Author's Note: Greetings, everyone! Well, for the first time in over eight years, I have decided to write a Castlevania story. I will also be doing so under my current pen-name, rather than my former one (Cody the Impaler). For this story, I will be using the original characters and themes from some of my former stories, which I will explain some elements of in this chapter. Also, much of the theme from this story still comes from the stories written long ago by Kitty (or Chameleon2). Those stories by Kitty can be found at the very end of the Castlevania page on this website (FanFiction)—that gives one an idea of just how long ago they were written.

For this particular story, I have decided to take elements from Nocturne of Recollection, which was a Castlevania radio drama released only in Japan that took place one year after Symphony of the Night. Essentially, I want to take elements of that story, and add those elements into my own creation. I will also state that I try to follow history—something that Konami did not do—when it comes to the historical Dracula, as much as possible. As always, I do appreciate critical feedback.

Fragments of Memories

Chapter I

In early February 1808, in the village of Warakiya, which is part of the Romanian Kingdom of Wallachia, the 35-year-old brown haired and brown eyed Father Richter Belmont returned his horse to a stable on the Belmont Estate. Throughout the day, the temperature had been cool but above freezing, as the Sun had melted the last of the previous snowfall. The sky was beginning to show the colors of dusk, when Richter entered his home. As he did so, Richter was greeted by his two-year-old daughter, Sidra.

"Daddy!" exclaimed the brown eyed and auburn haired toddler.

Richter smiled, and scooped up his daughter. But as he held Sidra close, his daughter said, "Oww!"

"'Oww'?" Richter said with a grin. "What's bothering you, my little girl?"

Sidra responded by patting Richter's face, or his beard, more specifically. "This hurts."

Richter turned to see his wife, the 32-year-old brown haired and brown eyed Annette. Annette chuckled in the doorway to the kitchen.

Richter returned to his daughter. "I'll be damned," he muttered, before he returned Sidra to the floor.

Out of her father's grasp, Sidra secured her pacifier, and toddled out of the room.

"I had to chuckle at Sidra," began Annette. "I sometimes wish that you'd shave that beard."

Richter sighed and sat on the sofa. "You know what the Church teaches regarding Holy Orders and beards?"

"Yes," responded Annette, while she took a place on the sofa next to Richter. "Wearing a beard follows the example of Christ."

"Correct."

"Why did you become a priest again?"

Richter chuckled. "I did so, because I thought—given what I was trained to do by my father—that it would be best to enter the seminary and become a priest. Why? Do you regret my decision?"

"Oh, no. It's just those beards. I mean, the Latin clergy don't wear beards."

"The Latin clergy don't do a number of things right. Just like the Marquis family."

The 'Marquis family' was a family of French origins, who lived in the village of Jova, and were a rival to the Belmont family. Like the Belmonts, the Marquis family identified themselves as vampire hunters, but a distinction between the two families had to do with their respected religions. The Belmont family was Orthodox, as were most Romanians; but the Marquis family was Catholic. And unlike other Romanian Catholics, the Marquis family followed the Latin liturgy, rather than one of the Eastern liturgies.

Annette smiled. "I just miss your clean-shaven face sometimes."

Richter grinned.

"By the way," continued Annette, "where's Riff?"

'Riff' was a reference to Richter and Annette's firstborn, the eight-year-old brown haired and brown eyed Christian Simon Belmont.

"He was over at the Tepeses, playing with Sander, when I happened to stop by to give Adrian that extra bottle of bitter herbs that we had, and that he wanted."

'Sander' was a reference to the firstborn son of Adrian and Maria Tepes, the five-year-old blonde haired and brown eyed Lysander Adrian Tepes. Besides being the son of Adrian and Maria, Lysander was also the nephew of Richter and Annette, and, therefore, the cousin of Christian and Sidra.

"In any case, he'll be home soon," continued Richter. "He just wanted to play with Sander, after he got done with school for the day."

Annette nodded. "Yes, he is very close to his little cousin."

Richter returned the nod. "That he is. In many respects, I think that Riff has almost adopted Lysander as a 'little brother,' so I suppose that he sees Sander more as a brother, than as a cousin."

Again, Annette nodded.

"You know, on that subject, I just thought of something."

"What's that?"

"A few days ago, I happened to witness Riff playing with some of his schoolmates, and Lysander came along and wanted to play too. Of course, the older boys didn't want to play with a 'little kid,' but Riff told them that if Sander doesn't get to play, then he won't play with them either."

Annette smiled. "That was sweet of him."

Richter returned the smile. "That it was. And the boys took Sander in, and let him play with them."

"That was nice."

