I promise. And I won't let anything happen to you either.
[You know who's joining Sypha in eye rolling? Dracula. You know who's having a moment with his Totally Not Daughter In Law? Dracula.
Thank God Dracula's still focusing on moving this cave, because otherwise he'd be rolling his eyes even more. Below them, there's a slow roll of the floor, like a gentle wave going over the ocean, and then there's a soft shake.]
This place is safe enough for the time being. Adrian, I would have words with you.
[He kisses Trevor's forehead once before withdrawing. Trevor's loopiness and turn of phrases makes up for some of the nightmare of having him be like this, and when he withdraws in full, it is to rejoin his father at the mouth of the cave.
Except when he stands there, he is at the front door of a small cottage that sits alone in the mountains, looking over one of the great forests of Wallachia. There are quiet words exchanged, and then Dracula does as Alucard expected and inspects his son's wound for signs of magic.
They're there. Faint. Hard to catch without a trained eye, the kind of thing meant to mark a murderer. They are gone with a wave of Dracula's hand, but the seriousness is still there. In their low voices, they discuss how to destroy the other parts of Trevor that were used for spells (For your sake, not his Dracula insists), and that will be done tomorrow.
Dracula does not leave even then. He takes the shape of a large wolf, and dismisses his son for the night. Any guard duty can and will wait until morning.
When Alucard returns again, it's having utterly washed himself off, and he settles down where Trevor would have him.]
[ He sinks into Alucard's arms, burying his face in his shirt, tugging Sypha over so to be trapped between them. ]
Adrian. [ It's muffled by shirt, but he says it softly, testing the sound on his lips. Sypha seems worried for a moment, not sure what might come of him learning Alucard's name. Nothing comes of it, of course, he just keeps babbling contentedly. ] My beautiful Adrian. My brave Adrian. Keeping us safe.
[Alucard understands how he's gotten the name. His father must've let it slip and...well, Trevor's alive so there won't be any attempt at take backsies
Then again, if Alucard knows his father, his father is assuming that all the drugs will keep Trevor from properly remembering. Which is a fair enough thought, although Alucard has some doubts.]
Don't want to sleep. Want to kiss you. Both of you. [ He doesn't, really. At least no more than usual. And if he did, then the first step would be removing his head from where it's hidden in Alucard's shirt. He's just learned, even in his addled state, that saying things like that is the best way to be fussed over and allowed to rest instead of sleeping. To have one of them read to him or tell him stories form memory. ] If I sleep-
[ He pauses, and then trails off, shaking his head. ]
[ The chances of the secondary effects of the anesthetic working aren't as high as they used to be. It's not every night he finds himself in the same dreams as the others. He's been wary of sleeping lately.
Not that it's managed to stop him from doing it a lot. Just like it doesn't really stop him from settling against Alucard, babbling slowing just a little. ]
[It seems hard to do. Alucard sighs, and he focuses entirely on running his hand up and down Trevor's spine. It's a foolproof way of getting him to slow down a bit. Relax. Maybe sleep a bit more.]
[ It works. It always works. Any tension that remained in him fades, the babbling stops. Before long, his breathing has slowed and his hands and feet twitch occasionally, like a dog dreaming of chasing something. ]
[Alucard find himself drifting at one point, but it is long after Trevor has settled in. He doesn't dream tonight, not this time, and Alucard stirs only when his father hand comes and gently rests on his shoulders.]
I am departing. You'll need to wake and resume your watch.
[Sleepily, Alucard blinks once or twice in response, and nods in the affirmative. It's only after Alucard sits up that Dracula disappears properly, and Alucard frowns a little for his father's absence.
The other two don't feel safe around him, but Alucard does. That's yet to change.]
[ It's only about a half-hour after Dracula leaves that the sun stretches out over the woods. With it, comes a presence. There would have always been a presence, after the events of last night.
