Castlevania Nocturne: A Guardian's Tale (Part 1)

The Parting Storm

Emma watched the waves roll against the ship, her eyes drifting towards the bow and beyond the horizon. Homeward bound. She looked forward to returning home, even though home wasn't the place she was born anymore. It was a place where her loved one was.

Her loved one being her mother.

Emma had gotten word through the Miracle Makers that her angelic mother now resided in the commune of Machecoul as the resident doctor. What where the odds that Richter's next of kin (as well as her own) lived there?

One would call it miracle.

Seamus waved at her from the crows nest. Emma laughed and bounded across the deck, climbing the shrouds with the finesse of a cat. "Hello." She drew herself into the crow's nest without difficulty.

"Aye! You're such a good climber!" Seamus laughed in surprise. " Good you're not afraid of heights! Make sense for someone with magic wings."

"I am many things." Emma grinned perky. "Sorry, am I bothering you being up here? I can climb down."

"Nah not at all." Seamus smiled. "I could use the company and an extra set of eyes. The old Captain says you have the sight of an eagle."

"You mean help you keep watch?" Emma asked. "Sure!"'

"Good! Relax and take a load off. You don't need that sword unless you mean to use it on me!" He winked.

"Oh! No! No not at all!" She removed the sword in its scabbard from her belt and lay it against the side.

"I always carry it wherever I go because you never know when you'll need it. Vampires are everywhere y'know, and the blade is imbued with silver. Slices through 'em like butter!!" She unsheathed the sword from its scabbard and swished it in the air.

Seamus was amazed. " That sword is bigger than me! How the heck do you go around swinging that thing?"

"With a lot of practice." Emma remarked, putting it back in its scabbard.

"Sure looks fancy." Seamus mused.

"It's a family heirloom." Emma explained. "My father's parting gift for when I sailed for the Colonies." At least he did that. Emma thought sourly. She wondered if she would see him again after she stepped foot on European soil.

She doubted it, Wallachia was a long way from France. Not that she cared.

Emma happily stood in the crow's nest, scanning the seas and the horizon. Her sight was indeed superior to any humans and with nothing but the open ocean surrounding her, she could see for miles and catch the smallest details. A school of fish, birds flying on the horizon, even the spout of a whale far at the curve of the Earth. She eagerly pointed out these details to Seamus, who happy congratulated her for noticing things even he couldn't. "Maybe I'll have the Captain post you here. You make one hell of a lookout."

"Thanks." Emma breathed. "Maybe I'll hop up here on calm seas or cloudy days. You can see everything from this height!"

"Can you see France with those eagle eyes of yours?" Seamus asked.

"No, my sight's not that good!" Emma laughed.

"I joke, but I'm sure you'll catch the first sight of land before anyone else." Something caught his attention on deck and he gave Emma a gleeful smile. "Emma look. Your little friend is on deck."

Emma immediately swung to Seamus's side of the crow's nest and looked on. "That's him!" She was overjoyed. "Finally stepped out of our cabin thank goodness!" Almost on cue, Vance spoke through her mind.