Rodrigue

[badkarma]

The carriage comes to a slow halt as the sun sets. The crates lid shifts to side, hitting the floor of the carriage with a heavy thud. 

As Vagas rises from the make shift bed, Rodrigue is standing outside the tent at attention, waiting his masters rise. 

"Good morning Master! There was bad weather earlier today, otherwise we would have made it to Prague by now. We are still a few hours away."

Leaves crunching underfoot as the Nosferatu jumps out the back of the carriage. The mask of a nobleman cloaking over him in an instant, Vagas turns to his servant. 

"Let us carry on then, while the night is young." 


The horses trudging through the sopping road, they travel quietly for while. An hour or so outside of the city, a group of 6 men standing on the road, blocking the way. The men were clearly armed and looking for prey, eyeing the carriage as it comes to a halt. 

A man with cropped black hair shouting to them. 
"We can do this the easy way, or we can it the hard way. And my boys prefer the hard way."


Vagas speaking, not taking his eyes off the group;
"Your weapon Rodrigue. Hold them off, I'll kill two quickly, I trust you can handle two simple bandits." 

Nodding at his masters command, Rodrigue draws his sword, dismounting the carriage to one side. Vagas reaches behind his back, pulling out the ceremonial setite dagger and stiletto from their sheathes as he jumps off his side of the carriage.

The men laugh, some hollar at among themselves. The same man from before saying "Hard way it is then, shame, I was hoping to get a fine coat like yours without getting blood all over it."


Walking towards the bandits, Vagas has 4 approach him, armed with hatchets and axes among them. A moment later, to their minds eye, Vagas vanishes. The 4 men stand there looking at each other baffled, as the dagger and stiletto are driven through the base of their skulls, felling them instantly. The remaining mortals let out yells in confusion, swinging wildly, their attacks nearly connecting with each other. Another stab, this time the dagger getting lodged into the spine of a third man as he falls. The final man swings his axe down on Vagas, the blade cutting into his clavicle and lodging itself in place. Reach out to grab him by the throat with his free hand, Vagas breaks his neck, pumping his potence behind the action. 


Circling around around the horses, they buck and kick. Vagas locking eyes with them, commanding their silence as he passes. The clash of swords on the other side, Vagas comes into view as Rodrigue drives his blade into the leader of the bandit group, the man sliding off his blade still moaning as the blood pools onto the ground. 

The ghoul, seeing his master approach, salutes and bows with his sword at the ready. "Master."

Nodding at the prostrated ghoul, the living man looks up at them both, anger in his eyes. Lifting the man up, Vagas exposes his neck before exsanguinating him dry. 

Dropping the dry corpse, he takes in the scene with a smile. "Rodrigue, collect whatever they might have worth selling when we reach Prague." 

As the ghoul sets about his task, Vagas watches him. Taking a consideration as he works. 

"Rodrigue, you've been my servant for what, 15 decades now? I believe you might be due for a reward."

Almost dropping the items in his arm, the Ghoul looks flabbergasted as he stammers. "My, my lord. I just serve you. I, I need no reward."

His tone slightly annoyed at the Ghouls response Vagas pressed further. "Do not test my patience Rodrigue. I am offering you a reward, do not insult me and say you want nothing. Out with it." 

The ghoul goes silent for a time, still carrying out his duties as he considers carefully before he speaks. "Well, my lord. If I'd be awarded anything, it would be patience for my misgivings... And if it were not too much to ask, a woman, lord. A busty one, tan or light skin, maybe even an exotic one from the east? Just... a busty one? You know, to keep warm with while I rest." 

Considering his ghouls request, Vagas rests his chin upon his forefinger and thumb. "Hmmm, I will reward you my patience then. However, I will take consideration on a companion for you once we return to Venice have a haven established. Serve me will, and I will remember this to be your next reward." 


"Oh thank you my lord, I swear to serve you faithfully till the end of time!" Rodrigue taking a knee in front of Vagas as he makes his oath of fealty for the countless time. 

