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Post by Gilbert Weillschmidt on Mar 16, 2010 7:37:06 GMT -5
Since the contract had been made, Gilbert found himself smiling genuinely more often than not. His mood had increased dramatically, and, while he still enjoyed teasing his brunette contractor to no end, the appeal of pissing the other off had faded quickly into something closer to feigned amusement at his reactions. The atmosphere about his home had lightened too, and the interior no longer seemed empty and unwelcoming, but instead, at least to himself (and hopefully Roderich) warm and relaxing. For the first time since Frederick had died, Gilbert was finally enjoying life.
Making his way down the stairs, the albino glanced toward a window just outside of the door of the guest room. The curtains were drawn back, allowing sun to filter in and hit the wooden barrier with the sun's morning glow. It was the only window in the house that Gilbert willing kept open, and it was more of a time indicator and favour to Roderich than anything else. As a vampire, time didn't hold much purpose to him, but now that he had a human companion, the sudden importance of clocks and when the sun rose held a purpose.
"Breakfast," he mumbled to himself as he glanced at the wooden barrier that blocked the guest room (though, he supposed it was "Roderich's room" now). It had been several days, almost a week, since the contract had been made, and since then, not much had happened. He hadn't yet asked the brunette what his traveling plans were, or when he planned to leave the city (though he would admit, they had both seemed rather exhausted as of the last few days. "...I should make some for him."
It was a bizarre habit he'd picked up, cooking breakfast, but he did it out of habit more than anything (and, though he wouldn't admit it out loud, a gesture of affection toward his friend). Each morning he would cook breakfast for Roderich and leave it on a tray outside the room. He still didn't know if his contractor was a morning person or not, and he didn't think it best to test the theory so early on.
Today, however, was different.
Not more than an hour later, Gilbert was standing outside Roderich's door with a silver tray in one hand boasting a plate of bacon, eggs, toast, and shredded potatoes with a mug of fresh coffee, napkin, and silverware beside it. In his other was a travel-mug of sorts with a covered lid and small mouth-piece. While it was no longer a secret to the brunette of what he was, he still did his best to avoid letting Roderich see him drink blood (regardless of what kind) directly; he didn't want to see the looks of disgust he feared would mark the musician's face.
"Hey, you up yet?" he called, tapping the door with his food. "Room service, Roddy, and hurry up. Keeping food awesome isn't exactly one of my many awesome traits and my hands aren't helping."
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Post by Roderich Edelstein on Mar 16, 2010 12:15:53 GMT -5
Seated before the desk in his room, Roderich's nose all but brushed the paper as he hunched over a well-worn map. He adjusted his glasses and sighed, sitting back. He'd been studying this map since he'd woken with the sun, and the lines were starting to blur together. He rose to his feet and crossed the room to stand before the window, taking off his glasses and rubbing his tired eyes. It was past time for him to move on, but he felt something here.
All those days he'd stood in the marketplace and played his violin, it wasn't just for the money, though that was a welcome bonus. Traveling on the magic of his music, he'd entwined himself with the magic of the land, feeling out the pockets where monsters lived and were people frequented, trying in a vain hope to find something similar to himself. He wasn't sure what he was looking for; he could only hope that he would know it when he found it.
Actually, he could only hope that what he felt now was it. There was a strange elation rising in his chest as he stared out the window, closing his eyes and clasping his hands behind his back.
And then a knock rang at the door. Roderich's lips quirked in a smile as he heard Gilbert complain outside. Crossing the room, he opened the door and took the tray from him. "I've told you before not to do this," he chided gently, taking the tray and smiling. "Please, come in. I have some questions that hopefully you should be able to answer."
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Post by Gilbert Weillschmidt on Mar 16, 2010 14:07:43 GMT -5
"Yeah, well, there's a few things you've told me not to do, but I do them anyway, don't I, Roddy?" Gilbert retorted with a wide grin as he stepped into Roderich's room and sipped absently from his mug. He wasn't at all surprised with the state of the room, though he voiced his feigned displeasure anyway.
