Chapter 15
"Where are we going?" Ericka asked curiously if still excited.
"Well, it is your birthday, right? A birthday is meant to be the best day of your life, right? I figured you should have a decent seat for the big show on your birthday." Dracula explained as he steered the boat out further out on the river, "So I figured you should have a decent seat."
Nightfall had fallen by the time they arrived out in the middle of the lake, now seeing the island kingdom of Corona in full glory with it's imposing castle, impressive even at night. The castle's rooftops and turrets were dark shadows against the night sky. Very few lights were on in the homes of the townspeople due to the nature of the festival. It was very calm and quiet out on the lake.
As they waited for a couple more minutes, Ericka sighed in uncomfortable anxiety which Dracula noticed as he asked with in concern, "You okay, my love?"
Ericka stared down at her own reflection and shook her head, whispering, "I'm terrified."
Those words confused and surprised Dracula. They had come all this way and were finally about to see the lanterns - the very lanterns Ericka had been dreaming about since she was a child - but why was she terrified? Could it have something to do with her experience in the village he built in the forest? But his thoughts were proven incorrect when Ericka shrugged.
"I've been looking out of a window for eighteen years, dreaming about what I might feel like when those lights rise in the sky... What if it's not everything I dreamed it would be?"
Dracula wasn't quite sure what to say, but after he gave it some thought for a moment he smiled reassuringly, "It will be."
"And what if it is? What do I do then?" Ericka questioned again, having never thought about what to do with her life after living her life long dream.
"Well, that's a good part I guess," Dracula answered with a shrug, "You get to go find a new dream."
Though he realized it sounded strange coming from him. Because for many years he never considered a new dream for himself, as a life with Martha, building their hotel, and maybe even a family was all the dream he really wanted.
But, what if...
Ericka smiled at the thought of finding of new dream, but for now she was grateful beyond words, beyond how she could describe to Dracula how she felt. She was happy that Dracula was here with her and was trying to make this night special for her. She remembered the things had had done that day were not his favorite activities, but he had done them for her without complaining. She knew he had begun to enjoy it, and for some reason that made her feel warm inside.
Meanwhile, the townspeople were getting ready for the final stage of the festival. After a whole day of food and dancing, it was time to acknowledge the true reason this holiday was held. King Frederic and Queen Arianna looked sadder than ever. Their expressions grave as they silently released their sun-stamped, marshmallow shaped, pillow lantern high into the sky. It had been eighteen years since their daughter was stolen from them by that wicked Gothel. Eighteen years of waiting for their daughter's return, and now they were beginning to lose hope of ever seeing their precious child again.
The townspeople standing in the courtyard waited until the King and Queen's lantern had been released, so they can all release their own lanterns as well. All through the streets and marketplaces, the citizens let their lanterns go. Everybody in town participated out of love and respect for the royal family. It was a whole mass of many different people united in finding their lost princess, and most of the townsfolk hoped Gothel would suffer the consequences for abducting the princess.
Out on the lake, Dracula,Eunice,Frank and Ericka sat in their boat waiting patiently for the spectacle to begin, just enjoying each other's company as Dracula held some small flowers for Ericka and she delicately set them on the water's surface.
Then a faint glimmer of light reflected from the water's reflection caught Ericka's attention. She glanced up and saw a lantern - the very same lantern her parents had recently set up - rising from behind the dark walls of the castle.
Ericka quickly ran to the prow of the boat, wrapping her arms around it as her abrupt movements nearly made the boat tip over. Dracula hastily tried to maintain balance, while recovering from his dizziness so he could watch his darling Rapunzel anxiously gaze up at the single, floating lantern.
Pretty soon, it was gradually followed by many more floating lanterns as they began to float up into the night sky. Right above the kingdom, hundreds of lanterns were floating upward. And then more lanterns rose up from the great ships resting in the harbor. The rising lanterns transformed the dark night into a sea of lanterns that drifted gracefully through the air.
