Never Be

The Night Prior

The Winds howled, storming through the high snowy hills and tall weaving mountains of Arctic Norway. No sunlight kissed this place, maybe that's why she delighted in it all, speeding among the trees with snow instead of leaves, thick brambles rising from the ivory vista like boney fingers.

"TRECERE!!" She roared, her voice echoing amongst the heavy snowfall, the huffing sled dogs bolting expertly along the path, only faintly lit by the headlamp she had strapped over her heavy hood.

Her boys toiled for hours, driving through the merciless snow, to take her back to their home where she had taken... temporary residence.

Eventually, however, their journey came to an end, and under the quivering clouds of wrathful icy grey, they pulled up towards a small simple hut of ivory birch.

She steered the troupe of barking and whining hounds towards the large shadowed structure overshadowing the small shack: the Dog-house.

"OPIRE!" She commanded, the dozen or so Greta Huskies coming to an obedient stop. One by one she unclipped them, the huge gnashing beasts nipping at each other playfully... and not so playfully "Stop that." She warned, the Dogs settling down.

One might notice how abnormally well behaved these Huskies were, but Dogs like any animal, are not fools, their instincts recognized the true Alpha of the group, who unbuckled their harnesses and led them inside.

She'd spoiled them for their hard work, big chunks of meat and bowls of gruel for all. The Dogs ate like it was their last meal, and She'd sat with them, ruffling their ears and scratching their bellies when offered up to her. "I used to keep wolves much like you, you know. well... much fiercer than you lot." She muttered to the dogs who slept around her, nuzzling into her as much as best they could in their large group "Your ancestors were much harder to manage, not big softies like you... but I am still fond of you, maybe I'm getting soft?"

One of the larger males growled affectionately, yawning to reveal a beastly set of teeth and long pink tongue.

The Wolves slept, and Her smile faded... She'd made no progress today, that Old fool had hidden his tools well, but it would not stop her, nothing would.

Whisking out back into the cold, she walked over the snow, her feet not sinking but planting dexterously on its surface, her form whisking at a pace so fast that no human could see, hear, smell or touch.

Brushing the snow from the handle, She reached into the pocket bag strapped to her belt, branded with a spiralling bloody symbol. It took her a moment to find the key amongst the mess inside. "Need to sort this out when I have time." She lamented, finally grasping something smooth and cold, the key to the Shack.

Unlocking the door she pushed inside, the winds trying and failing to invade the space as she slammed the door shut and bolted it tight.

It was a humble place, with Kitchen and living room fused together, only the bathroom and two bedrooms were separate. Pulling down her hood she settled on the table in the dark, her duffle bag remained on the couch where she'd left it.... mostly. "The zip is 1.5 millimetres off from its original place"

Her eyes trailed slowly over to the two-bedroom doors, one Pure white, safe for the smears of blood splattered on its face. but the other door, pink and covered in flowers, had the sounds of terrified breathing on the otherside.

Darting to the keyhole by the handle, She saw a single blue eye, peering from the otherside. The Eye vanished swiftly, and scuffling was clear on her ears.

Chuckling, she leant her head on her hand, drumming her talons against the smooth wood. "Are we just going to pretend that I can't hear you on the otherside of that door or are you going to show yourself?" She spoke in Norsk, it had been a while since she'd had use for the tongue.

Somebody shuffled nervously on the otherside. She rolled her eyes "Come out here. Now." She demanded. Staring right through the door almost like she could see through it "Come... I will not harm you."

A Minute passed, then 10, then half an hour, She did not move, she only waited and watched until...

The door cracked open, and a small, blue-eyed girl emerged shyly and fearfully. Her hair was long and blonde, it stretched down to her hips, highlighting her small size. She felt the Girl quivering, and smiled "Come on." She urged softly.

The Girl, shakily moved forward, keeping the strange woman in her eye line as she approached cautiously. "Do you speak?" She asked

The Girl nodded.

"Good. Sit." She directed.

