Disclaimer: I do not own TBBT of its characters, I merely play with them. Elizabeth and her coven are mine and I love them so.
Rating: Mature for strong language, violence & sexual themes.
Warnings: Language & violence.
Italics are character's internal thoughts and/or flashbacks.
A/N: Wow, long time no write huh? I'm very sorry for the massive delay, but writers block is a real pain in the ass. Long story short I decided to make this series a trilogy and mapped out my outline for the next story which meant I had to rewrite basically the entire ending to this one. Only problem, I wasn't quite sure how I was going to wrap this one up where it could smoothly flow into the next. So thus a massive writers block ensued. And not to mention real life gets in the way sometimes. I have finally mapped out the ending to this story though, but cannot say how many chapters it will end up as I'm not sure if less, but longer chapters is better. Or if more, but smaller chapters is better. What do y'all think/want?
Many thanks for reading, following and of course to the reviews. :-) You guys are amazing!
*Slam*
Sheldon woke with a start, his left arm instinctively clenching tighter around the other occupants in the bed only to be met with cold sheets. There was no slow awakening - stretching languidly and enjoying the sensation of his body adjusting to being awake. With instant alertness, Sheldon's eyes flew open and he sat straight up searching for the sound that awoke him and the location of his wife and the little girl they had picked up nearly a week prior. It was easy to deduce the source of the noise – the double doors that lead to the central courtyard. The location of his wife and Baby Girl was not as easy, especially in the low lighting of the room. Based on the warm light that was glowing behind the curtains he estimated it was sunset.
Grabbing his robe off the foot of the bed, Sheldon tossed back the covers and slipped the silky material on, tying it loosely around his narrow waist. He then slipped his feet into his slippers and pad over to the large curtains that blocked the door to the balcony, drawing the curtains back. Sure enough, sunset. The sun had just began to set behind the castle painting the sky with watercolor beauty. It was hard to believe how much had changed in just 6 days.
A loud laugh caught Sheldon's attention and immediately he knew the source to be Elizabeth. Sheldon opened the doors to the balcony and slipped out, strolling across the smooth stone towards the matching stone railing. Looking down to the courtyard, which had been restored to its former glory, Sheldon was greeted with a beautiful sight, though it made that annoying ache flare up once again in his chest. Baby Girl was running and giggling in a light pink footed romper, looking behind her occasionally to ensure Elizabeth was still chasing her. Elizabeth, donning black leggings and a cream tunic, was indeed chasing after the little girl, though deliberately slow to ensure Baby Girl would always stay just out of reach. It was a simple game really though somehow both ladies seemed absolutely content to play it.
Sheldon leaned against the railing, both palms flat against the stone as thoughts raced through his mind. Memories.
"Do you want children?" Elisabeta asked with a soft smile, lovingly tucking Stefan's shoulder length hair behind his ears. The knight smiled down at her.
"Of course, don't you?"
"Yes, yes, of course." Elisabeta's eyes darted away, looking just past Stefan's shoulder to the trees above them. Lying in the middle of the forest was always so peaceful, so calm and serene.
"Elisabeta, what?" Stefan stroked her pale cheek, drawing her eyes once more.
"I just…I worry about what kind of mother I would make. I had no mother."
Stefan rolled from his side onto his back, pulling Elisabeta onto him so her head was resting on his chest and her right arm was draped over him. His long arms wrapped around her, stroking her hair and back.
"My love, you will be a wonderful mother." He whispered against her forehead before kissing it gently.
"How do you know?"
"It's simple really." Stefan smirked, pulling Elisabeta even closer. "You are the most loving and passionate woman I have ever had the privilege to meet."
"And what of my other…desires?"
Stefan looked down at Elisabeta who was chewing her bottom lip nervously. She did not need to verbalize to what she was referring – her sadistic personality.
"Would you ever harm our child?"
"Never!" Elisabeta yelled, raising her head and glowering at her beloved. Stefan chuckled and shook his head, raising his hand and caressing her flushed face gently.