All her life her only dream in the world was to see the floating lanterns and now she was right there, watching them in person. So enveloped in joyous emotions too complicated to describe, she had finally seen her dream come true. It was better than she had ever thought it could be. But there was another wondrous feeling that rose inside of her, like she had finally found where she truly belonged after a lifetime of wondering and longing.
(Ericka,Eunice)
All those days watching from the windows
All those years outside looking in
All that time never even knowing
Just how blind I've been
Now I'm here blinking in the starlight
Now I'm here, suddenly I see
Standing here, it's all so clear
I'm where I'm meant to be
And at last I see the light
And it's like the fog has lifted
And at last I see the light
And it's like the sky is new
And it's warm and real and bright
And the world has somehow shifted
All at once everything looks different
Now that I see you
For Dracula, he gazed at the beauty and warm golden glow he witnessed for this had to be as close to being in true day light for him without getting burned to a crisp by the real sun. He had to admit it was the most magnificent sight he had ever seen. As he gazed at Ericka and how she watched the hundreds of rising lanterns before her like an excitable little girl, a warm and loving feeling rose within him, like he had been lost for a long time but was found again by this curious, fiery, passionate, and beautiful human girl. How much he had sacrificed to make her happy and bring her here. Somehow he could tell she felt the same way as he seemed to notice the glow with her own golden light in the sea of lanterns which had completely surrounded them like they were in another world.
It was a feeling both of them wanted to last forever, but Dracula secretly hid a terrifying feeling of loosing Ericka forever, just like he lost Martha. He couldn't bare such a thought. It would be worse than have a stake shoved into his heart. He had to find a way to keep her safe and keep her with him for eternity, unless...Yes, this could work and he knew how to do it.
But for now there was now only this moment.
Ericka heard a faint noise and turned to look at the vampire, as though seeing him for the first time and at the same time like she had known him her whole life, as if the four lovers finally found each other after being lost for so long. He smiled at her as he held fourlanterns just for them, and in her eyes he looked so magnificent in the golden glow of the sea of lanterns, like he was her guardian angel or the other half of her very soul.
As he watched her take her seat back in the boat, Ericka said, "I don't have anything for you, other than to say thank you. And I love you, so much. I've been so scared my whole life, even after leaving that tower. But when I'm with you, the thing is, I'm not scared anymore. Do you know what I mean?"
Dracula smiled as he gently touched her hand and spoke tenderly, "I'm staring to. And I love you, too."
He handed her one of the lanterns, and together as one they raised their lanterns to the air to fly among the hundreds more and add their light, as if to show their own souls now flew freely with the ethereal. One particular lantern caught Ericka's eye as she pointed to it with an excited grin, and held out her hand to it out in the water. Dracula noticed it had the Sun crest of the royal family on it, and it seemed like a strange omen somehow as it landed on Rapunzel's finger delicate tips and she lifted it upward to fly higher.
(Dracula,Frank)
All those days chasing down a memory
All those years living in a blur
All that time never truly seeing things
The way they were
Now she's here shining in the starlight
Now she's here, suddenly I know
If she's here, it's crystal clear
I'm where I'm meant to go
Determined to show her how he felt, Dracula took both of her hands into his. The look in Ericka's eyes showed love and understanding. She returned the feeling as she sang along with him. As they looked deep into each other's eyes, the Count held her hands romantically in his own.
(Dracula & Ericka)
And at last I see the light
(Dracula)
And it's like the fog has lifted
(Frank &Eunice)
And at last I see the light
(Ericka)
And it's like the sky is new
(Dracula,Frank, Eunice &Ericka)
And it's warm and real and bright
And the world has somehow shifted
All at once everything looks different
Now that I see you, now that I see you
He caressed her hair tenderly behind her ear and his touch lightly made its way down her cheek to hold it. He gently held her face to bring her closer to his own for a kiss as her eyes slowly closed, awaiting his lips to meet hers.
While Frank kissed his wife on the lips,Dracula wanted to kiss her, he had something else in mind. What Ericka didn't see was that Dracula's gentle blue eyes began to glow a deadly red glow as he opened his mouth slightly to reveal his fangs growing longer. He eyed Ericka's neck and slowly leaned in closer to bite it.
