Paul was anxious, anyone could tell from his look.
He was sitting on a chair only five meters away from the Prince's office.
He could almost hear him talk.
Roxanne stood a few meters away gazing out the window.
That woman's face could remain expressionless, if she wanted it to.
It was like she wore a mask showing no feelings and nothing could penetrate that mask.
Unlike her, Paul couldn't hide his feelings most of the time.
Tonight was the night for him.
He would finally meet the 'Big bad dracula'.
Tonight he could not escape his fate, if anything went wrong it would be final.
Either he would take the Prince's permission or he would vanish from this Earth.
The clock announced it was midnight and at that moment exactly the door to the office opened.
-You may pass! said the figure who looked like Darth Vader.
Roxanne had already informed him of the Sheriff. Still Paul found it hard not laugh with that creature.
Paul allowed his creator to step inside first.
They entered the room while this creature named 'Faceless' stayed at their back and closed the door.
Roxanne bowed graciously to her Prince.
Paul did too, for a whole month he had been practising that bow, a noble, old, Spanish bow. According to his creator, the result was good enough.
-My prince, I salute you! said Roxanne first.
-Greetings, my lady. Always a pleasure to witness your beauty, answered James.
-May I introduce to you my latest offspring?
-I am really eager to meet him! A noble lady can only have noble offsprings!
''Damn those socials cliches'' thought Paul!
It was his time now.
He bowed again and started the monologue he had been practising.
-I salute you Prince of Thessaloniki and I present myself in front of you in order to get permission to remain in your domain and be recognized among our kind. My name is Paul Anageropoulos, progeny of Roxanne, progeny of Savvito, progeny of Gratiano.
-Do you accept the laws of our kind?
- I do.
-Do you accept the laws with which I rule this city?
-I do.
-Where does your loyalty belong?
-To the rightful ruler and prince of the city of Thessaloniki.
-Name your clan!
-I belong to the clan of the masters of the shadows!
-Of course you do!
Paul was sure he felt a hint of irony in the prince's voice.
He raised his eyes to meet Jame's.
Paul would never forget the first time they saw each other.
This creature was a natural born leader. Paul could feel it in those eyes that Prince James was a creature to be trusted in a crisis.
He felt ashamed for lying to him. For a brief moment he thought of revealing the truth and letting himself be at his mercy.
For a reason Paul was sure James knew about his lies already and that made it even harder for him to keep his composure.
A few more seconds and Paul would break and then, as if James knew what he was thinking, he broke the silence.
-Allirght then, Mr. Anageropoulos, I grant you my permission to remain in my city. From now on you are a recognized member of my city's council. May the lord grant you a long immortality. As for you, my lady, do you consider your rewards granted?
-As always, my lord, your generocity is equal to your majesty.
-Then this meeting is over. Welcome to our community.
The pair bowed again and 'Faceless' opened the door for them.
-May I ask something your majesty? sheriff asked.
-Of course you may ask.
-The young one lied in your face. Even I could see through his lies.
-Yes...?
-Then why did you give him permission?
-That youngling was about to break had I not spoken, yet I saw in his eyes regret for lying to me.
-Who knows what this old viper has in mind?
-Whatever she has he is not part of it yet.
-You know what he is?
-I don't have to be a psychic to know that, I could smell the assasin blood coursing through his veins. I only wonder if he is a progeny of one of ours or a foreigner's. I might have to call them here for a couple of questions.
-An assasin? And you let him be?
-You are excellent in stealth and murders yet you lack the judgement of characters. This young one searches for a place in our world and I have reasons to believe that this place should be in Thessaloniki. Why kill what may be of use later?
-Why am I still surprised by you? You knew all that and still you let them play with you. Once again you look to the future, my Prince.
-Predicting the future is a rare gift but preparing for the future is the only way to survive. Now, get me those two assasins. I need to know who did that and maybe why.
-On my way and always at your service my prince.
-Didn't go that bad, eh? Paul asked Roxanne.
-It did not, though I am pretty sure James didn't believe you. Why, I do not know, yet he did give you permission. And that's what matters.
-And now?
-Now, my child, the hardest part begins. Survival in our nightly routine of intrigues, plotting and social affairs.
-That doesn't sound SO hard...
But Paul was wrong. Soon enough his fate was about to play a few more tricks to him.
