The two days had passed painfully slowly. Every chore, every prayer, even every lullaby was a drag on Celeste's nerves as she waited to meet with the young vampire again. She just needed to spoon the food out to the last few patients and then she would sneak away during her free study time. Suddenly, a realization shocked through her, making her splatter the food onto the plate of an elderly man.

"Damn it, woman!" The man swore, wiping his clothes.

"Oh! I'm so sorry," she mumbled, trying to wipe it off him only for him to snatch the rag and do it himself.

"Awful girl, just get on! You weren't paying attention to what I was saying anyway, leave me be," he grumbled.

He didn't have to beg, she leaped up and hurried out of the hall. It was her free time now; a few hours at the height of the day when she didn't have anything in particular for her to do. Of course, she was expected to busy herself with some sort of a chore or with prayer but she often hurried out and spent the time in the nearby woods enjoying the silence and freedom of nature and, as such, no one gave her a second glance when she skirted out the door.

She had realized half way through serving the angry old man that she hadn't agreed on a time with Adrian. What if he thought she wasn't coming? That would be heartbreaking after what happened to his mother. Moreover, if he thought she'd tricked him, maybe he would lose his willingness to save humans from his father. With that thought racing through her mind she broke into a run, pulling her robes up around her and trying to ignore how her veil flapped around her head.

She tripped over a root, stumbling as she broke through the trees. She looked up from where she'd landed on her hands and knees and saw the tall tree Adrian had mentioned and she began to run again. Then there was a flash of gold and black before her, and she went backward, feeling her feet lift from the ground. She gasped, clutching to the shape as she moved them at an incredible speed. When they stopped Celeste's head was swimming and she struggled to hold it up to look into Adrian's bemused face.

"Was that…a punishment for being late?"

"Are you late?"

"Am I?"

"Well we didn't agree on a time," Adrian offered, still holding her by her shoulders as she swayed.

"So why?"

"Dracula has been…very wary of people around the castle, I thought the tree might be too close. So when I saw your…graceful exit from the woods I came to get you."

She nodded, patting her hands on his arms to signify he could let her go. She rubbed her forehead, "Well…so…you just-"

"I've been watching."

"That seems very-"

"Oh, it is boring," he smirked slightly, "but I thought the continued human race within Wallachia might be worth it."

She cut her eyes at him before rolling them away to the tree line. For someone that had seemed very earnest, he was quite flippant or maybe he just liked showing off how intelligent he was.

"Are you all right, by the way? That seemed to be a rather nasty fall."

She blinked, following his gaze down to her habit where dirt was smeared over her knee. She groaned, ignoring his look in favor of trying to clean it, "No I'm fine. This happens a lot."

"Does it?"

"Unfortunately," she sighed, having to squint harder when she turned her head up to look at him, from even this close his face was all but a blur if she wasn't standing at her full height. S could hear a breath of laughter escape him. The same laughter she always heard in response to the twisted contortions of her face when she strained to see, the laughter she'd learned to ignore, "My mother used to say that I must have seen a horrid sin as a child and God struck me near blind."

She stood to see him trying to disguise a look of horror, "I'm kidding. My mother didn't say that."

He sighed, shutting his eyes.

"The nuns that raised me did, I don't remember anything my mother said to me. She gave me up when I was a baby," She smiled slowly as she took in his shocked expression, "I have to have my fun when I can, not many ask about my origins, Adrian."

He sighed, shaking his head, "You don't believe that do you?"

"That I saw a sin? No. I don't believe God punishes the innocent. I…I don't even know that I believe God punishes anyone."

"You don't?" he tilted his head slightly.

"No…I think…some things are out of even God's control. Some things are the results of our choices, others are just…what happens. We were made to experience humanity not to be playthings. For better or worse we are left, I think, mostly untouched."

He stared at her for what felt like a very long time. He was jarringly handsome, like one of the beautiful statues at the church. And much like the statues it didn't feel like she was looking at a real person. "You aren't terribly popular in the convent are you?" He asked.

"I don't live in a convent and, no, no I am not," she said flatly.

He smiled. She was an odd woman. Terribly wise in mind and horribly myopic in a literal biological sense. Maybe he could find a way to make her some glasses, though doing so without his father's help, much less without the tools within the castle, would be difficult work.

"Did you have time to ask about my mother?" he spoke, sitting on a fallen tree.

She sat beside him without hesitation, "I didn't ask so much as bring it up. But I did hear about what everyone thinks. And it is…what I expected. So many within the service of the church were served by your mother. Sisters of mine have been…harmed in ways that required a very certain kind of help and your mother was the only safe person to receive it from."

"So you would say many people loved her?"

"Well…" she frowned looking up through the tree tops, "that's a much more difficult question to answer."

"How?"

"...This is…what I've seen. People…allow terrible things to happen because they're afraid if they speak against it the terrible thing it will happen to them as well. You see, Adrian, God asks us to be sheep. Sometimes…very awful people become shepherds."