"Then we will have no problem, my love."
"A son, Vladimir. Who looks like you." Elisabeta leaned down, kissing Stefan's lips gently coaxing him to respond. Stefan shook his head and pulled away slightly.
"No. I only agree for a daughter, Irina, who looks like you."
"Sheldon!"
Sheldon startled from his thoughts, looking down to the voice calling to him. Elizabeth smiled and waved with Baby Girl resting on her hip. The little girl looked up at him with a shy smile, her head resting on Elizabeth's shoulder with "Floppy" gripped firmly in hand.
"Come down for dinner?" Elizabeth's smile seemed to widen even more.
"Of course." Sheldon nodded before turning back towards their bedroom to dress. He certainly could not attend a meal in his dressing gown.
Clad in his typical dark Renaissance period attire, Sheldon made his way to the dining hall that was abnormally full. Typically the dining hall was only used by the mortal donors or by coven members on special occasions. Given the presence of two of Elizabeth's closest donors, Elena and Claudia, and Penny near Baby Girl, he assumed they were continuing the habit of eating at the table to offer some small comfort and normalcy to the child. Baby Girl sat in a brand new high chair next to Elizabeth. Elizabeth watched the child with a fond smile as Baby Girl inspected her macaroni and cheese with hot dogs very carefully. The food looked repulsive to Elizabeth, but Penny assured her that a toddler Baby Girl's age would love it.
"Hey sleeping beauty." Penny called in an annoyingly high pitched tone. Sheldon narrowed his eyes at the blonde while taking a seat in his wife's usual place at the head of the long 20 person table, given Elizabeth was sitting in his normal spot to the side to be close to the now eating toddler.
Sheldon smiled politely at the young man who offered him a goblet of warm blood. "What time did you wake?" Sheldon looked to his wife as he lifted the goblet to his mouth, taking a long sip.
Elizabeth turned and smiled at him. "About two hours ago. You looked tired so I decided to let you sleep."
"And you weren't tired?" Sheldon's eyes shifted passed his wife to the toddler who was happily feeding herself with her hot pink spoon gripped firmly in her left hand.
"I slept very deep. I feel more refreshed than I have in a long time." Elizabeth leaned back slightly in her chair, once again turning to look at the small child next to her. Baby Girl noticed Elizabeth's gaze and quickly offered the elder vampire a spoonful of her supper. While all the other occupants of the room pressed their lips tightly or hid their smiles at Elizabeth's horrified expression, Sheldon snorted loudly.
"Aww, isn't that nice? She's sharing her supper." Sheldon smoothly drawled, enjoying his wife's uncomfortable expression far too much. It was rare the sadistic woman lost her composure, but Baby Girl seemed to be able to crack the hard woman's façade easily.
Elizabeth cringed and softly spoke to the little girl in Romanian. He assumed she must have declined the offer as Baby Girl's pouty bottom lip began to quiver and her light gray eyes filled with tears. Unable to bear the look of sadness in the child's eyes, Elizabeth quickly leaned down and took the offered bite. Baby Girl giggled happily completely oblivious to the repulsed expression that overcame Elizabeth's face. Elizabeth's hand clamped over her mouth as she resisted the temptation to vomit. The texture, the flavor, it was horribly disgusting. After swallowing the terrible food, Elizabeth grabbed the goblet from Sheldon's hand and drained it.
"Not a fan of macaroni and cheese then, my love?" Sheldon asked with an amused smirk.
"That was awful! What the hell did you make for her?" Elizabeth looked at Penny who was quietly laughing.
"It's Kraft! Kids love it. See, she's a big fan." Penny assured her, indicating to the child across from her who was very happily enjoying her dinner.
"If you say so." Elizabeth shook her head and accepted the goblet offered to her the same young man who offered Sheldon his.
