[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.]
I can't say for sure. Speakers are not information brokers, and to treat them as such is folly. I'll have to try, and it is probably wiser that I do so alone. It will have less of a...ganging up on a group aura, and the Speakers have that problem enough.
[Alucard is careful with the response, but he also means it when he says he wants to bring as little heartache to the Speakers as possible. He knows their history and that it is rife with persecution. Bringing Dracula down upon them is cruel.]
There may be wolf fur on your things then.
[It isn't refusing, it isn't fussing, it isn't turning his nose up at it. A big difference from yesterday, and a gentle point.]
[That is so obviously a joke. Hector can't pretend to be offended for more than a second.]
I will leave them to you. The less small talk I have to do, the better, and splitting up will let us cover more ground, so to speak.
[Stocking up the ship is definitely his preference for the two errands.]
That's nothing new. I've had a wolf before. They used to joke that my workshop at the port doubled as a menagerie.
[Except all his pets are gone now, save Cesar. Hector drops a hand and the little dog bumps his head against it, stealing the morsel of bread he was holding.]
Though, if you always sleep in the body of a wolf, it's a wonder you had a human-sized coffin on your ship. Or must you take that form because I haven't a coffin to house you?
[Something close to a smile passes over Alucard's face at the attempt to make a joke. It doesn't stay for very long, but it's the first time he's made anything like a pleased or happy face since all of this began.]
Mmm. We should only be apart for a short window though. [The reason being obvious: you don't split the party. Not in this much danger.]
I'm sure that it did. [Alucard can't see Cesar being Hector's only pet.]
Being a wolf means that dreams are simpler right now. That's all.
[Alucard shreds a little bit more of the jerky, and he holds it low at Cesar's level. If he has to talk about an Emotion, he's doing it with a dog in his lap.]
[The ghost of a smile that flits over Alucard’s face is a hint of what the man might be like when his life isn’t imperiled. Hector’s curious. It’s a secret to work on unveiling while all his other studies are on hold.]
I’ll not let Saint Germain keep me longer than he must and I’ll hasten back to your side before you pine away in my absence.
[The common languages between then seem to be ‘sarcasm’ and ‘dog’, and Hector can live with that.
Cesar abandons Hector for Alucard’s jerky, the little traitor. He’ll take treats and shows of affection from where’re they come. Alucard’s lab puts him in closer proximity to food and to noses to lick, which are his main goals in life.]
That is what the rum was supposed to be for.
[He sighs. Can’t fault a man for using his shapeshifting abilities to his advantage. If Hector could be a wolf, he damn well would.]
The actual Count is in this corner of the world now?
[Alucard raises his eyebrows slightly, intrigued by that thought. He has been asleep for far longer than he thought, if those are the changes that have been made.
But at any rate, Cesar gets a few more bits of jerky, before Alucard gently ushers him back towards Hector. He can share the dog.]
I sill refuse to be fighting this anything but sober. Not against Carmilla, even if her natural effect is to drive a man to drink.
[Alucard's eaten everything he's been given, which is an accomplishment in and of itself.]
I wasn't intending on plaguing you with fur, I promise.
[And that too is said with a certain lightness that also hedges close to a joke. This? This almost feels nice. Normal.]
I'll be back out with the list before I rest for the day.
What are you talking about? He is just some crazy old man who showed up at the port a while back. He dresses himself in the most ridiculous fashion, but he's usually got wares enough to sell.
[The idea that Germain is anyone important is laughable to Hector. He tries much too hard to be mysterious to actually know anything of worth, right?]
I expect a celebratory drink when we put a stake through her heart.
[He mutters, because he has to have something to look forward to if he's going through the foreseeable future sober.
Hector's pleased with breakfast. Alucard ate something, so the nagging worry that the dhampir will collapse or go on a rampage subsides, and they're managing to get along. Who knew he had it in him?]
Alright, rest while you can. I'm going to press hard today to try to reach port before sundown. There's few places not under your father's control that will welcome a ship docking after dark, for obvious reasons.
{Alucard's not going to explain the Count, because he still doesn't entirely understand the Count himself. He knows knows him to be a man of infinite resource, so perhaps being a merchant is not that far out of the realm of possibility.
With that, Alucard rises to his feet.]
We will, I promise. Let me go begin on the list.
