Greetings! It's been a while, hope to find you well! I originally wasn't planning on writing anything too soon since I'm busy with work and college right now, but I had this constant idea on my mind that just won't leave me in peace and it resulted in this little piece here that I offer to you now.

About Iris of Blue, Green and Gold it is a side story to my previous fanfic called It's Never Late for Forgiveness, set a little while after its ending. It can be read as a standard piece alone, but there are a few elements taken from that story.

I also would like to take the opportunity to answer a guest review left in the last chapter of It's Never Late for Forgiveness. I've always thought of Soma as an orphan, I can't explain why but that's how I've always seen his character so I didn't elaborate anything about the human parents he had in this present lifetime since it was not relevant to the story's plotline. And also as he's someone who has an extensive knowledge worth a millennium I just can't see him naturally keep going on with his human life like nothing happened, as going to high school or college for that matter, but that's is only my personal opinion.

Turning back to the present story, as always, I hope you enjoy! And if you haven't read any of my other projects of this collection and would like to read them, the chronological order is:

1- It's Never Late for Forgiveness

2- Sunt Aici

3- Iris of Blue, Green and Gold

4- The Midnight Rose.

Sincerely,

Lyon Heitor ~ Altheryon

…

Iris of Blue, Green and Gold

...

For the first time since his awakening Soma Cruz didn't know which decision to make.

In spite of all the rich knowledge he had acquired during his previous life as a human and also during the long centuries he had lived as a vampire, surviving in the shadows of humanity, no matter how much he searched his mind in his memories for any sign or means that could help him solve this dilemma, the silver-haired man was forced to admit to himself.

He was completely at lost.

At that very moment the vampire was in an antique shop, staring at the old pieces on the shelf with a bored look. On his body was a temporary spell that concealed the most remarkable features of his true nature, softening the gleam of his eyes to a common gold-caramel color and allowing him to blend into the crowd of humans without attracting much attention to himself.

He sighed, running his hands through his lightly disheveled hair and looked at the clock hanging on the wall, realizing that his time was running out and that soon he needed to return to the castle or would eventually cause some distrust from the dhampir, who was just the person he needed to maintain ignorant as possible on that particular subject.

How many centuries had passed? The vampire inquired as his mind again surrendered itself to a brief moment of reverie. Since the last time I gave Adrian a birthday gift?

Soma thought deeply and his memories led him to days from a very distant past, where, with a certain contentment in his heart while standing beside his wife, he had watched a small boy of seven years of age hurriedly open a package in his lap and remove from the wooden box a small toy in the shape of a gray wolf, made with rich details in stone, and a surprised look on the child' eyes, whose face the next moment broke into a grin as he stared happily at his parents.

It was a simple gift but he had secretly carved it with his own hands to give it to his son, and for many days to come the toy and the boy had become inseparable. He couldn't tell what had become of the wolf after so many centuries, for he had not seen it in Castlevania again after what had happened shortly afterwards... As Adrian had always carried it with him, he imagined that he had lost it in the forest on that day...

Pulling away from that line of thoughts that still saddened him, the silver-haired man forced himself to focus only on the actual subject that urgently demanded his attention.

He had noticed as the months passed the date approaching on the calendar. It was impossible to not notice now its great importance, not with his memories completely whole, and as the date approached, more the hidden desire in his heart to do something was increasing, to not let it go completely in the blank as it had happened in the last centuries, in his absence...

Soma frowned.

He had secretly probed Yoko on the subject and the witch, glad to completely open all the details, told him that the dhampir simply didn't celebrate his birthday.

"I swear I tried to persuade him to tell me several times which day he was born," she said frustrated, putting her hands on her hips. "I even threatened to burn his books he kept in my library once, but there was no way! He always kept staring at me with that blank look of 'I know you won't really dare do that' and I gave up. So Julius and I solved the matter by simply picking any day of the year out of surprise and bring a cake with gifts to give him, because if we tried to combine to celebrate always on a certain chosen day in advance he simply disappeared for days to only God-knows-where at the time, just so we couldn't find him! It's annoying!"

Soma shook his head, amused at his friend's words and his face also filled with certain sadness, for he understood the dhampir's attitude.

After all... The vampire closed his eyes. What was there to celebrate in a world where everything he loved broke into pieces and turned into a nightmare that lasted for endless centuries...?

