Chapter 4

The night was dark and storm clouds were gathering over head, as usual for his weather. Nothing appeared out of normal as Arthur rode down the dirt rode on horse back as quickly as he could. There wasn't time for stopping. There wasn't time for slowing down. There wasn't time for anything except getting to Drakelow as quickly as he could.

Arthur would never tell a soul of his frequent trips to the small town of his land. Only one there knew what he really was, that Arthur wasn't just Arthur Kirkland but also the personified nation of all of England. This one single person was the only reason Arthur kept sneaking away to Drakelow. All for her. All for his Amelia. Amelia James from Drakelow, England.

At this time in the world nations were completely forbidden from having relationships outside of those with their bosses or fellow nations. If Arthur was ever caught with Amelia it would be the end of her and the rest of his days for possibly the next seventy-five years in a cell under the castle floors.

He was always quick to go to Drakelow, he couldn't be followed without being caught and he couldn't be gone long or else he'd seem suspicious. Which his boss was already starting to become with Arthur's frequent disappearances. Tonight, though, was different. Tonight Amelia had sent him a carrier pigeon with important information. About her current condition. About how she was in labour, with Arthur's child.

'It's too soon! She should have almost another month!' Arthur screamed in against the wind to the little faerie sitting on top the horses head, hanging on by its mane. The horse was chocolate brown with white patches throughout its fur and a pure white mane. The faerie riding on top its head was a more mischievous one. One that often concerned Arthur with her play but right now he didn't care. All that he cared about was getting to his beloved Amelia and helping her through this.

Once in the town Arthur pulled the horse to a hault outside Amelia's home, the only light coming from the small one story cottage being from a few candles in the bedroom. The house was small, enough for at the most two, and the only reason Amelia was allowed to keep it was because she was a widow and when her husband died her father allowed her to continue living in the house when she told him that a kind man had comforted her and she'd started having feelings for him. The townsfolk knew Arthur well with his visits and simple believed he had a job in the capital and wasn't able yet to take his widowed fiance with him because he hadn't been given permission from Amelia's father. It was only 1480 and if a women wanted to do anything she needed her fathers permission. She was lucky he hadn't handed her over when he found out she was pregnant before the marriage. In a very strict town she could have been hung for that but Arthur had kept her safe, admitting he was the father and that it was all his fault, stringing together an explanation and saying they were engaged, quieting the townsfolk and keeping Amelia safe. Always to keep Amelia safe, she was the only thing Arthur worried about anymore what with their expecting child.

Amelia was alone in her bedroom, hair sticking to her face from sweat and tears. Her bed clothes dishevelled and her sheets dirty. Her hands were digging into the sheets with her face scrunched up in pain as a contraction washed over her before she could take deep breathes. By then Arthur was already at her side, holding her hand, kissing her forehead, and telling her how proud he was of her and how everything was going to be alright.

'I-I'm scared Ar-Arthur!' she screamed, terror and worry clouding her hazel eyes that were spilling salty tears down her face.

'Shhh,' Arthur comforted, hugging her shoulders, 'it'll be okay. Just tell me when the contractions started. Does it hurt a lot? Do you need something for the pain?'

'Th-they started a-a-at l-lunch. They did-didn't start ge-getting painfu-ful until sun-sunset!' her eyes squeezed closed as another contraction swept through her frail body.

'P-pain!' She nearly screeched. That's all Arthur needed to go to his side for his bag and find the medicine he had brought. He'd put it together just for here, just for when she went into labour. When he went to grab it he found the little faerie holding it out to him, she'd been the one who'd grabbed it off the shelf for him and placed it in his bag. If he hadn't been so frantic over Amelia he would have noticed the evil smirk gracing the small Fae's features.

'Here, drink this. It will help my love.' Arthur said as he help the vial to her lips. She drank it greedily. In desperate need of any type of fluid at this point. The medicine did as it was suppose to, easing the pain long enough to help her through the birth.

