Young yet so old

Chapter two

I put the small book away, took a look at my fiddle (yes, I have a fiddle, don't judge me). It had been a gift from my father. He used to play it out at sea, and it was one of my favorite things we would do. Sometimes during clan gatherings I would play it. The children all seemed to love dancing to it, and a few others here have other instruments such as a flute, from when they were human.

I smiled before standing up, and heading to the main room. It was where those who had insomnia, or didn't think they needed to sleep yet would reside.

"Hello everyone," I said, as I walked inside the large room.

A couple of them greeted me, while others pretended to not hear me.

I spotted Damian and went to talk to him.

"Good day, sir Damian." I said with a smile. He is one of my best friends here. He had stumbled into the crypt really close to sunrise, and I was the only one still awake. We sat and talked for a while before getting tired.

"Good day, madam Ember." he replied.

We both sat down.

"Any new books yet?" he asked.

"Not yet, but I'm thinking I might go to the library tomorrow." I said. "But you can certainly barrow any of the old ones you like."

"Hm, never thought I'd hear you quote a disney movie." he said.

"I have not idea what you're talking about." I said, smirking while he rolled his eyes.

"Hey, tomorrow we are all going out on a search. Would you like to come? It's been a while, hasn't it?" he asked.

"Heck yeah! Took you idiots long enough! Good lord, most of you can't even kill a fly, it's pathetic!" I exclaimed, and he laughed.

"Good. We could use the experience. Don't think I haven't heard you sneaking out at night." He said with a smirk.

"I didn't. I knew, but you didn't say anything about it, so neither was I," I shot right back at him.

"Mother, he isn't here!" Said someone, sounding slightly panicked.

Me and Damien both turned around at the exact same time. It was Gregory.

"What?" I asked, standing up. He looked at me, then back to his family.

"Rudolph. He isn't in his room!" Said Gregory, looking distressed.

"Oh my god!" I said. I heard a few murmurs.

"How did this happen?" Asked Frederick.

"I don't know, how about we ask one of the kids?" Said Gregory, sounding exasperated.

"I have to go out to look for him." said Frederick.

"What?" I said.

"You heard me. I'm going out after my son." he repeated.

"You can't go out there. Not now." I said, standing my ground.

"And why not? What do you know? You're just a foolish sixteen year old girl." he said, his words cutting me like a knife.

"Are you so much of a fool that you forget about the sun? You know. That hot round ball of gas in space? The thing that will burn us to dust in less than half a minute? Yeah, that. And I refuse to believe that you just called me a foolish sixteen year old girl. I am not sixteen. I am nine hundred eighty six, though I doubt that you or anyone else remembered that.

"Now onto the second question you asked. What do I know? The amount of vampires that were foolish enough to venture into the sun is too great, and the others who have passed were killed by hunters. I have survived this long, I have the upper hand when it comes to knowledge. You must understand that if you went after Rudolph now, you wouldn't have time to find a place to hide from the sun. Rudolph is smart. I have the utmost confidence that he will find a hiding place, and will return to us when the moon has raised once more. But until then, those who will search for the young one must rest, otherwise they will not have the strength," I said, looking around at the others.