[With that, Alucard withdraws entirely. He spends a good 15 minutes writing a list, one that's even annotated (OATS-- 2 lbs, no more, they go rancid quickly due to natural fat content ; BLOOD SASUAGE -- Dietary supplement for myself, I will not need blood if I have this). It's folded and handed to Hetor, and then Alucard simply falls asleep in his wolf form beside Hector's bed.
He doesn't stir until woken, his wolf form just curled up into a tight little ball and trying to be even smaller somehow.]
[Well, the merchant does tend to inquire into Hector's plans each time they meet, though Hector rarely indulges him in answering. Hector chalks it up to eccentricity. What else could it be? immortal occultisttime-traveling meddlersworn enemy of Death himself
Hector takes a cursory look at Alucard's list, snorts, and tucks it into his pocket.
He sails, and when he finally hands the wheel off to a crewman with instructions to dock, he pauses at the door to the captain's quarters.
...he shouldn't pet the wolf...
...he wants to pet the wolf...
...he steps toward the wolf, but Cesar bumps past his ankles to get to him first. That's probably for the best.]
Wake up. We're making land, and we need to be in and out as fast as we can.
[Alucard's just going to find the Count when all of this is over and just. You know. Shoot the shit, as you do.
But it's a good sleep. One that lets Alucard's dreams be much simpler than they would be otherwise, and one that he doesn't wake up from half way through. He stirs only when Hector pushes in. By the time Cesar approaches, he's up and on all four paws, and then after one or two more steps, he's become an Alucard again.
Hector, you can pet the wolf later. He'll allow it.]
Is there still light out?
[Alucard pauses just long enough to straighten his shirt (his coat is long since gone), and even as he asks the question, he's en route to the door.]
[The sky is just starting to take on the golden glow that heralds the sunset. The Speakers are usually the last to retire when the light fades, and the Count keeps whatever hours he pleases, unconcerned with light or darkness. They should have time for their respective errands.]
Cesar will need to stay here. Don't let him follow you.
[He's already waved his bird-devils and the more obviously undead crew below deck. Only his sailors that are relatively human-passing are above to guard see them to shore and guard the ship. Cesar, much as he would love to follow them into the port, is missing too many parts to be safely allowed in public.]
If there are Speakers, they will likely be on the outskirts of the market. I'll head there once I meet with Germain. This port isn't affiliated with any factions, but keep your head down all the same.
[By fast he means vampire speed, making it impossible to be followed. Or he would, if that wasn't going to be overly dramatic. The most Alucard does is pause to try and manipulate his hair, tying some back and roughly re-arranging the part so he can hide some of his face under all that hair.
He murmurs a few "I'll be back"s in Cesar's direction as the two begin the work in earnest.]
Understood.
[He'll ask for a cloak at some other point in time - Hector probably has limited wardrobe anyway.
Once they are both off the boat, Alucard's speed increases, away from Hector and knowing he has to work quickly and quietly. Quiet he can do. Quick...well, that depends on factors out of Alucard's control.
It takes time to find the Speakers, even with Hector's advice on where to look. They're cautious everywhere, even in the Freeport, and he only speaks to one. (There are others hiding, he can tell by scent. Speakers have an air of traveled roads to them, even those who live on the seas and the islands.) There is reluctance until he mentions the contact's surname, Belnades.
"There is one part of the Armada that endures, in a port further north than here. Free and warded against Dracula. Step carefully there."
Alucard accepts what is said. It isn't a great lead, but it's better than naught and he and Hector cannot be choosers. He asks that his own destination be passed on to Belnades, and then he withdraws.
Being on the market outskirts means finding small, covered places to hide after Alucard departs from the speakers. There's a tiny little store room that he finds shelter beside, keenly aware of the chill of the evening air threatening to settle.]
[For his own mission of stealth, Hector is dressed in a plain white shirt with black pants and boots. He unties his red sash from his waist and wraps it around his head the way some sailors do to keep hair and sweat out of their eyes. He keeps his eyes down as he turns corners to get to Saint Germain's storehouse.
The Count is in high spirits, and is suspiciously well prepared to check off the items on Alucard's list.
Ah, blood sausage. Of course I have it. I've never known you to indulge in something so heavy, Hector.
He packs up their supplies into barrels and canvas sacks and sends them to the dock in a cart for Hector's crewman to load into the ship.
