Chapter Twelve: Daffyd

I don’t often find that Brooke and I come to agreement on anything these days. She’s never really bothered trying to be a part of the politics that our kind finds themselves trapped in. A ditzy queen who enjoys the spotlight more than what the title truly represents. The other night, I found that she doesn’t just throw her weight around under the spotlight but she keeps her thoughts on the vampires’ matters hidden. What all she considers, I’ll never know, but what I do know is that she still stands behind me. She still supports me in her own way. My personal struggles that have been coming to light of late are only enhanced by this. We were to rule as a great king and queen. The ideas we had, plans we concocted, the empire we were to build…

What changed?

Torrine Castle spurred a new step in our relationship. Giving way for her to voice her stance as queen, one that I find perfectly acceptable. Why should I give away a castle? All that happened was a supply chain that was broken. Day trade can continue just the same. Now that the humans know that we are a part of their society, we can begin using their infrastructure to further our own agendas.

A simple conversation about a castle becoming the foundation to a new bond in our relationship.

I include her in the war room meetings as a silent witness. She’s given me the drive, and now I must just act on it. Hamish at my right, her on my left. I sit at the head of the table with Lieutenants who lost their resting ground in the strike that was meant to focus on Torrine. They, like us, are just as upset.

“Things are going to change,” I say, looking up through my brow after browsing through some notes. “We’ve been acting very much on the defensive for the greater part of this war. It was the smart thing to do in the beginning because there were too many fighting parties. The Forsaken and the shifters ducked out, and now we still act on defense against a bunch of mutts who think they have superiority. Blindly, I nearly signed a treaty giving away Torrine Castle to the wolves for no reason other than they foiled one of our plans, but this took them ten years and some coward who can’t directly come speak with me, sending notes as his means of communication. So, Brooke…” I give her her dues and admit my mistakes, something I’ve not done in many years, to show that there is room to grow. Giving those around me the option to be a part of this war on a deeper level, instead of just being cannon fodder. “Swayed me into keeping Torrine. Her simple thoughts of keeping the castle have changed my outlook on this war entirely. Why must we stay housed in the castle walls, waiting for an attack that would end badly, if not for both of us, only us?”

I take the time to let this digest, reading over my notes some more. “Many of you here are old but not old enough to know the history of Mattheus of Torfaen, a powerful vampire that chose me as his second in command. He was the one who guided me to be the vampire I am. I lost myself for a century here, and now I am reclaiming my status. The Council is finding their way and settling down. Until then, I need to make sure that this world is ruled and monitored in a way that will bring us and them to good standing.” No one here needs to know that the Council enlisted are only puppets to my own cause. They must believe in a fair rule for all, lest we wish to face a civil war. “I mention my master for one reason. In my early years, he taught me how to fight on an offensive level. Strike before being struck. From today, those who are enlisting into the vampire kingdom as some form of combatant will learn the old ways. Fighting on offense, while keeping defenses high. A simple trick I long ago left to time.”

I click my fingers and a few servants come in, each one holding a compendium – a manual that was compiled by me after going through my notes. These are the new building blocks of our civilization.

“Read through them at your time and begin teaching your troops these ways when you are prepared. Pass them around. The sector leaders are getting copies of their own to do the same, unifying our forces in ancient arts that will take the world by storm,” Brooke squeezes my leg under the table, a smile on her face from ear to ear. It feels good, I suppose, to have someone be proud of you again.

“Now onto why we are really here: Torrine Castle. A supply chain that has helped us pass supplies, urgent matters, and anything else we needed to share between our kind that had no place coming in from over any encrypted channels that could be snooped on. So, with that being gone, we will still deliver those messages without them being intercepted, and that supply run will still move through the day. Nothing will change on that front; the biggest change will be how we do it. This is where we get humans to do our dirty work for us. It makes things simpler, too. Otherwise, begin establishing vampire businesses around town. Dark tinted windows and whatnot have done wonders for us in the past, and the will in the future. So, on that front, we will have a team begin working on how to best figure out how to do this. Now, this is where you come in.” When speaking without interruption I sometimes find it difficult to know if they know what I am on about or if they just think it’s the ramblings of a mad man. Oh well. “When you return to Torrine, I want you to start showing face. Create a perimeter that extends from Torrine up to the Veil, to the outer city limits and around. At night, there will be constant patrols. There will be constant eyes on the resting grounds. If a wolf goes out for a smoke or to take a piss, you report that back. Constant information must be sourced. Constant information must be passed around. Show your teeth, if you must. Learn their attack patterns. How Romulus set them to fight. Find their weaknesses. We are going to chip away at them here and send wolves back to Romulus after living in a nightmarish state, cowering back to their alpha with their tails between their legs.”

“What about during the day?” someone finally speaks. One of my older lieutenants.

“During the day? Well, we’re going to rebuild our network of tunnels beneath the Veil, to Torrine and onward. The only difference with these will be the way they spread out. They will extend from here to there. Dead ends and circles around. During the day, there will be no trade beneath the earth, there will just be tunnels upon tunnels being created. If they try to blow them down, then like the hydra, two more will grow. These tunnels will specifically be designed to watch. There will be no movement undetected around the Torrine Castle. Consider this project Fort Knox.” I smile.

“Is there anything else, ladies and gentlemen?” I ask to make sure that everyone is happy with the way things are going to change and how the war will proceed from here on in. The vampires will become a force to be reckoned with.

There are no objections from those around me. “Then I call this meeting to an end.” We all begin packing up and making our ways out.