Hey Guys!~

Didn't I tell you I'd be back? Now only if it didn't take me century to return ; Anywho! Not much warnings for this chapter, just homesickness.

But without further Adieu! Enjoy!~

Thatch,

I do hope this letter finds you well in your current residence as I know how uneasy you must be by now. Oyaji, too, is beginning to have reservations about his assignment. He was convinced that by sending you, it would ease the mounting stress between our coven and that of the Count's but it appears that Oyaji is starting to second guess his decision.

This isn't to say that he does not have faith in your ability to complete your task, but simply that perhaps it was too soon for you to be there.

Nonetheless, we have faith in you. If you need backup let us know and we will send someone to help you as soon as we can.

I imagine you're rolling your eyes at our worry right about now. So I will not push the matter any further. Oyaji sends his love, as we all do. Your presence at the castle is very…noticeable. It's much less loud as you can imagine. But not as much as you would think, Blenheim recently returned to the castle after completing his latest travel. And while he was out he befriended an Oxen.

Can you believe that? He just strode into the castle with that creature in tow. And of course Fossa thought he was dinner and started chasing after the poor thing until Blenheim had to step in and reassure the animal that he wouldn't be turned into a meal. Oyaji was amuses as you might have guessed, while the staff was none too pleased at having to clean up the mess afterwards. So to appease them and as a way of apology I had to give them extra pay to get things back in order.

The kitchen staff also misses you you know, they claim their dishes aren't as great without you about the kitchen. And I have to say, I miss your cooking as well. No one brews coffee like you. But I'm afraid that's the only praise I'm willing to give in this letter lest your head, or should I say hair, get bigger than it already is.

With loving affection,

Marco Newgate

Hey Marco,

You do realize you don't have to be so formal in your letters right? We're buds, brothers even and here you are sending me this cordial shit like I'm the freaking Count. And that last note at the end, are you getting sentimental over me? I am so touched! I'm laughing by the way. Just like I did when I read the whole Ox encounter what's the name Blenheim gave him?

And yes! I did roll my eyes plenty of times, you and Oyaji don't have to worry about me, I'm fine for the most part. And really I wasn't planning on staying this long either, a month or two max and we're bordering on what now, three months?

(I sighed here)

Things certainly aren't easy. I have to admit it's tough here and I would rather be anywhere else than being confined to this castle and the Count; but...dare I think that fate had an ulterior motive to my being here?

Vamps here are warped Marc. The Count has it in his head that we as Vampires have to domineer over the humans and has begun collecting them as pets. He had servants before and I admit slaves here and there, but they weren't treated this badly before. The things that transpire in this castle are horrifying. We had thought Donquixote was bad in his weird fascination of capturing humans and making them act out his perverted fantasies, but that pales in comparison to this. Humans here are worth less than animals Marco, anything and everything they do is monitored and if they take a single step out of line they're beaten within an inch of their life. There seem to be different tiers to this madness as well. I have yet to see what gets done to those they dispose but I promise you it is not something I wish to find out. And…

I'm sorry I had to set the quill down, it's not easy writing this down especially with how infuriated it makes me. It's nothing short of hell for them Marco and no matter what I tell the stubborn old Count he just won't listen to reason. He doesn't see the humans outside as a threat, He believes that the castle walls will hold against an attack from them. And I tried to explain that the humans had clever ways to their methods, bombs, catapults you know the works… There is no getting across to him and I feel guilty Marc. This is my fault, all of this that is happening to the humans...to.

The humans are losing hope on having a better life. It's heartbreaking to see Marco. And I can't raise a single hand to help not without challenging the Count. But I want to help them. And that's the reason I'm still here. I'm going to find a way Marco, I promised someone here I would find a way.

How I wish I had your Inclination* right now, the ability to clearly analyze a situation and find the best possible solution. But instead I have this storytelling gift that can do nothing at all for them.

Some insight would be highly appreciated, and I miss you guys too.

With love and a great hairdo,

Thatch Newgate

Thatch,

Your letter was received with a heavy heart. Oyaji is furious as you can imagine he wants to storm down there and challenge the Count. But as luck would have it, hunters are raiding a nearby village where Vista previously resided. We have sent our soldiers and have engaged in battle once again.

I'm sorry that you have to face this on your own, but please know that you are not alone in this situation. What those people are being subjected to is not a life meant for any conscious being. Also do not beat yourself up over this, what could you have done? If anything traveling has opened up your mind to see how wrong this is.

Oyaji is very proud of you, as we all are. You are doing the right thing even if that was not your objection. We would have liked to offer the Count an ally with our Coven but if he refuses to change his views over the matter at hand then he will be nothing more than an enemy. I wish I could offer more help than this Thatch, but I'm afraid I don't have the entire picture to work off of. How many people are enslaved there? How many guards does he have? Any tracking hounds? I need you to collect as much information as you can. And don't worry about leaked information, I will be sending Ember, our most reliable falcon to run this message. Everything will be fine Thatch, trust in your family.

