The New Clan Of Nimlad

Would you mind if I hurt you …?
Understand if I beat you…?
What have you done now…!

I know we’d better stop trying
You know that there’s no denying
I won’t show mercy on you now…

I know I should stop believing
I know there’s no retrieving
It’s over now…

WHAT HAVE YOU DONE NOW ?
I… I’ve been waiting for someone like you
And now you’re slipping away
What have you done now !
There’s a curse between us

Would you mind if I killed you…
Would you mind if I tried to ?
What have you done…

Within Temptation,
What have you done


Chap 10: Nimlad Land and Manor


(note to me: Holy Vampire's Night: The night of Creation, the night of Revenge, the night of Passion)

It was at about this time that everything started to go wrong. I had realized something. You couldn't make someone love you, no matter how much you wanted to. I knew I had fallen for Harry. I was destined to live with him because I had chosen him, unconsciously. But I had not paid attention to the fact that he had had no choice in the matter, and that he could very possibly hate me for it. After all, Harry Potter hadn't had a lot of choices in his life. He had been pre-destined for most of them. You people must understand that he was extremely brave in his decisions. I respect him so much for that.
That morning, I was introduced to my new property by the two old vampires, Griefdaled and Sliver. I still live in it, even if some parts were destroyed during the war. They were re-built, but it was never the same after that. Some memories that you have, never totally go, they never completely leave you, and it is the same thing for some parts of your life, some places that stay dear in your heart.
But most of all, that day, I learnt about Holy Vampire's Night. And this was going to change my mind about many things...

I ran to my bedroom. Fighting back the tears that were rolling down my cheeks, I opened the door, and slammed it behind me. I quickly put off the night dress I was wearing, and pulled on the fancy robes. I tried to do the straps up on the back, and yelled my fury when I couldn't, testing the salty taste of my tears. I threw my hands up in despair, and suddenly I felt the buttons do themselves up. Ah. I smiled while sobbing, and in a great effort, opened the door and ran downstairs. It was still very early, and a bit dark. About 6 in the morning, I guessed.
I passed the first floor staircases, sobbing loudly, crying my sorrow, and saw a shadow. I stopped dead, holding my breath, in the middle of the stairs. I turned back a little, slowly, and saw a girl. Ginny, in her white, lovely night dress, looking straight at me. Her face was frozen, but her lips were closed tightly. She obviously didn't know what to think, or what to do. I swallowed my tears and saliva loudly, and stared back straight to her, chin up. A lot of my tears were falling down, now. I stayed silent, and slowly, turned back again with the last of my pride, and ran down. I didn't turn again. I went to the sitting room where I thought was Griefdaled and Sliver, but the room was completely empty, except for the light strays of the sunrise that lit an object. It was my bag. I quickly picked it up, stood in the middle of the room, panicked, and muttered, crying: 'Please, please, I need you, Griefdaled, Sliver, come !' I heard a small noise, something like the bruising of the winter leaves shaken by the wind; and turned around. The 2 old vampires were standing in the doorway, worry in their eyes. I came near them, and whispered in a broken voice:
-"We need to leave, quickly. Somewhere safe."
The old Lady saw my tears, got nearer, and stoke my hair gently. She murmured in a kind, pure voice:
-"Yes, of course, my Lady. We're going."
She took my hand, and led my towards the front door, Sliver following. She didn't touch the handle. She just made a sign to Sliver with her chin, and muttered an incantation. She pressed my hand a little harder, and in a switch, we were gone.


We Apparated in an old library. The room wasn't very bright, as only a few strays came by the window, but very large. There were high wooden shelves filled by books, old and new, up to the ceiling. The floor was covered by a velvety structure, and the whole thing was dusty and smelling old.

-"We are in Nimlad Lands and Manor, my Lady. Your property." Griefdaled said, smiling at me.

Still holding hands, we headed towards the door, when in a loud 'crack', another house elf appeared in our way. A female elf, dressed in a dark red, dirty cloth, with large and pointy ears, and short. She looked at us with doubt, and then lifted her head up directly to stare into my eyes. Immediately, she looked down again, and addressing the 2 vampires, bowed to the floor.

