Felix Balaurvade's Story

Schhiinng! The soldiers shuffled backwards as the knight drew out the sword from their companion's newly dead body, mask hiding any expression he might have made. The knight was dressed in chainmail and long flowing robes as pitch black as the night sky, with a horned helm that covered his entire face and protected his head. Standing on top a mountain of bodies, the knight straightened and turned to face the troop of soldiers in front of him. With a simple flourish, he pointed the slender sword at them, blade gleaming silver in the light, dulled only by the fresh blood dripping from it to the ground.

His intentions were clear. Come. Take one more step, and I shall strike you all down.

For a moment, nobody moved, as if they were afraid to step up to the challenge. Then, as if to motivate the rest of them, a soldier shuffled to the front. His eyes were narrowed in determination, as if ready to take on the monstrosity in front of him despite the countless bodies of their dead comrades.

Hands steady, he raised his sword.

The knight jumped off the pile of bodies to the ground. Dashing forwards, he raised the sword with both hands and -

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING."

"AAAGGHH!" Luca screeched as his blanket got pulled away, dislodging his game console from his hands and leaving him exposed against blinding, blinding sunlight. Wincing and squeezing his eyes shut, he groped around blindly for the console, desperately opening his eyes just a smidge to squint at the screen.

It said in bright, colorful letters, 'GAME OVER'.

"NOOOOO! MY GAME!" Luca wailed mournfully, his heart dropping at the sight. Cradling it gently in his hands as if the console were a dead child, he stared down at it in distress before he glared up at the intruder, fake tears gathering at the edges of his eyes. "YOU WRECKED MY HIGHSCORE! YOU'RE MY BODYGUARD, YOU'RE SUPPOSE TO STAND GUARD INSTEAD OF HITTING ME YOURSELF!"

"LIKE I CARE!" Felix yelled back from where he was pinning the curtains up. Crossing his arms, he squared his shoulders and looked down at his boss with an angry glare, obviously not affected by the pitiful figure huddled on the bed in crumpled clothes. “When I went to sleep you promised that'd you'd head to bed too. You even pushed me to my room claiming that you'd be heading to yours after - “go to sleep, I swear I'll complete this tomorrow, go to bed first I'll go to mine later,” you said,” Felix said sarcastically, pitch altered in an identical echo of Luca’s voice. “Then I come to get you for breakfast and I see you still up playing games like an author trying to make the deadline. What the fuck.”

“Wrong!” As if he were finally getting his butt in gear, Luca stood up on the bed, towering over Felix with intimidating height. The effect was ruined by a crumpled purple shirt and the bags on his eyes that was all the signs he showed of late night gaming, although the haughty look he shot Felix nearly overshadowed that. “This was important, my dear Assistant,” Lucas said condescendingly, ignoring how the snooty tone only made Felix’s eyebrows twitch more in annoyance and his hands tightening on the clothes he was holding, as if restraining the urge to throw them at Luca’s face. Swiftly pressing a few buttons on the game console he was holding in his hands, Luca crept off the bed gracefully before shoving it not so gracefully close to Felix’s face. The teen leant back away from the device with a scowl of distaste. He shot a glare at Luca before looking properly at the screen.

He tilted his head, frown turning from Pissed Off (with capital letters) to confused. Then his eyes widened with realisation. Luca grinned at the look of utter disbelief on his face. “I should have known,” Felix groaned, fist tightening on the clothing he was holding. “I should've known that -”

“No matter, my dear guard!” Luca yelled victoriously, pleased that Felix finally, finally got it. Lifting the console into the air as if he were wielding a trophy, Luca grinned unrepentantly at Felix, who was giving him a look that said Really? Really?? What the hell is wrong with you? “Gasp in awe, for I have accomplished the quest! Although it has taken me much toil and trouble, although it has given me much grief - although not as much work as you would have taken, thanks to my genius intellect - I have saved the Princess Andromedia from the clutches of despair!” True to word, the image of a chibi blonde princess was on the screen, clutching a wand. “Look at the glorious award, shining like a gem which has been uncovered from the depths of the earth! Stare in wonder at its glorious shine, the unlocked character!” He gestured dramatically at the cartoonish figures that made up his game party on the console, looking entirely serious. “See how they smile, celebrating my perfect score! And well they should, for even these small pieces of pixelated data are sentient enough to understand that I, as their hero, am their glorious savior whom they can never hope to catch up to, and so they pay their respects to my perfect self and bask in my PERFECTION!”

