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"No one to sing with." There's moment of sadness there, a wistfulness in his voice. But then he takes one of Alfred's hands to kiss his knuckles, squeezing it tight.
"Now I have you, though. I could sing a little something while you played piano. If you'd like."
"Now I have you, though. I could sing a little something while you played piano. If you'd like."
Oh. He hadn't expected anyone out in the graveyard tonight. Or any night, really. Herbert only visits on the rare occasion, and Sarah finds it too morbid. But Georg comes here to try and find peace. To atone for past sins. To beg forgiveness, though his requests always fall on deaf ears.
So to see Alfred there is a surprise, and he straightens up a little, watching the boy curiously. "Ah, Alfred. I see I'm not the only one to find some sort of cold comfort in this place."
So to see Alfred there is a surprise, and he straightens up a little, watching the boy curiously. "Ah, Alfred. I see I'm not the only one to find some sort of cold comfort in this place."
Upon being greeted, Alfred jumps - reflexively hopping up to his feet, shoulders drawing taut. He blinks for a moment before glancing back at the headstone, murmuring to it softly. "Funny. Very funny."
Drawing a long steadying breath that he doesn't need, he turns to the Count, nodding a little greeting.
"Hallo, Georg. Ah...s-something like that. I...actually, I was hoping to talk to you, anyway. If I'm not... disturbing you."
Drawing a long steadying breath that he doesn't need, he turns to the Count, nodding a little greeting.
"Hallo, Georg. Ah...s-something like that. I...actually, I was hoping to talk to you, anyway. If I'm not... disturbing you."
"No, no." He brushes his fingers over a grave marker, a soft sigh escaping him. "I sometimes come here to talk to my wife. Herbert's mother, Adela. Ask her advice about whatever haunts my mind that night.
Is that why you're here? To ask advice of the dead?"
Is that why you're here? To ask advice of the dead?"
At this, Alfred's eyes widen, flicking down to the stone indicated. Herbert's mother. Georg's wife. Someone who's passing still echoes within the both of them to this day.
He takes a moment to pay his own respects - fitting, he supposes, that he ask about this here. Now to...ease into it.
"Yes, I...yes." He gestures to Solin's grave, looking back up at the Count. "Has...Herbert told you, yet?"
He takes a moment to pay his own respects - fitting, he supposes, that he ask about this here. Now to...ease into it.
"Yes, I...yes." He gestures to Solin's grave, looking back up at the Count. "Has...Herbert told you, yet?"
"In his own way, yes, he's tried to explain it." It was a very... excited explanation. Georg hadn't seen Herbert so happy in a long time. So even if he doesn't understand it entirely, he's happy that his son is happy.
"You and Solin are... the same person, somehow? At least that's how I understood it. He was speaking very quickly and bouncing as he told me, which made him a little hard to understand." And then Herbert had hugged him, which Georg is fairly certain he hadn't done for years.
"You and Solin are... the same person, somehow? At least that's how I understood it. He was speaking very quickly and bouncing as he told me, which made him a little hard to understand." And then Herbert had hugged him, which Georg is fairly certain he hadn't done for years.
The smile that crosses Alfred's lips at this is soft, fond. He can only imagine how Herbert must have gushed about it all, and the mental image leaves his heart full.
"Yes. Like... he's been trying to come back, over multiple lives, and I'm...the first to make it here. To come back to him. It's part of why I was pulled here."
Okay. Okay, Alfred. You can do this.
"Which...well, there's... something very important I need to ask you. About Herbert."
"Yes. Like... he's been trying to come back, over multiple lives, and I'm...the first to make it here. To come back to him. It's part of why I was pulled here."
Okay. Okay, Alfred. You can do this.
"Which...well, there's... something very important I need to ask you. About Herbert."
"The same soul, over and over. Trying to make its way back to Herbert. Perhaps that's why you were able to say no to Death. To come back like that. Because of your connection to him. That thread you spoke of."
The smile on Alfred's face warms his heart. He nods, tipping his head to the side in question. "Of course, yes. You may ask me anything, and I will do my best to answer it."
The smile on Alfred's face warms his heart. He nods, tipping his head to the side in question. "Of course, yes. You may ask me anything, and I will do my best to answer it."
"Apparently Solin put that thread there...so...so maybe so. It was meant to be. We are meant to be."
Reiterating all this helps Alfred feel more resolute. Drawing a long breath in to steady himself, he tries his best to stand tall, to look Georg in the eye.
"It's almost been a year, and...and I know the Ball is coming up. I...I love Herbert. I love you, too. I love it here. It's where I belong. So...."
Trying to be formal, like someone might have done in Georg's time, Alfred bows low, before Georg, before the headstone of Adela, trying to keep the shake from his voice.
"...I would like to ask you...for your permission to ask Herbert to marry me."
Reiterating all this helps Alfred feel more resolute. Drawing a long breath in to steady himself, he tries his best to stand tall, to look Georg in the eye.
