Btw, for those of you who may be wondering why Alucard is so damn OOC it's because this is the side of him that he's always wanted to show but never could. He's still a bit loopy, as you'll all be able to see in the opening paragraph, but now he's got a bit more dimension to him than just crazy-vampire-who-likes-to-kill-things-and-talk-about-the-moon kinda thing. So there, that's my explanation and I'm sticking to it. Enjoy.
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Carnival music. Yes, he couldn't be mistaken, it was carnival music. It was back in town! Alucard raised his eyes and saw it then in all its splendor. Bright lights, the ferris wheel, and the Strong-man bell striking as some lucky man hit it and won a stuffed animal for his lady. The smells! Cotton candy, elephant ears, hotdogs, sweet cola, and popcorn were all around him. He smiled then, and remembered his mischief with Sebastian. The 1930's had been a blast, yes indeed. Thinking of his friend, Alucard glided from roof to roof, spinning to an invisible melody.
She was in his line of sight now. And what music she played tonight! It was simply amazing! Although he did not know the name at the time, Yann Tiersen was behind the compositions. He sighed, and stepped toward her.
"Amaya!" He called out when he was a few feet away. She turned immediately, and her smile covered the frown he'd managed to catch just a flash of. He smiled back at her and hurried his step.
"It's so nice to find you out here today. You wouldn't believe my day yesterday at work. It seems that the stranger things happen during the night. I'm afraid I got bogged down and couldn't make it. I'm very sorry, I hope you don't think I forgot or anything." He looked expectantly at her and hoped his rushed response sounded sincere. It was sort of true, sort of.
Her quietness worried him for a moment, and then she moved her bag aside. "Sit", she said, patting the space next to her. "You don't have to apologize for anything, Alucard. He smiled and sat down, snatching a glance at her sketchbook. "No inspiration tonight?"
She sighed. "There are just too many confusing things going on. I thought my music might help me get away from this world and take me to another, but I can't seem to weigh anchor anywhere, and I completely leave. Every time I look back down I'm still holding the same stupid pencil on top of the same blank page. It's a Friday night, I could be at home, or at the cinema, or wandering by myself downtown, but I thought it best to not break tradition and come sit out here for a little while."
"I think you've been sitting here long enough. Your music has given me an idea, and I hope you like it. Tell me, have you ever been to the London Summer Carnival?"
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With her arm in his, they made their way to the entrance. The crowd's sounds rose in volume as they neared. The screams, laughs, and music could not have come at a better time for Amaya. She looked up and smiled at Alucard, who only looked down at her and winked. Bright lights and the smell of popcorn greeted them as they made their way to the ticket booth. Alucard stopped right before it and turned to her.
"I know you say that I have nothing to apologize for, but I think I do, and I've always loved this carnival, so I thought it a good idea to treat you to something that has always brought me happiness."
He bent and kissed her hand, then motioned her to the ticket booth.
"Two please." He said as he extended the hand with the bill through the slot in the booth.
"Certainly, sir." The cashier looked old, with kind, knowing eyes. He looked up suddenly, and looked at Alucard in the eye. Both nodded knowingly at each other and when the pair left he said to himself, "After all these years you're back. God, has been that long?" He straightened out his papers and waited for the next customer, all the while thinking of the past when he'd laughed and knocking down pins drunk with two vampires who wanted a little bit of a game.
They stepped through the turn-stile, Amaya in the lead. She stopped then, and looked around. "See anything you like?" Alucard asked, directly behind her. "Everything, but since you seem to be the one who knows this place, be my guide."
Alucard put his feet together, bowed, and extended his arm for Amaya to take it. "Follow me then, my lady. I assure you, you will not be disappointed. This carnival's old, and there are treasures at every turn that many people seem to miss. I'll show you all the ones I've discovered over the years." She took his arm and stepped closer to him.
"Lead."
As they walked, Amaya could her Tiersen's music in her head. Nothing could be more perfect. They held hands as they walked now. She smiled. In her left hand was his right; in her right was the cotton candy stick he'd bought her. She felt real. For the first time in a long time, she felt real, and she didn't want to let go.
"Are you alright?" He asked suddenly.
"Yes fine, why?" She looked around; not knowing what caused him to ask her that.
"Well, you squeezed my hand tighter for a moment there."
"Believe me, nothing's wrong. In fact, things couldn't be more right at this moment", Amaya said, "let's keep walking; you still have to show me how strong you are."
The Strong-man bell was struck again, and they heard a very female shriek of happiness. Lights around the base were still lit when Alucard walked up to the attendant and paid the 2 pounds for a turn.
"Tell me love, which one do you want?" He said, motioning to the various stuffed beings on the wall. "That one!" Amaya said eagerly, pointing to a black unicorn.
"You'll have to hit the bell for that one, mate." Said the attendant grinning.
"Not a problem." Effortlessly picking up the mallet, Alucard struck the base with just enough force to not look suspicious.