"Shouldn't this place be a mess? I dunno, socks scattered about? It's like an inn. Make a mess of the room and make it look like someone actually lives in here." he asked and made his way over to the desk, peering down at the map in curiosity. The faded lines were still fairly sharp to his sensitive eyes, but part of him questioned as to why Roderich hadn't bothered to get a new one; as this one appeared to have fought several battles with water in it's time.
Picking it up by the corner, Gilbert held the map at arms length, carefully tracing several of the paths that lead outside of the city with his eyes. His lips twitched into a faint smile and he shook his head, dropping the map where he'd found it before settling himself on Roderich's bed lazily. He raised the mug to his lips again and took a deeper gulp, oblivious to the bizarre and someone what creepy blood-mustache he'd managed to acquire in the process. "You said you had questions?" He took another sip, darkening the mark on his lip, though by this time it was likely appearing comical. "What can the awesome me help you with~?"
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Post by Roderich Edelstein on Mar 16, 2010 21:09:38 GMT -5
"This, here." Roderich crossed back to the desk and sat, pointing at an area of the map without looking at it. Fixing his glasses, he leaned back and sighed. "There's strong magic gathering in several places around the city; namely, the center of the forest and the outskirts of the plains... but here." He'd studied the map so carefully for so many hours that he kept his eyes closed to rest them, pointing at the map without looking, knowing that he was hitting every spot until his finger came to rest on a blank space on the map. "What is here?"
There was strong magic here. A destroyed castle or temple, perhaps? "I need to go here." His voice was barely more than a whisper. He stood restlessly again and paced the small room. As comfortable as he was here, he had to move on, to keep investigating. Finally opening his eyes, he glanced at Gilbert to try and read his expression, stopping short. "And please, stop making such a mess," he requested, his voice somewhere between faint disgust and exasperation. He snatched the white cloth napkin from the tray of food and briskly wiped away the mustache forming over Gilbert's lip.
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Post by Gilbert Weillschmidt on Mar 16, 2010 21:46:36 GMT -5
A faint rush of heat filled the Prussian's cheeks as he felt the brunette's napkin brush over his face; he could have easily licked the blood off had he realized it was there. Something in his stomach purred at the gesture, and he quickly shoved the feelings aside. He couldn't afford things like that. Not right now. He'd just gotten Roderich back, gotten a friend, and he didn't want to risk anything that might take that away.
"There...?" Gilbert asked, standing up to get a better look at the map. His features scrunched up in thought as he gave the blank space an odd look. His hand moved to fiddle with the Iron Cross necklace that he wore under his uniform; a habit that he'd picked up long ago for when he was in deep thought. "I'm... not sure..." he finally answered honestly. "Ruins and rubble, , I think. The old man and I passed by it once or twice, but... there aren't many forests or ways to avoid sunlight out that way. Not the best for a vampire to travel." He paused, and then added quickly with a smirk. "I'm awesome enough to take it, though. Sunlight doesn't bother me much."
It was a lie, of course, but Roderich didn't need to know that. Contract or not, Gilbert was willing to follow the brunette into the very center of the desert if that's where he wanted to go. Loyalty was something he took quite seriously, and once he pledged himself to someone, especially as he had Roderich, he didn't let go. Whatever it was about that spot that seemed to make the musician so edgy was important, and a little sun was null in comparison to that.
"...Whenever you wish to leave, young master," he said in a gentle tone, placing a comforting hand on Roderich's shoulder. "I can get you there easily, I'm pretty awesome at navigating shit--and I won't get us lost, either. No offense, your sense of direction is pretty shitty." He grinned and pushed Roderich toward his food, urging the brunette to eat. "I'll go start packing important shit while you're eating. We can leave after that. You seem pretty eager to bolt." He started for the door, then paused, glancing over his shoulder. "Unless you want me to stay while you're chowing down..."
