Come What May

I Suppose One Starts at the Beginning

Everyone thinks that they know what happened to Lucy Westenra. Her sad story consists of a young woman with a proper upbringing that was pursued by three good men, wedded one that became a fine lord, was turned into a vampire by a monster, and then put to rest by her beloved. Well, at the very least, that is what they think they know, including the very group that laid her to her final rest. I would know better, though. Why? Because I am Lucy Westenra, and this is my story.

Now, I had been given a proper education and went to church like mother and father said any honest woman should. However, I had a nasty habit of asking questions that Mother always said were inappropriate of a lady. Father always suggested that I was born before my time. I guess that is what got me "in trouble" in the first place. Everyone would say that Mina helped keep me in check, and maybe she did. She was always a proper forward-thinking woman. I sometimes wondered if that was why he never cared for when I mentioned her.

I had cared for her as well as the three kind men, who had pined for my affections. I had wished that I could have married them all. It would have made it so much easier than having to break any of their hearts, but such thoughts were improper of a lady, especially of one of my station. They were very kind and understanding, and I do believe that they loved me until the very end.

Now, I barely knew the man that John had called to save me, but I'd like to think that he was a kind soul if a bit eccentric. I could tell, though, that there was a deep seeded hatred towards the monster that turned me. The hatred was quite mutual, and I began to understand why when the doctor was allowed to ramble on. Although, he had been very kind in dealing with me, despite his feelings towards the one that turned me.

The monster in question, a one Count Dracula, was actually a man with a dream. Most might have called him mad, and the doctor had once compared him to having a child's brain. He was so much more than all of that, though. He was far from the monster that he has often been portrayed as, whether by the letters or diaries of my friends or any other source of information and stories, but I'm getting ahead of myself.

I suppose that one starts at the beginning when they tell their story, much like our heavenly Lord did for His Son in the "Gospel of John". I am no savior though, nor is he. We were but two children that found each other in the dark of night.

Now, if one were to start at the beginning, then it might be best to start with when I met the three dear men that wished to wed me. Mina was away, and I had envied her for it. She was just as beautiful as they would say I was, and she was in love, what I wanted more than anything. However, she was so much more than that, she was ambitious, wanting of a career, to be a woman of the future. I had longed to be like her, to travel and do something with my life. She barely even had time to write to me, she was so busy living her life, and it left me feeling a little sour.

I was working on a handkerchief at my mother's behest when she came in with a charming young man. I paused to admire the new soul mother had brought into my life. He looked positively angelic with his fair curly locks. With the fair skin typical of a man of status, it caused his deep blue eyes to stand out like sapphires. He towered over my dear mother like a friendly giant with that sweet, bashful smile of his. I was taken with him on the spot.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Westenra," he said, taking my hand and kissing it. "Your mother has told me so much about you."

"I wish that I could say the same," I chortled, hiding my smile behind my other hand.

"Dear me, my apologies, I am Arthur Holmwood," he stated, bowing.

"It's a pleasure," I replied, taking his hand and asking him to sit with me for a while.

I had asked our maid to fix some tea while Arthur and I chatted with each other. I learned a bit about him as we chatted. He was the son of a lord and happened to be good friends with my family. He hoped to escort me to a gala that was coming up. I was positively thrilled with the idea.

We talked gayly over tea and cakes for a while. We laughed every so often. When it was time for him to leave, I was upset to see him go. I followed him out as far as was acceptable for a lady, wishing that I didn't have to be held to such standards.

Arthur paused, turning back. "Miss Lucy, I would like to meet you at the next Pop, if that is alright?"

I smiled, feeling giddy over the thought. "I would be delighted."

He smiled, winked at me causing me to blush, and went away. It pained me to watch him go, but I was excited about the thought of seeing him again. I rolled my eyes when my mother commented that he would be a perfect match.

Granted, it had crossed my mind that I was almost 20 and I had yet to be proposed to. Why did a woman have to marry a man in order to be complete herself? Why must a woman be measured by the number of men who wish to wed her? Was a woman's only purpose to marry and birth children? Why couldn't she make something of herself of her own choosing?

I had to stop my train of thought for I was treading in dangerous waters. This is how arguments with my mother always started. I would have my revolutionary, unladylike schemes and she would hint that I was a heathen destined for Hell for going against the Holy Father. Surely, our Lord would commend me for trying to be a forward-thinking woman. At least, that is what I would like to think. Then, Mother would be cruel and ask why I couldn't be more like Mina. Father, with his perfect timing, would interject then saving me from saying something that I would regret. Alas, Father was no longer with us to keep the peace anymore, so I had to do my part.

This time, I decided to simply dismiss myself to my room. I slid back against the door once I was safe inside the one place I found solitude and sighed. I didn't wish to be such a disappointment, really I didn't. Was it my fault that either the Lord or the Devil had blessed me with the need to know why the world had to work the way it did?

I glanced up and saw my writing set. A sudden urge to write to my dearest Mina hit me as I rushed over. Grabbing a pen and paper, I wrote furiously all my frustrations down. If I could speak freely to anyone, it was Mina. Once I had written what I felt was everything, I folded the letter and slipped it into its envelope and sealed it. I went to my door and called one of the maids, asking her to have it mailed for me. I breathed a sigh as soon as she went away feeling much lighter now that I had expelled my troubling thoughts on paper.

I looked out my window at the garden below and noticed that the roses were in bloom. They tended to be so beautiful with their various shades of colors. I always loved the white roses and how they shone brightly against the dark green of the leaves. However, for some reason, I could only see deep red roses that looked like droplets of crimson against a field of green.