The Sadistic Toad
Night. It was the time in which Vampires were the most active and always the time in which they made important decisions. Count Yoasen sent out the word to all of the other Counts and they were now gathering in the meeting room, the one with the long table with 11 seats and two big, tall windows facing the south in where bright moonlight shone.
There were 11 seats at the table, one at the head where the king usually sat and 5 each on the sides where the other Counts sat. In the corner of the room was a chair reserved for a single witness who would write what was said as it was being said as to keep a record of each arduous meeting. The head seat would remain empty during this meeting, and the three children were to stand by the door to wait for their turn to come forward and make their case as to their competence.
In order to welcome each member, (as was tradition), trumpeters and bards were brought in to sing a song to bring the meeting into session. The song contained verses pertaining to each Count as they entered the room describing them and praising them. It was quite the spectacle to behold, and once the song was over all the Counts were seated.
Now seated, each member's eyes drifted to the same place, an empty seat at the table reserved for one of the counts, one in particular that half of them despised, a count whose verse was sung, and a count who was not present at the meeting.
The meeting began with pompous long winded dialogue, the kind of diplomatic crap that is fun to say, but loathsome to listen to. Some of the Counts appreciated the observance of it, while other Counts despised it, yet all of them suffered it for the sake of tradition.
Throughout all the opening statements the seat remained empty and it had gotten to the point where everyone there cared more about the empty Count seat than about the empty seat at the head reserved for the leader of their province.
When Count Yoasen had finished with the opening statements, he stood up, leaned over, looked around and scowled, both hands palms down on the table. "So he still isn't here is he? I will ask this just one more time of all of you. Where is Derreres?" Yoasen hissed eyeing each member of the council one by one.
"I've been asking all every day since I got here, but no one has seen him at all Mister chairman. He just isn't here!" spoke up Count Henders from the northern province of Halvor.
"Unbelievable! A time such as this, and Count Derreres is absent!" Yoasen responded.
"I agree, this is most distasteful, even considering Derreres' usual shenanigans!" remarked Countess Vemist
"Perhaps he is causing us trouble for amusement? Or perhaps something dire has happened to him?" Count Arehn said.
"If I find out this is another one of his tricks I swear I will!-" Count Shaits began to say before being cut off by a deep commanding voice that none dare to speak over.
"Will you all just shut up about Derreres already! It's bad enough we've all waited for him for 2 days. I suggest you all get this meeting started before you have another person's absence to discuss." scowled Count Lendais with his arms folded and his feet on the table.
Count Yoasen noded then clasped his hands together.
"Alright then let us officially begin. I, Count Yoasen, as the senior most Count, and as deputy leader, shall read the contents of the last will and testament of the late Cliff Narcainan. The will reads as follows;"
[As I feared this day has finally come. Whether by natural causes or by the hand of a hunter it matters not, for this will has only one purpose to serve, and that is to pass on my legacy. A general shall not be named as successor, nor shall a Count of any standing be named. Only one of my children are to be considered for the role of succession but as to which one, that has yet to be decided by fate.
All of my children are strong, but all of my children are also weak. In order to choose a successor you will have to be wise and not foolish. You will have to be diligent and not lacking. Whoever you choose must be one that you feel confident in the security and leadership of our magnificent people, not for a short time, but for a time of great length.
Do not be hasty. Do not be hasty to choose a successor. If none of them are deemed to be ready then none shall be chosen until they can prove that they are competent. It is a fine line that you walk dear counts, do be careful not to lose your balance and tumble into a ravine bringing our people down into it.
To the Counts, I say do your job and do not disappoint the people, and to my Children, I say offer your best and do not disappoint me.
Sincerely, Count Cliff Narcainan]
Count Yoasen then looked up from the will to see the expressions of the other Counts. Half of them avoided eye contact.
"They clearly aren't happy with those orders..." Yoasen thought.
"I know that what was in this will wasn't what you wanted to hear, but it seems that Cliff Narcainan's last wish is final. We will not choose a commander to take the role of succession like some of you here had hoped, but will instead choose one of Cliff's children, whoever is the most worthy." Count Yoasen spoke plainly.
"But of course," Count Lendais began. "I for one never doubted this to be the case, but what I do doubt, is that we will choose a successor by the end of this meeting."
