Castlevania: Of Darkness and Light

Watcher of the Woods

"It's alright." I approached. "You're safe now." I instinctively gripped the hilt of my sword when I heard the unsheathing of others.  "Stay away from us sorceress!" An armored guard warned. The other men  had their weapons  at ready  shielding the woman and children. All of their eyes, armed or not, cast on me in fear and hatred.

"No you don't understand! I wanted to help! I'm not-!" I grimaced doubling over clutching my belly. When I drew away my hand, it was stained with blood. 

"She's wounded, get her bandages!" A lanky boy exclaimed, ushering everyone in his cart to help. When nobody did he jumped in himself and raced to me with bandages despite the warning cries of his fellow.

"Thank you." I nodded relieved. " I need ale. Do you have any?" He quickly retrieved a small flask of ale, which he was surprised to see me pour on now bloody slashmarks on my chest. "To keep the infection away."  He gave me a bewildered look. "Keep the blood from getting poisoned."  I stated. Getting a longer look at him I noticed he was a particularly small boy and thin from not enough food, his tattered clothes ages old and his feet dirty from the river mud.  But his brown eyes bright and hope as he gaped in amazement at the injured mage cloaked in white.

"Tell your folks the nearest village is twelve miles southeast of here." I pointed my staff at the valley ridges. "Between those two ridges. I you ride now, you'll make it by nightfall. I placed a heated hand against my injures and walked away.

"Wait!" The boy grabbed my sleeve. "Come with us!" I turned my head to his caravan. All eyes pinned on me in stark terror. "No, I'm not wanted. Take care of yourself, and travel by the rivers." I ran off, gliding down the valley on cape wings. I landed at the sound of crows erupting from the trees in a flurry of feathers and caws. On a large branch a long distance away, a great bat roosted. Its wings folded around its body and its reflective glowing eyes staring at me. Shit did I miss one? The bat flew off when I aimed my staff at it in the direction of the castle .

                                                                                      ....

Thank goodness Alucard wasn't around when I returned to the castle. I hurried into the infirmary, bandaging myself and further disinfecting the wound. Once I was sure the bandages weren't noticeable beneath my shirt I headed into the study as per normal, where my partner waited.

"Good evening." Alucard's voice hummed from the sofa. "All is well?"

"Very well." I plopped next to him, refraining from gritting my teeth when a spike of pain ran up my belly. Easy you nitwit, you'll agitate the wounds and rouse his suspicion.

"How was scouting today? Did that forest spirit give you trouble?" I nestled into him as I normally did. The key is to act normal and he won't notice. "Not at all, he was more than happy to let me fortify his woods against hellbeasts."

"Good." Alucard nodded. "The night creatures are becoming more cautious. Their attacks increase in strength and savagery, but I've noticed they've been taking great lengths avoiding the castle. Your wards have been holding up."

"Or they've finally gotten the memo seeing their buddies staked around the perimeter." 

"That too. I'm proud of you, my darling. You've become so strong." He wrapped his arms around my midsection like he always did when we rested together in the study. Though this time I winced involuntarily from the scratches. "Are you all right?"

"I'm okay." I responded casual. "I'm just a little painful from the bleeding."

"Bleeding?"

"You know, the Moon bleed. Those cramps are a bitch."