Work Text:
People came from far and wide to hear the divine songstress. Those who visited her often would notice the ginger haired man at her side. Life as a traveling songstress could be fun and spontaneous. Dorothea could protect herself, many a lecherous fan who didn't understand boundaries found themselves at the other side of her long sword. But she wasn't against a friend on the road. Songs were best enjoyed in the company of a loved one.
“Can you sing the one about the vampires again,” Ferdinand asked.
Dorothea clicked her tongue and put her hand to her chin though it wasn't real annoyance in her features.
“Ferdie, this is the fifth time I've sung one of the vampire songs this week. I'm going to start charging you for a ticket the same as anyone else.”
“I can afford it,” Ferdinand said hopefully. He looked so wistful when his thoughts shifted to vampires. Such a romantic glint in his eyes.
Dorothea laughed. “Not the point. It isn't as if my singing it will make the vampires appear.”
“I am sure that they do,” he said emphatically. “No one would be able to imagine the vile, wicked things that they do.”
“Uh huh, ‘vile’ and ‘wicked’. Said by the man who looks like I'm singing a serenade.”
“I am not! I simply wish to know how to best combat them.”
Dorothea gave up trying not to laugh. Her laughter was like music and if it were any other time Ferdinand would be happy to hear it. Ferdinand blushed and crossed his arms.
“It's fine, I think it's sweet. We all have to believe in something.”
“Just because I think that good should triumph over evil.”
Dorothea nodded mock sagely. “So you want to hear it again?”
“...Yes please.”
****
Ferdinand went off on his own to feed the horses. They obviously needed to eat but he enjoyed petting them and talking to them. The horses were stabled with the rest of the horses from the inn that Dorothea and Ferdinand were staying in. He'd gotten so into it that soon it was dusk. He'd settled into a rhythm brushing them and humming. It's relaxing, and makes it easy to feel distracted. Ferdinand can't simply shrug off the personal duties he has to complete. Being on the road a lot of the time doesn't make it easy to do paperwork or correspond with those from his noble house. Ferdinand is treating it like a vacation in some ways but he also knows just how important it is to be near people able to learn and gore and protect them if need be.
Listening to Dorothea sing and wanting to patrol the area in case there was any danger was in direct competition with each other but he'd been able to find a balance as of late. Maybe Dorothea was at least a little correct. Ferdinand loved fairytales. There was some truth rooted in these stories. The stables nearby spoke of thieves in the night and mysterious illnesses plaguing the people of the town. It wasn't anything magical, if anything it was something horrible and detrimental. It was also a problem Ferdinand could solve. He stayed attuned for any other issues. The horses looked into the forest as well. People always said that animals were the first to be able to sense when something was off. They looked at him with wild, concerned eyes and he stared back trying to quell their worry.
***
At night Ferdinand felt a presence on him. When it first occurred he looked out the window, peering into the darkness using the moon. It was quiet during this time. He rushed out of bed and peered into the next room. He couldn't see anything. Dorothea was asleep in the next room, her time to practice over for the evening. Ferdinand didn't know why he felt as restless as he did. He didn't want there to be a problem but it was all this talk about creatures going bump in the night. He should try to be interested in songs that weren't so ominous at their core. He didn't think he could simply sit still and wait for something bad to happen. It sounded kind of absurd, just going off his feelings. He pressed forward anyway, glancing in the next room.
That's when he saw it. The man with blood on his lips, wearing a dark cloak, bright otherworldly eyes gleaming in an eerie green. The man scoffed and it came out an eerie hiss. They stared at each other and the man- the creature… whatever it was. A woman with silvery hair sat by the windowsill. There was blood dripping down her neck. “Are you alright,” he asked. The second he took his eyes off of the creature it had run away. And now the silver haired woman was running too. It was as if she'd disappeared in thin air. Ferdinand stood stunned in the hallway. He got his wits back and started to run, giving chase through the forest. But there had been blood. Its copper smell clung ominously in the air. Ferdinand was sure of what he'd seen, heard and smelled.
Even if Ferdinand witnessed what he'd witnessed in the hallway now that he was in the forest things felt different. He couldn't see without a torch. There was no pillaging or violence occurring. For that, Ferdinand felt grateful. He didn't want there to be any issues, after all.
***
“Sounds like a nightmare,” Dorothea said when Ferdinand described it.
“I am going to make some tea,” Ferdinand sighed.
“Ferdi, you're always going to make some tea.”
Ferdinand cleared his throat. He felt keenly aware of the woman with her throat bitten.
“I read that this tea supports a peaceful sleep.” He'd held up a satchel with his loose leaf tea in it. But the trip to the inn kitchen for boiling water and cups didn't make him feel even calmer. Ferdinand stared down wistfully hoping that the steaming tea would put his mind at ease.
It didn't
But he did tell Dorothea more about the silver haired woman and the mysterious ghastly monster he'd seen in the night.
Ferdinand struggled to go to bed. He tossed and turned in bed. When he finally made it to sleep he was haunted yet again by what must be a nightmare.