There was a beat of silence. Luca grinning proudly as if he were waiting for applause. Felix on the other hand looked as if he were considering several answers, most of which involved violence and insults. Then:

“You -”

“FURTHERMORE!” Luca interrupted dramatically, raising a fist in triumph, “I have yet to break my promise, for look!” He gestured theatrically at himself and the bed he was standing on. “I said I went to bed, and I am on the bed! nd I did complete this quest tomorrow - which is today! All for the sake of the beautiful princess in this pitiful ga-”

“Oh God shut up.” A bundle of freshly pressed clothing landed against Luca’s face with a soft interrupting his rant. Quickly bringing up his hands to cup them under his chin, he caught them gracefully before the items could fell to the floor. Looking up, he was just in time to see Felix draw the curtains and adding extra shine to the room, a small furrow to his brows as always. “Get dressed already - we’re late to breakfast, you idiotic gaming geek.”

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Dress scene later
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Luca burst through the doors to the living room with a flourish, taking a moment to see who was inside before heading for the table. The young man was dressed impeccably in a V-neck shirt and long dark trousers, with a snazzy black jacket thrown on top. He no longer looked like he had pulled an all nighter - his hair was artfully mussed and styled in its usual casual mess, and the small dark bags underneath his eyes had been covered over with concealer. Following behind him at a more casual pace was Felix, who was dressed casually yet neatly in a white dress shirt and jeans, with a red sweater tied loosely around his waist. They made their way towards the table, Felix staying just a few steps behind his boss and giving everyone a nod of greeting.

They were just in time to hear the tailing end of the conversation. “Oh, the fifth one?” Felix asked in surprise as he grabbed his own seat, plate piled high with food. ”I thought it was the sixth - the one who had to leave drenched in water and ragged pants." he frowned thoughtfully, recalling his bet.

Felix clicked his tongue in irritation as he remembered, shovelling a spoonful of food into his mouth. “I guessed three minutes twenty-three seconds for this one. Damn.” He looked at Aiden curiously, swallowing around the mouthful of food. “Who won this time?” he asked in a louder tone this time, blatantly ignoring that the person they were betting on was in the room and in hearing shot.

Meanwhile, Luca was loading up on food. Plate piled high, he waltzed towards his siblings with a dazzling smile. “Good morning, siblings! Is the food to your liking? It smells delicious!”

Placing his plate on a spare spot, Luca came to a halt beside Katherine, throwing an arm loosely around her shoulders. “So you have found out about the bet, I see!” He said casually, as if he had known about it all along. It wouldn’t be surprising if he had been the one who started the gambling in the first place. Beaming at her, there was an extra sparkle in his eye that would have alerted anyone who knew him to the storm that was coming.

“Do not fret, dearest sister!” He said, tightening the one-armed hug for a moment. He waved his hand expansively at the guards. “These guards are not to be blamed, for they are congratulating you on your efficiency in dispatching the men that Uncle has sent in his efforts for you to find true love! As he does with me, but with women! The last girl fled in 5 minutes and 46 seconds, by the way,” He directed at Aiden abruptly. “She was remarkably resilient, but true love did not happen, much to Uncle’s distress.” From the way Luca was grinning, pleased and somewhat predatory, it was clear that he had intentionally driven her away. Then he turned back to Katherine, who he had let go sometime in that rant. ”He bemoans about the call of duty to the family, but it is he who does not understand! They might be beautiful flowers, with voluptuous bodies and sweet voices, but they are just too pitiful for me to marry.” He sighed with an air of clearly fake affront, although there was a hint of genuine annoyance as well. “Their beauty pales in the face of my perfection. Looks, brains, physical ability - until I meet someone who can best me in all three, I will not accept them - and it is unlikely that any shall appear, for there is nobody who can overcome my excellence in all these areas!”

Did he mean what he said? Nope. Mere exaggeration to make it as pompous as possible, for people to laugh at. Luca was good, but it required a lot of hard work to be that good, and he had no doubt that he was not perfect in everything, try as he can. But did he look like he was utterly confident and believed in what he was saying? A bit too much for anyone who worried about the inflated state of Luca’s ego.

“Ah, but it is not about me this time, Katherine. It is about you.” Luca stood up to his full height, gesturing as he spoke with apparent seriousness.

