Union Princes wrote:"Well, look who's here lads!" a Deathwatch Knight shouted to his compatriots when he saw Morr Grimm joining the session. "It's Sir Morr Grimm!"
Immediately, all eyes turned over to greet the vintner followed by japes and salutations.
"Sir Morr Grimm! How wonderful it is to join us!" cheered the Lesser Vampire that lacks a nose yet his smile was genuine and pleasing.
"Ha! The old guard has arrived." A Lesser Vampire laughed. He was young, really young; even by human years and he carried a aura of eagerness and optimism that contrast that of Morr Grimm's
"Brought wine to share?" A Lesser Vampire with an eyepatch grunted. Grimm brought the wine bottle out of his bag in response causing the eyepatch Vampire to snicker. "You never disappoint your elders."
And on and on the small talk continued as all the Lesser Vampires quickly told stories of their adventurers and most importantly, their kills.
"This nose I lost?" said the Vampire who is known as Sir Gregor von Stahl. "Fuckin' lost it to a warg! A WARG! Can you believe it? Had to kill it with my bare hands 'cause my fuckin' axe was stuck in the corpse of a bear!"
Sir Grimm said nothing though his eyes gave a hint of amusement.
The really young vampire, Sir Matthias von Yermolayevich, really hollered in laughter. "My poor elder. If it was me, I could kill a warg and a bear with only a bare hand!"
"Oh shut your cock!"
Morr Grimm had already left the crowd to place his wine bottle next to the rest of the wine beverages. They too had labels written over them: Mournheim, Oberstyre, Sternburg Gate, and many others. Some had pale red liquid, others had black red liquid, and many had the same deep red color like Grimm's Stonehollow wine.
Behind him, the vampire knight could already hear a change in tone with his brethren as they soon began talking about a different subject. One that he knew without turning around.
"Sir Grimm," Sir Yermolayevich walked over to ask Grimm, "Who's the the girls following ye? Don't tell me your planning to build a harem out of humans!" The young vampire chuckled at his own joke at the end yet Grimm wasn't responding at all.
When Grimm did spoke, he wanted to be done with this whole affair. "Everyone, get your chalices and make for a toast!"
While everyone brought ought their cups and mugs to fill with wine, Grimm looked over to Siona and Rithi with a glared that demand utter silence with to proceedings. This event is not meant for humans. His eyes seem to say.
All the Lesser Vampires poured their wine into each other's cups as they began to prepare a toast before the statue. A Deathwatch Knight, Sir Randolf von Petrovich, came before the gathering at the foot of the statue to present the worlds of the Lesser Vampires.
"Friends, Comrades, Brothers..." He began with his mug raised in the air. "Eons ago, this land of Ravyrnyra was of rock, stone, and dust. Endless war raged upon this soil, a futile war, a corrupt war. The Higher Vampires were leeches and cowards for they were the last one to enter battle and the first ones to leave. We were puppets on a string only to be thrown away if our usefulness has diminished. But not him!" Sir Petrovich raised his mug to that statue.
"Not Drakula von Krieg! He was strong, he was smart, and he was brave! He did what no one else did: unification. Not by poison but rallying the Lesser Vampires to his cause. He gave use purpose: to be the best warriors that world has ever known. After all those wasted years, slaying each other, Drakula von Krieg gave us the respect we deserve!"
All the Lesser Vampires raised their mugs and cups of wine in unison.
"Hail the victorious champion!" Sir Petrovich saluted with his mug before drinking with great gusto.
"Hail the victorious champion!" repeated the gathered knights of Ravyrnyra before drinking the wine like a man dying of thirst.
Siona listened to the vampires, but said nothing. They all laughed and joked, chuffing Morr Grimm on the shoulder as they greeted him. He said nothing, but it was clear from the greeting he received that he was one of the most respected in their gathering. Rithi seemed uncomfortable, afraid even, but Siona made sure to show nothing. She watched with curiosity, making a mental note to write this experience down later. She knew a few College mages who might like to read about this ceremony of sorts.
"Siona, what are we-" Siona smacked Rithi in the shoulder with her knuckles, giving her the hint to shut up. Siona had looked at Morr Grimm, and his eyes seemed to say 'shut the fuck up right now. This is not for you, and you are only here because I am allowing it.' Siona certainly got the message.
The vampires all uncorked their wine, and Siona hoped for the best as she did the same with hers. She raised hers with the vampires, but said nothing, before taking a long tug. It was the best wine she had ever tasted. It was everything and more than she has believed it would be. She smacked her lips as she swallowed, suddenly finding her spirits lifted with the joy of drinking something as magnificent as Stonehollow Wine. She put it into Rithi's hand, and gave her a look of her own, trying to communicate that her young companion only take one drink. She got the message, taking a good drink as well and smiling, before handing the bottle back to Siona. She took it and corked it again, holding the bottle loosely in her fingers by her side.