Leon doesn't enter the came, doesn't ever look, but his calm voice drifts in ]
You can sleep, if you wish. Nothing will come close.
[Alucard is already up, his eyes wide awake and focused on the mouth of the cave. The rest of him wants to just fall back asleep, relieved for the first time to ever hear Leon's voice. It would make Trevor happy, to not be disturbed but...
...best Leon be informed of what happened.
It is with all the care in the world that Alucard slowly replaces himself with the blanket again. It's warmed, it smells of him, and this should only be a few moments more. He rises to his feet, and vaguely Alucard wonders if this sense of responsibility is genuine or if it comes from the nonsense claiming bond.
Maybe it's both. Regardless, Alucard exits the cave, opening the door and not surprised to find Leon there.]
How much of last night have you been able to guess at, versus how much must I inform you of?
Your father's magic is thick here, and so I suspect that he moved you. As for why- my daughters claim that they found the body of a Collector where you ought to be. Am I correct in my belief that the two things are related?
[ He says this with the tone of a man who isn't really asking a question. ]
They used to be Speakers, the Collectors. Took on the strengths and powers of fallen friends and creatures by carrying the stories of them in their hearts. [ He shakes his head. ] But it is easier to carry a handful of flesh than it is a story. One doesn't need to care about the origin of the flesh, nor to understand how a lump of flesh came about. So they separated, and the Speakers are as vulnerable to being collected as either of our kinds are.
You are. With pieces of Trevor being out circulating the world as spell components...[Alucard's voice falls away, trusting Leon to fill in the rest. He sighs, and this part feels closer to confession.] The final act was mine.
[There had been pride in that action, from his father. That his son knew that some days, one must take extreme measures to protect the things one loves the most. And there was a strange feeling of contradiction in Alucard, for his mother would most certaintly disapprove, and yet...he has precious little guilt over the action until now.]
Are they a new sect? I cannot say I've heard of them before, or been aware of their activities.
Would that he could have been brought away from that path without bloodshed. But it was not your responsibility to lead him. You acted to protect, and that is all anyone could ask of you.
[ He genuinely does sound a little saddened by the Collector's death. He shakes his head. ]
Older than myself and your father, but very rare. Speakers travel in groups and wear colours to mark themselves and show themselves to offer aid to anyone they can. Collectors travel alone - knowing that your companion stands to gain by carving you into pieces breeds little trust - and are a secretive sort. You could live a lifetime long as your father's or my own, and never run into one. Or you could walk past a dozen and never know unless they showed themselves. Most have no magic of their own, only that which they borrow from their collections, and so it is impossible to tell them apart from another human.
[There's the truth of it though. Alucard feels no particular sorrow about the man's death, only that he himself had to perform such an action. And that's something that deserves more reflection, doesn't it? The man was a threat, and would probably have brought them all to harm. If not now, then later. Death was a mercy, for if Dracula had seen to any of this, the man would be begging for release.
He listens though. Quiet. Thoughtful. Nodding along, stunned that there's something rarer than vampires and fae and other things.]
So to know how many of them are out there is an impossible task. [He knows Leon is aware of the fact there's more Trevor parts out there. That Alucard's nervous about that fact.]
But it requires magic of some sort to activate spell components and to use them in a skillful manner, yes?
No more magic than is used in recalling a story. It is- I am no chirurgeon. I couldn't begin to explain it as it deserves to be explained, I will try.
A friend [ Mathias. ] told me once that human thought produces tiny sparks in the mind. The Collector remembers, and then uses those sparks to activate the components. Just as you'd put a spark on dry wood to make a fire.
...Intent. [Sypha's explained it so many times.] Memory and intent, like any good Speaker telling a story from the records.
[Alucard understands the mechanic now, although he has absolutely no love of that knowledge. If anything, he chafes against it, even more horrified than before.]
Of course I do. He was without both horns and wings, and those were sold off for parts. This could easily happen again.
