!! - Greetings To The New Elder - !!

((Both Giacinto and Aleksandr will be written on this post because Giacinto will leave very shortly))

The two Elders stood conversing idly, leaning against the large, ornate, carved door at the top of the stairs in the vestibule.

Their reason for standing around in this large, empty room?

After the death of their previous Elf Elder, the coven needed a new Elder. Giacinto had called out to some of her many connections in hopes that one would reply and accept her invitation to become a joint leader of her coven.

One invitation had been accepted and he was expected to come any time now.

Giacinto wanted to give him a warm welcome into the coven and had decided to bring the one other Elder she could find - Aleksandr.

So until he arrived, the two of the waited and chatted idly, sharing the odd joke and chuckling softly amongst each other.

Lycus had received the invitation rather unexpectedly, granted he was probably the most qualified Elf currently in existence but he was a busy man and rather difficult to get along with.

He had debated over his reply to the Vampire Giacinto for quite a few days, coming to the conclusion that it was about time for his eldest son to take over his empire.

The Elf had ruled their business for a great many years now, it was time for a change of scene, though he would never consider retiring, this job seemed slightly less, intensive.

His car pulled up in the driveway and he could not help but tut softly under his breath as he stepped out of the door as it was opened for him, there was no one there to greet him.

His boots tapped against the pathway gently as he walk, pulling on his gloves and grasping his cane firmly as he made his way to the door and knocked firmly.

Giacinto almost flew down the stairs to the door when it was knocked on, cutting off Aleksandr mid-sentence.

The Lycan frowned softly but his expression evened out quickly. She was excited for the new Elder; of course it was expected for her to drop everything when he arrived. Aleksandr had seen it happen far too many times.

He stepped down the stairs slowly, pausing when the Vampire pulled open the door to reveal a very familiar face. His expression went blank for a moment before he swallowed thickly and let a soft, friendly smile curl his lips, descending the stairs again as Giacinto began to speak.

"Lycustheos, it's a pleasure to have you here," the Dhampir greeted with a bright smile. She was fond of the Elf. "I hope your trip wasn't too taxing." Her carmine eyes turned back to Aleksandr. "This is our Lycan Elder, Aleksandr."

Said Lycan bowed his head respectfully. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Lycustheus." He hoped this was only their first meeting. If it wasn't; he hadn't been fond of him in their time together in his distant past.

A small smile graced his lips as the Vampire Elder introduced herself.
"The pleasure is all mine, Giacinto.
The trip was unpleasant, my servants are as incompetent as always."

His eyes widened slightly before narrowing in on the man she introduced as he bowed, the icy stare baring into the man.

"I know his name."

He replied, placing his cane beneath the Lycan's chin and using it to raise his head so that the Elf could properly look at his face.

Lycus' eyes graced over his face intently, he knew this face all too well.

"I do believe I named him."

His smile took on a slightly crueler edge as he moved his cane away.

"It is always a pleasure to see you, Aleksandr."

"If you need anything, my servants are only a stone's throw away. Use them as you see fit." Her nameless faces were free for him to use as they were for anyone else in the Coven.

Her eyes turned back to Aleksandr and she gave an apologetic smile. She'd have to leave him alone with the Elf. "I'm needed elsewhere. Please, allow Alek to take care of you."

And then she flitted off. She had a lot of work to do today.

The Lycan's tongue lapped out over his lower lip when the cane touched his chin, silver eyes gazing at Giacinto's back as she disappeared.

And then his eyes snapped back to Lycus.

Fuck. He was who he thought he was. Fuck fuck fuck.

"So your name is Lycustheos? Better knowing it late than never, I suppose."

He fare-welled the woman and promised to get better acquainted with her when she was not so busy.

His attention turned back to the Lycan, his features didn't look angry but those cold, blue-almost white, eyes bore into him like daggers.

"Lycustheos Akonito, Lycus if you prefer."