"Good. Finish your tasks, and let us be off. If the rumors are true, my objective, is in Prague."

[badkarma]

Walking through the city of Venice, Vagas is masked as a businessman in fine attire. Rodrigue following closely behind.

As they make their way, Rodrigue speaks as they walk past mortals.

"I'd need a few such as that one. Strong backs to move rocks. A few as them, to make the supports and cut the wood as needed. And perhaps some..."

Trailing off as they walk past a tavern, a pair of women stand outside, offering themselves for the night to men who wander by within reach. One of them motioning to Rodrigue as he locks eyes with them.

Vagas, noticing the interaction, shakes his head. Vaguely remembering the mortal compulsion of lust.

"And some such as those for what purpose Rodrigue? To sleep with the workers and keep them entertained?"

Rodrigue is startled by his masters words. Shaking his head he shakily replies. His Spaniard accent lighter now than it had been centuries ago.

"That would be useful too my lord, but I was thinking it would be good to have a few uhm, mortals to do chores, cook and clean for the men I need. And maybe to help boost moral working in the dark?"


The corner of Vagas' lip twitches slightly before he nods, never stopping they pass the tavern and continue onwards. As they walk along, Rodrigue points out a few more potentials. A book in hand, he writes down a list as they walk.

Hours later, Vagas reviews the book as they sit on a bench overlooking the sea.
"Quite an extensive list. It will take time to gather these people and all the supplies. First, we must make a cell to hold the mortals until they are brought to heel."

"You plan to do the thing you did to me to them. Is that it master? Will I be in charge of them?"

"Yes Rodrigue, like what I did to you. And they will be your responsibility. Though once their uses have waned, they will be disposed of."

Rodrigue goes quiet for a time. The silence in the air only accompanied by the ambient insects of the night.

"Will you dispose of me once my use has waned master?"

Vagas does not respond for a minute, Rodrigue shifting in his seat uncomfortably.

"You asked for my patience as your reward, in that skirmish outside of Prague. I have not forgotten Rodrigue. You will not be disposed of. Perhaps at some point, you might even earn the right to become like one of us."

At that Rodrigue stands up from the bench seat and prostrates himself before his master.

-----------------

Over the course of the next month, some mortals went missing. Never to be seen again as they were abducted into the under dark below the cemetery island.

[badkarma]

Roughly 60 years after Rodrigue had been ghouled....

The corpse slumped to the ground, empty of all its blood as Vagas devoured him greedily. The Nosferatus clothing was torn to shreds, muscle, bone and sinew exposed by what could perhaps have been massive bear claws.

Rodrigue makes to carry the body away into the darkness, it feeling nearly weightless to the empowered ghoul.

"Master, you're still hurt. If you need more blood, take some of mine, but, please allow me to live at your side still."

Vagas looks at Rodrigue witheringly. His black opal eyes reflecting the Spaniards features with how close they get to the mans face. His fangs still extended, they begin to retract. He looks worn to his core. His willpower sapped he slumps down against the stone wall he was leaning against. Letting the remnants of his clothes shear off as it is dragged off by the friction against the rock.

"No Rodrigue. Blood is not the issue now. I can only close so many wounds of this nature so quickly. Unlike the kisses of a mortal mans punch, or the cutting of a blade against undead flesh, Lycanthropes claws are far more deadly. This wounds are aggravated. Truth be told, I am lucky to still be here with you. I only survived because of luck this night."

The nosferatu says, shaking his head. Rodrigue watching his master from the side, chimes in: "Sometimes, being lucky is better than being good, isn't that what you've said in the past ser?"


Vagas looks up at his ghoul, seemingly with only one eye he looks up the man up and down before speaking.
"At least you pay attention Rodrigue." Adding in with a gurgled laugh that mixes with some of the open wounds in his chest.

Rodrigue kneels down by his master, concern on his face.

"My lord, perhaps you should lay down and rest? Will that aid in your recovery?"