"BING!" He'd made her squeal. He found this very pleasing as she wrapped her arms around him and jumped. He caught her and said, "I believe your unicorn is waiting for you." She kissed his cheek and turned, waiting for the attendant to bring it down from the wall. Alucard placed a hand on his cheek and smiled. "Definitely a keeper."
She glided back to him as if she were holding one of Louis's diamonds instead of a stuffed animal. Amaya held it up to his face and said, "Kiss it!"
He could not believe it. Once a feared being, who made his subjects cower, was about to kiss a stuffed black unicorn, all because she wanted him to. He certainly hoped no one that mattered was looking at him, if not he'd hear about it for centuries to come. Alucard flashed a smile then, and in mock-seduction grabbed the animal from her and began to kiss it slowly and eventually started to gnaw on it, earning giggles and laughter from Amaya. She tried to grab it back with no luck. His six foot something frame was no match for her 5'8".
Finally, he gave in and lowered the unicorn back to her, and in the process lightly butted his forehead against hers.
"You smell like cotton candy, miss. It suits you."
Amaya blushed and smiled up at him. "Where to next?" He took her hand and asked, "Do you like the macabre?"
"As a matter of fact, yes, it has always interested me. I'm not one to faint", she said in a breathy voice. Her eyes were right on him, and tonight they were especially dark. The eyeliner was on thick, and her lips were crimson. Alucard noticed all of this as he looked down at her, she could not have been more than a few inches away, but no, he decided, not yet. He had to know her better still. He backed away and pulled at her arm, both making their way to a black tent. It had holes placed in strategic locations to let the light out, giving it an even more eerie look. Alucard laced her fingers in his and paid their entrance fees, making sure to drop in a few more pounds than necessary. Amaya didn't notice, but it didn't matter to him. What she would see next would make her forget whether he dropped in a few more pounds or not.
"What is this Alucard?" She asked as they stepped through the flap. He turned to her and said in a rather clever voice. "Well my dear, I don't get out much, but, the last time I was here it was a 'freak show'".
"Oh well, right, of course." He didn't say anything when she moved just a little closer to him. He walked forward through the small maze set up, and just up ahead he could see the person who'd paid before him. If he remembered correctly, the flap that would lead to the real show was right up ahead to the left. He looked behind him and there was no one.
"Quickly, through here my dear." He still held her hand with one of his, but with the other he turned over a flap of the tent and gently pushed her forward.
"Alucard? Please don't leave me alone. Where are we going?"
"We are going to see the real show my dear. I did not bring you in here just so could be bored with parlor tricks. I'm not going to let go of your hand, you can grab mine as hard as you want to, now step through. I don't want the next bumbling fool to see us."
It was dark, but she trusted him. She went through and held on to his hand tightly. He closed the flap and immediately pitch black surrounded them. That's when she felt his body up against hers, and his mouth against her ear. He placed his arm around her waist and whispered, "Now the fun will really begin love, walk forward and you'll eventually see the light. I won't let go."
Amaya's heart raced. The ground was earth beneath her feet. She could hear the grass rustling as she walked. And she could hear him breathing close to her. But just as he'd said, she could see light up ahead. "How could a tent be so BIG?" She thought.
It was maddening. Her heart racing was making him think of a million-and-one things that he most definitely did not need to be thinking of right now. He clenched his jaw, and tried to focus on the important task at hand.
The grass became cloth, and strange, cracked and haunted carnival music floated around them. She gasped when out of the shadows an old man in attendant's uniform greeted them and bowed, pointing the way ahead. Yellow, red, and green lights exuded a light glow from everything, and soon Amaya saw she'd been brought here for.
"Do you see him?" He whispered in her ear. "He's mad. He's been here since he was a child. Those barbs you see through his skin are real. He loves to puncture himself. Who knows what's going on through his mind." Suddenly the man in question saw them and screamed. He pointed at Alucard and began crying, crying and scratching himself with the barbs. Amaya stared, fascinated. Once the initial shock of what she was seeing left her, she began to enjoy herself. They moved along various "exhibits" until Alucard stopped before one and faced her. "I don't know whether you believe in magic, fairies, and the like, but tonight I want you to keep an open mind. Enjoy yourself as you have been doing so far." Amaya stared into his eyes and nodded, awaiting what lay ahead. Placing his hand on the small of her waist, he led her forward and waited.
At first they seemed like little lights flying around, but Amaya gasped in delight when she got a look at one that flew up close. It was what she imagined a fairy would look like! A small, petite little thing with long flowy arms and legs danced about on air, furiously flapping her wings and making little sparks of light appear with her fingers. Amaya looked at the rest of the little space afforded to the tiny creatures and took note of the exotic flowers and the giant tree that seemed to be rooted in nothing but the rough patch of soil beneath it.
"Step inside the ring, then you'll be able to touch them", he said, and urged her forward, "they'll enjoy it, they're not allowed to go outside the ring. And I know they'll like you, it's a feeling I have."
