[Hector heaves out a breath, then pushes himself up off of the deck to get the medicine. He steps into the captain's quarters, which has a little light coming in through the window.
Turning, eying the various storage places built into the room, he goes to unlatch one of the cabinets set into the wall. The movement strains the cut on his back, and he sucks in a sharp hiss of breath. He gestures for Alucard to retrieve it.]
You should eat something. We're not so hard pressed for supplies we can't spare it, and I can't afford for you to not be at your best. You're going to have to at least direct the crew when I sleep, unless we can find somewhere within a day's journey to hide our ship where your father's fleet can't find it.
[He goes ahead to one of the drawers underneath his bed and gingerly tugs it open so he can grab himself a dry shirt and trousers to change into once he's bandaged.]
If we can get close enough to reach some sort of safe haven by the lifeboat, I could send the ship and the crew on as a decoy. Without my direction, they would only be able to maintain the course I set, but they might be able to buy us a day before they were caught and the ruse exposed.
[Hector has tried to think of plans, but he plays reactively in a game where all of his opponents plan their moves at least three steps in advance.]
[Alucard trails after Hector, careful and as respectful as he can be while within the Captain's quarters. It's still a private room, and that deserves some reverence, even though the situation is what it is.
Going into the cabinet, Alucard carefully evaluates the bottles there before picking one up. He recognizes the label, because it's a name for ointment his mother came up with. The handwriting? His father's, and that means it's an old jar. Before everything happened.]
We'll patch you up first then focus on my needs. [He's avoiding himself. It requires too much thinking and more processing than he wants to do right now.] A chair, sit with your front against it's back, or else a stool, please.
[Focusing on medicine is easier. More direct.]
I can direct them as is, I'm not an invalid or that weak. [He's maybe lying to himself with that, but Alucard's proven that he isn't falling over in spite of everything.]
The decoy would work, but I'd rather not sacrifice yet another vessel.
[Moreover:]</small
You mentioned the Belmont armada. The last I heard, they were branded pirates and were to be hunted down. Have they survived?
[Hector pulls out the chair that stows beneath his writing desk and straddles it.]
Your pride isn't worth both of us and my dog dead.
[One of these lives is greatly prioritized over the other two.]
When you're done with this, we will be attending you.
[A mastermind, he is not, but a stubborn bastard? Hector has that one down handily.]
The decoy's not an ideal plan, but it could work in a pinch.
The Belmonts...we thought their forces were all defeated and their remnants scatters to the corners of the world, but... it's another rumor. There was a convoy of vampires headed west, preying along one of the main trade routes. Only one ship of the lot of them made it back to port, and the crew said they saw the vessel that took the others down, and it was flying Belmont colors.
So that either means the Belmonts have returned, or that the crew of that ship had a grudge with the others and took the opportunity to founder their rivals, and sailed back to lay the blame at the feet of a bogeyman.
[Gossiping talking about the supposed Belmont revival is at least distracting Hector from Alucard's doctoring, even if it is all idle chatter.]
[There's that snap again. Alucard lets out a huff, unhappy with himself and his behavior but hardly feeling like now is the time to apologize. He just shuts himself up and does the work after that, fingers probably far too cool for this kind of work but knowing that there's no other option. The only good part is that doing the work means he has to be steadier, and that? That helps a great deal.
He listens though. Very carefully, and very considering.]
There would need to be independent corroboration of those rumors. [He says it finally, halfway through getting the bandages onto Hector. It's a steady thing - ointment, bandages, repeat. There's no interest in the blood that has gathered, because right now isn't the correct time to be looking at Hector and thinking "food."]
We need to resupply. That's the appropriate time to confirm or deny what was said, and move from there. If that fleet does exist then...
[Alucard shakes his head.]
I don't know. They may have an advantage. They won't harbor us.
What, is a bit of food and some basic medical attention going to harm you? Is it akin to sheering Sampson's hair off?
[They aren't a crew, really, but Hector is still the captain, and he has a responsibility to see to it that those on his ship have their needs seen to. He doesn't expect the captain of the empty and ridiculous ghost ship to understand that.]
If the rumors are true, following them would take us across an ocean that your father controls.
[He thinks, drumming his fingers on the back of the chair.]
...I know a witch, living near the coast in the colonies. She might have some sort of charm or talisman that would prevent anyone from scrying for our ship. That's the only way I could see us having a chance of sailing the open waters.
[He stands when Alucard finishes the bandages and pulls his shirt back on.]
Julia is a genuinely good person, and she's kept herself away from the vampire's court. I won't lead them to her door. I will only take us to her if we stay far enough ahead that we can be to her and gone before any of our pursuers know.
I need at least ten minutes to myself to think and come to grips with the past several days, thank you.
