted Alice's distress. He swing the cane and pointed at her. "Remember well little girl, spare the rob and spoil the child. I live by these rules and so should your own master..."

CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!

Alice was starting to cry a new. She did't like being forced to watch someone getting caned. Her hands were itching to cover her ears and she wanted to shut her eyes so that she wouldn't see or hear it.

'This.. this isn't discipline...' Alice thought with wide eyes. 'It's abuse.'

CRACK!CRACK!

The last two followed each other with a seconds space between.

[Peeker]

"Five! Master Th-thank-thank you Master... S-six, Master! ....s-s-s-eevEN! Master! Ahh. Aaah.... AH!" The eight stroke broke Janus, who, arms shaking - he'd been pushing on the table so hard to keep himself straight that he'd already tipped over a few glasses, his weight pushing down when he took a stroke - started crying out with ragged breaths between strokes. The boy's eyes, however - they seemed separated from the rest of his body, cold, hard, furious, against the tears, sweat, and stains marring his face. "E-Eig-EIG-Eight, Master... N-n-n-niiiiiiiiiiine, AH! Nnnnnnh!" The boy's head dropped.

Alek sat, grim-faced, amazed. He could feel Janus' hate rippling off of him - as his muscles gave way and he began to fall towards the table, it was self-disgust that forced him to tense up, and reraise his body. ".........Ten, Master."

His eyes had not changed. He remained bent over, mucus dripping from one nostril over his lip, tablecloth beneath him stained with his tears, unflinching - but his eyes did not change.

[Kira_Wolf_Cub]

Alice released a breath she didn't realize she held in her chest. Finally, the sound had stopped and Razziel had....

CRACK!!!

She shireked in shock as Razziel swung the the cane one finally time so hard that she was sure that the imps in the basement could hear it.

"That was for me having to remind you of the rules Janus," Razziel turned his attention to his cane, checking it for cracks. "Now gather yourself together and get out of my sight."

Alice looked mortified at him. Did he really give Janus no comfort after that? She was so lost in her thoughts she didn't hear Aleks say her name.

[Peeker]

"AAAAA-" Janus scream stopped. He'd bitted down on his wrist to stop hollering. The boy stood, removed his arm from his mouth, closed his eyes tight - raised his pants - the pain he endured for doing so was enough that he rocked back and forth for a moment before closing the buckle, and another few seconds before he could take a step - and then stiffly turned to Razziel. Bowed, without a word, and then walked around the table to Aleksandr and Alice, and bowed deeply to them.

"..." It took Janus a long moment before he could find his voice through the pain radiating in his backside. There were still tears flowing down his face. "I am sorry for interrupting your dinner, my Lord. May I ask where I am to retire for the night?"

Aleksandr sized the boy up, searching his eyes for something besides pain. "Glemby!" Aleksandr called. The imp appeared. "Gevni Janus-Kas geee'n roop. Deeso!"

The imp gestured to Janus, who rose from the bow he'd made to Aleksandr and Alice, and gingerly followed the creature out of the room.

"...go to bed, Alice." Aleksandr said, when the silence had settled. "Alice. Alice! Go to bed. Neither of you will be having anything else for supper tonight. I do not expect to see you again until tommorrow. Consider yourself 'grounded' for the duration of the night. Sleep well." He put a soft hand on Alice's shoulder, and gently prodded her into motion.

[Kira_Wolf_Cub]

Alice jumped to her feet, snapping out of her surprise and rose to her feet. She wasn't sure she could have eatten anything even if they were allowed. She looked at Razziel who seemed to study her hard.

"Y-yes Sire. Good night Aleks..." She moved towards the door, hoping to catch Janus before he'd reach his room.

"Young lady?" A cold voice made her freeze in her steps. "It is rude not to bit your guest good night as well."

Alice stun on her heel and bowed stiffly, not a cursy, but a bow.

"Goodnight, Lord Razziel." She stated in a cold tone and then left in a hurry.

"Ahh, children. They can be so troublesome at times..." Razziel took his seat and looked at Aleks. "Shall we continue?"

....

Alice ran down the halls looking for Janus.