Amaya stepped through with Alucard and the fairies zoomed her way, flying around her in intricate patterns. The ones that got the closest to Alucard paused on his shoulders and bowed to him before starting their dance. And Amaya swore that if she listened hard enough, she could hear a beautiful melody. The haunting carnival music died down until she could hear it no longer. She moved with the lovely, wordless song, eventually grabbing Alucard's hand and urging him to move with her.
They danced to a song only heard in faraway lands, a song from long ago. She, forgetting her mortally, he, forgetting his loss of it. They twirled and laughed, and palm to palm, touched. Closer and closer they moved, but neither dared to kiss. He could not take it any longer, and placed a gentle kiss to her neck. She sighed and wrapped her arms around him.
"Tonight has been so wonderful, and yet I hardly know anything about you", she whispered and looked up at him.
"Would you like to? Do you want to know everything?" His eyes shined. She loved that they looked blood-red.
Her breathing was heavy. "Yes, I want to know everything about you."
"Then agree to this. Next Friday I will take you out to dinner, and that dinner will decide everything. Until then, I will be coming to the park every chance I get. We will talk about everything you want during those days, but on one condition. You may not ask me any personal questions until after Friday's dinner. Aside from that, any topic is open to discussion. You may ask me anything in order to find out where I stand on something, you may ask me about books I've read; anything, anything at all. Is that alright?"
Amaya grew curiouser and curiouser, much like Alice before her. She was still held securely in his arms. At first she wouldn't look at him while thinking, afraid he might laugh at the excitement in her eyes. Here she was, a grown woman, in a room with a man she hardly knew, dancing to some strange song she'd never in her life heard, and to top it off, fairies danced around the air. If she told any of this to anyone tomorrow they'd lock her up a sanitarium. But for now she would let herself be guided by this strange and wonderful man.
"Yes." She whispered almost inaudibly. If not for his hearing he was sure he'd have missed it. She hugged him tightly then, and buried her face in the crook of his neck. He breathed in sharply. She did not know what she was doing to him; especially to his neck.
"Come; let's leave this place, enough of fairy glamour." Alucard took her hand and they stepped out of the ring. The fairies sorrowfully waved goodbye, and the pair moved away. He led her past the rest of the exhibits and the sped up past the final one. An old woman shuffling a deck of cards nodded in their direction very solemnly, but when Alucard looked back, she smiled and flashed him the Lover's card from the deck. He breathed a sigh of relief then and briefly waved. Even he wasn't dumb enough not to respect her. She'd sealed other's fates horribly in the past. He rather liked her selection, and was glad that it was still dark enough so Amaya couldn't see him smile.
And just like that, they were out in the carnival again.
"Alucard, tell me that was real in there. Tell me I didn't just bump my head on anything and go uncouncious."
"You didn't. Everything that happened in there is just as real out here, if you still want to adhere to it that is."
"Yes, I do. Now take me to the Ferris wheel, I need the night breeze."
"As you wish my dear, but if that is to be around destination, you're going to need to head left." He looked around and spied the other couples around him. Some of the men had their arms around their women, so he, very discreetly tried to put his arm around Amaya. She turned to him and smiled before continuing the walk to the Ferris wheel.
The wheel stopped with them at the top, and Amaya craned her head out over the side.
"Do you like what you see down there?" He asked, and moved closer to her.
"I do in fact, like the view from here. Do you think you'll be able to come every day next week or...?"
He twirled a strand of her hair in his fingers and looked out at the horizon. Sighing, he looked back at her and smiled sadly.
"If you only knew what carnage these hands accomplish during the night. I do not know if I'll be able to come to you every night, my sweet, but I'll definitely try. It is a gentleman's promise." With that, he brought her hair to his nose and smelled it.
"Roses." He said.
She in turn, reached for a strand of his and did the same. She brought it to her nose and smiled, but furrowed her eyebrows at the same time.
"I don't know how explain this, but you smell like the night, you smell of old-world spices and delicacies, of secrets and the sea."
He pulled her tightly against him. "You could not have said it more perfectly if you tried."
When they looked up again, the Ferris wheel seemed to be making its final loop down. He helped her step off and they slowly made their way through the crowds back to the exit. Suddenly, she grew stiff against him and abruptly pulled away.
"My bag! I haven't thought about it the entire night! The last thing I remember is saying 'yes' to coming with you to the carnival, but I haven't thought of it since—"
"Look, look, silly girl!" He said and swiftly opened up his coat. The bag hung against his shoulder below it. "Are you going to stop squawking like a bird now?" He laughed and squeezed her chin.
Amaya's mouth opened and closed. "Oh, maybe I was mistaken. Not fowl, but fish certainly." She grinned and shoved him playfully, but was surprised that she was the one to move backward, not him.
"Come on you, let's walk you home." He said and held his arm wide open. Alucard hoped that she hadn't noticed his repetition of the word "you", it was something he could never stop doing.
She eagerly stepped forward into his awaiting embrace. They walked slowly out of the carnival, and Alucard did not miss the old man and the woman from the tent off to one side. He also did not miss the comment about him. "Look at that, the Count, acting like one of these young folk in love!"
The old woman chuckled and replied, "He is young, and he is in love."