Prince Philip’s POV

Yes! Yes! Yes!

That’s what I wished to scream but I needed a bit of composure. Losing my mind here might make him change his mind. “What are the conditions?” I couldn’t ask whether there were any traps. That would be too presumptuous of me.

“Do you know what I am?” He asked.

I couldn’t guess. I didn’t have the slightest clue. “No,” I said respectfully. “My knowledge in the occult is limited.”

“I am a vampire.”

I had no clue what a vampire was. I nodded. “Of course, apologies for my ignorance. It’s an honour to meet a vampire. W—” I cut my words short. I was about to ask what powers I’d gain were I to accept his offer; however, I had just implied that I knew what they were. How could I ask anything? Would I be forced into agreeing without getting in any words?

“My prince,” someone called out. One of my knights who had drawn his sword earlier still stood on guard. His confusion and wonder having passed, his face now filled with anger and hatred.

“Do not listen to his wor—.” His sword turned and stabbed the gap between his arm and chest plate.

“Don’t intervene,” said the boy. Three swords stabbed towards him.

“Stop!” I yelled. However, the boy disappeared, and a bat reappeared in the air.

“If you wish to continue the discussion meet me outside the castle gate tonight.” The words resonated in my mind.

#

Aidar’s POV

“I think that went as well as it could.”

“I agree,” whispered Dandellion.

I guess it would be expected that a vampire’s servant would love the night. But recently he had gotten out of hand. He’d spend his nights dissipated over the entirety of town. Everywhere I went I felt like I was in him. He interfered with my love of privacy. His excuse was that he liked to bask in as much moonlight as possible; however, I knew that, wasn’t it. Were that the case he wouldn’t mind speaking, yet he only drifted quietly around town. It seemed instinctive. A protective reflex he couldn’t overcome.

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“I have come,” whispered another voice. I flew down the castle wall. There the prince stood covered in a brown tarp.

I landed next to him and retook my human form. “Have you come to a decision?”

The young man nodded. “I accept immortality.”

I smiled. “I’m glad. But first how will you deal with your men?”

“Deal with them? Won’t I look the same as before?”

I tapped my chin. “Yes, but you’ll fall asleep for a month. The transformation takes time. Perhaps I should have told you earlier.” I couldn’t help but chuckle. “I could always poison them all.”

“If that’s what must be done.”

I froze. This man had lost it. He couldn’t even bother to think of a solution. I suppose it would make him easier to control. I think. Wasn’t the saying the clearer his intentions/goal the easier it is to control? It didn’t matter “No. You’ll need them. Do you think I’m giving you immortality so you can go off and sleep for eternity?” It was his turn to freeze. As he wouldn’t speak, I continued. “I came to you because I sensed your ambition. The ambition to become king.” Oh, I just thought of a better idea. “Immortality isn’t free. You will pay me with your greatest ambition. The kingdom. In return I shall grant you immortality. But don’t worry I’m not too greedy. I’ll let you take the throne. You’ll only need to carry the few orders I may hand out. How does that sound?”

“Yes. Yes. Yes.” The prince got on one knee. Perhaps he thought the deal too good to be true earlier. “For immortality I will slay all you require, I will grant you all I can, I will become your slave.”

He had lost it. “Then I have a solution to this military problem. I will turn you into a vampire tonight and once unconscious I will take control of your body and return your men to a city between here and Venice. There I shall request reinforcements from the king.”

“One quarter.”

My head leaned to the side.

“You cannot take your army further than one quarter of the way between here and Venice. Any further and he will take it as an act of rebellion. One army is stationed in Milan. You will be stopped there.”

“Very well,” I said. “I won’t go further than the base of the Alps."

The prince nodded and looked expectantly into my eyes.

“Let’s go.” I led him into the castle.

#

“Remember, use the memories in that man’s head to teach a class of fifty how to use magic. If some must go hungry it’s fine, just make sure we form some magical warriors. And if anyone attacks call me, I’ll rush back.”

Dandellion didn’t respond. If he had a body, he’d probably be rolling his eyes but that didn’t concern me. This situation was caused by his inflexibility.

Under brown sheets I returned Philip’s body back to the camp and slipped into bed.

#

Although Prince Philip’s strategist discouraged it, I ordered the army to return to a fortified city a week’s march from Lausanne. I also managed to slow our pace by a day and a half by faking injury. Not to mention a storm rolled by and flooded the path forcing us to take a three-day-long detour.

“Bring a quill and some parchment,” I ordered my scribe. “Write the following down. I have reason to believe that the Alexander of Lausanne is no more. His body is inhabited by a humanoid devil. Not only did he turn into a bat, when bolts neared him, he disappeared only to reappear a few instants later. When he landed one of my knights tried to attack him only to have his body taken over. He thrust his sword into a gap of his armour. I request additional reinforcements. This demon must be eliminated at all costs in the name of God’s grace.”