But then, a strange movement in the dark shadows caught his attention. The red glow in his eyes vanished as he stopped to use his advanced sight ability to look closer. At the banks of the lake, just at the edge of a forested area, the heavy but unmistakable silhouette of an ogre could be seen, and the brute seemed to be smirking at what he had seen.
Dracula felt his stomach drop. They had to leave. Now.
Ericka noticed something was wrong when she didn't get her kiss and opened her eyes. "What is it?" she asked, "Is everything okay?"
"Uh, yeah," Dracula stammered as he looked at her as though coming out of a momentary shock, "Everything is wonderful, my darling. But, uh, it's getting really late now. We need to be heading back to the hotel, for the big birthday extravaganza I planned for you."
Ericka knew something seemed to shake Dracula, but she couldn't put her finger on it. But she smiled at the thought of more of her birthday celebration tonight and muttered, "Okay."
Dracula began quickly rowing them back into the walled city, away from the ogre watching them, certain he meant trouble. They would then make their way back to the hearse, and drive like bats out of hell back to the hotel for Ericka's birthday party. And maybe then, he will find a chance to bite her, and they can be together forever.
But little did he know the ogre who had seen what the vampire had almost done was already running back to the hotel to report to his mistress, chuckling wickedly, "Boy, oh boy! The boss is going to love this!"
Wayne had trouble sleeping, having several of his pups and snoring on top of him and his bloodshot eyes wide open. Wanda slept peacefully beside him, not even disturbed by her pups' snoring. As soon as Wayne slowly closed his eyes, the skeleton phone started shrieking. The wolf pups woke up howling in his eyes, forcing his eyes to snap open.
"I didn't order a wake up call," Wayne grumbled through the phone's receiver as his wife and pups got put of bed.
"Count Dracula arranged it for all the rooms," answered a witch maid's voice.
The tired werewolf placed the receiver back on the skeleton phone, but the phone continued to shriek loudly.
"Where's the snooze button?!" he growled as he tried desperately to shut it up.
"There will be no snoozing!" responded the skeleton phone, "The party's today!"
Elsewhere in the hotel, Ericka put on her vampire makeup and disguise to get ready, but she wanted to wear something special for her big night. Looking at the untouched pile of beautiful gowns Dracula once left for her, she knew how hard it will be to choose the right one. Lucky for her, Pascal and Salem were there to solve her dilemma. When Ericka had left the hotel with Dracula, the cat and the chameleon quickly made her a new dress similar to her vampire costume, except it was different. When Ericka first saw the gown, it took her breath away, She thanked her two animal friends multiple times before grabbing the gown and rushed into the bathroom to put it on.
The rest of hotel soon became alive with a frenzy as all of the monsters started getting ready, such as Griffin shaving his face, combing his invisible hair, and damping white powder on his butt, smirking, "Oh, yeah. Perfecto."
In his own room, Dracula discreetly hid a small, gift wrapped box inside his jacket pocket, his eyes widened as he did so, and then quickly left the room. It was a present for Ericka. A very special present, to surprise her during the party and to seal their love forever.
At that moment, Vlad and Bela arrived just outside the hotel, crossing the long bridge as Vlad said in an observant tone, "Hotel Transylvania."
"I smell... HUMANS!" Bela yelled in disgust, "TEAR IT DOWN!"
The crony flexed his long deadly claws in eagerness, but Vlad explained what should have been obvious, "Bela, we're in the outside world. You're gonna smell humans. You know what, just wait outside for me. This is family stuff; you'll only get in the way." He patted his bat minion's head like common lap dog, causing Bela to growl, as Vlad continued, "I just wanna meet this girl my son has met, she should know her future father-in-law."
"Her what?!" Bela yelled in a confused tone.
"I want my son to continue the Dracula bloodline. C'mon, that was obvious," Vlad replied as he made his way to the castle.