Castlevania Nocturne: A Sneak Peak

Good Guessing

Author's note: This is a conversation between Richter and Emma after the latter scared off a pack of vampires. It takes place two years before the events of Nocturne.

I swear, some days I wonder if I made the mistake of not letting those vampires eat him five years ago. Emma thought to herself disgruntled leading her several times great nephew and several times great granddaughter back home. Ironically with her great granddaughter, she would leave the scolding to her mother. Tera would give it worse than she could ever achieve.

Once Emma left Maria to the wrath of mother, Emma pushed Richter. "You. Come with me. Now." She was very thankful Richter was at least smart enough not to question her or complain, else she'd smack him with the flat end of her sword.

They sat together at the edge of the lake, the dawning sun slowly rising over the trees. "You didn't need to save us." Richter said after minutes of silence. "We had everything under control."

Emma only gazed out onto the shimmering lake water, appearing as calm and serene as a monk in the mountains. She was using every bit of her self control not to throw this stupid kid in the lake, remembering her breathing exercises. When she finally spoke, not a trace of anger was in her smooth, kindly voice.

"You're right, I didn't need to save you, because you shouldn't have gone after them in the first place."

Richter stared at his wandering guardian as if she lost her mind. "You're joking. Emma those vampires were roving the streets looking for blood, I saw the hunger in their eyes, four people were killed."

"The town was warned ahead of time they would be coming." Emma countered. "I made sure of that, so did Tera and Amalie. That was a roving band, they pass through looking for food and go on their way. Like wolves. They wouldn't have stuck around, until you and Maria had the gall to attack and kill two of their pack."

"They killed four people!"

"Four people who were foolish enough to ignore the warnings. That was on them. It could have been worse, it certainly would have been if I hadn't stepped in once they set their rage on you. Those vampires would've killed you and Maria out of vengeance, and if they were wrathful enough, remained until the entire town was drained dry.Vampires only kill for two reasons; for food and for revenge. We both know better than anyone."

Emma saw the color fade from Richter's face at the mention of revenge. She touched his hand, her calming power transferred into his body. Her glyphs pricked unseen beneath her sleeves.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean....." Emma released a long, exhausted sigh. "You can't always save everyone Richter. It's hard medicine to swallow, but it's the truth. Especially since you're the last known Belmont. The world needs you."

Emma felt Richter clutch her hand, like when he was a child. Emma took it. "I need you too. You're my family. You, Maria, and Tera. I'd keep everything to keep you all safe. You're everything in the world to me." Also Juste and Amalie, but he doesn't need to know that yet.

"I'm sorry Emma. I'll think better next time."

"You better." Emma growled. "Don't go looking for trouble if you can't handle it. Especially don't drag Maria into it." Her tone lightened, and she gave him an amused look. " I can't always be around to save your ass."

"We were doing fine Em!"

"Sure you were." Emma chuffed. " If it had been two or three of them I know you would've held your own just fine. Six? Yeah....you needed backup, and Maria's creatures don't count."

"So you admit it. We are capable of fighting vampires."

"You are, but don't get cocky." Emma grunted, watching the sun rise over the hill, her golden hair seemingly trapping its light. To Richter his aunt looked angelic, ethereally beautiful, and it always confused him why she never took another husband when many men of the town watched her smitten. "When you get to be my age, you don't want to deal with the heartbreak again." She had answered when he asked. Confused the hell outta him, she was younger than Tera and closer to his age.