If that was an opportunity for a second chance, Soma reflected, once again staring at the store's shelves, he decided he would start changing things immediately, in that very first year.

The only problem was that it was already the fifth store he'd entered that week when he could escape the castle unnoticed, and he just couldn't find anything to give to the other man, and his time was running out.

"Sir?" A woman's soft voice sounded close to him. "Would you like some help?"

"No..." Soma replied evenly, without turning around. "There is no need, but I thank you for your attention."

"It's no trouble at all; I actually appreciate helping the customers of the store." She told him and he had the impression she was smiling. "Are you looking for something to yourself or to give someone as a gift?"

"It's a gift..." The silver-haired man finally decided to say after a brief silence. Maybe a little help at that moment would be convenient, after all, his time was really running out. "It's for my son."

"I understand," the woman told him. "We have several interesting articles on the other corridor for children..."

"No..." The vampire replied, chuckling slightly. "He's has not been a kid for a couple of years, actually..."

"Oh..." She exclaimed surprised and Soma imagined she was staring at him in amazement, and a little embarrassed, the woman whispered. "Excuse me... I mean... it's just that you do not... seem to be so old as to have a teenager son already..."

"I know..." Soma said amused, deciding to leave it at that; there would be no way to explain to her the present actual circumstance, and deciding to turn and look to the young maid, the vampire's countenance filled with surprise.

She was a young, beautiful lady who appeared to have no more than twenty years of age, with long curly hair that fell loose on her back in a reddish-blond tone. She wore a simple dress of dark green color that gave her a cheerful air, and had a delicate face with pale skin, feminine and harmonious features that accentuated her expressive blue-green eyes, which, as she stared into the man's face, also widened.

He knew her; Soma was sure, though he couldn't immediately tell exactly who she was, for it was a knowledge that stemmed not from that present reality, but from a distant past life, an impression that apparently also reflected on the woman.

"Have we met before?" She inquired a little confused, staring into his golden eyes that seemed somewhat familiar.

"I'm sure not, miss," the vampire said naturally, keeping that intriguing sensation to himself. "It's the first time I've come to Europe."

"I see..." She said a little stunned.

The clock struck, announcing the new hour, and the silver-haired man bowed in farewell.

"I must leave now, or else I will be too late. But in a new opportunity I will return to the shop to continue searching for the gift. Thank you again for your attention."

And before the woman could reply anything the mysterious man quickly stepped back and left the store completely.

...

It was not the first time he had seen him like that, the vampire thought when one night he entered the Royal Chapel and again saw the dhampir completely solitary in one of the towers, standing in front of a transparent stained-glass window, watching the forest that surrounded and guarded the castle with a faraway look on his face.

In the first few times he had decided to depart, leaving him alone to his own thoughts. As time passed, however, it began to bother him in such way so that the silver-haired man finally chose to enter the room, the sound of his footsteps echoing lightly on the marble floor, immediately breaking the other's concentration and attracting his attention.

"Meditating on the past?" Soma inquired, his voice sounding sober.

The golden-haired man stared at him, frowning, and the vampire arched an eyebrow in response.

"I know that look. I saw it in my own face at many times and the thoughts usually were not pleasant at all."

Adrian shook his head with a sigh and turned his attention back to the night landscape outside the old building.

"I cannot fool you, can I?" The dhampir commented without actually expecting an answer.

"Want to talk about it?" Soma asked him, making himself comfortable on a nearby couch.

"It's nothing to do with us or our present, father." The golden-haired man told to him sincerely.

"It's about you alone." The vampire pointed with understanding in his voice.

"It's just... I cannot help but think sometimes of things that happened… things that could've been different by my actions..." Adrian replied softly.

"Did you kill anyone?" Soma questioned him directly.

"No." The dhampir replied nonchalant, shaking his head at the other man's soft laughter.

"Forgive me... please continue." The vampire made a gesture with his hand for the other to proceed.

"Perhaps…" Adrian decided to say. "I wasn't very sociable in the past with people I thought were important to me at the time... sometimes I think if I might have been a little different... to have allowed myself to get closer…"

"To have memories... isn't it?" Soma spoke in a tone that showed he knew exactly what the other man meant, and the dhampir stared at him with a slightly surprised look on his face.

The vampire leaned back against the seat and continued.

