#that was a hint | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

tigorrrr · 5 months ago

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𝗕𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗧𝗶𝗲𝘀 || 𝔐𝔶 𝔇𝔯𝔢𝔰𝔰!!

Banners made by, and AU belongs to @another-vampire-au

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Diya could hear the sounds of one of her oldest brothers, Tomáš, sparring with their fellow clansmen as she stalked through the hallway to the training grounds.

"Ah! They're back!" Diya mused to herself and wondered when will her brothers be called in for the next mission by the highest of pure-bloods when they just returned, which would leave her all on her own in this big complex for another unknown period of time.

The cold night air stung her cheeks, but Diya was used to the harsh conditions of the mountain that going barefoot on the cold, wooden floor did not made her shiver anymore. She welcomed the challenge as it made her feel alive in between her 'inhuman' family. Living for so long as a human in a vampire clan, she had learned to adapt to the harsh elements of their mountain home.

Diya had always felt a deep connection to her vampire family, despite her human origins and the fact that she's adopted.

The sound of swords clashing and grunts of exertion filled the night air, adding to the sense of excitement and danger that surrounded her. She paused for a moment on the veranda to watch Tomáš in action, admiring his strength and skill as he effortlessly dispatched his opponents.

His movements were swift and precise, his eyes ablaze with determination — the baby blue color had more of a chilling, caribbean glow. That's how Diya knows Tomáš is enjoying himself amidst training. As she watched her brother move with precision and speed, she couldn't help but feel a sense of pride and admiration.

The vampires of the Lin-Kuei were known for their fierce fighting abilities and unwavering loyalty to clans they branch under, as the noblest of warriors of their kind.

She pushed open the door of the Grandmaster's office and stepped inside, the familiar scent of ancient paper and blood hitting her senses - while nauseating for others she found comfort in the familiarity.

Diya found him sat behind his desk that faced the entrance, one neat pile of papers on each side and an unrolled tube of paper was stretched in front of him. She could only guess Bi-han is writing a message of their finished objective to the Huǒ clan.

"How did it went with his majesty Guangxu?" she asked after a bow in greeting which he doesn't pay attention to, nor does her brother spare her a glance when she sat down on a cushion in front of him.

"Empress Cixi was lurking over his shoulder, as always. It went spectacularly..." because of the dryness poisoning Bi-han's tone Diya found his annoyance hilarious.

For someone who sometimes doesn't understand sarcasm, a sardonic comment slips from his mouth now and then.

Diya scooted closer on her knees, nonchalantly peering at his writing. "Where is Kuai Liang?"

"He went on a journey to the East, not long after sundown."

"... To the Dragon's lair?" she wetted her lips before asking, a little curious furrow twitched on her white, almost translucent brows.

"No." Bi-han paused his scribbling on the scroll's paper to look up at her and add; "I hope not."

A thought crossed her mind that it was a little village - a special someone living there - at the East-South side that inspired Kuai Liang to go on a journey this soon after a mission.

Bi-han didn't return to his writing as soon as he replied to Diya's surprise. His cold, brown eyes scrunched in a studious frown that bore into hers.

And, for a moment, Diya thought he knew. That he knew before she even got to tell him herself.

"Where were you last night? Searching for a new 'goat', I pressume." laying down his ink brush, Bi-han leaned back with crossed arms, observing her mastered, laid-back posture.

There was relief that swelled underneath her breast, even if only for a short while. Right now seemed like the best time to fill him in. Diya thought herself a fool for thinking she's prepared to have the conversation with him, she does not feel ready at all. "Well... Not exactly, brother."

An uncomfortable silence stretched at an unknown period and Diya fixed how she's seated on her bare heels and cleared her throat before batting her pale lashes at her older brother.

"I visited our.... neighbors."

"Who?" Bi-han grunted, already not liking her attempt at appearing 'innocent'.

Diya's reply was a little rushed but calm nonetheless. "Those under the Altay mountains..."

After another pregnant pause, Bi-han blinked out of his frozen state. He leaned forward on his elbows, nearly topping over his desk and spilling his ink. "Diya..."

"... Yes?"

"You. did. not."

"I did."

"HAVE YOU GONE MAD?!" palms that slammed into the wood rattled the small table on its small legs. Bi-han bolted from his seat, blue eyes of a storm pierced down at his adoptive sister.

Diya caught the ink bottle before it spilled all over the place and exhaled softly albeit a little shakily. "Brother, please, do calm down."

Bi-han walked over to the closest window and briskly stopped by it, gazing outside at the landscape with glittering snow underneath the moon's rays and rubbed harshly at his square chin as he surpressed a growl from escaping beneath his ribcage.

"They could have killed you!" he hissed into his twitching digits. "Or taken you prisoner to feed on you...!" the very image of it made his stomach churn. He had sworn to protect her from harm, it has like that for so lonf, and yesterday night it was a close call.

They nearly lost her. And he wouldn't have even known.

