Some would say it had been ill fate, the day she had met the likes of one Count Vladislaus Dracula. Other would simply marvel at the fact, she'd lived as long as she did, being even remotely related to the mad scientist known to most as Doctor Frankenstein. Let alone having to live with him as an account of said madman being the only living relative left alive, after the incident that claimed the supposedly more sane branch of the family. But, for our heroin, she wouldn't have had it any other way. After all, regardless of the man being completely and utterly bonkers, he was lovable, fun to be around, and unlike her late family, he'd always been able to make her smile with his deranged antics during dull family get togethers.
Angel Maria Frankenstine, had never been what one would call a normal girl, at least, not by the standards of those who knew her from a distance. Where most girls would cringe at the solitary sight of dirt, she'd have been rolling around in it, fighting with the boy who'd unknowingly insulted her by simply being a complete neanderthal the one minute, then chasing the 'girly' girls down the same street, laughing deviously as she threaten to hug them, still covered in dirt, without a single care in the world. And much like her uncle and the unfortunate distaste to the rest of the family, the girl adored science and exploration. It wouldn't have been an average day if Angel hadn't managed to discover something new, or God forbid gain a new wound or bruise.
But happiness always had a way of turning sour quite quickly, the day of the fire had also been the girls sixteenth birthday, having seamlessly started out of the blue in the main parlor, the inhabitance of the house, including all the staff burnt to nothing more than charred remains. And this ladies and gentlemen is where our story truly starts.
LONDON.
The day would had started like most, Elizaveta best known as Nanny E, a dark haired, dark eyes and olive skinned woman would come into the dark sanctuary of the teenagers room at exactly 6:15am not a moment earlier or later, and much to the young woman's annoyance. The coal black curtains were always drawn back, first the left and then the right splitting the comforting darkness with the rays of the early morning sun. Then once she had been fully awoken, the morning tea would be served, along with the telling of the schedule the nanny insisted be kept rain, sun or snow. However today, normal procedure had been thrown out the window, along with Elizaveta who had died the night prior due an unfortunate accident involving the cat and an open window on the third level of the manor. Though why the teenager had still needed a nanny was beyond her comprehension, a tutor or governess would have been more appropriate for her age.
Tufts of starlight hair lay pooled on the satin pillow as the young woman slept, entangled in the matching satin sheets, by now it had reached 10:30am without any interruption from the nanny she'd expected over four hours ago. However not being one to look a gift horse in the mouth, she'd caught up on much needed extra sleep, her project from the night before laying half completed and abandoned on her desk. It was around this time, that another servant of the house dared to enter her room. Armed with a cup of tea and a cupcake in hand, the dark haired male walked in confidently, yet silently. Closing the door behind him, he headed over to the curtains, drawing them back to allow in the sunlight that had been begging to enter the dark fortress that made up the teenagers rooms. "My lady, it is time to wake up." With the burst of sunlight hitting her face, mingling with the low slightly raspy baritone of the servant voice, she finally stirred, slowly managing to sit up in bed, still dazed with sleep as she rubbed away the residue from her sapphire hues, only to blink in confusion at the sight of the dark haired male.
"Jonathan?.. What are you doing here... I thought you were given the day off?"
Delicate chimes seemed to tinkle as the disorientated female spoke, and for a moment, the elder male paused in awe. Her voice was a rare treat, as within the household, she barely ever uttered a word, be it to other family members or staff.
"I was... Though it seems, your nanny has met with a rather unfortunate accident... 'M to attend to your needs today, my lady." As he spoke, he handed over the cup of tea along with the cupcake. "Also, Happy birthday, young mistress. I've seen to it that your schedule is clear today."
His statement, however long, was retorted with a simple "Oh... Thank you." Not being one for long arduous conversations with simple minds as she saw it, even if it did involve satisfying her own curiosity, the lithe female, silently finished her tea, nibbling on the cupcake as she watched her chaperone for the day, flounder about in an attempt to get her ready. Amusing as he was to watch, she could only take so much, after all, even she had to pity him at some point in time.
"Jonathan.. I can get ready on my own, if you would like to go see if everything else is ready, feel free to do so." At her evident dismissal, the dark haired male seemed to sag in relief, before bowing and scurrying off to take care of his other duties.
With the male servant gone for the moment, she slipped silently out of bed, making her way towards the clothes that hung in her wardrobe as she pondered on the untimely demise of her nanny. Most girls would have cried at the loss, however, she, just at sixteen years old barely blinked at the mishap. For a young female, she acted as anything but at least when it came to the adults that she seemed to constantly be surrounded by. Her mother would have said she was a sixteen year old, going on forty with the emotionless maturity the starlight haired female always seemed to display.
Humming a small tune under her breath, she proceeded to get dressed. Mapping out her own plans for the day. Once dressed in a light blue summer dress with white accents around the hems and waist, she slipped into a pair of matching ballet flats, grabbed her black gloves before proceeding to twirl out of the small space of her sanctuary and into the hallway. Normality and dullness unsurprisingly seeping back into her day, as she greeted the servants she passed with a simple nod.
