Castlevania: Lisa's Last Words
Chapter 8: The Basics
For the time being, Dracula led Beth by the hand into the forest and into the cave she called home. However, he soon realized that obtaining a more hospitable shelter for her would have to wait, as the rumbling of her belly indicated a more pressing concern. "You are hungry, madame?" Dracula asked, already knowing the answer. Beth nodded, and Dracula set out to find sustenance for her.
As he turned to leave, Beth wrapped her arms around his leg, looking up at him pleadingly. "Remain here. I will return soon, with food." Though hesitant, Beth eventually let him go. Before her, Dracula transformed into his wolf form, half-expecting a look of fear or shock.
Instead, Beth beamed with delight. "Mr. Dracula! I didn't know you were a puppy too!" She reached out and petted him like a big dog, and Dracula observed that innocence was not so easily extinguished by hardship.
Allowing her to pet him for a moment, Dracula then stepped away and quickly exited the cave, ensuring she wouldn't follow. Coming to a stop, his lupine ears twitched, and he sniffed the air, searching for prey. Though rare in his long life, Dracula was practiced in this sort of hunting and found it enjoyable. While he could subsist on animal blood if necessary, its foul taste made it a last resort, only undertaken in his desperate early years as a vampire.
A distant snap of a twig caught his attention, and Dracula turned towards the sound. The scent of deer wafted from that direction, and he began to stalk towards it. Deer were most active at night, but for humans, they were easiest to hunt at dusk – knowledge he'd gained from his human days hunting as Mathias. Those memories were so distant he could hardly recall them. Dracula wondered, not for the first time, if he would eventually forget Elisabeta and Lisa too.
However, Dracula had no time for nostalgic thoughts, as the hunt was on. With his wolf form's instincts, supreme senses, and practiced skills, he effortlessly sneaked up on the deer. Though he could have easily chased it until it died of exhaustion, he opted for a quick kill to return the carcass to Beth before sunrise.
Dracula pounced, biting the deer's throat and snapping its neck, ending its life swiftly. He drained the blood from the veins and dragged the carcass back to the cave with ease.
Upon his return, he was pleased to find Beth still waiting patiently inside. "Mr. Dracula! Welcome home!" she exclaimed. The cave was far from a home for anyone, and that would be his task the next night.
Dracula returned to his human form. "Come, child, you have much to learn." He led her out of the cave, instructing her to gather supplies for a fire and large sticks. Beth obeyed without question, familiar with following orders.
Within minutes, they had a campfire lit with hellfire, and Dracula demonstrated how to prepare the deer, handing her a knife. "Be careful not to cut yourself," he warned, as he showed her how to skin and cut the meat.
Beth watched Dracula intently by the fire's warm light. "Now it's your turn," he said, gesturing to the other leg and stepping back from the carcass. Beth eagerly attempted to mimic him, her efforts a bit clumsy but sufficient. "That will do," Dracula said, guiding her through the remaining steps: skinning the deer, cutting away the meat, and cooking it over the fire using a makeshift spit.
As they worked, Dracula hung the deer skin on a nearby tree, where it would cure and be ready for clothing in a few days. "We should smoke the rest of the meat to preserve it," he noted. "This much meat will last for several weeks if prepared properly."
"Thank you, Mr. Dracula," Beth said, her eyes captivated by the dancing flames.
"You will hunt this creature yourself soon," Dracula declared.
"Will you show me how you did it?" Beth asked, curiosity in her voice.
"You cannot hunt as I do," Dracula explained. "You will need to use a different method. I will teach you one way, and you can learn many others. But that is for another time. It's ready now; eat," he said, his tone direct and to the point.
As they sat by the fire, Dracula observed Beth's wonder and curiosity, her innocence a stark contrast to the darkness that had defined his existence for so long. He knew that he had to protect her, not just from the dangers that lurked in the shadows but also from the harsh realities of the world. And so, he began to teach her, to guide her, and to prepare her for the challenges that lay ahead.
Beth was so, so hungry, and the deer meat looked absolutely delicious! She started eating it with her hands, but Mr. Dracula said, "Hold child, not like that. You will ruin your teeth. Take the knife and cut it into chunks." So she tried to use the knife, but it was hard! She struggled a bit, but she was determined to eat her yummy dinner.