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Post by Roderich Edelstein on Mar 16, 2010 23:33:35 GMT -5
Roderich smiled briefly to let him know he appreciated the offer and shook his head quickly. "No, that won't be necessary. I'd like to get going as soon as possible." Almost as an afterthought, he added, "I'll be down to help you in a minute." He turned and grimaced inwardly, reminding himself that, although Gilbert may see him as a master thanks to their contract, he was really nothing of the kind.
He carefully folded his map into a small square and tucked it into his vest pocket, patting it to make sure it was secure. There was little more for him to pack; he had yet to truly 'move in' to his room, leaving most things packed inside his knapsack. Rifling through it, he ensured he wasn't forgetting anything then grabbed his coat, hung neatly on the closet door. As he shouldered his knapsack and strapped on his bow and violin, he couldn't help but feel a slight thrill of elation. After what seemed like an eternity, he felt like he was finally getting closer to something.
Roderich exited the room and pulled the door shut carefully behind him. Making his way down the stairs, he called, "Is there anything you need from me?"
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Post by Gilbert Weillschmidt on Mar 17, 2010 9:33:14 GMT -5
It didn't take long for Gilbert to get together what he felt was needed for traveling. Tucked away in his room was a black sling pack that Frederich had given him as a gift many years ago. The bag, according to Frederick, had been made by elves using a special type of thread that was quite similar to mythril in strength and make. It's interior had a special spell cast on to make the interior much, much larger than the exterior; which made it perfect for traveling. The pack itself had always been full (though it didn't look it) and ready to leave on another adventure, but since Frederick's death Gilbert had seen little point in brother with it at all (which included unpacking).
Grabbing a small bag, he made his way into the kitchen and began to stuff as much of the longer-lasting food as he could in an organized fashion. What was left of his blood in the icebox was stuffed away in a side-pocket in his own back. Both, at least to him, were quite light in weight and easily fit under his cloak, almost making it appear as if they weren't there at all. "Should be enough..." he mumbled, poking a the gold sack handing from his belt. "Anything we don't have we can always pick up or find later..."
With a quick nod, he left the kitchen and moved into the main entryway, flashing Roderich a wide grin as he came into view. When it came to traveling, the of seeing the world and traveling it had greatly lost it's appeal. He enjoyed wondering around and having fun, but without his "father" around, he lacked the ability to see point in a lot of things. They just weren't as fun to him anymore. Yet, as he stared at the brunette across the room, he couldn't help but feel thrilled about the future ahead of them. Something good is going to happen, he thought. More than just running around and looking for his past. I can feel it~
"Do anything?" he quirked his head to the side and looked Roderich up and down. The smile on his face was slowly widening, and a mischievous look started to dance in his eyes. "Not really. I'm done packing... Do I get a reward for finishing so quickly?" He pointed to his cheek. "Maybe a kiss for the awesome?" The statement had very much been a joke, but it shot out of the Prussian's mouth before he could truly give it much thought. ------- A/N: I'm sorry for the late repllllly! I'm sick... again. God, this is just not my month.
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Post by Roderich Edelstein on Mar 17, 2010 14:18:29 GMT -5
Roderich sputtered and flushed. "W-what? You don't get a reward for doing what you're supposed to do!" He turned away, adjusting the strap on his knapsack as an excuse for not looking at him. "A kiss isn't a reward anyway! Why would you want that?" He was flustered, and couldn't hide that he was flustered... he had all rights to be, anyway! Who came out and asked for a kiss like that?
A brief mental image of him gently taking Gilbert by the chin and lightly brushing his lips against that cold, pale skin, the lightest contact enough to warm his cheek and maybe, just maybe, give him a taste of what it was like to be human, even if only for as long as they remained together...
Roderich inhaled sharply and quickly shook his head to dismiss the image, fumbling with the door handle. "Come on, we're wasting daylight." He paused and winced. "...I mean, if you want to wait until sundown, that is fine. Please make sure you're covered so you don't get hurt."
