Ingrid's Ambition

Ingrid sat on her bed, silently and in deep thought. She was the closet in relationship to her father. The two were alike in many ways so got along more naturally than her other siblings did. A quiet evening was all Ingrid desired, but a quiet evening was not to be. A door opened then in walked Audrey dropping a whole stack of books on Ingrid's desk. Ingrid looked at Audrey, confused as her sister pointed at the books for her to read them.

"How am I ever going to get through all these books Audrey?" Ingrid protested.

"How are you ever going to be chosen for the role of succession if you don't?" said Audrey harshly. Audrey always used a harsh tone when she felt opposition from her sister.

"It's not like I want that role."

"It isn't about whether or not we want it. With father gone that duty naturally falls to us. To deny it would be to deny father." Audrey said while taking a book from the pile and offering it to her sister. Ingrid groaned taking the book and letting it hang beside her in her hand.

"Do you think father ever meant for all this to happen? Do you think he ever meant for us to take his place one day? Why did he never choose a successor? It would have been a whole lot easier if he had." Ingrid said pointing with the book.

"But he didn't and now we're here." Audrey replied putting a hand to her face. Ingrid tossed the book on the bed beside her.

"You talk like you know exactly what to do, so why don't you just take the throne if you're so ready? You're a diplomatic genius! What chance do I even stand against you?"

Audrey walked over then grabbed her sister pulling her off the bed. Ingrid tried to look away, but was foiled by Audrey pulling her face towards her.

"Listen to me right now. Get out of your pit of despair and do the bloody work! Father never chose a successor because obviously none of us were ready. That includes me, your missus oh so talented at diplomacy!"

Ingrid pulled away scowling and walking towards her window which faced the west.

"I'm not ready for this Audrey! Now get out and let me be! I'll read the stupid books when I'm ready!"

"And when will that be?"

"Whenever I feel like it! I'm surprised at you Audrey! Even Lupin isn't himself! Why are you attacking this so aggressively?!"

"Because there's nothing else I can do!" Audrey shouted tears building in her eyes. "If I don't actively prepare myself for that council then I'm just going to sink into despair just like the two of you! At least you're trying to hear me out! Lupin won't even do that much!"

Audrey then took a long deep breath.

"If you aren't going to study like you should, then there's only one thing left I can say. Find an ambition. If you have at least that, they will vouch for you." Audrey then left annoyed and more determined than ever to claim the role of succession.

Ingrid fell back into her bed staring at the ceiling wishing secretly that it would crush her. She brushed a finger from both of her hands along the bed tracing lines back and forth continuously. Her stomach rumbled. She then sighed out of relief. Her appetite had returned, and she was glad. she hurried to one of the sitting rooms where she found on the center table a bottle of pig's blood and two glasses; one empty, and one dirty. She greedily poured a glass for herself then sat on the sofa before her, listening to the atmosphere attached to her surroundings.

A soft melancholy tune rang through the room being played on a eerie viola. She tried to drink her blood in silence but could not hide the disgust on her face as the music was bothering her. She drank the last of the blood in her glass then smacked her lips, looked at the empty glass then sighed.

"It just isn't the same." she said out loud. "But is human blood really worth dying for like that? I don't think so. Hypothetically... if I were ruler, I would choose complete seclusion from the humans for all time. There's no need for anyone else to die like that."

"Total seclusion?" answered the man playing the viola.

Ingrid turned suddenly feeling awkward. She shook her head at her own disgust.

"Forgive me young Ingrid. I did not mean to embarrass you."

"Not at all Count Medraut. It was my own carelessness that caused me to commit such foolishness."

"While speaking out loud to oneself isn't particularly foolish, doing so while in the company of others can be, but as for me, I give you no judgement I assure you. I will pry you though as to what you mean by seclusion from the humans?"

"Please think nothing of it. I was letting my words slip carelessly."

"Carelessness? Or perhaps it is your true intentions, the ideal that drives you to even desire a place of power. If seclusion is what you truly wish for then you must hold fast to that idea and not shame it for cause of what you feel should be an acceptable desire, at least, not if you want the respect of any one of us council members... the first rule of a leader is that he must always know what he wants, and how to get it. But if you are indecisive then you will have the respect of no one."

"You mean to say that seclusion isn't a bad idea?"

"Who knows? I've never seen it done before, so I would be most interested to see how that would play out."

The man then resumed playing the same melancholy tune on his viola as before. Ingird was not about to listen to it again.

"Please, Count Medraut, if you are to insist on playing then please play a more happier tune." Ingrid pleaded.

Count Medraut stopped, nodded slowly then played an alternate tune. Ingrid was satisfied and sat down now comfortable with the atmosphere.

"May I ask for your advice then Count Medraut?" Ingrid asked anxiously.

"If that is what you wish."

"What do you think my father meant by not choosing a successor?"

"If we knew the answer to that question there would be no need for this council do you not think?"

"Indeed..." Ingrid replied baring her teeth with an embarrassed look on her face. "The humans can never find us as long as we have the magic concealment barriers up, so why do we insist on leaving our borders? Why do we need to go out and harvest human blood from the villages only to expose ourselves and be killed by hunters? Where is the logic and where is the honor in that?"

"I believe it is just our nature miss. The basic need to want whatever is believed to be the best is a dangerous force that has driven many to wonderous feats and dastardly demises. Human blood is precious and thus is kept in treasuries to be used only for important events and to heal the mortally wounded. Human blood is the only blood discovered thus far to bring a vampire back from the brink of death, so it has at least some value in that area."

"But do we really need to do the harvests with the commoners in tow? Why not send out a select few to harvest rather than anyone willing?"

"Because of your father's belief that all our people have a right to human blood as any other whether they be a great noble or a humble peasant."

"But when are numbers dwindle, it is no small feat to bring them back up. 1 birth every 20 years is too long of a time for reproduction. It's because of this basic biology that many are turning to humans to reproduce and thus creating all manner of half bloods. Until we can ensure the integrity of our society, I would propose all contact with the humans be ceased for the foreseeable future."

"And an excellent idea that might be miss Ingrid."

"Oh my gosh Audrey... I think I have it. I think I have an ambition." Ingrid muttered to herself pouring another glass of pig's blood then gulping it down.