Diya couldn't talk him into having second thought about those gruesome scenarios, although she wishes to stand up for the Tarkatans she indeed felt more like a slab of meat than a guest yesterday. However, she couldn't bring herself to blame them for it, it's within their nature. If she could forgive one young and daft Lin-Kuei soldier years ago, she can forgive a hungry Tarkatan now.

Bi-han marched to the table only to go around it and stare down at his sister while being right by her side.

"And you told me you'll be out searching for a gullable person for the next full phase!" his sharp words stabbed her for her betrayal was just as hurtful to him. "The time is short and we can't sacrifice one of our own like last time!"

She didn't look him in the eye, when she continued to keep her sight on her lap Bi-han exhaled longly and ran his digits through his black roots up to his bun up-do.

He paced slowly away from her, close to the door before he returned to her side, a finger wagging distressingly in the air. "You— you disappointed me, Diya. I would have expected something so foolish from Tomas, but from you?"

"I know...! I know! And I'm sorry!" Diya squeezed her eyelids shut, her flat nose scrunched ever-so-slightly as she raised her voice to get rid of some of the heft from her chest. "You wouldn't have let me go if I told you— or listen to me. You'd have only locked me away like some fragile pet."

Bi-han bit onto his lip, with displeasure he acknowledged he couldn't argue about that, when he had already done that before. He stomped back to his seat and sat down with a huff.

"So, start explaining yourself!" he yipped with a sharp exhale and looked her in the eye. "What were you doing there with those freaks?!"

Diya was a little reluctant to answer after the tone he used at her, but she decided to rather play offended later. It would not be wise to be stubborn right now. "I proposed an alliance between us."

"Alli— An alliance?!? What for!?"

At any other time she would have giggled at how his mouth hung open and his eyes were open wide.

Diya inhaled quickly and continued to explain herself before he got the chance. "We need all the help we can get. And it's not fair we let them live the way they do, Bi-han! It's not their fault they're the way they are! We have to break that cruel cycle!"

"Don't be absurd, sister! There is still plenty of us not to be of concern! Not to mention we cannot be working along with the likes of them." Bi-han glanced at his tightened fists on top of the wooden surface, his jaw taut, his cuspids had slightly elongated from what she could see underneath the lantern's only light in this room. "There were not supposed to be half-breeds to begin with and as far as I know they are not our problem, unless we are given orders from the Arai."

He's agitated. And maybe rightfully so. Bi-han doesn't really like change, especially when it concerns the Lin-Kuei code and rules. And while he always aimed for his clan to be better, accepting allies such as Tarkatans is not one of those things he imagined for the future — new Lin-Kuei era under his rule don't do better, like Diya is hoping to achieve, because they are already immaculate.

"The hunters are coming in larger numbers than ever before, and they certainly won't wait for dusk to have a fair fight." Diya reminded him, leaning closer to the desk.

"The Lin-Kuei will bring them to their knees. Do not concern yourself with this, you will not be on the frontlines when the day comes."

Diya's cheeks puffed with a little pout and hung her head, clutching the loose fabric of her red Qipao dress only to let go of it when she saw her ivory fingers were stained with black ink.

"Ach, nein! Mein Dess!" she gasped, arms flying to anywhere but near her clothes.

Diya accidentally but succesfully startled her brother. Bi-han pushed himself up to see the damage on her lap before huffing to mask his groan. "Diya. It's just a micro smear. Not the end of the world."

"Kuai Liang gave me this dress! From Hong Kong!" she whined, fanning her hands in front of her as if she's swatting away bugs. "It's one of my prettiest! And I ruined it! Aahhh...!"

"Don't be so dramatic, after a good wash it will look like it had never happened." Bi-han didn't hold back from rising his orbs at the ceiling, he propped up his elbow to have his point and middle finger push against his temple and thumb against his cheek.

"Brother! Ink is so hard to wash off! Now I need a new dress!"

"You already have more dresses than there is all of Lin-Kuei together." Bi-han scoffed and idly looked over the message he has been trying to write down for Liu Kang who will pass it over to the higher branch of clans.

"Which is still not much considering I am a lady." Diya humphed, resting her stained hands on the table but far from his papers.

A grunt was his retort. Brisk and short.

Bi-han eventually broke the settled silence with another exhale, returning to the interrupted topic. "And what did they say?"

"Hm? Oh. That they don't trust us."

"Mhm..." Bi-han didn't say more to her astonishment, it's his thoughts that were full of comments.

"But are willing to accept if we prove to them they will be treated with respect first."

Diya could tell that from the grimace he's pulling on she will have to try harder. She can't read minds like them but his face said all; "as if they don't deserve it to begin with". Diya never understood why they hate half-vampires when it's them who created them to behind with, no matter if by accident or intentionally.

"I want for our family to be safe. The others won't help us when they know the hunters think that our clan is the only clan left to purge and have the only lead on, we are on our own." she reached his cold hand, her gentle fingers curled beneath his fist as her palm cupped over the rough knuckles. Thumb caressed over his thenar eminence when he didn't pull away.