The Girl likely sensed what everybody else did, but children were especially sensitive to her brand of danger, due to their more instinctual nature, as opposed to an adult's built-up logic. However, she still grabbed a chair, struggling to pull it over on her own, over to the opposite side of the table, where she clambered up and sat.

She stared for a while, almost puzzling at the Pale skinned, red-haired woman who wore little protection from the cold and seemed unblinking in her Amber stare. "What is your name?" She asked.

The Girl remained silent.

Sighing, the woman reached up, letting down her long wavy crimson hair and leaning forward to better show the girl her face "I am Valerica. Did your parents not teach you manners? What is your name?"

"H-Helgi." Her voice was weak and wispy. She lifted her small hands, stained with dark brown "M-My Momma and Papa... they're dead. A monster came in the night, and killed them."

Valerica smiled deeper.

The Girl frowned and tucked into herself "H-Have you come to save me?" She asked meekly.

Valerica lent back, keeping her wide grin "How old are you?"

"Seven and a Half." She spoke.

"So young." Valerica pondered to herself. She didn't even remember being a teenager, let alone a toddler, none of her brood did they'd been around for so long.

"Why do you speak so weird, Miss Valerica?" The Girl eventually asked.

"I haven't spoken in your language for 475 years. I had to... pick up the language, rather quickly."

Helgi raised an eyebrow "475 years? that's older than Gran-Gran!" She said in surprise.

Valerica grinned "Indeed it is. The windows are unlocked, if a monster came and killed your parents then why didn't you run away?"

"Mama says it's dangerous to go out in a storm and... I wanted to slay the Monster when it came back for me!" The Girl growled, her small fists closing tightly. Valerica looked with fascination, oh how the wrath of a child was wild like flame, despite the danger, it was a thing of beauty.

"What if the Monster is bigger than you? stronger than you? smarter than you?" She asked.

Helgi shook her head, making her blonde hair shimmer "I don't care. I will slay it, for Mama and Papa."

A shrill laugh from the Upir made the girl jolt, Valerica exposing her white teeth and long sharp fangs "You remind me of someone. Little Helgi. He is courageous despite the overwhelming danger, just like you. But You are still small, and your lifetime is short, do not think to throw it away so easily."

The Girl blinked, seemingly disarmed by this Strange woman's warm tone and inhuman mannerisms. "Are the Huskies okay? I heard them being taken out and come back?"

"Yes, they are okay. I have taken good care of them. Tell me, the Dark, this sunless place, does it not scare you?"

"No... I like it, we look forward to the sunny days, Papa always says-"

"I do not care what your papa says. I asked you a question, I want your own answers." Valerica growled, making the girl scoot back, her slight fear renewed. The Upir sighed "I am sorry, I am not accustomed to speaking with children. I do not mean to be frightening."

"I'm not scared," Helgi said adamantly.

Valerica's smile returned "Good."

The Girl shuffled back forward and peered over to the duffle bag. "A-Are you, a monster, Miss Valerica?"

The Amber orbs studied the girl carefully "Yes. But I am also a Princess."

"Y-You're a princess!? a Real Princess!?" The Girl cried excitedly.

The Outcast shrugged "I was. I ran away from home, to have a daughter of my own."

"So you are looking for a prince!?"

The Upir smiled "I already found him." Valerica felt the heat emanating from the girl, the goosebumps on her arms and neck, the rumbling of her stomach "Are you cold?"

"A-And hungry." The Girl said sadly. Valerica's smile deepened.

Retrieving logs from the mantle above the hearth, Valerica looked at the girl, who watched curiously from just a-ways beside her "Still suspicious, such impeccable instincts."

"I am also a Sorceress you know?" Valerica spoke lightly. The Girl raised an eyebrow and folded her small arms.

"You are just like Gran-Gran, I know Magic isn't real, My Papa told me so," Helgi spoke.

But Valerica only smiled deeper, raising and slightly biting into her thumb to draw a small amount of blood "Is that so?" She asked before dabbing a log with the smallest dots of her blood "Dragon's Blood: Exploding Blood."

