1. Chapter 1 (1/2)
ok, this kinda belongs lumped into a similar category to sleeping beauty and excalibur. slightly more of an adaptation, but it is based on a well-known fairytale. i wonder if you can tell which.
disclaimer: young dracula is the bbc's baby, i'm just holding it for a while and teaching it to draw on the walls.
"dad, i really don't want to be here. can't i just-?" the count glared at him and vladimir dracula fell silent, accepting his fate. he would have to stay for the stupid feast and listen to his dad prattle on and on about how his son and heir was going to make him so proud. he slunk upstairs, prepared to sulk for the full three hours left until the party. a few years ago, he would have been trying to get a tan, just to show his father up in front of his guests, but that was no longer an option.
he'd only been there an hour when he heard a knock on the door."vlad? can i come in?" ingrid didn't wait for a reply; he hadn't expected her to."what do you want?" she smirked."to help you get out of this feast, of course." he frowned at her."how? and… why?""well, with you out of action dad might have to make a fuss of his better child." she shrugged. "and if not, i'll get to meet some interesting people. maybe i can find a way out of this dump." he narrowed his eyes slightly."and if i accept your help, you want…?" she shrugged again."new coffin, since you offer. have you seen what dad's got me sleeping in at the-?""deal. now how are you going to get me out of this?"
ten minutes later, vlad was lying in his coffin, trying to look feeble."dad, i think vlad's sick!" ingrid called. as expected, the count was at the doorway within seconds, but ingrid was in his way. "you don't want to go in there, it's disgusting...""thanks, ingrid," vlad croaked, making sure to sound as ill as possible. he hadn't pulled a sickie like this since the days of stokely grammar."unfortunately it hasn't stopped him talking," ingrid continued
ightly. "apparently he bit a mixie rabbit." the count's worried expression vanished, replaced by a proud smirk."a rabbit! well, it's about time, but it's a start, vladdy. well done!" ingrid rolled her eyes."yes, well, he won't be up to the party after all. such a shame. still, it's too late to cancel now. i'll help you host-" she ignored her father's grimace, "- and zoltan will let us know if vlad needs us." the count nodded."no cure but coffin rest. feel better soon." somehow he made it sound like an order.
ingrid watched him all the way down the corridor before smirking at her
other."too easy." vlad grinned back, reaching for a hoodie. "you'll want your cape if you plan to go out the window." he sighed, acknowledging the wisdom of that, and threw it over his shoulders."how did you know the cure was just rest?" she shrugged."i bit a mixie rabbit when i first turned 16. thought there must be some logic to the bite the bunny scheme. i was in my coffin for days, not that dad noticed. anyway, it clears up on its own. now get out of here, just in case. zoltan doesn't mind covering for us, do you, fleabag?" the hellhound growled, but nodded. it was just barely dark outside; vlad threw himself out of the window, ingrid's parting remark ringing in his ears."don't forget the feast ends at three!"
vlad touched down in the middle of… well, he wasn't quite sure where he was, to be honest. he'd been flying overhead and spotted a park, and here he was. resuming his more human form, he took his cape off, rolled it up, and shoved it into his pocket. he decided that since he'd apparently already made up his mind that a deserted park was the best place he could possibly be tonight, he might as well take a wander. he passed a deserted children's play area and had to fight the urge to have a go on the swings… well, ok. on his second circuit of the park he decided he might as well enjoy himself while he was here.
he skirted around what appeared to be a relatively well-dressed tramp, asleep on a bench where he assumed mothers sat to watch over their children in the daylight hours. he would try not to wake the man; he looked peaceful in the moonlight, but the state of his clothes and hair – not that vlad was looking, particularly – suggested that he had been on the move for some time and probably needed the sleep. vlad sat carefully on the furthest swing from the tramp and began to push himself carefully into the air.
of course the chain creaked as he reached the apex of his swing. how could he have expected anything different? he dug his heels into the ground,
inging himself to an a
upt stop – the chain clanked and he winced – but the damage was done. the man on the bench sat bolt upright,
ight blue eyes piercing the darkness."who's there?" he'd grabbed at the large book he'd been using as a pillow and was holding it as if it was the only valuable possession he owned, which vlad supposed was probably true."i'm sorry, i didn't mean to wake you- i just wanted to swing…" he trailed off, realising how pathetic that excuse was for waking a homeless person. "i'll leave."
"don't. i'm awake now, you can swing all you like." the stranger picked up the satchel containing all his worldly goods and came to perch on the swing next to vlad as he shifted awkwardly on the seat, reluctant to keep going now that he'd woken the man. "you can show me how it's done." he didn't seem to be joking; vlad raised an eye
ow."you've never been on a swing before?" the stranger fixed him with a piercing look."our kind aren't much for playing, are they?"
that was when vlad noticed the tiny scars at the man's throat; he'd never have seen them if the cryptic comment hadn't made him look. it was somewhat audacious for a half-fang to address a born vampire as an equal, of course, but vlad had never been one to care for such things. he didn't comment, just leant back on the swing and prepared to push off."you'll want to put that book away first." the stranger placed it reverently in his bag, then imitated vlad's pose on the swing. they pushed off together and vlad watched a small smile spread across the other man's face as he began to get the hang of it.
"i can see why