A shadowy figure bent down over Ferdinand's bed. They touched Ferdinand all over and Ferdinand felt warmer than when he'd drank his tea. The figure kissed Ferdinand's neck, held him steady and bit down on Ferdinand's neck. Ferdinand screamed. He felt his body convulsive. And when he woke up his body was covered in sweat. He tried to focus, staring down blearily at himself. During the course of the nightmare he'd… relieved himself.
****
Ferdinand cleaned himself up. He didn't tell Dorothea about that part of his nightmare. She was performing tonight and they were leaving this city soon. Ferdinand couldn't bother her with such things, besides it was all starting to sound so perverse.
***
Ferdinand was able to enjoy the songs Dorothea sang as usual. They got back to the inn late and it was dark. Ferdinand's thoughts unfortunately drifted back to shadowy figures yet again. He had to put it out of his mind. Now that they were leaving this area maybe he'd be able to put this all behind him.
***
Because they'd gotten to the inn late Ferdinand thought at least he had less time to be potentially plagued by arousing dreams. He laid down, looking out the window warily, sure he was just imagining it. It was then that he heard the horses angrily whiningly. One of them broke out and galloped into the forest. Ferdinand shivered. That had to be happening in reality. He didn't want the horse to be injured so he ran after it.
Ferdinand panted as he ran through the forest. He was still in the clothes he slept in his loose shirt billowed in the cool, dark air. He called out after the horse and relief swept through his features when he finally found him. Ferdinand's presence seemed to soothe them and he was glad someone felt calmer. The reality that he was in the middle of the forest with the scent of blood and with Ferdinand and his weird dreams sunk in. He tried to be calm for the horse. And eventually he was able to lead him back to the stable. Right as Ferdinand was about to shut the lock the horse began to be agitated again. He managed to get the horse safely back in there.
“Easy, there it's okay boy,” Ferdinand whispered.
The horse looked straight ahead into the dark. Ferdinand blinked and he saw just what was making the horse so upset. The shadowy dark figure from before in the hallway was there. He slowly stepped forward, groping for something to use as a weapon.
“Stay back,” Ferdinand said.
“Or what?” a voice asked. It sounded like they were all around him. It was a deep, intoxicating thing. So much so that for a moment Ferdinand almost forgot the circumstances behind the voice.
“Your shouting and carrying on are unbearable enough as it is.” Ferdinand felt enthralled. He shook his head. He was being insulted.
“You're the one trespassing.”
“And you think brandishing a rake is going to stop me?”
Ferdinand stared at what he was holding. He stepped forward, trying to appear confident. He had to be. If evil lurked in the real world it could be defeated. There was no time to be fearful.
“You have to tell me why you're out here in these woods. Why you're frightening people and why that scent of blood is everywhere.”
The figure laughed. That laughter rang in Ferdinand's ears.
“I don't have to answer you.” His words cut through Ferdinand like a knife.
“Things would be a lot more peaceful if you stopped interfering.”
“I am going to interfere if you are hurting people!”
Ferdinand didn't have any time to prepare or react. The next thing he knew he was pinned against the stables. That tall, powerful body grappled onto him. Ferdinand gasped. He pushed and kicked as hard as he could trying to get away. The grip on his arm loosened and Ferdinand took the time to hit the figure on the back with the rack. His strike never made contact. The figure gripped onto it. Ferdinand saw he was wearing gloves. He effortlessly stopped Ferdinand's blow and it was then that Ferdinand finally saw his face.
Before everything seemed blocked out by shadow and darkness. It was like a fog lifted around him. Everything was still hazy but Ferdinand saw the monster clearly for the first time. Ferdinand saw the same bright green eyes coldly staring at him. He had pale skin and black hair that sprocketed up on both sides like the horn of a devil. A wicked smirk played on his face. It must be the rush of battle heating Ferdinand's face yet again.
“Calm down,” the man explained. “I'm just showing you what I did to them.”
Ferdinand tried so hard to breathe and focus. Instead of running away or better yet standing his ground he was caught in his curiosity. “What are you going to do?” He couldn't stop his voice from shaking.
“Nothing you don't clearly want,” the man responded.
It felt wrong to be touched by a stranger like this. He was practically breathing down Ferdinand's neck. It was just like in his dreams being held like this. Ferdinand's confidence isn't without merit, he knows that he's strong. But it is as if he's been caught in a vice grip. Ferdinand struggled to get his rake
“It will make a lot less of a mess if you stop struggling,” the man told him. Chiding him as if Ferdinand was being unreasonable. As if any of this was normal.
Ferdinand was shoved backwards again and though he'd been released by this mysterious being that he was convinced wasn't human there was something in his eye that said he'd be caught if he ran. And to what end did it mean to be captured like this?
“You are a vampire,” Ferdinand shouted. Against his better judgment. Ferdinand wished he'd paid more attention to those times his father took him to church. He wasn't sure that saying Seiros’ prayer would do any good. What good were words against someone seeping with dark power.
