AMoS Chapter 6-5

[eiahmon]

itle: A Moment of Stupidity Part 6: 1568 - 1619
Rating: R for language, and mentions of RAPE and M/M SLASH. Don't like, then don't read.
Disclaimer: Castlevania and its characters and situations are the sole property of Konami. I am making no money or profit off of this fanfiction and no copyright infringement is intended.
Summary: AU. What if Joachim Armster had lived through his fight with Leon Belmont? What might have been different? Well hang on, because Joachim is going to tell you all about it. From his kidnapping and forced turning to his rescue from the ruins of Walter's castle, and from Trevor's birth and to Richter's death of old age, he tells all - and blames it all on Leon while he's at it.
Section Summary: Part 6 covers from Liron's funeral to just after Belmont's Revenge.

5.
Turning

Christopher departed less than an hour after we felt the castle's resurrection. We knew enough from Christopher's previous experience, and from what we had learned from Hector after Dracula's 1479 rebirth that the castle came first, followed by Dracula himself, but something about this time... It didn't feel that it was merely the castle. No, Christopher was certain that it was truly Dracula this time, not just his castle, and that he had his claws into Soleil somehow. I agreed with him, if only because the timing of it all seemed too coincidental to be anything else.

Like they had the previous two times, monsters appeared that very night, and Adrian locked down the wards to prevent any from attacking the clan. The other wards, the ones that surrounded the villages and towns on the Belmont lands, were not as strong and so could not keep them all out, but they did repel some of them at least. That was a good thing, because Adrian was now 68 years old (The same age his father had been when I had... I couldn't help but think.), and he was in no shape to go hunting. I hunted when I could, but Hector demanded that I stay close to him, and I, unable to refuse my child anything when he was frightened, agreed.

The third night after Christopher's departure, I put Hector down for his nap and went to go reduce the monster numbers as much as possible, while feeding off of as many as I could, but I had barely left the wards when I sensed a disturbance from Hector. I paused and reached through the bond to check on him, and I was hit by a wave of pure horror, and he woke up screaming. I streaked home to find Hector huddled in a shivering ball in the middle of the bed, howling in terror.

"Hector!" I ran towards him to pick him up, but something large and white suddenly imposed itself between me and him, and I bounced off of it hard enough to fall to the floor. I shook my head and looked up to see August standing between me and Hector, looking down at me with a confused, upset look in his large blue eyes. I got to my feet as Hector wailed in fear.

"Move aside, August." I said firmly as I reached through the bond to quiet Hector down. August looked at me again, and I was surprised to see tears cresting in his eyes before they were caught up in the fur of his face, but he did not move.

"Stay away!" Hector wailed. "Please don't come any closer!" He was awake, but he was caught up in the terror of whatever it was that had frightened him, and it was.. it was me that he was afraid of.

"Hector," I called to him as I reached through the bond again and gave him the mental equivalent of a shake. I couldn't see him because August was still standing between us, but his cries began to rapidly taper off, and I got the sense from him that he was becoming aware of his surroundings. After a moment, August stepped aside, which allowed me to see Hector sitting up in the middle of the bed, looking at me with red, swollen eyes. He reached out to me as I walked forward, and his tears started anew as I picked him up and moved over to the rocker. His arms came around my neck and held on tight as I sat down and rocked the chair, and he just cried for the next few minutes.

"What did you see, little one?" I asked once he had quieted. He shook his head and didn't answer. "Hector?" He shivered, and I summoned the spare blanket from the foot of the bed and wrapped him in it. Once I had him wound up like a caterpillar in a cocoon, I asked him again what he had dreamed about.

He whispered so softly I could barely hear him. "You hurt me."

I hadn't been expecting that. "I hurt you? In the dream?"

He nodded. "You said that he had been right about it all along, and this was the only thing I was good for. It was so real; I could feel everything." He shivered again, closed his eyes, and laid his head down. "It hurt so much."

I bowed my head and pressed my lips to his hair as I opened the bond as wide as it could go and sent him feelings of calm, safety, and love. He sighed, and I felt his fear and uneasiness began to fade.

"I'll never hurt you, Hector." I murmured to him as I rocked him back to sleep.

He yawned and rubbed at his eyes. "I know." he mumbled. "But it was so..." He yawned again. "... real."

"It will never happen, little one, I swear."

"I trust you." he whispered, and then he relaxed as he went back to sleep. I kissed him on the top of his head and held him for a bit longer before I put him back to bed.

