"Are you sure you don't want me coming with you?"
She shook her head with a small smile, "I'm going to be fine, Alucard."
He sighed and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her closer in an intimate embrace. "I know you are a capable warrior but I can't help but worry."
The healer understood the dhampir's plight, but she couldn't give Hector up. At the very least she wanted to know if her dear friend was still alive.
"Hopefully I'll be back before you know it," she pressed a soft kiss onto his lips.
Butterflies erupted in her stomach as his hand held the back of her head and pulled her into a deeper kiss. He kissed like waves crashing against rocks, fierce and explosive. His fingers drifted over her back and her lower waist.
She slowly pulled away from the sincere kiss before gifting him a soft peck.
The kiss was over too soon. Before anything could truly begin and maybe that was for the best. If she gave in to the black hole of his passion she knew that Hector would rot wherever he found himself.
"I must be off," she looked away from his quickly dulling eyes and adjusted the strap of her bag, "I do not want to lose the aid of the sun, especially since I'll be in the presence of vampires."
"...I'll set the mirror."
She watched as Alucard stood in front of the floating shards and assembled them into a mirror with merely his presence. Instantly the image of a large intricate castle came into view.
Y/N walked over to the dhampir to get a better look at the mirror, "Can you get me inside?"
He furrowed his brows, "I'm trying to but it seems as if they have protection against transport mirrors."
She nodded slowly with a deep frown.
Every time she took a step forward she got hit four steps back, "How close can you get me?"
"A few feet from the front door," he turned back to the mirror and the picture of a snowy ground came into view, "Are you sure you don't want me to accompany you? At the very least to get you inside."
"I'll be fine, Alucard," she smiled at him, "I'll see you soon."
She gave him one last glance before turning to go through the mirror but was stopped by a hand on her wrist. Her eyes trailed from the hand all the way to Alucard.
"Yes," she raised a brow.
He walked closer to her and wrapped one arm around her waist with the other holding her right hand. Carefully he pressed his forehead against hers, "Can you promise me something?"
"Anything," she whispered.
The healer was afraid that if she spoke even slightly louder then the moment would be broken. A shattered hourglass with sands being blown away by the winds of an ill-timed shift in tone.
"Promise me you will come back to me," he muttered with his eyes piercing the inner depths of her soul, "Even if it is only to say goodbye one last time."
Her stomach twisted and her eyes felt hot.
She was hoping to leave before her feelings caught up to her and showed on her face.
But love was vulnerability and if she hadn't loved Alucard she wouldn't have stayed for so long. A tear ran down her cheek and she could only hope to keep the promise.
She had to.
"I promise."
🧭
The halls were dim and cold.
The sun had set hours ago and candles in the hallways were few and far between.
It reminded her of Dracula's castle that one night.
After a tearful departure, she mustered the courage to go through the mirror. The cold had been piercing and for the time she had been out there, she could only wish she had more layers on.
Luckily she had been able to sneak in through an open window. She decided not to use her magic in order to ensure there would be less suspicion.
A missing section of a wall or a broken window would do more harm than good.
Strangely, the castle seemed almost deserted. She hadn't heard a single sound in the building except the whistling of the wind. Could she have been wrong?
It dawned on her that she didn't know how the sisters looked. The books hadn't offered any true descriptions nor were there any drawings. With the large size of the castle, they could be anybody.
"Hello?"
She swiftly turned around to look at who addressed her.
A woman with pale skin in a crimson red dress and snow white hair looked at her with striking blue eyes, "Who are you?"
She eyed the woman warily before responding, "I'm looking for someone, a forgemaster."
"...I see," the woman frowned, "He is away on business and you have not answered my question. Who are you?"
"I'm simply a friend. Business?" Y/N frowned and leaned closer to the woman, "For how long?"
"Perhaps a week or two but it is hard to truly know," the woman narrowed her eyes, "What is your name?"
"Y/N, and yours?"
"My name is ...Mariam," the woman slowly nodded, "I am one of the ruling ladies in this castle."
"You are a part of the Council Of Sisters?" Y/N's eyes widened.
The book only talked about four sisters, Carmilla, Lenore, Striga, and Morana. There was no mention of a fifth named Mariam.
"Yes," she began walking down the hallway, "Carmilla and the forgemaster are away on business but you are more than welcome to wait here for them."