With love,

Marco Newgate

Thatch sighed as he fed Marco's prized falcon his own creation of avian cuisine. The letter clearly stated that there would be no help coming from the Newgate Coven any time soon, not when they were engaged in their own battle.

So that meant that Thatch was alone in his own battle at the remote Castle.

He looked away from the letter and towards the bed in his room where the young woman slept.

Shame and guilt washed over Thatch again until he could no longer bear looking at her. Marco had told him not to blame himself and yet here he was, taking all the burden onto his shoulders because ultimately it was his responsibility to bear.

Thatch couldn't explain it really, the attachment he had developed for this fragile human. He tried to explain it, even now as he wrote Marco back.

Hey Marc,

Again with all the formal banter eh? And where are your "yoi"s when you write? I insert them here and there to make your letter more authentic and it brings a small sense of nostalgia when I do. But that aside, we can't let this situation keep going in like this.

The person I promised I would rescue is heavily wounded...and it was my fault. Now before you tell me that it isn't my fault, I'm going to tell you that is is. I was having yet another hash out with dear old Count and this girl walks in bearing tea. Everything was going okay and then suddenly it wasn't, the tea overran and spilled onto my lap which is no big deal. But the Count took it as insubordination and meant to reprimand the poor girl. So I naturally stepped in. Maybe that was my mistake Marco? But what was I to do? Watch as the Count beat her for some spilled water? I just couldn't sit back and let him do that, so I stopped him and the look he gave me was chilling. It promised something unspeakable and yet I did not heed the warning.

After she was dismissed we exchanged shouts and insults, until he stuck me.

Thatch set the quill back down and huffed as he touched the tender spot on his head. The old Count sure had a strong arm even for his age. It was nothing that Thatch could shake off though. And truly Thatch was not surprised about the physical outburst, with the Count it was surprising that he had lasted this long without any physical confrontation.

I should have seen it coming to tell you the truth and really after three months of living with me, it was certainly about time don't you think? But, sadly the tale doesn't end there Marco. I wasn't enough to sate his need for violence, I don't think anyone will ever be capable of that, but he dismissed me then and sent me away. Of course I complied not knowing just how he would lash out next.

I should have searched for her Marco. The tea servant. Instead I just receded into the background and did nothing.

It always smells like blood here, have I ever told you that? It reeks of it now. I swear every crevice must be coated in the sickly sweet fluid. There's also a thick layer of fear in the air it's almost suffocating when the Count goes off in a bout of rage.

I will carry that mistake with me for the rest of my life. The screams will forever haunt me and every snap of that lash will follow me until the end of my days. She's broken in a way that I fear she can no longer be whole and as I heard those cries of pain, I wondered why. Even now as she rests not even 10 feet away from me I wonder why she keeps fighting. What does she fight for Marco?

Does she have someone out there waiting for her? Or does fear drive her, does she believe that the Count will find her even in death? Countless times I have asked these same questions, and how I long to know the answer to them.

Listen to me Marc, rambling on.

I was too late to save her from him. By the time I reached the door it was too late, he was there and his guards were flanking the door. I was seconds away from bashing in their indifferent looks to the horrors that were happening just beyond the door, but I didn't. It wasn't out of diplomatic reasoning. Nor was it out of fear for the Count. Rather it was fear for her.

I would have gone into that Hell for her had I not known she would only be pulled back for a worse fate. I don't know what that fate is, but I can assure you neither she nor I want to find out. And that was why I stayed back while grief and guilt consumed me, to give her a fighting chance by dooming her to her current fate. I tried to redeem myself by taking her after he was done, but I'm afraid no one can undo the damage. I patched her up and she rests there, afraid and unwilling to trust me. How can I ask her to though when I might as well have whipped her myself?

You told me to wait for you, brother, but the truth of the matter is I can't. How much longer can these people endure this Hell before they are slaughtered? I need to do something but I don't know what.

Please lend me your strength, and ask the same of Oyaji and the rest of the family.

Thatch Newgate

Thatch set the quill down near the inkwell and shut his gaze. He meant it when he said that he needed to find a way to help these people, but he was also at a loss as to how he could do it. Smuggling one or two humans would be a cinch, he could get the harp player out and maybe another few before anyone knew what was going on. But then Thatch wouldn't save the rest and leaving them in this castle left a bad taste in his mouth. He knew he couldn't abandon the rest of them.

Thatch exhaled a breath, something he only did when he was exasperated since it was a known fact that vampires did not need to breathe air. And while the turned vampires could claim the action to be an old habit, born vampires like him could not.

