Bloody Tears, The Heart of the Vampyre 1 – The Staeian Teachings
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Elvira looked at Violetta, who sat on the throne, bowing deeply in respect to her, "I thank you for the honor, my queen." Violetta lifted a hand, "There is, but one issue with it, which we can arrange to get fixed." Elvira looked confused before Violetta stood up and gave off an ultrasound screech, which Elvira could pick up on and suddenly the sound of heavy metal came closer by every step and as Elvira turned around to face it, her hands covered her muzzle in shock, "What... what happened to her?!"

Before her, wearing a blood red dress that worked to really bring forth the fact her arms, legs and wings had been replaced by cybernetic versions, stood Maria who bowed deeply, "You called for me, sister?" Elvira's eyes shot open at the words, "Wait... she is your sister, my queen?" Maria looked at Elvira with a soft smile, "Indeed I am Queen Violetta's sister, Archduchess Maria Redfeather."

Elvira bowed deeply in respect, "An honor to meet you, Archduchess." Violetta gave a soft smile before speaking, "Maria here is not only the Archduchess, but she is also an expert in martial arts and firearms. She is also the former teacher of the Goddess of Justice herself." Elvira had no words as Maria rubbed the back of her head, "Oh come on, you make me sound like some kind of divine being. Either way, what is my assignment?"

Violetta nodded, "Ah yes, I almost forgot. You are to teach Countess Elvira here about the Staeian culture. You can surely teach her something better than I can." Elvira was quickly nodding, "I do actually have a question. How come I am having the title of a council member, but she doesn't even with a higher hierarchy rank than me?" Violetta looked at Maria who answered in the calmest way she could, "It is because I am a taint blood, a non-vampire. That is why I cannot join the Blood Council, as only vampires can have power."

Elvira spat at the words before looking at Maria, "Well, I do not care if you are a vampire or not, you are still worthy of respect and I will help your sister to make her queendom a better place." Maria smiled before nodding, "It is warming to hear that, but I am sad to say that others cannot agree to see it the same way as you, because to vampires mostly, it is a sign of them being glorious beings of the Blood Moon's choice. They rather force our queen to abdicate than accept equal treating of vampires and non-vampires."

Elvira sighed as Maria began to walk away and waved for her to follow, "Come now. I gonna teach you everything you need to know." Elvira gave a nod and was about to leave, when Violetta's voice rung clear to her, "One more thing before you leave, Countess." Elvira spun around before she felt herself getting hit by something, which looked like a dress of some kind and Violetta was soon in front of her and whispered, "I wanna ask you for something."

The request from Violetta had been understandable for her, as it involved a big change in life. But Elvira had agreed before following Maria to her room in the giant castle, which to Elvira's surprise looked fit for a queen and Maria smiled, "Like it? I sleep here when I am around. Now, hope you are a quick learner, as I wanna make sure that you are understanding everything." Elvira nodded before taking a seat as Maria darkened the room and a projector came out of her left wing and turned on to show the first picture and Elvira knew it would be a long day.

"Now let us begin your lecture. To understand the first principle of our culture and behavior, you need to know the geographical location." Maria had a laser pointer appear from a finger as she aimed it at a big area that soon got highlighted, "This big area here is Q'Sta'Ei, with Spiral Gate to the east, Lake Go'Rin in the north, West Tikxean Sea to the northwest and south. As you may notice pretty much all of our lands are mountains, so we pride ourselves in being a strong and highly polite, but also wise people with rich traditions."

Elvira listened to take it all in as Maria continued, "Our capital city is Grobuz and was founded by the very first Vampire Monarch, Lord Simon Sanguin, though back then it was a simple farmer village, his leadership led to a prosperous future for us and Grobuz grew from just a village to a whole city and a mark of Staeian accomplishment in evolution."

Maria let Elvira have a moment to take it in before continuing, "As by tradition from his order, we would follow what is known as the Blood Moon's Sanguine Royal, meaning follow the leadership of the strongest vampire alive. As a vampire cannot die, the strongest one of them shall lead. This has lead to vampires considering themselves the superiors and the Blood Council was formed before Violetta took power to force their teachings upon the taint bloods, the ones who are not blessed to become vampires and are stepping stones for them. They also forced the law that the older sibling cannot turn their younger sibling into a vampire through the Sanguine ritual, now called the Staeian blood ritual. Which I will get to later."