Of course, Germain can't resist stopping him at the door before he can make his escape. He tips his ridiculous top hat and smiles that 'I know more than you' grin.
Oh, and Hector...Walk the path that is meant for you without fear... For you are no longer alone...
He winks an eye, and the door closes of its own accord before Hector can demand an explanation.
Growling about mad bastards who dress themselves like troubadours, Hector stalks out of the warehouse distract and into the open market. The sky is darkening, and soon the last of the vendors will hurry back to their homes to bar their doors to the creatures of night.
Hector looks for Alucard in the darkest corners of the market first, because where else would a dhampir choose to hide himself?]
[Alucard's question comes from the shadows he's cloaked himself in, although he refuses to step forward just yet. There's no sense of safety out in the open, not right now, and he has no interest in inviting danger to fall upon himself or Hector.
He knows where they must go, and he has to look at maps. Gauge how many days they will be at sea, and that will decide so much more.]
[Of course Alucard has to reveal himself in the most cloak-and-dagger manner possible. Hector expects no less. Damn vampires.]
Yes, I am ready to depart if you are.
[He does not turn to look for Alucard in the darkness.]
I would like us to be off as soon as possible, but if you don't feel up to another night of sailing, we can leave at dawn.
[He is keeping in mind that Alucard's ship sails itself, and he may not be used to keeping such a schedule of actively piloting a vessel like Hector's. Sailing at night is dangerous, both because that is when vampire ships are active, but also just because of the lack of visibility. They need to do it, but undertaking it without being prepared could be just as disastrous or more than lingering at a port to be discovered.]
Meet me back at the ship and we can talk more freely.
[An understatement. One that sees Alucard remain in the shadows as he begins to walk, focused not on any problems or struggles with the idea of sailing for another night. It isn't a problem for him, not truly. He understands the basics of sailing, and Alucard knows he is the better candidate for night sailing than Hector if only for his eyes alone.
He keeps a swift pace, not looking anywhere but ahead until they are back at their dock. A dock they very much need to leave now. Only when there does Alucard uncloak himself from the shadows.]
[Hector checks the hold when they reach the ship, and their supplies have been properly loaded and stored.
He returns above deck and begins preparing the ship to sail. He can’t be the one to navigate in the darkness, but he can assist until he finally turns in.]
How about your task? Success?
[That will determine if they maintain their original trajectory or plot a new course.]
Mmm. Furthest island north has reports of a single surviving ship from the Belmont armada. The place is hard to get to - I want to check maps either before you go to bed or before I retire in the morning - and it is doubltessly warded against those like myself and my father.
[But it is there. There's a hope yet, should they reach it.]
Would you like me to make dinner while we make a departure?
[Hector's stomach grumbles, but he shakes his head. Too much work to do to stop and eat right now.]
There are maps and charts at the desk in my quarters. You check them while I get us out of the harbor. There's enough light left for me to pilot us out. Getting our course charted is the top priority.
[It's not like he's eaten well, sailing alone as he's done for the past couple of years. He can wait a little longer for Alucard's reportedly adequate cooking skills.]
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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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[Alucard is careful with the response, but he also means it when he says he wants to bring as little heartache to the Speakers as possible. He knows their history and that it is rife with persecution. Bringing Dracula down upon them is cruel.]
There may be wolf fur on your things then.
[It isn't refusing, it isn't fussing, it isn't turning his nose up at it. A big difference from yesterday, and a gentle point.]
I'll strive to keep shedding to a minimum.
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[That is so obviously a joke. Hector can't pretend to be offended for more than a second.]
I will leave them to you. The less small talk I have to do, the better, and splitting up will let us cover more ground, so to speak.
[Stocking up the ship is definitely his preference for the two errands.]
That's nothing new. I've had a wolf before. They used to joke that my workshop at the port doubled as a menagerie.
[Except all his pets are gone now, save Cesar. Hector drops a hand and the little dog bumps his head against it, stealing the morsel of bread he was holding.]
Though, if you always sleep in the body of a wolf, it's a wonder you had a human-sized coffin on your ship. Or must you take that form because I haven't a coffin to house you?
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Mmm. We should only be apart for a short window though. [The reason being obvious: you don't split the party. Not in this much danger.]
I'm sure that it did. [Alucard can't see Cesar being Hector's only pet.]
Being a wolf means that dreams are simpler right now. That's all.