The tiny droplet flared to life, a bright red fire quickly filling the hearth and oozing everything around them with warmth. The Girl's eyes opened wide, and for the first time, a pretty smile curved on her smooth face. "You are a sorceress!" She Cried, rushing towards Valerica's side to warm her hands.

The Upir watched the girl, smiling a little. "Don't get too close, You will burn yourself. I will make you a meal."

And that is just what she did. The Fridge didn't have much, just some large cuts of Beef still on the bone, some mutton and a few vegetables. Valerica checked the Cupboards and found nought but spices and other miscellaneous items, They were clearly not a very wealthy family.

The Upir was at a loss, she had not cooked human food in many many years, further still she had neglected to memorise any recipes... Although, it was at times like these where she employed a saying _"What would Rosaria do?" _It was then that Valerica... remembered.

It was very rare, maybe once every 1000 years, one little memory from when blood still ran in her veins would resurface when she needed it. The One that came to mind smelt delicious, made her feel warm inside, the sound of a soothing voice singing in the background, her sisters sat eagerly by her side in the comfort and safety of their Caravan.

Getting straight to work with a wide smile on her face, Valerica stripped the meat from the bones with her claws, boiling them, Skimming them and boiling them again to make the broth with plenty of vegetables. She mashed the Beef into mince with little effort, combining the spices, deciphering the flavours from what she had smelt and tasted as a young girl.

After an hour, the Girl had adequately warmed and Had come over to sit on the kitchen counter, to take in the foods delicious bouquet as the Upir lit the pilot light for the stove and began to sear the Beef on a skillet.

"If you are a Princess, Miss Valerica, then do you have a Castle?" The Girl asked, her feet swinging, her face rosy and a little more cheery.

"Not anymore." Valerica admitted, turning her eyes to the girl who was staring very intently at her "Why do you stare, Child?"

"Y-You are very pretty, Miss Valerica, My Papa says that I will not grow up to be pretty, but I hope I can be as pretty as You one day?"

Valerica frowned "Your father is wrong. Fathers are the evilest thing to ever exist, they are a blight on their daughters who wish only to live their lives and follow their dreams in peace."

Helgi's head tilted like a curious pup "My Papa isn't evil, he is just... sad sometimes. I love my Papa."

Valerica did her best to suppress the monster inside "Hmmm, go and sit at the table, child. Your food is ready."

The Girl did so, and Valerica placed the rolls of meat on a plate which she placed in front of the girl promptly, not without looking a little hesitant "What are they?" She asked.

"Mititei, it means 'Small ones' like you." Val grinned "Go on, Eat."

The Girl tried one... and then another... and then another... until she was feasting to her heart's content. The fire crackled and the wind howled outside, it felt strange, sitting there with a young girl. "This is delicious, Miss Valerica! where did you learn to make this?"

"My mother made it for me, when I was a girl, like you."

"D-Do you see your mama often?" Helgi asked.

Valerica shook her head "No, Child. Eat."

DO YOU REALLY THINK THAT THIS WILL PROVE ANYTHING?

Fear swept through the Upir, she held it back for the sake of the child, restraining the mania in her bones.

DO YOU REALLY THINK THAT A ROTTEN SLUT LIKE YOU COULD PLAY THE PART OF MOTHER?

"Stop."

DO YOU REALLY THINK THAT YOU COULD BE ANYTHING MORE THAN WHAT I HAVE MADE YOU? YOU WILL BE NOTHING MORE FOR YOUR ETERNITY, THAN A MONSTER.

"Are y-you okay, Miss Valerica?" Helgi asked, noticing the look of dread on the Upir's face. "You're crying?" The Girl noted.

Valerica wiped her eyes and put on a smile "Your Gran-Gran, is she alive?"

Helgi nodded.

"Good, is she far?"

"She lives in Tromsø." The Girl said softly, noticing the instability in Valerica's eyes.

"Good." Valerica spoke "It is not far, Your Huskies and sled will--"

What was that? 50 miles down the road south of here, moving at blinding speed. The Upir stood fiercely, sending her chair buckling backwards "To your room, Now." She commanded

Helgi looked frightened, confused "W-Why? I-Is the Monster coming?"