******

An hour or so later found me making my way carefully home, avoiding the prowling monsters when I could. They seemed stronger than the last time, similar to how they had been during Dracula's 1476 rise, and I was more than a little worried about that fact. I had picked off quite a number of them, and I had gorged myself on their blood to feed Hector later. It was with relief that I crossed the wards onto the Belmont lands and felt Dracula's evil power fade a great deal. I stopped by the lord's house to check on Adrian, Elena, and Simona, but they were all asleep. I checked on Lucas and his wife next and found them both sleeping soundly as well. I then turned in the direction of my own house, but another wave of pure terror from Hector's end of the bond stopped me in my tracks for a second. His scream then cut through the air, and I streaked home.

Once again I found my screaming child huddled in a ball of horror in the middle of the bed, protected by his Innocent Devils. Those same Devils refused to let me near him as again he wailed for me to stay away. I reached through the bond to calm him, and August and Isaac stepped aside, but Hector shook his head and wiggled away when I reached to pick him up.

"You did it again!" he wailed. "You hurt me!"

I felt my heart break. "Hector," I said gently, "it was just a dream."

"No, no, it was real!"

"You know I would never do that to you, little one."

"I can.." He started to bawl. "I can... still feel you." He flopped down and curled up into a miserable ball and didn't resist as I picked him up.

It took nearly an hour to quiet him down, but he resisted going back to sleep, even though he was obviously very tired still.

"I'll be right here, little one." I soothed. "I won't leave you while you sleep."

He rubbed at his eyes. "I don't want to dream."

"I won't let it happen. The instant you start to dream, I'll stop it."

"Promise?" I smiled at the childlike response, something that I found very endearing about him. I had asked Silvanus once why Hector acted in such a way, and he had only smiled at first. He then had explained that it was a combination of the trauma he had gone through and the way our bond had developed.

"If you remember Joachim," he had told me "you also acted very childlike after Kerwin brought you home all those centuries ago, but you grew out of it, if you will, once your health improved and you chose to see Kerwin as a brother. Hector, however, had obviously decided to see you as a parental figure and not just as his master, and he acts accordingly. Over time, he may 'mature' and grow out of it to some degree, but since he has never known the love of a parent before and because he is so dependent on you, he will likely never stop acting in such a way completely."

"I promise, Hector." I said as I kissed him on the forehead. "Go to sleep, little one."

He gave me one last, long, searching look, and only then did he close his eyes and snuggle in to sleep. I rocked the chair lightly and hummed a lullaby that my mother had once sang to me. After 800 years, I no longer remembered the words, but I could recall the melody well enough to use it to soothe Hector to sleep. He rubbed at his eyes again, tucked his arm against his chest, and went still, and the bond narrowed down as he nodded off.

I admitted to myself then that I hoped that he would never fully "grow out of it".

Hector slept deeply and quietly in my arms for the next hour and a half, as I sat in the rocking chair and cradled him. I was just beginning to think that those two nightmares had been flukes caused by Dracula's resurrection weighing on his mind when I felt a disturbance. He whimpered quietly and shifted in my arms, and I reached through the bond to quiet him. He settled, and I backed away. A few minutes later, he whimpered again, and again I reached through the bond to him.

I was vaguely aware of Hector crying out as... something dark and pure evil touched his mind, as well as mine, then. It slithered into his dreams, and I caught a brief glimpse of Hector crying as I... as I... I recoiled from the sight and lashed out at the dark presence.

Get away from my child!

The presence, seemed to back away for a second, as though it was looking at me, and then I heard a laugh that nearly make me sick with the the realization of who I was dealing with. I heard Hector scream as the nightmare took hold of him, and I tried to wake him, but Dracula only laughed again. I lashed out at him, to try to kick him out of Hector's mind, but then I found myself as part of the nightmare. He was lying under me crying and struggling, and I could feel his inner muscles spasming and jumping around me as I held him down by his wrists and fucked him into the bed. He was twisting and kicking, but he had no chance of budging me.

This isn't real, Hector! I tried to tell him as he went limp under me and just cried, but he didn't seem to hear me. I heard Dracula laughing again, and I managed to wrench myself out of the nightmare as I felt an orgasm creeping up. I sat up in the chair and gasped just as Hector's eyes flew open. He looked up at me for a second, and then he started to wail. I shook my head and then I stood up from the chair, laid him down on the bed, and summoned a heavy canvas satchel with a thought. I then began to throw some of Hector's clothing into it as I reached out to Silvanus. I explained to him quickly what was happening as I packed the satchel with things Hector would need, and I felt Silvanus vanish from my ability to detect him for a split second before he reappeared just outside the ward line. A few seconds later, he came into the house, and he scooped a still wailing Hector up into his arms.

Hector wound his arms around Silvanus' neck and hid his face in his hair as I handed over the satchel.

"Take care of him." I said, and I swallowed thickly. "I'll come get him as soon as Dracula is dealt with."

