Vlad stood in front of his father ashamed to even look at him in his eyes so he looked at his father's feet. The Count didn't know how to begin to break this to his son. Robbed of his own birthright. He knew that his son wasn't the keenest on becoming a bloodsucker but for the choice to be taken from him and considering his condition he might even react in anger. The Count had to tell him everything including 'that'. Vlad waited in suspense. Waited for the scolding. Waited for attacking someone that is no longer their enemy for the 'Terrors are coming', whatever that means. He stood and waited before wrapped in a hug that he was too surprised to reciprocate.
"I'm so sorry Vlad," sympathised the Count. Vlad hesitantly put his arms around his dad confused on what he was apologising for. The Count continued, "What you might hear may enrage you but you must understand that I will be doing everything to undo this travesty." Vlad left the embrace and finally met his father's eyes with a look of befuddlement. The Count took a breath and began his explanation, " Vladimir Dracula, when vampires come of age, they must first undergo an initial evolution before they can eventually go through their final change and their biggest one at that. They merge with a version of themselves that is dark and twisted, a mirror self. Depending on the dominant party, the change to one's individual personality can be drastic or just make one slightly different. More susceptible to certain thoughts. But if this change happens prior to the initial transition then the vampire's body becomes confused believing that the change has completed and leaves the vampire to stay mortal. Usually this is incredibly rare but considering what you are then it is more understandable." Vlad sat there digesting every word latching on to it to finally make some sense of his condition but as he listened the darker his expression got until the end of the Count's explanation where he just looked perplexed.
"Sorry, 'what I am'. Last I checked, I was a vampire and your son and heir. What are you talking about!" exclaimed Vlad. The Count sat there expecting the outburst. He knew he shouldn't have withheld this information from his son for so long. The Count took another breath and resumed,
"Vladimir, my boy, I should've told you this years ago. If I did perhaps you may have had less heartbreak. You are my son and that is all that matters but according to vampire law you cannot be my heir. In fact you should not exist. You are the product of an affair that I had with a... breather. You are not the son of Magda the Unfaithful but Count Dracula the Adulterer." Vladimir's father paused a little before saying, "You are what is called a dimidius or some in some regions call you a dhampir. I'm sorry Vladimir."
"I'm a what," Vlad genuinely asked before jumping up and running out of the castle. The Count followed him before stopping a few feet and sighing. The Count had a look that should never be on such a young face. He turned and called for Renfield and went back to his coffin. A bright light was reflected in the dark near where Vlad and his father talked.
Robin couldn't help but think that he was missing something. He didn't know if it was something like a limb or a dog or a long lost sibling that ran off but something had been missing from his life. He knew that it was absurd that some random object or person had been ripped from him but he thought that it was a possibility but he knew that it was confirmed with the way Vlad acted at school. That was his best friend, someone he could confide in, a guy that he could always count on and he had hoped that he was the same to him. But there was a distance, an unspeakable one but easily noticeable. Tension filled their every conversation. Each sentence felt like it was swimming in quicksand gasping for breath and eventually suffocated. He knew that from them something was missing and Vlad knew. Maybe Vlad was the reason it was missing or his odd dad. I mean if they were even slightly more creepy he would think they were... serial killers. Robin shaked his head and laughed at himself. Vlad the innocent boy who didn't even know how babies were made could hurt anyone let alone kill. Maybe he was just a harmless kid that was wrapped into something that even he couldn't fathom or understand. Something that maybe involved him. But all this was speculation. He heard the doorbell ring as his thought came to a close before being met with the friend he was talking about. Vlad looked at him with teary eyes and Robin immediately let him in but Vlad just stood there for a second contemplating something. He stepped in and gave a smile that looked forced but Robin appreciated the gesture regardless. Vlad sat on the bed and Robin sat there with him waiting until he said a word. Vlad looked up and opened his mouth before closing it and looked as if he couldn't say something. Vlad took a deep breath looked at his friend and said,
"I just found that my mum isn't my mum and that my whole life is a lie." Vlad just sat there waiting for a reaction from Robin and held his breath. Robin's eyes widened and he waited for a moment before replying,
"And how do you feel about that?" Vlad paused. He hadn't thought Robin would ask him that. How did he feel about it.
