-- A Night Time Meeting --
This is the tale of a land, a cold and hostile place. This place is called Norway and in 1066, I arrived there…but we to get to know each other better first. My name was Appius Pontius Rullus, I say was as I am a vampire. Now my name is simply, Majhar, Vampire for “ancient one”.
I was born In the year of our Lord, 159 in the, then, Roman city of Londinium, the son of a Roman merchant and his Briton slave. I achieved little in what was my human life. I was turned one night after I had become very drunk. Waking up three days later, I found myself in the vampires den. Being a quick learner helps a young vampire, within a year I was on my own living in the streets.
December 25, 1065
Rome is covered in a light snow and the whole city honors the birth of the infant Christ. All, spare one man, moving swiftly through the streets and alleys of Rome, until finally he came upon it. His goal. The home of the Holy Pontiff Alexander III. A meeting had been arranged between the two to allow the strange man a chance to confess his sins unto the only man he saw holy enough to absolve them.
The strange man knocks twice on the door of the Pontiff’s home, with an instant the door creaked open to reveal a spry young man, likely a priest. “Yyyoouurr the oooonnnee, rrrrigggghhhttt?” The young priest stammered in fear of the thing that stood before him. The thing simply nodded and stepped past the boy and pointed to a room. The boy nodded himself and shut the door as the visitor departed for his goal.
The room was, in truth, a grand hall meant for entertaining Kings and Emperors. This night, it appeared different, the room was vacant except for a single man sitting at one end of a long table with a plate of food before him and another beside him. The visitor moved toward the other occupant of the room. Upon reaching him, the stranger spoke. “I am Majhar, the vampire who wished to confess unto you his sins, good Pontiff.” While speaking the words, Majhar was kneeling before the Pope.
The Popes response was delayed as the truth of the moment sunk in. “I wish that I could say it was a pleasure to meet you. I am Pope Alexander III and I shall your confessions as the Lord has commanded of me. Please sit.”
Pulling the chair away for the table with careful and purposeful concern for his life, Majhar sat as the Pope had asked. Now finding himself in front of a plate of food, something the vampire hadn’t needed in many years but could still eat. Relaxing into the car, Majhar spoke. “So, good Pontiff, shall I confess my sins before thee?”
The scared man of God could manage a nod and gesture urging his guest to continue. The sins flowed like water down a waterfall overwhelming the seasoned priest. “STOP! JUST STOP! Please! In the name of the Lord God Almighty, please just stop!” Alexander cried huddled in his chair trying to run away from the vampire without leaving his seat. Pope Alexander sprung from the seat and stood closer to the fire in the center of the room. “I have been giving thought to what could erase nearly one thousand years of sins, there seems to be only one way you could make up for that much evil. I am sending you to a Kingdom of wild men, of violent and untamed souls. A land of bitter cold and even more harsh lifestyles.”
Mahjar is notoriously impatient and had had enough of the Pope’s overly dramatic lead-up. Jumping from his seat, the vampire leaped for Alexander’s throat. Upon grabbing it, Majhar began to squeeze and raise the Pope from the ground. “Stop playing games with me, child! Where is the God forsaken land you are forcing me to be confined to?”
Pope Alexander could barely choke out the word with the vice like grip around his throat. “Nnnnooorrrrwawawayyy” The vampire released the Pope dropping to the floor gasping for air. “The King is named Harald Yngling, the man is a true Viking in every sense of it. Harald has been told to expect your arrival. I have arranged for a boat to transport you to Nidaros, the capital, from there you will be given further instruction from a priest.”
With that Mahjar turned to leave the hall and enter back into the cold streets of Rome. He would need to gather his things before going on the boat ride to Norway, possibly to never return.