While the sun seemed to sink into the deep black of her veil as though it was being swallowed it glinted off of her face making her glow like a saint. He thought of a story his mother had long since told him. Of how his father had liked her right away, how the trust and mutual respect had been nearly instantaneous. Then he shook his head because the woman before him was a woman of the cloth. Of course, then, nothing was wrong with respecting her. Or having trust in her, as long as she meant what she said.

She looked at him with a calm kindness befitting her position, an expression that only deepened the trust he'd already placed in her, "I'm so sorry that no one did anything for your mother but…I suppose that is the way. Almost insurmountably so. People are afraid to step forward even when they know it is right. And if they aren't sure? They won't unless there is something to gain."

He sighed, "Well...I suppose I can't expect any more than that. But…still, I will fight for them,"

"Even against your father?" her voice was gentle, carrying an awareness that the question she asked was a heavy one.

"Even then."

"...Forgive me but…"

"Yes?"

"...well it's just…he seems…scary."

"Oh."

"I'm sorry was that-"

"No, he definitely is scary. I don't know that I could ever beat him, especially on my own. Especially cut off from everything he's built. The technology and magic he has at his disposal. It's…"

"...Right."

He sighed, "But. If I had help."

"...Are you asking?"

"Am I asking for your help?"

"It sounds like-"

"You think I would ask a nearsighted nun to help me defeat my nigh immortal vampire father in a battle for the lives of the entire country?"

She frowned at him, "I've told you once already; I am not a nun. And, also, you've already asked for my help, and also; is that what it's called then? 'Nearsighted'?"

He laughed. As much as he wished he didn't or he'd hoped to control it he laughed, "Then explain to me now, for the last time, what the difference between a religious sister and a nun is?"

She stood, walking through the clearing and gesturing as she spoke, "A nun lives a cloistered life. Some speak to few others speak to no one. Some nuns are never seen by any other living soul except the other nuns in their convent until the end of their life after they've taken their vows. It's a life of…quiet religious thought. That's it."

"You seem…judgemental."

She smiled, though a small blush spread over her cheeks. Perhaps a slight shame in admitting that he was right, "I think I'm what happens when you don't choose to join the order as an adult. I was…given to the church as nothing more than a baby. A child from a home with too many daughters. I believe in God but…differently."

"I'd think more correctly."

"Well…I would say so too…" she smiled slowly, a knowing look, "at least if I didn't think that amount of faith in myself to be a sin in and of itself."

He sighed, laying his head back, "This seems exhausting."

"Yes."

He looked at her and they shared a smile.

"So what will we do, Adrian? How can I help you?"

He sighed, "How do you feel about moving?"

She raised an eyebrow, "Well…I was able to sneak away today but I think moving to the castle might draw some eyes. And I think your father might figure something out in that case too."

"Look if you're going to get smart with me every time I ask a question we aren't going to get anywhere," he smiled despite his attempt at portraying frustration.

"I will try to stop if the questions you ask no longer take that tone," she smiled like a cat that found a mouse. Playing with him in a good-natured way but clearly for her own amusement.

"Fine, we have a deal."

She offered her hand, waiting for him to shake it. He took her hand, thumb tracing over her soft skin briefly before he shook it twice, firmly, and let her go.

"Why do you want me to move somewhere? And where?"

"Being here, so close to my father when I know convincing him is no longer really an option doesn't seem very…productive…" he thought, for a moment, crossing his arms and furrowing his brow as the ideas came slowly, "but as for where we could go…I'm not sure."

She sat patiently waiting for him to suggest a location.

"...I will see where else my father may have left things behind, if possible at all not having to start over from scratch could be a major help in ensuring our success," he tapped his chin thoughtfully.

"And as for me?" She tilted her head, "Why am I needed?"

"Well…I am…only a dhampir, I'm far weaker than my father just by nature. And I could still use the help of a human that can walk freely. Especially someone so…engrained in the church," his voice wandered.

"I wouldn't say…engrained," she raised an eyebrow, "that implies I have some power."

"Some might argue that going unnoticed is power."

"Some might also call that condescending."

"I did not mean it so, Celeste."

She blinked. True surprise seemed to wash over her amid a tinge of pink. He realized he'd used her name, without a title. It must have stunned her more than he'd expected it to.

"I-"

"No it," she raised her hand, "I think I would prefer you call me by my name. I'm rarely permitted to just go by Celeste. And beyond that…I am not in the church. And you are not part of the flock."

"So I will not receive your guidance then?" he smirked.

She sighed, once again rolling her eyes at him, "Adrian it exhausts me."

"Providing guidance?"

She laughed, loud and high, plucking an acorn from a nearby tree and attempting to toss it at him lightly though her wretched aim took it far from its mark, "Enough!"

"Yes…I suppose so," he sighed, standing and walking toward her, gazing up to the ever oranging sky, "let us talk quickly of where we might go…I'm sure it won't be long until you must return to the-"

She raised her eyebrow expectantly.

"Place…where you live that is...not a convent."

She awarded him only with a small smile, "Yes, we can talk, and tomorrow…we can talk more and again and again until it's done."

Perhaps there was more hope to be found in the world than he had thought. Adrian couldn't help but wonder how many people in the world were like her, like his mother. Then his stomach twisted with the sudden agonizing realization that the safety of this smiling woman would only be insured by their success.