The Children

20 minutes earlier

Rose sat in the Lounge of the Twin's apartment. Watching the two blonde work away in the "Kitchen" though it wasn't exactly a Kitchen anymore, but nothing less than an alchemical laboratory, with glowing vials, bunches of herbs, insidious ingredients layered around the luminous Alchemy table.

Diana was in there too, her youthful face smiling as she exited with a cup of hot coffee which Rose accepted grumpily.

"What's wrong?" Diana asked, her voice a little higher than her fully grown self.

Rose sighed as she sipped the coffee "All she wants is Coffee. It's fine but I'd prefer a good bag of AB-Positive any night." Her little one was quite demanding in her diet, she was barely a month in and her girl **** her to upchuck anything that wasn't extremely bitter or extremely sugary.

Diana sat beside her friend and rubbed her shoulder "You look exhausted, have you been remembering to sleep?"

"My coffin is uncomfortable, and the Humans would suspect if I put it in that decrepit dorm anyway...." Rose groaned.

"Look, I know you're not used to this but you have to take better care of yourself, if you're healthy, she's healthy. Please try and sleep, in a bed."

"Beds are for pathetic Mortals," Rose growled, she hadn't been in a good mood this morning.

Diana smiled, poking Rose's barely swollen belly "Well it's a shame that you are one of them now, Mama." She chuckled.

Rolling her dark blue eyes, Rose slumped into the uncomfortable couch, god why did everything have to be so discomforting!? "Why did you and those morons call me here anyway, I had to make excuses to that bloated science teacher to get here."

Zipping out of the Kitchen was a Man, tall and blonde, his face covered in dark soot from where he'd been working, with none the less a giant goofy smile on his face "These two Morons, called you here..." Huginn started in his foolish Kiwi accent.

Just before his sister appeared, wearing Navy blue overall and wearing goggles on her dirty face, her matching golden hair tied up, holding a petri dish in her hand and a full syringe "...Because we are Geniuses *pop pop* fwuhoo-hoo fuck my tits!" She finished, looking a little embarrassed about her tick, before rushing over to the small dining table where a microscope sat.

Rose wasn't even remotely amused "No Verbal masturbation today, you pair of fools just get on with it and spit it out."

Hughie gasped cartoonishly "Oh Rose! You wound me! I'll have you know that we've pulled one all-dayer-"

Muninn cleared her throat and Huginn checked his stopwatch "...One and a Half all dayers to help you out with your little munchkin in there." He smiled, walking forward and placing himself beside Rose.

She glowered at him "What did you just call her?"

He scooted a little further away "Angel! your little angel!"

The Redhead folded her arms, trying to control her rampant emotions "Go on."

His smile reunited "Right so since we are unanimously undecided on just what you're little angel will be, Human, Descendant, Vampire, Mogwai!? ALL OF THE ABOVE? We decided to try and develop a method to... and get this because this is the important part. Detect how much of the curse runs in a person's blood."

Rose and Diana blinked "That's impossible, the Curse can't be detected through blood alone, it's our senses that pick it up in a person's completely presence-" Rose protested, but Muninn quickly butted in, looking away from adjusting the microscope and smiling.

"Exactly!! Trying to precisely decipher the volume of one's cursed blood is impossible without the 6th sense that we possess! we tried everything-thi-thi WOOO *Pop Pop* Ahem... Everything, but after many hours we finally came up with a way!" She said enthusiastically.

"And it all starts with this!" Hughie drew out what looked like a dark ring, made of black metal, iron by the looks of it, etches with deep red markings and patterns that glowed subtly in the darkroom.

Rose took it carefully from his hands, surveying it carefully. she sniffed at it, and ran her tongue along it's surface, making everybody raise an eyebrow "weird cravings?" Huginn asked.

She nodded "Yes. Can I have another cup of coffee please? and no, this tastes like Iron... What kind of rune is this?" She asked curiously.

Huginn grinned "It's not a rune, that right there, is a Soul Seal."

Rose's nose scrunched up as she placed the ring down "Blood magic? are you out of your mind, that stuff is not to be trifled with."

