It seemed like fortunes were not in their favour. Not a day out of port and they had been hit with rough seas and greying clouds only promised further. Adrianna had watched Rome vanish for a short time before deciding she needed to take her mind off their destination. Finding her cabin she had drawn the magnificent silver blade and ran through the various moves she had learnt over the many years. There was something about the feel of a blade in hand that gave her a strength she sometimes believed she did not have, how she moved like liquid with the familiar weight that was but an extension of her arm.

"Keep that elbow in my dear," purred a voice by her ear, "no use flapping like a chicken."

"Chicken?!" Adrianna squeaked indignantly before spinning on one foot, smile wide as steel clashed, "I was thinking more like a sparrow."

His chuckle sent pleasant trills down her spine even as he pushed back her blade with ease. Yet she leapt at him with a flourish, steel clashing once more but this time she was much closer, her body so close to his that neither could swing their blades with ease. He arched an eyebrow at the mischievous glint in her eye before one of her feet slipped between his. A moment later her leg had hooked around his forcing his weight to shift to his still planted foot. A motion she took advantage of as she pushed forwards sending him toppling back with her sat astride him, a victorious grin lighting up her face.

"A hawk in disguise perhaps?" he chuckled, his sword now forgotten as his hands instead clasped her thighs, "perhaps it is now my turn to disarm you?"

Adrianna hummed thoughtfully before squeaking as she was suddenly flipped onto her back, laughter echoing through the house as she found herself pinned beneath him now.

"I still won!"

"Of course, love," his chuckle washed over her before he descended upon her, lips capturing hers in a searing kiss, "I could only lose to you, my heart."

The memory made her falter almost tripping over her own feet. A wave of emotion crashed across her, fire that froze and ice that burned. God, it had been a long time since she had recalled those days.

"Helps to have someone to practice with."

Starting at the voice, wide grey eyes turned to find Van Helsing leaning in the doorway, a smile on his unshaven face as he regarded her.

"And I suppose, being at sea makes it hard to keep your balance," his smile turned into a teasing smirk.

Stifling the tirade of her heart and mind, Adrianna lowered her sword arm momentarily, arching an eyebrow at the Hunter.

"And when was the last time you practiced with a sword?"

"Well…" he pulled a face, looking skyward with a small grimace that made her chuckle.

"Maybe it's you who could do with the practice then," Adrianna smiled, grabbing a spare sword from her bag, it was one she usually carried though with it being steel and unblessed it wouldn't help much where they were headed.

Van Helsing caught the sword with ease, testing its weight with a spin before he bobbed his head in agreement.

His heavy duster coat was tossed aside onto the back of a nearby chair before they began to circle in the spacious room. Adrianna had half a thought that the captain had given her the biggest room simply due to her being a woman, likely hoping to keep her out of the way, but it had its perks. Grey eyes roved over his well-built body looking for the tell-tale signs of his next move. While he was out of practice he certainly held himself like a Hunter, his every move thought out and controlled.

"Go easy on me alright?" Van Helsing's dark eyes followed hers.

She couldn't help but laugh at that, "normally it would be me saying that."

"Perhaps, but when it comes to swords I know who not to mess with," his lopsided grin elicited her own.

Not a second later she lunged forwards, grasping the sword with both hands in a simple downward strike. He was quick to counter, blocking the blow before pushing back, aiming for her right. Adrianna slipped around his swipe like a feather on the wind, spinning with the blade until she returned the sideways blow. Metal clashed loudly as their swords connected. They continued their back and forth, Adrianna's cautious but controlled strikes testing his reactions as he pressed with much more aggressive moves that were far too easy for her to avoid, using his own momentum to help her lessen the strong blows whenever she blocked.

"Got something on your mind?" Van Helsing grunted as he quickly blocked another swipe that would have bitten into his hip, forced into an angle that left him wide open.

"Why?" Adrianna almost hummed as she danced back, choosing to allow him his opening though she used the tip of her sword to point it out to him.

"Because I feel like you're taking it out on me," he grimaced, rolling his right shoulder for a moment.