"When your mother and I were together, although most of the time we found ourselves content in each other's company, I cannot say that our life was a complete sea of flowers. Fights between couples are common even these days, as it is very difficult to not have something or an opinion that one doesn't diverge from another. I never had a mild temperament, especially when something displeased me and mankind can affirm this to you. On the other hand, your mother also was not easy to deal with when she wanted to mess with something. You know that, unfortunately you have witnessed some of our discussions."

The dhampir nodded silently, agreeing, and there was a small smile of amusement on his lips.

"Well... I can tell there were some years in the past, after what happened that night... that I thought many times of those moments when she and I were on bad terms." Soma proceeded, allowing his gaze too to wander to a certain point of his own past without interrupting his speech. "I thought about how much time we had lost in arguments that were mostly foolish and about unimportant things... If I had dropped my pride and she a little bit of her stubbornness, how much these moments could've been different, happier, bringing a better memory to remember... I have regretted it several times..."

The silver-haired man observed his son with a gentle look.

"It's not that I don't have positive memories, I actually keep them with me today as a precious treasure in my heart, but for us to have been together for such a short time... I wish we've had had more memories and more joyous moments. As the way you've put it... if I might have been a little different… to have allowed myself to get closer..."

Adrian watched him; his golden eyes gleamed softly, filled with restrained emotion.

"You and Mother... strange as it was at the time, I did not bother watching you fight. Somehow I knew everything would be alright the next day."

"Yes..." The vampire agreed with a smile that slowly showed on his lips. "Today I think that if I could've done something different, I would have changed her back then…"

"She would not approve." The dhampir replied immediately.

"And I said I'd ask for her approval?" Soma inquired the other with a wink, and the golden-haired man shook his head, laughing lightly. Then, in a more serious tone, the vampire added. "Don't worry so much about the 'what if's' of the past, Adrian, it's not worth it, it won't change anything."

The Lord of the Eternal Night rose from the couch, and realizing that his son wanted to ask him something, he waited patiently.

"Father..." The dhampir began in uncertain tone. "What did you do... to stop thinking?"

Soma smiled sadly.

"I've descended into darkness."

Adrian looked away immediately, regretting for asking the question. The vampire, however, approached the golden-haired man and placed one hand on the other's shoulder in a gesture of comfort.

"Search within yourself for the good memories of the people you have cared dearly, if it will bring peace to your soul, son, and even if these are not as many as you would like them to be, keep them with you as the treasure they are. It's not wrong to remember, or even wish you had more time, had more memories... It just shows that they were important."

The dhampir just nodded silently in a polite gesture of acknowledgement and Soma decided to depart and leave him alone. At the entrance door, however, the vampire stopped to glance back at his son one last time, and at that moment his mind briefly brought him a distant image of a woman with long reddish-blond hair and blue-green eyes standing near the dhampir, and it was with veiled surprise that he finally realized who she was.

...

As promised the vampire returned to the store again a few nights later, when he could leave the castle for some time without any hassle. He met again with the young lady he encountered previously and they began to talk as they slowly walked along the corridors, observing the sections and shelves of the antiquary.

He discovered her name and that she too was the owner of the place, a business she had inherited from her parents who unfortunately had deceased the year before, and day after day she struggled alone to continue the activities of the store in their memory. He couldn't tell the very moment when the conversation that flowed naturally between them no longer was restricted only to the gift they sought together, and began to address more personal topics, but the time passed quickly and pleasant, and soon the vampire again had to bid farewell to return to Castlevania.

Soma left the shop, unable to find his son's gift but with the certainty that the young maid really was who he believed her to be.

...

They met again shortly after.

The reddish-blond-haired woman was finishing preparing the shop for the next day's activities, and as it was late in the evening she had already closed the store for the day. At that very moment she chatted animatedly with a pet owl, her faithful companion of long years, that standing on a perch located in one of the corners of the store, watched her with big golden eyes, as expressive as hers, making noises from time to time as if answering to what she told it.

"This owl really seems to understand what you say..." A voice suddenly sounded close to her and the woman jumped in alarm, almost dropping the porcelain vase she held in her hand. An amused laugh echoed through the room. "What I find most interesting is that you also seem to understand exactly what the owl responds to you."

The young lady turned quickly and found the mysterious silver-haired man inside her shop, sitting comfortably on one of the couches destined for costumers, observing her with a piercing and knowing look that did not seem at all surprised by the scene he was watching.