Huginn shrugged his slouched shoulders "Just because we aren't Highborn, doesn't mean we don't have the experience, Rose. come on, With that seal, we locked in the ability to sense the curse in that ring and fine-tuned it with days. Days of work, Rose, please, let us do this, for you, for her." He prodded her stomach, and Rose sighed.

"Soul seals are dangerous and complex, they require a sacrifice... someone would have had to have torn the Ability to sense the curse out of themselves." She looked at the twins, and they both did that smile they had.

"I gave half, He gave half..." Moonie smiled

"Feels weird, like going half deaf or something." He noted with a chuckle.

Rose shook her head "W-Why would you do that?" it was disarming... disarmingly kind, and stupid.

The Twins grinned even wider "You're a part of our family now if you like it or not, Mama." Moonie said, clearly and without ticks "You have the child of our Master inside, and We'll do anything that you need to help her."

The corner of Rose's lips quivered, and oddly she found herself dragging Huginn up, pulling him across the room "WOAH WOAH WOAH!" He protested as she marched towards Muninn who looked terrified.

"WHAT DID WE DO- *WHISTLE* MA DICK'S ON FIRE!"

But the two grunted, and Rose snatched them both close, and hugged them tightly, tight even for a human.

"Let's rub, embraced by an Upir off the list of impossible things I've done." Huginn chuckled.

Muninn rubbed Rose's back "I can hear her in there, she's so tiny!"

Rose backed off, straightening herself out "It's the Child, she makes me emotional. Now, show me how it works."

Diana picked up the ring and moved over "This little thing, has parts of you in it then? Weird."

Huginn snatched it "Yep, and you're the test subject. THE SAMPLE IGOR!" Huginn said cartoonishly.

Moonie removed the petri dish, handing it to him equally cartoonishly "Yis master!"

Wow, those two seemed to be getting along better than usual. Still, Rose looked on with fascination as Huginn took a swab and dipped it in the blood while slipping the ring on.

He dabbed the bloody swap on the ring's face, which immediately sucked it up like a hungry vacuum, glowing red as Huginn whispered softly "Seal of Blood: obey with Haste, profess the strength of the one you Taste."

There was a silence, the Blonde Raven closing his eyes briefly. He lifted the ringed hand to his ear and listened promptly, Rose thought that she could detect an ominous whisper, though it was seldom caught on her human ears.

"Diana Drake: Age 29, Sex, Female, height, 6 feet, biological signature, Artificial Human/Homunculus, Curse level........ 50." He whispered with a smile.

Diana rubbed her elbows "I'm 5ft 5 right now, stupid ring." She muttered.

"50?" Rose said curiously "What kind of measurement is that?"

Hughie pouted "Well it's not perfect! but it makes sense when compared to an actual vampire's Level, You're descendants of the blood god right?" Huginn asked.

Diana nodded "Yeah?"

"And Charlie has bitten you, several times, right?" Muninn asked..

Diana flushed "Y-Yeah?"

"Well then that explains it, 50 seems like a reasonable number considering. Alright, our turn!!" Muninn zipped past her brother, the Blonde gasping as she sliced at his arm and then her own.

"OW!? You wanna warn me next time tick-tock!?" He spat.

Moonie swapped both hers and his blood, before snatching the ring from his finger "*Pop Pop* Kill yourself, please kill yourself!" Muninn said twitchily.

"That better of been a tick." He frowned.

She slipped on the ring, dabbed it with blood "Yep definitely a Tick." Pressing the ringed hand to her ear she grinned. "Henry and Ramona Reid, ages, 210, Sex.......... *CLICK CLICK* ahem, Height, 5ft 8 & 5ft 7, Biological Signature, Undead, Vampire, Blooded... Curse levels- WHAT!?" Muninn cried, her face scrunched up.

"What!? What is it!? TELL ME!" He demanded, grabbing his sister's shoulders.

Muninn grumbled "How are you 506!? and I'm 502!? I ALWAYS WIN OUR FIGHTS!?"

Huginn grinned darkly "YOU DIDN'T LAST TIME, YOU KNOW WHEN I SPLIT YOUR SPINE IN HALF AND THEN DIDI SKULL PIERCED YOUR THICK SKULL WITH A BULLET!"