The room fell into a comfortable silence as everyone enjoyed their meals. Baby Girl quickly polished off her macaroni and cheese with hot dogs and was rewarded with a small dish of strawberry Jell-O while the mortal donors feasted on steak with roasted red potatoes with dill and lemon asparagus. There was no denying the mortals at Dracul castle ate like royalty at every meal. The present vampires - Sheldon, Elizabeth and Penny - dined on their normal blood. Despite the silence, it was comfortable and felt natural even though a child had not walked the halls in centuries.
Just as everyone was finishing their meals, the doors opened and Simon poked his head in. Elizabeth turned to look over her shoulder, smiling at her advisor.
"A word, Elisabeta?" Simon nodded his head indicating towards the hall. Elizabeth nodded with a smile and turned back to Penny. Knowing Elizabeth's request before she spoke it, Penny nodded with a smile and shifted to sit next to Baby Girl. Sheldon watched with furrowed brows as Elizabeth left the room without looking back.
"Any news yet?" Elizabeth leaned back against the hallway wall, arms crossed and head cocked to the side.
Simon shook his head. "No living relatives. Her grandparents only had one child, her mother. The father is long gone and wasn't even listed on a birth certificate. I called our contact with the government and she advised that the child would go into the system and be placed into foster care then potentially placed up for adoption."
"Right." Elizabeth nodded, chewing her bottom lip in thought. The idea of sending the child away tugged at Elizabeth's heart. She knew the child belonged with mortals where she could grow up like a normal child and have normal experiences, but she didn't like it. In the short 6 days the child had been with her she had managed to work her way into the sadistic woman's heart.
Simon could see the emotions playing across Elizabeth's face. Though many might miss them, he had known the woman long enough to be able to see the gentle shifts in how her brows crease or the way she chewed her lip.
"What is it you wish to do, Elisabeta?" Simon casually asked, crossing his arms. Elizabeth's gaze snapped up to him.
"Turn her over of course. She belongs with a family." Elizabeth's voice was nowhere near as confident as she hoped it would be.
"You don't sound convinced."
Elizabeth sighed and let her head fall back against the wall, ignoring the sharp pain from impact.
"She deserves a family, Simon. A normal family. One that can send her to school and allow her to have all the normal experiences." Elizabeth closed her eyes against the sudden sting of tears prickling them.
"So you wish to send her away?" Simon raised his brow and held firm when Elizabeth's furious gaze snapped back to him. He knew he was pushing her, but he had seen the same expression in both Sheldon and Elizabeth's eyes. They wanted this child.
"No, Simon, I don't. I want to keep her here. I want to raise her with Sheldon and have the family we always planned to have, but that's not right. She would never have a normal life with us. We couldn't send her to school or allow her simple pleasures like birthday parties. I cannot condemn a child to living with a monster." Elizabeth's bottom lip quivered as tears flooded her eyes.
Simon shook his head and reached towards Elizabeth, wincing when she pulled away with a shake of her head. "You're not a monster."
Elizabeth smiled sadly, tears streaming down her pale cheeks. "Yes, yes I am."
Without another word Elizabeth turned and quickly strode away down the corridor, ignoring Simon calling after her. Simon shook his head sadly and followed down the same hall Elizabeth had fled, though with a much different destination in mind. Neither noticed the tall, blue-eyed man who had been leaning in the doorway listening to their conversation.
Elizabeth leaned against the railing of the balcony just off their master bedroom. Her eyes drawn towards the beautiful central courtyard that looked even better than it had before she littered it with her trophies. She mentally noted she needed to give the lead gardener a bonus for his work because he truly had created a masterpiece for them. Lost in her thoughts about the war, her life and the young child that was residing inside the castle, Elizabeth failed to hear the door open. Or the approaching footsteps. It wasn't until hands slid around her waist did Elizabeth start.
Sheldon chuckled softly when he felt Elizabeth go rigid in his arms, her right hand twitching as if to reach towards her thigh where she typically kept a dagger hidden. Of course he knew there was no dagger as the leggings she was wearing left very little the imagination. The fabric hugged her slender legs beautifully and he was quite sure Penny was a genius for buying his wife some modern clothing.
