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

Mother and Son

The Stormy Atlantic

1783

Waves churned outside the porthole, the rain pattered heavily on the glass. Emma couldn't sleep from the swaying of the ship through the storm. It wasn't enough to make her nauseous, but it did mess with her hypersensitivity enough to keep her awake. The crackle of thunder did her no favors.

"Richter, is that you?" She turned to the cot next to her, hearing muffled cries beneath the lump of the blanket. The young boy poked his head from the covers. Emma heard him sniffling. "It's okay." Emma said motherly. "I'm scared too."

"You're afraid of the storm?"

"Of course." She admitted. "It's scary." She beckoned him over.  Richter sat on the bed with her, resting his head on her shoulder as she wrapped her arms around him. "I didn't know you'd be afraid of such things. You're a vampire hunter."

"Sure! In fact there's lots of things I'm afraid of." Emma said.

"Like what?" Richter asked intrigued.

"Thunder for one thing, because it sounds like of cannon-fire. Fog, people I love getting killed. and turkeys."

"Turkeys?" Richter gawked. "Like the birds!?"

"Exactly them. Turkeys are terrifying. They'll attack you and keep going. Those feathery bastards don't  back down! And the hellish noises they make!" She imitated a turkey's gobble, making Richter laugh. "Old Ben used to tease me about it, said the turkey should be the new national bird if it stilled fear into me!" Emma laughed, closing  her arms around her. "Everyone is afraid of something, Richter, even warriors like me. Never be ashamed of your fear." She closed her arms around him.

Richter shivered, huddling into her. "I'm less afraid when I'm with you."

"As I am with you." Emma thrummed in her chest. "The storm will pass Richter. It always does, and we'll face it together."

      ....

Richter collapsed at the edge of the lake, panic and grief seized his mind. The stricken Belmont broke down, releasing his pain and turmoil in broken cries. Olrox had returned and Emma was dead.

Emma! His mind screamed out. How could he have stood  frozen like a pathetic deer while his beloved mentor and mother figure lay dying? He didn't even have the spine to fight Olrox off as he hovered over her corpse. His mother's killer. Tremors shook his body. The memory came hurtling back. His mother brutally murdered at Olrox's claws, him helplessly watching. It was his fault she died, and it was his fault Emma was gone too. Why the hell didn't he help her!?

Richter regained his feet, standing up against the cold winds. He knew what he had to do. He had to say goodbye to Emma and apologize to Amalie for his failings. He must, he couldn't live with himself if he'd further abandon Emma and leave her mother to grieve without saying anything. At least it's one thing I can fucking do right!

Slowly Richter made his way back to Amalie's house, taking the back way to avoid the main road. He couldn't show his face to any of the others. I fucking ran! He stopped short when he came up on Amalie's cottage and saw the angel standing beneath the moonlight with Tera. Seeing Amalie so mournful stabbed his heart like a wooden stake. He didn't have the courage to speak to her yet, he'd say goodbye to Emma first.