This was written for Lenector Week 2021. This one shot is set within my larger Castlevania universe stories.
I was born in the year of the Lord, no wait- I was born before Our Lord was a thing. At least a century before he was a wee babe, I was born in China. I wasn't technically born then; you may say that I was rather, created. Because I guess, I existed in some form before that, but my memory from the time before is hazy. So my story starts one hundred and twelve years before Christ in Han China.
My master, my creator, was often cruel, subjecting me in my early days to brutal and almost gleeful torture. Fire was his favourite method. His reasoning was that adversity builds character or some nonsense like that. Well, the joke's on him, because I am as spiteful and vindictive as ever. I also managed to outlast and outlive him. In a strange way though, I think he hoped I would.
His ward, who usually left my mute self to my own devices, suddenly decided to sell me off like chattel to some rich lord that was visiting the village for an extra coin. I nearly flipped, when l learned of it. But back then I was meeker than a mouse. The new lord's house was nice, and I wasn't asked to do much. It was mostly helping with collecting water, setting dinner, and sometimes stocking grains during winter.
I would like to say that I enjoyed the routine, but no- I enjoyed the ample free time that it offered that allowed me to muse about the court gossip. I loved hearing about the spicy stories and courtly dramas. The lord's manor was definitely far more interesting than my previous master's home. And I had the ability to almost fade into the background. People usually do not notice me around. Probably because I am mute, but I get away with hearing a lot of stuff that most other servants don't. I was privy to so many secrets from that time, Oh! The stories I could tell, If only I could talk.
Then soon war came to my home, I won't say that I wasn't thrilled to see some action. And when I say 'see' I mean literally just seeing, I am certainly not built for any fight. So obviously I didn't participate; I don't think my constitution would allow it. Nor do I want to die for these rich prickly humans. It was fun to watch a bunch of raving lunatics go at each other for a while though. I never really understood why the fights involved a lot of yelling. But that's probably just my voiceless ass, I think. When the dust settled, the incoming victors found me and they handled me with care, probably because they thought my immortal self would fetch some gold.
So after a few weeks of languishing with the new weird and morose looking human captors, a tall and dusky beauty walked into our makeshift home. She took one look at me and stated, "She is the one I want." I think I almost melted.
The human captors sneered, while one of them growled, "I don't think so." She replied calmly, "I am Morana of the Great Southern Fleet. And I could pay you a lot of gold for a pretty thing like her." I am pretty? Okay I am officially in love.
A lot of hushed voices as the humans discussed and debated.
"She is a pirate."
"Ugg.. Trading with vampires."
"She has got money though."
"She is also beautiful. And Morana is beautiful name." What? Hands off, you creeps. I called dibs first.
"She is not my type." Wait,.. what do you mean you moron?! She is everyone's type!
Finally the babbling idiots decided to not to sell me to her. The fools! It was a bloody night. I learnt the meaning of being quartered that day. Oh, she was the lady after my own murderous heart!
The moon was gleaming bright when we came to the harbour where her ships were docked. This was going to be a life of adventure. I internally somersaulted and would have gushed had I been able to speak. As we boarded she smiled and told me, "You look prettier under the moonlight." I could almost feel my heart explode into a million clay shards. Keep it together, keep it together, keep it together .. And thus our journey together began.
We must've spent centuries roaming the seas. I was not required to do any work, so I spent my considerable time entertained by the constant shenanigans aboard our ship. I also liked the moments Morana and I spent together in quiet contemplation. I think she liked having another immortal, kindred spirit around. She also worked on her scrolls and maps for extended periods but I was always around, hovering in the background even then. So much ridiculous and dramatic grandstanding, high tempered gory personal fights and exciting large scale battles went down during our time at the sea, that I could write an entire library of stuff. But I am also illiterate, and writing a book sounds like a lot of boring work. So I'll pass. What I really wish I could do is gossip to my heart's content, knowing all the spicy details but unable to say it out loud is killing me at times. Oh! The stories I could tell, If only I could talk.
