#blood communion

[sizeofyoursoul]

"But how could I not hate you, you who went in search of my maker all those long years ago when I scarce believed in him anymore— and was found by him, saved from the earth by him, welcomed into his lair by him, you whom he loved, you to whom he told the secrets of our beginning, when he had never come to free me from the Children of Satan, you to whom he gave his love, while resigning me to the ruins of all you’d destroyed around me. I hate you! I understand the very definition of ‘hate’ when I think of you.”

Armand to Lestat, Blood Communion

[gilberttheboy]

As vain as Lestat is, he recognises that he's kind of a basic hot - he's like 'I'm surrounded by all these sexy alt queer vampires, but alas, I'm the BORING hot one.' A rare moment of self-awareness for our blond boy.

[lioncourtz]

LESTAT & ARMAND | Vampire Chronicles

[mulderscully]

— ANNE RICE, "Blood Communion" (2018)

[rijinks]

It's Benji who wears a suit in that mural.

(I had this in mind for a long time–drawn finally for @maridaniweek, Day 4 prompt: assembly)

[nocontextlestat]

the fact that both louis AND armand said these words to lestat in the same book… that’s how you know lestat is That bitch

[this-world-of-beautiful-monsters]

apparently in blood communion Anne Rice dropped the idea that vampires can't use the Mind Gift if you wrap their heads in iron, which is a nonsensical bit of lore that probably never should have entered canon but. I really really really want someone to do that to Armand.

[v-e-l-v-e-t-g-o-l-d-m-i-n-e]

Lestat/Armand + Moments that makes me feel Insane

If there had been a summons, I never heard it. If there was a greeting, I didn't sense it now. He was merely looking at me, a radiant creature in jewels and scalloped lace. And it was Cinderella revealed at the ball, this vision, Sleeping Beauty opening her eyes under a mesh of cobwebs and wiping them all away with one sweep of her warm hand. The sheer pitch of incarnate beauty made me gasp. Yes, perfect mortal raiment, and yet he seemed all the more supernatural, his face too dazzling, his dark eyes fathomless and just for a split second glinting as if they were windows to the fires of hell. And when his voice came it was low and almost teasing, forcing me to concentrate to hear it: All night you've been searching for me, he said, and here I am, waiting for you. I have been waiting for you all along. - The Vampire Lestat

He looked to Gabrielle, who stood near the fire, and then to me. And silently, he said, Love me. You have destroyed everything! But if you love me, it can all be restored in a new form. Love me. This silent entreaty had an eloquence, however, that I can't put into words. "What can I do to make you love me?" he whispered. "What can I give? The knowledge of all I have witnessed, the secrets of our powers, the mystery of what I am?" It seemed blasphemous to answer. And as I had on the battlements, I found myself on the edge of tears. For all the purity of his silent communications, his voice gave a lovely resonance to his sentiments when he actually spoke. - The Vampire Lestat

"It wasn't that I wanted vengeance," he whispered. His face was stricken, his heart broken. He said. "But you came to be healed, and you did not want me! A century I had waited, and you did not want me!" And I knew, as I had all along really, that my restoration was illusion, that I was the same skeleton in rags, of course. And the house was still a ruin. And in the preternatural being who held me was the power that could give me back the sky and the wind. "Love me and the blood is yours," he said. "This blood that I have never given to another." I felt his lips against my face. "I can't deceive you," I answered. "I can't love you. What are you to me that I should love you? A dead thing that hungers for the power and the passion of others? The embodiment of thirst itself?" [...] Yet memory plays its tricks. Maybe I imagined it, his last invitation, and the anguish after. The weeping. I do know that as the months passed he was out there again. I heard him from time to time just walking those old Garden District streets. And I wanted to call to him, to tell him that it was a lie I'd spoken to him, that I did love him. I did. - The Vampire Lestat