"It's almost been a year, and...and I know the Ball is coming up. I...I love Herbert. I love you, too. I love it here. It's where I belong. So...."
Trying to be formal, like someone might have done in Georg's time, Alfred bows low, before Georg, before the headstone of Adela, trying to keep the shake from his voice.
"...I would like to ask you...for your permission to ask Herbert to marry me."
Georg beams and embraces Alfred tightly, kissing him on both cheeks. "My magnificent boy," he smiles, holding him at arms' length to look at him. Reaching up with one hand to stroke his cheek.
"My son has been happier than I've seen him in centuries, since you came to the castle. I could think of nothing he would want more, than to be promised to you."
"My son has been happier than I've seen him in centuries, since you came to the castle. I could think of nothing he would want more, than to be promised to you."
The joy in that reaction from the older vampire is met with a giddy giggle from Alfred - he leans into the embrace, into the kisses, into his touch.
It still...confuses him, a little, the nature of what he and Georg have. But it doesn't seem to bother Herbert, nor does it bother Georg. So...he simply accepts it for what it is.
"Thank you, Georg," he finally responds, a little choked up. "I - this means everything to me. I was...I was thinking of doing it at the Ball. If you would let me. I know the Ball is... it's yours, and I don't want to overstep any lines.....
Maybe...maybe speaking."
'If I am brave enough.'
It still...confuses him, a little, the nature of what he and Georg have. But it doesn't seem to bother Herbert, nor does it bother Georg. So...he simply accepts it for what it is.
"Thank you, Georg," he finally responds, a little choked up. "I - this means everything to me. I was...I was thinking of doing it at the Ball. If you would let me. I know the Ball is... it's yours, and I don't want to overstep any lines.....
Maybe...maybe speaking."
'If I am brave enough.'
"Why yes of course. I ought to make my usual speech, but then I can hand the reins over to you. I think it's very courageous of you, to want to propose to him at the Ball.
Not that he'll say no, of course," Georg assures him quickly. "But you're rather claiming him in front of all the others, aren't you?"
Not that he'll say no, of course," Georg assures him quickly. "But you're rather claiming him in front of all the others, aren't you?"
"Oh - of course, it would be wrong if you didn't." The idea of making such a show of it all sends a needle of panic through him - but...it feels right, and Georg is being lovely to allow it. Herbert deserves his own chance in the spotlight.
"I...yes," he stammers, clearly as nervous as he is excited. "Especially with...well, with how...last year's Ball went, I...I think it's...right. That I own up to it, and declare myself as...as one of you, now."
He smiles, crooked, still just a little snaggletoothed.
"And I'm not just claiming him, Georg. I'm...declaring myself as his, too."
"I...yes," he stammers, clearly as nervous as he is excited. "Especially with...well, with how...last year's Ball went, I...I think it's...right. That I own up to it, and declare myself as...as one of you, now."
He smiles, crooked, still just a little snaggletoothed.
"And I'm not just claiming him, Georg. I'm...declaring myself as his, too."
"It provided us with a good story to tell, if nothing else. The coven gets such little excitement in their lives, and you managed to provide them with some entertainment.
And now, this Ball, you'll give them a reason to be joyous. A wedding." He slides his fingers over Alfred's jaw, touching his chin lightly.
Though he does frown, faintly, at the thought of losing Alfred as a companion. "I'll understand, of course, if you wish to be only his."
And now, this Ball, you'll give them a reason to be joyous. A wedding." He slides his fingers over Alfred's jaw, touching his chin lightly.
Though he does frown, faintly, at the thought of losing Alfred as a companion. "I'll understand, of course, if you wish to be only his."
"Well, I'm...glad to hear that, at least. I was a little worried, in case I had...upset anyone." It sounds a bit silly, now that he's said it, given the nature of the brood.
He shivers lightly as his jaw is stroked, letting his chin be gently tilted. He catches that bit of sadness, and he contemplates it for only a moment.
"...What he and I have is something very important, but...what you and I have is... different. I am promising myself to him, to stay at his side for eternity, but...."
Gently, he reaches out to brush a lock of hair behind the older vampire's ear.
"If he is all right with, ah...with sharing, from time to time...then...I am, too."
How far Alfred has come.
He shivers lightly as his jaw is stroked, letting his chin be gently tilted. He catches that bit of sadness, and he contemplates it for only a moment.
"...What he and I have is something very important, but...what you and I have is... different. I am promising myself to him, to stay at his side for eternity, but...."
Gently, he reaches out to brush a lock of hair behind the older vampire's ear.
"If he is all right with, ah...with sharing, from time to time...then...I am, too."
How far Alfred has come.
"What you and he have is very rare, and very precious. I wouldn't wish to stand in the way of that." But then Alfred is touching him, fussing with his hair, and Georg's smile gradually returns.