"Like my dad is a horrible liar and the world is on fire. I mean if he lied to me about that what else has he lied to me about? Is Ingrid even my sister? Is he lying again and am I adopted?" Vlad rambled on before stopping so he didn't cry in front of his only friend in spite of his memory problem. Robin gulped. How could he help comfort Vlad in this situation he was only 13. He breathed in and asked,
"If I could maybe say something? Does it matter that your mum isn't your mum. I mean you talk about her like she's the worst mother in history and I've never heard you talk about your dad like that ever. Wouldn't it be better that your mother isn't that type of person?" Vlad sat up and a smile came across his face. Then a chuckle escaped his mouth and grew until it became full blown contagious laughter and Robin caught whatever it was that Vlad had. They laughed for a while before winding down. Vlad looked around and saw the usually dark and gothic room that was once filled with posters of vampires become a room filled with other supernatural creatures. Vlad shook his head and smiled. Same Robin whether he liked vampires or not. Vlad smiled at Robin who smiled back at him.
"Yeah, you're right. Who cares about her. I want to know who my actual mother is. I just hope she's an improvement on the last one. I'll always have my dad... and you Robin," Vlad assured himself. Robin smiled and put his arm around his friend and Vlad just looked at him before pulling him into a hug. "I mean it Robin. Despite everything, you've always been there." Vlad and Robin waited a moment before pulling out of the hug. Robin smirked before asking,
"Well hopefully you'll be there at the pitch for some footy." Vlad smiled and shrugged before realising that he needs to go back home.
"Actually raincheck, I need to talk to my dad. Maybe at school tomorrow or whenever the next session is," corrected Vlad. Robin shrugged and told Vlad that he understood. Vlad playfully punched Robin's shoulder as he left and Robin dramatically fell to the floor as if he had been shot. Vlad walked out of the house saying his goodbyes to the Branaghs for letting him stay and having to decline Mrs Branagh's request to have dinner with them. As the sky darkened, Vlad took his first step out of the house of his best friend and towards his own home. A castle fit for vampires and a dimidius it seemed.
The Count waited for the sun to go down as he anticipated his son's arrival. Thoughts exploded in his head and infiltrated his mind like exploding scorpions spraying venom over all rational thought. What if he never came back. What if he gets himself killed... What if he hates me. All these poisonous question began infecting the Count and spreading all over his body until he began pacing. Renfield came to the Count but stopped because the Count never paced. Not even when his life was on the line. Renfield retreated to where he wouldn't be seen. God knows what the Count could do to him. The Count continued pacing until he was met with a face he recognised. His son. His heir. Vladimir Dracula.
"Hey Dad," beamed Vlad. The Count let off a rare grin and squeezed his son as hard he could without harming him. Vlad pushed him off and chuckled while telling him to stop. Vladimir finally pulled away from his dad. "I'm not going to pretend that I understand why you kept it from me but I haven't had a mother in years Dad. It doesn't matter if she's a human or the most evil creature on earth," said Vladimir. The Count walked his son outside in the dark and sat him down underneath the stars before whispering,
"I loved your mother. The human one. I met her at a goth festival in Whitby. She was amazing, gorgeous, intelligent, funny, humble, kind, was everything Magda isn't. Do not think for a second she abandoned you. I made sure that she did. I begged Magda to keep you. I knew from the moment I saw your eyes that you were the most incredible boy and would grow up to be a great son and a better brother. Ingrid was the good thing produced in that marriage. She agreed to let me keep you as long as we quietly separated and kept up pretenses. She then eventually left after you grew up to knowing her. She is a cruel woman with only herself in her thoughts. But she wasn't like that once." Vlad listened and began tearing up. He hid his face not wanting his dad to see him like that. The Count grabbed the boy's face and wiped off the tears. He whispered that it was okay. Vlad clutched his father's clothes to his face and sobbed while The Count just rubbed his back while comforting him. Vladimir sat back and his eyes sparkled. The Count hesitated before asking, "Would you want to know who your mother was or-"
"Yeah, that would be great to know what her name is at least," replied Vlad.
"Sally Giles. That was her name." answered Count Dracula. He continued, "If you want to get to know her then that's fine. I don't mind." Vlad smirked at his father trying to compromising.
"Of course I want to get to know her but I could never leave Ingrid or you. Maybe first we find out where she lives and send a letter or an email or even a phone call," persuaded Vlad. The Count just responded,
"It's all going to be alright Vlad. Everything. The Terrors, this whole mirror self and you merging as well as your birth mother and you being a dimidius. We'll figure it out. The Draculas always do."
"I know..."