-"Master Sliver, Mistress Griefdaled, I is very happy to greet you. I is Fizzy, from the family of the house elves that served you when you left."

She turned a bit, her head still down, and bowed lower, this time addressing me:
-"Fizzy is very, very honoured to greet the new Lady ! I is going to call all the house elves to introduce them to the Lady. I is going to prepare the suite for her."

I wondered if she was really talking to me. It was very strange to suddenly realize you were the Head, the Master, after having been ignored so long. We followed her as she exited the library, and I was so shocked I stopped in my track.

The library was on the second floor of an enormous manor. In front of me was a balcony showing the lower level, where was a gigantic dining room. The table was at least 15 meters long, in dark wood, and completely empty, with so many chairs I couldn't count them. On its opposite wall, the wall in front of me but on the lower level, was a huge tapestry, showing a battle. It was as large as the room on its length.
On the sides of the third floor where I was were small corridors, circling the gap on the left and the right. We turned left, and I noticed these 2 small corridors had shelves with books as well. The elf opened a door, and just higher was a sign saying 'East Wing'. It led to another airy corridor. I say 'airy', as it was more a bridge than an actual corridor. It was outside, but a spell kept the cold and weather out, apparently. We crossed it, and in front of us was a kind of helicopter area, but for brooms, and a broom shed as large as a big bedroom. The whole area was outside completely, without the spell. The ground was a kind of unknown material soft but hard enough to walk easily.
On our left were stairs going down to the 1st floor. We arrived in a kind of open area, with a similar bridge coming from the main building. Looking down, below the bridge, was the ground floor, covered with trees and plants and bushes, and birds. It was hot, as if it was a Tropical climate. Long lianas were on the walls which were made of glass, with all kind of orchids and bright flowers on the lianas. From there, I could see the ground floor and the bridge of the 2nd floor up my head. This building was very high !
The elf opened the door and we were inside again. We followed a large corridor, and each time we passed a door, the elf said what was behind.

'Left: fighting and sports room; right: cosy; left: suite bathroom; ... and suite bedroom." She finished, opening the large door to the biggest bedroom I had ever seen. I entered the place, dropping my bag on the floor.
So this was my suite. A bedroom, a bathroom, a dressing room, a cosy room: the 'boudoir' as we posh people called it, and a room where I would learn, I didn't doubt it, to fight.

I opened the bathroom door, glanced, and gulped. The bath was a small swimming pool, the shower could hold 4 persons, and a big fluffy blood-red carpet was in the centre of the pure white room. It smelled wonderful, jasmine.

Griefdaled opened a huge wardrobe and smiled satisfied: it was full. I peered a look, and made a face. What was this kind of clothes? Was I expected to wear them ? First of all, they were ALL red: dark red, bright red, pinkish red, but all red, and a few black. Most of them were dresses, beautiful sexy dresses, but cut quite strangely, with hard bits in them: dresses with corsets! Other than dresses were pants, corsets, skirts, and large black transparent 'jumpers'. Except for the thin material, they were made in a kind of... skin, or leather not really red or black, but in between. I wondered what kind of beast it came from...

-"Your Ladyship is expected to wear only red in public, it shows her royalty, and black is for ceremonies and battles. But there will be no battle, I hope at least. You have much to learn, my Lady. But for now, we must go to the dining room, where you will meet the house elves and the servants." She said, and nodding to Fizzy who vanished, she led the way out of the suite.

We crossed the bridge and entered the dining room. All the way from my room to the dining hall took 5 minutes. The room was really big. Out of the large windows, I could see the grounds, the East wing we had just left, and another wing opposite the East one.