"Failing to choose a successor by the end of this meeting is not an option Lendais!" Count Shaits protested.
"Nay, it is our only option. Unlike the rest of you, I have been asking every servant in this household what they think of the three successors and what I hear was unsatisfactory. If what they say implies what I think it does, then no one will be chosen, and to insist on choosing one despite the lack of a worthy candidate you would be in direct violation of our late King's last words."
"Last words or not it is our duty to choose a successor here and now Count Lendais!" Count Shaits continued to insist.
"Tell me this then Count Shaits, in all your wisdom, can you explain to me why the words; 'do not be hasty' were not mentioned once, but twice in his will? Out of all the things said this was the only one repeated which bears some importance do you not think?"
Count Shaits froze at these words. He tried to reply, but every time he stammered and stumbled failing each time to say anything intelligible. This of course was unsurprising to the rest of the audience. No matter who had what agenda, Count Lendais was always ready to put those out of order in their place and to keep the end goal in clear sight.
"I think that Count Lendais has made his case very clearly, but since the purpose of this meeting was to choose a successor, let us at least try to proceed to pick a successor." Count Yoasen suggested. "We may not be able to choose a successor but even then, if we never hear out the candidates then we will never know whether or not they are even close to being ready. Is this acceptable Count Lendais?"
"Yes, this seems like a reasonable thing to do, but it will not change my opinion on the matter."
All the other counts nodded in agreement to Yoasen's suggestion.
"Fine then Count Lendais. Let's get this on with. Can Lupin Narcainan please step forward and address the council?"
Lupin then stepped forward as commanded.
"Lupin? But he's the youngest!" Protested Count Shaites
"But he is the only male heir, and since he is the only male heir would it not be the most appropriate to start with him?" Countess Vemist argued.
"This is most irregular! Just because he is male does not give us the excuse to overthrow the normal proceedings!" Count Henders insisted.
"That is only ever because never in our history has a male heir been youngest in a list of potential candidates." Count Medraut explained. "In times before the male heir has always been the eldest, yet we Counts tonight have been met with a strange fate. Shall we ignore the irregularity in order to maintain our tradition or shall we confront it despite that action being something which has never been heard of?"
A couple of Counts nodded in agreement. Count Yoasen sank into his chair then scratched his chin.
"It seems like a vote is in order then." Count Yoasen said. "All of those in favor of starting with the eldest, please raise your hand."
There were four hands raised.
"Those opposed?"
Three hands raised.
"It would appear that we have a tie then." Count Yoasen concluded, as everyone knew that even though Count Lendais did not raise his hand either time, that he was most certainly opposed to the idea of starting with the eldest just to spite tradition and the norm. "It would seem that it is up to me to make an executive decision then. As Count Henders has just brought to attention we have always started with the eldest and despite for the first time the eldest being a daughter, we will continue with that path. This is my final decision."
"Indeed, even if it is against the norm to not start with the male heir, starting with the female heir is still a break in tradition despite that, so the decision is fine by me." Count Lendais said.
"Then can Ingrid Narcainan step forward and address the Council?"
Lupin bowed, stepped back and Ingrid stepped forward, her hands shaking and sweat starting to form on her forehead. Despite being nervous she maintained a stern look as she faced her inquisitors.
"You may introduce yourself to the council and begin to make your case as to why you are the most fitting candidate to fill the role of succession as leader of our province." Count Yoasen said.
Ingrid took a glance at Count Medraut who had heard her out the night before. Seeing a nod of approval from him was just what she needed to relieve some of her nervousness. Ingrid stood straight and confidently, cleared her throat then held out her hand in theatrical fashion to begin her oral proclamation.
"My name is Ingrid Narcainan," she began. "I am the daughter of Cliff Narcainan and a member of the Narcainan bloodline, the only first generation bloodline to still exist in this country. I am a gentle soul with a love for my country, and a love for my people. As leader I would strive to protect all our livelihoods. In order to do that, I would propose complete seclusion from the humans in order to protect ourselves and to protect our people.
