I came to pick you up with one of the limousines, Sir?”
Alfred never ceased to amaze him.
“Please do that. We’ll be waiting, Alfred.”
“Very well, Sir.”
“Oh, and... Alfred?”
“Sir?”
Adrijan was tempted to ask him not to take Vivian along but decided that it was too much to ask of the old man. If Vivian had set his mind on something there was nothing that could keep him from doing it.
“Nevermind. Thank you, Alfred.”
“Not at all, Sir.”
Adrijan put the phone back into his pocket. Not only for the girl’s sake was he hoping that they wouldn’t have to wait for long. Exhausted he closed his eyes and put his hands over Mairin’s.
Her head was pounding and she was shivering even though the coat he had made her slip into was very much like the blanket she had been allowed to use at the hideout. Tied to Adrijan and with the helmet on she wasn’t in a very comfortable position. Her whole body felt cramped and stiff and the only thing giving her comfort was the touch of her saviour’s hands. Mairin longed for the comfortable warmth of her bed, a cup of sage tea with honey for her sore throat and a deep slumber that would drive away all pain and weariness. Maybe Adrijan would make it possible for her.
“Do you want to see the picture?”
Adrijan wished he could wipe the smirk off Vivian’s face. Of course the immortal had been with Alfred when he had come to pick them up. And of course he hadn’t refrained from taking a photo with his mobile phone. Adrijan groaned.
“Aw, come on, don’t be like that. It looks like the two of you had a lot of fun.”
“Not as much as you do now,” he grumbled.
There was no point in starting an argument – at least not while Vivian was treating his wound in the medical office that was only a minuscule part of his home. Out of the two of them he had obviously chosen the more practical profession.
“You didn’t have to risk that much for the girl.” Vivian’s voice had suddenly turned silent and sober. “There is always a replacement for the bride, but what were I to become without you, frater ?”
Frater … Vivian surely didn’t miss out on any opportunity to provoke him. Was he talking to him as a priest or as his brother?
“Don’t say that. She would’ve been raped… if not worse.”
Vivian stopped tending to his wound, lifted his head and looked him into the eyes.
“ Worse you say? I can’t imagine anything worse .”
The immortal paused for a moment before continuing his work. When he did, he was less gentle then before, causing Adrijan to feel a sharp sting in his arm.
“Even so I wouldn’t trade your life or happiness for hers – or anyone else’s for that matter,” he added focusing on the injury.
“Still, it would have been wrong to-“ An irate look given by his half-brother made Adrijan lapse into silence. If he continued to maintain his ground they would inevitably end up discussing their past, which was something he was determined to avoid. After all, it was his fault that Vivian had lost the person who had been dearest to him and the least he could do was to keep the promise he had made to Magdala to stay by his side.
“I apologise,” Adrijan murmured.
It was unusual for the immortal to lose his temper. Was there still something he didn’t know about his past? Or was it perhaps about the fate of the brides? They were always given a choice but he was wondering whether what was asked of them was in reality worse than what he had saved Mairin from. Maybe Vivian’s thoughts were of a similar nature.
“This water-proof sticking plaster will allow you take a shower, but I’m going to bandage your arm properly afterwards. Come back as soon as you’re done, I’ll be waiting.”
There was no sign in Vivian’s voice that he was bearing a grudge against him. Hopefully he had decided to forget about the whole matter.
Adrijan nodded.
“Thank you.”
It seemed that he was still at least an hour
Alfred never ceased to amaze him.
“Please do that. We’ll be waiting, Alfred.”
“Very well, Sir.”
“Oh, and... Alfred?”
“Sir?”
Adrijan was tempted to ask him not to take Vivian along but decided that it was too much to ask of the old man. If Vivian had set his mind on something there was nothing that could keep him from doing it.
“Nevermind. Thank you, Alfred.”
“Not at all, Sir.”
Adrijan put the phone back into his pocket. Not only for the girl’s sake was he hoping that they wouldn’t have to wait for long. Exhausted he closed his eyes and put his hands over Mairin’s.
Her head was pounding and she was shivering even though the coat he had made her slip into was very much like the blanket she had been allowed to use at the hideout. Tied to Adrijan and with the helmet on she wasn’t in a very comfortable position. Her whole body felt cramped and stiff and the only thing giving her comfort was the touch of her saviour’s hands. Mairin longed for the comfortable warmth of her bed, a cup of sage tea with honey for her sore throat and a deep slumber that would drive away all pain and weariness. Maybe Adrijan would make it possible for her.
“Do you want to see the picture?”
Adrijan wished he could wipe the smirk off Vivian’s face. Of course the immortal had been with Alfred when he had come to pick them up. And of course he hadn’t refrained from taking a photo with his mobile phone. Adrijan groaned.
“Aw, come on, don’t be like that. It looks like the two of you had a lot of fun.”
“Not as much as you do now,” he grumbled.
There was no point in starting an argument – at least not while Vivian was treating his wound in the medical office that was only a minuscule part of his home. Out of the two of them he had obviously chosen the more practical profession.
“You didn’t have to risk that much for the girl.” Vivian’s voice had suddenly turned silent and sober. “There is always a replacement for the bride, but what were I to become without you, frater ?”
Frater … Vivian surely didn’t miss out on any opportunity to provoke him. Was he talking to him as a priest or as his brother?
“Don’t say that. She would’ve been raped… if not worse.”
Vivian stopped tending to his wound, lifted his head and looked him into the eyes.
“ Worse you say? I can’t imagine anything worse .”
The immortal paused for a moment before continuing his work. When he did, he was less gentle then before, causing Adrijan to feel a sharp sting in his arm.
“Even so I wouldn’t trade your life or happiness for hers – or anyone else’s for that matter,” he added focusing on the injury.
“Still, it would have been wrong to-“ An irate look given by his half-brother made Adrijan lapse into silence. If he continued to maintain his ground they would inevitably end up discussing their past, which was something he was determined to avoid. After all, it was his fault that Vivian had lost the person who had been dearest to him and the least he could do was to keep the promise he had made to Magdala to stay by his side.
“I apologise,” Adrijan murmured.
It was unusual for the immortal to lose his temper. Was there still something he didn’t know about his past? Or was it perhaps about the fate of the brides? They were always given a choice but he was wondering whether what was asked of them was in reality worse than what he had saved Mairin from. Maybe Vivian’s thoughts were of a similar nature.
“This water-proof sticking plaster will allow you take a shower, but I’m going to bandage your arm properly afterwards. Come back as soon as you’re done, I’ll be waiting.”
There was no sign in Vivian’s voice that he was bearing a grudge against him. Hopefully he had decided to forget about the whole matter.
Adrijan nodded.
“Thank you.”
It seemed that he was still at least an hour
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