Richter nodded. "I sometimes think that the bond they share is from the time at the castle…"

"I don't want to hear anything about that! That is a memory that I do not want to think about."

Again, Richter nodded. "I understand."

Annette returned the nod. "In any case, why did Adrian want that extra bottle of bitter herbs?"

"To try and get Cander to stop using his pacifier, and to stop sucking his thumb. Essentially, the same reason for why we're going to use them for Sidra." 'Cander' was a reference to Adrian and Maria's youngest son, the two-year-old blonde haired and green eyed Alcander Renard Tepes.

Again, Annette nodded. "Yes, it is about time. Sidra needs to be weaned off her pacifier, and from sucking her thumb."

"Lest it damage her teeth or mouth."

Once again, Annette nodded. "Very true."

"After that, we can get her out of diapers," Richter added with a smirk.

Annette grinned. "Somehow, I don't think that will be too hard. Sidra seems to show a desire to be out of diapers, so I don't think that she'll be too hard to potty train."

Richter nodded. "In any case, I saw something unique about your sister today."

"What's that? That Maria's still in her 20s? That her hair isn't showing any gray? That her waist still looks petite, despite having two kids?"

Richter laughed, drew Annette close, and kissed her cheek. "Did I step into a sibling rivalry or something? You know that you are quite beautiful; that your waist is quite petite, despite also having two kids; and if anyone should complain about 'grays in their hair,' it should be me at 35."

Annette smiled.

"But seriously, what I have noticed about Maria is something that I have noticed for quite a while."

"Which is?"

"I don't know exactly what it is, but it seems to be something in her that has been 'molded and shaped' by time. I noticed it long ago at the castle, and it has only grown after her marriage to Adrian and then the births of her two children."

"Perhaps it's three things," Annette said with a smirk. "Life, marriage, and motherhood."

Richter grinned.

"But seriously, I do remember my grandmother telling me that Maria was born under a 'strange star.' But what I don't know is what that 'strange star' refers to."

Later that evening, in the master room of the Tepes residence, Adrian Tepes briefly tossed his blonde hair, while his brown eyes adjusted the oil lamp. As the light dimmed, his wife, the 28-year-old blonde haired and green eyed Maria, entered the room.

"I take it that you checked on the boys?" asked Adrian.

"Yes, they're fine—both sleeping, in fact."

"Did you put those herbs on Cander's pacifier and thumb?"

"Yes."

"Good. We need to get him off of that pacifier, and to get him to stop sucking his thumb."

"Yes, dear, I know."

"I'm worried that either one will damage his teeth or his mouth."

"Yes, dear, I'm aware of those things as well."

"After that, you'll need to get him out of diapers."

Maria smirked, and sat on the bed. "Yes, of course, leave it to me to get him out of diapers."

Adrian returned the smirk.

Maria chuckled. "Of course, somehow I think that he'll be harder to potty train, than Sander was."

"Why is that?"

"Cander doesn't seem to show much desire to be out of diapers. I think that he would rather just run around in a diaper, and then have somebody come along and change them later."

"Well then, I think that you need to 'change that desire' in him."

Maria smirked, and mockingly said, "Yes, dear."

As the evening continued, a young teenager was on the road outside the village of Warakiya. Based on the direction that the young woman was taking, her destination appeared to be the village of Jova. The Moon was the only source of light for the young woman, and she raced home.

"I must get home soon," she thought. "Father will be mad at me, if I'm out any later."

Soon the lamplights from Jova began to show, and the young woman began to relax. Although there was still a distance between her and Jova, the glow of the Moon and the village's lamplights began to reveal some of the young woman's features. She appeared to be about 14 years of age with blonde hair and hazel eyes.

"Excuse me, miss," a male voice said in the shadows. "You shouldn't be out so late by yourself. I understand that there are thieves roaming these woods."

The young woman stopped, and turned to the direction of the voice. From the shadows, emerged a man, who appeared to be about 18 years of age, with brown eyes and hair that appeared to be almost 'silver.' The young man was certainly attractive, but his reference to 'thieves' frightened the young woman.

"Care for me to walk you the rest of the way home?" asked the man.

"No thanks," replied the young woman, as she began to walk away. "I'm fine."

The young man watched the young woman walk away—with her pace increasing—and he smirked. "Such a pretty girl," he thought. "And such a pity."

The young man began to follow the young woman, and even though there was quite a distance between them, he quickly caught up with her. The young woman gasped, as she saw that the young man's eyes had turned red, and that his canines had changed to those of a wild beast. The young woman had no chance to escape, as the young man bit into her throat. The young man had drained her of a considerable amount of blood, and only backed away, when he accidentally touched the cross that was around the young woman's neck.