"The Lin-Kuei... has always been on their own." Bi-han cut in while his sister was grasping for more thoughts she wished to share. "We don't ask for help, we don't recieve help, we help to ourselves, and serve the head of all the sub-clans." he expounded to her the way the live as if she hadn't heard that before.

"But why does the Tarkatans have to suffer when they, too, share your blood? I thought that, since the hunters will come after them, we could have joined forces."

"That may be a good strategy of a leader, but very against our code — Lin-Kuei aren't selected or just picked off the street, we are made." Bi-han twisted his hand to held hers when he felt her losing her hold, he couldn't look her in the eye when Diya's gentle-sculptured face contorted to exactly how she feels: upset, confused, helpless.

She would have continued her verbal assault but it's like talking to an ice wall. Getting an ice burn was enough. She's getting nowhere with his hard-headedness today.

The only choice Diya has is; she has to let this settle between them until next time when he'd be mellow and not so up-tight.

Diya stood up, escaping his somewhat comforting hold, bowed her head and left his office and Bi-han didn't look up at her until it was her back that faced him. A part of him wanted to comply to her idealistic wishes but a bigger part of him have to stay resilient to stay true to his clan his late father just recently left in his hands.

She closed the door behind her without a word and exhaled tiredly before looking ahead the vast hallway and listened to the inhuman people she came to love frolic around after their training session.

Diya saw the younger brother come her way when he turned a corner, silent on his feet as ever, and she immediately hurled herself at him. "Tooomaaaaas!!"

"Eej-ej!?" Tomáš' language switched to his native one as he exclaimed when his sister's face buried into his chest. "What is up with you? Did Bi-han give you a hard time?" his voice quickly lowered to coo down at her, patting her upper back as she smothered herself between his pecks for comfort.

"Mmmhnno." Diya's voice was muffled against the cotton of his uniform before she tore her face away for a proper air and hugged him properly. "I just missed you~ Very, very much." she chirped and her brother swooned.

If Tomáš noticed she gave him a little white lie, he said nothing.

"So did I!" he took her hand in his and began to lead her aimlessly through their big home. "Things are a lot better when we have you around. I swear, your smile pacifies even our cold, brooding Grandmaster."

"... I need to ask you something... You better reply with honesty." Diya murmured when a soldier passed by with a slight bow which she quickly returned, she only paid a little to no attention to what he just said.

"Sure. Go ahead! Ask me anything." Tomáš shouldn't sound so elated but he couldn't help it when he thought they were having a secret conversation. Just between them two. Diya doesn't have the heart to tell him not to be so childish when it's charming in its own way.

"What am I? Other than an amateur witch. Than a pet?"

"My little sister." he didn't even blink or had second thought when he answered, very certain to what he said is very true from his heart.

Diya exhaled softly and tried not to let her shoulders slump. In a way, this wasn't the answer she was looking for. "Tomas..."

"But you are, you dummy! Can't you see the resemblance?" he grinned toothily and fixed her white, stay lock behind her ear.

"Brother. you. are greying." Diya pouted at his response but the corners of her lips still quirked up involuntarily.

Tomáš' hand shot to his breast as he dramatically gasped. "Ahh, you don't say. Maybe it's because of the stress my little sister puts me through! Thinking she's not as brilliant for us, like she is!"

A blush bloomed on her ivory cheeks at her brother's theatrics that left all the Lin-Kuei around stop and stare. "Oh, hush! You're too loud!"

"So?" he snorted and pulled her closer to his side before she could briskly walk off from him, hugging her close. "I'm Slavic. We are loud when content!"

Although Diya will always adore that dopey grin on his face she will never say it out lout or she'll never hear the end of it.

It was a bit harder to go to sleep after that 'eventfull' talk with Bi-han. Diya stayed wide awake until sunrise and although her eyes stung with sleepiness her mind was anything but.

The sun had just begun to peek over the horizon, casting a soft golden light over the snow-covered landscape.

As she made her way up a rocky incline Diya accidentally stepped on her white dress' hem and her red pump suddenly slipped off her raised foot, it tumbled down the rocks, out of reach.

"Not my other dress, no..." cursing under her breath in a Germanic language, Diya made a futile attempt to retrieve her shoe after hitching up her dress higer before realizing that it was long gone.

Frustrated, she turned to continue up the path when a sudden movement caught her eye.

A tall, muscular figure mildly splattered with bright crimson blotches emerged from over the boulders that split the main path in two and gave her quite a scare.

He looked up from the shoe he caught at Diya, equally as surprised to see her out in the open and near the mountain's most slippery, dangerous parts nontheless.

"B-uhh... Baraka?! Why- how—??"

She couldn't smell the burning flesh, nor did she hear the sizzle of frying. No smoke nor fire vapoured off of his pale, scarred flesh.

Diya couldn't decide what was more concerning — that he's not burning up, or that he's came out here (hopefully) alone to the Lin-Kuei territory... Perhaps both.