He must be hungry too! She thought to herself, so she offered him some meat. "Mr. Dracula?" she said, "Do you want some?"
"I do not consume such things, child." He said.
Beth was curious, so she asked, "What do you eat?"
"I... I consume blood." Mr. Dracula admitted, looking a bit embarrassed,
Beth's eyes widened with curiosity, "Oh! The red stuff, right? Is it good?"
"It varies from source to source." Mr. Dracula said, sounding a bit odd.
Beth looked at Mr. Dracula and smiled. "You're weird," she said bluntly. "But you're a nice man."
Mr. Dracula grunted, "'Weird' is a term only the ignorant use, Beth. The world has much which is beautiful and much which is terrible, and that is how God made it to be."
Beth's curiosity sparked again, "Who is God?" she wondered.
Mr. Dracula laughed, "For this ignorance, you are a lucky child. Over your life, you may hear that God is the source of all that is good, all that is right and just in the world. It is all a lie, a comforting one to some, but a lie, nonetheless. Good occurs despite God, not because of Him."
Beth thought about this for a moment, trying to understand. "So, then God is bad?" she asked.
"Yes, child." Mr. Dracula said.
Beth thought some more, "Mom said good people should fight bad things. Mr. Dracula is good. So, Mr. Dracula must fight God!" she concluded.
Mr. Dracula smirked, "I suppose I do, child, but it's not that simple. God is not a being one can battle directly. Only the evil he causes can be fought." Beth nodded, taking it all in, her mind racing with questions and thoughts about good, bad, and if there was maybe something else.
This unexpected topic was unwelcome for Dracula, yet Beth seemed receptive to his words, and how could she not be? He was speaking the truth, despite the church's or those pitiful Belmonts' beliefs. The words 'Theirs is already a hard lot…' echoed in his mind once more. Lisa's words may have stirred something within him, but his hatred toward God remained unyielding. After all, humanity's struggles long predated his own vendetta against them. Whose fault was that, other than God himself?
"Mr. Dracula, are you okay?" Beth asked, concern etched on her face.
"I am well, child. Come, let me show you how to preserve the meat. We must finish before daybreak," Dracula said, guiding her through the process of creating a smoke pit and cutting the meat into strips. The task took a few hours, and Dracula was so focused that he almost didn't notice the sun rising over the trees. "I must return to the cave for the day. I trust you to continue where we left off. Once all the meat is properly smoked, you may return to rest."
"Okay, Mr. Dracula!" Beth replied, obediently continuing the task. Though much of the meat might be inadequately prepared and ultimately wasted, the practice would benefit her in the future. Dracula transformed into his wolf form and swiftly returned to the cave before the sun rose fully. With no need for sleep, he lay on the cave floor, allowing slumber to take him nonetheless, his mind still grappling with the unexpected turn of events and the stirring of emotions he thought long dead.
As he lay there, Dracula's thoughts wandered to Beth, and the innocence she embodied. He wondered if her presence could be the key to being worthy of Lisa's legacy, or if it was just a fleeting moment of weakness. The darkness within him still lingered, but he felt it receding gradually as he spent time with the girl. The silence of the cave was a stark contrast to the turmoil in his mind, as he struggled to reconcile his past and present, and the future that lay ahead.
Beth walked into the cave, her eyes slowly getting used to the darkness. She was so tired, but her tummy was happily full for the first time in a long time! As she made her way deeper into the cave, she almost tripped over a figure lying on the ground. It was Mr. Dracula! She was so surprised, but also really happy to see him. Without thinking twice, Beth lay down next to him, feeling a little worried. "He must be really cold," she thought, "he's not warm when I touch him like Mom or the villagers." As she snuggled up close to him, her eyelids started to feel really heavy, and before she knew it, she fell fast asleep.
As she slept, she felt safe and cozy next to Mr. Dracula, even though he was a little chilly. She didn't mind, though - she was just happy to have someone to sleep next to.
Author's Note: I had to look up how to skin an animal and preserve meat for this chapter. Writing definitely broadens one's horizons.