“He has clearly misjudged your tastes, for the suitors he guides to your waiting hand leave in sadness, honor besmirched, neatened hair aflamed, body ragged and drenched with tears of pain and sorrow!” It was impossible to tell whether he meant it as a compliment or as an insult. “Ah, they even leave in pieces sometimes. But that merely proves your beauty, dearest sister, for look! No matter how much you yell at them, humiliate them, destroy their bodies by breaking their bones and threats of more, men still flock to you, determined to win your hand! You are the light that shines, attracting these poor moths for incineration, and we enjoy seeing them burn by your hand. Why else would they hold such an entertaining wager?”

Throughout all of the scuffle with the outbreak of the secret that was the gambling pool placed on Katherine's love-life, Victoria merely sat back and watched quietly, occasionally returning her fork to her plate to cut a sausage in half, before returning it thoughtfully to her rosy lips.

"Ever since Suitor Number 5 the guards were interested in a gambling pool with how many would come and get thrown out. And I always politely decline in betting but if you must now, my mistress threw the bugger out in less than 2 minutes and 58 seconds. I also suggest not being so vocal about the Gambling habits you share with some of our guardsmen at the dinner table where my mistress can hear you and is probably planning her scolding as we speak."

The Mistress, in question, simply remained stoic in expression, observing the situation.

She would be lying if she said that she hadn't known about the gambling pool, and while it was mostly centered around Katherine's inability to get along with or even show up to the greeting with the men, a good portion - she would estimate about ninety-nine percent - of the time, Victoria herself was involved. It was part of her duties as one of her younger siblings' guardians.

She would also be lying if she denied having involved herself in the betting process.

After Luca whisked in, theatrics and all following him, she endured his flamboyancy for the duration of his little 'show' before finally returning her fork to the table. Lifting her nap to her lips, she cleared her throat slightly but just loud enough for it to be heard in the room. The guards stationed along the walls fell silent and turned their attention to her, their stances weary, obviously having anticipated her interruption to place a harsh fist upon them with punishment.

A few seconds of tenseness ticked by, during which time the guards slowly began to squirm with anxiety. Finally, Victoria slid her chair back slightly and rose, setting her napkin beside her plate. When she reached into the small red purse that sat in her seat, she removed a small white ticket with a number written on it. Slapping it down on the table, her expression hidden in the shadows, she announced with a clear voice.

"I bet three minutes and one second. I win."

Lifting her head, she had a cocky, beaming smile on her face, her aqua eyes sparkling with the mischief of someone who loved the people that she was surrounded by.

At the loud groans and sighs of relief that drifted from the guards along the wall, she giggled and slightly covered her lips with her finger tips, feigning innocence.

"Why, my dearest apologies my good soldiers. I didn't realize that I was be able to get so close to my own guess," she grinned. After laughing once more and slowly settling to a sigh, Victoria turned her glittering gaze to her sister's.

"I'm sorry, but I couldn't resist. It was a lot of fun betting on how quickly I'd be able to throw him out this time. If we can't laugh at ourselves, what can we do?" she asked.

---

The events that followed her entrance and arrival at her Lords side were neither entertaining nor amusing. Instead, Rimu allowed her striking gaze to study the interior of the room, looking for anything out of place in the impressive dining hall. When she found nothing to be amiss, she darted her eyes over to a slight movement nearby, just barely catching a glimpse of blue disappearing through a door way. Knowing it was Raven, and although she did trust the girl to an extent, she turned slightly and took a step after her, her intent to follow the woman. It was Dante's voice that had her pausing and looking slightly over her shoulder back at him.

"Good morning Katherine. I hear that another of uncle's men left disappointed. I will speak with him this evening and try and convince him to cease his attempts. We all know that the Vidali name must continue but I do not understand his rush. You will meet someone one day whom you will choose to share your life with but until then he will have to learn patience."

So does that mean that some day ... You'll find someone you will want to share your life with, too, Dante?

Blinking at the thought, Primula felt her cheeks warm with a slight blush, and she attempted to force it away. Curling her fingers in and out repeatedly at her side, a nervous tick she had, she joined Dante back at his side.

Why had she thought such a thing? And what was the odd stirring she felt in the pit of her stomach - one that wasn't quite fear, but she also couldn't place a name to?

Flicking her eyes down to Dante and then back to the wall straight ahead, she attempted to slow the rapidness with which she was curling her fingers.

"Thank you Victoria for dealing with things this morning, though you know that you could have had my assistance if you had needed it."

Primula looked over at the poised young woman in question, welcoming the distraction from her thoughts. Thank the Gods that Dante could only sense emotions and not read another's thoughts.