[Alucard is very well aware that he's testing hierarchy here. Maybe in a better mood, he'd care. Maybe if he also wasn't the son of Dracula, he'd care. As it is, he is a prickly ball and well aware that he needs space so he can be a polite enough person to not only deal with Hector, but start to make some plans.]
That he controls for now.
[They're words said with no small amount of darkness in them, because Alucard knows the truth here. His father's reign needs too end. Full stop.]
Do whatever you think would help avoid detection, but I think there's still the risk of leading Carmilla and hers towards the witch. I...would like to avoid any more witch deaths at this point in my life.
[It's tempting to become a wolf right now and just...disappear.]
If there's space below deck, it'd be better if I just rest for a short period of time.
Fine. Get out. I need to change my clothes anyways. The crew doesn't use the bunks below deck, so there's plenty of room for you to go brood.
[Hector's limited patience is gone, so it's probably mutually beneficial to have Alucard out of his sight and resting. If the dhampir flat out refuses Hector's assistance, then so be it.]
Come back up at sunset. I've no use of you 'til then.
[Hector will figure out the current course on his own. A quick resupply from a discrete storehouse, then if he can get a message to Julia, he could have her send something through one of his devils, maybe. That would minimize the risk to her...]
[Alucad retreats without another word, taking the form of a wolf and not a man. It's not a clever attempt at a metpahor either, it's Alucard admitting that to be a person right now is the most exhausting thing. He'd rather have an inhuman form.
He sleeps as a wolf too, curled up in a small nest of blankets he assembles for himself from the bunks below deck. It isn't terribly comfy, as the blankets are coarse and itchy, but he's exhausted. No one cares about that once they're exhausted.
He rises with the moon. Well, a little before that, as he works to make himself presentable first. When Alucard returns to the deck, it's with his hair swept up and off his neck in a neat bun, his ankles and wrists healed, and a far greater sense of both decorum and presence than the stressed, terrified, exhausted mess he was earlier.
More to the point: he approaches Hector and the first words out of his mouth are:] I would like to apologize for my earlier behavior. The circumstances made me far more disagreeable than I wanted to be.
[Alucard has spent the day resting and pulling himself together; Hector has spent that same time wildly working to keep them ahead of any pursuit. There are a couple of newly cobbled winged creatures perched on the ship's mast, and in spite of the failing light, he still has the ship going at full speed.
He's running on fumes now (and no rum), and he's not interested in sweetly kissing and making up.]
Yes, no shit.
[Cesar is on deck, too. Hector had sent one of his undead crewman to retrieve him from the hold after Alucard went below deck. He, at least, pads happily over to Alucard to greet him.
Hector tosses a little pouch at Alucard. It smells of ash and blood.]
I've been very careful to forge my crewmen to obey none but me. [A necessary precaution when living among creatures for whom mutiny was the normal means of advancement in the ranks.] When I activate this, they will react to you as if you are me. You will command their complete loyalty.
[It's a dangerous thing to grant another person. Alucard could take control of the ship with what Hector is about to grant him. It's Hector's only choice, though. It would take longer than he's got to fine-tune the order of command in their minds, and he needs Alucard to be deputized to act while Hector speaks. Enemies could fall upon them at any time.]
If you're carrying anything especially flammable, you'll want to remove it before I trigger the enchantment.
[Alucard pauses, looking up first. The winged things are...who the fuck is he to tell what's new and what isn't? He was barely paying attention earlier today, and now is no time at all to ask questions.]
...As you like.
[He isn't going to press that issue then. Cesar will get a proper greeting in time, and for now, Alucard's eyes remain on Hector himself.]
I understand. Unless there is a true emergency, I do not plan on disturbing them from their current tasks.
[That much is a truth. More than that, Alucard hasn't truly commanded a full ship. Not really. Most of his were automated things, much like Dracula's, that responded through buttons and controls rather than man power.]
There is nothing of a flammable nature on my person. Am I allowed to ask after our route and current trajectory?
[Without ceremony, Hector snaps his fingers, and the pouch erupts in blue flames. It burns in Alucard's hand, consuming the pouch but touching nothing else and producing no real heat. When the pouch is completely burned away, the flame dissipates.
Cesar quirks his head and gives a snorty pug sniff at the dhampir. It is not a smell that lingers over Alucard, but the little dog has no other way of perceiving the familiar aura that now surrounds him. The crewmen and forged creatures turn their blue eyes in his direction for a moment, but in the absence of new orders, return to their tasks.
Hector leans against one of the rails, now that the spell is done.]
That depends. I know the strongest vampires have ways of seeing far beyond their reach. Does that extend to listening in as well?