[Alucard shreds a little bit more of the jerky, and he holds it low at Cesar's level. If he has to talk about an Emotion, he's doing it with a dog in his lap.]
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I’ll not let Saint Germain keep me longer than he must and I’ll hasten back to your side before you pine away in my absence.
[The common languages between then seem to be ‘sarcasm’ and ‘dog’, and Hector can live with that.
Cesar abandons Hector for Alucard’s jerky, the little traitor. He’ll take treats and shows of affection from where’re they come. Alucard’s lab puts him in closer proximity to food and to noses to lick, which are his main goals in life.]
That is what the rum was supposed to be for.
[He sighs. Can’t fault a man for using his shapeshifting abilities to his advantage. If Hector could be a wolf, he damn well would.]
Just keep off of my pillow when you’re furry.
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[Alucard raises his eyebrows slightly, intrigued by that thought. He has been asleep for far longer than he thought, if those are the changes that have been made.
But at any rate, Cesar gets a few more bits of jerky, before Alucard gently ushers him back towards Hector. He can share the dog.]
I sill refuse to be fighting this anything but sober. Not against Carmilla, even if her natural effect is to drive a man to drink.
[Alucard's eaten everything he's been given, which is an accomplishment in and of itself.]
I wasn't intending on plaguing you with fur, I promise.
[And that too is said with a certain lightness that also hedges close to a joke. This? This almost feels nice. Normal.]
I'll be back out with the list before I rest for the day.
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[The idea that Germain is anyone important is laughable to Hector. He tries much too hard to be mysterious to actually know anything of worth, right?]
I expect a celebratory drink when we put a stake through her heart.
[He mutters, because he has to have something to look forward to if he's going through the foreseeable future sober.
Hector's pleased with breakfast. Alucard ate something, so the nagging worry that the dhampir will collapse or go on a rampage subsides, and they're managing to get along. Who knew he had it in him?]
Alright, rest while you can. I'm going to press hard today to try to reach port before sundown. There's few places not under your father's control that will welcome a ship docking after dark, for obvious reasons.
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{Alucard's not going to explain the Count, because he still doesn't entirely understand the Count himself. He knows knows him to be a man of infinite resource, so perhaps being a merchant is not that far out of the realm of possibility.
With that, Alucard rises to his feet.]
We will, I promise. Let me go begin on the list.
[With that, Alucard withdraws entirely. He spends a good 15 minutes writing a list, one that's even annotated (OATS-- 2 lbs, no more, they go rancid quickly due to natural fat content ; BLOOD SASUAGE -- Dietary supplement for myself, I will not need blood if I have this). It's folded and handed to Hetor, and then Alucard simply falls asleep in his wolf form beside Hector's bed.
He doesn't stir until woken, his wolf form just curled up into a tight little ball and trying to be even smaller somehow.]
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immortal occultisttime-traveling meddlersworn enemy of Death himselfHector takes a cursory look at Alucard's list, snorts, and tucks it into his pocket.
He sails, and when he finally hands the wheel off to a crewman with instructions to dock, he pauses at the door to the captain's quarters.
...he shouldn't pet the wolf...
...he wants to pet the wolf...
...he steps toward the wolf, but Cesar bumps past his ankles to get to him first. That's probably for the best.]
Wake up. We're making land, and we need to be in and out as fast as we can.
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But it's a good sleep. One that lets Alucard's dreams be much simpler than they would be otherwise, and one that he doesn't wake up from half way through. He stirs only when Hector pushes in. By the time Cesar approaches, he's up and on all four paws, and then after one or two more steps, he's become an Alucard again.
Hector, you can pet the wolf later. He'll allow it.]
Is there still light out?
[Alucard pauses just long enough to straighten his shirt (his coat is long since gone), and even as he asks the question, he's en route to the door.]
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[The sky is just starting to take on the golden glow that heralds the sunset. The Speakers are usually the last to retire when the light fades, and the Count keeps whatever hours he pleases, unconcerned with light or darkness. They should have time for their respective errands.]
Cesar will need to stay here. Don't let him follow you.
[He's already waved his bird-devils and the more obviously undead crew below deck. Only his sailors that are relatively human-passing are above to guard see them to shore and guard the ship. Cesar, much as he would love to follow them into the port, is missing too many parts to be safely allowed in public.]
If there are Speakers, they will likely be on the outskirts of the market. I'll head there once I meet with Germain. This port isn't affiliated with any factions, but keep your head down all the same.
