Madara jumps off her ghoul-horse, wraps its reins around the wrought-iron fence surrounding Amalia's above-ground crypt entrance, and knocks quickly on the appearingly-rotting wooden door. After a few moments of silence, Madara hears a scuttling noise from behind the door as one of Amalia's ghouls peers through the cracks, and then when she's recognized he opens the door and nvites her in. Madara asks if she may see his mistress-- if it isn't inconvenient-- and the ghoul nods and tells her to follow.
The two make their way down the dark and chilly stairway paved with ancient stones until they reach the level of Amalia's chambers. They continue down a shadowy hallway-- torchlight flickering and making intimidating shapes on the walls-- until they reach Amalia's chamber doors. The ghoul knocks and they wait.
The door slowly opens, revealing an opulent chamber that is much at odds with the sparse, chilly dungeon of the crypts.
Amalia is lying on a deep red velvet couch, her arm draped around the figure of a great cat -- easily the size of a jungle tiger, but pure black in color. As Madara nears, she sees the eyes of the cat glow a dull red, and seem to be fasceted and sparkle like gems. The cat twitches an ear disinterstedly, then turns its gaze back to the face of its Mistress.
Amalia slowly strokes the velvety fur of the creature, her face troubled. When she sees Madara enter her expression smooths and she sits up, smiling welcomly.
"Madara! What brings you to my home? All is well, I hope?" Amalia asks.
Madara watches the ghoul move back down the hallway, enters the room, and closes the doors behind her. She turns back to Amalia and really notices the cat now. In her element, she walks towards the cat and Amalia slowly-- leaning over slightly-- and purrs soothingly to the large cat in the feline-speech she's learned over the centuries to see if it will respond.
The great cat yawns and rests its head on its paws, closing its jeweled eyes.
"She does not know what you are saying," Amalia interjects as Madara attempts to communicate with it. "She is not quite a real cat."
When Madara looks up at her in surprise, Amalia continues. "Part of my research to bring Dominic's soul back. He must have a body to inhabit..and I do not relish using the body of some recently deceased mortal. I am going to build him a body that I create with my own hands..." her eyes go unfocused and she seems to be lost in thought.
She shakes her head, returning her violet gaze to her friend. "The cat has no soul, nor any life really.. the poor thing does little more than sleep. But it has the semblance of life, which is a small step in my research. She keeps me company, and doesn't pester me with questions as my ghouls do."
"So what brings you here? I had not expected you.. we do not see each other very often as late, what have you been doing to keep busy?" she asks with more curiosity than perhaps she normally would.
Madara studies the cat in amazement as Amalia talks about her work, and then looks up at Amalia. "I am sorry for ignoring you and trying to talk to your...cat instead-- an old habbit from my reclusive days where I only kept animals for company. I know exactly what you mean about preferring them, at times. But this is amazing!" Madara walks the rest of the way to the couch. "You created this cat, yourself!" She runs her hand lovingly over the soft plush of the cat's fur and remarks about how real it feels. As she opens her mouth to ask Amalia how hard it would be to make a different animal, her eyes meet Amalia's and she suddenly feels breathless and light-headed. When she tries to take her eyes away from Amalia's she finds that her body's been frozen again...is Giacova's influence getting stronger??
Giacova's voice sighs quietly in her head: "Oooh, you really made Amalia gorgeous, Madara! Your finest work of art..." and Madara suddenly DOES notice how beautiful Amalia is-- she's even more beautiful than Madara was able to make herself! Why hadn't she noticed this before-- why had she only looked at Amalia's face as a successful project instead of...no, stop. They are good friends! "What is Giacova doing to me?" she moans inwardly. "For 10 years I have felt nothing in my dead heart, and then tonight twice now she's tried to warm it, and with those I most respect!"
Madara realizes she's been gazing unspeakingly at Amalia for a minute now and stands up straight, flushing. "I am sorry, Amalia, please forgive me. I just..."
"...never realized what a beautiful, desireable woman you are before..." 'Giacova' finishes-- the words out of Madara'a mouth before she can stop them. She claps a hand over her mouth, her eyes open in terror.
Amalia's eyes widen slightly and she stands. "I beg your pardon?" She instinctively touches her collarbone with cold fingers, then quickly changes the gesture to toy with a pendant hanging from her neck instead.
Madara takes a step backwards. "Oh Amalia, I did not mean to say that! Please believe me! It's G...it's this voice in my head that suddenly decided that it wants some attention...wants me to get some attention...I cannot seem to do anything when it decides it wants something!" Madara continues talking faster and faster, her voice getting slightly higher and breathier as she goes.