Arthur gently cradled the new born baby in his arms, having looked it over with utmost care. Despite the little baby being a month early he seemed perfectly fine, if not a tad small. Arthur had wiped his son down with a damp cloth and cut the umbilical cord, going over to kneel by his Amelia and hand their baby over to her.

'It's a boy love.' Arthur said softly, looking over Amelia's shoulder at the baby she held. 'What will his name be?'

'Alexander,' Amelia answered with a deep tired sigh, 'Alexander James Kirkland.' Amelia smiled down softly at her new baby one more time before colapsing into the bed and entering the realm of sleep, the newborn baby soon following along with Arthur once he'd straightened up the mess that the birth had caused.

Arthur bolted awake from his dream, memory, sitting up with a sharp gasp. He was shaking and his body was covered in a cold sweat. Looking around frantically to confirm it was just a dream. Arthurs eyes landed on Alfred, who was standing at the foot of his bed, head down.

"A-Alfred?" Arthur questioned nervously gripping at the quilt on his bed.

Alfred lifted his head to reveal blood red eyes in the place of sky blue. "No," a pause and evil smirk, "Father."

The cold sweat that Arthur had been in from his dream seemed to only intensify as a shiver ran down his spine at the name. He had to stay strong though, for Alfred.

"What do you think your going to achieve Alex?" Arthur asked quietly.

"Simply wish to keep my promise, mom ta-" Arthur cut his son of with a shout. "Do not bring your mother into this!"

Alex fell silent and let a playful grin take his place. "Of coarse, I forget how much you miss her. I was raised to never break promises though, you helped teach me that lesson, dad."

"Don't call me your father child, I haven't been your father since you killed your mother." Arthur replied with a snarl, getting out of the covers and going to stand up.

"Sit. down" Alex commanded and though Arthur glared and practically growled he sat back down onto the bed, obeying orders.

"You are under my order dad. If I want you to call you something I'll call you it. If I want to bring mom up I will. If I want to bring up what you did to me. I will. Clear?"

"Crystal" Arthur answered with a fake smile.

"Good, now than, since you now remember and admit that I'm your son I believe we can continue." Alex said with a playful tone. Arthur only glared, vampires were very rare in his country to begin with and finding one with the same name as his son that knew so much about him with so little digging had sent many bells off in his head. He had to admit to himself though, he was in denial that he had let loose his own son and that he was really doing all this.

"So your really my little Alex, what do you wish to accomplish than?" Arthur asked.

"Merely to keep my promise I made as I realized that it was your fault I'm like this, that its your fault I killed mom, while you sent me to the other side, because I was a 'threat'" Alex replied with a tone of disgust.

"You were Alex! You killed your own mother and attacked me! If I hadn't stopped you, would you have stopped yourself from killing others?" Arthur screamed, trying to fight the command to sit.

"All because of you! You were the one in the occult! You were the one who performed magic! The faeries told me that when I was born you gave mom something to ease the pain, without testing it or seeing the side effects! Well the side effects are in front of you!" Alex screamed back.

"It wasn't my fault! I didn't know that it would cause a change in you! I didn't think it possible that the medicine wouldn't dissolve and leave her body once the birth was over! I didn't think that it would poison you further and turn you into this when she would feed you! And for you information young man, the faeries are the ones truly responsible! They tampered with that medicine and had me give it to your mother! You know I loved you both and would never do that to either of you on purpose! I couldn't ever curse my own family!" Arthur screamed and shouted, tears clouding his vision but he couldn't stop them. The memories of all that had happened after Alexanders birth to painful to revisit without tears accompaning them.

November 1, 1480

Alexander James Kirkland had made it through the night along with his mother. Arthur had awoken up first and smiled softly down at the scene of his love, gently holding their baby to her chest, both sound asleep still.

Letting out a yawn Arthur crawled from the bed and went over to the small fireplace to start up a new fire to keep the small new family warm. As the room warmed up considerably Amelia stirred. Sitting up in the bed, keeping a motherly hold on her little infant that was still curled up against her. She moved some of her light caramel brown hair off her face, her bright blue eyes reflecting the glow of the fire.

