[Video|Private to Ana|Backdated to just after Lisa's arrival]

[notquitedracula]

[It's been a little over a day since Soma left the hospital in a rush, without telling anyone - not even the nurse on duty. That alone had caused something of an uproar, but it was a thing he wasn't willing to deal with just yet. But that didn't mean he didn't have obligations that were important to him.]

[It's early evening, not that you can tell it in the video. Soma's standing in a marble hallway somewhere, with rather opulent furnishings surrounding him. He looks... well, to be frank he looks shell-shocked.]

Ana. I... I'm sorry about the other day. I didn't know it was that bad. I'm feeling better now, and I have you to thank for that, but... something has come up. I don't know if it's good or bad yet - it has the potential to go either way. I can't leave the castle right now. She's... Lisa's in a bad way. She was badly burned when she arrived.

[He takes a moment to gather himself, to take a deep breath and try to focus.] I don't know how, but she's here. Dracula's wife.

Comments

[innocent_royal]

[Anastasia was in her bed, like usual when she feels like relaxing, listening to the message, somewhat distracted by the regal background. Something did catch her attention.

Who is Lisa? Dracula's wife apparently. But she wonders why Soma is focused on the wife of someone she thought he cares little for.]

You had me very worried, Soma. But I'm happy to hear you're doing better. And it was Satsuki who carried you to the hospital, so the thanks should really go to her.

[All though, Anastasia did try to visit often.]

But I don't understand. What exactly is your relationship to Dracula and Lisa? Is it related to the circlet you got for me?

[notquitedracula]

I'll have to remember to thank her too, then - assuming I ever meet her while conscious. [He manages a slight smile. Ana's been pretty good at keeping the two of them apart from one another.]

It's... kind of complicated. You could say he's something like an ancestor of mine? Except that's not anything close to the truth of it. I don't want to talk about it on the network - if someone were to somehow hack the privacy settings, the information involved could prove extremely dangerous. And yes - it is related to the circlet.

[innocent_royal]

I see.

I won't ask any personal questions, then.

[A pause...]

Did you only call to let me know you're all right? Or did you want to talk for a bit?

[After all, she doesn't plan on moving around today.]

[notquitedracula]

Thanks. I sincerely appreciate that.

[He considers her questions a moment.]

A little of both. I made an absolute fool of myself the other day, and I probably scared you witless. I... I don't even know how to begin to apologize for putting you through that.

[He doesn't have much in the way of plans, either; the castle isn't actively trying to kill him anymore at the moment, so he can pretty much just stand or sit around at leisure, at least when he's not helping tend to Lisa's wounds.]

If... if you'd like to come by later, I can arrange you safe passage through the castle. This might be the only chance anyone ever gets to meet him without the rage.

[innocent_royal]

Meet Dracula himself?

[She thinks about for a moment. She has heard stories, but this could be a chance to see him up close and judge for herself.]

If you can promise that I will be safe, I will see him.

[notquitedracula]

Give me a couple days to make certain of things, but I'm pretty sure I can promise you that. You'll need an escort within the castle halls, though - it's still a demon castle, after all.

...Actually, it would probably be best if we meet somewhere outside beforehand. There are some things I need to explain.

[innocent_royal]

[Demons is what concerns her the most, but she feels it will be fine if Soma will be there to help her.]

Okay. I will wait for when you say so. Is there anything else you would like to talk about?

[notquitedracula]

How have you been feeling, since this whole thing started?

[...Yep. World's greatest conversationalist, right here, ladies and gents. Can you feel the cringe? Next he'll be asking about the weather.]

[innocent_royal]

[It was still enough to make her smile, even if it was lame.]

I've been well. Satsuki has been keeping me busy, so I'm glad to take whatever naps I can get.

[notquitedracula]

[And that's enough to make him smile, in turn. He's kind of a dork.]

Naps, huh? If there's a better way to spend time in the world, I can't think of it. Except maybe your tea parties.

[innocent_royal]

[She's going to hide under her blanket for a moment.]

My tea parties aren't that fun, though. Just sitting around drinking tea.

[notquitedracula]

That's what's nice about them, really. It's quiet time, spent with a friend. I don't get a lot of that.

[He's going to momentarily wonder about the hiding, but... completely clueless.]

