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A dark draped carriage stopped in front of the council hall and I waited for the driver to open the door letting out our envoy from the Egyptian city. Me and all of my guardians were present as was Ecthelon and Gilorndir, as well as a good portion of the council. Uncle Lance was present as well, more due to the fact that he was going to go to their city when the envoy left. As the door to the carriage started to open Loki let out a low growl, and a voice wafts out of the inside.

"Ah Loki, getting a little long in the tooth aren't you. I am surprised you let yourself be shackled," a very tall pale man with closely cut black hair steps out of the carriage with a not quite as tall female behind him. The man turns to me and give a small bow, "Greeting Lady Hunter. I am Dramon Tepes, I am here as envoy of the City of the Night. My escort's name is Lita Rastuin, she serves the same place as your guardians, no?"

{Ah so she is his 'body guard'}, I see Cheshire nod on Zander's rump. I step forward, offering my hand. "Greeting to you as well, I would give you an honorific if I knew what was proper in this case." The vampire smiles and firmly shakes my hand, "well; considering who you are. There is none Lady Hunter, though you are also incapable of offering the proper greeting from a warm blood to one of my kind."

I look slyly at Alberich who responds with a chuckle, "well I am sure had you mt her over a year ago you could have had that greeting." The vampire nods his head grinning, "I do believe you are right. He turns to Loki who is still growling low, and I was surprised Uncle Lance hadn't yelled at him for it yet.

"Come now Loki, I won that fight a hundred years ago fairly and you know it." Loki quiets down, Dramon smiles. "Did you ever find your mate old wolf?" Loki growls again this time in a different tone, Cheshire explains to me. {The general people do not know he can speak and it is preferred that it not be known, vampires; for the most part. Learn all of the languages of the world.} The vampire frowns after a few minutes and looks to my uncle. "Sir Lance?" My uncle nods, "I humbly thank you for besting him. I knew him when he was a young wolf, just setting out to find his mate. He had entered a fighting competition in one of the dwarven cities, and I was his opponent. He had never met a vampire before, and at the time he thought I was just a 'funny smelling human'. He was very unhappy when I had bested him."

My uncle chuckles, "yes he doesn't like getting bested. As to what he told you, there was nothing I could do." Dramon nods his head, "understandable. You were probably called in to deal with the 'evil monster' anyway." Uncle Lance nods his head, one of the female shop keepers; from the weavers guild I believe then shrieks.

"Oh my God! Tepes! That means you're from Dracula's family!" I wince at the woman's foolishness. Dramon frowns and gently shakes his head turning to the woman, "first -human-. I am as likely to behave as the Legends of my grandfather depict him as The Lady Hunter's horny friend is likely to chase virgins." He waves a hand at Alberich as he speaks, the woman blushing once she realized her indiscretion.

"Secondly, when my grandfather existed was a much different time than it is now. While yes we vampires view the world differently than you humans do, we are not likely to do something inappropriate for the age we are living in. So no, I won't be shoving a pole into you for cheating on your husband; however. I would announce to the city about you having alone time with your priest." I chuckle, so the good Father isn't as devout as he'd like to show.

The woman went white and her husband turned to her with an angry look on his face and then takes his wife's hand and drags her away. Cheshire follows them, Dramon comments; "oh I doubt he'll hurt her. Her husband seems a good man, pity he married her." He then turns to look me in the eyes, "thirdly this is why my kind are the ruling council in the City of the Night. We discovered very quickly that humans tend to believe every myth out there as stated fact," he glances to Starburst. "No offense Dragon, in the case of your kind they are true however."

Starburst flutters his wings a moment kicking up some dust from the rooftop, "no worries. Most of my people are evil creatures, sometimes the truth is uncomfortable; but it is always the best course of action." The vampire nods his head, then turns to me again, "so am I to guess that my residence is inside this building somewhere?" I nod and extend my arm then lead him and his 'guard' inside the council chamber. I lead them to a new stairwell that was added to the end of the entry hall behind a door.

This upper portion of the council hall was made out of a salmon colored stone, that the dwarves had asked Starburst for help in moving. Normally they used their version of cranes to move these large slabs of stone, but with the city already built it wasn't possible. The elves had already come by and carved images from around the Nile near the door I set to be for Dramon's suite. "He pauses to admire the work, "very good depiction. Obviously elf carvings, so life like."

He turns to me, "if you could be so kind Lady Hunter. Have to person with your bottle bring it by and give us an hour to settle in. Then we would love a tour of the city." I nod my head and head to 'A Pleasant Plate' to let Ariawyn know that her bottle has been requested by the envoy.

Come to discover that yes, the bottle works. Dramon describing the flavor as, "not the best champagne; but like a good mid range wine." Which tells em that we need to have my uncle take him to Hekkogar's in later for drinks.

I started their tour with our newest residents, Moonbeam decided after ninety percent of his men had been slaughtered. That maybe he needed to have his people settle someplace, so they took an unused portion of our farming lands and was turning it into a commune. They have petitioned the council to pay their taxes in throwing a festival once a year that they provide everything for. We agreed provided they do not use God given drinks, which they have promised.

Dramon stated how wonderfully clean our streets were, and I explained the aftermath of the minotaur funeral. He chuckles, "well at least you put the punishment to good use. I shall have to remember that one for later."