He leans in to kiss Alfred's forehead, fingers stroking his neck. "When all is said and done, and the two of you are promised to each other, I'll ask him. I wouldn't want to ruin your surprise, after all."
He leans in to kiss Alfred's forehead, fingers stroking his neck. "When all is said and done, and the two of you are promised to each other, I'll ask him. I wouldn't want to ruin your surprise, after all."
Alfred smiles sweetly - at the respect he's being shown, at the gentle kiss, at the touch. He's glad that Georg understands. He sort of knew that he would.
The fingers grazing across his neck still sense a noticable shiver down his spine, though. Hard not to let the mind wander to other situations he had been touched that way.
"Thank you. It means so much to me, that you - that you accept me like this. I know, for you, the amount of time I've been here... it's a drop of water in a river."
The fingers grazing across his neck still sense a noticable shiver down his spine, though. Hard not to let the mind wander to other situations he had been touched that way.
"Thank you. It means so much to me, that you - that you accept me like this. I know, for you, the amount of time I've been here... it's a drop of water in a river."
"You were meant to be here, Alfred, that much is clear. Something drew you to this castle, and now we know what that something is.
You belong here. With us. And we are so happy to have you. I know Herbert would happily take you for eternity."
You belong here. With us. And we are so happy to have you. I know Herbert would happily take you for eternity."
Well, that does it - Alfred is sweeping in in a flash to wrap Georg in a tight hug, misty-eyed, but practically glowing with happiness.
"I am so happy to be here. Really. And...and I would be honored if...if with this marriage, if I could...take on the family name?"
It's time, he figures, to let poor, frightened little Alfred Schreiber finally rest. He had served his purpose...but the Alfred here now is someone new. Someone more...real.
"I am so happy to be here. Really. And...and I would be honored if...if with this marriage, if I could...take on the family name?"
It's time, he figures, to let poor, frightened little Alfred Schreiber finally rest. He had served his purpose...but the Alfred here now is someone new. Someone more...real.
Sarah was the one, really, who had introduced him to the peaceful relaxation that comes from taking a nice long soak in the bath. He hadn't quite understood it before; baths were meant for scrubbing off, not luxuriating. But he'd tried it that night and decided he quite liked it.
Though it does mean that when Alfred comes in, he's only in his trousers, chest still damp from the water.
"Ah, Alfred," he says with a smile, pushing his hair back over his shoulder. "How kind of you to bring me my clothes. I must say, whatever trick you're using to starch the collars of my cloaks is amazing."
Though it does mean that when Alfred comes in, he's only in his trousers, chest still damp from the water.
"Ah, Alfred," he says with a smile, pushing his hair back over his shoulder. "How kind of you to bring me my clothes. I must say, whatever trick you're using to starch the collars of my cloaks is amazing."
This is, up until this point, the least clothing he has ever seen the Count in, outside of...the dream.
The dream that he is struggling not to think about now, mouth going very dry, face steadily going red.
"Oh, it's- I-I am glad you like it," he stumbles over himself to say, drawing a little closer to hold out the stack of laundry for Georg to pick from and trying, TRYING not to stare.
He is not succeeding very well.
"It's - it's just knowing how to apply heat to stiffen...them...."
Oh dear.
The dream that he is struggling not to think about now, mouth going very dry, face steadily going red.
"Oh, it's- I-I am glad you like it," he stumbles over himself to say, drawing a little closer to hold out the stack of laundry for Georg to pick from and trying, TRYING not to stare.
He is not succeeding very well.
"It's - it's just knowing how to apply heat to stiffen...them...."
Oh dear.
Georg arches an eyebrow, taking the clothes and setting them on the bed. "Well I've never quite managed. I'm afraid I'm absolutely useless when it comes to household chores. Other than tending to the garden.
Though Herbert tells me you're teaching him to sew. How delightful."
Though Herbert tells me you're teaching him to sew. How delightful."
As soon as his hands are empty, Alfred is folding them together in front of him - fidgeting. He knows he's going red-faced, he can feel it, but he can't help the way his thoughts are wandering.
"Gardening is... it's it's own skill, though. And I'm. I'm happy to help with things like this."
He's trying his best to pull himself together, to simply carry on conversation, but...oh dear, are his palms going sweaty.
Why? Why is he like this?
"Y-yes. He's picking it up v-very well, I think."
"Gardening is... it's it's own skill, though. And I'm. I'm happy to help with things like this."
He's trying his best to pull himself together, to simply carry on conversation, but...oh dear, are his palms going sweaty.
Why? Why is he like this?
"Y-yes. He's picking it up v-very well, I think."
He can't quite help a light chuckle, moving around the bed to stand closer to Alfred, leaning against the bedpost. "I think it's good that you're spending time with him like that. He could use a few hobbies.
And things are going well? Between you two. Have my books been any help?"
And things are going well? Between you two. Have my books been any help?"
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