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[By fast he means vampire speed, making it impossible to be followed. Or he would, if that wasn't going to be overly dramatic. The most Alucard does is pause to try and manipulate his hair, tying some back and roughly re-arranging the part so he can hide some of his face under all that hair.
He murmurs a few "I'll be back"s in Cesar's direction as the two begin the work in earnest.]
Understood.
[He'll ask for a cloak at some other point in time - Hector probably has limited wardrobe anyway.
Once they are both off the boat, Alucard's speed increases, away from Hector and knowing he has to work quickly and quietly. Quiet he can do. Quick...well, that depends on factors out of Alucard's control.
It takes time to find the Speakers, even with Hector's advice on where to look. They're cautious everywhere, even in the Freeport, and he only speaks to one. (There are others hiding, he can tell by scent. Speakers have an air of traveled roads to them, even those who live on the seas and the islands.) There is reluctance until he mentions the contact's surname, Belnades.
"There is one part of the Armada that endures, in a port further north than here. Free and warded against Dracula. Step carefully there."
Alucard accepts what is said. It isn't a great lead, but it's better than naught and he and Hector cannot be choosers. He asks that his own destination be passed on to Belnades, and then he withdraws.
Being on the market outskirts means finding small, covered places to hide after Alucard departs from the speakers. There's a tiny little store room that he finds shelter beside, keenly aware of the chill of the evening air threatening to settle.]
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The Count is in high spirits, and is suspiciously well prepared to check off the items on Alucard's list.
Ah, blood sausage. Of course I have it. I've never known you to indulge in something so heavy, Hector.
He packs up their supplies into barrels and canvas sacks and sends them to the dock in a cart for Hector's crewman to load into the ship.
Of course, Germain can't resist stopping him at the door before he can make his escape. He tips his ridiculous top hat and smiles that 'I know more than you' grin.
Oh, and Hector...Walk the path that is meant for you without fear... For you are no longer alone...
He winks an eye, and the door closes of its own accord before Hector can demand an explanation.
Growling about mad bastards who dress themselves like troubadours, Hector stalks out of the warehouse distract and into the open market. The sky is darkening, and soon the last of the vendors will hurry back to their homes to bar their doors to the creatures of night.
Hector looks for Alucard in the darkest corners of the market first, because where else would a dhampir choose to hide himself?]
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[Alucard's question comes from the shadows he's cloaked himself in, although he refuses to step forward just yet. There's no sense of safety out in the open, not right now, and he has no interest in inviting danger to fall upon himself or Hector.
He knows where they must go, and he has to look at maps. Gauge how many days they will be at sea, and that will decide so much more.]
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Yes, I am ready to depart if you are.
[He does not turn to look for Alucard in the darkness.]
I would like us to be off as soon as possible, but if you don't feel up to another night of sailing, we can leave at dawn.
[He is keeping in mind that Alucard's ship sails itself, and he may not be used to keeping such a schedule of actively piloting a vessel like Hector's. Sailing at night is dangerous, both because that is when vampire ships are active, but also just because of the lack of visibility. They need to do it, but undertaking it without being prepared could be just as disastrous or more than lingering at a port to be discovered.]
Meet me back at the ship and we can talk more freely.
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[An understatement. One that sees Alucard remain in the shadows as he begins to walk, focused not on any problems or struggles with the idea of sailing for another night. It isn't a problem for him, not truly. He understands the basics of sailing, and Alucard knows he is the better candidate for night sailing than Hector if only for his eyes alone.
He keeps a swift pace, not looking anywhere but ahead until they are back at their dock. A dock they very much need to leave now. Only when there does Alucard uncloak himself from the shadows.]
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He returns above deck and begins preparing the ship to sail. He can’t be the one to navigate in the darkness, but he can assist until he finally turns in.]
How about your task? Success?
[That will determine if they maintain their original trajectory or plot a new course.]
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[But it is there. There's a hope yet, should they reach it.]
Would you like me to make dinner while we make a departure?
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There are maps and charts at the desk in my quarters. You check them while I get us out of the harbor. There's enough light left for me to pilot us out. Getting our course charted is the top priority.
[It's not like he's eaten well, sailing alone as he's done for the past couple of years. He can wait a little longer for Alucard's reportedly adequate cooking skills.]
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