"JAKE!" She yelled when she spotted him. "Jake you... you okay?"

She used his really name in hopes of comforting him.

[Peeker]

"Aye, Razziel." Aleksandr dismissed the first course, and a roast duck appeared. "If you'd prefer to eat while we talk, that is certainly welcomed."

Aleksandr swallowed his discomfort and forced himself back into business. With a guest like Razziel, one had to keep cold-blooded to stay alive, after all.

Perhaps that was what Janus was doing...

...

Janus followed the imp to his room. He nodded to the creature, and turned the knob when he heard Alice call his name.

The boy looked back at Alice. Started in surprise. Stared... then walked into his room and slammed the door as hard as he could. Inside, Janus found a washbasin full of water, and quickly washed his face before stripping his pants - he didn't bother to check the deep cuts and wheals Razziel had made - he was used to them, by now.

The boy ripped off his pants gasping at the pain of feeling anything against the bright red lines, and curled up onto the bed. Then he buried his head into a pillow, and unearthed all the tears he couldn't show in front of his master, and cried himself to sleep.

[Kira_Wolf_Cub]

Alice looked at the door, shocked that he had just walked away from her. She knocked on it.

"Janus? Janus please are you okay?" She recieved no answered except fot eh imp yelling at her to return to her own room as she had been told. "FINE! BE THAT WAY YOU JERK!"

She torn off to her own chamber and pulled off her grown, not caring if she ripped it along the way. She was threw on a set of pajamas, wincing as the pants brushed against her rear and brushed her tear.

'Jerk!' She thought angrily, not caring if Aleks could hear her or not. 'See if I'll ever ask him if he's okay again!'

She didn't really mean it, they were just words of an angry child. Alice quickly and quietly lay down under her covers, still seithing to herself and turned off the lights. It was the first time since she was eight that she had left everything in her room a mess. And as she snuggled into her sheets she slowly started to cry to herself until she fell asleep.

[Peeker]

Janus awoke the next evening to the sound of falling rain. All of the manor was quiet in this early hour, and Janus had, as he'd been trained to, awoken as the last fingers of daylight were just beginning to fall into the horizon - comparatively early, in vampire terms.

I... I have no chores. The boy sat up, unsure of what he was to do with himself until the rest of the house awoke. He found that his bags had been brought to his room in the night, probably by one of the imps. Ignoring his rear, which still felt kind of like something had bit it, or maybe like your knee feels when you scrape it, and get a scab, he changed into black breeches and a white dress shirt, unsure of how they would be dressing for the day.

I... Hm. I don't know what to do. Janus admitted, hand resting on the doorknob of his room. He certainly didn't want to stay in his room all night, until the others started moving. Perhaps I'll explore. The boy softly opened his door, and left his room. He walked down the hallway, unsure of where he was going, but looking forward to finding out.

*~

Aleksandr smiled, dismissing the image that filled his mirror. Alice was still fast asleep - she'd had a rough night. Janus, however... The boy had gotten up early, and stepped out of his room. Aleksandr straightened, having finished polishing his shoe, and slipped it on his foot before leaving his own room to meet with the boy. He supposed that it would do to meet the boy - see if he was as distant from himself before Razziel got his claws into him.

~*

Janus knew where the kitchen was, where the sitting room was, where the main hall, the dining room, and the bedrooms all were. He still didn't know much about the other wing of the second floor of the building, nor did he know about either of the wings on the bottom floor, since the dining hall was smack in the center of the first floor, right beyond the foyer he and his master had been introduced to Aleksandr in.

"Would you like a tour?" Janus leapt a foot in the air, turned and bowed before even looking to see who'd spoken. Aleksandr laughed, and shook his head. "Rise, boy. No need to bow to me - you've done enough of that last night. I know you are grateful to be here."

"Th-thank you, my Lord. My apologies."

"Apologies accepted. you may call me Aleksandr, if you'd like. Lord if you must, and 'Sir' would certainly be a pleasant change - I gave up on training Alice to use such formalities after the first month. A shame, really."