"Of course I will, Joachim." he said gently as he rubbed one of his hands up Hector's back in a soothing gesture. "He'll be waiting when it's safe for him to come home."

I stepped up to them and reached out to run my hand down Hector's hair, but he whined and shied away, so I dropped my hand and stepped back.

"Take him." I whispered.

Hector did not look at me as Silvanus carried him out of the room, and I took a shuddering breath as my heart began to break with every step he carried Hector away from me. I wanted to follow, to chase after them and take my child back, but my feet seemed rooted to the floor. I heard the front door open and shut, and I sat heavily down on the foot of the bed. A few seconds later, I felt Silvanus' magic as he teleported them both away, and they vanished from my territory. I could still feel them through the bonds, and I focused on Hector's emotions as Silvanus soothed him and sent him back to sleep.

Hector would be safe behind Silvanus' wards, which were far more powerful than the Belmont wards. Dracula would have a hard time reaching him there, and if he did, Silvanus would be able to hold him back and protect Hector's dreams. I did not have the power to protect my child from Dracula; I knew that as well as I knew my own name.

Why then, did I feel so miserable?

I crawled up to lie on my side in the middle of the bed, and it felt too big without Hector there. For the first time in 51 years, there was no head tucked under my chin, no body curled against mine, no hands grasping my sleeves. I turned my head to hide my face in the pillow and tried to pretend that there were no tears running out of my eyes.

I stayed in bed until the sunset the following day.

******

As the days and nights passed, I watched Hector from a distance through the bond. Silvanus fed him twice a night like I did and put him down for a nap around one in the morning like I did, and as I had hoped, his sleep was undisturbed with Silvanus' wards to protect him. Once he had had a good day's sleep and Silvanus had fed him, he had calmed and understood that what he had seen had only been dreams sent by Dracula and not anything that I had done.

Are you coming over here? he asked early one morning after Silvanus had put him to bed.

No, little one. I have to stay here for now. The Belmonts need me to protect them.

I could hear the tears even in his mental voice. But I need you too.

I know, child, I know, but you're safe where you're at. As soon as Dracula falls, I'll bring you home.

I miss you. I want to come home.

I miss you too, little one, and I promise I'll come for you as soon as Dracula is gone. Go to sleep now; I'll talk to you again tonight. I sent him a mental goodnight kiss, and he returned it before he went quiet, and a minute or so later, the bond narrowed as he went to sleep. I sighed and backed away and laid in my own bed, staring at the ceiling in silence as the sun rose outside.

******

During Dracula's last resurrection, 15 years before, Christopher had been gone for 21 days. This time, the 21st day came and went with no word, and Dracula's presence was as strong as ever. Simona was bordering on panic as she worried about her husband and son, and Adrian and Elena were right behind her.

The wards were tested sorely, as Dracula seemed to target the Belmonts directly this time, and when the main wards repelled his monsters, he went onto the villagers on the Belmont lands. Those wards were not strong enough to repel a direct hit, and I spent many nights destroying any creature I came across, despite Hector's pleas for me to stay safe. He was terrified that Dracula would try and get to me to hurt him, and though I shared in his worry, I had to do what Christopher could not in his absence. I did, on the 25th day, go to Silvanus' house to see him, once I was done hunting for the night.

I will never forget the look on Hector's face when I came through the door into Silvanus' small house. He stared at me like he couldn't believe I was there, and then he flew towards me and leapt into my arms. I laughed quietly as I caught him and held him, while Silvanus smiled from aside the fireplace.

"Is it done? Can I come home now?" Hector asked excitedly as I sat down and held him on my lap.

I hated to disappoint him. "No, not yet, little one. Dracula is still around, but I wanted to come and see you before I went home."

His face fell, and he leaned into me without saying anything as his excitement died a quick death. "I know," I said, and I gave him a kiss on the forehead, "but I just need you to be patient."

"I don't want to be patient." he mumbled. "I want to go home. Silvanus is very nice, but.. he's not you."

I heard Silvanus chuckle at that. "Hopefully I'll be able to bring you home soon, little one."

"Will you stay for a little while then?"

I looked up at Silvanus, who nodded with a small smile. "Of course, I will."

Hector smiled at me and snuggled in, intending to not move for as long as possible. I ended up staying until it was time for his nap, and I fed him and rocked him to sleep.

"Any word from Christopher yet?" Silvanus asked as I sat there cradling Hector in my arms.

"No, not yet." I replied, and I sighed. "We're all worried about him."

"I imagine that Soleil is the one you truly need to worry about. Despite everything, Joachim, he is still a boy, and he is no match for Dracula."