"My apologies for frightening you." Sheldon mumbled against Elizabeth's neck, his hands clasping together around her midsection.
"You didn't frighten me." Elizabeth snapped, pulling her neck away from Sheldon's questing mouth. Sheldon pulled back slightly at her cold demeanor, but refused to release his grip around her.
"Are you angry with me?" Sheldon looked down at his wife whose eyes were focused on the gazebo. The white twinkle lights that hung down from ceiling of the structure were the only light in an otherwise dark courtyard.
"What? No." Elizabeth shifted her head and looked over her shoulder with furrowed brows. "Should I be?"
Sheldon shrugged his shoulders and moved away from Elizabeth, leaning his back against the railing next to her with his lanky arms crossed across his chest.
"I don't know. You don't usually pull away from me unless you are upset with me."
Elizabeth's expression softened slightly with a gentle shake of her head. "No, I'm not upset with you. I'm just…upset."
"Do you want to talk about it?"
"Not really." Elizabeth turned her back to the courtyard while mimicking her husband's posture.
"Don't do this, Elisabeta. Don't shut me out."
"There's nothing to say." Elizabeth snapped and stormed back into their bedroom with a huff. Sheldon rolled his eyes and pursued his wife, stopping her with a firm hand to her upper left arm as she was nearing the bedroom door. He knew exactly what her problem was and he would be damned if he was going to let her run away from her feelings.
"Talk to me!" Sheldon snapped tugging Elizabeth away from the door and dragging her towards the bed, shoving her not too lightly against it forcing her to slightly stumble and fall onto it. Elizabeth sat up on the bed and glared at him, her silver-white eyes immediately shifting to red.
"How dare you!" Elizabeth seethed, her hands clenching the bed linens tightly.
Sheldon leaned down slamming a hands onto the bed so her body was blocked his, his face dropping down so they were at eye level. "Simon and Vaclav and Thomas and Ana might let you get away with your temper tantrums, Elisabeta, but I will not. You are obviously upset and I am not letting you leave this room until you talk to me as you should have nearly a week ago."
The tension in the room mounted with each passing tick of the clock as the spouses glowered at one another, each refusing to cave first. It was only after Sheldon's eyes shifted red and his eyebrow raised did Elizabeth look away, her eyes falling downcast to her lap.
"I'm conflicted." Elizabeth muttered softly, her hands now fidgeting in her lap.
"About?"
Elizabeth rolled her eyes looking at her husband as if he were an idiot. She knew he knew exactly what she was conflicted about. And he knew she knew that he knew what she was conflicted about. And they both knew he was going to force it out of her.
"Her."
Sheldon stood back, but did not move away from the bed, instead crossing his arms across his chest and starring down at his wife. "And?"
"I've told Simon she needs to go." Elizabeth barked, pushing off the bed and moving around her husband to pace at the foot of their bed. He could see the tension in her shoulders, the way her hands clenched next to her. Sheldon allowed her to pace while brooding for only a brief moment before the last of his patience slipped away.
"You can be a real selfish bitch sometimes." Sheldon's shocking comment stopped her pacing as she turned to face him. Sheldon shook his head, dropping his arms at his sides roughly.
"Did it even occur to you what I might want? Or how I might feel?" Sheldon questioned as he moved towards her, his voice rising with each word.
Elizabeth closed her eyes. "Sheldon –"
"NO! I'm not done!" Sheldon interrupted harshly. "You are not the only one who was robbed of their future, Elisabeta! You are not the only one who looks at her and has thoughts about what could have been for us. You are not the only one who feels like the room is slowly closing it at the idea of her being sent away!"
"Look at our lives! What type of life would this be for a child? We have no business raising a child in the world we live in." Elizabeth yelled, her eyes opening once more to look at her husband who was standing only inches from her with his face furious.
"And back then we did?" Sheldon scoffed. "For Christ's sakes it was more dangerous back then than it is now!"