In a way, he made me think of a child doll, with brilliant faintly red-brown glass eyes—a doll that had been found in an attic. I wanted to polish him with kisses, clean him up, make him even more radiant than he was. “That’s what you always want,” he said softly. His voice shocked me. If he had any French or Italian accent left, I couldn’t hear it. His tone was melancholy and had no meanness in it at all. “When you found me under Les Innocents,” he said, “you wanted to bathe me with perfume and dress me in velvet with great embroidered sleeves.” “Yes,” I said, “and comb your hair, your beautiful russet hair.” My tone was angry. “You look good to me, you damnable little devil, good to embrace and good to love.” We eyed each other for a moment. And then he surprised me, rising and coming towards me just as I moved to take him in my arms. His gesture wasn’t tentative, but it was extremely gentle. I could have backed away. I didn’t. We held each other tight for a moment. The cold embracing the cold. The hard embracing the hard. - Memnoch

Lestat, not a bad friend to have, and one for whom I would lay down my immortal life, one for whose love and companionship I have ofttimes begged, one whom I find maddening and fascinating and intolerably annoying, one without whom I cannot exist. - The Vampire Armand

I wanted to take him in my arms. I wanted to comfort him, to tell him wherever he'd gone and whatever had taken place, he was now safe again with us, but nothing could quiet him. A deep exhaustion saved us all from the inevitable tale. We had to seek our dark corners away from the prying sun, we had to wait until the following night when he would come out to us and tell us what had happened. Still clutching the bundle, refusing all help, he closeted himself up with his wound. I had no choice but to leave him. As I sank down that morning into my own resting place, secure in clean modern darkness, I cried and cried like a child on account of the sight of him. Oh, why had I come to his aid? Why must I see him brought low like this when it had taken so many painful decades to cement my love for him forever? - The Vampire Armand

Two hundred years ago he stripped me of illusions, lies, excuses, and thrust me on the Paris pavements naked to find my way back to a glory in the starlight that I had once known and too painfully lost. But as we waited finally in the handsome high-rise apartment above St. Patrick's Cathedral, I had no idea how much more he could strip from me, and I hate him only because I cannot imagine my soul without him now, and, owing him all that I am and know, I can do nothing to make him wake from his frigid sleep. - The Vampire Armand

Of course I knew the very moment that he left this world. I felt it. I was in New York already, very near to him and aware that you were there as well. Neither of us meant to let him out of our sight if at all possible. Then came the moment when he vanished in the blizzard, when he was sucked out of the earthly atmosphere as if he'd never been there. Being his fledgling you couldn't hear the perfect silence that descended when he vanished. You couldn't know how completely he'd been withdrawn from all things minuscule yet material which had once echoed with the beating of his heart. - The Vampire Armand

“Armand,” I said. “Please.” I dropped down on my knees in front of him, looking up into his face. All the emotion he had held back was printed there now. He was in a rage. “Is your heart totally turned against me?” I asked. “Do you have no faith in what we seek to build here?” “Fool,” he said again. His voice was roughened now by emotion he couldn’t suppress. “I have always loved you,” he said. “I have loved you more than any being in all the world whom I’ve ever loved. I have loved you more than Louis. I have loved you more even than Marius. And you have never given me your love. I would be your most faithful counselor, if you allowed it. But you don’t. Your eyes pass over me as if I don’t exist. And so they always have.” - Blood Communion

“I love you still,” he said. “Yes, even now, I love you, as they all love you, your minions seeking just a smile or a nod or a quick touch of your hand. I love you like all those throughout this palace who are dreaming of drinking just a drop of your blood. Well, you can leave me now. I’m not going anywhere. Where is there to go? I’ll be here if you want me. And grant me my wish for the moment, you and your august friends. Go and leave me alone.” - Blood Communion

Armand suddenly began to weep. “Don’t do it, don’t trust him,” he said. “Lestat, he’ll just destroy you. And if you are gone—.” Ah, such sweet words from one who only hours ago had been cursing me with his every breath. - Blood Communion

