*Edited 4/16/22*
After the introduction of the laboratory, things began to change. Alucard had grown closer to me. No longer was he the aloof and distant stranger watching from afar, but now truly part of my life. He now accompanied me on my exploits throughout the castle, taking part on my explorations through the castle halls, and adventures within the pages of the library books. In the laboratory his mother once worked in he demonstrated how to use the instruments and how to use the great telescope.
It turns out Alucard was a very intelligent man, I'd even say the most intelligent in the world! He'd tell me all the different things about the world; history, astronomy, nature, cultures, and medicine as he showed me through the library books. From him I learned of the many countries, how to navigate using the stars, how to hunt and cook game meat, and much more. It wasn't just learning from books either, most, if not all of this new knowledge came from going out into the world.
Well relatively speaking.
Alucard took me on the well worn trails in the forests surrounding the castle. He showed me the various game trails and taught me how to follow them. He identified the various plants and mushrooms, teaching me which ones I could use to help me and which ones to avoid. Although we never went far from the castle, the forests outside felt like another world.
Some days there was nothing to teach and we pleasantly walked the forest paths, enjoying the serene beauty of nature and each other's company. I really enjoyed Alucard's company. Perhaps it was the fact he was the only other presence around, or perhaps I was just a social butterfly by nature. I loved being in Alucard's presence and enjoyed every moment with him. Even if we were only reading books, or learning how to categorize herbs, I was happy just to be near him.
Alucard opened up as well. He smiled more, his soft tone lost the dreary weight. I could see it as time passed the melancholy lift from his shoulders, and he bloomed like a flower in the spring after a long hard winter. I knew I was seeing the true Alucard, one the legends and terrifying stories would never tell of. One who was kind, soft spoken, understanding, and patient.
Thank goodness he was patient.
"I have a question." I asked, skipping on top of the rocks and downed logs along the riverbank. "How are you not burning alive right now? It's the middle of the day."
"I am half vampire." Alucard answered walking alongside me. "The human part of me is capable of surviving the sunlight."
"That's good." I nodded, balancing across a log holding my staff horizontally. "Because my ventures in the woods would be quite lonely."I wasn't focusing and slipped. Alucard caught me and for a moment I felt a blazing heat in my chest and the warm flush of my cheeks. We glanced at each other and quickly flinched away. "Sorry!" I stammered. "Thanks for catching me."
"You're welcome. Try to be more cautious."
"I will." I hopped onto another rock, following the stream. I stuck my staff into the water, stirring it up to attract the fish. "There's so much to see, even in this forest close to home."
"Home?" Alucard wondered surprised.
"Y'know. The castle." I cocked my head at him. "Isn't that home?"
"It is." Alucard sighed. "I hadn't realized it has become home to you." I nodded. "It's the first place I felt like I belonged. It was great being with the Speakers, and I will never forget their kindness when they took me in, but, I always felt like a guest, here it's different." Alucard didn't respond, but I saw the light in his eyes when we approached a grand field of wildflowers. "So pretty." I jogged into the field, taking everything in.
"Yes..... It is." Alucard murmured wistfully.
My staff began to glow.
"What the-?" I raised the staff to my head. Alucard called a warning, but it was too late. I heard the growling behind the trees. A hell beast pounced from the cover and charged toward me jaws bared and gullet raw. I barely had time to react and hold up my staff when Alucard swooped forward in a blinding blur, slicing the creature clean in half. The beast's body writhed, spurting blood with its organs crumpled in the dirt.
Alucard stood fiercely over the creature's corpse, his eyes sharp with a vampire's rage and sword dripping with blood. I suddenly remembered what my host was, and my instincts clamored me to run. I didn't. I stood frozen, legs shaking stricken by fear and a wave of guilt.
The glow of my staff dissipated leaving it no more than a nice walking stick.
Alucard wheeled around to me. The ferocity in his eyes replaced by pallid fear. "Are you okay!?" I nodded, clutching my staff with trembling hands. "I'm sorry! I shouldn't have walked out in the open alone."
"It's not your fault." Alucard calmed me. "I should've known better than to wander this far from the castle. Come let's hurry back, where there's one night creature there's more lurking unseen."
Thankfully enough, we encountered no night creatures on our way back to the castle. I "That is a peculiar weapon." Alucard noted, senses alert to his surroundings. "If never seen anything like it before."
"Neither have I." I clutched my staff close as if it were my own heart. It had warned me of the night creature's presence, and I knew it would keep me safe. "Then again, there's a lot I haven't seen, who's to say magic staves that shoot beams and glow in the presence of hellbeasts aren't as common as swords somewhere else in the world."
"I can assure you they are not." Alucard touched the hilt of his own weapon. "I have read they are a weapon used among mages of different sects."
"Interesting." I remarked, well, there's something else I'm gonna search for in the library.
"How did you acquire that staff?" He asked.
"I found it." I answered. "In the very spot where I woke up."
"Hmm." Alucard furrowed his brows. "That is strange."
"Not as strange as the fact the thing literally popped up in the field the day after the old farming couple found me."
"It wasn't with you when you awakened?"
"Nope." I shook my head. "Just popped up right there in the exact same spot I was sitting, in the exact place I was heading. Nobody put it there, I didn't see footprints or evidence of a cart. It was just there."
"Hmm." Alucard nodded in thought. "Whatever the situation that brought it there, it was meant for your hands."
" I'm just curious of who put it there in the first place." I wondered. My eyes suddenly widened and the scars on my back prickled. "You don't think I could've been them?" I darted my eyes to the skies, grey clouds rolling in.
"If you were what I think you were, it is not out of possibility." Alucard responded quietly.
"But why would Heaven give a fallen angel a weapon to protect herself?" I questioned, getting frustrated. My scars started to ache, I'd have to reapply the ointment to soothe them again.
Later on at the castle, Alucard changed my bandage and reapplied the ointment onto my scars. "They're looking much better." The kindly vampire noted. "The inflammation is going down and the marks are less red. We should keep up with this ointment until I see they are fully healed."
"What if they don't heal?" I asked.
Alucard chuckled and patted my shoulder. "Then it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world to have this soothing cream applied every couple of days. I won't run out of material, and it is easy to make." My skin prickled, not from the ointment, but because his lips were very close to my back. It wouldn't be so bad if they touched.
Alucard shift back abruptly. "There's something we need to discuss."
"What?" I asked nervously, throwing my gown over my head.
"You've been in my company for a while now."Alucard spoke in his quiet tone. "And I believe it is time that you have a name."
"A name." I repeated, scratching the back of my head. "I haven't thought of giving myself a name. I always hoped the memory of my old one would pop up. Some luck."
"That's a good thing, my friend." Alucard reassured. "A new name signalizes a new beginning."
"True." I remarked. " What would be a good name for me?"
"I've gone over a few, and I think this one suits you the best." Alucard's eyes brightened like the sun and he spoke a name
I gasped, heart fluttering in joy. "I love it. It's a beautiful name."
"A beautiful name for a beautiful woman." He flushed, regretting those words escaped his mouth.
"Thank you." I murmured. "I'm honored to have it." For the first time since awakening in the burning field, I truly felt I began a new path.
A new name. A new beginning.
Hope you enjoyed this chapter! What are you naming our protagonist, write it in the comments below! I'm curious to read what you think.