[So far, the sight of just a ship in the water won't give their enemies too much context, but openly discussing their location could be far more detrimental.]
[There's no reaction from Alucard as the pouch burns, beyond a momentary look of discomfort at the sudden brighteness. Once it's done, Alucard simply breathes out, ignoring the stares. Cesar will get a few good cuddles once Hector's below deck though.
Alucard pauses at the question. He then nods.]
It could. I know most of those involved with my father's work aren't expert spellcasters, but some of their humans could be. It is a risk. One we should avoid.
[The nearest crewman turns to fetch quill pen and parchment at his master's orders. Hector sighs and follows him into the captain's quarters. It's easier to write at his desk than on the deck of a ship with failing light.
He writes out the following message, in Greek:
Resupply at Free Port Carmilla, if you read this, fuck you Verify rumors of the boogeyman Send message to the witch Reassess from there
[He translates the name of Freeport into Greek to try to further obfuscate their plans in case someone is watching, and also has a list of multiple coordinates scrawled on the page. The correct one for their destination, he smudges a drop of blue ink beside.
He sends the message back with the zombie and calls up through his door.]
I need to sleep. Wake me at the first sign of pursuit.
[For the past 24 hours, it feels like all Alucard's done is follow Hector about. To not have to do that is good, and with Hector out of sight, Alucard scoops up Cesar and starts to pet him right behind the ear. It's a form of stress relief, because now that Alucard's slept, his mind is a storm of trying to figure out what to do.
Hector's note doesn't fill him with too much hope. It's the start of a game plan, one that needs much more elaboration. There's no quill to respond with, and Hector cant' see him nod.
All Alucard can do is respond through the door:]
Understood on all accounts.
[The zombie is sent back with the message, so Hector can dispose of it. Alucard demands nothing more. No food or drink, just nothing but himself and the dog and the moon that is starting to rise in the sky.
To Cesar, the dhampir only sighs.]
I don't think there's a single steady course ahead of us.
[Cesar licks Alucard’s nose while he’s high enough to reach his face. To him, this is a wonderful adventure, and the number of masters to site upon him has doubled. All’s well in the dog’s world.
Hector drops the note into one of the oil lamps to burn. He lays down in his bed, but it takes a while for sleep to find him. He’s not used to his ship operating without him, and letting go of the control is hard.
He sleeps, but he’s up before the sun rises to make sure nothing’s caught fire in his absence.
Not hearing any alarms, he ducks into the hold and comes up with breakfast and a flask of ale. He has to be allowed to drink something, and spirits keep easier than fresh water on long journeys.
He has enough that he could share, but he’s no longer gong out of his way to push Alucard to eat.]
[The night is mostly spent balancing the wheel in one hand and Cesar in the other, the little dog barely being placed down unless Alucard absolutely must. The only time must enters the equation is a small change in the winds at 2 in the morning, and it's managed with a quickness and calmness.
He doesn't ask after breakfast when Hector appears on deck. What he does do is place Cesar back down on the ground so that the little dog can greet his person properly, that way Alucard does not appear to be a dog thief.]
There was little to be concerned with, and what small issues did present themselves, they were quick to be resolved. Cesar was also very good company, thank you for letting him stay up.
[He's formal, not only with explanation but with how he holds himself. It's an attempt to respect ship hierarchy, especially since there's been no insistence on it.]
[Hector has to juggle his food so he has a hand to pick up Cesar, but he does it, because he's Cesar's actual master. He flips the dog over in the crook of his elbow and gives his belly scratches the way he likes. Cesar doesn't need any reminders of who loves him best in all the world, but one can never be too safe.]
Yes, he's a good little first mate. The best you'll find on land or sea.
[Seems someone's in less black of a mood, at least. He lets Cesar back down before the pug can start sniffing at his breakfast.]
A little stiff, but I'll loosen up as I work.
[He frowns at Alucard.]
I already know you're an asshole. No need to pretend at being polite with one another now.
[He pulls out his compass and checks their bearings. On track, for what its worth.]
[There's actual gratitude there. Alucard had expected Cesar to be brought inside when Hector went to bed, as there's no doubt that the dog is precious to him. Probably the only thing he likes, if Alucard was to guess.]
The bandages will need to be changed before the sun sets again. They'll become saturated with the ointment if they stay on too long, and I don't want that to create it's own problems.
[It's...it isn't concern exactly, but Alucard is the son of not only Dracula, but of his mother too. He had seen her work as a doctor growing up, and absorbed more than his fair share of the information. Hector's probably right, he's an asshole, but Alucard knows his mother would disapprove of just letting an injury go unchecked.]