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Post by Gilbert Weillschmidt on Mar 17, 2010 14:37:37 GMT -5
In the back of his mind, Gilbert sighed softly in relief. Two voices had been shouting simultaneously back and forth about the consequences of his actions if Roderich had followed through with his request. Happily, both fell silent rather quickly as the brunette began to fumble with the door, earning a faint smile of amusement from the silvertte as he watched the other struggling. "I'll be fine," he muttered and walked over, placing his hand over the brunette's and pulled the door open. "The clothes I have on now are enough; I'll just be slower than I would if we traveled by night."
While sun wasn't fatal to him, Gilbert couldn't say he enjoyed it. Being albino and a vampire, he was unnaturally sensitive to the bright rays. It slowed his casting and reaction time, making his body feel heavy to the point it felt as if he were being forced to move through water with weights attached to his arms and legs. Uncomfortable for him, yes, but not impossible. The pain wasn't bad compared to other injuries he'd acquired before, and the fact that he'd eaten recently would make it easier on him.
"Don't worry about me," he continued lazily, pushing Roderich out the door. "If I can't take it, you'll know. Let's just get out of here... Lead the way, young master~"
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Post by Roderich Edelstein on Mar 17, 2010 17:35:10 GMT -5
After walking more than a mile in the wrong direction, Roderich had finally consented to give the map to Gilbert. They settled into an easy routine, traveling during the morning and late afternoons into evenings. Roderich would complain of exhaustion around noon to give his night-dwelling friend an excuse to rest somewhere out of the harsh daylight. Unlike before, when it had simply been Roderich alone, the walking didn't seem nearly so tiresome and tedious, and even when they allowed a comfortable silence to fall between them, he was happy just to know that he was no longer walking this long road alone.
"We should reach the site by tomorrow afternoon," Roderich mentioned as the two set up camp on their third day of travel. While he might not be able to find his way with the map, he could read distances fairly easily. He wiped his hands from the grime of the logs they'd collected for the campfire and sighed, staring up at the stars.
They'd been fortunate enough to have pleasant weather for the duration of their journey, and the starlight proved to be enough for him to help with the set-up; while Gilbert was hobbled by the daylight, Roderich was worse than useless in the dark.
Rolling out his bedroll, he sighed again at the thought of another night on the cold, hard ground. For all the years he'd traveled, he still hated being outside. Sitting on his bedroll, he smiled at his silver-haired companion and added, "I have a very good feeling about tomorrow."
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Post by Gilbert Weillschmidt on Mar 17, 2010 18:00:46 GMT -5
While Gilbert didn't mind the sun as a person, he was more than grateful for all the breaks he managed to snag during the daytime. It was easy for him to keep a straight enough poker face to mask the strain on his body, but once he started to reach a certain level, the physical pain that the sun brought him would slow his movements to a point beyond his control. Thus, with each break, he made it a point to try and slip in at least half a bag of blood without Roderich noticing. It was hard, but enough to keep him going.
Nighttime was easiest for him, while they weren't moving, he enjoyed sitting under the stairs and listening to the soft sounds of the various insects and crackle of fire. Roderich's sores would blended into the mix of noise, and gave the Prussian a sense of calm no matter where it was they'd stopped for camp. So far they'd run into no troubles during the night which did a number on Gilbert's good mood. He was able to relax and restore his energy for the next day, and, every few hours, catch a few minutes of sleep that proved to be very useful.
"I have a very good feeling about tomorrow."
"That so...?" Gilbert asked, walking over to Roderich's bedroll and settled himself on the corner. While he normally waited until the brunette was asleep before he'd sneak over to take his favourite seat, he gladly took the invitation for a conversation as a sign that he would be alright. "We're almost there... I guess anyone's mood would be good--Though it was totally thanks to my awesome navigation. I never thought your sense of direction was that bad. Kesesesese~" His gaze shifted to the stars and he sighed, smiling faintly as a cool breeze washed over him.
