Castlevania Nocturne: A Guardian's Tale (Part 2)

The Serpent's Heart

edited 2/23/25

Emma  stepped out of bed when she woke up. She was happy she had the strength to get up and walk around, but no more than that.  The injury severely limited her mobility where even inhaling deeply hurt. Emma whistled her sword to her hand, practicing her stance and swings until her body seized in painful protest, causing her to drop it with hiss.

"Emma are you all right?" Amalie called from downstairs.

"I'm fine Mom!" Emma grimaced, clutching her abdomen. "That settles it." Emma muttered under her breath, banging the table with her fist. "Damn." She quickly put her sword away at the knock of the door.

"How are you feeling. Bee?" Amalie asked.

"Stiff." Emma grunted. "Sore." She picked up her scabbard. "I was thinking of sitting outside. I need fresh air."

"I can open the window." Amalie suggested, going to do that.

"No. I want to go out. Being in this room is going to make me stir crazy." said Emma.

"Em, I don't know if you're well enough to walk down the stairs." Amalie said concerned.

"I can try." Emma huffed, and she did. Slowly and gingerly Emma made it down the steps, gripping the banister with one hand and her mother's with the other.  "Is this how it feels to be elderly?" Emma huffed.

"I wouldn't know."

Emma noticed the quiet in her house. "Where is everyone?"

"Tera and Maria are out." Amalie answered.Emma detected the worry in her voice. "Annette hasn't come back yet, and Richter's with his grandfather."

"Richter met Juste!?" Emma exclaimed.

"He should have, I sent him off to the tavern when I knew Juste would be there."

"You sly angel." Emma chuckled.

"Hey. It's my  shtick." Amalie winked. "Come. We can sit in the garden."

Amalie helped Emma to her favorite bench in the garden, where mother and daughter sat together almost without a care in the world.

"Beautiful isn't it? Our little town?" Amalie gazed contently at the hill of Machecoul.

"Beautiful isn't what comes to mind for a place harboring demons." remarked Emma dryly.

"It wasn't always like that." Amalie sighed. "When I settled here fourteen years ago, it was as peaceful and provincial a town as you could imagine. I don't think I ever told you how I ended up in Machecoul."

"No, I don't recall. What brought you here?"Emma asked.

"Jocasta." Amalie smiled with a blush on her cheeks. "After Julia left for the New World, I went to live at Chaumes-en-Retz. Juste didn't want me around, he thought I was useless as a guardian, having let his wife die and his daughter leave. For a time I felt he was right, I wasn't needed, so I stayed with Jocasta. We were already close, we've known each other since the Sun King days, and we grew even closer during my stay at her chateau. It was great. For the first time in decades I wasn't truly alone. It felt so nice...and I was so happy being with someone who loved me again."

"I can imagine." Emma said, wishing she could experience that love with a mate who wouldn't die.  

"One night years later, Jo informed me of the town where Lydie was buried and Juste resided to be near her  resting place. She said Machecoul would do better with an angel watching over it. It had come on hard times, with an outbreak of vampires and a dampening of hearts. 'Juste can handle the vampires'. I told her."