Title: To Vanquish and Protect
Rating: R, to be safe
Written by: Kerry (tirzasnape) and Tia (tiaoconnellyahoo.com)
Feedback: Please. More I get, more I want to write!
Summary: Van Helsing's first mission after Princess Anna's death, and it couldn't be an easy one of course!
Disclaimer: Don't own any of this, am just playing in the universe. I do, however, own the original character, that of the child. Anything else-- not mine, not making money, please don't sue. Author's note: This takes place after Anna dies in the movie.
Van Helsing fell asleep in the carriage, wishing for once that he would not be plauged by nightmares. This time.... his wish was granted.
The scowling man, who seemed to have very little usable facial expressions, woke up just past an hour later, to find a tiny imp sitting on his lap.
She was nibbling on her thumb nail, dressed in a soft red dress; it was plain, but she was so adorable that it didn't matter. Wait! Had he just commented that he thought the child adorable? No! Heavens, no!
Van Hesling shook his head to clear such thoughts and scowled even darker at the little girl. "Well, what do you want child?" He barked. He watched her wince, and her sparkling green eyes fill with tears.
Well that was just great! Now she was going to cry! "Now don't start that," he scolded. "No crying, I won't stand for it, you hear me?" he half shouted. Her blonde curls shook as she nodded to show that she understood.
"You don't like me," she whispered, pulling her chewed thumb nail out of her mouth. "No, I don't!" He retorted. Her little lip began to tremble and she sniffled. "No one does," she whispered. "Everyone wants to hurt me. Cuz I'm special."
He couldn't deny that his interest was peeked. "What do you mean child? And what is your name?"
The thumb nail went back in her tiny mouth. "Amelia," she said. "I'm five."
Amelia. It suited her. "Why are people trying to hurt you?" Van Helsing asked. He wished that Carl would wake up and answer some questions, and resisted the urge-- just barely-- to shout the friar awake.
Amelia looked nervous, her eyes looking anywhere but on him. He wondered, if he had ever seen such a brilliant shade of green before. Why would anyone want to hurt her? She was a child, what could she have done.
"Because I'm bad," she whispered suddenly, leaning up to his ear. "I do things that nobody else gets to do. So they think I'm bad. And they wanna 'kill' me, mummy said. The big birdie man--"
Van Helsing paused to decipher that. Ah, she must mean the Cardinal!
"He said I could help you. And then you'd keep me safe," Amelia whispered. "Will you?"
Van Helsing looked into her eyes, mesmerized. How could he say no? And yet-- - how could he possible say YES?