And then Morana's time as the pirate Queen came to an end. She was invited to rule as part of a council of sisters in a distant land. I was sorry to leave the ocean but was glad to be back on land again. Morana graciously took me with her to the Styrian castle, which was to be our new home. She.. also got a new lover- Striga. I am not sure how I feel about her though; apparently she was some Russian vampire general or something. I suppose she made Morana happy, and I spent my days either around the great hall or around the library as I adjusted to this new environment.
Queen Carmilla, was exactly the sort of character that one would want around for some entertainment in their life. At least that was what I thought before I realized that it was more than I signed up for. She was prone to a lot of violent outbursts and killing. One time her favourite shoes went missing, and the whole castle was turned upside down. When they were finally retrieved, I think the body count was over seven. Thankfully for some reason, the royal curator grew attached to me and he also seemed to have his finger on the pulse of the court and would quietly usher me away from the path of Carmilla's incoming wrath. I wasn't really fond of the vampiric man, but he had his uses.
The other queen, Lenore, was hard to gauge. She had been instrumental in creating treaties and diplomatic ties with the neighbouring states after the change in leadership in this country, apparently. Which all sounded like pretty boring stuff, frankly. There were no sword fights, public hanging and heads impaled on the front yard in just diplomacy. She just goes around and talks? Apparently so. Usually, they send her around to talk to people, which didn't seem overly entertaining, and I stopped paying attention to her.
Until a century and half after my arrival at the new court, when something shifted my attention back to her. Some human forgemaster to be specific. He was brought all the way from Brailla and was held as a prisoner in the castle. The sisters had varying ideas on how to subjugate him to their plans. Finally Lenore was sent to 'talk' to him. I really didn't understand this absolute foolishness. Why can't we have Morana threaten him with quartering? That usually worked whenever we were out on land during our pirating days.
From the gossip that filtered through the castle grapevine, I learnt that Lenore had started to spend long hours talking to him and even took him on walks. She had him wear collars during such instances, and they weren't even filled with sharp spikes so that it would make him bleed. So what was the point of wearing them? At least tie him with wreaths of thorns like Morana would, will you? Dear Lord! This woman was confusing me.
And finally after two months of this mindless parade where she 'talks' with him, I heard that the forgemaster had promised himself to a slave ring in the middle of a sexual interlude with her. My mind exploded, as I finally viewed the vampire queen Lenore in a different light. Morana could never have made this happen. Perhaps I underestimated her savagery. It was subtle and yet quite as potent as Morana's methods. I think I may have fallen in love again. Don't get me wrong, Morana is still the captain of my ship, but I don't think I would mind if Lenore took over the steering wheel from time to time.
Strange things happened over the next six weeks. Morana and Striga departed for some scouting. Had I known that it was the last time I would be seeing Morana, I would've made more of a fuss. Carmilla barely got out of her room. Not that I am complaining about that. Lenore, well she and Hector developed a peculiar dynamic. And yes, I finally learnt that forgemaster's name, I think he may be important.
There was initially a lot of yelling from the human's end, followed by days in which things got better between the two to only regress soon thereafter. After a few weeks of this, there was finally a breakthrough which involved a lot of yelling from both sides, so much so that I was afraid they were going to bring Carmilla from her room. Their relationship got better after that, I wonder if Lenore is playing a game again with him. He is powerful and could definitely be useful to have on her side.
She did appear to seek him out more often, at least from what I heard from the gossiping servants. What did she want from him now? Didn't the ring get her what she wanted? Why was he okay with hanging around her? Was he looking for something from her, or was it because of the ring's magic? This relationship was the most confusing one I have seen in my long life. And I had witnessed Morana cut out two fingers and five toes from her favourite painter who then went on to work for her for two more decades.
I didn't get too much time to stew in my speculations because we were suddenly attacked one night. By hordes of creatures that looked similar to the ones Hector made. But while Hector's creature's eyes glowed blue, these glowed crimson. I witnessed Lenore turn into a cloud of bats that flew from her tower to Hector's forging chamber through the large window in the library. It was bizarre that she was reaching for him during a crisis rather than for Carmilla. Maybe because he controls the night creatures?