We approach the commune and Flower comes out of it in a hurry, "sorry Hunter Gwen. I should be at practice, but Moonbeam wished me to be here to introduce the commune to the envoy." Dramon looks at her questioningly, "you are doing fighting training? How odd for one of your kind." She bows her head, "yes Sir Envoy. However I have reason for this desire to do so. I was in the hands of slavers after my family was slaughtered." Dramon nods his head, "well child; good for you. I do hope you do well in your endeavor, go on to your training then." Flower pauses before going, "um. Moonbeam wished for me to show you around because he knows some people find his method of talking odd, and wanted to give a good impression."

Dramon smiles, "sweet child. I commend your loyalty to your people, I have been 'around' a while. I do know how your people typically speak, it will be fine." Flower nods her head and heads off to the Hunter compound. Lita growls low when Flower passes her and Dramon turns to watch Lita, who appeared to be trying to catch a scent that she had just missed.

When Lita stops growling Dramon indicates we should go into the commune. Which went better than I thought it would, Dramon was not fazed by Moonbeam's method of speaking and had to tell Moonbeam that he had sent Flower off to do her training. Also mentioning how impressed he was that Moonbeam let her take part in it.

I finish the tour with the Hunter's Compound, as it is mostly what Dramon is here for. While the buildings of my city were impressive to him, for the most part the city itself didn't impress. Considering his age it didn't surprise me all that much. He did place a large jewelry order at Miresgalsell's shop, half from the half elves half from the full elves. He said this way he had jewelry to impress at court and some for everyday wear.

We enter the compound to the sound of young Lance training with Ecthelon, my uncle watching with Loki near the gate. Once we walk in Lita freezes sniffing the air and Dramon warily turns to watch her a moment then scans the area. Loki growls low in warning, Dramon leans over to me and whispers. "Lady Hunter you need to tell your Arms Master to stop training the boy while we are here, hurry and then I'll explain." Curious I focus on Ecthelon, {Dramon wants you to stop working with Lance right now and then he'll explain why}. I see Ecthelon nod as he dodges a swing and holds up his hand Lance puts his sword down and Ecthelon just drops his. {Why do I get the feeling he has an inkling}?

Lita relaxes the moment Ecthelon drops his sword, and Dramon walks the woman over to my seating area and waves everyone over but stands between Lita and young Lance. My uncle looks at the female vampire and sighs shaking his head then mutters something and walks away. {He's going to ask Miresgalsell if there is a Holy Silver that vampires are not against}. Cheshire says in my mind and I sit waiting for Dramon's explanation.

He squats down to look the female vampire in the eyes, "as Family Leader. You must tell me, are you now calm?" The female nods her head slowly and he stands then bows to me, "pardon Lady Hunter. It seems your boy Hunter here is Lita's Mate, as he is not an adult yet by species standards she will be extremely over protective of him. I had to mentally hold her still while you had your Arms Master stop training the boy."

I turn my head to young Lance who was trying to look around Dramon's body, Dramon continues. "This is going to be a sticky situation, as the bonding of a being to a vampire can be one sided. However as he is a Hunter it won't be," he waves a hand while holding his head. "While he is still a child it will be one sided, as he does not have his ability to block her controlling influence until adulthood."

I nod understanding, "would proximity help them out at all?" Dramon thinks a few minutes, "honestly I do not know. We've never seen a vampire bond to a Hunter before Lady." I look at Lance who is still trying to look around Dramon's body, "but would it help if he were a normal human?" A ball of white fur and feathers then dive bombs Lance making Lita jump up and Dramon quickly grabs her. He shakes her in his grasp, "do you not see the tail ring on that gryphon girl? That is his Guardian." The female vampire quiets, Dawn looks about and asks, "why is everyone so serious?"

Her brother makes a dignified landing and bows to Dramon, "pardon my sister Sir Envoy. She was not the brightest egg in the clutch." He turns to his sister, "if you had listened to uncle Cheshire you'd know that the female vampire is Mated to your boy. She thought when you dive bombed him you were trying to hurt him.

Thankfully Dawn pales at the thought, and her ear tufts droop; she turns to Dramon. "sorry Sir I have a problem of not thinking before I act." Dramon steers the female back to the seat he had put her in before and responds to Dawn. "You need to change that child, before someone is hurt on your account." He then turns to me, "in answer to your previous question. Yes in a normal human proximity would help, as they need to form a mental bond. Which only happens through proximity, I do not know if what ever makes you Hunters immune to us will prevent that though."

I turn to the children, "alright all of you but Lance. Go to your swimming class I am sure Cheshire has informed Queen Azure of what has occurred." Cheshire lands on the table, "of course Cheshire did. The Queen has stated for now Lance will not be going there for training either." The children all quickly leave and Dramon relaxes some and steps out of the way of the two and Lance walks over to Lita who sits him on her lap cuddling him. I shake my head, "so I am hoping this will calm down over time?"

Dramon looks at the two, "I certainly hope so. Is this boy who will be replacing your uncle when he is old enough?" I nod my head, and he responds. "How very -convenient- of the Gods to give Lita this then." He rubs his forehead again as if he had a headache and sits bow and waves Ecthelon over. "Let me give you some city history while we let their bond work on itself."