He replied, seeing Aleksandr after so long was a shock, he had assumed that the man had died long ago.

"Though I distinctly remember you calling me something else, last time we met, what was it again? Oh yes, Master.
I think I much prefer that."

His lips twitched.

"We are equals here. Lycus will do just fine, I think."

He wouldn't allow himself to call the Elf Master. He wouldn't stoop so low. He had escaped that part of his life and he wouldn't willingly return to it.

Aleksandr gave a pleasant smile to the Elf and stood tall again.

Shorter than Lycus, he noted, the smile fading slightly. Lycus would have the advantage of height if things went awry. He didn't like that.

"Would you like a tour of the mansion?"

The Elf's lips quirked up at the word 'equals' he doubted that would be the case, he refused to be degraded to the same level as the common riff-raff and wander through these halls.

Giacinto wanted an Elder and she got one, no where in the job description did it say that he had to hold anyone else in high regard, because it simply would not happen.

"I suppose a tour would be customary."

He replied as he gazed around the room, visibly not awe-struck like any others would be, the mansion was simply another coven, no different from the others.

"This way then."

He'd take him around the rest of the mansion before showing him the rooms. He'd get the same as any other Elder here. A room to himself in one of the Wings.

He hadn't minded at all when Giaicnto had said he would get the room next to him but now he wished Lycus would take up a room in the Terra wing.

Oh well, he couldn't change that now. He would just have to suffer through it.

Alek pointed out each room as he passed it, heading upstairs once he had come full circle to do the same once again.

"The mansion is large but it isn't overly so. After learning where everything is, the mansion is easy to navigate."

Lycus followed the man's lead, walking next to him rather than behind, he would never dream of walking behind one of his Slaves, whether he was currently in possession of them or not.

He took not of rooms he would be need or held some interest to him, dismissing the uninteresting ones.

"It isn't really large, I'm sure I will be able to find my way around well enough."

He replied, he had owned larger mansions than this, navigating the hallways would be fairly easy.

"Giacinto's letter was rather vague, how many species are housed here?"

He asked, raising a quizzical eyebrow.

"Four, officially."

Belial and Achinoam were special cases.

"Vampires, Lycan, Necromancers and Elves." The ordering was a little dig at the Elf. Everyone was more important than the Elves. Lycus was new so he'd have to work up the ranks.

Would he even noticed that dig? Unlikely.

"But we do have two more people that don't fit with either species residing here. Belial and Achinoam - two Angels; one fallen and the other just visiting Earth."

"I can tell by the aura of the forest that the Elf population is quite low, such a shame, I'll simply have to fix that."

He would get everything here up to scratch then beginning bringing in more Elves, having such a large Lycan population and such a small Elf one was simply unacceptable.

"Keep Angels as company, now that is unheard of."

He added, Lycus had to admit that he had never met an Angel before, fallen or otherwise. He would make a point of going to introduce himself.

"Yes, there are so few Elves here."

His eyes turned to Lycus and he gave a pseudo-pleasant smile. "You have to meet my granddaughter. She has half Lycan; half Elf."

That was sure to piss him off. One of his kind stooping low enough to mate with another; even baring a child. He'd love to see the expression of disgust. "And her children are truly beautiful. Mostly Lycan, though, I'm afraid."

He tucked a strand of hair behind his ear with a soft hum as he led the man back down to the bottom floor.

"Your room is this way."

He pursed his lips slightly as he mentioned the hybrid, why would any Elf want the bare a Lycan's child? I was degrading to their species.

"How unfortunate for the children."

He replied, the children would've been better off with more Elven blood in them, but with a halfling as a mother they didn't have much hope to begin with.

Lycus walked beside Aleksandr, despite his height his steps were soft, a result of an Elf's sure footing.

"The children are very happy."

Luka and Cinaed were the happiest babies he had ever seen. They didn't care that they weren't pure-bred. And neither did any of their family. Everything was well and good with them.

"This is your room."

