[The castle, naturally, fights this. Once it knows that the Belmont is straying from it's paths, it sends him down the darkest ones. It threatens to take back the candle it gave him, and oh the flame flickers from phantom winds. Dracula has retired to bed. It has it's own will now.
There's a rumble under Leon's feet that threatens to have the stones give way. No. The castle doesn't care what the Belmont wants. The castle is made to keep people safe, and Lisa and Adrian are the two it must keep safest.
Those are it's instructions and those have been ground into it's very being now.]
[Leon has made it into one of the spires, in truth. It means that to return to the doors, it is a very long walk indeed. But in returning to the doors, there is one kindness the castle does make an effort for: there are windows all along this route.
The other kindness is not calculated. Alucard crosses Leon's path by true fortune, the vampire carrying a carafe of water meant for Sypha's room and knowing it will be needed.
He stops when he sees Leon. Tenses entirely, because he does not know how to read the man's mood (his father is clearly exhausted, it shows in the castle) and because he absolutely just saw Leon take a sword to his own grandson.]
[There's another rumble, and Alucard knows that. It's going to crack in order to separate the two, because safe. He walks over immediately to the wall, and he puts his hand there. The castle's not a child. It's a creature, and it responds to touch and to will.
His sigh sounds an awful lot like one of Dracula's, and he keeps his hand against the wall for a few moments more. It means his response to Leon doesn't meet the man's eyes.]
[Well, that just makes Alucard deflate entirely. He didn't like dealing with that in the first place. Now talking about it with an absolute stranger? Nope. Not today.
He shakes his head, still not meeting Leon's gaze.]
It's in the past. The matter was explained and eventually understood. The most I could ever ask is that people are asked before someone else declares them to be a spouse.
[ He takes a moment to consider how best to explain their kind’s death and rebirth. ]
He is well protected, in here. He sleeps, for now, and will wake only when his new body is ready. It will find her, once it begins forming. But it will be only him, and not his experiences and memories. Once it is ready, this one will wake and join with it, and it will become complete.
It you insist. This is- improper, but then so is everything about this. I will leave him in the care of his sisters and send a messenger with it on the first night of winter. Have her gone from this place by then, unless you wish the messenger to come to your door.
[ A few months, yet. It's still late summer. ]
I will not be offering apologies to your father, but you have my sincerest apologies for all of this. I shall see that the laws are not broken again.
[ ...which does mean that if this situation happened again, Sypha would die. So not ideal. ]
Oh, plenty. Just very rarely by those who mean well. There is a reason that your father demands audience with me, and not with my queen. Any of this could be made right and proper through some loophole or another, or some exchange of insults and compensation.
[ He just sighs. He has had four centuries to get used to this bullshit, and the only way he has ever truly found is to accept it and do what good he can. ]
You may tell me what you intend, but I fear your intentions may be too good for our laws to bend around.
There will always be people involved by association. Even in saving this woman, we have given up our hunt. Many will die, who could have been saved. Were we to make such a vow, we would be both able to do nothing and bound to do all things.
We will strive to bring the most good we can, to leave the fewest people harmed, and this is all I can offer.
We will try. And if the decision is between breaking our laws to prevent harm, and keeping to them but allowing it, sometimes- [ He turns the box over in his hands, sighing. ] - it is our way to break them, and to accept punishment for it.
The aim is justice, yes? The...stranger things you hunt, like plague, that requires more magic than simple legal actions. But for the rest...
[Alucard shakes his head, as if aware of how dumb this sounds.]
Persecute within the existing systems by being among them day in and out then. Prevent a so-called witch's death by looking at the legal dispute over land first and arguing in front of magistrates. Then the act of justice is a daily occurrence for most. That saves more lives.
My children are- perhaps uniquely unsuited to such a task. These are not legal arguments, before all else. They are emotional ones, and I think that you are well qualified to speak on their failings at making humans comfortable.
[ Look the one with the MOST people skills other than Leon 'will disappear if a cloud goes overhead' Belmont is the rabbit fairy. And she doesn't understand why humans don't stand on top of each other to maximise efficient use of space inside churches. The cleverest of them doesn't even care that much for fairy laws unless she absolutely has to, let alone human ones. The most justice-minded is prone to just eating the unjust. And then there's Trevor. ]
But perhaps we might bring aid and succor to those who can fight that battle. Our laws are shockingly lax on helping humans with their own hunts.
If you think that suits the times better then and will help avoid our current situation.
(In many ways, what Alucard says is an echo of his father's demand to know why any if thus has come to pass. The difference lies in the fact his response is more compassionate than Dracula could ever bem)
These are new times. I cannot begin to know what might suit them, and I fear they will grow darker long before they will grow brighter. Your father chose a strange age to bring a child into the world.
Is there aught else you would ask of me, son of Dracula?
(They are strange times indeed. Alucard frowns thinly, because the comment about himself feels both true and a little to...there is an undercurrent and he doesn't understand it.)
Modernity heralds a great many changes
(That is a truth. As for Leon's other question, well...)
All things are within your right to ask. You need not fear that I will say yes without first telling you the cost, you have my word.
[ He doesn't make a very good fairy, really. ]
The good castle is leading me to the doors, I think. You may walk with me and make your request if it pleases you. If not, then it was an honour to meet you, son of Dracula.
[Alucard knows that what he wants to ask makes him sound like a dick. But as it is, the idea of walking to the doors, Alucard shakes his head no.]
