Vintage Red [GL]

“Nothing beats a bit of practice after a nice meal, doesn’t it, lass?” Aileen stretched her shoulders and gave my fencing sword a couple of twirls. We had just finished our Chinese food half an hour ago and Aileen was really ready to go now. 

“Shouldn’t we take it easy? You ate quite a lot didn’t you? I normally keep half to eat the next day.” 

“Nah, vampiresses like us don’t really need to digest our food. It’s pretty much impossible to puke it out.” She smiled. “That aside, I do that too, setting takeaway Chinese food aside for the day after, but I was very pleasantly surprised by the taste so I just couldn’t leave it.” 

“Hmm.” I chuckled. “I thought you were going to reply that it would be good practice in case I got caught red-handed after having had food or something.” 

Aileen bobbed her head side to side. “Would have been a possible reply, that’s true. And not even a false one at that. Anyway…” Without any further hesitation and just as I unsheated my sword-cane’s sword, Aileen lunged towards me but I swiftly managed to step back and moved her blade aside with mine. “Nice parry and a good use of distance as well. I already see you’ve improved quite a lot.” Aileen pointed her blade at my legs. “Your stance is way better too.” 

“Thanks.” I kept my eyes firmly on Aileen’s movements, expecting another attack from her any time soon. “Fencing suits me pretty well it seems.” 

“Are you going to do any competitions any time soon? I’d like to come and watch.” 

I shook my head. “No, I don’t think so.” 

“Afraid you will appear too good so it raises suspicion?” 

“Not really.” I shook my head again and as expected, Aileen took that opportunity to lunge at me again but with a small hop backwards I just disengaged from her once more. “I’ve become quite adept at losing intentionally, mostly with Claire’s help.” 

“Then why are you hesitant?” Aileen teased me by beating the tip of my sword with hers. 

I replied her tease with a balestra followed up with a lunge but Aileen dodged that easily by stepping to the side with a smirk. “I didn’t say I was hesitant. It’s just very time-consuming. And I rather spend those weekends with my girlfriends, you know?” 

Aileen chuckled, letting her guard down for a moment, but I knew that was just to goad me into attacking her, I didn’t take the bait though. “I don’t know, Emma and Corelia would like to see you perform as well, I’m sure of that. I think you should at least try it. Just to see how it goes.” She said as she circled around me. “You can learn a lot of things by seeing other people in the flesh as well, it can only improve your own way of fencing.” 

“Maybe I’ll think about it again… But you do need to keep your word when it comes to coming to watch though.” 

Aileen smiled. “I’ve got all the time in the world, I wouldn’t want to miss it.” And with a wink came yet another lunge, this one came a lot closer than I would have liked.  

 

 Aileen and I continued our bout for a while, noone really scoring hits on one-another which was probably the best as I didn’t really want to destroy Aileen’s clothes and I didn’t want to blemish my honor as a recent fencing student either by getting hit. 

In the end, after an hour, Aileen seemed quite content with herself and decided to pause our little post-dinner combat tutorial. 

“Ah, this brings back memories to the time when I was still human.” Aileen gave my sword back to me and stretched her back. “Training the new swordsmen at the company. Always a fun time.” 

“Do you still remember it that clearly?” I asked back as I put away both of my swords for now. 

“Some parts more than others.” Aileen nodded. 

“Any memories in particular that stook around?” 

“Hmmm…” Aileen rested against the wall and scratched her cheek. “Something you will never forget, not even after centuries is the day you got turned.”

“That was back in the 12th century for you, right?” 

“June 1138, indeed.” Aileen nodded. “Want to hear the story?” 

“Sure thing. I’m always interested in hearing about real life history.” 

Aileen smirked. “Sure thing. Let’s head back upstairs and drink a bit more of my brew while we are at it. A story is always better when a good drink is involved.” Aileen put her hand on my shoulder and gave it a firm squeeze. 

I turned off the lights in my basement and turned down the heating as well and then headed upstairs with Aileen to pour ourselves some drinks. Once there Aileen took a nip from her glass and then leant back into the sofa. 

“So… The day I was turned… I still remember it as if it were yesterday.” 

 

-June 1138 AD- 

“Aileen, aren’t ya gonna miss this village?” Callum the pub’s owner asked as I paid for my ale in copper. 

“Of course, but I’m going to miss yer ale a lot more, old man.” I smiled in return. “I would’ve stayed, but there’s some English knights to beat into submission.” 

“Aye, give ‘em a good one, lass.” 

“I will. Hope to see you around again.” I waved off the proprietor as I left into the dark rainy night. Normally when battle was imminent I held back on drinking but the poor weather of the last couple of days had made me crave some ale and once I had talked to the pub’s owner for a bit, I had lost track of time. 

The stables were only poorly lit by a single lantern that had managed to hold out against the rain and I noticed that when I approached my horse Eilidh that she was quite restless. 

“Shh shh. It’s only some bad weather, nothing to be afraid of. We’ve had worse.” I gave her a couple of reassuring taps on her neck but to my surprise she didn’t calm down at all. Instead she tried to move away from me but in a way that it looked like she wanted me to move rather than her getting away from me. 

When I moved with her I caught a glimpse of a cloaked figure standing just outside of the light’s reach. He was only barely visible and if my horse hadn’t pulled me over I would not have noticed him. 

I didn’t hesitate to draw my sword on the man. “Who are you? It’s not good manners to sneak up on someone like this at night.” 

“Neither is it for cattle to draw their swords on their rightful masters.” The cloaked figure replied. 

“Now, listen up, you creep.” I stepped forward with my sword pointed towards the man but in the blink of an eye. He was gone. “What the…” The next thing I knew I felt a sharp pain in my neck and swiftly after that I lost consciousness.  

The rain was still pouring down on me when I was woken up by Callum in the early morning hours. 

“Lass, are you alright?” He shook me awake. 

My head felt like I had just been hit on the head with a club. Pulsating pain wrecking through my body. I groaned and sat upright. My sword that I had drawn yesterday was laying next to me. I quickly checked my coin purse that had been hanging from my waist belt, but that was also still there. 

“Are you okay? Do I need to send fer yer Captain?” 

I shook my head. “I just have a severe headache…” I replied. 

“A chirurgeon then?” 

I shook my head again. “I will be fine.” I offered my hand to which the pub owner pulled me up on my feet. 

“I didn’t think you was that drunk.” Callum patted me down but it only made his hands as muddy as the rest of my outfit. 

“I was attacked yesterday.” I replied and looked around. Eilidh was standing behind me, a lot less panicky than I had remembered her being yesterday evening. 

“Attacked? Did someone try to mug ya?” 

I shook my head once more. “I’m not missing anything as far as I know.” Remembering the sharp pain from yesterday I looked at him. “Say, do you see somethin’ on my neck here?” 

Callum took a look and then shook his head as well. “Your neck is clean though the rim of your collar is a bit red.” 

“Red? Blood ya mean?” I tried to take a look but the angle made it hard. 

Callum shrugged. “I’m just a barkeep.” 

I sighed and looked at my horse. “Never mind then. I should be going now before they think I deserted. 

“Wouldn’t want that now, would we?” Callum smiled. 

“Would be a lot harder to come back around here if I’m in the stockades.” I winked and continued untying my horse. 

“See ya around then. And keep safe.” 

“You too, and watch out for unsavory folk, you hear?” 

He nodded and waved me off as I commanded Eilidh to ride on. I waved back and looked to the road ahead. My headache appeared to not go anywhere, but a strange thirst was starting to rear its head. A sip from my waterskin didn’t appear to help it at all…