“And if I tell you that I am, are you going to drive this rake through my heart?”
“I- if I have to.”
Ferdinand had to protect Dorothea. He couldn't let this vampire feast on the horses or him.
“It's only because lady Edelgard says you're so close, that her prey would be devastated if something were to happen to you.”
“If you do something to Dorothea I'll-”
The man sighed. He snatched Ferdinand's wrist in his long gloved hand. His fingers swiped across Ferdinand's pulse point. His heart was racing again. Struggling didn't get him anywhere, just a look of amusement as if Ferdinand was a toy to play with. But curiosity burned within him.
“Since you're so curious I'll show you.”
“What are you going to do?”
Ferdinand realized belatedly that the vampire had read Ferdinand's mind.”
“Ferdinand,” the vampire said. As if demonstrating he definitely had heard. It mortified Ferdinand to have his thoughts laid bare like that. Especially with the thoughts Ferdinand had.
The vampire hummed. “I'm going to bite you. I'm going to sink my fangs in your flesh.” He pressed his finger deeper for some pressure but not enough to leave a mark. Ferdinand looked at his teeth, forcing himself to see those sharp points.
“I'm going to drink your blood and savor it. You can consider yourself fortunate that I do not want you dead.”
It wasn't fair, being treated like this. Not even knowing the vampire's name. Feeling hot and desperate for someone who was a stranger. Someone who Ferdinand is only now convinced isn't a figment of Ferdinand's imagination.
There was another monster and she wanted Dorothea and instead of feeling worried Ferdinand felt anticipation. The vampire must have been telling him only because he knew the effect his words had on Ferdinand.
They stood there, the vampire with his hand around Ferdinand's wrist like a vice. Ferdinand's shaking breath and his eyes staring into the vampire's eyes. Ferdinand gulped. The vampire stared at Ferdinand's neck. He pushed his other hand against Ferdinand's neck to feel there as well. It was a softer, calmer touch. Despite that Ferdinand knew that if he really wanted it wouldn't be difficult for him to press down for things to take a more violent turn. Ferdinand didn't consider himself someone to be stopped without a fight. Something in him told him that he could trust this vampire… though Ferdinand had never been in such a situation. He wanted to be more practical but he couldn't help but make decisions with his heart.
It was as if the vampire was staring into Ferdinand's soul. Grabbing him and pinning him in place even now. But it felt nice to be desired like this. Knowing that his blood and body captivated this otherworldly being.
“I don't have to kill,” the vampire said.
He squeezed Ferdinand's wrist then leaned down slowly. Ferdinand felt him more so fast before he was even able to see it. Now he was gingerly bringing his mouth to Ferdinand's wrist. He kissed Ferdinand's vein.
“Were you chasing me around because you wanted me to do this?”
“Of course not,” Ferdinand protested.
The vampire's breath was warm but when Ferdinand stopped and thought about it his touch was cool and his touch was stiff. Was this the power of vampires?
Ferdinand made it back to bed but he didn't get a wink of sleep especially knowing that whoever was out there wasn't a figment of his dreams.
Just like in Ferdinand's dreams… in his nightmares Ferdinand was bitten. He was so busy struggling to get his rake, to run away and take back some control that he didn't even think to protect himself there. Unlike before when the pain was fuzzy around the edges it was sharp and real. Ferdinand's knees buckled. The vampire did exactly what he'd said he would. He sunk his teeth into Ferdinand's wrist. Blood poured into his mouth. Ferdinand watched. He bit his lip to try and stop the pained and pleasure sounds that escaped from his lips. It was to no avail he could tell the vampire could see right through him. They locked eyes again, Ferdinand felt his blood and strength dripping out of him.
The vampire swallowed and sighed in satisfaction. His lips were red. His cheeks looked immediately flushed. He was still holding onto Ferdinand only now he felt warm to the touch. Ferdinand's blood was inside of him and he was savoring every drop. Those once dry smiling lips were wet and glistening. It hurt but the sharp pain not so unlike what Ferdinand had felt in his dream had dulled around the edges. He'd been bitten and it stung but he was still alive. It was a relief.
Ferdinand's legs still shook. He was drained. The vampire said he'd only taken a little so Ferdinand shouldn't be acting like this. Really it was better to act like this than it was to focus on how aroused he'd gotten yet again.
“Maybe now you can calm down,” the vampire said. He backed away.
Ferdinand hadn't noticed he'd fallen to the ground. He could see the fang marks clearly on his skin. The blood there had been licked clean. He wanted to stop the vampire. He should demand answers or lock him up somewhere so he can't hurt anyone else. The vampire disappeared back into the darkness.
It felt like another dream. Ferdinand comforted the horse. He bandaged his arm. He went back to bed unable to tell anyone what had happened. It felt like something he needed to keep a secret. Like it should stay with him. With how his body reacted Ferdinand was sure that was for the best. Even if this vampire wasn't evil or at least murderous Ferdinand needed to be on his guard.
Ferdinand always knew there was some truth to music.