Before I could grapple with this new information, my attention was drawn to a bunch of night creatures that entered the library, breaking through the walls and sending debris flying. One narrowly missed hitting me. I needed to find a place to hide! And quickly! Thankfully the royal curator grabbed me while I stood in stupor and pushed me out of harm's way as a night creature came for us. I rolled over to lodge myself underneath a great oak desk that looked sturdy enough to withstand some head-on attacks. Unfortunately, the vampire who saved me was ripped in half and his blood pooled on the floor. Ugg, the man saved me and all but I hated getting dirty.
A few hours, or a few days later- I couldn't really tell for sure- one of the beady eyed night creatures found me hiding under the desk, caked in blood. I think he took pity on me, for he did not kill me and instead wiped me clean. I found out later that the new king, another forgemaster named Isaac, was now in charge. Queen Lenore and Hector were now working under him. I was once again given my old place, after the castle was somewhat put back together.
The new king seemed like a pompous prick but somehow without the actual pomp. It felt like he was all the things I didn't like about Carmilla but also sucked out of any entertaining flair. One instance I almost knocked him out when he was in my vicinity, because his emotionless voice grated the hell out of me. But I held back, I was immortal but not invincible.
Lenore and Hector were now seemingly a couple but also not a couple. It was odd and atypical as everything was with them. Hector came in one morning to the library and instead of reading decided to laze around looking through the window. Lenore arrived shortly afterwards.
"Ah there you are, I cannot believe you left me alone in the company of those two," she chimed.
"Well, their overt public affection was excessive for me, it made me uncomfortable. You know that," he replied.
"That is the minister of Isaac's court and his wife, we ought to have at least stayed a bit longer out of courtesy. I had to tell them you were ill since you left abruptly."
"Well they keep calling each other 'dear' and 'sweetie', it gives me the creeps," Hector shuddered.
"You got off easy, after you left, they started saying 'my love' constantly, and even I had to run away," Lenore made a face of disgust in remembrance.
"You know.. We have never really used a moniker.. I could start calling you one if you want," the forgemaster's tone took a teasing note. What are these two idiots talking about? This sounds boring.
"Oh please don't start. I think I am forever repelled by any of the nicknames that the minister and his wife used in their love fest."
"I have something new then.. How about sunshine?" Hector grinned devilishly. Oh just kiss already! I almost barfed at the annoying slow and mystifying display of whatever this was.
"Is this a joke? You want to call a vampire- 'sunshine'?" Lenore huffed in mock indignation before trying to reach for him in a playful swipe when she accidentally hit me with her elbow. Hector caught me though, before I was dealt any serious damage.
"Careful Lenore, you almost broke this.. ugly looking vase."
Ugly?! Okay, he dies.
"This is supposed to be some really special porcelain container from the Han Chinese dynasty. It is actually quite expensive, and would sell for three hundred gold pieces. Morana usually had an eye for such things." Lenore linked her arms with Hector as he put me back in my usual place.
"Oof.. People would pay anything so long as they are told its old." How dare you?
"Oh hush. Come along." Lenore dragged him away. Yes hush, you silly, stupid human and vampire. Get away from my area. God I miss Morana!
I could go on to explain what happened to these two and the new king, but now that I remembered this incident it evaporated my good mood. Anyways who cares, I will outlive and outlast every one of them. As I always did.
Oh! The stories I could tell, If only I could talk.
NOTES:
I hope that this work was not too weird for the readers, I was simply trying out something new.
FunFacts:
1. I spent way too much time reading up about Chinese porcelain, which technically was not required to write this piece. But I recommend to check out their interesting history and influences.
2. Morana's pirating days was inspired by Zheng Yi Sao- one of the most successful pirates in history. Her story is astounding.
I would love to receive some comments/criticisms/notes. Or anything at all that came to mind while perusing this work.
Finally, as always thank you for reading!