The only thought in my mind, the only image, the only idea, was of Armand, and how Armand would feel when he too could hold Marius like this and know that Marius lived, that Marius had been restored, that all of them were safe and secure, and using my strongest power I sent the word to him. I sent the news. And I sent my love to Armand with it. - Blood Communion

[hekateinhell]

Behind the Scenes of Blood Communion — Armand & The Kidnappings:

I’ve yapped about Armand in Blood Communion often enough over the years (it does feature one of my all-time favorite Armand moments), and I was always curious as to what was going on in Anne’s mind when she was busy plotting what would become the final book in The Vampire Chronicles—specifically re: the kidnappings and the explosive Lestat/Armand scene in the later half of the book.

Well, her diaries do give us the slightest insight into one of those things at least…

September 2, 2017

Anne has already mentioned Rose being Rhosh’s first victim and Viktor the second. Here is where she continues immediately after Viktor:

Then he [Rhoshamandes] takes Armand —

No casket comes — But they’ve intensified their hunt — on water —

Then he takes Louis — the most spectacular of all — burning novels of the Chateau — almost destroying Chrysanthe — 

Lestat wants to give himself up.

Think about the order of abductions —

He [Rhoshamandes] + Lestat bargain —

But near dawn —

Maybe only Louis + Armand.

His first vengeance is on the Replimoid buildings — in London —

So… so far it’s tentatively Rose, Viktor, Armand, and Louis that are kidnapped. Gabrielle and Marius haven’t been mentioned as of yet.

However, skipping ahead from page 135 to page 137 where she circles back to this that same day, Marius now enters the chat (briefly):

Louis + Armand are likely enough - I need to think about what he [Rhoshamandes] does - Maybe he should attempt to steal Marius + fail. And then burns the village - the sprinklers save much but the chaos is awful. Then he burns Armand’s house in St. Germain de Pres —

September 3, 2017

Anne remembers Gabrielle exists:

I forgot Gabrielle. Louis, Armand, Gabrielle — the braid in the ashes.

Lestat bargains — 15 minutes of talk to bargain for his life.

It’s Louis, Armand, and Gabrielle for the time being. No Rose, Viktor, or Marius.

September 15, 2017

Anne ‘appears’ to have decided on her group of three:

Rhosh has abducted Gabrielle + Louis + Armand.

Lestat has decided to give himself up. —

I always thought at first glance that Louis, Armand, and Gabrielle would make the most sense here tbh. There’s a fandom joke that Lestat would fall in love a McDonald’s apple pie if it was warm out of the microwave and that’s so fucking true! He loves a lot and easily, that’s always been one of my favorite aspects of his personality. I love that he loves love. 🥹 But there are three people that Lestat tends to group together one after the other over and over…

“Whatever happens, it will be worth it,” I said. “That is, if you and I, and Gabrielle, and Armand . . . and Marius are together even for a short while, it will be worth it.” ~ Lestat to Louis, TVL

She [Akasha] stared at me in silence; it seemed she would strike out at me; her face became that of a statue again; and I thought, Well, the moment is now. I will die the way I saw Azim die. I can't save Gabrielle or Louis. I can't save Armand. ~ Lestat, QotD

At the door, I turned and kissed Gabrielle again. I felt her body collapse against me for an instant; then her attention locked on Akasha. I felt the faint tremor in her hands as she touched my face. I looked at Louis, my seemingly fragile Louis with his seemingly invincible composure; and at Armand, the urchin with the angel's face. Finally those you love are simply . . . those you love. ~ Lestat, QotD

While there are accessible drafts of her earlier works, if any hardcopy drafts of the VC books exist beyond Blood Canticle, they’re not presently listed at Tulane last I checked. I don’t think she documented in her diaries when she made the decisions for what would become the final canon events here (as far as I can find yet, anyway, there’s a lot I still have to go through). So who knows when, where, and why her original vision evolved, as most novels do before they make it into our hands.