The healer quickly followed the other woman, "Are you sure?"
Mariam clasped her hands together in front of herself, "Of course, I'm assuming you traveled far to get here."
"Yes!" Y/N nodded hastily, "A very long and tiresome journey. "
"Would you like to go to your room first or do you want to meet the sisters?" The woman stopped with her quick strides and turned to look at Y/N with a raised brow.
"I wouldn't mind meeting the sisters first, especially since I'm staying in their castle," she chuckled.
"Wise. Follow me."
Y/N matched Mariam's pace and followed the woman around the various turns to the meeting room.
Mariam stopped in front of a large ornate wooden door, "Can you give me a moment? I want to make them aware of you."
"Of course," she agreed.
How could she refuse such a request? Especially after breaking into their castle.
The woman with white hair was interesting.
Alluring.
Mariam reminded her of beautifully tragic heroines in all the stories she read.
Despite the woman's calm demeanor, Y/N could sense a story in Mariam's eyes. Eyes that told a story of anger and sadness.
A story of resisting and waiting til the right moment.
"You can come in," Mariam opened the door for her.
Y/N couldn't help but be in awe when she stepped into the room.
A long table was in the center of the room, an expensive chandelier hung from the ceiling, and various art pieces lined the walls. Four beautiful chairs with delicate carvings surrounded the table.
Mariam sat down in one of the chairs, "Lenore is occupied currently so she can not meet you."
The pale woman motioned to the seat beside her and the healer promptly sat down.
A woman with large gold earrings and a curly ponytail smiled at her, "Allow us to introduce ourselves."
🧭
The sound of light laughter echoed in the otherwise quiet hallway.
"Your room is right here," Mariam stopped in front of an elaborate door.
The transmutator opened the door and marveled at the sight of the room.
Dark gray curtains hung in front of the ceiling-to-floor windows. Mahogany cabinets, the hardwood floors, and a bedpost were the only spots of color in the room. Various shades of gray enveloped the room. A light gray vase holding flowers, a deep smoke-colored bedspread, or even a stormy cloud painting hanging above the bed.
Despite the room being essentially colorless, she still found beauty in its appearance. The sight of light colors in a vampire's castle surprised her.
In Dracula's castle dark colors reigned. Crimson Red, Widow Black, Royal Purple. Not a pastel was in sight.
Her words were caught in her throat, "This is..."
"Beautiful," Mariam finished for her as she stepped into the room beside her and admired the decor, "I decorated this one personally when we first got the castle."
Mariam walked deeper into the room and pulled open the curtains.
"Why this room in particular?" Y/N questioned as she stood beside the woman.
Mariam smiled and gestured to the window, "The view."
The two women stood in silence as they took in the full moon. Y/N could feel eyes on her but she didn't dare Mariam aware of it.
"Would you mind assisting me with something tomorrow?" Mariam gave her the same neutral look she had been sporting all evening, "You don't have to but I suppose it would be better than aimlessly wandering the castle while you wait for the forgemaster."
Y/N nodded, "I don't see why not, I'll join you."
"Why are you seeking the forgemaster?" Mariam asked with a tilt of her head.
The healer sighed, "He's a close friend of mine and we have unfinished business." The young woman drew her gaze back to the bright moon.
She didn't appreciate Mariam's incessant probing.
The white-haired woman was irritating, her sharp features left no room for disagreement and her questions were reminiscent of an interrogation.
Mariam stepped away from the window, "Well, I'll see you in the morning."
"Good night," she spoke as she watched the woman walk out of the gray-toned room and closed the door behind her.
The healer sighed and made her way to the bed. She took one of the pillowcases and conjured it into a nightgown.
She swiftly changed her clothes before getting under the duvet.
Finally
After many months of looking for her dear friend, she was finally close to reuniting with him. The sisters didn't seem to be keeping him hostage, however, she hadn't spoken to him herself. For all she knew, he could be trapped in a cellar.
Mariam was peculiar.
Y/N didn't find the pale woman unbearable but there were things that irked her. The calm cool demeanor was hiding something but she didn't know what.
Possibly there would be time to explore the castle herself.
Either way, her priority is finding Hector and bringing him back to safety.
Oh, Hector. Where are you?