Emma didn't think it unusual that Richter didn't protest when she carried him below deck. He'd been attacked by a sea serpent and nearly drowned overboard, the poor child was in total shock.
It did surprise her when after the doctor examined him giving him a clean bill of health, he thanked her for saving his life.
"Oh.....You're welcome. Think nothing of it, family looks out for one another."
Afterwards, they washed separately, dressing into cleaner clothes. Richter followed Emma into the galley, where they brought food to settle his stomach and water for tea. The ship skirted the storm, yet the seas were rough, and the last thing Richter needed on top everything that happened to him was a seasick stomach.
Emma brought dozens of packs of chamomile and cinnamon for tea that was loaded on the ship beforehand. Inside their quarters, Emma steeped the chamomile and water with flame from her palm."Don't tell me you haven't seen elemental magic before?"
" Of course I have." Richter broke his stare. " I can do magic, my mother taught me. She said we were the remaining Belmonts who could."
"Really? That's great." Emma remarked pleasantly surprised. The Speaker bloodline runs strong. Auntie Sypha would be proud. "Can you show me?" Emma snapped her fingers igniting a small flame between her digits. "Like this?"
Richter struggled trying to snap his fingers. "You don't have to do it like me." Emma chuckled. "Every magician has their own way of channeling their powers. Just do yours."
Richter pointed his index and middle finger with a focused look. "It's not working." Emma noted how quickly he gave up. "You've tried before haven't you?"
"Yes." Richter answered terse. " Several times. It doesn't work anymore."
"It's all right, take a deep breath and try again." Emma encouraged. "Clear your mind."
Richter closed his eyes and took a deep breath, focusing only on summoning the flame with pointed fingers. Nothing happened. "See? I've lost it."
"You didn't lose it." Emma disagreed. "Magic never goes away once you've learned it. You're having a block. Sometimes it happens when you're stressed, and given the past couple of days, no surprise you might be. It will come back, in time."
"I hope so." Richter lowered his head dejected.
"It will, I promise." Emma reassured. "But for now, don't worry. You've got a Light Mage with you."
Someone politely knocked on the door. "May I come in?"
"Of course." Emma responded amiably. Vance opened the door, wearing his usual dark coat and weathered tricorn. She knew he'd been feeding; his eyes are his regular dark burgundy instead of blood red.
Richter froze stiff like a frightened fawn. "Don't let him in here! Are you crazy!?"
"It's okay Richter." Emma reassured. "Vance isn't going to hurt us. He's my dearest friend and longtime companion."
"How can you be friends with a vampire?" The idea was unfathomable to him!
"It's a long story." Emma chuckled.
" Oh indeed it is, and she's right. I mean no harm to my Lady or to you. I helped save your life after all." Vance sat down at the table and yawned, looking out the stormy porthole. "Rough seas. I think it's best you both remain inside until the storm's behind us. Wouldn't want another swimming lesson now would we?" He glinted at Richter with a smirk.
" Kind words of wisdom."Emma shook her head. "Are you staying here?"
"For the time being." Vance watched the swelling waves. "The weather is less than ideal and I've been given enough disgusted looks. You'd think I was a vampire or something."
"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?"