Here's the next chapter. Sorry it took so long.

Enjoy!

Chapter 4: Digging Deep

As soon as she saw Ethan had closed the door to the house, Bela continued to walk along the dirt path towards the village. The sun shone brightly above Bela as she trekked, taking in the glorious warmth that it offered her.

But she walked with her mind deep in thought. About Ethan. About Valentine's Day. About Chris. And about everything that had happened up to this point.

Even though it had all happened right before her eyes, she sometimes pondered if she was dreaming all this time. That this reality was nothing but the result of her mind playing tricks on her and turning her longings into the most realistic dream she's ever had. And when she would fall asleep in the bed she and Ethan shared, she would find herself back in her old bed chambers at Castle Dimitrescu, ready for another day of toying with the maids and waiting for them to screw up so she could have them as her next meal.

But she was relieved beyond words that it wasn't going to happen. Not ever again. She was leading a new life. Far away from Romania. In a new part of the world and a new family.

The word 'family' brought in a bag of mixed feeling for her since she was pretty much part of the third family.

For most of her mutated life, all she knew was that she was the daughter of Lady Alcina Dimitrescu, a noblewoman from the now-obscure, but aristocratic family that produced an exceptional wine called Sanguis Virginis. Latin for maiden's blood. Alcina taught her and her sisters that they were a superior breed of human that towered above all the other miscreants and peasants of the valley and beyond the Carpathian Mountains. They had conditions that made them affected by extreme cold, but that shouldn't hinder the power they had. And that they must demonstrate that power on their servants and guests.

Whenever a maid would fail at her task or accidentally do something that would expose the sisters to the cold, they would get an injury at best and death as the ultimate punishment. Their blood would be used to make the next batches of Sanguis Virginis for the family's enjoyment. And the unsuspecting guests like travellers that they allured would end up just the same. Both men and women entered the sisters' bedrooms for their 'amusements' at nights before the victims ended up in the wine-making rooms as corpses. This was the same routine for years, and Bela's mind had continued to degrade, along with Cassandra's and Daniela's. New employees would be hired every few months and the cycle would continue like this.

But several years earlier, Bela had been beginning to have visions every few nights Visions that soon turned to dreams. The major consistencies were that she kept on seeing a blonde woman and a brunette man in most of her dreams. She was with them as a little girl. In a house. In flower fields. With neighbours. At first, she was confused at what these meant to her, but when she realised that she couldn't remember her life before Castle Dimitrescu, she realised that these were resurfaced memories. Memories of her past. Happy memories like when she remembered a family picnic in the summer. Where the sun was shining and the family was happy.

"I love you, Mama and Papa," a young Bela would say to the man and woman, embracing them in a hug.

"We love you, too, honey." replied the man, returning the hug.

"And we always will be a family. Together and forever." said the woman.

Bela immediately figured out that they were her parents. Her true parents. But what she still couldn't recall was how she ended up at Castle Dimitrescu if she loved her family so much. Did something terrible happen that fractured their relationship? Did Bela come looking for work? Was she left alone with no place else to go? Did they abandon her? She didn't want to dwell on the last one.

With the memories coming back little by little and after some soul-searching. Bela soon grew to hate herself for what she had become. A merciless, cannibalistic monster born from such a sweet little girl. From a life she was only beginning to recall. With this realisation, she soon grew to hate Alcina. For lying to her for betraying her. For twisting her into the monster she was. But never outwardly. She knew that if she wanted to survive the cold and the wrath of her family, she would have to continue to practice these acts for as long as she walked inside the walls of Castle Dimitrescu. No matter how much it hurt her. She couldn't even stand to look at her sisters the same way. Cassandra was even more violent and insane than Bela and Daniela was delusional in her own world.

And then Ethan Winters arrived into her life.

She had learned of Mother Miranda's plan to resurrect Eva by using Rose's body as a suitable vessel. This had made Bela look at the priestess in disgust, but when she had learned that the infant was actually broken up unto four sections, that was what set Bela off. But it also gave Bela the opportunity she had been waiting for. She knew Ethan would come to the valley to look to get her back, so he was her ticket out of the valley.

She had taken a considerable risk at asking for his help when he had every reason to defend himself from all the horrors that lurked in the valley. Her included, given her past as a cannibal. But she put on her most sincere face that she fully intended to assist him. He could have refused her, but it seemed he was desperate. Desperate enough that when she asked that he help her escape the valley with him in return he said yes almost instantly.