"Hey... Roddy," he looked back down at Roderich, reaching forward to brush the hair out of the others face. "You were talking to me about something last night but cut yourself off. Something buggin' you?"
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Post by Roderich Edelstein on Mar 17, 2010 19:52:29 GMT -5
Roderich smiled softly and nodded, drawing his knees into his chest and resting his head on his elbows as he looked to his friend. The casual invasion of his space had ceased to bother him by now, and he only nodded as the other brushed his hair away from his eyes. "I think it only right that I tell you what I --we-- are looking for, and why we've come all this way." Looking away, he stared into the campfire and added, "Please don't interrupt me. I don't know if I'll be able to finish if I'm stopped."
He sighed and closed his eyes, combing through the fragmented pieces of his memory with delicate fingers. "I can't remember much," he admitted slowly. "It's like my mind is a giant jigsaw puzzle with tiny pieces, and most of them are disconnected, and some are flipped upside down so I can't even tell what image is on them to get the slightest hint of where they might go.
I grew up in a wealthy household, I think. I have memories of servants and courtiers... of a house, similar to yours, but full of people. And then, when I was a teenager, I woke up one day to discover that I was a bard-magician. I don't know where I was trained or even where this violin came from." He let one hand fall from his knees and brush the wooden case beside him. "I woke up one day, completely alone and unable to remember the years between my childhood and then, or even how I had arrived at the inn in which I awoke.
I remembered my name, but wherever I went, no one knew the family Edelstein, nor knew if I had been alone when I arrived... no one knew, or no one would say. I'm... missing a span of time, perhaps as much as ten years. I don't know what became of my family or how I became who I am. I just... don't know." His shoulders rose and fell in a faint shrug.
"I've been wandering for some time now. Every town I stopped in, I would ask for anything that might help. But here... here is different. There was nothing different that anyone had said, but I felt something... something in the music, something in the magic that said, 'look here...' Much of it came from this spot."
He opened his eyes again and stared into the fire's flickering flames. "From the remains of my memories, I know my father was human, but my mother... I think she must have left or died when I was very young. I think... I think she was elven, to judge by my own magic... if that makes any sense at all.
"That's why I was caught so easily by the creature in the forest," his tone soured at the thought, but he kept going, "Because I thought that maybe, what I had felt here was her. It may very well have been, or a member of her clan. There's something in the forest that I must investigate soon as well.
"But these ruins, there is something here for me... some new piece of the puzzle I can flip over and see where it goes." Roderich shook his head and folded his arms back over his knees, using his forearms as a pillow. "So that's what you've dedicated yourself to," he finished with a small smile. "The past of a man who just can't let go of his childhood."
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Post by Gilbert Weillschmidt on Mar 17, 2010 20:18:41 GMT -5
Gilbert nodded in silence as Roderich asked him to listen to what he had to say. Keeping quiet wasn't someone the Prussian often practiced (as he never the reason to), but he kept his lips firmly pressed together, carefully taking in each word the brunette had to say. His eyes softened with sympathy as each sentence passed, and by the time Roderich had fallen silent again, Gilbert had shifted close enough for him to sit directly at Roderich's side with their shoulders touching.
"...Sounds tough," he mumbled, giving the fire a dull look. His stomach twisted in slight envy as his lips twisted into a thin frown. What he wouldn't have given up to forget majority of his past. The pain and torment that it brought with it seemed as it it would have been so much easier without the memories to come with it. "Sometimes I really wish I could forget my past like that. There's nothing good to remember, anyway. But to forget your family..." A quick image of his brother flashed before Gilbert's eyes and the envious feeling died down. His brother was the shinning sparkle in his past that made all the pain worth not forgetting.
"Good thing we're almost there, huh?" The albino asked and poked one of Roderich's cheeks. A gentle smile graced his lips as he (attempted) to appear comforting. "Successful or not, I've got all the time in the world." He laughed at the irony of his statement, squeezing Roderich's shoulder. "We won't stop searching until you've remembered something."