"A Monster is coming." She corrected.

Locking the girl in her room, Valerica stood in front of the door, and closed her eyes, allowing her powerful ears to better in tune with her surroundings. "10, 9, 8, 7..." She counted down the arrival, the scent grew stronger and stronger, more and more recognizable, until...

Valerica opened her eyes and stood before her was a short, older man with overly open bloodshot green eyes. His hair was a long iron-grey, assorted into a beautiful 6-6 crossed braid that spiralled over his shoulders down to his waist.

His clothing was rich, a blood-red dress shirt matched with a black waistcoat, long finely ironed slacks led down to a pair of old but thoroughly shined Italian loafers. A porkpie hat sat on his head, and a gleaming medallion of pure gold hung from his neck, its face depicting a great eye on one side... and a 12 headed, four-winged dragon on the other. "My lady, Valerica." the voice was rich with life, kind and gentle.

Valerica relaxed "Grand Inquisitor Balneux? Of all the bugs, My father has sent to swat me, I did not expect to see you. A shame, I will regret killing you."

The Grand Inquisitor, high lord of the Inquisitorial Corp made up of 12 members, 10 lesser, One Higher, and the Head honcho himself. Balneux smiled kindly "I bare ye no ill will, My Lady. I have come in peace."

"You really expect me to believe that. 150 years I have been outcasted. 50 of those years, Rosaria has tried and failed and tried and failed again to snuff me out. By what means would you come to me now, the lesser opponent?" Valerica was second only to Alucard himself, the Crimson strigga who had drunk the blood of entire nations, if this was supposed to be some kind of insult to her power--

"I just wanted to visit, My lady, it has been many years since we have spoken."

Valerica raised an eyebrow, her form remaining primed for battle.

The Grand Inquisitor laughed, walking with his hands clear for her to see to put her at ease, as he sat at the table "I have been an advisor to your Family for time immemorial, I have dedicated my life to You and Your sisters. Now cease your paranoia, and come and sit, I will not try to fight you, neither will I harm the child in the room behind you."

Valerica felt Helgi's presence behind her, the girl Hiding under her bed. "Very well, but I will stay here."

"Guard the Human if it puts you at ease, I was merely curious to see you. and to deliver a message from her majesty," He spoke with the friendly eloquence that he always did, absent from the others of the High court, even after being drowned in oceans of time, Gabriel Balneux retained his kind personality.... although that did not mean that he was not dangerous.

Valerica laughed spitefully "I have no desire to hear any message from that fool who would remain our lapdog, bouncing on the king's cock and whispering sweet nothings into his ear for all eternity."

"But you will hear my message, My Lady, as it pertains to your... current, plans." His emerald eyes turned unsubtly to the duffle bag behind him.

Eyes flooding with blood-red, the Outcast zipped to the Grand Inquisitor, her claws pressed against his throat in warning, as the Smooth and sunny faced Inquisitor merely continued to smile. "What business is this of hers?"

"None. But her Majesty is not... unsupportive of your goals, she watches you with a keen eye and wishes to be of assistance, for a price."

"Help? she wants to help!? Now she wants to help!? that's rich. well Liz, since you are listening so eagerly, Go and fuck yourself." Valerica spat angrily.

"Charming, I never quite could get you to grasp manners. But, she anticipated this, and has decided that she will give you the precise locations of the items that You are searching for." Balneux smiled at the disarming look on Val's face.

She'd been searching for weeks, ruffling through every word of that old Crazy fool's diary that she had found hidden safety at Wolkengeburt. It was all cryptic, self-loathing garbage that had led her on a wild goose chase throughout the Artic... She had everything she needed, the Method, the Plan... all she needed was clarity on the location of the tools.

"And what is this price?" She had to ask.