Once she'd reached the top of the stairs, a rare smile curled up the edges of her rose tinted lips as she jumped up onto the side railing, proceeding to slide down onto the landing at the bottom with both delight and grace before skipping out the door and into the uncharacteristically sunny day. Nodding once to Jonathan, who know stood with two stallions, one a beautiful chestnut brown, the other a silky ebony black from the nearby stables now ready for the trip into town. Mounting the black stallion, with some assistance form the male servant, they were off within minutes to explore and enjoy the day away from manor grounds, and away from the people she was forced to called her family.
HOURS LATER
The fire itself, was something rather spectacular even by her standards. It had been on the way home, carrying a new set of clothes, books and paints. The early night sky, had filled with reds, oranges, pinks, blues and purples. Only to seemingly light up rather spontaneously the closer both teenager and servant road towards the manor home. Most of the land has been untouched by the fire, staying a pristine evergreen and lush expansion. However the manor itself, all forty eight rooms had been ignited in swirls of dancing orange and raging reds. Awe would have been such a simple word to describe the sight of the flames eating away at the momentous structure, mingling with the dead silence the two currently shared. It could have simply been a portrait done by one of the new artists of the time, with how vividly the colors seemed to contrast, the vibrant and hypnotic flames draped effortlessly against the darkening sky. However, the strangely peaceful and tranquil silences was soon shattered with the screams of horror from not only the servant who had ridden alongside the starlight haired female, but the passers by, who had comes to assist in extinguishing the flames once word had been sent out of help.
As the night deepened into the late hours, the flames continued to dance and waltz, as if taunting those who wished to snuff them out.
No survivors had been reported, except for the young woman who stood, silently watching her home burn to the ground and a small handful of servants who had had the day off and gone to visit loved ones.
By the time the flames had finally died the next morning, it had ultimately been determined and written off as a freak accident hours prior by the authorities, that had taken control during the climax of the blazing, now nothing more than a column of grey smoke, curling endlessly up into the heavens that had finally clouded over once more. Leaving behind nothing but blacked wood and charred remains.
The next of kin and a temporary caretaker had been contacted an hour after sunrise, giving vague news of the incident and stressing the new fact of a teenager in need of a home. Once word had been sent, it had taken less than half an hour for the caretaker to show his face. And much to the displeasure of the sleep deprived female, it was the one man she strangely couldn't stand to even be in the same room with, there was no true reason for her distaste of him, at least, not one she could put her finger on. He was just... So punchable and irritating.
"Van Helsing." To say she was displeased, would be an understatement. Unlike with most adults, she'd never labeled Gabriel as one, he had always been the manchild, and simply the irritating hunter, with an oafs brain.
"Hello, little bird." Grinning like an idiot at the nickname he'd given her when she was six, the ebony black haired male, unceremoniously scooped the tired female up into his arms before placing her gently onto the back of his ride, ignoring her tired protests at being manhandled by him. "I take it, you haven't been having the best of days as of late?"
At his question, she looked at him as if he were a complete moron, the smooth baritone of his voice and his rugged charm doing absolutely nothing to curb her growing irritation at the man. "Do you actually expect me to answer that question seriously.. Or did one of the monsters finally hit your thick head hard enough to cause brain damage?"
Her foul mood seemed to do nothing but amuse the dark haired male as he mounted his steed behind her, taking off down the road with a chuckle. "Sleep deprivation, and a bad day. Should I not be talking?"
With him having ignored her irritated question, she rolled her sapphire hues at him. His joking tone, managing to spark a faint smile to play at the edges of her lips. "Oh.. Would you look at that, you actually said something remotely smart, now please, do actually stop talking."
It took him a few moments after her slightly exhausted plea to figure out a retort to her insult, having managed to finally make some headway with both the trip and the strange relationship the two had developed over the years, Gabriel allowed a small, warm and very fond smile to spread over his lips. "Ah... I've finally managed to earn a few browny points, have I? In any case, get some sleep, little bird... I'll watch over you."
Tisking somewhat playfully at the monster hunter, the starlight haired female finally gave into sleep with a final retort towards her current companion. "Shut up, Gabriel... And as much as I hate to say it... Thanks, for coming to my rescue... Old man."
As she drifted off to sleep, a wry smile filtered over her lips as she faintly heard Van Helsing muttering under his breath at being called old, before she fully succumbed to the delighted embrace of sleep.
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Hello lovelies... I know it's been a while and for those of you who are waiting for a next chapter to my Lovers Eternal... IM SORRY, please don't hurt me. xD But seriously.. I'm having a small amount of writers block with my other story, though, I do have some of the chapter already typed up, there are a few things I need to go over and add to.. So it might take a little while.
On another note... Hello again.. I got bored so I decided why not just type something new out.. Maybe it'll get my creativity flowing again. Please, please, please feel free to leave a review or a comment, I'd honestly love to know what you think.
Until next time.. Which is hopefully soon.
M.