An Extraordinary Red Wedding
Category: League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Dracula, Bloodline, with references to Game of Thrones and Elementary
Rating: M for violence and coarse language
Disclaimer: The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen is copyright to Alan Moore, Dracula is copyright to Bram Stoker, Bloodline is copyright to Kate Cary, and Game of Thrones is copyright to HBO and George R. R. Martin, Elementary is copyright to CBS.
Characters: Mina Harker, Rodney Skinner, Henry Jekyll, Quincey Harker, Mary Seward, Lily Shaw and Rosemary Shaw
Summary: When Quincey Harker chose to wed Mary Seward over Lily Shaw, Rodney Skinner is obligated to wed Lily. However, the wedding takes a terrible twist when Rosemary Shaw sets a trap.
Author's Note and Warning: This is a very sick idea that I've been meaning to take care of for some time. I decided to take the Bloodline story into a different twist, to mix it in the League universe. Now, there is a big Game of Thrones reference, which is a spoiler for season 3. Please, do not read this if you haven't seen the series, read the books, and don't wish to be spoiled. Thank you.
Things had been trying for Mina and her fellow League members over the last few months while fighting the forces of house Moriarty. Ever since Professor James Moriarty was killed by Tom Sawyer, the remaining members of the Moriarty family have caused chaos that eventually led to the war. One of the first things the Moriarty family started was the capture and execution of Agent Sawyer, making it a personal war for the League. It seemed that things were not improving for the League since the war begun.
Quincey, her only son, was supposed to marry Lily, the daughter of the powerful matriarch Rosemary of house Shaw. Now that Quincey chose Mary Seward, the daughter of Mina's recently deceased friend John Seward, the League needed a new plan to please Rosemary Shaw in exchange for her support.
Rosemary insisted that someone should marry her daughter, or she would not lend any assistance to the League. Rodney Skinner, offered himself to wed Lily, even though he didn't seem like the type who would settle for marriage and family life. At the offer, Rosemary had accepted and would host the wedding at her estate. Mina had her concerns though, Rosemary was hoping for a young man of wealth and from a good family, and Skinner was neither of those.
As they sat down in the grand dining hall of Rosemary Shaw's estate, Carfax Hall, Mina Harker watched as Rodney Skinner and Lily Shaw exchange their vows. With the black suit and white make-up, Skinner at least looked like a decent groom. Lily appeared as lovely and as delicate as the flower she was name after, her white gown, pale skin and raven black hair.
After Skinner and Lily had exchanged their vows, the feast was served and Rosemary Shaw had organized a band to play music, which sounded slightly off key. As some of the guests got up to dance, Mina remained seated with her friend and colleague, Dr. Henry Jekyll, while she watched Skinner dance with Lily and Quincey dance with Mary. Mina could not help but worry, Skinner did marry Lily, yet Mina's vampire instinct told her that there was a problem.
"Is there something wrong?" asked Henry. He was dressed in his usual black attire, which was normal for him, wedding or not.
"I do not know," Mina answered, fingering the red silk scarf she wore with her evening gown. "I'm probably just stressed with the war when I should be happy that Skinner has found someone. It surprises me that Rosemary agreed to let Skinner marry Lily so easily, she was hoping for someone of Quincey's status."
Mina glanced at the matriarch of house Shaw seated at the long table near the back of the room under a large tapestry. Rosemary appeared stern with her greying hair pinned up tight and the collar of her dress buttoned at her throat.
"There is no need to worry now," Henry said enthusiastically, "she finally has found a husband for her daughter and she can help us out against our enemies."
"I suppose your right." Mina had lately considered Henry's counsel comforting to her, since he also had his fair share of difficult experiences and often he understood her when she discussed a problem with him.
"I hope you don't mind, I need to step outside for fresh air." Henry stood up from his seat. "My ears can only take so much of the racket."
"I understand what you mean completely," Mina chuckled. The band playing was really off key, Mina figured out that Edward Hyde, Henry's alter-ego, was really getting irritated by the terrible music.
After Henry excused himself for fresh air, Skinner and Lily happily returned to the table next to Rosemary. The newly weds sat down and Lily poured wine into Skinner's glass. Quincey and Mary returned to their own table across from Mina's, they were whispering and smiling as if something really pleased them.
"I think my mother will learn to love you," she heard Quincey whisper.
"I hope so," Mary said, "if she had her way, I'd still be at that sanatorium and you'd be the one receiving wine from Lily."
Mina watched her son and his wife talk and sip their wine. Even though Mina was still concerned that Quincey's choice would have consequences, she had to admit that Mary was at least making Quincey happy. Then, Mina noticed that the band had stopped playing and Rosemary had stood up from her seat, signalling for silence with by raising her hand.
"It has come to my attention," Rosemary announced, "that my daughter's marriage to Mr. Skinner has not yet been complete. There is still the bedding ceremony to seal the marriage and bind the bride and groom. Let us begin!"
The women began to cry out with excitement as they jumped out of their seats, grabbed Rodney Skinner, and pulled him towards the door.
"Ladies, ladies," said Skinner with a laugh, "please don't wear me out before my bride can perform her duties." The women attending had their arms hooked around his and they laughed as they began removing his coat.
The men followed suit as they gathered around Lily and lifted her above their heads. They laughed as they carried out the young bride, yet Mina could tell that Lily seemed anxious, almost terrified. Perhaps the bride was nervous to give her virtue to her new husband, a man she hadn't met until the ceremony. Any young lady would dread having to give herself to a man she barely knew.