She felt a slight smirk twitch at the corners of her lips when Victoria finally responded. The sounds of relief that echoed behind her nearly broke her resolve of a stoic demeanor, but she held steadfast, instead groaning slightly at her loss. It was a pretty penny that she had bet, and she had just barely been beaten by the eldest daughter with her own guess of three minute and eight seconds.

There went her book store budget of the week.

Glancing over at the immense and ancient grandfather cock that sat in one corner, Primula once more bent at the hips to rest her head at a hover a few inches above Dante's shoulder.

"My lord, I hate to be a bother, but due to your late awakening, you're a bit rushed for time this morning. We need to leave the dining hall in five minutes in order to make it on time to your meetings, so I would recommend finishing her breakfast and readying yourself for departure," she murmured softly, her voice soothing to the ear, as was common for demons.

A heavy sigh escaped the young vampire's lips. "Good morning Dante, Luca." Last thing she wanted was for her siblings to treat as a child when she was just as powerful as him. "Don't worry about it Dante, I'll speak to our Uncle. He wants to establish himself and remain in our favor. Though I don't know why he insists on sending suitors when I won't be marrying anyone." She spoke as if she were bored and really she was.

"I apologize for making you deal with that this morning Victoria, I assumed he would've just gotten the hint and left but I guess he was as persistent as our uncle. In any case, I'll just punish Aidan for his gambling later." She teased, a smirk replacing the synthetic smile she had.

"Victoria, perhaps your right, what else can we do if we can't laugh at ourselves? Oh that's right have our annual old-fashioned ball for our lovely friends and distant relatives. Uncle is planning to visit here and insists we have our annual ball early. He believes it's a chance for us to gain favor with our fellow vampires and other supernatural beings." She droned on, recalling the letter their uncle sent just two days ago, informing her of his plans for another suitor to come meet her. It more than likely was a bombshell for her siblings but the young princess thought it was now her turn to have some fun and surprise them with some news.

"Our uncle shall be here by tomorrow, I assume we can pull together our party by tomorrow night."

♫ Make It Rain ♫

A idan smiled slightly as he watched the assassin, Raven, laugh at his jokes. At least someone appreciated good humor. He watched her carefully, seeing how uncomfortable she was. It was something that he saw lot growing up around orphans. Though his attention was quickly taken away by Luca's ever flamboyant entrance. "Yeah, sorry Lucy, I don't put money on your love life, not nearly as much fun without the inevitable temper tantrum." He snickered as he pointed his thumb towards Katherine. As Luca went on about what he's looking for, someone as 'perfect' as him, Aidan couldn't help but roll his eye. "Well, I suppose humility is a overrated virtue." Aidan smirked with a slightly smug look on his face.

Having been Katherine's guard for little over two years now, Aidan still isn't quite sure what to make of Luca, though if there's one thing he can say about him, it's that he at least keeps things interesting. Even if those predatory grins of his gives him the creeps. "Yes, having beautiful people fawn over you must be such a pain. However do you deal with it?" Aidan asked in a sarcastic tone. "Guess some of us are lucky enough not to have that burden." He added with a somewhat snippy tone. Aidan would be lying if he said that when someone well off complained about their difficulties, even if it was jokingly, didn't bother him a little bit.

As Luca continued on about why they held the bets Aidan couldn't help but look extremely disinterested. "For the record I only made the bets for shits and giggles." There was a slight gasp from a servant due to his language in front of the royal family, not that he paid any mind to it. He's used to the looks he gets for his lax behavior when around his betters. But he's just being who he is, and he sees nothing wrong with that, keeps everybody on the level. "And the occasional pompous ass-hat that I get to throw out personally."

With Victoria mentioning that she had won the bet, and that she had thrown out the suitor herself Aidan glared at her. "I call shenanigans! You cheated! That just takes the sport out of it!" He pouted slightly as he crossed his arms. "Fine. I didn't want to win anyways." He muttered, along with a series of inaudible curses under his breath.

Aidan chuckled slightly at Katherine's promise to punish him. "Geez Kat, give a guy that much attention and people might get the wrong idea." He teased with a beaming smile. When she brought up the formal event Aidan let out a sigh. "Well I guess I'll have to break out the formal eye-patch." He smirked, following it with a hearty laugh that ended in a snort. Though he might joke about it but Aidan hates these formal gatherings. Mostly due to him having to wear formal wear. Even if he looks great in a suit, it's just not his style.

