Castlevania Nocturne: A Sneak Peak

Sneak Peak: Rowing and Recollection

Dusk came. The stars emerged under the grey twilight. Alucard kept alert for vampires while taking the oar with Richter. The Belmont noticed how talkative Emma became with him. Whatever awkwardness between father and daughter was slowly dissipating.He was happy Alucard was opening up more to Emma, and that Emma was becoming more comfortable around him.

Richter couldn't get the image of the two wolves playing in the creak, it brought a smile whenever he thought of it. "So Emma, what was it like growing up as Dracula's granddaughter and a Watcher's daughter?"

"Fun for the most part." Emma reminisced. "A real adventure. "I wanted to see everything and go everywhere. Growing up in a huge castle with the Belmont Hold a stone's throw away? Amazing. it was an entire world in my eyes. A world meant to be explored. I grew up surrounded by the knowledge of my grandfather's book, and learned things lost to humankind." She looked at Alucard admirable. "Dad taught me all there was to know. Math, science, the state of the world and its people. The world was my oyster without ever having to step outside the castle walls."

"You were a wonderful child." Alucard thrummed. "Such a happy and curious little thing. I spend so much time in the library and laboratory, teaching you everything about the world that my father taught me. You thirst for knowledge was unbound, and your mother and I nurtured it to the fullest."

"I remember the rainy days we'd spent in the library. I'd sit on your lap while you read a fairytale, or Greek mythology. I always loved the stories about angels. And the Observatory! You showed me how to use a telescope, and we'd watch the stars! I remember in my childhood room we'd lay on the bed and you'd tell me stories about the constellations painted on the ceiling to get me to sleep."

"Which always worked." Alucard chuckled quietly. "She was a delight, my daughter. The perfect little angel when she wasn't be naughty."

"What?" Richter gawked. "You Emma, naughty?"

"I had a rebellious streak as a kid." Emma admitted. "As crazy as it sounds."

"Oh yes she was a little devil at times." Alucard smirked. ""Running amuck. Sneaking into places she shouldn't have been in and getting into mischief. If she didn't want something she'd let you know, and do everything she could to avoid it. I remember when she was two, she refused to dress in that pretty gown her aunt Sypha made for her, and I had to chase her down the castle halls, this little hybrid angel with a devil's streak in nothing but her skin."

"Father!!" Emma yelled mortified.

"Oh my God!" Richter laughed. Annette couldn't help it either.

"FOR THE RECORD that dress was fucking itchy and I just had a bath. Auntie Sypha understood when I told her." Emma insisted.

"After she caught you like a runaway piglet and smacked your bottom for trying to bite her."

"Father! They did not need to know that!" Emma's face turned red. She gave Richter a death glare when he didn't stop laughing. "I'm gonna throw you overboard and this time I won't save you."

"Emmaline, really." Alucard scoffed. "It's nothing to be ashamed of. You were a small child realizing your hybrid strengths." He smiled reminiscing. "I remember her hiding from me as a wolf pup or a falcon, but we'd always catch her. You can never escape the Son of Dracula nor the Egrigori Angel."

"Sounds like you were quite the rebel Em." Richter smirked.

" I was, but I mellowed out as I got older." Emma insisted.

"You still got into trouble every now and then." Alucard replied smug. "Like when you nearly blew up the alchemy lab. She nearly blew up the entire wing by trying to turned bronze into gold."

"I wanted that ornate dagger at the merchant shop. He said I could have it if I had gold." sighed Emma."I never made the gold, or got the dagger. In fact I was grounded for a month." Emma sighed. "Cyrus was punished too. He was the one that initially thought of the idea."

"Who was Cyrus?" asked Annette.

"My husband." Emma said. "Lyudmil's father. I knew him since he was a child when he arrived with his clan at the castle. They were Whisperers, scientists seeking the knowledge of Dracula's castle. They also knew my mother was there, and she welcomed them with open arms. I didn't like them at first, these strangers in our home, but they grew on me. So did Cyrus, he became my best friend." She winked with a smirk. "and much more. Lyudmil looks like him; very lean, tall with thick grey hair. His mother was the Elder of that clan, her name was Katerina."

"She really liked you." said Alucard.

"She did." Emma nodded. "When Cyrus and I began courting, Katerina fully supported us. The villagers believed it was because she wanted Zaharial's bloodline in the Whisperer clan, that was part of it, but also she knew I was a good match for her son. Her and Mother had our backs."

"Not you, Alucard?" Richter raised her brow.

"Of course me."

"Liar." Emma chuffed. "He made sure we were never alone once we started courting. Kept an eye on at all times."

"That does not mean I didn't support you." Alucard said plain. "I know how men are towards beautiful women."

"Dad, I have known Cyrus since we were 4."

"He was still a young man smitten by an angelic young woman, who happened to be my daughter." Alucard insisted. "I was not letting anything happen."

"Nothing ever happened, you know that." Emma rolled her eyes.

"Because I was always watching, whether you realized it or not. I made sure of that, especially after the cabin incident."

"Cabin incident?" Richter and Annette raised their brows.

"We were on a date collecting mushrooms in the forest when we got caught in a heavy thunderstorm and sought shelter in the Whisperer's cabin." Emma quickly told the tale. "Cyrus kept a change of clothes so we dried ourselves off and got into fresh clothes. We waited out the storm but it went into the night, and we had no choice but to stay put."

She darted a sharp eye at Alucard. "I informed my mother through telepathy where we were, and that we were safe. She understood and was fine. You on the other hand tracked us down and snuck into the cabin."

"Where I found you and Cyrus sleeping together in the same bed." Alucard narrowed his eyes. "Topless."

The humans gaped, Richter was about to make a bawdy remark when Annette tightly squeezed his hand.

"Nothing happened." Emma assured them. "My glyphs were sensitive so I took my top off. Cyrus did too and we cuddled together to share warmth. I was soaked through and Cyrus wanted to keep me from catching a cold." She jabbed a thumb a Alucard. " He woke up to Papa Wolf sitting in the chair by the fire sharpening his sword."

"Oh dear God." Richter gaped abashed.

"Exactly." Emma snickered. "Father barred us from ever seeing each other again, much to my mother and Katerina's strong objection. Eventually they convinced him to lighten up."

"Hell hath no fury like mothers defending the happiness of their children." Alucard stated plainly.

"It's fun to laugh at now, but back then it was a mess!!" Emma laughed. "I understand his reaction now, I would've been the same if Iris or Rosie were in my place, but back then I wanted to kill him. We're good now."

"I should hope." Alucard thrummed. "You were such a good child, Emma. Sure you had your moments, but I couldn't have asked for a better daughter."

Emma thrummed deep in her chest.