The child was born in silence, no cry pierced the night, no scream heralded the hope beneath the moonlight. A dhampir, an anomaly unwelcome by some among the vampire race, for it was a flaw in their pure bloodline. But Alaric knew the secrets buried within a dhampir's existence, and for that, he was willing to forge a bond with a human.
"Elric Evandrell Mournveil."
The moment the name flowed from Alaric's lips, a pair of eyelids fluttered open, revealing crimson eyes dark as his own reflecting an understanding that the name belonged to him. Alaric sat down, cradling the tiny body of Elric beside Thalia, whose breath was shallow yet steady, her body weakened by labor.
Elric's presence composed a melody to accompany the silence. At precise moments, his cries would rise as a plea for attention. In every stage of growth, beneath sunlight and moonlight adorned with stars, Thalia's nurturing elixir became his daily sustenance.
That sacred elixir slowly turned red as Elric grew. Thalia, pained and aching, surrendered when the agony in her nipple became unbearable. Elric no longer sought the purity of his mother's milk but blood. Elric bit and often the addictive nectar drove him to feed beyond limit until Thalia collapsed unconscious with arms still wrapped around her child.
Elric's cries echoed, prompting the servants to soothe him, restraining their temptation to feed upon Thalia despite the blood lingering near her wounds.
"Leave."
One word from Alaric, and they obeyed without hesitation. Alaric stepped closer to Elric, who whimpered softly, slightly soothed as his father's fingertip brushed against his plump cheek.
"You're greedy."
As if comprehending the meaning of those two words, Elric frowned, puffing his cheeks in protest. Alaric stared at him with those dark eyes, "She is my wife."
"Ma!"
Alaric murmured quietly at the first word from his son, a word that summoned Thalia, and flicked Elric's forehead.
"That's good."
Thalia awoke as dusk painted the sky in orange hues that filled every corner. The pain of her wound still lingered, though her body had regained enough nutrients for strength.
As the seconds turned to minutes and the moon replaced the sun in its eternal cycle, Thalia made a small request to Alaric, a humble desire for a sliver of freedom.
"I want to hire a nanny."
Alaric looked at Thalia, pale and uneasy, hiding the faintest trace of a smirk. Thalia exhaled softly when Alaric gave his approval, granting her a fleeting lightness on her shoulders, if only for a moment.
"So amusing."
Thalia turned to Alaric just as she was about to open the chamber door. Alaric smiled, seemingly delighted by her inner turmoil, "To see you fear your own son."
Thalia clenched her hands until her nails nearly pierced her skin, diverting her gaze with a flare of burning defiance.
"I wouldn't be like this if that child were human."
The door slammed shut with a bang, releasing the storm within her as Alaric's eyes gleamed with the hunger of a beast. Thalia only wished to be freed from the chains of her fate.
Elric stared at the nanny, who lowered her head in a respectful bow to the highborn family. He returned his attention to the stack of blocks, placing a triangular prism as the tallest piece among them all.
"Mama?"
Elric was three years old then, still in need of proper care. The door creaked open, followed by the sound of footsteps. Without a word, the nanny began her duties with Elric.
"Father, I want mama."
The wish slipped from his lips under the starless sky, where only the two of them sat. Bound by blood and relation, their thoughts diverged though they met at a single point.
Elric's eyes sparkled as he saw blood trickle from Alaric's wrist, scratched open by sharp claws. With delight, Elric skipped forward, clasping his father's hand to sip the blood, relishing the cold touch of Alaric's hand.
"Your grandfather wants to see you."
The next day, the couple and their son traveled to Theo's estate, who longed to meet Elric. Laughter echoed, a harmony of musical notes dancing through the chamber.
"Grandpa, mama won't give me blood!"
Ah, such innocent words from Elric's small lips caused Theo to furrow his brow, puzzled by their meaning. Alaric played it off with a pleasant demeanor, as if it were mere childish nonsense.
"I was simply tired."
Theo exhaled harshly, his dark eyes locking onto Thalia, who remained silent, refusing to meet his gaze.
"Is that what you call manners, Thalia?! Elric is your son! You're obligated to raise him! Alaric works to provide and this is how you repay us?! Don't disappoint me! Is this the behavior you learned from your affair with that bastard?!"
Thalia clenched her fists, holding back a storm, "What do you mean by that, Grandfather?! I've done as you asked. I only want to rest! And besides, Alaric agreed to hiring a nanny."
"Thalia, a nanny can never take the place of you, his mother."
In a patriarchal system, where women were placed at the lowest rung, expected to manage all domestic tasks and child-rearing, while men held dominance by merely providing, this was the doctrine Theo upheld for familial order. A scheme despised by many women in the world.
"Shall I rid us of that bastard child?"
Those words lit an inferno within Thalia's soul, "Then I'll rid you of your precious grandson!"
Thalia flinched at her own outburst, but even the sting of Theo's hand across her cheek paled in comparison to the shock in her chest. Thalia gaze shifted to Elric, who stared at her expressionless, like a cursed doll. Alaric gently ran his fingers through Thalia's hair, a silent message to play along.
"Father-in-law, I will speak to Thalia."
Theo sighed deeply and sat down, then ordered a servant to prepare his medication. He watched the three figures walk away, his sight slowly losing them to the distance.
"Fools."
The servants remained still, neither speaking nor reacting to Theo's fury. A glass ornament shattered to the floor, scattering into countless shards that echoed through every corner of the room.
Elsewhere, the hum of the car accompanied the Mournveil family on their journey home. Thalia held her sorrow close and guilt-ridden, yet oddly relieved.
"Ashen Rowan, huh?"
Thalia's body stiffened the moment Alaric spoke the two names, his eyes still fixed on the road. He stopped the car when the traffic signal burned red.
Thalia bit her lower lip, the sting returning as Elric's tiny fangs pierced her once more to drink. Alaric caressed her cheek, sending a shiver down her spine. Alaric's fingers moved to Thalia's chin, halting her from tearing the skin of her lip in her distress.
As her lips parted slightly, Alaric leaned in and kissed her soft pink mouth. Thalia winced a second time as he grazed the corner of her lips with his fang drawing blood, his desired nectar.
He pulled away, gazing at her deeply, then whispered, "Try to think further ahead, Thalia."