Ultimately as a fan of both Armand and Lestat and their relationship, I’m glad Anne went in the direction that she did! It’s my favorite scene in the book for a lot of reasons—so dramatic and raw and angsty all-around. 🥰 And they end the series on such a sweet and tender note, I have no complaints (especially since I came into the fandom when Blood Canticle was the final word on Lestat and we never heard about Armand post-Blood & Gold). I think it was necessary for them to go through that ordeal together and to finally have their shared baggage and history laid out in the open! Perhaps Anne thought the same? So while I hands-down prefer the canon version, I also do enjoy the alternate possibilities for fic fodder… you know, what if? ;) 

SHOUT OUTS: @somevagrantchild for the photographs taken during our Tulane trip and for letting me use them! ♥️ And of course @apoptoses for digging through hundreds of images to help me find what I was looking for, and for helping me decipher Anne’s handwriting. 🥸

[nalyra-dreaming]

[sizeofyoursoul]

How many times is she going to use the word "preternatural"?!

Interview with the Vampire: 13

The Vampire Lestat: 15

The Queen of the Damned: 13

Tale of the Body Thief: 39

Memnoch the Devil: 15

The Vampire Armand: 16

Merrick: 11

Blood and Gold: 12

Blackwood Farm: 1

Blood Canticle: 4

Prince Lestat: 28

Prince Lestat and the Realms of Atlantis: 9

Blood Communion: 14

[burythebonesincoldwater]

I watched the show before I read the books and the book fans were fighting off loumand likers with shotguns, saying stuff like "Armand would leave Louis in an instant if Lestat wanted him" then I've read most of the books and. Where? I mean sure he loves Lestat in some way but his love and devotion for Louis is never in question. He'd do anything for Louis. Even in the last book where Armand confessed his love for Lestat bitterly, he still yelled and fought with Lestat when Louis was kidnapped in the same book because he blamed him. He screamed and bled himself in agony when Louis was taken and they had to physically restrain him. I know people point out his quote to Lestat to prove something but why are we ignoring that both Louis and Marius were taken by that point and Armand believed them to be dead? He thought he had no one else left. This doesn't mean he doesn't love Lestat but it does put some of the things he says and does into perspective for me. Anyway...

[lioncourtz]

Louis' feelings for Lestat | THE VAMPIRE CHRONICLES

[armandlastnamemarius]

- The Vampire Armand

- Blood Communion

[clairertalk]

I'm always so fascinated by marimand relationship

Because Armand seems the submissive one while Marius is the dominant, but actually in his submission Armand is dominant towards Marius. He has that man wrapped around his finger ehehe

I would have been so happy to see more of them after their chat in Blood Communion, after Armand finally opened his heart to Marius again. Both of them finally together in body and spirit like good old times

I'm emotionaaaaaaal

[whatspastisprologue-blr]

Memnoch the Devil gives me some of my favorite Lesmand interactions, even though, as is the case with all the books, I have to keep Assad Zaman's Armand in my mind because he just *is* Armand and so whenever he's described in the book it's honestly jarring to me.

Like, when they first see each other again and Lestat is genuinely happy to see him? And notes that Armand's voice "had no meanness in it at all". And basically calls him hot and then says he's "good to love". And then they hug each other! Willingly!

"We eyed each other for a moment. And then he surprised me, rising and coming towards me just as I moved to take him in my arms. His gesture wasn't tentative, but it was extremely gentle. I could have backed away. I didn't. We held each other tight for a moment. The cold embracing the cold. The hard embracing the hard."

And then Lestat playfully ruffles Armand's hair! Which Armand doesn't mind. In fact, he smiles! And then playfully shoves Lestat back (actually, it hurt him) to show off a little. After which, we get this:

"I can't remember anything bad between us." I said.

"You will," he responded. "And so will I. But what does it matter what we remember?"

"Yes," I said, "we're both still here."