"We're at war!"
"I KNOW!" Sheldon bellowed, his voice echoing inside the room. The sudden volume caused Elizabeth to stumble back slightly in shock. "You don't think I know we're at war? What the fuck was last night? A party? No, it was a goddamn massacre."
"And you really think this," Elizabeth gestured around the room and then between them, "is a good environment to raise a child?"
"Yes. God help me, but yes I do." Sheldon shrugged. "Children are raised in war, Elisabeta. You were. I was. The world doesn't stop being a violent place because a child is born. At least this way we can ensure that that child can be kept safe."
"I can't condemn that child, Sheldon. I won't." Elizabeth shook her head clenching her teeth slightly.
"You really don't see what we could offer a child do you?" Sheldon looked at Elizabeth curiously, his head cocked slightly to the side. Elizabeth merely pursed her lips and raised a brow. "Beyond the financial aspect, which we're more than covered, you can offer a child first-hand knowledge of history. She would be afforded the luxury of studying the richest of this world's history from people who lived it. You have books and tomes that are nowhere in any library. Travel. We have villas, flats, penthouses and hell even hotels all across the globe. She could have the finest tutors in the world. She could study music from the best -"
"She couldn't have a normal life." Elizabeth interrupted.
"What is normal?" Sheldon chuckled. "My life? In my previous life I was raised by poor farmers who sent me to study to be a knight when I was just a boy. In this life I went to college at 11 and didn't lose my virginity until I was 33. You? Ana? Penny? Please tell me what your definition of normal is."
"She wouldn't be able to attend school. Make friends her own age. Do simple things like go shopping with friends and date boys." Elizabeth rationalized. Sheldon laughed.
"You're right, she couldn't attend school, but she could make friends. You have donors who do have families. You could allow them to bring their families to live here and she would have kids her own age around. She could shop with them and go to the movies and do whatever the hell else girls do. Although I agree, she couldn't date boys. At least until she's 500." Sheldon neutrally responded.
"I'd never let her become a vampire! Never!"
"Glad we agree there." Sheldon nodded. "She'd become immortal like Ana."
Elizabeth opened her mouth to respond, but immediately shut it again worrying her full bottom lip between her teeth. Her eyes searched Sheldon's for something, anything, to show her that he would support her on doing the right thing.
"I want her, Elisabeta. I want the future we were forced to leave behind. You need to consider that before you make your final decision." Sheldon reached forward and pulled his wife into his arms, wrapping her tight as he balanced his chin on the top of her head.
"Sheldon –"
Elizabeth's words were cut off by a loud bell ringing outside the castle. Elizabeth immediately went rigid in Sheldon's arms, knowing it was the warning bells. Someone was attacking the castle. Without a second thought Elizabeth pulled from Sheldon and ran towards the door with her husband hot on her heels. As expected, the castle had erupted into immediate chaos. Donors and servants frantically moved through the halls towards the inner rooms that were designed to protect them from harm. Coven members drew their weapons and raced to their designated locations, preparing to defend their home.
As Sheldon and Elizabeth were passing the war room a loud boom erupted from the front door and rival coven members flooded into the halls. Elizabeth stumbled back in shock at their sudden entrance, but quickly regained her footing as she cut into the war room and grabbed a spear that she had hidden on the underside of her table. She failed to notice her husband had not followed her into the room.
Sheldon saw Elizabeth veer left into the war room, but did not follow. Instead he reached down into his mid-calf height boots and pulled out two stilettos. Cool metal gripped firmly in hand, he raced towards the enemy.
With elegance a ballet dancer would envy, Sheldon quickly moved through the throng of fighting vampires. His arms never ceased their experienced movements, slicing through the throats of those threatening his home. Before Elizabeth even left the war room 15 vampires had fallen at her husband's hands.
"Sheldon!" Elizabeth yelled as she exited the war room, taking in the bloodied mess with raised brows. Any other day she would take the moment to appreciate his skill, but they were not afforded the luxury of time. "We need to find her."