"Hey" She said sleepily, a happy smile sliding onto her lightly colored cheeks. She had a more pale complexion but working out in the farm had giving her a very light tan.

"Morning love" Arthur replied, standing up and going over to kiss her quickly. "How you feel?"

"Different, defiantly different. But good." She replied with a tired yawn that seemed to disturb the pale bundle in her arm.

"Hows our Alexander?" Arthur asked with a soft voice, kneeling down to gently stroke the baby's head. He squirmed and whined a bit in reply, slowly opening his eyes. They would match his own when he grew up. Most babies were born with soft blue eyes, but Alexanders were already a pale green that would soon turn to the bright emerald of his fathers in a few weeks times. He was bald, so there was no telling whose hair he'd inherited but his skin was very pale, much like his fathers, although once he started working out in the fields he'd probably tan up some.

"He's perfect." Arthur breathed as Amelia gently handed Alex over to his father.

"He'll have your eyes love" Amelia commented, slowly relaxing into the bed again. Arthur looked up from the baby with concern, "Are you alright?"

"Yes, just tired. I guess that's what child birth does to you." She answered with a small laugh. Arthur nodded, giving Amelia the baby while he went to work around the small house. Arthur had made a crib months ago and set a soft mat in it along with a few small pillows and a blue afghan that his Amelia had made.

Once the crib was set up he went over to the fire place and got to work at making a small simple breakfast for himself and Amelia. Burning eggs was something even England could manage to avoid when it came to his Amelia. Once the eggs were done he went over to the bed where Amelia still was with Alex. Giving Amelia the plate of eggs and taking the baby from her so she could eat.

"Breakfast for mom first Alex." Arthur said as he sat in the rocker, holding Alex closely to his chest and just relaxing. It wasn't until he was relaxed that he noticed that there was a dark aura in the room. It seemed to be coming from himself but he knew that wasn't possible, he wouldn't admit to himself that it could possibly be the small infant in his arms. In the end he brushed it off as the faerie from last night playing around.

October 30, 1481

Alexander would be turning one tomorrow. He'd gotten his mothers hair and was growing up nicely, although causing his father concern. Amelia wasn't involved in magic so she couldn't tell, but Alex had developed a dark aura that seemed to keep growing. Arthur hated to admit it but it was always the strongest when Amelia feed him. Once he'd acknowledged that he was gaining this dark aura from his mothers milk Arthur set about finding what it was. No matter how hard he thought he couldn't figure it out though.

August 13, 1486

Despite his dark aura Alex seemed to be growing up normally, that is until Arthur visited one day and found him out back in the woods.

He had been going through what Amelia thought was a faze, refusing to eat his dinner, claiming he had a stomach ache or that he wasn't hungry. It was starting to concern her so the next time Arthur came around he said he'd go talk to Alex about it. He never expected to find his son kneeling by a dead fox.

"Alexander what are you doing?" Arthur shouted, skidding down next to the boy.

"Daddy, why'd the faeries kill the fox?" Alex asked looking up to his father. Arthur nearly gasped, the Fae rarely killed a creature.

"I don't know...perhaps they wanted to keep you safe from it, it could have wanted to attack you love" Arthur reasoned, not noticing that Alex had reached out to the dead fox and gotten his hand covered in blood. He only noticed when the boy started to lick the blood off his fingers.

"Alexander James Kirkland!" Arthur yelled, ripping the boys hand from his mouth. Alex looked to his father, angry that his father stopped him when the blood tasted so good and had helped his burning throat.

"We are going back to the house. Now!" Arthur yelled dragging the boy back to the house. Ignoring the red that had creeped along the edges of the boys green eyes.

October 31, 1496

Arthur hated it when he didn't know something. The faeries had kept him from knowing this for sixteen years.

It was Alexander's sixteenth birthday and of coarse Arthur would be there. He was just leaving as the faerie that had gone with him all those years ago flew infront of him and yelled at him that he couldn't go.