"Oh!" the tip of her sword lowered for a moment, "I'm sorry, I-"

Suddenly he leapt forwards with a flurry of downward strikes she hurried to counter, taking the back foot until she felt herself growing closer to the wall.

"That was dirty," she shot him a scowl but a small smile pulled at her lips unbidden.

He offered a small, theatrical bow in apology but was quickly forced to defend as she thrust sharply towards him.

For a few more minutes they sparred until Van Helsing finally held up a hand calling for a truce. While the Hunter seemed winded from the exchanges, Adrianna was only breathing a little faster than usual; a victory in its own right.

"Who taught you those moves?" Van Helsing managed to breath out the words as he set aside the sword, brushing a hand through his long untamed hair as he caught his breath, "I feel you'd give anyone a run for their money when it comes to the sword."

He didn't miss how her eyes took on that distant look he sometimes caught. A look that usually followed the distant sound of pain in her voice that he hated to hear.

"Just from someone I knew long ago."

The ship took a turn on the rough seas sending the pair of them stumbling. Adrianna, lost in her thoughts, lost her footing and fell but not before strong arms circled her. The scent of leather, gun smoke and spice wrapped around her, holding her against a warm, strong chest. She could feel his heart beating calmly by her ear, thumping with such determination like the very drumbeat of life itself.

"Are you alright?" his voice was almost a whisper above her head, rumbling through his chest and through her.

Heat rushed her body and straight to her face despite her curses; anyone would think she was a teenager again!

"F-Fine, thank you."

Those arms that held her so gently yet with a weight that blanketed her, didn't move. Tilting her head back to look at him, wondering if something was wrong with him, the words died in her throat at the look in those dark eyes. Her breath caught but her heart hammered as Van Helsing raised a hand to gently brush her cheek, a silent question being asked by those eyes.

"I… I can't…" it was hard to speak let alone think, but even as she said them, a small part inside of her regretted them.

Even more so when she saw those dark eyes dim lightly. Yet he didn't let go just yet. The ship rocked once more but in his arms they were like stone; unmovable.

"Who hurt you?" his quiet question wasn't meant for her to answer, she knew it, and that hurt just as much.

He knew she wouldn't tell him much like she had dodged many of his questions about her past. All these years he had given her space and time, allowing her, her secrets much like his lost past. As his fingers ghosted across the burn scar on her face she couldn't help but shiver.

The warmth receded as his arms slowly left her. Without another word he inclined his head in silent apology before grabbing his coat and leaving, the door shutting quietly behind him.

Adrianna stood there staring at the door for several minutes, imagining herself throwing it open and calling for him to come back, to tell him everything. But she knew that wouldn't solve anything, not to mention she feared what he would think. Sinking onto the nearby bed she let her head fall into her hands but no tears fell. She had cried enough to last a life time. No, this was for the best, regardless of what her body and perhaps her heart wanted.

Deciding she may as well go and locate her meal, Adrianna had barely stood up when the ship tossed once more. Wood creaked and groaned before the cupboard in the corner of her room threw itself open. Jumping as something tumbled out, she momentarily went for the sword until she heard a familiar groan as someone fought free from the clump of clothes.

"Adrian?!"

Said young man pried a shirt from his head, a sheepish look on his pale face as he hurried to kick his way out of a tangle of trousers and shirts. To say she was furious was an understatement as she grabbed him by the shoulders, forcing him to sit in the lone chair by a worn, scarred desk.

"Before you say anything," Adrian interrupted, "you have every right to be angry but there was no way I could let you go without me. You've always protected me mother, and it's my time to protect you," the determination in his voice was enough to stop her from cutting him off, "That's why I've been training with Van Helsing this past year. And whatever is out there, where we are from. I will protect you this time."

Stunned into silence she could only stand there looking down at her son for a long moment. She'd told him about how she had fled Romania with him, a newborn, but she'd never gone too far into the details. Yet he had realised something had driven her from their home. Be it that or the sheer determination that rang through his words, they quashed the anger. Though she couldn't help but wonder if he knew what to say to soothe her emotions. Sometimes she forgot just how old her son was.