Sheldon nodded and lead the way towards the dining hall they had left the small child in the care of Penny. The journey to the dining hall felt abnormally long as Sheldon and Elizabeth fought their way through what felt like a never ending onslaught of enemies. For every 1 vampire they killed, 2 more appeared. It was pointless. They were cornered and severely outnumbered.
"My love." Elizabeth called to her husband. Sheldon cut the throat of the vampire he was fighting and turned back to Elizabeth, his heart dropping at the tears in her eyes. "Get to her and keep her safe."
"No!" Sheldon shook his head, gritting his teeth. "We stick together!"
Elizabeth smiled sadly, tears finally escaping her eyes. "They want me. Once they have me, they'll retreat and take me to William."
Sheldon moved to take a step forward, but found his journey halted by a firm grip on his arm. He didn't have to turn around to know it was Vaclav who held him back. Sheldon's blue eyes moved from Elizabeth to Thomas, who had moved behind Elizabeth and was staring at him with a saddened expression.
"Please, Elisabeta. Don't do this." Sheldon's voice softened with raw pain. "We need you. I need you."
Elizabeth shook her head and made no attempt to wipe at the steady stream of tears. "I love you so much. Please, please, take care of Irina."
Sheldon's head dropped, his chin resting against his chest that felt like was squeezing painfully tight. "I will." He whispered before raising his head and looking at his wife, tears escaping his cold eyes. "I love you and I will find you."
Elizabeth smiled gently, giving a nod to Vaclav and turning to face Thomas. "Protect them."
Thomas nodded stiffly. "With my life."
Elizabeth pat his arm kindly, straightened her posture and moved around him down the hall, not stopping to turn back around towards the pained screams coming from Sheldon.
Sheldon sat in an aged rocking chair that had been purchased at an antique store many years prior. He could not recall the exact date nor the exact location they purchased the piece, but he did remember the softness that appeared in Elizabeth's eyes when she found it. The chair had spent its life inside the castle nestled in the corner of their small sitting room just off the master suite. Elizabeth had spent many an evening sitting in the dark wood piece, rocking and reading her ledgers or books. Only recently had the use of the chair shifted.
For 6 wonderfully perfect early mornings, Elizabeth sat in the chair with Baby Girl in her arms, rocking the small child gently. Sometimes she'd hum softly. Other times she'd tell the child stories. Each time though it was perfect and felt normal and peaceful.
Sheldon looked down to the small child in his arms. Baby Girl was fast asleep, her eyelids fluttering softly as her eyes moved due to what Sheldon was hoping were peaceful dreams. He knew he should lay her down and sleep himself, but he found himself unable to release her and hadn't since she reached towards Sheldon with fat tears rolling down her cheeks. She had all but leapt out of a nearly crying Penny's arms when she saw him.
As Elizabeth had predicted the moment they had the sadistic vampire in their grasp they retreated. As quickly as they stormed in they stormed out, leaving behind a mess of blood and bodies. Vaclav and Thomas stayed by Sheldon's side as he moved through the castle in search of Baby Girl and nearly wept relief when they found her crying in Penny's arms inside unused servant's quarters. Sheldon did not speak to Penny when she asked what had happened or where Elizabeth was. His eyes were focused on the sobbing child who was reaching for him and squirming to get out of the blonde's grasp.
The moment Baby Girl was in Sheldon's arms, she hid her face into his neck and gripped his shirt tightly, mumbling in Romanian. The only word he could make out was Mama. Sheldon rubbed her trembling back softly, whispering calmly into her ear as he left the room, his harsh eyes daring Vaclav and Thomas to even attempt to follow him. Neither man did.
"Mama." Baby Girl mumbled softly, shifting in Sheldon's arms and snuggling in closer. Sheldon resumed his rocking and stared at the small child with a soft smile.
"Irina Elisabeta of House Drăculești, I promise you my daughter I will find Mama and I will kill any and every person who tries to stand in my way."