[innocent_royal]

[She does things like that whenever she is brought to blush. But she's fine now.]

I suppose so. I don't have many friends either, or even any my own age.

[There is Tony Clark, but he's been absent from her social life.]

[notquitedracula]

Well... we're not so far apart in age, really, are we? Four years, maybe five?

[He smiles, then shakes his head.] No, I suppose that is a pretty big gap, at this point in our lives.

[innocent_royal]

Four or five years? That's about how my friends usually are. My retainer was five years older than me.

But wouldn't it be a gap at any and every point in our lives?

[notquitedracula]

Well, yes - but that kind of gap becomes less important, the older you get. Somewhere about the time you hit 22 or 23, it doesn't even seem to make a difference anymore to most people.

[...He has no idea why that's a thing, even though that's the point where that particular age gap becomes legal for dating.]

[innocent_royal]

I simply don't understand. I never got to roam outside freely so this "age gap" thing is alien to me.

I only know that my father hates my retainer.

[notquitedracula]

It's not all that clear to me, either. Mostly because the sum total of friends I've ever had is about five, and of those, only one was my age.

...To be honest, I'm pretty sure I'm not a great example to learn from, here. [He rubs the back of his head, feeling awkward.] There's a slight possibility I might be immortal.

[innocent_royal]

Immortal?

[She thinks about it for a moment.]

There's a possibility I am as well. It would explain why I still look as I do.

[notquitedracula]

What are the odds, huh?

[He sighs. He knows exactly what kind of heartbreak awaits them both - he has plenty of memories of that, at least.]

At least neither of us have to worry about the old age thing? I mean... my hair's already white, I guess that kind of puts me partway there anyway, but...

[He slumps. There really is no cheer to be found in this situation.] Life sucks. And we've both got a lot of life to go, apparently.

[innocent_royal]

Indeed... But it may be possible that I can start aging again if I fulfill my purpose as intended by the God-Queen.

I have various duties and expectations awaiting me back home, but at least I now have as long as I could ever want to enjoy my childhood. Since being a Princess denied me that much.

[notquitedracula]

There is that. I never really had much of a childhood, either - everyone was always afraid of me. At least now I know why, but... [A helpless shrug.] Knowing something after the fact doesn't make up for the loss. You know?

[innocent_royal]

I suppose not... I wish I could help you somehow, but I pretty much still don't know the first thing about boys.

[She was only able to gather that they have incredible one-track minds.]

[notquitedracula]

[They're also self-centered and self-important. She should probably avoid them.]

You already have, a little. [He smiles.] I told you - you're pretty much the only friend I have, here.

[innocent_royal]

I suppose so. You are a dear friend to me. But I still don't know the first thing about boys.

[If she comes to his birthday, what is she supposed to bring? Doubtful he will be into cute hair bows or something.]

[notquitedracula]

We're not all that complicated. Most of us like to do active things, except for dancing for some reason. Sports, fighting, wilderness stuff like hunting and fishing, anything that requires being active. I couldn't do most of that as a kid, but that's what all the other boys did. I... well, I stayed inside and learned the violin, mostly. I did take a few years of kendo, but the teacher threw me out because I kept slipping into what he said was a different style.

[With boys, something fighting related is usually a good bet. Usually. For Soma? ...actually even his mun doesn't know.]

[innocent_royal]

Oh, I see. Very much like the men of my people. They always seem to want to be stronger than the next man. At least, the knights did.

How about food, music, and the like?

[notquitedracula]

Knights have a good excuse, at least - a weak knight is a poor defender. Food... Meat tends to be a bigger part of our diet than vegetables, but we really need both, so sometimes it's good to force us to eat our greens. Music depends on the person; I've seen guys who preferred punk rock, and guys that liked the peppiest, tooth-achingly sweetest pop they could find. Entertainment follows similar lines.

Personally? I like instrumental music, stuff you can sit and listen to without having to pay close attention, and food that doesn't try to be too fancy. I do have a marked preference for meat, though.

[innocent_royal]

I think my curiosity is satisfied now. Thank you.

[All though, she did not understand the music genres. She doesn't even know what she listens to.]

[notquitedracula]

You're welcome.

[Remind him sometime to let you listen to the stuff on his phone from home, Ana. He has a pretty decent collection, and it covers a wide range of types. He's actually a bit of a musical omnivore.]