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

A Guardian's Promise

"Funny Vance."Emma rolled her eyes. "Be careful around the men, okay? They are good people and kind to me, but I wouldn't put it past one to try and stake you with a knife."

"Not to worry. I stay out of their sight most of the time." Vance blinked. "And I don't eat them."

"Then what do you eat?" Richter asked, hiding behind Emma with the whip in his hands.

"Livery." Vance licked his pointed fangs. " The livery's better on this ship than the last one. I feasted on a plump juicy pig. They have an entire section of livestock set aside for me."

"That was really nice of them." Emma said. "Now you don't have to go into Brumation as much."

"Eh I wouldn't call it nice." Vance shrugged. "More like keeping an uncaged tiger fed. Not that I would, I'm very selective about what I eat." He winked at Richter.

The young Belmont wasn't convinced. "I don't want you here." He looked up at Emma. "Make him go away."

"Richter, he's our friend, he wouldn't hurt us."

"Oh I would." Vance clicked his claws on the table. "If I was famished enough, but I make sure to keep well fed to prevent that." The lamplight shone on his burnished eyes. "I know what I am, so does the world outside (and inside) this cabin. I cannot change that, but what I can control is if I want to give into it. We're vampires, but we don't have to be monsters."

                                                                                            ...

Ultimately, Richter allowed Vance to remain in the cabin on Emma's offer to keep an eye on the vampire, and  to watch over the boy while he slept.  Something she easily agreed on.  Richter decided to rest for the remainder of the day, and within a few minutes of curling up in his cot, he fell fast asleep.

Emma looked over at the boy  sleeping peacefully under the blanket. He could have been her own son, and she already felt a strong protective bond over him as she did with her own children, grandchildren,  nieces, and nephews.

All long gone. She brooded. Do I really want to open my heart to this one? If misfortune doesn't take him he'll grow old and pass on while I remain young.She knew it was too late to ask herself that; she'd already grown attached.

"Hard to believe that harmless little cub will become a relentless vampire killer one day." Vance remarked grimly while looking over Richter.

"Maybe not." Emma said. "He'll be with Tera and she's no hunter."

"He's a Belmont, Emma. It's in his blood." Vance warned.

"You could say the same  about me." Emma touched the glyphs beneath her sleeve. "His ancestor was my brother."

"Half brother." Vance specified. "Your father is the son of Dracula. That changes things  a wee bit."

"Dad still killed a lot of vampires in his day."

"Maybe,  but he wasn't taught from a young age to hunt down and kill vampires. And don't think he isn't going to take up the family tradition when he gets older." He blinked his burgundy eyes. "Especially after witnessing his own mother's demise at the fangs of my kind. Vengeance is as strong as the love that fuels it."

As the sun sunk over the horizon, Emma settled into her cabin for the night. Her dinner was brought to her quarters as a request. The young lad's eyes were fixed on the beautiful young woman in her evening gown before quickly scampering off at Vance giving him a questioning look.   They fear me more than they admire you. Vance flickered his eyes. Good. He remembered the last voyage where one of the intoxicated sailors tried taking advantage of her. Emma struck him a good blow, but Vance had a hearty feast that evening, and nobody missed the stupid bastard who dared mess with his Emmaline. His lady, who he loved like the daughter he lost.

Vance knew how beautiful Emma  was, and how easily she could have had any of those  sailors in her bed if she wanted to. She had no interest in any of  them. Only with her husband, who she loved dearly and bore his children, and that young revolutionary who  was his reincarnation, and remembered his past life as he lay dying from a gunshot wound in her arms.

God, that was horrible. His own heart broke for her and it was no wonder she swore she'd never take another mate again, even if he found his way back to her.

The ship creaked  and rocked as it pushed against the waves. The storm was passing and the ship smoothed its movement. Emma lit the candles in her cabin. She ate her dinner with Vance, who sat across with her, conversing and keeping her company.  They spoke about their adventures in the Americas, their favorite memories, and the people they met. Vance mentioned how interesting it was that the Vampires were just as diverse as the humans, and how they took up roles in society that suited them.

"Quite a lot of them were rich old loyalist bastards with land." Vance remarked. "Executioners. Hitmen. A lot of hitmen. Most held positions of power they could subjugate humans with."

"Slave owners too." Emma bristled, remembering the auction she saw in Charleston. Vance had never seen Emma so disgusted, and had to urge her away, claiming the smell was too much for his fair lady. It took all of his willpower to convince her not to set torch to the auction and free every slave.

"Figures  vampires would take ownership of human lives. Most see them as livestock no greater than pigs or cows." He hissed.

"Not all." Emma recalled her old comrade. "He saw  humans as equals. He was like you, and he was a good friend." She would never forget him, and hoped he was doing all right.

"He was like me." Vance agreed. "But vampires like me are rare, never forget it."

"Wonder if it's the same with vampires in the Old World too; they've found and filled a niche in society?"Emma pondered.

"We'll soon find out. Be prepared Emma, it's been a hundred and fifty years, we're returning to a changed world."

"The world is always changing." Emma mused. "We have to learn to change with it."

Afterwards Vance let himself out the porthole as mist and spread his wings, flying in the fresh air.  Alone in the cabin with only a sleeping Richter, Emma wrote in her journal and read a book by the firelight.

Richter murmured in his sleep and started to cry. Emma immediately, soothed him. Stroking a gentle hand down his hair speaking comfort to him through his bad dream.  The glyphs on her forearms glowed dimly. It was a trick her own mother had done with her as a child. Emma had learned and used  it for her own children.

Richter stilled, and his face became peaceful.

"Nothing's gonna harm you, not while I'm around." Emma remembered the song her mother sang to her in moments of fear and distress.  She was close to singing it  to him when she felt a sudden chill in the room, and the hairs prickled over her skin. She detected a presence watching her and the sleeping child.

"It's all right Julia." Emma spoke kindly in barely a whisper, her breath fogged the air. "He's with me now. I'll watch over him and keep him safe." The bitter cold lingered and Emma sensed someone standing next to her, watching Richter as she did.  "I promise."

Emma swore she heard a voice speaking 'thank you', and the cold receded from the room. Warmth crept in again. She knew in that moment the spirit found peace and moved on.

Emma breathed, her body shivering off the cold and the encounter. A few minutes later she poured herself more tea and settled in the chair by the lamp. An idea flickered into her head and she unlocked the chest with her pack, taking out a velvet purse with an ornate box inside. She sat down in her chair and put the box on her lap, opening it. Inside were glass shards.

She murmured the spell and the shards levitated before her eyes, forming a mirror. Instead of her reflection the mirror revealed the cottage of a village healer, and the face looking back at her with such tenderness and love was not her own.

Emma couldn't help  smiling at the face gazing back at her. She felt guilty for not contacting her as frequently since the Revolution. She would make sure to change that.

"Hello Mother. It's been a while since we've spoken. Did I catch you at the right time?"