He was sitting on a chair only five meters away from the Prince's office.
He could almost hear him talk.
Roxanne stood a few meters away gazing out the window.
That woman's face could remain expressionless, if she wanted it to.
It was like she wore a mask showing no feelings and nothing could penetrate that mask.
Unlike her, Paul couldn't hide his feelings most of the time.
Tonight was the night for him.
He would finally meet the 'Big bad dracula'.
Tonight he could not escape his fate, if anything went wrong it would be final.
Either he would take the Prince's permission or he would vanish from this Earth.
The clock announced it was midnight and at that moment exactly the door to the office opened.
-You may pass! said the figure who looked like Darth Vader.
Roxanne had already informed him of the Sheriff. Still Paul found it hard not laugh with that creature.
Paul allowed his creator to step inside first.
They entered the room while this creature named 'Faceless' stayed at their back and closed the door.
Roxanne bowed graciously to her Prince.
Paul did too, for a whole month he had been practising that bow, a noble, old, Spanish bow. According to his creator, the result was good enough.
-My prince, I salute you! said Roxanne first.
-Greetings, my lady. Always a pleasure to witness your beauty, answered James.
-May I introduce to you my latest offspring?
-I am really eager to meet him! A noble lady can only have noble offsprings!
''Damn those socials cliches'' thought Paul!
It was his time now.
He bowed again and started the monologue he had been practising.
-I salute you Prince of Thessaloniki and I present myself in front of you in order to get permission to remain in your domain and be recognized among our kind. My name is Paul Anageropoulos, progeny of Roxanne, progeny of Savvito, progeny of Gratiano.
-Do you accept the laws of our kind?
- I do.
-Do you accept the laws with which I rule this city?
-I do.
-Where does your loyalty belong?
-To the rightful ruler and prince of the city of Thessaloniki.
-Name your clan!
-I belong to the clan of the masters of the shadows!
-Of course you do!
Paul was sure he felt a hint of irony in the prince's voice.
He raised his eyes to meet Jame's.
Paul would never forget the first time they saw each other.
This creature was a natural born leader. Paul could feel it in those eyes that Prince James was a creature to be trusted in a crisis.
He felt ashamed for lying to him. For a brief moment he thought of revealing the truth and letting himself be at his mercy.
For a reason Paul was sure James knew about his lies already and that made it even harder for him to keep his composure.
A few more seconds and Paul would break and then, as if James knew what he was thinking, he broke the silence.
-Allirght then, Mr. Anageropoulos, I grant you my permission to remain in my city. From now on you are a recognized member of my city's council. May the lord grant you a long immortality. As for you, my lady, do you consider your rewards granted?
-As always, my lord, your generocity is equal to your majesty.
-Then this meeting is over. Welcome to our community.
The pair bowed again and 'Faceless' opened the door for them.
-May I ask something your majesty? sheriff asked.
-Of course you may ask.
-The young one lied in your face. Even I could see through his lies.
-Yes...?
-Then why did you give him permission?
-That youngling was about to break had I not spoken, yet I saw in his eyes regret for lying to me.
-Who knows what this old viper has in mind?
-Whatever she has he is not part of it yet.
-You know what he is?
-I don't have to be a psychic to know that, I could smell the assasin blood coursing through his veins. I only wonder if he is a progeny of one of ours or a foreigner's. I might have to call them here for a couple of questions.
-An assasin? And you let him be?
-You are excellent in stealth and murders yet you lack the judgement of characters. This young one searches for a place in our world and I have reasons to believe that this place should be in Thessaloniki. Why kill what may be of use later?
-Why am I still surprised by you? You knew all that and still you let them play with you. Once again you look to the future, my Prince.
-Predicting the future is a rare gift but preparing for the future is the only way to survive. Now, get me those two assasins. I need to know who did that and maybe why.
-On my way and always at your service my prince.
-Didn't go that bad, eh? Paul asked Roxanne.
-It did not, though I am pretty sure James didn't believe you. Why, I do not know, yet he did give you permission. And that's what matters.
-And now?
-Now, my child, the hardest part begins. Survival in our nightly routine of intrigues, plotting and social affairs.
-That doesn't sound SO hard...
But Paul was wrong. Soon enough his fate was about to play a few more tricks to him.
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