sixwordstories | (no subject)

[smiles softly] He was my king. He appointed me as his Lord Protector, which made me his top adviser. We were close but he died before I could express my feelings.

[frowns slightly, saddened] Oh.... I'm very sorry. I'm sure he knew somehow how you felt. When someone cares that much about you, you can tell even without words.

I hope so. I often wonder if... [shakes his head a little, smiling softly] I'm sorry if Alexei scared you.

Wonder what? [his eyebrows go up and he realizes he's no longer freaking out] Um... that's okay? I just didn't know vampires were real...

You aren't the first with his face I've run into over the years.

[mouth drops open] Really? I've seen others around here with my face and it's crazy but you- Really?

Really. Not often, but you are the fourth.

Fourth?! [frowns] Well there goes my idea of being an individual....

You are an individual, Nick. You may have his face, but your spirit, your personality is your own.

Maybe... [thinks about that but then looks at Joseph again] You're nothing like how I'd imagine a vampire to be

No? How did you imagine a vampire to be? As we are portrayed in the movies?

[smiles sheepishly] Pretty much... I don't have much else to go on

Mmm, well, there is some truth to those movies. Much like humanity, there are good vampires and then there are very horrible vampires, as well as everything in between. In my younger days, I was something of a savage.

[looks at the other curiously] How old are you? And I guess you'd have to be be pretty composed to be a king, huh?

[chuckles] Very, very old. I was born in 550 AD. Joseph is not my real name, but if I were to tell you what my mother called me, I doubt you would believe me.

[blinks in awe] Wow. No, now you have to tell me. And why did you choose the name Joseph? I ask mostly because not only do you have my brother's face, that's his name too.

Well, my maker chose the name Joseph for me. I always assumed she just liked the name. As for my real name...well, have you ever heard of Mordred?

Oh... Well it's a good name... I like it, but I could be biased. Mordred.... It sounds sort of familiar but I have no idea where I might've heard it.

[tries not to look too disappointed, really] Perhaps King Arthur will ring a bell. Camelot? Excalibur?

Ohhh yeah, the king with the sword. Yeah, him I remember. You were related to King Arthur? [looks pretty interested]

You could say that. He was my father.

[his eyes widen] Oh wow, really? That's... wow. So you were always royalty huh? [makes a mental note to look up Mordred and King Arthur on Wikipedia later]

[chuckles and nods] Basically, yes. I was his illegitimate son, so if he'd had a son with his wife, the legitimate child would have gotten the crown. Alas, I died before I became king.

Well... You became king after you died so I guess I all worked out for you in the end, right?

Many, many centuries later, yes, it did work out for me. [smirks] Too bad Mordred is remembered as a bad guy and I had to change my name.