"So another suitor is coming? Oh that's clever! With him being there to make sure you give the guy the time of day.....er night. Whatever." He said as he rubbed an imaginary beard on his face. He looked over at Katherine with a sympathetic smile. He placed a hand on her shoulder, and leaned down closer to her. "No worries, I'm ready to play the knight in shining armor that rescues the damsel if you need it." He whisper in her ear. Though whispering is rather pointless, given how most of them have enhanced hearing. But he still wanted to make sure she knew he had her back.

"Why, my dear Addy, I had no idea that you wished to humble yourself before me!" Luca said, hand coming up to cover his mouth in mock shock, eyes widening almost playfully. His tone was sickly sweet, but there was an underlying warning to it. "Thank you for your appreciation! And you misunderstand. It is not that I reject their love to send them away - on the contrary, their love is very much appreciated. It is just that having them around me would be simply too pitiful for them. For look!" He gestured at himself with a broad sweep of his hand, sunlight glinting off his white smile and sparkling down his body - no wait, those were literally illusions that Luca was making. Felix just scowled and hunched over as if he were bracing himself for what was to come. "This glorious body, this beautiful face! For them to stand beside me, pretty as they are, would be like placing a dandelion beside a fully bloomed rose - it would overshadow their beauty!" Luca shook his head, crossing his arms in displeasement. "To subject them to such comparisons would be utter folly, Adrian. I thought you knew that?" he asked condescendingly, shaking his head and sighing as if he pitied Adrian for his lack of intelligence. "Forcing women to endure such overshadowing of their beauty would be a terrible thing to do!"

(That is not to say that Adrian was not an intelligent man. However, to Luca's mind everybody except him and a few other individuals were on the bottom step of intelligence with him lounging at the top step. Adrian was not one of those people sitting at the top and was therefore relegated to second step which meant that Adrian was less intelligent than him and therefore his opinions were pretty much second graded, like slightly spoiled grape juice - still drinkable, but still not quite good.

Also, Luca found messing with Adrian kind of fun.)

"Furthermore!" There was a loud bang as the chair got tossed away in Luca's sudden stand, fist raised passionately in the air as he continued to rant. "They come to us, to me, seeking for love and prestige that they do not have. Prestige I can give, though they might not be deemed suitable, but love? Alas," Luca said, shaking his head in sorrow. "I can only give them Phillia. Agape and Ludus I can also give, even Storge, but never the Eros they seek."

"That's because your philautia overwhelms everything else," Felix muttered to himself, soft enough that only those who were straining their ears - even for vampires - could hear. He grinned at Adrian, snickering at his call of shenanigans and nudging companionably him in the shoulder. "Don't worry, you'll get it next time."

"And it is for that reason - along with many other reasons, Addy - that I reject their advances," Luca continued dramatically, ignoring Felix's interruption (and that quite probably everyone was ignoring his prolonged rant). "Even if in the process they turn into screeching harpies or second-rate seductresses. Women can be surprisingly bitchy when they don't get what they want sometimes, haha!"

"Not all of them." Felix apparently felt the need to interject, frowning up at Luca. "There were some who were douches from the getgo, yeah, but more than a few lost their temper because of your showy methods." Felix also didn't add that there were bets going around about Luca's engagements too - about the length of time Luca would take to infuriate each lady and how, or whether they would leave smiling and determined to do what they wanted in life. It was a pretty even ratio, surprisingly, but no point in adding fuel to the fire... but Felix felt a bit guilty showing only the dark side of his boss. "Then again, you helped quite a few find their way too, so I guess its not all that bad."

"See, Felix understands!" Luca exclaimed triumphantly, raising a fist in victory. Then Katherine dropped news of a party and the conversation quickly took on another new track.

"A party! GLORIOUS, MY DEAR SIBLINGS!" Luca cheered gleefully, reaching forwards to give a quick hug to Katherine. He ignored the fact that it also meant another new suitor for both of them - a party was a party, after all! Even if they only had two days to make it as extravagant as possible. Luca was already putting together decoration plans in his mind. "We must prepare with haste! Don't worry about the music, Felix can take care of it." The Sound Dragon in question sighed but nodded in agreement - it would be faster if he did it, and that way Luca couldn't try and change it to idiotic pop songs like he did the last party they had hosted. That had been... surprisingly fun but also a pain to deal with afterwards, especially with all the stares they had gotten for the elvis costumes. "And do not worry, Katherine, I shall plan us escape routes to avoid suitors if you wish for it!" He grinned and grabbed Katherine and Adrian in a two armed hug, pulling them close to him before letting go. His cheer was practically infectious, giving light to the room. "So, how should we prepare, dear family?"