Castlevania Nocturne: A Sneak Peak

Sneak Peak: The Captain

Maria hadn't spoken to anyone since they fled the Abbey, but at least Richter got her to eat something. He sat down beside her, offering a drumstick watching her take a bite out of it. Emma was talking with Lyudmil, and Annette was with Amalie helping her strengthen the protective ward the angel cast around the ruins. Mizrak gathered more provision, and Alucard was on the other end of the ruins sharpening his sword. It was the first time Richter was alone with her. He figured now was the time to talk.

"'Whatever happens with your mother, Maria, it won't bring you peace. She's a vampire. We have to accept that."

"Just like that?" Maria didn't look at him.

"No, no." Richter fumbled, silently cursing himself out. "Sorry. Of course not just like that."

"And don't talk as if my mother matters to you as much as she does to me." Maria replied tersely. "You chose to leave her there."

Richter sighed. "It was her choice, Maria. And it was a choice between her and you."

"No. You needed to escape." Maria snapped at him livid."And you were only able to take me with you because I was unconscious!" She threw aside her plate as it clattered against the stone. "You ran away, Richter! It's what you do!" She got up and stormed off. "So run away to Paris. I don't want you here anyway."

Richter gripped his hair and shrugged.

.......

Maria found Alucard cleaving his sword with a whetstone. She was stunned how much Emma resembled her father, enough where she mistook Alucard for Emma when he came to their rescue. Yet, the two couldn't have been more different. Emma was warm, motherly, and an open book easily deciphered whereas Alucard was distant, enigmatic, and otherworldly.

Maria thought he hadn't noticed her at first, he kept his eyes to hist work, periodically glancing at Emma and Lyumdil conversing beneath a shaded tree far down the hill ( he had taken that spot specifically to watch over his daughter). The scrape of stone against the blade made Maria wince, yet she sat beside him. Alucard gave Maria a quick eye and paused, watching the sunset over the province.

"What are they? Really? Vampires." Maria asked quietly. "Me and Richter, we used to think it was fun, which is stupid, to kill them. They were just evil things there to be killed. Then I discovered I'm descended from one." She turned to the enigmatic dhampir, her own direct ancestor. "What's it's like to have one as your father?"

"You mean, are they all evil?" Alucard put the whetstone down, placing the sword on his lap."Well, they're not all Erzsebet Báthory. In the end... I believe there was good in him. He loved, and that made him... not evil, at least. I've known human men who were far worse."

"Like my father. He's a Forgemaster." Maria remarked bitter.

"Families, eh?" Alucard chuckled softly.

"So, love?" Maria asked hopefull. "Love can redeem them?"

Alucard gazed contemplatively at his descendant. "Love is a fragile, capricious thing in this cold, fleeting world." He turned watching Emma and Lyudmil conversing. "But if anything can redeem anyone, then yes. Love. Probably."

"What happened to your father in the end?" Maria asked.

Alucard paused with a weary sigh. "I killed him."


Drum beats filled the air. Down in the fields an army marched towards Machecoul. Alucard saw his daughter tense, her clenched hand twitching as she watched the army rigidly. "Mother, what's wrong?" Lyudmil asked, growling at the army moving along.

Emma took deep breaths and calmed herself down the way Amalie taught her. "Everything's fine, my dear."

Maria was more enthusiastic about the arrival. "The National Guard!"

" I know who they are." Alucard scrutinized them.

"The Revolutionary Army." Maria praised optimistically. The government in Paris must have sent them to join us." She ran to meet the army.

Emma gritted her teeth, touching Lyudmil's shoulder. "I'll be back." She told her son and steadily caught up with Maria.

You don't have to follow her. Alucard's voice burst through her mind.

Emma shrugged. I'm not leaving Maria unattended. Besides, I've experience with armies and the French were our allies. I'm going to speak with their commander and give them the lowdown on the situation here. She spoke the latter reason aloud for Maria's benefit.

Very well. Grumbled Alucard. Return before midnight. We need to leave as soon as we can.

Understood, Father.

Alucard practically heard the shrug in her mental voice.

Unbeknownst to Emma and Maria, Alucard wasn't the only one watching them. Two guardian vampires observed from the safety of the shaded trees. "Go to her, if you're ready." Vance said gently.

Tera shrunk back conflicted. "Not yet."

Vance nodded understanding. He watched Emma and sent a mental message to her that was standing by if she needed him.

Thank you Vance, I should be fine.

Vance raised his brows. A white wolf stalked Emma and Maria from far behind. The vampire chuckled amused, between him and the papa wolf Emma had absolutely nothing to worry about.