Three of Swords: Creative Journal Entry 4

Creative Journal Entry #4
Tarot Deck- Gothic Tarot of Vampires
Tarot Card- Three of Swords

Dracul stared up at the council, his pale face set in a mask of stony indifference, his long black hair ties back away from his face with a deep crimson ribbon. He had dressed for the occasion and he could see all of the council, nine in all, were studying him a little nervously.
They had every right to be nervous, he was, after all, one of the more powerful vampires among them. In fact he thought he was older than all of them and could have killed them all with one blast… however, he knew he had broken the law and he had done it to set an example for all the other vampires who thought of breaking the vampire laws.
“Prince Dracul Noxum,” first chairman said slowly, “you are aware you broke one of the three sacred vampire laws, passed down from your grandfather to the fathers of this great council?”
“Yes,” Dracul said calmly, “I understand completely.”
“And you are aware the punishment for this crime?”
“One hour in a dappled light room,” Dracul replied with a touch of a smile.
“May we ask why you did it?” the first chairman asked. Dracul said nothing and the chairman nodded. “Take him away.”
Two guards walked forward and stood a step behind him, their silver swords glittering in the light. Dracul noted with approval that they looked sharp enough to cut through bone with one blow.
Dracul bowed to the council, straightened and walked out of the dimly lit room and down the hall. He sensed that the sun was high in the sky and would soon be starting its decent through the sky, if he wanted to show anything for this he would have to hurry.
“We are awed by what you are doing, your majesty,” on of the guards said softly, Dracul looked at him and smiled slightly.
“Thank you, I’m glad you see what I’m doing,” Dracul replied.
“I think it is very wise of you, prince, and brave,” the other, younger guard said in an awed voice. Dracul felt oddly touched and smiled as the three stopped in front of a large silver door.
“Thank you gentlemen,” Dracul said, opening the door and stepping into the room. “The laws should not be broken, and it is time to prove that to all the fools that think they are above the vampire monarchy.”
He closed the door and heard a lock slide into place then turned and waited, curtains were drawn and sunlight flooded into the room in beams of dust. Dracul clenched his teeth and forced himself to stand there, as the sun ate away at his pale flesh.
“The three sacred laws of the vampires,” Dracul said through clenched teeth as blood-tears ran down his face in streams. “One; a vampire who is crowned king will not take advantage of his power and use it to claim the world. If a vampire wishes to claim the world he must do it as a vampire, not a king.”
His skin rippled as a cloud passed over the sun, making it dim for one blissful moment then skitter away, making the sun seem hotter than before. Dracul opened his mouth in a silent scream then clenched his teeth again, fighting back the pain.
“Two; A vampire shall not take a human as a lover. If the vampire finds the human attractive he or she will turn him or her into a vampire and then they may become lovers,” Dracul hissed.
Behind him he heard the guards muttering the same thing as if in prayer, he smiled through his pain. The two guards were true vampires. Vampires that belonged on the council, he would have to make a recommendation.
“Three; a vampire shall not tell a human he or she is a vampire and let them live. This is the law I broke. I understand this and I understand my punishment,” Dracul told the empty room. He felt his skin actually bubbling like out wax and turned with another silent scream and pressed his face against the door clawing at the door scared with vampire claws.
When he felt he had control over his pain again he turned back to the sunlight, looked directly into its golden light and took a ragged breath that tasted of the copper of his own blood.
“One…” he started again.