Moonie raised her fist "SHOOT ME *POP POP* SHOOT MY PUSSY!! *POP WHISTLE* I SWEAR TO FILTHY FRANK, JON SNOW'S ABS, AND TRUMP TOWER THAT IF WE BATTLE AGAIN, THEN I'D FUCK YOUR SHIT UP, YOU WEIRD, STUCK UP FUCKHEAD!"

"YOU BRAINLESS, DICKLESS LITTLE COCKLE EATER!"

"I HATE COCKLES! YOU GREAT GANGLING FUCK KNUCKLED CUNT BAG FUCK YOU!"

"YOU-"

"OVERDRIVE!!!!!"

Rose stood back, as Diana's small form flashed with an aura of crimson sparks, her body flexing with natural strength as she leapt into the air, her fist colliding with Huginn's face, and her boot cracking into Muninn's ribs, her free hand darting to Muninn's ring so fast that she'd slipped it off clean before the twins flew off, smashing into the ground as Diana shook.

She turned to Rose overly fast, her eyes were wide and her pupils extremely dilated. She took a deep deep breath "Anchor...." Slowly her body began to relax, and she nodded "Jesus that is so fucking intense." Diana chuckled, slipping on the ring.

Rose touched Diana's face, she was unimaginably hot like she was emanating pure heat, her face was flushed, her breath unsteady "I Haven't seen anyone use one of the threads in a long time." She thought.

It had been so long, she was still only halfway through her own kind of gestation period then, it took her a long long time to grow into adulthood compared to Elizabeta and Valerica, and images of her sitting on her Uncle Draco's lap, him reading her stories from the outside world as Her Granfer strummed the lute in the background.

"Rose?"

Rose was pulled from her thoughts "Sorry. I was having a flashback." She said bluntly, her eyes still lost in thought.

Diana smiled "You've encountered our family before.... other descendants I mean, haven't you?"

Rose nodded "A long long time ago, when I was still a child."

"A Child?" the Raven haired woman asked.

"Upir are not like Vampires, our bodies didn't freeze in time like other Undead, I was still only a girl after... that thing, made us what we were... I don't remember a lot from back then, but I do remember feeling annoyed at how long it took me to grow into womanhood."

"Well every girl is like that, I was super insecure... when I looked like this." Diana scowled at her younger form.

Rose smirked, "You didn't have to wait hundreds of years."

"You know when you put it like that, I kinda feel like my problems are insignificant." Diana scratched her head, a lot like Charlie would.

"Not insignificant, just a microcosm in comparison, Didi. Alright, let's get this over with, do mine first. Hey! Morons, come and cut me." Rose commanded.

Muninn was still clutching her ribs in pain in agony on the floor "Hurts.... hurts..."

But Hughie **** himself up, his broken nose painfully clicking back into to place "Gah!! ow! I got up first, I'm 506 for a reason...." stumbling over to Rose, Huginn paled as she grabbed his hand.

"What are you waiting for? draw my blood."

He gulped "How come even as a Human you are scary?"

"A Millennium of practice. come on get on with it."

Huginn hesitantly drew the claw on his index finger and gently ran it across Rose's palm. Pain was another thing that had changed since the beginning of her pregnancy before she barely felt it, Inquisitors were trained in the art of pain and to understand it, one had to experience it in ****. However, ever since her little one came, Pain was amplified, everything was amplified, even a pinch hurt worse than the Grand Inquisitor's lashes, and Huginn's claw wrought a white-hot pain as she bled, though she held in a gasp.

!

Rose took in a sharp breath as she felt an overwhelming sense of foreboding within. Huginn stepped back, she could see the gooseflesh rise on his neck. Diana and Muninn also seemed taken aback "Did anyone else feel that?" Huginn whispered.

Diana nodded "I don't think she liked that."

Rose knew it, she felt it, and she held her stomach "Shhhhh, shhhhh, it's okay...."

....

Muninn grimaced "I've never felt anything like that before... It was like-"

"Walking around during a thunderstorm with two metal rods glued to my ears!" Huginn tactfully put.

"Accurate." Diana said, moving forward and touching Rose's stomach with closed eyes "I can't feel anything anymore?" She said, looking up to Rose "Maybe she's calmed down?"

