ACT 6 - THE NEWS

12 December 1020

After long exhausting hours of travel and feasting, Sara was already in her bed sleeping, with Sophia sitting by her side..., as for drake, he was sitting alone on his throne while in the dark and empty throne room, he was holding his head while lost in a continuous river of thoughts as Sara's shocked face kept flashing in front of his eyes...

Suddenly, Sebastian interrupted his train of thoughts as he opened the closed door and entered the room, he noticed the situation and stayed silent for a bit, drake woke up from his daydreaming and said "hey....", Sebastian grabbed a chair and sat nearby saying " hmm.... (start smoking) you look miserable".

Drake looked at him with an uninterested face "thanks for reminding me...", Sebastian shrugged his shoulders and said "you really out played yourself today..., you have put... quite the pathetic show...", drake stayed silent for a bit and answered "I know... i just couldn't.....", Sebastian keeps smoking while looking at him with a strong glare...

He took the cigar out of his mouth said with a frustrated voice ".... I remember how you would act in those situations..., maybe Edward was right-....", suddenly he got surprised by drake yelling "IT'S... NOT THAT I WANT IT, SEBASTIAN....,(calms down) I tried... I have tried so hard... but... every time... I just remember what I've done to her... what I made her do..., And what It led to....".

Sebastian kept looking at his brother with a serious face as he continued with a tired voice "every time I look at the mirror... I see his face..., (looks at Sebastian) I'm nothing different from him....", Sebastian took a deep inhale from his cigar..., and exhaled it "then..., you're going to let her suffer more?",

Drake's eyes widened up as Sebastian continued "all I understand from your words is that... you chose yourself over your daughter..., (looks at drake angrily) she's my niece, drake..., and you're hurting her..." leaving drake in complete shock..., suddenly he continues "and for him... he's nothing but a past now...".

Drake looked at his brother with a frustrated face "but... what if it's too late..., I feel like I betrayed her, the way I stood and looked away, (with a sad smile) huh... it's ironic how the great Dracula couldn't face his daughter...., but.... the way she looked at me, that look... it will haunt me for the rest of my life..., how can I make up for that...".

Sebastian looked at him with a disgusted face "tsk..., why are you talking like you don't know who Sara is...?".

Drake gets surprised: huh...? what with that look on your face? it's like you're looking at trash or something...

Sebastian: because I do...

Drake smiles: oh, give me a break would you...

Sebastian: good call (exhale), you have to make up... not for yourself...., but for Sara..., for Sophia, and everyone you've hurt because of your selfish actions...

Drake: I hope it was this easy...., and the way you're putting it..., you're really enjoying yourself while torturing me, huh...?

Sebastian kept smoking and said: who knows...?

Sophia interrupts their talk and says with a serious tone: hey you two, your mother..., she has something to share with you...

As soon as they heard these words, Drake and Sebastian stood up immediately with serious looks on their faces and head with Sophia without adding a word, they enter Elizabeth's room, where she's waiting for them...

The room was quiet as Elizabeth can be seen standing by the window bathing in the gentle light of the moon, she looked like she was enjoying a view that she can never fully appreciate, she turned around and looked at them with a gentle look on her face and says: "I found it...".

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In Elizabeth's room, silence roamed for couple minutes..., and the air was heavy as an uncomfortable feeling filled the place, the three were waiting for what Elizabeth had to say..., because they know damn well... that when she has something to say... it's usually an important thing that you must listen with your body and soul and not only with your ears....

Minutes passed by without her saying a word, then suddenly she waved her hand at Maria, who immediately closed the door..., Elizabeth kept looking at the three and smiled... suddenly she opened her mouth and said with a gentle voice...

Elizabeth: ... I found it

Drake kept peeking at Sophia who was as nervous as him..., meanwhile Sebastian... stopped smoking just to pay attention..., drake looked at his mother and asked with a nervous voice "what did you find..., dear mother?"

Elizabeth looked at him and smiled as she said "the thing that you eagerly wanted an answer for..., you, Sebastian, Sophia, and all the others..., the origin.... of Sara's sickness...

Drake, Sophia, and Sebastian were on the verge of their seats as their eyes widened from Elizabeth's words, drake started sweating as more and more thoughts kept conquering his mind but it stops when a gentle hand grabbed his...,

It was Sophia... he looks at her face and see a gentle smile as she says with a comforting voice "everything is going to be all right, and whatever happens, I'm always there for you, drake...", drake kept looking at her face and calmed down...., he got himself together and asked his mother "I.... I.... I want... to know more... mother".

Elizabeth looked at her son for a bit and proceeded: I know..., I know that the past 3 years were hard on you because of Sara's condition.... And... especially you, my dear drake, Sara.. is a part of the royal family, she's my lovable granddaughter..., she's the future queen of this kingdom, and... unfortunately... she's the youngest vampire in whole of the kokina matia...

Drake clenched his had as his mother continued: and that's as you know... is because... we haven't had a newborn for the past 800 years; where most of the vampires were sadly lost... in the sacred war...., But now, and after spending the past three years with Sara, I know for sure the reason why she suffered....

Suddenly she started looking at drake and said "since her birth, she wasn't like the other vampires..., we knew... too late that... she had a weak heart, but it managed to strengthen up by time..., and it's all thanks to your training... drake...

Drake's eyes widened up while Sophia kept looking at him with open shocked eyes, Sebastian dropped his cigar as his angry, yet surprised eyes shifted toward his brother...

Elizabeth continued "she was on the track to be the next queen faster than any one could even predict, faster than all of the past kings, and we all watched Sara gain more strength and experiences with such a well-made training..., but on that faithful day.... something happened..., something that took me and Maria 2 and a half years to understand...".

Drake opened his eyes in shock as he watched his mother speaking with a serious tone "the real reason for Sara's sickness... is none other than the symbols themselves....".

As soon as Elizabeth done talking, drake fell on his knees, he felt something deep down in his heart..., meanwhile... Sophia kept tearing up as Elizabeth continued "yes my dear son, it wasn't your fault.... It wasn't your fault at all, in fact the way you treated her, all the long hours you spent training her, that what made her strong..., that what made her heart stronger!!".

Elizabeth kept looking at son kneeling while feeling pain in his chest, he had a serious face as she continued "your training..., slowed her illness for the past 3 years, and thanks to you my dear son, she was strong enough to battle an illness that would've beaten the strongest of monsters..., without you... she wouldn't survive the first couple months, she's a strong girl drake, just like you... and that was because of you....

Drake stayed on the ground while holding his chest..., he felt something that he haven't felt in years, pain..., but the good kind, he felt all the pain he suffered from for the past 3 years, all the pain of knowing that... he was the reason of the suffering of his daughter, all started going away with couple words from his mother's mouth,

Sophia kept crying while hugging him "thank god, thank god, thank god, I knew it, you would never do something that hurt your daughter " she said, Sebastian grabbed a new cigar and started smoking, he looked up and let a deep sigh "thank god...", drake started remembering that fateful day 3 years ago...