We're on the same boat, literally and metaphorically, Hector. And you risked everything for my sake, for some reason. I don't intend to be an asshole and disrespect that. Managing to live with each other is the goal right now, and that means at least trying to be pleasant and aware of hierarchies at play.
[Alucard shakes his head. Why is his bothering?]
If you'd rather I take my leave, then I will do so.
[If Hector had wanted to be truly kind to Alucard, he would have left Cesar with him while Alucard was resting in wolf-form. Letting Cesar stay out at night...that was just practical. Those two obviously enjoyed each other's company, and Hector had needed to sleep. It was nothing that required thanks.]
I'll defer to you on the bandages. I know more about flesh after it's gone necrotic, not before.
[He could manage it on his own, but if he can surrender this one worry to focus his mind on greater ones, he'll do so gladly.]
Look, come and sit and we'll have breakfast, or I'll have breakfast and you can watch. I know we're in this together. Neither of us can afford to part ways right now. But you're not a member of my crew, and I'm not your captain, so there's no need for us to act like it. We're on equal footing, for better or for worse.
[Because Alucard won't let Hector see to his needs, and in terms of a plan, Hector is open to suggestions. Getting caught up in ideas of hierarchies or roles is going to hinder more than aid them.]
It looks like we made good time last night. If the winds stay favorable, we can reach the port before dark. I know a trader who is willing to stock a ship and then forget about it, so long as he's paid properly. That will help us no matter where we go.
[The wolf would have whined and tried to withdraw even further from any interaction. It had all worked out for the better as far as the pug was concerned, and...
...was that a joke?
Alucard isn't sure, but there's a little soft noise that's almost a laugh.]
The goal is to avoid your area of expertise.
[It's as much a joke as Alucard will dare to attempt right now. The tension, it needs to break and break fast, because Alucard knows it'll spell doom just as much as anything else with.]
All right then. [To breakfast. To not dealing with hierarchy. To all of it. There's a certain calmness when Alucard says those words, and then he pauses.] I'm a decent enough cook, for your future reference. [And that's not a brag, that's just true.] I'd also like to transfer full command of your crew back to you, before I eat anything.
[That's just a decent thing to do.]
Mm, I think there are Speakers on that port, yes?
[They'd be the best way to check in about the Belmont armada, so far as Alucard can tell.]
[Hector studies Alucard closely as they sit down. A cook, like a medic, is something he's never bothered with on his ship of undead. With only himself to benefit from it, it had seemed an unnecessary luxury.
He's eaten a lot of jerky, hard tack, and dried fruit. Forget that he just called Alucard an asshole not a minute ago. He is of the angels.]
Do you mean you can make this actually appetizing?
[He gestures at his rations, which he's done nothing to prepare but fishing them out of one of the barrels below deck.]
Yes, then, we'll stick to your expertise and leave mine for if anyone unsavory reaches us.
[Maybe he can learn to put up with Alucard and share his dog if real food is on the line. A way to a man's heart, as the saying goes.
Hector sits on deck with a crate to serve as their table. Said jerky and hard bread, he places in the middle. He uncaps the flask and takes a long sip before adding that to the communal pile as well, in case it gets confiscated. ]
I can break the spell, but we'll have to redo it each night if we end up needing to maintain that same speed. Are you alright with that?
[It's not a hard thing to replicate- ashes, a strand of hair, a force of will, and a few drops of his blood, bound into a bundle. But Hector has to imagine the casting of it feels intrusive.]
I suppose there will be a few. There's Speakers around most every port, these days. I don't know what they're after, but I've seen one or two lurking around our destination.
[Hector's not sure why that would matter. They tend to keep to themselves, and they have no maritime fighting force, as far as Hector knows.]
I can, if appropriately supplied. What does your merchant usually have available?
[Alucard had to learn to cook as a child. His diet was too specialized for him to be without the skill, as Dracula wasn't going to and his mother expected that there would be times in their lives where they would be far from each other. Boat cooking is very different, but it's still a skill to have.
Real food, proper real food made in a house, probably would get at Hector's heart if Alucard had the opportunity. That won't be happening, and so Alucard simply walks over to the makeshift table. It's easy enough to use his nails to crack the hard bread into smaller pieces and to shred the jerky.
Yes, he's shredding the jerky to put it on the bread so it can have a little bit of flavor. Sue him.]
That's fine. The spell works, and I feel safer having to physically hand over the command every sunrise.
[It keeps things above board. Even.]
Mmm. They're one potential route ahead, I believe.
[Hector draws his rapier just far enough out of its sheath at his side to expose the blade. He touches a finger to the sharp edge and gives himself a little nick. He snaps the fingers on his other hand, and the blood flares up in blue flame. The aura superseded over Alucard's fades away.
Hector continues the conversation as if he hadn't just done a minor work of blood magic over breakfast.]