"Why can't I go? He's my son" Arthur said, annoyed. "But it's not safe for you to go Arthur!" the faerie shouted at him.

"Why's that?" Arthur asked, concern dripping into his voice.

"Because your our Arthur! Our England! Not some peasant women and her child's!" the faerie yelled. Arthur raised an eyebrow at this.

"What are talking about? Of coarse I'm your England, Arthur, but you can't keep me to yourself, that women is my love and that child is my son" Arthur said, stepping around the small fae creature.

"But he's not your son anymore!" the little faerie shouted. Arthur whirled around at that. "What?" He nearly shouted.

All the faeries looked around guilty except for the one that had shouted, the mischievous one that always worried Arthur.

"Sixteen years ago you made a medicine for Amelia to help her give birth to that child. Well I cursed it! It gave the baby a dark aura that grew off of Amelia's poisoned milk as an infant. It's now the child's sixteenth birthday and that dark aura will take control and he will kill his mother and anyone else in that house tonight!" She screamed.

Arthur had paled at what the faerie told him, and all the pieces clicked together. Alexanders dark aura as he grew. His rebellious tendencies. His lack of friends. His interest in hunting. The incident with the dead fox. That occasional red in his eyes that took over more and more as he grew. It was all because Alexander had a dark aura that was festering inside and turning him into something he wasn't.

Holding back all the tears and cries Arthur bolted past the faeries and mounted his horse. Racing faster to Drakelow than the night sixteen years ago when Alexander had been born. He had not a second to spare. The more he thought and put things together the more he realized the full scenario.

The faerie had gotten jealous of his love and expecting child and had sabotaged the medicine for Amelia so that Alexander would become a dark being that would kill for blood. Arthurs eyes widened as he realized what his son had most likely become. A vampire.

Present

Arthur was jarred from his memories as warm comforting arms encircled his waist and shoulders, pulling him flush against a broad chest. It was than that Arthur noticed how bad he was shaking, sobbing, crying. Talking out his memories in his hysterics.

Once his mind had caught up with his body he started thrashing about to get out of the hold he was currently trapped in.

"Arthur, its me" Arthur froze, that voice, full of worry and concern but pure Alfreds. Not Alexanders, not his sons. Alfreds.

Arthur only cried harder, knowing that the torture was done for now. That Alex wouldn't come out and bring those memories of centuries past back for a while.

Alfred was fighting his own tears back, seeing Arthur crying so hard at the feet of his son had been to painful a sight. He'd begged and pleaded with the spirit within him to let him out, to leave Arthur be for now and give him just a few moments of peace from the nightmare Alexander was apparently making him remember. Throughout all his begging and strong will, Alfred managed to get control back, and had immediately gone in to comfort him.

"Shhh, it's over. It's just you and me now. No Alexander." Alfred tried to comfort, unknowingly bringing more tears to Arthurs eyes at the shear reminder that his son was gone.

New Chapter! Sorry ahead of time for grammar mistakes and what not, I finished this up a bit before 1am and start dance camp tomorrow, so I had to get to bed but had to get this uploaded. So I didn't go over it that well this time.

Anyways! Alexander is apparently Arthurs old son. WHO SAW IT COMING? If you did you get brownie points!

So, I'll try to get the next chapter up faster, but dance camp might hinder that slightly. Who loves cliffhangers though? I do!

Contest! ...No contest this time, sorry. Mostly because there wasn't a winner last time. Well there was but they were not logged in for their review. If said person logs in and reviews this time, confirming who they are than they'll get the sneak preview next time, if not. Well your outta luck dear. So if you participated in the last contest go check the reviews and see if you were logged in. If you weren't and would like a preview, log in and review again confirming who you are.

See you hopefully again in two weeks! Oh! P.S. Anyone on LiveJournal. I joined it recently but its soooo confusing. I'd like to upload this (and a new story in the works) to LiveJournal but am totally confused. PM me please and help me out guys. Help spread the story around!