Castlevania Nocturne: A Guardian's Tale (Part 1)

Protector of the Realm

"You don't need to stay. It's all right, I'll watch over Emma." The young Belmont was reluctant to leave her.

"I'm sorry." Richter apologized. "If you want me to leave, just tell me. I didn't mean to overstay my welcome."

"Richter." I responded firmly. "You are always welcome in my home, you're my family too, and I'll never turn you away. Especially after saving my dear Emma's life." I lit the candles at the coming of dusk.

"Thank you Amalie. I feel bad leaving her when she's this vulnerable." He admitted, looking as if he were about to cry.

"She'll be fine. I promise you." I gently reassured him. "Emma will be up and recovered before the end of the week, and no vampire, save Vance, can pass the wards around my house."

"It's not that. I know we're safe....it's just...." Richter uttered in tears. "Emma was there the night my mother died, she couldn't save her life but she protected me from the vampire that killed her, and ever since then, she's always been there for me."

Richter gazed over  at my daughter sleeping soundly in bed,  her palm on her chest. "I need to be there for her." I touched Richter's shoulder, soothing him with my glyphs. "If you want to stay, stay. Tera will understand, but if I were you I'd go and let her know first. She'll get worried."

Richter agreed, but didn't leave just yet. "Did you know about Emma?"

" Know what about Emma?" I asked suddenly nervous.

"That she is something else?" Richter spoke cautiously.

"I don't understand."

"Emma told me about her son." Richter stated.

"She did?" I was surprised, lowering my  head. "It was a tragedy what happened, and she never fully got closure. That's why finding the boy was so important to her." 

"I know that now." Richter said quietly. "It didn't make sense she had a grown son when she is half Tera's age and looks a few years older than me, but then she said  there are immortal beings like vampires, but more benevolent.  Emma told me she was one of them. Whatever the hell they are."

"And she's right."  I confirmed. "Don't worry about revealing too much to me, Richter, I know what Emma is.  She's a hybrid of the benevolent immortal creatures she spoke about, and a vampire. She carries both bloodlines."I sighed, not wanting to open an entire can of worms after an already draining day. Especially without Emma being awake and present. " Tera knows too, but nobody else, and you must promise me not to tell anyone. For Emma's sake and for everyone we love."

"I promise." Richter vowed.

"Thank you Richter." I said relieved.

Richter nodded before looking into my eyes. "You're not really her sister, are you?"

I sighed.... he was going to find out sooner or later, best  get it over with. "No." I rolled up my sleeve, revealing the glyphs on my arm. "I'm her mother."

Richter froze stunned, eyes locked onto my arms. "I fucking knew it."

"What?" I gripped my bare arm with another hand. "You did?"

"Well....I was catching on!" Richter stammered. "You and Em act way too close to be just sisters.  The way you look at her and how you give Emma pet names. Emma referred to you as 'someone she loves dearly' the first time she mentioned you. Hell, I've caught you kissing her when she naps under the tree in your garden sometimes! At first I thought maybe you were lovers, not that there's anything wrong with that..  but then I noticed you two look similar.....your mannerisms, the way you talk... I figured you were somehow related and when Emma said she was a lot older than she looked, it had me thinking." He snapped his fingers. "I was fucking right."