Armand laughs again and kisses Lestat a couple of paragraphs later, seemingly just for fun. And then, in this chapter (this is all just one chapter, guys), Armand basically gets to play Lestat for Lestat, in the sense that he gets to tell Lestat the exact same arguments that Lestat used to help Armand get free from the CoD. Both of them admit it.

Oh, yeah, and actually, Lestat wasn't expecting to see Armand! That was a surprise. Armand showed up (with David, ew, but maybe it'll be Daniel on the show) because he's worried about Lestat!

And then we get this hilariously petty exchange:

"Around this Dora, I've thrown a protective light. None of us can touch her."

"That goes without saying. I won't hurt your little friend. You wound me." He looked genuinely put out.

"I'm sorry," I said. "I know. But I know what blood is and innocence and how delicious both can be. I know how much the girl tempts me."

"Then you must be the one to give in to that temptation," said Armand crossly. "I never choose my victims anymore, you know this. I can stand before a house as always, and out of the doors will come those who want to be in my arms. Of course I won't hurt her. You do hold old grudges. You think I live in the past. You don't understand that I actually change with every era, I always have as best I can."

(Seriously, AMC, give us this scene! Lestat warning Armand specifically, not David, to not hurt someone he cares about but also entrusting this person to Armand's care despite how it turned out previously. And then Armand being salty about it because jeez, Lestat, that was like, so long ago I can't believe you'd bring that up!)

Also, "I can stand in front of a house as always, and out of the doors will come those who want to be in my arms." Made me think of this:

Anyway, then we get to see this:

"Lestat, if you need me--" Armand said. "If this being tries to take you by force!"

"Why do you care about me?" I asked. "After all the bad things I did to you. Why?"

"Oh, don't be such a fool," he begged gently. "You convinced me long ago that the world was a Savage Garden. Remember your old poetry? You said the only laws that were true were aesthetic laws, that was all you could count on."

"Yes, I remember all that. I fear it's true. I've always feared it was true. I feared it when I was a mortal child. I woke up one morning and believed in nothing."

"Well, then, in the Savage Garden," said Armand, "you shine beautifully, my friend. You walk as if it is your garden to do with as you please. And in my wanderings, I always return to you. I always return to see the colors of the garden in your shadow, or reflected in your eyes, perhaps, or to hear of your latest follies and mad obsessions. Besides, we are brothers, are we not?"

A few paragraphs later, Lestat tells Armand (and David, but hopefully Daniel in the show), "I love you both."

All that in one chapter! I just wanted to share it because I feel like other great Lesmand moments get referenced a lot, such as Armand's line from Blood Communion:

"Fool," he said again. His voice was roughened now by emotion he couldn't suppress. "I have always loved you," he said. "I have loved you more than any being in all the world whim I've ever loved. I have loved you more than Louis. I have loved you more even than Marius. And you have never given me your love. I would be your most faithful counselor, if you allowed it."

And, like, that's an epic quote. I love it. But there's more to their relationship than all the bad things and this one quote!

I want to see Lestat do his part to destroy the CoS, including his "Gentleman Death" speech. I want to see Armand's attack on Lestat, him pleading to Lestat to let him accompany him and Gabrielle (promising to be Lestat's servant if that's what it takes), and Lestat rejecting him, partly because of their past and because he knows Armand needs to figure himself out apart from anyone else. I want to see Lestat entrust Nicki to Armand and then get the letter of how Armand chopped Nicki's hands off. I want to see the torture leading up to the play where Lestat is forced to watch Claudia die. I want to see Armand push Lestat off the tower. Because those are pivotal moments in their relationship, too! In particular, Armand attacking Lestat is basically why Lestat never pursues the sort of relationship that Armand wants, even though I would argue the love and affection is there, and that Lestat himself might wish differently at times.

All that pain and horror and tragedy, and then they both agree they can't remember any of it, and that even if/when they do, it's water under the bridge. "You shine beautifully, my friend." "I love you [.]"

Forgiveness is, for me, one of the most important themes of the Vampire Chronicles and, in my opinion, the Lesmand relationship is one of the best examples.