Chapter Text
The chapel lit by a very few candles and a moon light stands in silence. The only noises a passerby could hear (not that anyone in the village were stupid enough to walk at night) are little squeaks Angie makes here and there, the clacks of Lady Dimitrescu’s nails on the wood and Lord Heisenberg’s pen screeching.
“We are here for two hours now, it’s ridiculous” Karl snarls.
“Oh, what happened?” the countess smiles . “Your childishness asks you to play?”
“ARH, I’m so bored, I don’t even want to argue.”
“Pff, too weak of you. You are no fun today.”
“Oh sorry, your regal ass, I am not in the mood to pick on you. We are waiting two hours now for Mother Miranda, in a meeting out of schedule for god knows why. Fucking annoying.”
Lady Dimitrescu frowns at the vulgarities, but deep inside agrees. Making them wait is normal for Miranda, but usually to not that extent. The absence of the mother raised anxiety bigger with each passing minute.
One more hour has passed in the same quietness and rare comments from lords.
Miranda arrives carrying someone in her hands in a bride-like style. She flies to her altar and helps a young woman sit. Then turns to the lords. Her guest looks like an angel: cream like skin, long silver hair, pale plump lips. She wears a lush white dress and a bandage over her eyes. Smiles a little but sits still. “Sacrifice,” lords think. The girl looks way too much like a virgin victim.
“My children!” Miranda opens her arms and addresses them dramatically. “Our family becomes bigger. I made another quite successful experiment. Behold my youngest daughter. She is” she waves at the girl, “the most favourable vessel for my dear Eva. Still in the making, but I wanted to present her right now. Meet Angelica.” She looks at the lords in anticipation.
“Nice” Karl is the first to say a word. “Cool, very cool, can we go?”
“Mother, you won’t leave me behind, would you?” Moreau cries but no one seems to hear him.
“Oh wow, some hot stuff to play with!” Angie jumps around the newcomer, but receives no reaction from her and loses her interest.
Alcina’s face twitches in annoyance. The girl seems completely fine on the outside. No scars from Cadou, no disfigurations. It is definitely the best experiment Miranda had. Not her. She’s never felt like she’s good enough for her, though she tried her best. And now some pretty maiden just waltzed on the pedestal like it is nothing! She braced herself to not show mother her regret. Angelica still could become a failure too. “It’s a great honour to meet your new candidate for a vessel, mother. My congratulations on the experiment.”
At her words, Miranda seems to relax and puts a smile in her voice. “I asked you all to come here, not to simply show her. I must inform you, I will be gone for a while. So I have a few tasks for you in my absence. First, Donna, my child. I need you to start working on a new poison for our blades.”
“Yes, mother.”
“Karl! Make more lycans. Thrice as much as you usually make in a month.”
“But…”
“No buts! Do as I declare.”
“Yes, mother” he covers his face with a hat and leans back grumbling.
“Salvatore, same for you. Make more of your creatures.”
“Yes, mother, everything for you, mother.” He whispers but Miranda stops him with a wave of her hand and a grimace.
“Now. The most important one. Alcina, you take Angelica to your castle and look after her. She has no sight and no hearing. But it’s temporary. I need you to personally look after her, as if your life depends on her wellness. And it does. Write down any changes she makes, I expect a full report, when I arrive in a month. Is it clear?”
“Yes, mother Miranda,” Lady Dimitrescu says through gritted teeth.
“Oh, and something else! Alcina, she is the best specimen I’ve ever had, her blood turns out to be unaffected, yet she is just as immortal as any of you. So I warn you. Do. Not. Taste. Her blood. At any instance! Any scratch at her, and your life is over.”
“Loooook, someone now is not the favourite child any more.” Karl laughs. “Oh, dear sister, your face of distraught is the best. Good luck in babysitting.”
“Oh stop it”. Miranda silences them just as the countess opens her mouth. “You are dismissed. Alcina, I believe you can manage a month of caring.” And she disappears.
Karl continues to laugh, “Alci, seriously, you still didn’t leave the idea of being the favourite daughter? Christ, this is so funny.” He wipes away the tears. “Oh, I’m going to visit you once a week just to see you struggle.”
“Don’t you dare.” The lady whispers as she comes closer to the girl. She sits still and waits for what to come. Her face is half covered with a band, but Alcina clearly sees her beauty. And mother Miranda was right; her blood does smell like the blood of an alive woman. And surprisingly, she smells almost as sweet as a virgin.
Alcina is so deep in her thoughts, what, only Karl’s voice right near her wakes her up.
“Hmm, she said not to drink her blood, what do you think she’d do if you fuck her?”
“Karl!” she scolds. The man laughs again. “Sorry, sorry, it’s just… It’s all just so funny. Stop ogling her and take to the castle.” He turns away and leaves the chapel.
The lady arrives at the castle far past midnight; all the maids are asleep, as she did not instruct them to wait for her. Her girls are the only ones in the hall filled with warmth and fair smoke.
“Mother! Is this our dinner? She smells delicious.” Daniela flies to the girl, which Alcina holds in her hands.
“I call to have a first bite after a mother, as I’m the oldest!” Bela screams.
“Girls, enough.” The lady commands. “This is our guest. The new lady of the village. And be thankful she doesn't have hearing yet, so it won’t reach mother Miranda. You should be on your best behaviour around her. Mother was so gracious to let me take care of her new daughter until she regains her full powers, which are yet unclear.”
Girls look at her in a dread realising how close to the punishment they were.
“She…” Cassandra starts shaking. “She looks so normal. And smells too.”
The lady goes to the sofa and lays down her guest, then proceeds to sit next to her and the fireplace. The girl is long asleep and doesn’t move.
“Yes, yes. It is Mother Miranda's breakthrough. She is as immortal as us, and has some yet unknown powers. But looks the best of us all.” Her voice sounds strangled. “I must take care of her, but I need your help. You will take some of my paper work, and I cannot join you down in cellars. All the attention… to this.”
Girls come closer and examine the guest. She sleeps peacefully as if nothing scared her or made feel uncomfortable. Her face relaxed and made girls transfixed over her beauty. “Angelica, if you are interested,” the lady huffs. “Now, off to bed. Good night.”
“Mother…” says Bela. “You didn’t ask to prepare a guest room. Where will she sleep?”
“Ah. Forgot about it. Please, darling, give an order in the morning. I’ll lay her in mine this time.”