Mina would have gone with the women to prepare Skinner, yet she was not in the mood. Skinner probably did not need to have her there, considering that he would have teased her of that embarrassing moment in Mongolia. Quincey and Mary have also remained behind in the grand hall, probably to have some time together rather than participate in such excitement. The doors to the grand hall closed and the band began to play a soft tune.
"Quincey Harker," said Rosemary, her voice sharp over the low melody of the band, "you have come into my house and shared my food, my wine, and my music. However, I have yet to give you the full hospitality that you deserve."
"Your hospitality is much appreciated," said Quincey as he stood up. "I thank you for hosting our company."
Rosemary did not respond, but the curl of her lips indicated a pleased smile. Mina, however, felt a sudden chill at the expression of the hostess. Arthur Holmwood, another friend of Mina's from when they hunted Dracula, sat down in the seat that Henry Jekyll previously occupied.
Arthur appeared calm, almost smug, as if there was a funny jest he was keeping to himself. There was something about Arthur's dinner coat that looked peculiar, buttoned up completely, then Mina noticed a gleam of metal near Arthur's collar. She pulled down his coat collar and noticed he was wearing armour plating like the Fantom's men. Mina bolted up from her chair and slapped Arthur hard across the cheek, the wedding was a trap, and Arthur had betrayed them all.
"Quincey!" Mina cried out to warn her son, but it was too late. The band replaced their instruments with automatic rifles and began to open fire on the grand hall.
Some of the Nautilus crew men who accompanied them were shot down before they could draw their own weapons. Quincey, who was standing in the aisle between the tables, whipped his head side to side in the confusion. Mary, still in her seat, screamed out as Rosemary's son, John, grabbed her and began stabbing her with a knife in the abdomen, flowers of blood staining her dress. Before Quincey could move to help Mary, some of the bullets struck him and he fell to the floor.
Mina did not waste time, she snatched a steak knife from the table where she sat and crouched down like a predatory cat set to strike prey. She winced as a bullet grazed her shoulder, but shrugged it off knowing she could heal fast.
Searching for a target amid the chaos, Mina sighted Rosemary's newest husband, a thin reed of a man ten years or so younger than his wife. The man was cowering beneath the table where Rosemary Shaw sat, looking amused by the slaughter displayed before her. Needing to act quickly, Mina darted to the table, grabbed the husband and pulled him out of hiding.
"Enough, Rosemary!" Mina shrieked. She stood up straight, holding the man by the hair and knife to his throat. "Let us go and we will forget this!"
Rosemary Shaw signalled for the assassins to stop with a wave of her hand. "Now why would I do that?" she asked coldly. "The previous time you bargained with me in my hall, it was for your son to marry my daughter and that agreement was broken!"
"Take me instead, Quincey is my son, my first and only son! Leave him be and I will surrender myself as your hostage, on my honour as League member."
Mina looked over her shoulder to see Quincey had crawled to where Mary lay wounded on the floor. Quincey had red and oozing bullet wounds in his chest and shoulders, but seemed more concerned about Mary as her breathing became ragged. It appeared that nothing can be done for Mary's injuries, but Mina had to convince Quincey to save himself.
"Quincey," Mina said to her son, "leave this place, just get up and walk away!" Quincey remained by Mary's side, cradling her as she struggled to breathe.
"Do you think that I'll let your son walk out of here?" asked Rosemary. "Did you think that I would forgive you for the broken marriage contract? You and your son insulted me, you blood sucking bitch!"
"If you do not let my son go, I swear in the name of both Heaven and Hell that I will slit your husband's throat and drain him dry!" Mina's anger was rising, she wanted more than anything to tear out the throat of Rosemary Shaw and all those who orchestrated the trap. Yet, she had to play the cards right, the last thing she wanted was to give Shaw a reason to have Quincey and the League executed.
"Then I'll just get another," Rosemary replied smugly. It seemed that she did not even care if her husband became a casualty of her own doing.
Quincey had been cradling Mary until her last breath, he gently lay her down and stood up. He seemed lost due to grief for his deceased wife.
"The Prince of Romania rises," said Rosemary with a mocking tone. It was no longer a secret that Quincey was actually Dracula's son, making Romania his inheritance.
"Mother," Mina heard Quincey speak out in a low voice. He sounded hopeless, as if he lost his will to fight when Mary died in his arms.
"Jaime Moriarty sends her regards," Arthur Holmwood whispered just as he drove a wooden stake through Quincey's heart.
Mina felt her body turn to ice as she watched her son collapse dead with a wooden stake in his chest. As Quincey fell next to Mary on the floor, the ice was quickly replaced with fire. Mina let out a scream of anger and despair as she bared her fangs. Keeping her promise, she slit the throat of Shaw's husband and then she began to lap at the gushing blood until there was not a drop left.
Letting the cadaver and the knife drop to the floor, Mina stared at her son's body mournfully. The blood she consumed may have satisfied her thirst, but it did not heal the grief overwhelming her. She did not even resist as John Shaw grabbed her by the hair, pulled down her scarf, and slid the knife laced with holy water across her throat. The knife's touch was quick and it burned the vampire's flesh.
The End.
End Note: There you have it, if you ignored my warning and read this anyway, I do not want to see any complaints that I ruined Game of Thrones for you. For those who are familiar with the series would probably understand this without me explaining everything. Just to be brief, Mina, Quincey and Mary are dead, Skinner is captured and Jekyll escapes and no one knows where he is. Tom got the Ned Stark treatment and Nemo is with the Nautilus, just in case you are wondering about them. Also, I made a reference to Elementary, mainly because the name is the same as the Kingslayer's.