[They've been at the castle for a few days now. Alucard doesn't know if Trevor and Sypha consider it home yet. He doesn't know a lot of what they consider yet, because there is so much trepidation in how the three of them relate now. He knows his own mind, how much he just wants to be with them both, to curl around them protectively, to make sure that they always come back to the castle. But to talk about it openly...he doesn't know. They could well be trying to figure things out on their own.
So at least when Sypha says that she wants to go down into the Hold, well. It's a chance to find out where things stand, and to have Sypha put a few silver things away since Alucard cannot. There's a required float down involved, as Alucard hasn't fixed the staircase yet (a vampire elevator. Vampivator?) And then it's just a matter of letting Sypha's magic ignite all the torches in the Hold again (Alucard uses a portable electric light), and walking over towards the Index.
He's made a few changes. The vampire skulls are now covered by somber black cloth. Anything that could be a danger to him (that he can touch) has been cordoned off into a storage closet. But other than that, the Hold is very much how the three of them left it after Sypha broke the castle.]
Was there a particular subject you wanted to focus on?
I was hoping to find spellbooks. Healing magic, perhaps? It will be useful in the future.
[ She feels she doesn't have to specify when it will be useful. Alucard understands the dangers of their current situation perfectly well. A cohort of very dangerous and aggressive vampires still exists, and with Dracula gone, a power vacuum that many will likely try to fill, and many human casualties to go along with it. Sypha's magic is potent and dangerous, but she wants to learn more, to mend as well as attack.
She comes to stand by Alucard, peering down at the index in the torchlight and turning the pages. Her body radiates warmth, and she glances up at him for a brief moment, smiling. ]
There wasn't another water source for you to make a lift.
[You're welcome, he means. Even if it was a bit close. It was a nice closeness, brief as it was, but that too is a discussion for later.
Alucard turns a few pages of the Index, tutting softly as he tries to find the right shelf location for where the books are. Then a few more pages and...]
Good, it's on this floor. And extensive, although I suspect that part isn't especially shocking given who we're dealing with.
Knowing Trevor, I imagine the Belmonts needed all the help they could get.
[ It wasn't enough, ultimately, to save them from near-extinction. Her smile falters a little, so she turns her attention back down to the page, noting the shelf number and location.
Striking out, she skims the spines of the books she passes until the titles begin to trend more and more arcane. Waving to Alucard, she beckons for him to come over and join her. ]
[Alucard does see that little fall, but he says nothing. Instead, he just follows behind Sypha, careful of where he steps. There's still the potential for say, surprise silver or other such issues to pop out at him. Wouldn't be the first time.]
Are any of them bound in silver?
[Leon Belmont's journals are. Alucard found that out the hard way.]
A few of them, probably, and many more have letters gilt in silver, I imagine. Best watch your fingers.
[ Of course Sypha knows that Alucard doesn't need to be told to be cautious. That is his nature, and he's been this library's caretaker long enough now to know that it has unpleasant surprises lurking about.
Pausing, Sypha plucks a book from the shelf and grins when she reads the title. ]
[ She offers him an apologetic look. She hadn't liked leaving him behind the first time they'd gone, but she was even more loathe to do it a second time. Unfortunately, there are still night hoards to be dealt with. ]
You could come with us. I bet there are wards we could put up to protect the castle in our absence.
[That was the response Alucard had expected. It means his face is also very straight and serious when Sypha replies, emotionless because that's what he has to be right now to bear that weight.]
I couldn't take the risk if they fell, and lose both my home and Trevor's to invaders. You know that.
That's getting to some of the heart of it, he supposes. And that's the reason the facade of calmness, being okay with any of the situation, that all drops. Or at least that is the lie Alucard will tell himself later, because right now he's aware it's going to get ugly.]
Want and need are different things. We all need to do what's best beyond our own interests.
[They're pretty words that contrast sharply with how gutted Alucard looks at Sypha's words. He's felt awful since they left, but it was good they didn't see the worst of his fury and his grief. Now though, now it feels like there needs to be someone else around. That yes, being alone is a terrible choice.
But the world needs a Speaker and a Belmont. How can he deny the world that?
He can. He should. The world took both of his parents, offered him these two, and now makes this demand. He could be selfish. He should be.]
[ It breaks her heart to see that facade fall away, even if it means she was right about him not wanting to be alone. It doesn't help to be right when the world is set to work against them.
Her grip on him tightens, as if that would help him realize his error, that he needs to stay with them and they with him. ]
Maybe that's true, but you don't need to sacrifice yourself like that when we could combine our abilities to fortify the castle. I'm certain there are spells here in the hold that could show us how.
[Alucard almost manages a joke about maybe just unbreaking the castle. It dies on his tongue, drowned by the far deeper feelings of sorrow that have bubbled up to the surface after being kept down for so long.
Spyha's grip doesn't even register with him. Doesn't hurt. It's just there.]
[ Even though she is a Speaker, Sypha knows that words aren't always enough. Though they're at an impasse for now, she plans on revisiting the topic later. Between the three of them, they'll figure it out. They have to.
Rather than keep talking, Sypha leans in and rests her forehead very gently against Alucard's lapel. ]
[It's the question of a total dumbfounded dhampir. Sypha has nothing to be sorry for. Neither does Trevor. That Sypha feels the need to say those two words Alucard wants to stare at her, revealing the bafflement.
But the rest of him is already trying to wrap around her. Arms coming to just hug her close, his height making it possible to only put his face down atop her head.]
For leaving the first time when you were hurting. We should have been there for you but we weren't. I'm sorry that you lost your parents, because I know how much that hurts.