Janus raised his head, and looked at Aleksandr - he was still finely dressed - a two piece blue suit with a golden pocket-watch and well-polished shoes - but seemed far more casual this evening than he'd been last night. "My Lord? Er-sir?" Janus lowered his head apologetically, but then raised it again, as he'd been instructed to. He blushed.

"Easy, Janus. In case you haven't noticed, I'm far more agreeable than your Sire. At least early in the day." He grinned at the boy.

Janus offered a small grin of his own. "Y...yes, sir. I... I did not realize you were so gentle."

"Not gentle, boy - I promise you, a gentle person could not have done to Alice what I did to her - I am merely forgiving. Your sire sees no need to be giving nor merciful. He demands respect - and he gets it."

Janus nodded. "Yes, sir."

There was a moment of silence between the two. "Sir?"

"Yes, Janus?"

"Would you have me change? I did not mean to offend you by under-dressing, sir."

"You are fine, Janus. If you feel underdressed, you may go back to your room - if you are comfortable, however, I would be happy to give you that tour I spoke of."

Another silence while the two studied each other. Piercing gold eyes found themselves unable to break through the steady gray ones in the old vampire's head.

"...I would be honored, Sir. Aleksandr."

Alek smiled, and put a hand on the boy's shoulder, pretending he didn't notice it when the child flinched. "Excellent. Come. I'll show you the ballroom first. I understand Razziel has had you learn to play?"

The two walked down the corridor, smiling Aleksandr leading frightened Janus, who was totally and utterly unsure of where he was being brought, or what he was getting into.

[Kira_Wolf_Cub]

Alice tossed in her bed a bit after Aleks had checked on her. She honestly wasn't really awake but because her stomach was wrapping itself around her spine, she was finding it hard to stay alseep.

Opening her eyes a litte, she noticed the sound of rain patterig on her window. She normally enjoyed rainy days, but bacause of the night before, she felt slightly more depressed and curled deeper into her covers.

"I can't believe Aleks didn't do anything about it... I don't wanna get up and face either of them today at all...." She moped into her pillow. them was refuring to everyone else in the house. "Maybe if I said was sick...."

*Guuuuukurururururu*

"damn it..." She rose from her covers and looked at the time. The sun was in a way still up but the rain made it so that she wouldn't have to worry about it. "It's too early..."

She reached under her bed and pulled out a pair of fuzzy purple slippers before walking out her bedroom door. She hadn't eatten since lunch having never gotten a chance at actually eat any of the soup.

Alice had no idea how sloppy she looked as she stumbled down the hall. She was wearing a light grey T-shirt she had nicked from Aleks, not that he would really care he never wore it, pink Hello Kitty pants that could just hold in to her hips even with the drawstring pulled, and the green ribbon from the night before still tangled in her more to obvious bed hair.

"foooood...." She murmurded, soundly slightly drugged when she came across Aleks and Janus and snapped a little out of her zombie-state. "Morning Aleks.... morning Janus..."

She felt aweward. of all the people she could have run into, it had to be him.

[Peeker]

"Good mor-" Janus stopped. "...good morning, Alice." The boy shook his head slightly.

Alek crossed his arms, smiling. "Good morning, dear. ...as you can see, Janus, your hostess saw no reason to dress-up, so I suppose if you wish to stay as you are, I am quite comfortable with that, at least until your Sire has something to say."

Janus nodded. "Thank you, Aleksandr." He gave a small smile. "This really is a beautiful room."

Aleksandr had started the tour in the ballroom, and Janus had just been about to start marveling at the instruments lining the walls when Alice had walked in.

"I'm glad you like it - music is a passion of mine, and this ballroom is always open to Alice - and to you - whenever you would make use of it."

Janus bowed slightly before he could catch himself, but then straightened. On his face was something even Alice had not seen yet - gratitude. "Thank you,
sir. I... I... thank you so much!"

Aleksandr smiled. "You are welcome, Janus. You are a guest in my house. I do not treat my guests like animals! You are to enjoy yourself here, after all..."

A loud growling interrupted Alek. Janus blushed, and looked over at Alice, then up at Aleksandr. "Um... Sor-"

But Alek was laughing too hard to care about his apology. "I see that taking away one's supper really is still a punishment, isn't it? Come children, we'll get you some breakfast."