Diana dabbed the ring with Rose's blood and listened quizzically "Rosaria Dracul II... you're a second?"

Rose nodded "My father named me after my grandmother."

"Age..........................................................." Diana froze in place, looking at Rose with wide eyes "This thing must be broken?"

"How old are you anyway?" Huginn asked.

Rose shrugged "Old enough to not remember."

Diana scoffed, looking at the ring on her finger and just laughing "How bullshit, so fucking bullshit!"

Rose blinked "How old does it say I am?" She hadn't really thought about how old she actually was in a long time. Most of the Upir went mad a long time ago, if not for Elizebeta's assistance, the entire clan would have dissociated a long time ago even with a Vampire's senses. But she was curious, very curious.

Diana spoke offhandedly "Well it says 5022 but-"

"Hmmmm." Rose nodded "Sounds about right."

"No fucking way." Muninn laughed "That's like the 30th Century BC."

"When we were turned they had only just started to popularise using metal for weaponry? There wasn't a lot going on in the west, we were the only one's who were somewhat developed, there were people who lived in large stone structures and called themselves kings and queens, but other than that... although I think Egypt was prospering quite nicely, china too if my memory serves correct." Rose had a fantastic memory, but after the thousands of years, one loses the ability to retain that much memory, even with an Upir's enhanced cognition.

"Riiiiight, anyway. Sex, Female. Height, 5ft 8. Genetic Signature... Repressed Royal Upir? I guess that's because you're a Human right now. Curse Level is... umm.... oh christ... 2035?"

It was to be expected.

"Urrr, Rose, quick question." Huginna began "Just how much stronger than you is Valerica exactly?"

The Redhead rubbed her chin "At least thrice physically stronger, only once faster, Thought her Blood magic is better suited for combat than my Runes. so she's probably in the low 4000's, maybe high 3000's?"

Terror "You've got to be fucking kidding me *Whistle* FUCK!" Moonie rubbed her eyes.

"IS CHARLIE OUT OF HIS MIND!?" Diana yelped.

"*Sob* I don't want to die..... again."

Rose folded her arms "Pussies."

*TssssssssTS-TS!* Diana grunted as the ring flashed a ruby red, a kind of dark crimson aura stirring from it as it whirled on her finger "W-What the-?"

Everybody paused, watching as it simmered down, though it smoked darkly, it's powerful presence stirring "Are you alright!?" the Blonde Vampire asked, his eyes worried.

Diana nodded "Yeah, it just... got really hot, you don't think it's broken do yo-" Off handledly she raised the Ring to her ear, and her eyes widened.

"What? what is it saying?" Rose asked, fearful considering it had last lapped up her own blood.

Diana looked to Rose and spoke in a low voice "The Unnamed Child... and the Unknown Child. Age, 26 Weeks unborn... Sex, one Male, one Female, Biological signature, Unknown... Curse level.........."

She was frozen, both her and Rose, stuck in place "One male.... one female?"

"What!? Diana!? Didi? what does the Ring say about the Curse Level?" Huginn asked.

Diana removed it from her finger and threw it at him, the Blonde only just managing to catch it as Charlie's sister cried "IT'S OVER 9000!"

"What!? 9000!? there's no way that can be right!?" Muninn cried.

Rose was still unable to move, her eyes glued to her stomach "One Male.... One Female??" She whispered.

Huginn touched the ring, a smile creeping on his face as he patted his identical Twin on the shoulder, eyeing Rose as He pointed between then suggestively.

"Twins?" Rose muttered "Th-There are twins? b-but... How? how did I not notice?"

"And... there Curse level? it's 9050 between them? t-that's more than you and Valerica put together!!" Diana said, hinting to the insidious nature of that very number. although she quickly erupted "OH MY GOD!! ROSE, YOU'RE HAVING TWINS!!" Diana cried, rushing over and hugging Rose gently as she laughed.

Rose blinked, nothing surprised her these days, not for hundreds of years... but this... Twins?

"How did I not notice that before!? it only feels like you have One Beast inside you, b-but I guess, maybe they are so alike that I just didn't notice?"

Rose just stammered "T-Twins?" Her eyes were wide, and beginning to leak.