[ Book still in hand, she wraps her arms around him as his long limbs engulf her. ]
I want to be here for you, and I know Trevor does too, even if he's a stubborn oaf about it.
[He clings. Really clings, grip on Sypha tightening but no tears coming. That feels like a small, fragile, pointless victory, but for Alucard it's important.
There's no letting go either.]
You had to go. I wouldn't have wanted you to see the utmost worst of it either, you both could've gotten hurt.
[Physically, but he might have lashed out and driven them both away for good.]
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So at least when Sypha says that she wants to go down into the Hold, well. It's a chance to find out where things stand, and to have Sypha put a few silver things away since Alucard cannot. There's a required float down involved, as Alucard hasn't fixed the staircase yet (a vampire elevator. Vampivator?) And then it's just a matter of letting Sypha's magic ignite all the torches in the Hold again (Alucard uses a portable electric light), and walking over towards the Index.
He's made a few changes. The vampire skulls are now covered by somber black cloth. Anything that could be a danger to him (that he can touch) has been cordoned off into a storage closet. But other than that, the Hold is very much how the three of them left it after Sypha broke the castle.]
Was there a particular subject you wanted to focus on?
no subject
[ She feels she doesn't have to specify when it will be useful. Alucard understands the dangers of their current situation perfectly well. A cohort of very dangerous and aggressive vampires still exists, and with Dracula gone, a power vacuum that many will likely try to fill, and many human casualties to go along with it. Sypha's magic is potent and dangerous, but she wants to learn more, to mend as well as attack.
She comes to stand by Alucard, peering down at the index in the torchlight and turning the pages. Her body radiates warmth, and she glances up at him for a brief moment, smiling. ]
Thank you for bringing me down.
no subject
[You're welcome, he means. Even if it was a bit close. It was a nice closeness, brief as it was, but that too is a discussion for later.
Alucard turns a few pages of the Index, tutting softly as he tries to find the right shelf location for where the books are. Then a few more pages and...]
Good, it's on this floor. And extensive, although I suspect that part isn't especially shocking given who we're dealing with.
no subject
[ It wasn't enough, ultimately, to save them from near-extinction. Her smile falters a little, so she turns her attention back down to the page, noting the shelf number and location.
Striking out, she skims the spines of the books she passes until the titles begin to trend more and more arcane. Waving to Alucard, she beckons for him to come over and join her. ]
I found them!
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Are any of them bound in silver?
[Leon Belmont's journals are. Alucard found that out the hard way.]
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[ Of course Sypha knows that Alucard doesn't need to be told to be cautious. That is his nature, and he's been this library's caretaker long enough now to know that it has unpleasant surprises lurking about.
Pausing, Sypha plucks a book from the shelf and grins when she reads the title. ]
I think this will do for starters.
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[He asks dryly, because technically, that's medical!
Very technically.]
Believe me, I've learned to detect them before I touch them. Every time I burn my hand, I regret having no assistants in this work.
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[ She can't help the giggle that accompanies the word, elbowing Alucard lightly as she does. ]
I'm here to assist you now, you know.
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[He elbows back. God, he forgot how fun it is ripping on Belmonts.]
I know. But you haven't said how long you're staying either.
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[ She offers him an apologetic look. She hadn't liked leaving him behind the first time they'd gone, but she was even more loathe to do it a second time. Unfortunately, there are still night hoards to be dealt with. ]
You could come with us. I bet there are wards we could put up to protect the castle in our absence.
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I couldn't take the risk if they fell, and lose both my home and Trevor's to invaders. You know that.
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I don't want to leave you behind, Alucard. It is not good for you to be alone.
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That's getting to some of the heart of it, he supposes. And that's the reason the facade of calmness, being okay with any of the situation, that all drops. Or at least that is the lie Alucard will tell himself later, because right now he's aware it's going to get ugly.]
Want and need are different things. We all need to do what's best beyond our own interests.
[They're pretty words that contrast sharply with how gutted Alucard looks at Sypha's words. He's felt awful since they left, but it was good they didn't see the worst of his fury and his grief. Now though, now it feels like there needs to be someone else around. That yes, being alone is a terrible choice.
But the world needs a Speaker and a Belmont. How can he deny the world that?
He can. He should. The world took both of his parents, offered him these two, and now makes this demand. He could be selfish. He should be.]
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Her grip on him tightens, as if that would help him realize his error, that he needs to stay with them and they with him. ]
Maybe that's true, but you don't need to sacrifice yourself like that when we could combine our abilities to fortify the castle. I'm certain there are spells here in the hold that could show us how.
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Spyha's grip doesn't even register with him. Doesn't hurt. It's just there.]
If something happened, I'd never forgive myself.
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Rather than keep talking, Sypha leans in and rests her forehead very gently against Alucard's lapel. ]
I'm sorry.
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[It's the question of a total dumbfounded dhampir. Sypha has nothing to be sorry for. Neither does Trevor. That Sypha feels the need to say those two words Alucard wants to stare at her, revealing the bafflement.
But the rest of him is already trying to wrap around her. Arms coming to just hug her close, his height making it possible to only put his face down atop her head.]
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[ Book still in hand, she wraps her arms around him as his long limbs engulf her. ]
I want to be here for you, and I know Trevor does too, even if he's a stubborn oaf about it.
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There's no letting go either.]
You had to go. I wouldn't have wanted you to see the utmost worst of it either, you both could've gotten hurt.
[Physically, but he might have lashed out and driven them both away for good.]
S'fine. You're here now. [For now.]