Lowering herself until she was kneeling before her seated son, his beautiful blue eyes concerned, she could see a familiar stubbornness in them that told her there was little she could do to persuade him otherwise.

"Oh my son, when did you grow up in front of me?" she offered a small smile, reaching out to brush his unruly black locks from his face.

"Mother," he groaned with a roll of his eyes but he couldn't hide the way his back straightened, sitting a little taller in front of her.

Chuckling, Adrianna nodded though she couldn't ignore the glimmer of worry in her gut, "alright. I'll allow it, mainly because we can't go back now," she admitted, "but that means until we arrive in Romania I want you training with Van Helsing."

"Only if you can teach me more of the sword," Adrian brightened, "I saw how you took Van Helsing down-"

Now her cheeks did flush, mild horror dawning over her, "how much did you see?!"

Perhaps it was infectious as his pale cheeks were suddenly dashed with pink and he dared not meet her eyes. Her eye twitched. Rising to her feet, silent curses to God for nosey children, she was stopped by Adrian' words once more.

"I really like Van Helsing," her son muttered, toying with the hems of his sleeves as he glanced up at Adrianna, "do… do you like him too?"

Sighing, she couldn't help but nod, resting a hand on his shoulder with a light squeeze, "of course I do."

"Good," he jumped from the seat, heading for the door no doubt to tell said man that he had squirrelled onboard, "because I think he likes you too."

"Yes, thank you Adrian," she shot him a scowl as he darted out quickly, "God, is this what has become of me? Getting relationship advice from my child?"

Just the thought made her laugh aloud though it still did little to alleviate the quiet discontent that had settled in her stomach.

While Van Helsing had been surprised to find Adrian onboard, he had congratulated him on his subterfuge, though while out of earshot of his mother. The next week passed quickly despite the plague of storms that rained down on them. As promised Adrian had continued training with Van Helsing, said man all too happy to take him under his wing, while he would also have nightly sessions with his mother and the sword. She held nothing back, even landing a few knicks on the boy but it had only spurred him on to learn more and fight harder. Adrianna wanted him ready for whatever was waiting for them. Between the sword and the pistol, he would be covered on all accounts. Even Carl, who had been flustered at the young boy's appearance, almost demanding that they turn back, had begun showing Adrian some of the research books he'd brought along. At this point there was no turning back for any of them.

With it all a growing feeling continued to nudge Adrianna as she watched the nearing Carpathian mountains on the horizon. Was now the time she sat down with her son and told him everything? A cold gust of wind made her pull her coat around her tighter. Already she wore the silver sword at her hip, its shining blade hidden within the dark leather sheathe. It would be days yet before they reached Transylvania but she refused to be caught unaware. Shuffling alerted her to company.

"How long do you think it will take to reach Transylvania?" Carl asked as he joined her side, tucking his hands into his sleeves with a shiver, "I think I should put on a few extra layers."

"At least three days on horseback though I can take us a route that will be somewhat quicker and safer."

Carl nodded thoughtfully before grimacing as he scowled at the nearing mainland, "are you… okay with coming back here?"

"I don't think I have much choice," she offered him a small smile, "but thanks for your concern Carl. I… I'll be fine."

Idly she ran a finger across her scar, almost like she could feel the flames licking her skin once more. She dearly hoped she was ready.

Once on shore it was evident that winter had settled across most of the country, blanketing the land in snow and frozen ice. Adrianna wasted no time in securing several horses for them. Speaking in fluent Romanian once again felt odd but she was grateful to not have forgotten her mother-tongue after all this time. She and Adrian shared a large chestnut mare while Van Helsing and Carl took their own steeds. During their journey across the sea things had felt a little awkward between herself and Van Helsing but he seemed to not have taken her refusal, personally. But now they were here it was hard to hide the edge that had fallen across them all. Even though they hadn't even arrived at their destination yet there was a feeling of bated breath – the calm before the storm.