Most of our kind would never have been freed from the ordeal without a rebirth, and so we have few methods to right the situation. And the parts are dead, so most divination would fail to locate them.
I apologise. Magic has never been a strong suit of mine. Enid will continue her research, with luck she will find something.
The recovery's taking far longer than we expected. This fever is...[terrifying, if Alucard was to be honest. He settles for just shaking his head in mild distress.]
There are other people who will help train me to look. [200% dad magic.] But we're all running on low energy at this point, the three of us.
I would offer you more aid, if I could. The situation is unusual, for our kind. To be unwilling to be reborn, nor to ask for our queens favour. And whatever sanctuary I could offer will be rejected by your father.
I can be here by day, if you wish, but I fear I can offer little more.
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[Alucard buries his face in the top of Trevor's head, and all of his words are muffled into that spot.]
When I get up, it's to keep you both safe.
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[ He's not being quiet or subtle about this. Sypha's rolling her eyes. ]
She's the cleverest. If anything happened to her, everything would be less clever. And less kind. And less pretty, and-
[ SHE'S ROLLING HER EYES SO MUCH. And pretending not to hear. This is embarrassing. ]
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[You know who's joining Sypha in eye rolling? Dracula. You know who's having a moment with his Totally Not Daughter In Law? Dracula.
Thank God Dracula's still focusing on moving this cave, because otherwise he'd be rolling his eyes even more. Below them, there's a slow roll of the floor, like a gentle wave going over the ocean, and then there's a soft shake.]
This place is safe enough for the time being. Adrian, I would have words with you.
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Go- do words. But come back. Please come back.
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[He kisses Trevor's forehead once before withdrawing. Trevor's loopiness and turn of phrases makes up for some of the nightmare of having him be like this, and when he withdraws in full, it is to rejoin his father at the mouth of the cave.
Except when he stands there, he is at the front door of a small cottage that sits alone in the mountains, looking over one of the great forests of Wallachia. There are quiet words exchanged, and then Dracula does as Alucard expected and inspects his son's wound for signs of magic.
They're there. Faint. Hard to catch without a trained eye, the kind of thing meant to mark a murderer. They are gone with a wave of Dracula's hand, but the seriousness is still there. In their low voices, they discuss how to destroy the other parts of Trevor that were used for spells (For your sake, not his Dracula insists), and that will be done tomorrow.
Dracula does not leave even then. He takes the shape of a large wolf, and dismisses his son for the night. Any guard duty can and will wait until morning.
When Alucard returns again, it's having utterly washed himself off, and he settles down where Trevor would have him.]
See? Back.
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[ He sinks into Alucard's arms, burying his face in his shirt, tugging Sypha over so to be trapped between them. ]
Adrian. [ It's muffled by shirt, but he says it softly, testing the sound on his lips. Sypha seems worried for a moment, not sure what might come of him learning Alucard's name. Nothing comes of it, of course, he just keeps babbling contentedly. ] My beautiful Adrian. My brave Adrian. Keeping us safe.
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Then again, if Alucard knows his father, his father is assuming that all the drugs will keep Trevor from properly remembering. Which is a fair enough thought, although Alucard has some doubts.]
Please try and sleep, Trevor. We'll both be here.
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[ He pauses, and then trails off, shaking his head. ]
I want to stay here. Awake.
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[Why Alucard is arguing is beyond him. The good part, the important part, is to just have Trevor quiet and unfussed and so very happy where he is.]
But I won't argue if you're going to insist.
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[ The chances of the secondary effects of the anesthetic working aren't as high as they used to be. It's not every night he finds himself in the same dreams as the others. He's been wary of sleeping lately.
Not that it's managed to stop him from doing it a lot. Just like it doesn't really stop him from settling against Alucard, babbling slowing just a little. ]
Don't go again. I'll chase you, if you do.
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[It seems hard to do. Alucard sighs, and he focuses entirely on running his hand up and down Trevor's spine. It's a foolproof way of getting him to slow down a bit. Relax. Maybe sleep a bit more.]