And during their adventure through the valley, Bela and Ethan had come together as a team greatly. But what Ethan didn't know was that Bela was slowly beginning to develop feelings for him. But she couldn't bring herself to tell him that since it was too soon. Ethan had discovered Miranda killed Mia and the fact that Bela was beginning to feel something for him she never had before in her life.

Love. Genuine love.

And when she gave him the Cadou implant after recovering from the reservoir cold, she accidentally let it slip that she cared about him too much to lose him after he woke up. But rather than rejecting her, Bela was surprised when Ethan smiled. He thanked her for saving his life, reminding her that he still intended to keep his promise to help her get out of the valley after all that she had done for him. Bela couldn't remember whether it was from impulse or gratitude, she found herself kissing Ethan. A kiss that he did not reject.

And from their trip from Romania to Berlin, Ethan was there for her, even if they were surrounded by hostile BSAA soldiers. And the weeks that they spent at the base brought them closer together even more. He would never leave her for any reason. They talked and laughed about their lives. Bela brought up what she could about her fractured past and her regrets on what she had done as a Dimitrescu. But Ethan told her that while she couldn't change the past, she could still make her future a better one. And she had redeemed herself by helping a father reunite with his kidnapped daughter.

When he said this, Bela felt like a huge burden had been lifted off her heart. Like her misdeeds had been forgiven for doing the right thing in helping Ethan.

And when they arrived in Italy, the Duke was there personally to escort them to their new humble home. It turned out that the little 'something extra' he had thrown in was in actuality a lot of things from the castle and Ethan's Romanian home. Furniture, electronics, dishes, cutlery, some miscellaneous artwork and valuables. He said it was the least he could do to help them get started in their new life. He also gave them a new set of identity documents. As far as the rest of the world was concerned, they were Italian citizens, nothing peculiar about them and nothing out of the ordinary. She was Ethan's girlfriend living with him, who was a recent widower, and his infant daughter.

From that point on, they began from ground zero. Bela, knowledgeable on the art of winemaking, taught Ethan the famous Dimitrescu winemaking process. If they were going to make a living making wine, then they might as well do it the best way. And Ethan taught Bela of some of the customs of the outside world like using the internet, some electronics and how economies worked. At the same time, Rose and Bela grew closer together. The baby had a genuine liking for Bela, looking at her as her real mother. That brought Bela to tears. And her relationship with Ethan from fellow survivors to boyfriend and girlfriend was still strong. He admitted that he felt a connection to her when he first met her, but was afraid to say it back then, especially given the situation they were in. But that kiss her got in the wagon was what cemented his love and trust for her.

'Ethan was there for me. Every single step of the way. From my castle home…to our new home,' thought Bela to herself, 'He's put himself on the line when he protected me from Alcina and Miranda as we fought them. He made sure to stick close to me when we were around Chris and the BSAA, even when they threatened to separate us. He even went so far as to spit in Chris' face, along with Barry's, Jill's and the rest of the BSAA's. Just so I could have a chance at a better life.'

During the time she spent trying to get used to the technologies of the outside world and surfing the internet, she had come across a quote:

Don't make a girl a promise…if you know you can't keep it.

That made Bela think back to when she first met Ethan. She had been a resident of the valley for decades while Ethan had only been there mere hours. She knew of all the dangers that lurked in the valley, but Ethan certainly did not. She sensed that when he promised to help her, a part of him was lying to her. Not out of malicious intent, but uncertainty. Uncertain

'But after all we had gone through, Ethan kept his promise to you,' thought Bela to herself, 'You helped him to reunite with and escape with Rose. And in return, he brought you here with him and Rose to a new part of the world. Where you no longer have to be a monster. You can be…you.'

Getting back to her mind back onto the walking at hand, she momentarily stopped as she took in the sights in front of her.

She had finally arrived at her destination.

The Italian village was mainly situated at the base of the large hill, but as the hill went up, so did the village. Some people, families and couples walked through the streets. There were houses that went from single floors to triple floors. With exposed brick walls, wooden doors and red tiled rooves. Old-world, yet durable and classically beautiful. The kind that humans had been selling for reportedly no more than one euro on the internet, as she had read. She believed it too good to be true at first, but with how desperate the mayors were to bring life back to the old villages and communes, she had noticed at least ten new families had moved in since she first arrived.