Taking the lead, Adrianna spurred her horse into action, heading out of the harbour town and for the mountains. It would certainly be faster on horseback compared to the last time she had been here. The countryside around them remained fairly barren with winter's frozen touch, and it grew even more so as they hit the mountains. Though the path veered towards the right, a well-travelled road used by merchants and the like, Adrianna took a way through the sparse forest, heading into the lower ways of the mountains. Their path was covered by the shadows of the mountain but she remembered it well enough that she kept them on course and the horses did the rest.

By the time daylight was fading they had already made better pace than she had thought. Riding up an incline they reached a plateau area with a light dusting of trees that had lost their leaves months ago.

"We can rest here for the night," Adrianna uttered though she could barely take her eyes off the building before them; or what was left of it.

In the clearing sat what had once been a large house, crafted from aged wood that had been long-since blackened. Its roof had collapsed into itself while part of the building had crumpled entirely. Windows no longer held glass, shattered and splintered like broken bones including the large windows that had made up most of the right side.

"Is this…" Adrian whispered from behind her, wide eyes taking in the sight.

"Yes," she swallowed the hard lump in her throat, "this… this was our home."

Luckily the small stable had remained mostly intact with only a little charring to its thick, wooden roof. Sheltering the horses in the stable they opened their bags of feed for the horses to take when hungry; there was little vegetation for them to graze on at this height. Van Helsing had already put together a campfire though she often caught him glancing towards the house and her. She was grateful to him for not asking the question though she knew how much it likely burned him not to. Instead Carl was not quite as tactful.

"Why would they burn your house?" the friar asked curiously, eyeing up the precarious doorway that led into the charred mess of a building.

Sitting down wearily, grateful for the warmth of the fire, she jumped as a weight was dropped around her shoulders. It didn't take much to figure out just what it was as she pulled the extra coat wrapped around her shoulders a little tighter while Van Helsing walked past to scout the plateau edge. Adrianna refused to look at the blackened building anymore.

"My family come from a long line of medicine women. They were healers, pretty renowned round Romania, though many had a different word for it," she shuffled deeper into the thick coat, "some of the locals called them Witches."

"Nonsense," Carl scoffed though he furtively looked towards the house once more, "you're no Witch."

"I know that," she chuckled though it sounded hollow to her, "but some folk around here are very stuck in the old ways. You fall sick, you pray to God to heal and save you, anything else is the Devil's work. So after my great grandmother was burned at the stake, my family moved out to the mountains. We lived here for years. Occasionally there'd be trips to nearby towns when a medicine-woman was asked for, but we were always careful to make sure no one found this place. Though the ways of healing were lost with my mother as I was only young when my parents were taken… It was just me here for a long time when they found me, and despite the years they took it very seriously in trying to be rid of my family."

Flames licked their way up the door, clawing their way across the wood. It roared in her ears. The air was thick with smoke already and her throat was hoarse from screaming, yelling for help. No one was coming. She was alone. Except for the small life she protectively held to her chest, her thin robe wrapped around to try and shield her baby from the cloying smoke and heat. Wood groaned over her head, threatening to come crashing down on her as she stood there, tears of terror streaming down her already ash covered face. She was going to be burned alive.

Adrian shuffled closer to his mother and she gratefully wrapped an arm around his shoulders, sharing the thick coat with him even though he didn't seem to feel the cold.

"I'm sorry," Van Helsing's low rumble made her look up, those intense eyes holding her in place once more, "you didn't deserve this."

Taking a deep breath, she looked back to the flames of the campfire though they looked different in her eyes; a different sort of fire from years ago.

"I managed to escape and made for the path we came up. As far as they were aware they'd done what they'd intended to."

"But why?" Adrian quietly added from her side, a frown playing at his face, "how could anyone do something so cowardly?"

"People fear what they don't understand," Adrianna answered simply, her arm tightening around her son's shoulders for a moment, "and fear makes people do stupid things sometimes. But there's nothing to worry about. I doubt anyone will be looking for me nor would they recognise me. It's been a long time since that day."

"No one is going to hurt you, Adrianna," Van Helsing added suddenly across from the fire, "I swear it."

She allowed the small smile to pull at her lips but it was hard to feel the comfort he had intended with those words. To be here was to be hurt.

"Thank you…. We should get some rest before the ride tomorrow."