A/N: Yet another chapter added. And to L's question, I am using the story without permission but I have disclaimed ownership in the first chapter, protecting me from any lawsuits. Thanks everyone!!!
Danger On the Moors
Seras awoke late in the afternoon with the sun shining through the heavy curtains, draping her in a soft glow. She slowly slid down from the high bed, stretching her limbs. After she had finished her toilet, the young heiress decided to look over the many papers filed in her uncle's desk. Her lawyer had advised her to become well acquainted with the estate taxes and her yearly income, to eliminate the expense of an assistant.
Seras fixed herself a quick breakfast and arrived at the study as the setting sun shown through the large windows. Sitting down at the large desk, she looked over the intimidating drawers with some worry. With a sigh and a determined face, she set herself to work. But as the young woman began to go through the many documents, a puzzled expression crossed her face.
The desk appeared to have been rifled in, with many of the documents in disorder and loose papers found in the bottom of the drawers. Apparently someone had been looking for something, and had been less than careful to hide the fact.
Leaning back in her chair, Seras contemplated this new discovery. She had no idea what the intruder could have been looking for, and could only hope their search had been in vain. Deciding the only way to find the answer to her question was to search through the files herself and see if any papers were missing, she went to work filing every paper.
Several hours later found Seras sitting before many stacks of paper, arranging the last of the files by lamplight. Placing the final paper within its respective folder, she promptly collapsed across the last free space on the desk. She'd received only eyestrain for her trouble, finding no clue as to what the intruder had been searching for. Every paper was accounted for, down to the last receipt from the local general store.
Raising her exhausted head, Seras noted the late time on the mantle clock. With a sigh and a crack of her back, she rose from her chair and proceeded to walk up the stairs. But she was halted by a sudden grumbling from her stomach, telling her she had eaten little during the day.
Turning her footsteps toward the kitchen, Seras made herself a simple supper of canned fruit and meat left over from her breakfast. She silently berated herself for keeping such late hours, asking when she'd become such a night walker.
With her stomach now satisfied, Seras lay down for a well deserved sleep. Tomorrow she planned to inspect the newly acquired property and try to learn the layout of the estate. She only hoped she would be able to manage the many responsibilities which had fallen upon her small shoulders.
The following day Seras awoke to the newly risen sun. She rushed through a quick breakfast and proceeded outside. A thorough scouring of the grounds over the length of the day found several interests for the young heiress. A large garden lay in the back beds, perfectly cared for by the gardener. Several large fruit trees, past their time for fruiting, specked the yard. A carriage house and garden shed lay off to one corner of the grounds, while a small gazebo had been constructed in the center of the large back lawn. Vines grew wild along the walls of the mansion and grounds, with remnants of the year's fruit still hanging upon their branches.
But Seras did discover many disillusionments among the fascinating grounds. The carriage house proved to be empty, and the young heiress realized she would have to rely upon her feet to perform any traveling. The upkeep of many of the outdoor buildings had been neglected, meaning repairs would have to be made to them before they collapsed. Also, while wandering among the wild underbrush bordering her property, she found many traps set by poachers. She would need to be cautious when strolling through the grounds, or she could become trapped within one of the sharp jaws of the many snares.
But the most startling discoveries found by Seras made her wonder about the safety of the grounds. On her explorations among the darker portions of the grounds, the young woman found a large amount of dead animals. The find would not have been so extraordinary, if all the creatures would not have been brutally ripped apart and partially eaten. Mysteriously, there was very little blood found among the bodies.
Shuddering at the small corpses, Seras went quickly on her way. Realizing the day had lengthened past supper, she went to the kitchen. To her dismay, she found little meat among the pantry shelves. To acquire more, a trip to the village was in order. The sudden idea of a journey to the quaint town the following day appealed to her lonely mind, and Seras eagerly began preparing herself for the long walk.
Finding her coat among the still packed baggage, Seras lay out a heavy dress and boots. A search of the mansion gave her an adequate parcel bag, while the grounds produced a lovely walking stick of good height.
Looking at the fur border of the bag she had found, the young woman was reminded of the animals found upon the grounds. She knew the poachers would not have wasted such meat and fine furs, but could think of no other explanation for their existence. Unless, of course, there was a mad dog taking liberties in the area.
But Seras was not aware that such animals still roamed the border between Scotland and England, and wondered what sort of monster could have done such damage to those creatures. Among the creatures there had been a wide range, from geese to large foxes. She had even found the remains of a large stray dog, its throat torn out and the body badly mutilated. Though Integra had told her of several wild beasts who wandered among the moors, but had not specified any individual species. And what the female doctor had told of her uncle's death.....
With a sudden sigh, Seras down at the bedroom's large vanity desk, wondering at how life could change so drastically. Here she was, wondering about the, albeit grisly, deaths of small animals, and taking the word of a near total stranger. With a shake of her head and a small laugh, she went to bed.
Early the following morning, Seras set out on her journey. The brisk air lightened her mood, while the thought of interacting with people quickened her step. She was grateful the road was dry, rains having not fallen for a fortnight. The young woman passed several small cottages along the road, most currently unoccupied while the owners watched over their sheep flock among the moors.
Reaching the village at midday, Seras marveled at the picturesque beauty of the small community. Though she had passed through the small town during her drive to the mansion, there was still so much to see. There were many small yards with chickens roosting among the bushes, and laundry hung among the lines between the houses. Children ran about, apparently finished with their chores for the moment and more than glad to enjoy the fine weather. Women stood together in groups of three or four, gossiping about the latest news from the countryside. The menfolk who had business within the village were taking their meal in the local tavern, a well deserved break from their work.