Elvira remembered Violetta telling her about the ritual, but she behaved like she didn't know a thing about it as Maria continued her lecture, "Our religion is the Blood Moon, the very moon itself and we have as a tradition that at every new stage of the moon, we say a prayer to please her. We even have as a tradition to perform the Sanguine ritual on the day of a new stage as it is said to bring luck to the vampire. Like today it will be the stage of Fidh, the third crescent moon. Just like your title."

Elvira was thinking before Maria changed the picture on the projector to show a ritual drawing which Elvira studied carefully, "This is the ritual symbol of the Sanguine ritual. You have to make sure that you put them in the right order of the moon's different stages to make it work. Doing the wrong way can lead to unwanted side effects. So remember now." Maria pointed at the symbols in order, "Zora, Reicy, Fidh, Harwa, Ebolema."

Elvira took mental notes of it and smiled at Maria, which seemed to get her curiosity, "What's so funny?" Elvira looked serious at Maria, "Oh sorry, just such a delight to see how much passion you put into this." Maria nodded before waving to her, "Well, then you gonna have to get used to this now. It is time to learn how you greet someone who is higher than you in rank out of respect."

Elvira stood up and walked over to Maria who nodded, "Okay. You are a countess and I am an archduchess, so you are lower in the hierarchy than me, and in the hierarchy, I am below the queen. It is courtesy of you then to bite me by the neck and suck off my blood like I am the queen. When it is a margrave or marchioness and below to Baronet and Baronetess, you are to bite them by the arm as a greeting. A knight and dame are always greeted by pricking their finger. Think of a queen as someone who nourishes her people and a countess helps her to make the decisions while a knight protects the people."

Elvira nodded and suddenly heard Violetta calling out with that screech, making Maria sigh, "As you can hear, now duty calls. I'll be right back." Elvira gave a thumb up as Maria left and quickly put on her dress finally to test it out, and in shock, it did fit her. Knowing she barely had any time to prepare, Elvira set to it to memorize the ritual drawing she had been shown and with the black ink painted on the floor and covered by carpet, mostly because the ink was instantly drying, making it look like she had not done anything.

Maria came back after just a few minutes from that Elvira had finished up the drawing and she went back to the same spot as before, "I am sorry for that. Our queen wanted me to give an opinion on the silk we had transported here from Zae'Hil'Ve, to be used for a gift to the wyvern queen and my former student, the goddess of justice Tenchi." Elvira nodded before moving over to Maria, "You said correctly that we greet an Archduchess by biting her neck, right?" Maria nodded before leaning her head to the side, "Cannot wait to try it?" Elvira leaned in with a soft smile, "Not only that."

Maria gasped out in joy as Elvira bit down on her neck, but then felt her opening more to lock her fangs and jaw around her throat and the blood poured out of her, but the feeling Maria felt was a warm and almost loving hug before she saw the red blood pouring towards her and realized what had happened and what Violetta had asked of her, "Sister... you sneaky old vamp." Maria succumbed to the blood ritual before her body collected all the blood and ritual markings until the last pierced into her chest and allowed her to calm down before Elvira let go of her throat, "How does it feel?"

Maria opened her eyes and where sapphires once shined, rubies now glimmered, but most everything about her was the same, excluding she had added a foot to her height and also grown a bit bustier. What shocked Maria the most was the fact that she didn't feel the cybernetic enhancements anymore, but rather over the arms, legs and wings hung now pierces of armor covering the regrown arms, legs and wings, making Maria screech in joy before the door opened as Violetta entered and nodded, "I think the lecture is over now. It is time to meet the Blood Council and Maria, welcome to the vampires." She beamed proudly before waving to both of them to follow her, which Elvira and Maria both did without question, until the door leading to what was written on the sign to be the Hall of Blood, Violetta opening the doors before calling out, "Blood Council, I have your newest member with me!"

The End.