-"The servants live in the ground floor of the East and West Wings.. The West wing in on the other side of the dining room, there" She said, showing me a door opposite the room. "On the 1st floor of the West wing can be found the guest rooms en suite, a meeting room, a music room and some salons for the guests."
-"Salons ?"
-"Yes: sitting rooms with sofas and a bar."
We walked along the table to the middle of the dining room, and in its main entrance were standing the house-elves, in ranks, straight and proud. We walked a bit in the middle, like in an inspection. As I looked at them, Griefdaled told me:

-"My Lady. There is something you must know. You will truly become the Founder, with all the advantages that go with it, meaning powers, only when you will have conceived your first heir. After that, you will wear red and Turn vampires and their descent into Nimlad vampires !"
-"What ! " I cut, " This is totally barbaric !!"
-"My Lady, you must oblige. You were given the choice, a very rare choice, of your companion. It is not often Queens are able to choose their partners, is it my Lady ?" She paused. "However, a law exists. It states that for very young rulers, their may be another way. As you are so young, the first heir may be the second level. You can, the law states, start Turning people and structure the hierarchy and kingdom already, you can build the foundations of your future Clan, after your Binding Ceremony."
-"The Binding... You mean as I am so young, I am allowed to wait a bit more before producing an heir, and will be given half of the powers... for half of the act ?"
-"Yes, my Lady. As soon as you will be Bound with your Lord, the first Ceremony will come into action, and you will be announced to the public, to the other clans of vampires. You will be honoured with the power of Turning vampires, and will turn your first followers that night. "
-"I thought only men could be Turned ?"
-"Men are Turned by vampires into vampires. Vampires are Turned into Warriors, or Followers, of the Nimlad Clan, by the Founders. They can pass the gift to some people they trust so things can be quicker, but it is quite rare. That's why the Founders 's rank is the highest in the Clan. And because they usually are royal. The Lady chooses the Lord because it is her who create her lineage, the heirs."
-"Griefdaled, " I said quickly, "Harry didn't choose this, and I can't force him to be bound to me if it doesn't come from his heart. He... he doesn't love me. We can't be bound. We can't make love without love."
-"Ah, my Lady, this is where you're mistaken ! You have yet to accept and understand your new vampire condition. Vampires don't work the same way. Your Lord's love for the mortal girl is trivial. He was meant to love you. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been made your companion. Only love can make 2 people become companions without meaning to; it's a vampiric astray. It can be compared to what wizards call 'soul-mates'. They love and will always love each other. As soon as they gaze upon each other, it's sealed. Harry Potter is your companion; He is your chosen one, it's been written for a thousand years. How can you doubt it ?"

I found nothing to say to that. I just hoped she was right. Harry seemed to love Ginny so much, but he had chosen me over her. He did say he loved her, but chose me, because he had to honour me. Because he owed it to me, he had said. And because it would assure the vampire side with him on this war. He would win the battle, and loose his heart. If however Griefdaled was right, Harry would soon realize that our love was strong. I hoped. For my part, I knew the moment I set eyes upon him, in my dream, that he was someone special to me. I could never have guessed how much special...

-"My Lady," said the old vampire, stopping the track of my thoughts, "it is tradition for new vampire rulers to be Bound on Holy Vampire's night. The night of Creation, the night of Revenge, the night of Passion. This is a vampiric saying as old as the vampiric creation itself: the vampire kind was created that night. Two thousands years ago, the Vampires took their revenge over the human race on that night. And the third night, the night of Passion, is yet to arrive. Your Binding will be the first one in more than a thousand years, and I am sure, this will be the Night of Passion. You will come into legend. "
She paused, and her eyes were glowing. I could see she was serious, but happy and excited by the prospect. 'Happiness can be found even in the darkest places, you just have to remember to switch on the light..."
-"You are to be Bound on this night with Harry Potter, and will have until early morning to accomplish what you are meant to do." She finished, smiling.
-"Just out of curiosity, what happens if we don't ?"
She frowned.
-"A Binding Ceremony is not something to be taken lightly. It comes with the act. It is the act that seals it. Like a Wedding Night for humans. If you and his Lordship are not... intimate by the next day's first strays of sun, the Binding Knot would destroy itself, and you will both die." She said in a low-pitched voice, darkly.
-"Oh."
-"Come now. You are to be introduced to the Servants."