He's always going on about how he could send me with porridge or lentils, if only I'd invest in a real cook-pot. He'll have other ingredients, but he only mentions the basics to me. He knows I am a lost cause.
[Cesar dances around the crate, begging for a treat, so Hector scoops him up and offers him a little slice of jerky. The dog doesn't need to eat, but he enjoys it, and it does not hurt him.]
I wonder if we could disguise our ship as a Seeker vessel. They wear those robes that hide most of themselves.
[Alucard's used to seeing his father's magic at work, and so...yeah. Blood magic over breakfast isn't too big of a deal. The most reaction Alucard makes is a sniff at the blood in the air, and that's quickly ignored.]
I'll write a list before I go to sleep, and we'll go from there. The only request I will insist upon is blood sausage, to meet my dietary needs.
[Blood sausage was the quick fix when other sources weren't available, and Alucard would feel safer with the stuff readily available. There was no snacking on Hector, mostly because he needed to be on the top of his game. Having less blood impacted that.
At least Cesar's cute. There's a soft laugh at the little dance, and how satisfied he looks once it's achieved.]
Absolutely not. The Speakers don't need more violence visited upon them.
[Hector opens his mouth to protest that it would only impact the Seekers if they got caught, but sees Alucard’s expression and shrewdly shuts up.]
Do you think they know something, then? Or know something and will share it with us?
[Otherwise, what’s the point of caring whether they’ll be at Freeport or not?]
You can use my quarters. It’s the only place with a writing desk to make your shopping list, and we’re on opposite schedules anyway. There’s no reason for you to sleep on those rotten bunks below when the actual bed is free.
[It’s a new ship, and these new quarters have no feeling of ‘home’. Hector hasn’t had a ‘home’ in a very long time. He sees no reason to get territorial over a room he only uses to sleep in. It’s not like it’s his lab or anything important.]
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Turning, eying the various storage places built into the room, he goes to unlatch one of the cabinets set into the wall. The movement strains the cut on his back, and he sucks in a sharp hiss of breath. He gestures for Alucard to retrieve it.]
You should eat something. We're not so hard pressed for supplies we can't spare it, and I can't afford for you to not be at your best. You're going to have to at least direct the crew when I sleep, unless we can find somewhere within a day's journey to hide our ship where your father's fleet can't find it.
[He goes ahead to one of the drawers underneath his bed and gingerly tugs it open so he can grab himself a dry shirt and trousers to change into once he's bandaged.]
If we can get close enough to reach some sort of safe haven by the lifeboat, I could send the ship and the crew on as a decoy. Without my direction, they would only be able to maintain the course I set, but they might be able to buy us a day before they were caught and the ruse exposed.
[Hector has tried to think of plans, but he plays reactively in a game where all of his opponents plan their moves at least three steps in advance.]
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Going into the cabinet, Alucard carefully evaluates the bottles there before picking one up. He recognizes the label, because it's a name for ointment his mother came up with. The handwriting? His father's, and that means it's an old jar. Before everything happened.]
We'll patch you up first then focus on my needs. [He's avoiding himself. It requires too much thinking and more processing than he wants to do right now.] A chair, sit with your front against it's back, or else a stool, please.
[Focusing on medicine is easier. More direct.]
I can direct them as is, I'm not an invalid or that weak. [He's maybe lying to himself with that, but Alucard's proven that he isn't falling over in spite of everything.]
The decoy would work, but I'd rather not sacrifice yet another vessel.
[Moreover:]</small You mentioned the Belmont armada. The last I heard, they were branded pirates and were to be hunted down. Have they survived?
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Your pride isn't worth both of us and my dog dead.
[One of these lives is greatly prioritized over the other two.]
When you're done with this, we will be attending you.
[A mastermind, he is not, but a stubborn bastard? Hector has that one down handily.]
The decoy's not an ideal plan, but it could work in a pinch.
The Belmonts...we thought their forces were all defeated and their remnants scatters to the corners of the world, but... it's another rumor. There was a convoy of vampires headed west, preying along one of the main trade routes. Only one ship of the lot of them made it back to port, and the crew said they saw the vessel that took the others down, and it was flying Belmont colors.
So that either means the Belmonts have returned, or that the crew of that ship had a grudge with the others and took the opportunity to founder their rivals, and sailed back to lay the blame at the feet of a bogeyman.
[
Gossipingtalking about the supposed Belmont revival is at least distracting Hector from Alucard's doctoring, even if it is all idle chatter.]no subject
[There's that snap again. Alucard lets out a huff, unhappy with himself and his behavior but hardly feeling like now is the time to apologize. He just shuts himself up and does the work after that, fingers probably far too cool for this kind of work but knowing that there's no other option. The only good part is that doing the work means he has to be steadier, and that? That helps a great deal.
