Salvatore Brothers

Once I had the servants settled in the sprawling estate was soon back to its former state. The grass had been trimmed, the gardens tended, and the vines pulled down. 

The men and women I had hired looked at me in shock when I told them that I would be paying them a gold coin each month so that they could eventually buy their own freedom and move north if they saw fit. Many of them cried and I let them comfort each other as I made plans for what I would do while I was here. Many of them asked if they could stay so they could save up enough money to buy their family's freedoms as well. I agreed and told them that if they ever needed to they could just ask me for money and I would not only free them but give them enough to live comfortably in the north. 

Needless to say word quickly got around that my 'slaves' were happy working for me and my popularity in town skyrocketed. I had met most of the founders over the week before my dinner with the Salvatores, the Gilbert's were my favorite, despite their future fate. 

I was walking around my estate which I renamed to Williamson Manor, when I heard two voices over my wall. 

I went outside and saw two men playing with a football by the field next to my estate. I smiled as I immediately recognized the two. 

"Damon and Stefan Salvatore, it's a pleasure to finally meet the two of you." 

The two stopped and turned to me as I approached. 

Damon threw the ball to me which I caught with one hand before passing to Stefan. 

"How do you know our names?" 

"Stefan, your parents told me a lot about you two." I caught the ball again. "Besides you two look a lot like your mother." 

"I always thought I looked more like my father." 

I looked at Damon, he did have his fathers eyes, his face was his mothers though.

"Do you two play in this field a lot?" 

Damon gave a half smile, "Only when Stefan isn't busy brooding in his room."

I stifled a laugh, the idea that even while he was still human Stefan was broody. 

"Well do you two mind if I join you, it's been a while since I had a bit of fun." 

Damon smiled, "The more the merrier." 

We spent the rest of the day passing the ball back and forth. Stefan was just as reserved as when he was a vampire. Damon was a bit more outgoing and caring towards his brother. Had being a vampire really changed him that much? The two bid me a goodnight as they went back home and I walked back into my estate. 

At the door Mary, one of my servants, greeted me with a glass of wine. Alcohol in this time was a bit stronger much to my pleasure. Thanking her I took the offered glass and retired to my study. I had a few rows of books on medicine on my shelves. I had established that I had been a field doctor for the confederacy with the Mayor. He seemed skeptical at first given my apparent age, but I demonstrated my skills and he was convinced. I was in medical school before the whole getting turned into a vampire thing, so it wasn't that hard to pass as physician. 

Medicine was rather wanting in this era but it was developed enough so that I could safely extract blood. I didn't have a way to store large amounts of it yet so I had one or two bottles of it disguised as wine in the cellar which was colder than it was in the main house. 

I wasn't too overly worried about my cover though, I could go out in the day without one of the magic sunblock rings. I also highly doubted that vervain would affect me. I had the plant planted in the garden. I was told that they took a while to flower, I had sown in bonemeal to help fertilise the soil. The little seedlings had just recently started peaking out of the soil. Another thing I was wondering was if I was immune to compulsion, or if I could also Jedi mind trick someone. I called Mary into my study to test it out. 

She came the study looking worried. 

"What can I do for you M- Seth?" 

"Mary look me in the eyes" she complied. "Now, jump up and down on one foot while patting your head and rubbing your belly." 

I focussed as much willpower I had on the command, imagining the results in my head. 

"What is this for Ma- Seth?" 

Giving up I sighed, "Nothing Mary, I was just testing something." 

"It was a test!?" She moved to begin doing the motion and I stopped her.

"Don't worry about it, it wasn't that important. Thank you for your help Mary." 

"Of course Seth, will you be needing anything else?" 

"No, that is all for the night. Take the rest of the night off Mary. You've earned it." 

I offered her a smile as she walked out with a small bow. I had told all my servants that if we were alone in the estate that they should call me by my name and treat me as an equal. They seemed hesitant at first, fearing that it was some sort of test of loyalty. I assured them that it was not, I for one did not care for the ownership of servants or slaves. But I had an appearance to keep, it was an unfortunate but necessary evil. I could not wait for the day that I could eventually hire them all as official helpers in my household. 

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

The day soon came for my dinner with the Salvatores. I dressed in my finest coat, checking the pocket watch that I bought and seeing that I still had a few hours I headed off to my cellar. I grabbed a normal bottle of wine and took a few mouthfuls of blood from my stores. Everytime I drank blood I felt like I just shotgunned several energy drinks. I could see why some vampires would go into a feeding spree. The high it gave was euphoric, blissful even. 

Cleaning my lips on a spare handkerchief I went back up to the estate and had Mary call for my carriage. Checking myself in the mirror I sighed at my reflection. A thousand years later and I still looked the same. Not that I expected any change, I was immortal after all. My hair still grew as did my beard. Though I went with the times and to keep a young appearance I kept myself clean shaven. 

The carriage arrived a moment later and I step on steeling myself for the interview or rather interrogation I was in for at the dinner. I made a list of who I was expecting to be there, obviously the Salvatores, knowing the town council they would have probably invited the Gilbert's along, maybe the fells, and possibly the mayor. 

I felt the carriage ground to a stop, the driver knocked on the door and opened it, I stepped out and looked at the looming house. I had arrived at the boarding house.