Shaking his head, Vagas allows the man to help him to his feet.

"No Rodrigue, it will not. This is probably the most injured you've seen me thus far, is it not?"

With assistance, the nosferatu walks along the darkened stone path. Below ground, Rodrigue hold a lit lantern in one hand, supporting his master with his other. Reaching the mouth of a cave entrance, they enter, the lantern revealing some makeshift furniture in the dry natural structure.

"Well ser, I've seen you stabbed, shot with arrows, broke your leg that one time jumping from too high up. But you've always been able to mend those wounds almost instantly. It's just always cost you much blood...er, vitae. It's unnerving for me to see you in this state and not heal back up right away."

Listening to the mortal speak, Vagas says nothing for a time as he's carried to a makeshift bed of stone, straw and leather scraps. All likely stolen. Being sat down, Rodrigue helps his master lay down, beginning to pull his masters leg up onto the bed, Vagas waves him away with his elegant and long fingers.

"Rodrigue, these injures are aggravated. I would suffer much similar injuries should I come in contact with fire, or sunlight. You have not seen this before because normally, I make it a point to avoid being injured like this. Lycanthropes, are other supernaturals. And quite vexxingly, some are unaffected by my obfuscation."

Shaking his head as he speaks, he closes his eyes.

"I will be awake until the sun rises above ground. You know your duties Rodrigue. Especially these next few days, guard my body as I sleep."

---------------------------------

As the night went on, Rodrigue carried out his duties. Cleaning and maintaining his masters tools, the lock picks, the crowbar, and various other utility items he would carry on various nights.

Eventually, Rodrigue would pull out the pocket watch that Vagas had obtained not long before finding Rodrigue. Winding it and opening it, he sees the time is early on into the morning.

"My lord, the sun is up.... oh right." He looks back at the corpselike body of his master in his daysleep.

Continuing on, eventually Rodrigue moves on to checking his masters weapons, the stilleto, the ceremonial dagger, the stakes. As he cleans and polishes each weapon, he palms the stake in one hand, rolling it about. Feeling its weight shift.

Rodrigue remembers a time when he boasted to being a demon hunter. Holding one of the multiple stakes in Vagas' repertoire, he walks over to his masters corpse, standing over him, observing his still exposed injuries. He raises the stake in his hand, the mortals lip curls and he shakes his head as he turns around, holding the wooden stake against the back of his head. He whimpers softly. This was not the first, or last time he's done this. And each time, the result was the same.



-------------------------------------------Tonight--------------

Rodrigue sits in the study of this haven he has been building. Looking over the blueprints his master had helped him designed. Thinking on how he wished that his lord had kept some of those temporary ghouls he had brought down to help him cut this haven directly into the rock surface below the island cemetery. A smile crosses his face, as he eyes the blueprint, and he crosses off the 2nd chamber across from his own as 'completed'.

"The room for my reward is now complete. Soon my master obtain me a woman to keep me company. The reward I asked for will soon be mine."

Getting up to walk to the unfinished portion of the haven, the stone surfaces not smoothed over but the rough cut outs into the earth made and dug, he goes to where he keeps his crafting tools. Beginning his almost ritualistic daily maintenance of the stiletto and ceremonial dagger, eventually, Rodrigue holds a wooden stake in his hand.

Walking with it gripped tightly, he stands at his masters doorway, watching him slumber from the opening, indirect light filtering in through the open doorway creating shadows along the room. Watching his master sleep for some time, perhaps an hour goes by in the quiet haven. Rodrigue reminisces, daydreams. Of all the places he had been dragged to, of the various corpses he's had to dispose of until about a century past. Of all the services he has done for his master, and finally, he fixates on a pair of oversized breasts that he may rest his head in between. His last thought, the taste of his masters vitae, and the potential for him to one day be turned into one of his lords clansmen. He turns from the doorway, closing it quietly, and begins to check the sharpness of the many stakes, ensuring each one is ready to be used by his master in subduing another of his kind.