He listens though. Very carefully, and very considering.]
There would need to be independent corroboration of those rumors. [He says it finally, halfway through getting the bandages onto Hector. It's a steady thing - ointment, bandages, repeat. There's no interest in the blood that has gathered, because right now isn't the correct time to be looking at Hector and thinking "food."]
We need to resupply. That's the appropriate time to confirm or deny what was said, and move from there. If that fleet does exist then...
[Alucard shakes his head.]
I don't know. They may have an advantage. They won't harbor us.
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What, is a bit of food and some basic medical attention going to harm you? Is it akin to sheering Sampson's hair off?
[They aren't a crew, really, but Hector is still the captain, and he has a responsibility to see to it that those on his ship have their needs seen to. He doesn't expect the captain of the empty and ridiculous ghost ship to understand that.]
If the rumors are true, following them would take us across an ocean that your father controls.
[He thinks, drumming his fingers on the back of the chair.]
...I know a witch, living near the coast in the colonies. She might have some sort of charm or talisman that would prevent anyone from scrying for our ship. That's the only way I could see us having a chance of sailing the open waters.
[He stands when Alucard finishes the bandages and pulls his shirt back on.]
Julia is a genuinely good person, and she's kept herself away from the vampire's court. I won't lead them to her door. I will only take us to her if we stay far enough ahead that we can be to her and gone before any of our pursuers know.
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[Alucard is very well aware that he's testing hierarchy here. Maybe in a better mood, he'd care. Maybe if he also wasn't the son of Dracula, he'd care. As it is, he is a prickly ball and well aware that he needs space so he can be a polite enough person to not only deal with Hector, but start to make some plans.]
That he controls for now.
[They're words said with no small amount of darkness in them, because Alucard knows the truth here. His father's reign needs too end. Full stop.]
Do whatever you think would help avoid detection, but I think there's still the risk of leading Carmilla and hers towards the witch. I...would like to avoid any more witch deaths at this point in my life.
[It's tempting to become a wolf right now and just...disappear.]
If there's space below deck, it'd be better if I just rest for a short period of time.
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[Hector's limited patience is gone, so it's probably mutually beneficial to have Alucard out of his sight and resting. If the dhampir flat out refuses Hector's assistance, then so be it.]
Come back up at sunset. I've no use of you 'til then.
[Hector will figure out the current course on his own. A quick resupply from a discrete storehouse, then if he can get a message to Julia, he could have her send something through one of his devils, maybe. That would minimize the risk to her...]
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He sleeps as a wolf too, curled up in a small nest of blankets he assembles for himself from the bunks below deck. It isn't terribly comfy, as the blankets are coarse and itchy, but he's exhausted. No one cares about that once they're exhausted.
He rises with the moon. Well, a little before that, as he works to make himself presentable first. When Alucard returns to the deck, it's with his hair swept up and off his neck in a neat bun, his ankles and wrists healed, and a far greater sense of both decorum and presence than the stressed, terrified, exhausted mess he was earlier.
More to the point: he approaches Hector and the first words out of his mouth are:] I would like to apologize for my earlier behavior. The circumstances made me far more disagreeable than I wanted to be.
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He's running on fumes now (and no rum), and he's not interested in sweetly kissing and making up.]
Yes, no shit.
[Cesar is on deck, too. Hector had sent one of his undead crewman to retrieve him from the hold after Alucard went below deck. He, at least, pads happily over to Alucard to greet him.
Hector tosses a little pouch at Alucard. It smells of ash and blood.]
I've been very careful to forge my crewmen to obey none but me. [A necessary precaution when living among creatures for whom mutiny was the normal means of advancement in the ranks.] When I activate this, they will react to you as if you are me. You will command their complete loyalty.
[It's a dangerous thing to grant another person. Alucard could take control of the ship with what Hector is about to grant him. It's Hector's only choice, though. It would take longer than he's got to fine-tune the order of command in their minds, and he needs Alucard to be deputized to act while Hector speaks. Enemies could fall upon them at any time.]
If you're carrying anything especially flammable, you'll want to remove it before I trigger the enchantment.
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...As you like.
[He isn't going to press that issue then. Cesar will get a proper greeting in time, and for now, Alucard's eyes remain on Hector himself.]
I understand. Unless there is a true emergency, I do not plan on disturbing them from their current tasks.
[That much is a truth. More than that, Alucard hasn't truly commanded a full ship. Not really. Most of his were automated things, much like Dracula's, that responded through buttons and controls rather than man power.]
There is nothing of a flammable nature on my person. Am I allowed to ask after our route and current trajectory?
