- Lost Foundations -

Vlad: Running Away

Radu stared out at the fields below the balcony, thousands of bodies strung up on pikes, filling the air with the stench of rotting flesh. The moans of the dying, slowly sliding down the bloody spikes rent the air constantly, becoming near white noise to the residents of Tepes Castle. He would never admit it but he got a tiny thrill with each moan that the wind carried up to him from the fields. Such a sick and perverse pleasure..he needed to get away. Radu didn't turn around as Vlad joined him on the balcony, his brother's hands covering his own as Vlad pressed against his back, leaning around him to kiss his cheek. "What is it, you look so far away from me today." Radu closed his eyes, turning his head away from Vlad's, not replying. Vlad frowned and moved to stand next to Radu, tilting his brother's head up to see into his eyes. Tears flowed down Radu's cheeks as he stared up at his brother. "I'm leaving." he whispered, turning his head away again, staring out at the bodies below. "I can't...I can't do this. I can't help you, not anymore." "Radu," Vlad said softly. "I need you, if it's the bodies, you don't have to help with that, I have servants who can do it." "It's not the bodies, it's not the killing...it's not you. I just can't be here any more. I don't belong here Vlad. I haven't for a while. I did my part, I avenged father and Mircea, but I have to go." He whispered. Vlad pulled his younger brother close, holding him tightly. "But I can't do this without you." Vlad whispered, laying his head on Radu's. Radu laughed softly. "You can. You always were the strong one. I'm the one who couldn't do this alone. Father knew that, that's why he named you heir." Radu whispered, hugging Vlad. "I swear I'll come back Vlad...someday." Vlad tilted Radu's head up again, staring down into his eyes. "Stay with me, one more night." He whispered, leaning closer to Radu. Radu smiled softly. "One more night," He whispered back and reached up to kiss Vlad softly. "M'lord, you're needed downstairs." Jheryn said from the doorway. At fifteen, Jheryn had a bloodlust that rivaled Vlad's and was often found at Vlad's sides in the field, supervising the impaling of whomever Vlad wished. It had been his idea to impale babies through their mother's chests. Vlad sighed and pulled away from Radu, heading downstairs with his servant boy, leaving Radu to stair after him, his lips still waiting in anticipation. -- Vlad sighed as he wearily climbed the stairs, pulling off his neck lace and letting it drift to the floor, making more work for the servants as he walked into Radu's room. It took a moment for him to realize what was wrong, but as he stared around at the nearly empty room he realized what it was. His brother had left. Vlad sunk to his knees, staring blankly at the space, the only thing left in the room was his brother's alter for prayer. Tears slipped down Vlad's cheeks and he put his head in his hands, sobbing for what he had lost. Too soon though anger overcame him and he lashed out, destroying the alter with one swipe of his arm. He rose and summoned the night servants, ordering every holy relic in the castle destroyed. He also rang up for his solders, ordering the destruction of every church in the kingdom. He himself went to the castle chapel, carrying a bucket of blood that been delivered for the evening meal. in his free hand he carried a small dagger, his father's, later his brothers, a symbol of the holy order both belonged to. He approached the priest quietly, stabbing him in the heart from behind before the elderly man could finish his evening prayer. Vlad let the priest's body fall, staring up into the eyes of the crucified Jesus on the wall above him. Vlad reached up and ran a bloody finger over the statue's cheek, seeing his brother in the man's eyes before he stepped back and raised the bucket of blood, tossing it onto the statue, the alter, the draped cross and the dead priest in one fair shot. He then slit his wrist with the dagger, letting his own blood fall onto each, promising an oath that the church would pay for taking his brother from him again. -- Radu watched from a hill as the solders carried out their lord's orders, laying waist to every church and holy place in town, the fires illuminating the sky, stretching out into the dark, giving light to the hellish scene of panic played out in the streets. Priests were murdered as they fled their homes, parishioners burned as they screamed, trapped in the hellfire's the homes of salvation had become. Radu made the sign of the cross over the scene before rearing his horse, turning around and fleeing into the darkness.