Nevertheless, the village was a serene place as can be with no monsters and no trouble. As Bela walked through the streets, she returned to her thoughts. Truthfully, she had no idea on what she wanted to do in place of the new bistro dinner and stargazing. After Chris had arrived, she needed to clear her head a little bit. With Donna and Karl coming soon, it made her so excited. But being reminded of the events at the village only made her want to make this Valentine's Day – her first Valentine's Day – extra special.

'A dinner and looking at the stars may suffice for some couples, but I want to do something to really bring out my love for Ethan. I want to show him how much he means to me,' thought Bela, 'I want to do something that shows him that what he did for me is something I can never show enough appreciation for. But what?'

"Ciao, Signora Bela!" a child's voice called out.

Snapping out of her thoughts, Bela looked in the direction of the voice, seeing a small boy with black hair running towards her. The little boy's name was Tommaso and he was ten years old. His family had lived in this village for generations and he was one of the first children Bela met when she and Ethan first came to the village.

"Ciao, Tommaso!" smiled Bela as she leaned down to meet his level, "Come stai?"

"Sto bene, Signora Bela," replied the youngster in a strong Italian accent, "Mama is working today, so I am helping Papa cook a Valentine's Day dinner for her. I just know she is gonna love it!"

Bela laughed, "Really? You think so?"

"I know so, Signora Bela," said Tommaso, "What are you doing out here?"

Bela didn't know what to answer since she still hadn't decided what she was going to do tonight. But she said something anyway.

"Oh, I'm just out looking for something special to gift Ethan. I know he's doing something very special for me for our first Valentine's Day together, so I want to do something special for him in return." said Bela.

"Well, I wish all the best for you and Signor Ethan." smiled Tommaso, "And if you are looking for something special for Ethan, visit Mama's shop. She says she has made something new and beautiful. But don't tell Mama I was here. Me and Papa want to surprise her."

"Thank you, Tommaso. I'll take a look. But may I ask what you are doing here if you are helping your Papa with dinner?" asked Bela.

"Papa sent me out to get some flowers from the florist. Gotta remember Mama likes yellow roses," said Tommaso, "Uh-oh, gotta run! Ciao, Signora Bela!"

"Ciao, Tommaso!" replied Bela.

Tommaso took off running in the opposite direction as Bela, leaving a small trail of dust on the brick-paved road as he did.

Bela sighed with happiness. She remembered being rather apprehensive when she was first arrived at the village with Ethan and the Duke on the night of their arrival to Italy. She was insanely worried that she might accidentally say or do something that would expose her true nature or dig up the former cannibal mannerisms she tried so desperately to bury. But Ethan assured her that he would be there for her not matter what.

It turned out that the Duke was well known in this village, too. Because when they arrived that night, a great celebration was thrown by the village folk for the newcomers. The Duke explained that his services had stretched out to this part of the world as well and he provided many deeds for this town, resulting in small celebrations whenever he passed by. But he requested help from the mayor, who was a friendly man, to help throw a party for the particular newcomers to the village. Bela remembered there being a feast out in the streets to enjoy, music, decorations and lights, and dancing. Such a thing was an entirely new experience to Bela, but she would never forget the dance she had with Ethan that night, underneath the lights, the stars, and the many village folk clapping for them to the classical music.

The town had warmly accepted them with open arms. Bela almost burst into tears, finally feeling like she belonged somewhere. She figured some people would find her pale, yellow-eyed appearance strange, yet she wasn't asked by any adults on the matter.

But that didn't stop some of the…younger and curious members of the community, particularly children, to ask about her appearance. Bela partially fabricated her story, telling them that some children in her youth made fun of her unnatural eye colour and she had spent most of her life home-schooled and indoors from the cold climate. And as far as everyone was concerned, the tattoo on her forehead was from her rebellious phase during her teens.

She particularly found being around children warmed her heart greatly and put a smile on her face whenever she would see them playing and laughing on the streets. All those times she and Ethan were invited by villagers for tea or coffee, she would often see the children having fun and running up to hug her. All her time being with Rose got her to connect with the younger kids. That sometimes got her thinking to herself.

'Will Ethan and I perhaps have kids one day? A brother or a sister for Rose?' thought Bela, "Hm, might as well go see what Tommaso's mother has made."