Diana pointed to Hughie "Don't just stand there! get her some water!" Huginn nodded, cheesing as he bolted into the kitchen. Being helped to sit, Diana crouched by Rose's knees, smiling warmly "Are you okay?"

"I.... Uh...." Rose touched her stomach "...I don't know?"

Didi rubbed her friend's shoulder "Come on, aren't you excited!?"

"Y-yes... it's just, Ummm..." Rose wasn't quite sure what to say, or what to do "I wish Charlie was here... I-I want to just, hug him and tell him, I want him to smile when I tell him, and hug me... and make love to me, and... I'm sorry It's just, really hard."

The Black-haired beauty's smile became a little sad "I know. But we'll get him back, the real him. In the meantime, at least He still remembers his love for you, and these two little ones, if not consciously." Didi spoke softly.

Diana, Rose had never really experienced friendship, not like this, real care, real love "Thank you, for helping me. I might not deserve it."

"Oh, you definitely don't deserve it. but you're family now, and... You're like a sister to me I guess, other than Charlie."

They shared a chuckle as the Twins re-entered, Huginn offering Rose a mug of hot earl grey that steamed up and cleared her nostrils.

"So. what do you think they are gonna be like, like you or Charlie? maybe something else?" Hughie asked.

"Well when Charlie was born, he was a Human, a Descendant mind you like the rest of us and frail because of his biology. Listen I don't want to alarm you but... Dad and Pops had to sacrifice parts of themselves to keep him alive, Being born half-undead, it's not natural..." Diana said.

Rose contemplated that, Her baby.... Babies, being born weak and malnourished, the thought disturbed her, any thought of harm coming to them frightened her, but Rosaria was the High Inquisitor, a Royal Upir, and Charlie, Charlie wasn't just a descendant like his father, He was a Vampire too, the Purest "Maybe it'll be different, maybe we can find a way to keep them healthy? I'll do whatever it takes, pay any price." Rose said resolutely.

"And I." Diana reasured.

"Thought of any names yet?" Moonie asked heartily.

Now that she thought about it.... no, she hadn't. Rose was named after her Grandmother, her Grandfer's beloved, Valerica was named for the Great mountain above Castle Dracula, tall and bright, shrouded with ivory snow that gleamed under the midnight crescents, and Elizabeta was named after there own Mother, her right as the eldest. but Rose had no conception of actually naming her children, to her they were just 'The little one' or 'the little ones' she supposed "No. I um... I want Charlie to name them."

"You sure about that? Men are terrible at naming children." Muninn said grimly

"CALL THEM THING ONE AND THING TWO!" Huginn laughed

"See?" Muninn facepalmed.

"You should have a say in there names, Rosie, can't you think of anything?" Diana asked.

Rose pushed away some of her red hair, it was light compared to the long mane she was used to "I do not know if he'll like them? maybe... I'll try and talk to him about it."

"Okay, well that's if He ever stops mucking around with all his studying and school shit!" Huginn grumbled. "School is for tools."

"That's not what you were saying 130 years ago when you were moaning about education in the commune!?" Moonie sassed.

He ruffled his blonde hair and folded his arms "You always gotta pull some shit from 100 years ago to throw back at me huh, why can't you just-"

Huginn was cut off by a deafening crash. glass shot through the air, and in those milliseconds where it darted in every direction, Diana shielded Rose with her body, the Raven twins' eyes blazed red, claws drawn as a tall, dark figure appeared almost from nowhere on the other side of the apartment's room, removing glass from her black three-piece suit, her long midnight black hair relaxed on her shoulders as she turned extremely slowly to face them.

Black eyes so black that they reflected everything they looked upon, dark and abyssal. A smile crept on her pretty brown face, one of amusement at the two Blooded Vampire's who stood adversely before her.

Rose pushed Diana aside "All of you, Stand down right now." Rose warned.

Diana immediately stepped back and ushered the others to do the same.

The Dark Upiri Knight's face relaxed, became colder, more calculating. Rose found it disorienting when Willow just appeared before her, Willow was easily the fastest and strongest of the Court, even before she was human, Rose had trouble following her speed, but as a mortal, it was downright supernatural.

