A 'sneak peak' of a future series chronicling the events of Castlevania Nocturne following Emmaline Tepes and her mother as they watch over their descendant families in different ways. A work in progress. I just wanted to write the first chapter down
For the first time in what seemed an eternity, an eager giddiness fluttered in Emma's soul.
"Incredible." Emma marveled at the seemingly endless halls of art. "In all my years I've never seen so many paintings in a single hallway. I've always loved art. It's one of the most beautiful things about humanity, to create such wonders."
"Remember we're here for the mummy Em." chuckled Richter. Nevertheless he was happy Emma's spirits were lifted after her recent panics.
"I know." Emma said. "But it is still amazing. There isn't a place like this anywhere else in the world." She lingered on the statue of Louis XV as Jupiter. "Masterly, if not a little boastful. Oh look at the details on this." She indicated the Oath of the Horatti painting. "The colors. The drama of the scene captured by brushstrokes."
"It's remarkable that someone painted that." Richter commented.
"This was a palace, then, was it?" asked Richter asked.
"Handed over to the people, yeah." Alucard stated in his usual flat tone.
"For all to enjoy." Emma thrummed. "Love it . That's equality; Sharing beauty and opportunity regardless of class. I believe I shall bring Mother and Lyudmil here when all is said and done. Angels are enamored with human art, the thing that draws them other than spirituality is creation. "
Her joy was palpable, contagious even, and Richter wished it would pass to Annette.Since the king's execution she seemed detached and lost, often spacing out into the unknown. A few times Richter had to snap her out of it with a simple touch. Annette would startle, as if waking up from a dream, and whenever Richter asked what was wrong, she said she was fine. Indeed, as Emma chattered Annette stared off into the distance, apparently looking at something invisible to him.
"Oh Leonardo!" Alucard chirped with a light voice. Emma smiled like a child on Christmas morning seeing the Mona Lisa.
"It's a painting by Leonardo DaVinci.Of a woman he actually couldn't abide. Or so he told me. " Alucard explained to Richter, leaning in to comment. "I never really thought it was one of his best."
"It isn't." Emma blissfully pointed out the larger painting next to it. "This one is."
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"It's actually a painting of my mother, Lyudmil, and I. Leo intended me to sit on Mother's lap while holding my son, but Lyudmil wouldn't stop moving. He constantly tried wriggling out of my arms. I thought letting him hold his stuffed wolf would keep him still but alas, my son was a very squirmy baby! But Leo went along with it. He sketched us exactly as we were." Emma chuckled. "My daughters wanted no part in it, apparently Lyudmil didn't either. I never understood why he wanted me in Mother's lap. Apparently it was the artistic direction he was going for or a symbolic-Ow!"
Emma looked down at the cat stretching up and kneading on her leg.
"All right, all right. I'm going." Emma chuffed to her peers' bewilderment. The cat meowed impatiently walking in front of Emma with her tail straight up.
"Is there any order to this, or do you just put things anywhere?" Alucard asked one of the security guards.
"We're looking for Ancient Egyptian." specified Richter.
The guard gestured the hallway down the right, where the cat waited at its entrance. Lead the way. She telepathically addressed the mystical feline. The cat blinked at her and padded onward.