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Cesar quirks his head and gives a snorty pug sniff at the dhampir. It is not a smell that lingers over Alucard, but the little dog has no other way of perceiving the familiar aura that now surrounds him. The crewmen and forged creatures turn their blue eyes in his direction for a moment, but in the absence of new orders, return to their tasks.
Hector leans against one of the rails, now that the spell is done.]
That depends. I know the strongest vampires have ways of seeing far beyond their reach. Does that extend to listening in as well?
[So far, the sight of just a ship in the water won't give their enemies too much context, but openly discussing their location could be far more detrimental.]
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Alucard pauses at the question. He then nods.]
It could. I know most of those involved with my father's work aren't expert spellcasters, but some of their humans could be. It is a risk. One we should avoid.
[Alucard pauses, then snaps his fingers.]
Something to write with. Use your native tongue.
[Greek, he means.]
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He writes out the following message, in Greek:
Resupply at Free Port
Carmilla, if you read this, fuck you
Verify rumors of the boogeyman
Send message to the witch
Reassess from there
[He translates the name of Freeport into Greek to try to further obfuscate their plans in case someone is watching, and also has a list of multiple coordinates scrawled on the page. The correct one for their destination, he smudges a drop of blue ink beside.
He sends the message back with the zombie and calls up through his door.]
I need to sleep. Wake me at the first sign of pursuit.
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Hector's note doesn't fill him with too much hope. It's the start of a game plan, one that needs much more elaboration. There's no quill to respond with, and Hector cant' see him nod.
All Alucard can do is respond through the door:]
Understood on all accounts.
[The zombie is sent back with the message, so Hector can dispose of it. Alucard demands nothing more. No food or drink, just nothing but himself and the dog and the moon that is starting to rise in the sky.
To Cesar, the dhampir only sighs.]
I don't think there's a single steady course ahead of us.
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Hector drops the note into one of the oil lamps to burn. He lays down in his bed, but it takes a while for sleep to find him. He’s not used to his ship operating without him, and letting go of the control is hard.
He sleeps, but he’s up before the sun rises to make sure nothing’s caught fire in his absence.
Not hearing any alarms, he ducks into the hold and comes up with breakfast and a flask of ale. He has to be allowed to drink something, and spirits keep easier than fresh water on long journeys.
He has enough that he could share, but he’s no longer gong out of his way to push Alucard to eat.]
She didn’t give you any trouble?
[He asks, referring to the ship.]
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He doesn't ask after breakfast when Hector appears on deck. What he does do is place Cesar back down on the ground so that the little dog can greet his person properly, that way Alucard does not appear to be a dog thief.]
There was little to be concerned with, and what small issues did present themselves, they were quick to be resolved. Cesar was also very good company, thank you for letting him stay up.
[He's formal, not only with explanation but with how he holds himself. It's an attempt to respect ship hierarchy, especially since there's been no insistence on it.]
How do your injuries feel?
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Yes, he's a good little first mate. The best you'll find on land or sea.
[Seems someone's in less black of a mood, at least. He lets Cesar back down before the pug can start sniffing at his breakfast.]
A little stiff, but I'll loosen up as I work.
[He frowns at Alucard.]
I already know you're an asshole. No need to pretend at being polite with one another now.
[He pulls out his compass and checks their bearings. On track, for what its worth.]
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[There's actual gratitude there. Alucard had expected Cesar to be brought inside when Hector went to bed, as there's no doubt that the dog is precious to him. Probably the only thing he likes, if Alucard was to guess.]
The bandages will need to be changed before the sun sets again. They'll become saturated with the ointment if they stay on too long, and I don't want that to create it's own problems.
[It's...it isn't concern exactly, but Alucard is the son of not only Dracula, but of his mother too. He had seen her work as a doctor growing up, and absorbed more than his fair share of the information. Hector's probably right, he's an asshole, but Alucard knows his mother would disapprove of just letting an injury go unchecked.]
We're on the same boat, literally and metaphorically, Hector. And you risked everything for my sake, for some reason. I don't intend to be an asshole and disrespect that. Managing to live with each other is the goal right now, and that means at least trying to be pleasant and aware of hierarchies at play.
[Alucard shakes his head. Why is his bothering?]
If you'd rather I take my leave, then I will do so.
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I'll defer to you on the bandages. I know more about flesh after it's gone necrotic, not before.
[He could manage it on his own, but if he can surrender this one worry to focus his mind on greater ones, he'll do so gladly.]
Look, come and sit and we'll have breakfast, or I'll have breakfast and you can watch. I know we're in this together. Neither of us can afford to part ways right now. But you're not a member of my crew, and I'm not your captain, so there's no need for us to act like it. We're on equal footing, for better or for worse.
