This Holiday Season
Part Four
Soon, Papa Noel was spied and a great shriek went up from the children. The old man was in his usual attire of black boots, red pants, red and green plaid flannel shirt, red suspenders and a red cap. He pulled his skiff to the bank, and leaving his unnaturally still 'gators in the water, came ashore. The children rushed to him, squealing with joy.
Most of the coven chose this moment of distraction to take their leave of the event, some to hunt, some to see other Christmas sites before rejoining the others at the Rue Royale.
Daniel returned to New Orleans and wandered among the lights in City Park. His mind was nothing but confusion. What did he want from Armand, anyway? An apology? If it were given, would he accept it? Maybe just an explanation. But it would almost certainly be a lie. Did he want anything from Armand at all?
"Daniel, I wish to speak with you."
Well, speak of the devil and he shall appear. "Why the hell would I give a fuck about what you wish to do, you son of a bitch?"
Armand looked hurt. "Daniel, don't be this way."
"I'll be any way I damn well please."
Armand fell silent then and simply stood. Daniel began walking down a path, Armand followed. An hour later, Daniel finally spoke.
"So, tell me, Mandy, what was it? What did I do to make you lose all interest in me, huh?"
"Nothing. That is simply the way with our kind."
"Bullshit."
"No, Daniel, it is not 'bullshit', as you say. Once the mortal becomes a vampire, he sees the full truth of it, and all of the romance and mystique is destroyed."
Daniel turned on Armand furiously. "NO, GOD DAMN YOU! You will NOT blame this on ME! It was YOU who stopped caring! YOU were the one who wouldn't hold a conversation. YOU were the one who started going off with other mortals. YOU were the one who abandoned ME, alone, without a word!" Blood tears stood in Daniel's eyes and he roughly wiped them away. "What is it? Huh? You pissed off 'cause I won't be your performing monkey anymore, eating for you, running for you, fucking for you? Is that it?"
"NO, Daniel! Of course not!?"
"Oh, I get it. You won't get to watch me die now. Well, hell, Armand, I'm sure you could still kill me if you tried. Or if not you, surely you could bribe Lestat into doing it. Would THAT make you happy?!"
"I don't want to see you dead, Daniel. I love you."
"No you don't! NO YOU DON'T! If you loved me, you would have stayed with me. If you loved me, you wouldn't have told the whole world that you can't stand me!"
"I didn't say that."
"LIAR! "
"Look, YOU'RE the one who ended the game!"
"Game? What game?"
"What game?!" Armand laughed, mirthlessly. "The game we've been playing since the beginning, you idiot! I came after you every time you ran. I found you every time you hid. I chased you, I blocked you, I let you go! But when it was my turn, when you had gotten what you wanted from me, when I was the runner, you QUIT! You NEVER looked! You never EVEN TRIED!"
"Armand, I don't . . . I mean, this isn't a game!"
"YES it IS! It always HAS been! That's how you wanted it! How I wanted it! How it IS! But YOU, you lost interest! As soon as you got your 'prize' I wasn't worth playing with any more. You never wanted me, you only wanted what I could GIVE you!"
"That isn't true! Armand, how could I find you?? I can't read your mind! It's totally different!"
"WRONG! You played when I had you completely outmatched! But once the playing field was level, you didn't want to adapt! You didn't want me any more. You never loved me!" Tears coursed down Armand's cheeks, he slid to his knees in the wet grass and sobbed.
"Armand, my God, no, that's not true!" Daniel knelt before his lover and took him in his arms. "Armand, I didn't . . . I didn't understand. Why didn't you come back?"
"Why didn't you come find me?"
Daniel began crying, not bothering this time to hide the evidence. "I missed you so much. I thought I'd die."
"I missed you."
"I love you, you bastard."
Armand threw his arms around his fledgling. "And I love you, my accursed minion."
Lestat followed Louis into the Cathedral, just as the bell tolled twelve. The opening strains of the Cantique de Noel came from the choir loft, and ,as they had for centuries, the Catholics of New Orleans welcomed Christmas day with their voices raised in song, in the language of their ancestors.
Minuit, Chretiens, c'est l'heure solennelle
Ou l'homme Dieu descendit jusqu'a nous
Pour effacer la tache originelle
Et de son Pére arreter le courroux
Le monde entier tressaille desperance
A cette nuit qui lui donne un Sauveur
Peuple a genoux, attends ta delivrance
Noel! Noel! Voici le Redempteur!
Noel! Noel! Voici le Redempteur!
Noel! Noel! Chantons le Redempteur!
The Vampire Lestat sang loudest of all, his perfect pitch keeping the congregation on key. Louis, his voice much quieter, but no less perfect, smiled at the performance.
The two stood at the back of the crowded Saint Louis Cathedral, holding hands, and let the mass enfold them. Nostalgia washed down in pleasant waves. The memories of joyous Christmases past flooded their minds, interrupted only by thoughts of even better Christmases to come. Together.
"Je t'aime, mon amour." Louis whispered to Lestat, his lips just brushing the golden hair.
"Je t'aime, toujours, mon coeur." Lestat answered.
"I may be sick," Gabrielle commented.
"MOTHER!" Lestat cried, taking her in his arms, and kissing her.
She smiled indulgently. "Joyeaux Noel, mon fils."
Upon returning to their home, they found it filled to capacity. Pandora had arrived and was accompanying Jesse and Eric on the piano as they belted out Christmas carols Broadway-style. Armand sat in Daniel's lap, playing chess with Santino. Marius and David were deep in a discussion of the depiction of the nativity in art, and whether or not the plastic lawn figures of the scene could be considered quaint or merely tacky. Maharet was discreetly feeding Mael from her fingers, strengthening him, and pushing the madness further and further away. Khayman and Mekare were kissing under the mistletoe. Mojo was tearing into his second porterhouse steak.
Presents awaited them all under the enormous tree, but they each had what they needed most of all this holiday season, family.
FIN
12/24/2001Literal Translation of Cantique De Noel
Midnight! Christians! It is the solemn hour
Where the man God went down to us,
To erase the original spot
And of his/her Father to stop the ire.
The whole world tressaille of hope
At this night which gives him a Saver.
Populate with knees!
Await your delivery: Christmas! Christmas!
Here the Redeemer: Christmas! Christmas!
Here the Redeemer!This same music, by Chappeau de Roquemaure, was used by Adolphe Charles Adam to write "O Holy Night"
Oh holy night
The stars are brightly shining
It is the night of the dear Savior's birth!
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
Till he appear'd and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn!
Fall on your knees
Oh hear the angel voices
Oh night divine
Oh night when Christ was born
Oh night divine
Oh night divine
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