The Human Countess {J. Hale}

Revelations and Explanations

Yasinya, Ukraine, 2020

Jasper is lost.

He feels lost, to be more accurate.

He doesn't know what to do. None of the Cullen Coven members do.

They all sat in shock as they tried to think of ways to calm Eliza down.

Caitlyn tried to calm her best friend down, but failed. Shaking her head, she pointedly glared at Jasper, knowing that only he can help her at her current state.

Eliza had broken down, sobbing hysterically minutes after she met Carlisle, her words, incoherent. Her emotions are all over the place, according to Jasper, the most notable ones being guilt, anger, longing, love and sadness. 

Edward is confused. Quite extremely so, if he was being honest. Eliza's mind, though blurry at first, became as clear as the waters in the Bahamas. Images passed through his eyes from her mind, torture, images of spilled blood, newborn babies being sent away, and a cold, dark, isolated place, extremely similar to the modern extreme isolation cells in prisons. Images that left an extremely bitter and ashy taste in his mouth, a taste worse that trying to eat human food as a cold one. He looked Eliza in the eyes, trying to find answers when he froze at the image she projected at him when their eyes met. Edward's golden eyes widened comically while another round of heavy tears fell from her hazel ones. 

A woman with warm blue eyes and strawberry blonde hair was who he saw. It wouldn't have been anything to remember if it wasn't for the fact that the female looked like Carlisle would've been had the man been a female. He stared at her in confusion, trying to figure out who that woman was exactly, gasping when her identity clicked in his mind. 

Ignoring Edward's musings, Eliza faced Carlisle and smiled at him through her tears. She spoke, her words confusing the rest of the family. 

"You look exactly like your mother." 

"How do you know my mother?" Carlisle said, confused. Rosalie looked at the woman warily. She may be fond of the woman after just hours of meeting her, but her family is her priority and would gladly off her the moment she posed as a threat. Eliza finally calmed down enough to stop crying, although her emotions are still all over the place. 

"How old was she, when she passed? Was she happy? I did everything I can to protect her, but I had to leave for her safety." Eliza said, taking a deep breath before speaking. 

"She died before I was changed. I was 15, She was 61. She was happy, and she always said that her mother protected her..." Carlisle trailed off as his words clicked in his mind. He tilted his head, waiting for her explanation. 

"You were their miracle child, did you know that? Katherine and your father, Ambrose, were on the verge of giving up their hopes of having a child, despite the fact that he's a pastor. But, you came into their life in the form of morning sickness and cravings. They were so happy." Eliza said with a smile on her face, a single tear falling from her right eye. Looking around, she spoke loudly, addressing everyone. 

"I will explain my life, starting from what I remember until now. All I ask is that you wait until I finish my story before you ask any questions and that you do not interrupt." They all nodded, acknowledging her conditions. She took a deep, grounding breath and spoke about her past. The past she tried to hide. The past she tried to stay away from. The past she tried to forget. 

"I was born on the summer of 1560 in East Hungary. I was born in nobility. The Bathory name had always been rather rich, mainly due to the fact that we descended from the Gutkeled Clan. The main Bathory line had produced a lot of Polish kings, Grand Lithuanian Dukes and Transylvanian Princes which furthered the family line and riches more. The Bathory line is split between two branches, The Báthory of Somlyó and the Báthory of Ecsed." She looked at the guests, and continued to talk after seeing that they're still on the same page as her.