"Just look at the situation in our hands right now. You are all here, bound to a duty, a duty that would not be had an order of seclusion been in place. Our people have survived all these years thanks to concealment spells covering mass areas and our evolved nature to move in the shadows and not draw unnecessary attention to ourselves. Yet there is a never ending lust for human blood that has continued to be tolerated among our people and it is this lust which has brought about hunting parties for small human villages which has exposed us many times and where many of our people have met their end.
"My father, our late leader was one of the most recent of those victims and perhaps the most devastating loss of them all. I believe that a leader should take all paths to protecting their people and not allow them to be in harm's way. My father has failed in that sense even going as far as to allow he himself to fall and thus bring about this shameful turn of events. Should you choose me as his successor I vow to right that which he has wronged and to bring our people safety from those that would wish harm to us. That is all."
Most of the counts nodded and agreed with her statements. They talked among themselves approvingly. Even Count Lendais was somewhat impressed, but there were several things and questions on his mind, including a shadow, one that caused him to give an unapproving glance towards Count Medraut who was smiling endlessly with his hands firmly controlled in front of him in a fixed position on the table. Count Medraut raised his hand when the other Counts had finished their discussion.
"Yes, Count Medraut?" Count Yoasen asked.
"That was an absolutely lovely display by young Ingrid, but I have a few questions for her to put my mind at ease."
Count Yoasen growled slowly making everyone uneasy except for Count Medraut who smiled robotically.
"You may question the candidate Count Medraut." Count Yoasen consented.
Count Medraut stood up, not sparing a moment to bow to the chairman, but instead walked straight over to the candidate.
Everyone except the candidates were now incredibly nervous. Even the cold indifferent Count Lendais felt irritated as he watched Count Medraut approach the candidate to begin his questioning.
"What made you think that seclusion was a decent idea child?" Medraut asked cheekily.
Ingrid stood there shocked and confused by the question.
"What do you mean? Didn't you say it was a good idea?"
"I said that an excellent idea it might be, however you are naïve and foolish to think that there would not be any opposition to this fantasy. First there are the Blood hounds. These Vampires train their whole lives to find and hunt the humans with the highest amount of milinium, but if they are sucluded from the humans then their skills will never develop and we won't have safe means of knowing which humans are the best to harvest blood from."
"Forgive me of my ignorance, but what is milinium?" Ingrid asked confused.
All eyes were on her and all faces were shocked except for that of Lupin and the witness that continued to write what was being said.
"I'm sorry? Do you mean to tell me that you don't even know what milinium is miss Ingrid?"
Ingrid slouched.
"Should I know what it is?..."
"I should think so, for milinium is a element which is vital to the survival of all the Vampire race! You're incompetency is beyond even what I imagined! We do not have time to discuss something so simple so I won't. The Blood Hounds are one thing, but the civil war that would ensue is another! The seclusion would cause a significant decrease in our supply of Human blood, and because of that, our race would decline.
"You think that seclusion would be the key to our survival, yet you understand not that it would also be the key to our demise. These are just surface problems that would arise out of your plan, problems I'm sure many of the Counts before you have already thought of. But indeed! Were not all these factors at play an excellent idea would seclusion be!"
"That will be enough Count Medraut. You have made your case." Count Yoasen declared. "You may return to your seat."
"Of course mister chairman." Count Medraut conceded taking a bow then returning to his seat an sadist smile on his face.
"There was no need to be so harsh on the young lady, but even so, it would seem that she is unfit to be a competent leader. Anyone who would think otherwise please raise your hand."
Not a single hand raised.
"It seems that decision is final then. I will give you one word of advice, then you may step back Ingrid Narcainan. Do be wise to know, that Count Medraut here is known by all as the Sadistic Toad. If given the opportunity he will always find a victim to ridicule and humiliate and find pleasure in such. Your own ignorance is what made you prey to his whims, something you would have been prepared for had you been even the slightest bit competent for the role you seek to pursue. I see now that Count Lendais may have had a point, for if the eldest is this far from ideal then how much more shall the younger two be? That is all."
Ingrid stepped back gritting her teeth and trying her best to hold back tears reflecting on her stupidity and foolishness. Beside her Lupin and Audrey grew ever anxious, both understanding just who it was that they were making their case against. Both had the same thought. They were nowhere near ready to face the challenge of convincing this council that they were ready to lead any kingdom.