He stepped forwards to open the door for him, bowing mockingly.

"I fail to see how."

He replied, how could they be happy when their very existence was an insult to their Elven bloodline.

Lycus ignored the mocking nature of the bow and stepped into the room, smaller than his previous room, he noted.

His eyes examine the rather empty space in front of him, he would have to have one of his servants fix it to how he enjoyed having it, there was a distinct lack of greenery in the room.

"I suppose it will have to suffice."

"They have a loving mother and father. More than many people get. I, for one, would be quite happy as them."

He tried to keep the bitterness out of his voice as he spoke.

Lycus knew of his past and his family situation.

"This room is all you get. All the rooms are the same."

"I'm sure you would, but many people have higher aspirations than you do, Aleksandr."

He responded, his icy blue irises landing back on the man, no matter how old Alek got, no matter how strong, Lycus would always look down at him with those same, belittling eyes.

The Elf didn't have to say or do anything his gaze was enough to make even the most accomplished man feel utterly worthless.

"Evidently, I will simply have to make do."

He replied, removing his traveling jacket and placing it down on up his bed as he straightened out his waistcoat.

"I thought it was about time that I gave up my fanciful wants."

His lips quirked upwards as he stepped into the room and closed the door behind him, leaning back against it.

"I've done so much in my life after I left Greece. I think it's high time that I settled down somewhat. Chasing dragons and battling off evil creatures is in my past, I believe."

He wasn't that same boy that Lycus bought. He was older; stronger. Calmer.

He had done so much since he had left the Elf's reign.

"It's a shame you didn't give up back when you were in my possession, you would've saved yourself a lot of trouble."

He replied, his fingers drumming against the side of his cane and he placed his weight on one leg and watched the Lycan intently as he leaned against the door.

"Sounds like you have lived quite the exciting life, at least you did not waste your freedom, I suppose."

Aleksandr was the only Slave of his to ever escape, after he had done so all other attempted escapees were dealt with much more severely to deter further attempts.
Most of them were immediately terminated.

"When I was in your possession was when my fanciful wants were strongest."

His want to see the world was what drove him to escape. He had loved every thought of running free.

And now he was free. He was happy he was free.

"No, I didn't waste my freedom. I did anything and everything I felt like doing. And I still will. I'm still free." His lips quirked upwards a little.

He was still as free as a bird.

"As to be expected, you were only a child when I got you, of course you were going to have a romantic idealism of freedom, why do you think I was so lenient with you when you misbehaved."

He had been fair with Aleksandr, if he didn't misbehave he didn't get hurt, it was simply a shame that the Lycan refused to behave himself no matter how much it effected him negatively when he rebelled.

"Being free is a very subjective notion."

Alek was like a bird, and birds could still be caged and have their wings clipped no matter how long they had experienced freedom.

"Lenient isn't the word I would use for what you were."

There were quite a few choice words he could use for what Lycus was and had done to him. Most of which he had never used for anyone else before. All very unpleasant.

"I don't answer to anyone in the same way as I used to. I can do what I want when I want to do it. I dont have to cause a fight just to leave the mansion when I want to. No one gives me orders and no one tells me what I cannot do."

That was his current definition of free.

"Most of your hardships were brought upon by yourself, they were your own doing, I'll have you remember that fact."

He replied calmly, Lycus demanded the best from his Slaves, if Aleksandr had behaved then he would've had a much easier life by he condemned himself to a life of violence and punishment because of his inability to follow orders.

"There will always be things that bind you Aleksandr, whether you realise that or not."

The man was bound by his species, his morality and his mortality.

"I wouldn't go back and change that."

He had hated the way he had been treated but he would never regret each attempted escape or fight he created. They all annoyed Lycus and annoying the Elf was always something he had enjoyed doing.

"Of course. There will always be something. I'll never deny that."

His lips curled up into an almost-smirk. "But the thing that binds me isnt your Mastership so I am content."