The letter was rolled and sealed with wax before Thatch stamped his seal on it and gently slid it onto the small carrier bag Ember was harnessed with. He firmly latched the pouch closed and patted the small birds head.

"It is time for us to part ways Ember my dear, I wish you a safe journey. I'll be back home to feed you more of that soon okay?" Thatch cooed to the bird and lead her to the window after she had perched on his arm.

The falcon of course said nothing as she looked at Thatch and then out to the open window before she spread her wings and flew into the night, leaving Thatch alone with the harpist once more.

"If I could give you that freedom I would be a happy man." Thatch murmured as he closed the window to keep the warm air inside for her sake, he after all did not feel the cold as she did.

Dreams were a rare thing for Izo to experience. Darkness and nightmares had long been her most devoted companions when she was asleep, but the ambiance she was surrounded by provided enough comfort for her to find herself in a nearly forgotten land.

Izo stood under the shade of a tree, the light of the sun peeking through the leaves and branches of the large canopy above her, kissing her skin wherever it touched. Izo felt disoriented as she stood there, waiting for the sky to turn a deep shade of red, or the sun to black out, or the ground under her to cave in and swallow her whole.

None of those things happened.

The world around Izo was peaceful and for once inviting. A gentle breeze rolled over the grass and ruffled the leaves above her before it sent her hair dancing along with it.

"You can leave here if you want." Those words returned to Izo and she spun to where Thatch was leaning nonchalantly against the tree, a smile on his lips.

"Can I?" The words were small and timid but so full of hope as she asked.

"Would you like that?" he asked her, repeating the same phrase he had so long ago.

Izo was afraid, even in this world where the sun shone so brightly and where no obvious threats were surrounding her, she was still hesitant. "Am I allowed to?"

"Do you want to?" Thatch countered.

Izo said nothing for a long stretch of time, what was the right answer here? What was she to say to him. "I can't."

"Says who?"

"You know who, the Count–"

"You do not have to worry about him." Thatch cut her off and stepped away from the tree. "Don't be afraid of him, you no longer have to because you aren't alone anymore."

"Why?" Izo asked, tears beginning to blur her vision of the foreigner. "Why do you go to such lengths for me? I don't even know you! You are one of them! So why?"

Thatch simply smiled and closed the gap between them, his lips moved but Izo couldn't hear a single word that he said. His reasoning was stolen by the breeze and not meant for her to hear.

"Tell me why!" Izo asked her questions numerous times until Thatch himself was taken by the wind around her.

The moment Izo felt the warmth surrounding her she knew that her recollections of the previous night were not a pain fueled fantasy, or the fabrications of her damaged mind. They had in fact happened.

She had disrespected the Count and had been reprimanded for it, and now…

Izo pushed herself off of the bed gingerly, ever mindful of her numerous wounds and wincing every time she aggravated them.

"Oh you're up!" Izo heard Thatch before he rushed to her side. "Are you sure you should be moving, hold on let me help you."

If Izo's body wasn't thrumming with aches and pains she would have struggled under his touch, but instead she let Thatch move her until she was propped up on the bed, eyes cast towards the blood stained sheets.

"Sleep well?" Thatch tried and after a minute of silence he sighed. "I figured I would give it a shot, don't worry about the mess I found out long ago that vinegar is highly effective against most stains and it's actually really great when dealing with hair issues, Use apple cider vinegar in your hair and you will see that your hair gets much more volume and shine, and those split ends? Well you can kiss them goodbye."

"Not into that huh?" Thatch tried and Izo could hear the disappointment in his voice.

The silence returned to the room and when he spoke again Izo heard the sincerity in his voice, "I'm sorry. I really am. I was unable to help you last night, but never again will you ever be alone."

Will Izo end up taking Thatch's offer to help? Is she finally ready to trust, or is Izo even more fearful of him due to her recent encounter with the Count?

Let me know what you think will happen!

OH! And I nearly forgot, MakogirlY14 had the right idea Thatch and Marco have been speaking back and forth but Thatch can't actively oppose the count without a war, which he is highly aware from. Thatch is playing diplomat after all ^^ And yes! You are right Ace hasn't even been born yet, Golden Sun is set about 300 years [give or take] before Red Moon, and some of the WBP aren't even part of the Coven yet, but that will be touched on more later ^^. And I am sorry but I am not in the liberty of disclosing the "turning" process of a human to a vampire, Izo as you know will be turned but I cannot reveal what Sabo will decide in the future.

Oh and for those of you who haven't read Red Moon, the story that is set after this timeline, a Vampire's Inclination* is like their own little gift. Thatch has a storyteller's inclination he is able to project his tales vividly into your head and Marco is able to solve puzzles and troubling situations.

If you guys have any more questions about the time line and things lemme know!~ Thank you and see you next time!~