Rose grunted as she stood up, meeting Willow's eyes. She sniffed like a wolf, taking in Rose's human musk that would doubtlessly be as ambrosia to her, but Willow was a Knight and marked by her immense control "May I?"

She pointed a sharp finger towards Rose's belly, and cautiously she nodded "Be careful."

Will smiled, and very carefully, and very slowly, Willow Malandra crouched down, and with enormous care, placed her ear upon Rose's stomach, closing her black eyes as she listened keenly.

!!!

The Air immediately became thick with the sense of danger, making Rose gasp and the other's step back. Willow however just continued to listen, even as Rose's panic grew, her heart drumming fiercely as Her Little ones grew more and more distressed.

!!!!!!!

_"Shhhhhh, shhhh it's okay, she isn't going to hurt us, shhhhh." _She thought as hard as she could.

Everything became... strange, there was an irony smell in the air. things grew more and more intense, shadows began to creep into the room, everything was growing dark and ominous as Rose began to get hotter and hotter, sweat forming on her brow as the others looked around in panic, the entire room... no... the entire building, violently began to shake, like an earthquake.

Willow opened her eyes, and looked quite concerned for a moment as Rose grew redder, hotter, her face flushed with heat, combined with the blackness that was closing in on her-

Willow jolted as something.... something pushed her back like gravity had switched on her, pulling her backwards. Her body hardened, however, her back foot cracking into the ground as she held herself in place.

Almost the second, Willow's head was removed from Rose, everything... relaxed, the darkness subsided, Rose's body heat began to slowly fade as she inhaled with relief, and the tremor that shook everything asunder, calmed, coming to a peaceful halt.

"WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT!?" Huginn cried

"What did you do?" Muninn asked the Black Knight who seemed to distract with her amazement.

Diana held the two back "It wasn't her..."

Rose huffed, wiping her forehead as she contemplated her belly "How?" She asked. T-They weren't even born, they weren't even that many weeks into their growth? Rose had never felt anything like that before, She felt like she was about to burst into flames, the shadows: paradoxically drawn towards her in a cold monsterous preparation to attack.

"Oh my." Willow said in her cool, English accent "That was rather, Hostile. They must not like Auntie Malandra, Oh well, it is probably for the best, I do not handle... delicate things very well, although from that encounter alone, I don't imagine they will be delicate at all." Her eyes turned up to Rose, and she bowed deeply "Apologies, Hissvar, I know this is a very, difficult time for you."

Rose rubbed her eyes "It's fine, Willow, just... try not to send shards of glass flying at me next time?"

Willow blinked "You are rather different when soaked in Mortality, High Inquisitor. Her Majesty was correct in her recollections. I find it rather, Disturbing." Despite her words, Willow grinned widely "I wonder if Lord Nox would impregnate me? I'm sure the experience would be fascinating-"

Rose's face grew close, her eyes darkening with malice "You. will not. touch him."

Her face became unnaturally wide with her sharky smile "There is my beloved Rosaria." Willow laughed shrilly.

Rose's anger faded immediately, and she cracked a gentle smile "It's good to see you, I keep forgetting what I am."

Willow nodded "As happy as I am too see you too, Your Majesty, I have come to deliver a message, at the Queen's personal Request." Ser Malandra's dark eyes turned to Diana. "You are Diana Drake, sister to Lord Nox, are you not?"

Diana stepped forward bravely "Yes... The Queen... She's Rosaria's sister?"

"Yes." Willow answered.

Didi's eyes lit up a little "M-My mother?"

The Knight sighed and tilted her head "If her Majesty speaks true, then you don't have a mother. But she urged that I treat you as such, under threat of ****." Willow never stopped smiling, it clearly unsettled Diana who remained silent. "I am afraid that I am incapable of removing the letter from my pocket without destroying my beloved suit, it is 70 years old Kashmir, can I ask for you to please retrieve this letter in my right breast pocket and hand it to High Inquisitor Rosaria?"

"Are you gonna kill me?" Diana asked dryly.

"Only if your damage the suit," Willow whispered.

Sighing, Diana steeled herself, moving towards the ever still Iron Knight, and hesitantly stopped in front of her "Do make haste my dear, don't be shy, I don't Bite."

