Chapter 16

Catherine was asleep on a bench on the starboard side of the ship. Her face was green with sickness. The sun was setting over the blue sea, tinting it orange. The sea was calm and gentle. The wind blew lightly but strong enough to push the large sails of the wooden boat onward.
The boat was running smoothly so the crew was able to take a break. Megan was sitting on her captain's chair behind the wheel, peeling at an orange. Rodney, and his twin brother Sonny were playing chess on the port side of the ship. Van Helsing and Amelia were pouring over a large, detailed map of Europe. They discovered that when they reached Split, a city on the central shores of Yugoslavia, it would then take an average of four to five days to reach Bran-Brasov, and from there, Castle Dracula. With a black ink pen they drew a route that they would follow. It went between tall mountains and over vast hills but they summarized it would be the safest route in the untameable country.

An hour later the sun was gone, and the sky was a dark blue, dotted with twinkling stars. The sea was no longer as calm, and Catherine had retreated into the quiet of her cabin. Meanwhile, on the deck above, the crew was at work, trying to reason with the continuously changing winds. The moon was waxing above them. Megan was yelling out orders for Rodney to untie the sails when the wind would change, or for Sonny to bail out the water that the waves sloshed aboard. Van Helsing and Amelia would try to help, but every bucket of water they threw overboard seemed to be replaced with double. Finally when the moon was set above them the winds died down, lowering the relentless waves.
Exhausted and tired, Amelia sat down on the bench at the edge of the ship. She was staring out to sea. A single tear rolled down her cheek. Van Helsing noticed and wandered over to her.
"Amelia? What wrong?" He stood at her shoulder, trying to reassure her that whatever was wrong, it would be ok.
"I don't think I'll ever see it again. My village, and the sea. Don't say I'm wrong, because I'm not. I know what is going to happen." she bowed her head as more tears began to run down her face and into her lap. "And I need you to promise me something." she still wasn't looking at him, if anything, she was trying to avoid his gaze.
"Anything." was his response. He placed his hand on her shoulder and waited for her request.
"At any chance you get, if Michelle is dead or alive, safe or imprisoned... And same for Dracula... I need you to use this, on my full moon." she removed the silver stake from a sheath that she recently placed there earlier that day, thinking it would be a better idea after what happened. She held it out to him, waiting for him to accept.
Van Helsing never expected her to do this. He knew that it was likely to be him to end her life, but her never thought that she would ask it of him, let alone give him the weapon to finish the task with. He took it with unease. Amelia got up and left to the hatch where she disappeared below deck.

When Michelle woke up she felt the soft plush of the red area carpet beneath her. She was lying on her stomach. She could feel the moistness on her cheeks from her continuous crying from before. She shifted her head so that she could see herself in the large mirror. The room looked the same.
She could see the reflection of the door open and in came floating a tray of food. It wasn't supported in any way. It was just floating towards her. She watched it being placed onto the table behind her. There was no movement. She turned her head to look at the tray to see if it was a trick unnoticeable to detect in the mirror. She froze. Just ahead of her, in front of the try, was a woman. She was solid, she was there. Michelle sat up and looked back into the mirror. The woman wasn't there. She looked back into the real room and the woman was there. Michelle finally realized that the woman had no reflection.
This woman had long black hair and a delicate silk green dress on.
"Who are you?" asked Michelle. Michelle was hoping this wasn't a vampire.
"Aleera, one of Dracula's four wives. But it is a pleasure to meet you, Michelle." nope, definitely a vampire. Michelle sighed and got up. The vampire smiled, like she was happy with the way this little girl was behaving around her.
Aleera was never used to humans treating her like she wasn't a monster. This girl apparently didn't care, or didn't know the true nature of these creatures that are hosting her. Such a harmless little girl. Aleera found it difficult not to take her as a snack right then and there.
"N-nice to meet you... Miss Aleera." Michelle could see the hungry look in the vampire's eyes. It scared her and she began pushing herself back away from the vampire up against the mirror.
"Miss Aleera? Mrs. Aleera! I am married!" The vampire was angered now. Not what Michelle wanted to do. The vampire saw the fear on Michelle's face. Then she remembered her orders not to kill the child, despite all the temptations. Her mood softened dramatically. "I am sorry, my child. I am not use to the presence of children." Aleera backed off and flopped herself onto the armchair that was occupied by Dracula earlier. She rubbed her forehead and sighed. Michelle stood up and approached the vampire, with great courage.
"So then you have no children, I suppose?" Michelle asked. The vampire smiled and did a slight laugh.
"Well, none that lasted more than five minutes." Aleera smiled and then drooped her head down like she was ashamed of herself for finding this amusing.
"I'm... sorry." was Michelle's reply. Michelle really did want to feel sorry, but the thought of a bunch of bloodsucking vampires haunting the skies and swooping down for an occasional meal on an innocent villager couldn't drive her emotions far enough towards sorry.
"No your not. Nobody feels sorry for a vampire that looses her offspring. They find it a blessing from God." Aleera was touched by the girl's generous feelings though.
"I'm sorry for the loss of your children, despite the impact it had on humanity." Michelle said with a stern face. She wanted to get on the good side of this woman, it might be better to make kind with her, and not to get her on your dark side.
"Never has someone felt sorry for a vampire personally. Why are you so different?" Aleera was leaning forward in her chair, so that her eyes were even with the little girl's.
"I never met my mother, she died during my birth. That impact made me see the good in anything, and not the bad. I see people as gardens. You have to tend to them, and try to remove the weeds so beautiful flowers can replace them. My sister always said this theory would get me into trouble. In a way I suppose she was right." Michelle replied.
It was odd, human and vampire were having an actual conversation without threats being involved. Instead there was sympathy, a rare thing shared between even humans in these harsh times. Aleera smiled, and not an evil one. Her fangs weren't bared and Michelle realised how beautiful this woman was. Before she was a terrifying beauty, one that would be admired for her terror and impact on people. Now Michelle saw a raw beauty, like in her sisters. Michelle definitely had an amazing impact on people.
"Well, Michelle Mearon. Your attitude surprises me. You are not what I expected when I heard the girl was brought in kicking and screaming." Aleera stood and left, leaving the tray of food for Michelle to enjoy in the empty, red, lonely room.