Bela walked through the village, going uphill as she did and taking in the surroundings. Little stores came with every third or fourth building between houses. Bistros, restaurants, cafés, bookshops, glass shops, fruit and vegetable stands, shops that sold handmade items. This town had it all. She never got enough of looking at this village, seeing its beauty and the life it had in comparison to the decrepit village and the horror-filled halls of Castle Dimitrescu. She took some moments to look at the merchandise in the different shops, trying to get some ideas on what she could do for tonight.

After ten minutes of walking uphill, she had finally arrived at the place she had in mind. The place was called L'Emporio deo Porfumi di Russo. Or Russo's Scent Emporium. It was a place that specialised in things like perfumes, colognes, scented candles and other aromatherapy products as well as some beauty products. The candles in particular were all homemade by Tommaso' mother and father, as it had been for generations.

Bela entered the store, hearing a ding above her as she did. She had been in this store several times, always greeted warmly. Like she was about to be.

"Ah, Bela!" exclaimed a female voice, "Welcome!"

A shorter, middle-aged woman came out from behind the counter of the shop. She had black hair and appeared to be in her early forties, but she retained a great degree of her beauty from her younger years. She was Maria Russo, Tommaso's mother and the co-owner of the emporium.

"Thank you, Maria." smiled Bela back.

"So what can I do for you today, Bela?" asked Maria, "If you are here, you must be looking for something particularly…ravishing?"

Remembering Tommaso's request, Bela chose her response carefully.

"Yes, I am. This is the first Valentine's Day that I'm going to be spending with Ethan. He's done so much for me these past months and I want to bring our relationship to the next level," said Bela, "I want him to know that how much he means to me."

One interesting thing about Maria was she was sort of the village matchmaker. She had a sort of sixth sense when it came to finding the right significant other for someone or to give romantic advice. It was even better if she managed to sell her stock if they helped in romances. She had previously sold a perfume to Bela, which Ethan reacted positively to on one of their date nights.

"Well, if you are trying to spice up your relationship, you've come to the right place," smiled Maria, "Especially if you wish to get more intimate with him. Might I suggest having a look at the perfumes and scented candles?"

Bela strolled through the shop, eyeing the various scented candles and perfumes on the shelves and stands, trying to get an idea of how she could use them. So many colours caught her eyes. So many fragrances to choose from. She picked up the faint smell of vanilla from one set of candles and spiced apple from another. A rose scent emanated from an open bottle of sample perfume.

'So many choices.' thought Bela, 'But at the same time, I'm feeling…nostalgic. Why is that? One of these scents must surely be the one for me. But which?'

Suddenly, she had an idea. A perfect idea for what she wanted to do tonight. She turned to Maria.

"By any chance, Maria, do you have anything new in stock?" asked Bela, "New, but also something that has a spicy, yet sweet scent to it?"

Maria smiled.

"My dear, I have just the thing for you. You have quite the sense of smell if you are looking for something to make this the best Valentine's Day for Ethan," said Maria, "Follow me."

Maria led Bela into the back room of the store, where unopened boxes of products lay and candle-making materials lay on a table. There were several different looking candles on the table with them, but Maria picked on up that had a copper-orange colour.

"This is among the newest made. The wax of this candle is infused with blossom scent. Along with cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla bean. But the best part of this is the citrus oils that really give it a sweet scent. Orange. Lemon. Lime. And blood Orange." said Maria.

Bela cringed at the mention of the word 'blood', but shook it off. Lighting one of the sample candles and waiting until the flame hit the wax, Bela took in the candle's scent.

The smell was sweet, yet spicy and soft. And at the same time…divine. It was perfect!

"I'll take them, Maria," said Bela, "About a dozen on them."

Maria led her back out, where she picked up a dozen of the small candles from the shelf. After paying Maria the correct amount, Bela left the shop with a bag full of new candles.

'These are perfect. Especially for what I've got in mind for tonight. I'm certain Ethan is going to love this as well, especially with what I've got planned,' thought Bela excitedly, 'And with Auntie Donna and Uncle Karl soon to be living with us, things couldn't be looking better.'

She began her trek back to the vineyard, already planning for the night ahead of her.

And another chapter is done.

Just what is Bela planning for Ethan?

Ciao = Hello/Goodbye

Come Stai = How are you?

Sto bene = I'm doing well.

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Until Next Time!