"Yes, it has been 10 years since I loved someone, but can It not see that I do not want to love anyone ever again? No one wants to be faithful-- I am not enough for 1 person!" Madara hurries forward getting on one knee before Amalia in supplication. "Please forgive me-- I am making myself out to look like a fool in front of you! You who I respect so deeply..." Madara feels that nightmarish denial when again her body is taken over, and she watches out of strange eyes as her own hands move up and grasp Amalia's icy-cold hands, and then her face turns up to Amalia's. "Amalia...please do not leave me to wander this earth alone! The decades will pass into centuries...centuries of torment alone with no one to warm our dead flesh! Men will only betray us...Childer will be taken from us...we have only each other to trust..." Madara watches in shuddering fear as her hands start caressing Amalia's hands to warm them, and then she sees a light...beautiful vein throbbing in Amalia's wrist, and she is overcome by desire. Her mouth rushes forwards and she feels her body sigh as her fangs pierce through Amalia's pale flesh and the sweet, sweet blood rushes into her mouth.
Amalia gasps as the ecstacy of the Kiss overtakes her. She feels the blood rushing to Madara's hungry mouth, her words echoing endlessly through Amalia's skull. "Do not leave me to wander this earth alone...."
Suddenly the years of lonliness and dispair wash over Amalia anew and she sinks to the foor, Madara still clutching hungrily to her wrist. Her arm slips around Madara's torso and a single blood-filled tear slips slowly down her cheek as she rests her head on Madara's shoulder, clasping her closely to her.
Madara feels Amalia put her arm around her, and relief mixed with great surprise rushes over her. She takes her mouth away from Amalia's wrist and looks up at her face-- seeing the lone, red tear running down the flawless cheek-- and a great swelling of emotion rips through Madara's breast. She reaches her hand up, wipes away the tear, and as Giacova moves back into subconscious shadows, Madara bursts into tears and throws her arms around Amalia, weeping. "Please...do not...leave me alone, Amalia...I will...never forsake you..." Madara forces out between sobs as the years of unreturned fidelty, betrayal, pain, and loss threaten to overwhelm her.
Amalia encircles Madara with her arms, holding her close, rocking her as she would a child. "Shhhhh....." she croons. "It will be alright. I will take care of you, it's alright.." She feels a wave of contentment wash over her as she holds Madara in a protective embrace.
The firelight casts eerie shadows as Amalia bends to drink from Madara's neck, strange demonic figures that cavort along the walls and cackle with the fire. Amalia lets out a breathy sigh and raises her head, staring into Madara's tear-streaked face. "You won't be alone any longer," Amalia promises her, gently caressing Madara's cheek.
Madara feels relief flood through her at Amalia's words, and looks up at Amalia's alabaster face accented with crimson. She closes her eyes and pulls Amalia's lips to hers, and gives her the most pure, most sincere and loving kiss that Amalia has had since being with her Childe. Then Madara cranes her neck so that Amalia can still have access to it, but also so that now she has access to Amalia's. She strokes the skin on Amalia's neck slowly with one finger-- such pure whiteness-- before she sinks her fangs in and begins to drink, as well. 10 years of longing combine with unexpected desire and the Beast takes over, compelling Madara to pull Amalia to the floor with her.
Amalia bites deeply into Madara's exposed neck, feeling the rush of ecstacy as the vitae flows into her mouth. She sinks to the floor with Madara, cradling her close, closing her eyes and letting the sensations wash over her, as everything else but Madara fades into Oblivion.
Time passes...Madara opens her eyes and finds herself laying on the floor wrapped protectively around Amalia's resting form. She can still feel warmth suffused through Amalia's normally ice-cold flesh, but she can tell it won't be long before the chill returns. She gets up on one elbow and peers down lovingly at Amalia, noting the extreme contrast between her soot-colored lashes and the ivory cheeks they lay upon...and the blood still tinging her pale lips. She is so different than any other woman Madara has ever seen-- so exquisite, yet corpse-like at times. Madara thinks at that moment that she will never grow tired of gazing upon her, and continues to drink in all that makes Amalia her unique self. Madara feels rather plain in comparison, and then looks down and notices how disheveled she looks.
She quickly slips her other arm out from under Amalia gently, and stands up. As she buttons up her shirt, she takes in the richness and splendor of Amalia's chambers. Tucking her shirt into her breeches, and then her breeches into her boots, she makes a round of the room to collect the rest of her things. She makes one final stop at Amalia's side to bend and whisper, "Sleep, my precious lovely Amalia-- I must return to my duties for now, but you will be in my thoughts always." She turns and leaves Amalia's chambers, shutting the door softly behind her.
Amalia's eyes glitter through half closed eyes as she watches Madara leave her room. Once the other vampire is gone, she stretches and sits up, gathering her clothes about her.
Her mouth curves up to a smile as she remembers Madara's last words, then she calls to one of her ghouls to attend her. The Prince has called for a meeting regarding the troubling news out of Klausenburg and it would not do to be late.