[Because Alucard won't let Hector see to his needs, and in terms of a plan, Hector is open to suggestions. Getting caught up in ideas of hierarchies or roles is going to hinder more than aid them.]
It looks like we made good time last night. If the winds stay favorable, we can reach the port before dark. I know a trader who is willing to stock a ship and then forget about it, so long as he's paid properly. That will help us no matter where we go.
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...was that a joke?
Alucard isn't sure, but there's a little soft noise that's almost a laugh.]
The goal is to avoid your area of expertise.
[It's as much a joke as Alucard will dare to attempt right now. The tension, it needs to break and break fast, because Alucard knows it'll spell doom just as much as anything else with.]
All right then. [To breakfast. To not dealing with hierarchy. To all of it. There's a certain calmness when Alucard says those words, and then he pauses.] I'm a decent enough cook, for your future reference. [And that's not a brag, that's just true.] I'd also like to transfer full command of your crew back to you, before I eat anything.
[That's just a decent thing to do.]
Mm, I think there are Speakers on that port, yes?
[They'd be the best way to check in about the Belmont armada, so far as Alucard can tell.]
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He's eaten a lot of jerky, hard tack, and dried fruit. Forget that he just called Alucard an asshole not a minute ago. He is of the angels.]
Do you mean you can make this actually appetizing?
[He gestures at his rations, which he's done nothing to prepare but fishing them out of one of the barrels below deck.]
Yes, then, we'll stick to your expertise and leave mine for if anyone unsavory reaches us.
[Maybe he can learn to put up with Alucard and share his dog if real food is on the line. A way to a man's heart, as the saying goes.
Hector sits on deck with a crate to serve as their table. Said jerky and hard bread, he places in the middle. He uncaps the flask and takes a long sip before adding that to the communal pile as well, in case it gets confiscated. ]
I can break the spell, but we'll have to redo it each night if we end up needing to maintain that same speed. Are you alright with that?
[It's not a hard thing to replicate- ashes, a strand of hair, a force of will, and a few drops of his blood, bound into a bundle. But Hector has to imagine the casting of it feels intrusive.]
I suppose there will be a few. There's Speakers around most every port, these days. I don't know what they're after, but I've seen one or two lurking around our destination.
[Hector's not sure why that would matter. They tend to keep to themselves, and they have no maritime fighting force, as far as Hector knows.]
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[Alucard had to learn to cook as a child. His diet was too specialized for him to be without the skill, as Dracula wasn't going to and his mother expected that there would be times in their lives where they would be far from each other. Boat cooking is very different, but it's still a skill to have.
Real food, proper real food made in a house, probably would get at Hector's heart if Alucard had the opportunity. That won't be happening, and so Alucard simply walks over to the makeshift table. It's easy enough to use his nails to crack the hard bread into smaller pieces and to shred the jerky.
Yes, he's shredding the jerky to put it on the bread so it can have a little bit of flavor. Sue him.]
That's fine. The spell works, and I feel safer having to physically hand over the command every sunrise.
[It keeps things above board. Even.]
Mmm. They're one potential route ahead, I believe.
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Hector continues the conversation as if he hadn't just done a minor work of blood magic over breakfast.]
He's always going on about how he could send me with porridge or lentils, if only I'd invest in a real cook-pot. He'll have other ingredients, but he only mentions the basics to me. He knows I am a lost cause.
[Cesar dances around the crate, begging for a treat, so Hector scoops him up and offers him a little slice of jerky. The dog doesn't need to eat, but he enjoys it, and it does not hurt him.]
I wonder if we could disguise our ship as a Seeker vessel. They wear those robes that hide most of themselves.
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I'll write a list before I go to sleep, and we'll go from there. The only request I will insist upon is blood sausage, to meet my dietary needs.
[Blood sausage was the quick fix when other sources weren't available, and Alucard would feel safer with the stuff readily available. There was no snacking on Hector, mostly because he needed to be on the top of his game. Having less blood impacted that.
At least Cesar's cute. There's a soft laugh at the little dance, and how satisfied he looks once it's achieved.]
Absolutely not. The Speakers don't need more violence visited upon them.
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Do you think they know something, then? Or know something and will share it with us?
[Otherwise, what’s the point of caring whether they’ll be at Freeport or not?]
You can use my quarters. It’s the only place with a writing desk to make your shopping list, and we’re on opposite schedules anyway. There’s no reason for you to sleep on those rotten bunks below when the actual bed is free.
[It’s a new ship, and these new quarters have no feeling of ‘home’. Hector hasn’t had a ‘home’ in a very long time. He sees no reason to get territorial over a room he only uses to sleep in. It’s not like it’s his lab or anything important.]
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