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Post by Roderich Edelstein on Mar 17, 2010 21:35:02 GMT -5
Roderich smiled and shook his head. "Family..." He almost laughed. "I don't even know what I'd do with one if I had one. They could all be dead for all I know, or forgotten me as I've forgotten them."
His voice softened. "But at least I have hope that they're still alive, or they'll remember me. What about you, Gilbert?" he pried gently, carefully leaning toward him to just barely lean against him and stare into the fire. "You must have left so many things behind to get where you are now, given up so much... Roderich trailed off and gingerly laid a hand on the albino's shoulder. "You've lived lifetimes more than I'll ever experience. Can you... can you tell me about what happened? How you were... cursed? Can you remember anything about your own childhood?"
Hastily retracting his hand, he added, "I understand if you don't want to talk about it, but... you're the first person who ever gave a damn about what I'm searching for. I just... I want you to know that..." Roderich hissed through his teeth in frustration and faced him, knowing his was babbling. "Whatever you need from me, I will give it to you. It doesn't matter what it is. I have this one life, this one quest, but you... you've had so much time for so many other things, so how is it that you..."
can care so much about me?
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Post by Gilbert Weillschmidt on Mar 17, 2010 22:10:55 GMT -5
"Cursed...?" The world fell from Gilbert's lips quietly, his eyebrows furrowing together as it repeated itself over and over in his head. He'd called himself a great number of things in his long life, from 'monster' to 'demon' and 'abnormal' to 'unnatural'. No matter what word he tried to fit to himself, none of them seemed to fit. Yet 'cursed' seemed to make a fair amount of sense. He was trapped him something that he could never get rid of himself. The Prussian was a coward, and he knew it. He could never take his own life, but would likely take the life of another if it were to save his own (or, as of a little over two weeks ago, Roderich, as well). "Heh, I guess that's the best way of putting it. Funny you should use that word, really..."
Shaking his head, the albino sighed and leaned forward, plucking a stick off the ground which he used to prod at the fire. Sparks danced into the air, mixing with ash which was then carried away by the wind, disappearing into the dark night around them before it could fall again. If someone had told Gilbert that in three weeks, he'd have been pouring his soul out to a musician he met by complete change, he would have laughed in their face and avoided anyone with an instrument for good measure. He was so tired of being alone, and yet, at the same time, he longed to be freed from the feeling. Roderich had given him so much without even realizing it. The brunette had come back; saved him from the twisted creature he'd nearly become from his own lust for blood, and still had the ability to look him in the eye and call him a "friend". Any questions he'd ever had were answered with little or no hesitation, and despite the painful clenching of his stomach, Gilbert felt it was only fair to return the favour. He'd been bottling his feelings and memories of the past for so long, and Roderich was likely the only person he'd ever trust enough to share them with.
"I remember a lot more than you'd think, given the way I act..." he began slowly, dropping the stick back to the ground with a soft clatter. "I really wish I could have the same kinds of lapses in my memory as you; maybe I wouldn't be such a cocky asshole if I did. Who knows... but there's little I've ever forgotten." He paused, tugging his large hat from his head and tossed it aside. The breeze felt his through his hair and helped calm him down. He needed to do this. If he didn't start now, he'd lock the words away and never be able to say them again.
"It all started... when I was born. Don't get me wrong, I know it's a cliche, but that's the truth," he smiled wryly and shook his head. "From the moment I came into this world, my parents hated me. My skin and eyes... they said I was demonic and 'corrupted'. They didn't give a damn why I was like this... all they saw was a child who was different; who wasn't normal. I was 'cursed' to them; the cause of everything bad that ever happened to our family, from death's to accidents. I was... bad. Unholy... An abomination." Gulping, Gilbert took a shaky breathe and shook his head before continuing. "When I was about three, my little brother was born; Ludwig. He was... beautiful. Blond hair and blue eyes, just what my parents wanted. The perfect child. Even from birth he was brilliant... He always smiled, and just seemed to light everything up in the house. They adored him and detested me. You'd think I would have hated him for it... but I loved him just as much as they did, if not more. He was a sweet kid, and I loved having him around. He didn't care what I looked like. He'd just stare up at me with the most innocent eyes. His first word... it was my name, you know? My parents hated it, they tried to teach him other ones... but I was so proud. He'd follow me around, just saying it over and over, and I was... happy."