But Seras was quickly becoming uncomfortable with the many stares in her direction. Obviously there was an adverseness to strangers which she had not accounted for, and which was now causing her some discomfort. Quickly walking to the largest structure in the village, which she supposed to be the general store, the young woman walked in with a sigh.
That is, until she noticed the occupants of the establishment also giving her curious, and sometimes disgusted, looks. Ducking her head, Seras made a swift path to the proprietor's desk. She inwardly sighed with relief when he met her approaching figure with a warm smile, finally glad to have found one friendly person within the village.
"Excuse me, but do you know where I may find some butchered meat?" Seras asked quickly. She nearly stumbled over her words in a rush to remove them from her mouth.
"Certainly, miss" he answered, his smile growing wider. "We just received a package of fresh cuts of lamb from the butcher only this morning. What portion of the animal and how much do you wish to buy?"
"Merely a few cuts of leg, thank you" Seras said, relieved to have found her objective so quickly. The walk home would not be as late as she had supposed, thanks to her luck. "Could you wrap the meat carefully? I have a long way to travel."
"Yes, I suppose the Victoria mansion is quite a stroll for you" he commented, walking into the back storage room. The proprietor returned within a few minutes with the asked cuts, tightly packaged and neatly marked.
"Thank you" Seras said quickly, bothered by the man's knowledge of where she resided. The truth of Integra's words was made clear with his comment, and the young heiress supposed she would become accustomed to the close-knit community and their swift line of information.
Exiting the store with her treasure, Seras decided a walk in the village would be more enjoyable without the bag of meat she now held. Turning onto the main road, she started on the journey back. By the position of the sun, the young woman supposed she would reach the mansion after dark.
The memory of her last night stroll brought a sad smile to her lips. She hadn't seen Alucard nor Integra since the evening of her walk on the moor, and idly wondered what her two new acquaintances had been doing over the past few days. They were the closest she could call to friends, and their company had entertained her.
So absorbed n her thoughts was she, that Seras didn't notice the lengthening shadows of the trees. So peering at the sun, she was surprised to see the sun disappear below the hills. As the cool wind blew across the moors, she shivered and huddled deeper into her coat. And much to her dismay, the young woman ascertained black thunder clouds peeking over the darkening horizon.
With quickening steps, Seras hurried along the road, intent on beating the coming rain. Halfway through her journey, the expected moisture began. The rain quickly became a downpour, and with unmerciful consistency the droplets pounded down upon the small figure of the young heiress. Looking for cover proved to be pointless, as the only shading she could see were the trees growing in the distance to her left, among the moors.
But as the sky became pitch black and the rain proved to be relentless, Seras saw no other option for herself. She began searching for a path along the water ways, fortunately finding a worn route quickly. The young woman ran along the ground, mindful of her footsteps and careful to stay upon the path. Her objective was a large oak growing in the middle of the swamp, hoping the path passed under its branches.
Thankfully, her luck proved to be durable, with the young woman eventually finding her way to the shelter. Collapsing among the dry ground, Seras leant her back against the trunk. She was careful not to disturb her soaked clothing more than was necessary, knowing well she was certain to catch a cold. Peering at the sky, the storm showed no signs of abating, and the visibility had deteriorated to nothing. But the young woman knew she could not stay beneath the oak for the entire night, and merely waited till she had caught her wind.
After a half hour of rest, Seras stood and looked to where she'd come from. She nearly fainted at the sight before her. The path was washed over, the level of the moors' ponds having been flooded with the rain water. She had no choice but to continue on the path leading to where she knew not.
Then a light caught her eye, and for one hopeful moment Seras thought someone was approaching. The young woman was about to call out, when she noticed something odd. The light was of a red hue and too small to be that of a lamp. There were also two of them, placed close together.
With a sudden, horrifying understanding, Seras realized the orbs coming toward her were not lights, but eyes. Then from the mist appeared the outline of a body, low to the ground and thin. She recognized the shape as being that of a dog, but larger than any she had ever seen. The animal looked to be the size of a large mastiff, with paws of equal diameter to her hands.
The beast stopped at the edge of the water, staring at her. His short black fur blew against the wind, but his eyes remained unblinking. Without warning, the dog curled his lips back and snarled at the young woman. Seras needed no more persuasion than that simple gesture.
With steps now fueled by fear, Seras began sprinting down the route away from the monster, her arms pumping wildly. The bag at her side knocked against her hip, and the weight seemed to be increasing with each fall of her feet. Her pulse beat in her ears and her breathing came in rasps of terror. After what felt like several hours, the path finally reconnected with the road. The young woman never slowed her pace, and within minutes she was at the entrance to her home.
Holding her hand over her beating heart, Seras finally looked back. To her relief, she saw nothing but the mist and rain falling. Turning back to the house, the young woman succeeded in unlocking the door, her hands shaking enough to cause difficulty. Slamming the portal shut, the young woman slumped down against the wood. She was exhausted, both physically and mentally. The appearance of the dog had shaken her nerves to the point of a breakdown, and a long sleep was in order.
Climbing to her feet, Seras slowly trudged up the stairs, her feet dragging along the carpeted steps. The long hall was covered, and then she happily collapsed on her bed. Not bothering to change her clothing, she simply sank into a troubled sleep.