We passed the lines of house-elves and exited the 1rst floor's dining room by its main entrance, finding ourselves in the 1rst floor's hall. About 70 or 80 servants, maids, gardeners, cooks, were standing in the same fashion as the house elves. They were all looking down at their shoes, and acted.. scared ? I wondered if they were vampires, like me. And suddenly, I realized something.

-"Err, Griefdaled ? I was just thinking, when exactly is Holy Vampire's night ?" I squeaked.

-"On Holy Reine day, my Lady. Reine means Queen in the French language."

-"But when is Holy Queen day ? And what day are we today, anyway ? I have lost track of time. As if something weird was happening with time. Do you remember when Ginny shouted at Harry ? She said it had been a week time, whereas we had been away for only 2 days or maybe 3 ! I don't understand."

-"I don't think there is a problem with the time, it's just you who is getting used to the Vampire time. As immortal people, the time goes much faster than the humans time. For your first day it wasn't entirely the vampiric time, but after that, it was. You didn't sleep one night in the Lord's house, you slept 2 days and 3 nights, as Harry did. Sleeping time for vampires goes faster than when you are awake, so much more time than you realize has been spent since then. Sleep is essential to vampires, as it is the moment in which they make the transformation from the blood they drink to the energy they need to act human. That's why. Today is August the 31st, my Lady, by men calendar."

-"August 31st !! No way ! I thought it was around the 12th of August ! But when is Holy Reine day, then ?" I asked again, feeling the vampire had eluded the question again.

-"On September the 7th by your calendar. New Year's Eve on vampiric standards, my Lady." She sighted.

-"September the 7th !? You've got to be kidding !! " I shouted, stopping dead in the alleyway.

I heard the servants whisper or laugh or snigger, but I couldn't have cared less. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I had to have sex with Harry in a week time. We didn't even know each other very well. And then a thought hit me, and I started walking again. Did Harry do it with Ginny? Would it be.. his first time ? And then I remembered what had happened the very same morning, and a wave of sadness overwhelmed me.
I was to be married in 7 days, with someone who didn't choose neither love me. The way he had talked to her. The way he had kissed her. The Romantism of the scene. It could have been me. It should have been me... If I had been quicker to realize, quicker to act, we would have been together before going to Headquarters, and this girl could not have seduced him. But maybe he had been with her before meeting me. Maybe he had had a girlfriend from the start. So what was he playing at ? He had taken me with everywhere: to fight the Slytherins, to the lecture of the will, to the vault, he had been with me, had confided in me... We had felt so close, so... intimate, during actions.
Or did I imagine it all ? Did I imagine the way he had looked at me with pride when I had beaten the shit out of that Zabini guy, the look of desire when he had seen me in the fancy dress, the look of respect and admiration when he had learnt I was the next vampire Queen ?! So what had happened, then ? I felt so let down. I had hoped, and my hopes had been crushed in a heartbeat when Ginny the Heart Breaker had reminded him he had sworn to love her forever.

Suddenly, a noise snapped me back to reality. The door leading downstairs to to Ground floor had slammed opened as a tall, dark man in black, medieval dress robes and red collar entered the hall. I was standing in the middle of the room, still wearing my fancy dress, with Griefdaled on my right, holding my elbow, and Sliver over a Servant over my left.
The man stopped, looking very arrogant and aristocratic, with hair falling elegantly on his eyes, and stared at me. He looked around, and back at me, said rudely in a hilarious Italian accent:
-"I hearrrrd someone new had arrrrived in there this morning. It's trrrue, then." He sneered. "Nobody is allowed in there, you fools. It's been given to Lord Thomas the Terrrrible, and He rules our world now. YOU MUST SUBMIT AND STOP TRYING TO TAKE WHAT IS NOT YOURRRS ! " He yelled, his face deformed with anger. I thought he sounded like a mad man.

So his Lord had taken over my Manor... Now seemed the right time to test if I really was Lady Lena of Nimlad...