I winced then; I truly hadn't given any thought to Soleil since Christopher had left, and I doubted that anyone other than the child's mother and grandparents had.

Silvanus frowned at me. "He's a child, Joachim. An ill behaved brat of a child to be sure, but still a child, and right now, he is at Dracula's mercy."

"I don't think that fiend knows the meaning of the word." I said absently. "Not after what he did to a man that he had raised as his own."

"I assume you're talking about Isaac?"

I nodded as Hector's Isaac raised his head at the mention of his name. He looked at us for a second and then laid his head back down on the chair seat and went back to sleep. August was still at my house, since Silvanus' house was too small for him. I kept him fed and groomed, and Hector spoke to him through their own bond every day.

"To think that the death of one woman caused all of this." I whispered as I looked at Hector's sleeping face.

"Two women." Silvanus corrected quietly, which prompted me to look up at him. "The death of his second wife at the hands of humans may have set Mathias on this road, but he had been going in that direction since the passing of his first wife from illness. Then he had no one but an untouchable figure to take his anger out on, but now he has humanity as a whole to focus his hate on."

"Is the loss of a marriage bond really so destructive?"

"Yes, it can be. Mathias loved his wives with everything he had, and from the sound of it, they did the same with him. In instances such as that, the breaking of the bond is devastating. Remember how Sypha was after Trevor passed? Remember how she was catatonic for the remainder of her days? Her passing was a mercy for her. Mathias though was still young when his first wife died, and he had many years without her ahead of him. When faced with that, anger is so much easier to bear than grief."

"And then when his second wife died," I whispered, "he was a powerful vampire that would have had an impossible time ending his existence, so he once again turned to anger for solace."

"Yes."

We went silent, and I glanced out the nearest window, towards the direction of Dracula's castle. I was actually feeling sorry for him to be honest, though I would never admit that to anyone, especially not Kerwin.

Hector shifted and rubbed at his eyes, and he mumbled something before he went still and quiet. I sighed again.

"I guess I should go for now," I said, "before he wakes up."

"Joachim?" Silvanus said, and he hesitated for a few seconds. "Have you ever given any thought to adopting Hector?"

I blinked; where had that come from? "Adopting him? What do you mean?"

"Exactly that. Adopt him as Kerwin adopted Matatias. Make him your son as though you had fathered him yourself."

I was stunned. "What? Why would I do that? I've never thought about it."

"It will strengthen the bond between you two. Right now the bond you have is a pale imitation of the parent/child bond, and it will make it easier for you to protect his mind from intrusion. Being your son instead of your child will also give him a power boost. Finally, it's because that child loves you, as his father, not as his master. You're giving him what his parents never did, what Mathias never bothered to do."

I held up my hand, and Silvanus hushed. "I'll think about it." I said. "Right now I'm more concerned with getting us through this mess. Once we're home, I'll talk to him about it."

Silvanus nodded. "It's all that I can ask."

"What made you bring this up?"

He gave me a sly smile, and I looked at him warily as I stood up and carried Hector off to bed. I tucked him in, kissed him, and returned to the living room, where I found Silvanus watching the embers of the dying fire in silence.

"You have something so precious there, Joachim." he said in a low tone, and then he looked up at me. "Don't let go of it."

I gave him a weak smile in response, and then I went out the door. I pushed all thoughts of Hector and Silvanus' suggestion out of my mind as I went home as quickly as possible. With Dracula and his ilk running around, being distracted could be dangerous. Once I was safely in the Belmont wards, I checked on everyone to find them all sleeping, and then I returned to my own house. August was curled up in a bed of straw in his room, asleep, and I went in search of my own bed, and only then, once I had flopped bonelessly down on it, did my thoughts begin to run around in circles.

I knew how Hector felt about me, I had known for a while, but that didn't mean he actually wanted to be my son. He hadn't said anything about it before.

Well that could be because he doesn't know it's possible, and with his previous experience with parents, even if he did know, would he ask? that little voice in the back of my head said, and I shook my head to shut it up. It was true that Hector likely didn't know that I could even do that, but even if he did, why would he want it?

But do you want it, Joachim?

"Yes, I do." I whispered in the darkened room as I stared up at the ceiling. "But what if he's too frightened? What if he says no?"

He won't. You know that he won't.

I sighed and rolled over onto my side, suddenly missing Hector's presence more than ever. I reached through the bond and touched his sleeping mind with a mental caress.

He stirred, and I received a sleepy Love you. before he went back to sleep. I smiled as I closed my eyes; as soon as it was safe to bring him home, I would ask him. With that thought, I kicked my boots off, pulled the blankets over me with gesture and settled in to the sleep the rest of the night away.

Chapter 6-4 -- Chapter 6-6
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