For a moment, the Prussian's voice seemed to waver and die. Gilbert's fingers were twitching uneasily at his sides, but he clenched them into fists and shoved them under his knees as he pulled them to his chest. "Ludwig... he was the only thing that kept me in that house. I wanted nothing more than to get away, but I loved my little brother... and I wanted to see him smile just a little longer, but shortly before I turned seven... I couldn't take it anymore. I ran away from home, leaving Ludwig behind. My parents loved him, I knew he'd be okay... but I still felt guilty for leaving him. To this day I wonder if he lived a happy life. If he fell in love or flourished. I wanted everything for him... but had nothing to give." He gulped again, glancing at Roderich only briefly and kept going. "I couldn't have spent more than a week or two on my own... before I was captured by a group of people I'd never seen before. All I know was that I was walking down a street... when someone attacked me from behind. Next thing I knew I woke up in a cold basement, which I late found out was in Russia, and I was chained to a wall."
Gilbert's voice died again, the look on his face was a mixture of horror and pain. His hands had started to tremble, and his eyes turned glassy, reflecting the fire perfectly as he continued in a quivering voice, like someone being forced to face their worst fear. "For the next nineteen years, almost twenty, I was trapped in that damn basement. No heat... no anything. I was just... a toy. Something to entertain the people who had captured me. Can... can you imagine losing your virginity at seven? I wasn't strong enough to fight but, but I was big enough to give them their twisted kicks of pleasure. I can remember more times than once where I'd get double-teamed by someone of them at the same time and was forced to..." he trailed off, shaking his head. "...I was forced to pleasure one of them while... another one had their fun from behind. I'll leave it at that. If I fought or cried... I was beaten until I either passed out or couldn't make noise anymore. Whenever I wasn't being tortured or forced into their sick games... I was training. They taught me how to use a sword... I don't know why, I didn't question it. All I knew was if I didn't learn, if I messed up, it meant another lashing. Still... I was able to write letters and sneak them out. I wrote to Ludwig as much as I could... and that was what kept me going."
By now, Gilbert's hands were shaking more violently, but still, he pressed on. It was like he'd fallen into a trance and no longer had control over what he said or did. The trembles that shook his hands had doubled instead of ceased and his voice sounded more robotic than human. "It went on for so long... Twenty is just my best guess given how old I looked when it was finished. They were ready to move camp... and I was just an extra. I'd been their toy, and I was broken; worthless... so they left me in the middle of the snow to die. I should have died, too. Back then... so many years ago. I shouldn't be here...but Frederick found me. He offered me a second change at life and... I was so scared, I didn't want to die... so I told him 'yes' and... that's when he changed me.
"It was... probably almost 200 years ago. Maybe a little more. But he saved me life... and taught me the ways of necromancy. He treated me like his own son, and he became the father I'd never truly had. He was... kind and wise... and he showed me that, no matter how those people or anyone treated me... that at heart humans were good. He's the reason I don't drink from them. It's thanks to him I didn't turn into some corrupted killing machine that only saw humans as food and... then, just over fifty years ago... he was killed my a hunter. I was furious... but he made me promise to remember everything he'd taught me, and I've followed that. Even up till now. No matter how lonely I was... I remembered. That's his house that I live in... part of me wonders if I should burn it down... but in the end... I'm glad he was able to change me." He turned, glancing at Roderich with a sad, but thankful smile. "Because I am what I am... I met you, Roderich, and for the first time since I've been turned and lost the old man... I can truly say I have something, someone, to care about. Like... I have a reason to be there."
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