Castle won't allow it. It'd split us up immediately, I know that.
[The castle is an extension of his father's will in many ways. Protecting all of them from the fae? That's job #1 right now. Alucard shakes his head.]
All I wonder is this: you're....very much human, in so far as I can determine. Have your generations successively become closer to the fae? Behavior being learned and both inherited, I suppose.
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There's a rumble under Leon's feet that threatens to have the stones give way. No. The castle doesn't care what the Belmont wants. The castle is made to keep people safe, and Lisa and Adrian are the two it must keep safest.
Those are it's instructions and those have been ground into it's very being now.]
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I mean no harm. But I understand. Your task is your task, and I cannot fault you your loyalty. Lead me to your doors.
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The other kindness is not calculated. Alucard crosses Leon's path by true fortune, the vampire carrying a carafe of water meant for Sypha's room and knowing it will be needed.
He stops when he sees Leon. Tenses entirely, because he does not know how to read the man's mood (his father is clearly exhausted, it shows in the castle) and because he absolutely just saw Leon take a sword to his own grandson.]
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[ Yes it was accidental. But you gotta say thank you when someone is good to you. ]
Son of Dracula, would you speak with me?
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His sigh sounds an awful lot like one of Dracula's, and he keeps his hand against the wall for a few moments more. It means his response to Leon doesn't meet the man's eyes.]
On what matter?
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[ He bows his head in respect. ]
Your father informed me of a grave insult done to you by my own house. I with to know what compensation you would ask of me.
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He shakes his head, still not meeting Leon's gaze.]
It's in the past. The matter was explained and eventually understood. The most I could ever ask is that people are asked before someone else declares them to be a spouse.
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[ he holds out the box, attached to the end of a cord to be worn as a necklace. ]
For the girl.
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I can't take fae gifts.
[He understands what's being given. At least, he thinks he does, he did not see the single moth that went into the box.]
Or accept something that needs better protection in a fragile state.
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[ He takes a moment to consider how best to explain their kind’s death and rebirth. ]
He is well protected, in here. He sleeps, for now, and will wake only when his new body is ready. It will find her, once it begins forming. But it will be only him, and not his experiences and memories. Once it is ready, this one will wake and join with it, and it will become complete.
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[It is extremely clear that Alucard's problem is not the particulars of fae body morphology. He could care less.
It's Dracula. Obviously.]
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[ A few months, yet. It's still late summer. ]
I will not be offering apologies to your father, but you have my sincerest apologies for all of this. I shall see that the laws are not broken again.
[ ...which does mean that if this situation happened again, Sypha would die. So not ideal. ]
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[Sypha won't want to be here for that long. She probably won't want to be here at all, once she wakes and is told what has happened.
Alucard brings his hand off of the castle wall finally, and he rubs the bridge of his nose.]
Do your laws allow for nuance and interpretation?
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[ He just sighs. He has had four centuries to get used to this bullshit, and the only way he has ever truly found is to accept it and do what good he can. ]
You may tell me what you intend, but I fear your intentions may be too good for our laws to bend around.
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Don't hurt anyone who is only involved by association, even if that harm is the easiest and even the most legal solution.
[He means Sypha. Because she doesn't deserve any of this.]
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There will always be people involved by association. Even in saving this woman, we have given up our hunt. Many will die, who could have been saved. Were we to make such a vow, we would be both able to do nothing and bound to do all things.
We will strive to bring the most good we can, to leave the fewest people harmed, and this is all I can offer.
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[He's genuinely asking. And maybe being a shit.]
Perhaps it's time to find new ways to express that hunt.
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You may offer suggestions.
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[Alucard shakes his head, as if aware of how dumb this sounds.]
Persecute within the existing systems by being among them day in and out then. Prevent a so-called witch's death by looking at the legal dispute over land first and arguing in front of magistrates. Then the act of justice is a daily occurrence for most. That saves more lives.
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[ Look the one with the MOST people skills other than Leon 'will disappear if a cloud goes overhead' Belmont is the rabbit fairy. And she doesn't understand why humans don't stand on top of each other to maximise efficient use of space inside churches. The cleverest of them doesn't even care that much for fairy laws unless she absolutely has to, let alone human ones. The most justice-minded is prone to just eating the unjust. And then there's Trevor. ]
But perhaps we might bring aid and succor to those who can fight that battle. Our laws are shockingly lax on helping humans with their own hunts.
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(In many ways, what Alucard says is an echo of his father's demand to know why any if thus has come to pass. The difference lies in the fact his response is more compassionate than Dracula could ever bem)
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Is there aught else you would ask of me, son of Dracula?
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Modernity heralds a great many changes
(That is a truth. As for Leon's other question, well...)
Nothing that is within my right to ask.
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[ He doesn't make a very good fairy, really. ]
The good castle is leading me to the doors, I think. You may walk with me and make your request if it pleases you. If not, then it was an honour to meet you, son of Dracula.
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[Alucard knows that what he wants to ask makes him sound like a dick. But as it is, the idea of walking to the doors, Alucard shakes his head no.]
Castle won't allow it. It'd split us up immediately, I know that.
[The castle is an extension of his father's will in many ways. Protecting all of them from the fae? That's job #1 right now. Alucard shakes his head.]
All I wonder is this: you're....very much human, in so far as I can determine. Have your generations successively become closer to the fae? Behavior being learned and both inherited, I suppose.
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