The Grand Inquisitor smiled deeper "She will aid you in your venture. If, you swear to abstain from interacting with her Son for the rest of your days. You will not speak to him, you will not see him, smell him, touch him, taste him, You will remove the suffering that You have caused on his life, by never returning to Wallace. This is the Price--"

"I refuse." Valerica relaxed and walked over to the duffle bag, which she zipped up fully and cast over her shoulder.

The Grand Inquisitor seemed... confused. "But, My Lady--"

"Listen closely, in case this is the last thing that Your miserable ears ever hear. I will never leave him, will never stop, He, belongs, to me. Forever and always, I would wipe every man, woman and child on this earth out of existence for him, and unless that zombie crawls out of his gilded box to stop me himself, then nothing will ever change that." She meant every word, Charlie was hers forever.

Balneux puzzled before his face lit up in revelation "You are in love with him, aren't you? hahahaaa!" Balneux laughed mockingly "I pity the creature that is exposed to your twisted idea of love, My Lady."

Valerica grinned "Leave now, and never show your face to me again. Or you will have more to worry about than Pity. Begone."

Dust floated where Balneux once was, even before she had spoken her final word. She double-checked and was happy to sense his aura moving away rapidly over the miles in seconds.

YOU ARE NOTHING BUT A MONSTER, EVERYTHING YOU DO, IS DESTINED TO FAIL.

Valerica growled, smashing her fist into the body of the table, rendering it into splinters as she screamed with rage, tossing the couch like it was cardboard as she shrieked as a dying beast would, the memories overcoming her mind, the pain irritating the manic monster that she had made herself... and that He had made her.

Breathing heavily, she tore through that living room, breaking everything she could... until she could only sit, curled up in the corner, quivering and trying to wrestle back her mind.

_"I deserve happiness.... I deserve Happiness.... I deserve happiness." _She reminded herself of Draco's words all those years ago, even if a part of her didn't believe it.

"Miss Valerica! Miss Valerica!? are you okay!? is the Monster gone?" A small voice called from the otherside of the young girl's bedroom door.

Valerica stood, wiping her eyes and moving to the door which she unlocked.

What would you do? if you were a little girl locked in a room by a stranger? kind or not? hearing wailing like a demon from hell. and finally, when the door is opened, You don't see the Kind stranger from before, but a snow-white monster with eyes like hellfire, skin drawn too tightly across its face, looking down at you from above.

"The Monster is gone, child, come..." Valerica whispered her tone an involuntary growl.

Helgi screamed, flying back into her bedroom and slamming the door shut in Val's face. "Get away from me!"

The Upir placed a hand on the door, falling to her knees as she frowned sorrowfully "H-Helgi... I'm not going to hurt you."

"Go away!"

"Please... I-I promise..." She whispered desperately.

"Get out!!" Helgi insisted.

A wave of forlorn sadness overcame the Upir... maybe... maybe...

_"Sleep." _Her voice shot through the door, grasping the girl's mind and directing it into an unnatural sleep. A quiet thump sounded on the otherside, and Valerica opened the door, to see the sleeping girl lying there, snoring peacefully.

She picked up the girl very tenderly, careful not to cut her with her claws or break her bones with her strength. brushing a golden hair from her face, Valerica frowned as she started to shiver under her cold aura.

Wrapping the girl in blankets, chemical heating patches, jumpers and coats, to protect her from the screaming storm, Valerica strapped her safely to the sled and buckled in the dogs who she'd woken from their slumber.

She knelt by the lead dog's side, her eyes looking at the ball of blankets and coats that was Helgi, held safely in the sled. Rubbing the two Huskie's snouts, she spoke strongly "Take her to Tromsø as fast as possible, do not stop, do not get distracted, straight to safety, am I understood?"

The Two dogs whined, nuzzling into her hands "Good Boys." She muttered, standing tall and crying "GO ON, TRECERE!!" and with that, the dogs bolted on the path, towards the lights in distance: the city of Tromsø.

The Upir stood amongst the heavy snowfall, looking up into the sky. She would be better than tonight, she had to be... because when her search was complete, she would be the perfect Mother for her child, the parent her Father said that she could never be.