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I am departing. You'll need to wake and resume your watch.
[Sleepily, Alucard blinks once or twice in response, and nods in the affirmative. It's only after Alucard sits up that Dracula disappears properly, and Alucard frowns a little for his father's absence.
The other two don't feel safe around him, but Alucard does. That's yet to change.]
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Leon doesn't enter the came, doesn't ever look, but his calm voice drifts in ]
You can sleep, if you wish. Nothing will come close.
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...best Leon be informed of what happened.
It is with all the care in the world that Alucard slowly replaces himself with the blanket again. It's warmed, it smells of him, and this should only be a few moments more. He rises to his feet, and vaguely Alucard wonders if this sense of responsibility is genuine or if it comes from the nonsense claiming bond.
Maybe it's both. Regardless, Alucard exits the cave, opening the door and not surprised to find Leon there.]
How much of last night have you been able to guess at, versus how much must I inform you of?
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[ He says this with the tone of a man who isn't really asking a question. ]
They used to be Speakers, the Collectors. Took on the strengths and powers of fallen friends and creatures by carrying the stories of them in their hearts. [ He shakes his head. ] But it is easier to carry a handful of flesh than it is a story. One doesn't need to care about the origin of the flesh, nor to understand how a lump of flesh came about. So they separated, and the Speakers are as vulnerable to being collected as either of our kinds are.
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[There had been pride in that action, from his father. That his son knew that some days, one must take extreme measures to protect the things one loves the most. And there was a strange feeling of contradiction in Alucard, for his mother would most certaintly disapprove, and yet...he has precious little guilt over the action until now.]
Are they a new sect? I cannot say I've heard of them before, or been aware of their activities.
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[ He genuinely does sound a little saddened by the Collector's death. He shakes his head. ]
Older than myself and your father, but very rare. Speakers travel in groups and wear colours to mark themselves and show themselves to offer aid to anyone they can. Collectors travel alone - knowing that your companion stands to gain by carving you into pieces breeds little trust - and are a secretive sort. You could live a lifetime long as your father's or my own, and never run into one. Or you could walk past a dozen and never know unless they showed themselves. Most have no magic of their own, only that which they borrow from their collections, and so it is impossible to tell them apart from another human.
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[There's the truth of it though. Alucard feels no particular sorrow about the man's death, only that he himself had to perform such an action. And that's something that deserves more reflection, doesn't it? The man was a threat, and would probably have brought them all to harm. If not now, then later. Death was a mercy, for if Dracula had seen to any of this, the man would be begging for release.
He listens though. Quiet. Thoughtful. Nodding along, stunned that there's something rarer than vampires and fae and other things.]
So to know how many of them are out there is an impossible task. [He knows Leon is aware of the fact there's more Trevor parts out there. That Alucard's nervous about that fact.]
But it requires magic of some sort to activate spell components and to use them in a skillful manner, yes?
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A friend [ Mathias. ] told me once that human thought produces tiny sparks in the mind. The Collector remembers, and then uses those sparks to activate the components. Just as you'd put a spark on dry wood to make a fire.
[ He finally looks over at Alucard. ]
You worry.
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[Alucard understands the mechanic now, although he has absolutely no love of that knowledge. If anything, he chafes against it, even more horrified than before.]
Of course I do. He was without both horns and wings, and those were sold off for parts. This could easily happen again.
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Most of our kind would never have been freed from the ordeal without a rebirth, and so we have few methods to right the situation. And the parts are dead, so most divination would fail to locate them.
I apologise. Magic has never been a strong suit of mine. Enid will continue her research, with luck she will find something.
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There are other people who will help train me to look. [200% dad magic.] But we're all running on low energy at this point, the three of us.
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I can be here by day, if you wish, but I fear I can offer little more.
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I won't demand so much of your time. Just...just for today. We all need the rest, and then our watches can begin anew.
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