"Ha-ha." Charlie's sister took a deep breath, moving in close to the Black Knight, her hand sweeping into her suit jacket and feeling into the jacket pocket. Willow's mouth opened a little as Diana's hand skimmed past her breasts

"Hmmmmm." She grinned.

Diana pulled the long rolled parchment, stamped with the Six-headed Dragon, the mark of House Dracul. Quickly retreating from the intimidating Knight's visage, Diana moved over to Rose and Placed the Rolled letter into her hands.

"I must take my leave. My departure from Castle Dracul is unsanctioned and I do not wish to incur the wrath of our king. But... I will leave you with this, Your Majesty..." Willow's eyes peered curiously at them all before she spoke "Valerica has departed from this city. I wished to speak with her... but I could not locate her. Just thought you ought to know."

Everybody looked at each other with worry, if Valerica had left then there was a good chance that it was for some twisted task in achieving what Rose had: Childbirth. "Thank you, Willow-"

Rose's eyes looked upon the empty space where Willow once was, and fell into the couch, grumpy with her pathetically slow Human eyes.

"That... was terrifying," Huginn said

"All that to deliver a letter? The Council sure are dramatic." Muninn agreed.

But Diana saw the exasperated look on Rose's face "Can you two, give us a minute?"

Huginn frowned "This is our apartment-OW OW OW OKAY OKAY!!" Moonie dragged him by the ear into the hallway.

Rose looked at that seal, she barely noticed Diana as she place herself beside her and wrapped her arm around her, "You want some help there?"

She handed the Letter to Didi promptly "Knock yourself out."

The Raven-haired beauty cracked the seal immediately and unravelled the parchment with vigour. Rose saw the beautiful handwriting, her sister's practised hand, the words penned in crimson ink.

Diana looked with a subtle excitement... Rose kept forgetting, that this wasn't just a letter from Rose's Sister, but the closest that she had been to her mother for a very very long time "Read it out for me." Rose said warmly.

Didi nodded, touching the writing before speaking out in a wonderous tone.

"Dearest Sister.... I know you may not wish to hear from me, but I have been watching you with a keen eye. Oh Rose... It is hard without you and Rica here, out there where I know I cannot protect you, but through the Infinite Eye, I have been watching..."

Diana paused "What's the Infinite eye?"

Rose just pointed "Continue."

"Know that at first watching your interaction with my children angered me, You're accepting of Father's twisted will drew me into indescribable darkness, but. You chose not to go down that path, You chose to walk the path of Love instead of hatred. And... I so proud of you."

Diana paused, seeing the single tear fall down Rose's cold face.

"I may be unwavering in my bondage to this godforsaken castle, but the Eye had granted me insight into everything, I... I have done my best to Guide Charlie, in the guise of the monster inside of him, but it was You that drove him further into greatness, even if it wasn't always well-intentioned. But now, The Bloody One has taken its hold, just as Maria said it would, and You must bring him back, bring him back to rule as is his blood right, our blood right, and bring him back to fulfil his ****.

...Even after all these years, I think a small part of me hoped to see my love again, with My Children by his side, I used to dream of them crossing the Black gates and into my arms where we could begon from this accursed castle, but Valerica destroyed that dream, destroyed my Family, and so with all of my might, and with all the love that You have for me, for Charlie, for Diana, implore you to tear out that Bitches heart and rend it in dragon's fire."

Rose looked at Diana, who somehow spoke with Elizebeta's voice... could she really just be the production of Roman's DNA? even with how she spoke like Liz, walked like Liz, laughed like her, within her housed her Wrath?

Diana's eyes opened widely, clearly shocked as Rose smiled.

"To.... My Beloved Daughter, Diana. I miss you so much, it's all I want to say, I would scream it from the rooftops if I could, and knowing my little girl, You'll be eagerly reading this letter. I want you to know, need you to know that I think of you and Your brother every day, every night and that at every quiet moment I have, I watch. I saw your drinking binges after Your father's ****, I have seen you battle with forces that would crush any other, and I have seen your love, true and pure for Charlie. You may not have my blood, but you have my heart, My strength, My Love, You are my daughter and Charlie is my son, never forget that, okay?

Endless Love.
Elizabeta"