"How did you get in here?!" She exclaimed dazedly, setting the vase on a nearby table as she slowly forced her heart to calm itself down.

"The front sign said 'open'." He answered naturally and the woman stared at the shop's door, realizing that what the man said was indeed true.

Confused, she walked over to the board and adjusted the sign, completely closing the shop this time, although deep inside she had the vague impression of having done it earlier... Or had she really forgotten?

"Owls are fascinating creatures, I must admit..." The visitor continued as if he were completely ignorant of the late hour. "Some may even say that they are considered magical beings..."

The woman stared at him in disbelief and Soma gave her a polite smile.

"Right..." she said slowly; something told her that it wouldn't do any good to lie to the man who somehow seemed to know exactly what her utmost secret was.

"So..." He continued. "Since when did you realize that you could talk to animals... and had the power to control them?"

"Very early... since when I was just a child..." The woman answered after a brief moment of silence. "How can you even know that?"

"When you get too involved in this you begin to recognize when magic flows on someone else as well." The vampire answered casually. "I can say that I myself have had my own share of learning about it enough to fill the curiosity of a lifetime, and that now I'm just here as an observer, content only to admire the beauty of magic rather than interfere in its influence over the world."

The silver-haired man indicated the vacant place on the couch beside him in a simple gesture, seeking to make the woman feel more comfortable, and she slowly sat down.

"It's not a bad thing," he told her gently. "Of course there are people ignorant of the dark secrets that exist in this world and they couldn't readily accept information of this complexity, but it is not a bad thing. For all there is a utility that can be employed for a noble purpose, the same holds true for your power."

The young maid looked at him surprised; no one has ever describe her delicate situation as clearly and comprehensibly as he had, and she was filled with a sudden strong emotion which she couldn't explain.

"Thank you..." She told him truthfully and he just smiled at her in response.

After a moment of silence that was somewhat comfortable between them, the man laughed lightly.

"Ask it." He encouraged and the woman blushed.

"Excuse me..."

"For what?" The vampire inquired, amused.

"You... I never found in my life someone like you... who can understand what is happening to me... I just… want to understand more..." She confessed.

"So ask what's on your mind, I don't mind talking for a bit, I'm on time," Soma encouraged again with a gentle smile.

"You... do you believe in reincarnations?"

The silver-haired man seemed to ponder the question seriously before answering her.

"I do believe... Why?"

"When I was a child and I awakened this strange power... I began to have dreams that come back to me even now, after so long..." The woman said slowly, watching at the store's floor with a shy look.

"Would you like to tell me one of them? Also you don't have to do it, if you do not want to." He offered, and after observing him briefly, the woman nodded, deciding to trust him.

As she told him about some of the strange images she had experienced during several nights throughout her life, the silver-haired man listened silently, demonstrating that all his attention was on the young lady and the words she shared with him, and the more she shared, more she felt she could also tell other dreams she hadn't decided to reveal at the beginning of the conversation, but as at that point they resurfaced in her mind clearly and vividly, insisting on being shared, at the same time she secretly noticed in his countenance a curious seriousness that deepened with each passing moment.

When she finished the vampire rose, and watching the woman, he said softly.

"These dreams are curious... It is possible that they are experiences of another lifetime... if you also believe in this possibility."

"I do," she answered without hesitation. "And you did not seem surprised at all or puzzled by what I told you... I cannot explain it... somehow inside me I feel this certainty..."

Also rising from the couch, she said softly.

"Our meetings... They are not by chance just mere coincidences, are they?"

"No," the man said, nodding slowly, and after a brief bow as he always did to bid farewell, he began to walk towards the store's front door. "Magic is really curious, in its infinite possibilities... As it keeps going, you will soon understand what is happening. You'll remember."

"Wait!" She called him, confused and dazed, and he paused for a moment to gaze back to her. "I'll see you again?"

"Of course," he replied, arching an eyebrow. "You promised to help me find a gift for my son."

The vampire left the store the next instant, and the woman stood still, staring at the closed door, feeling great emotion in her heart.

...

The dhampir rose quickly, breathing heavily and trembling. Passing his hands over his face, taking a few minutes to recompose himself and sooth his mind, the man dressed and left the room with hurried footsteps. Walking through the corridors of the castle, he had only a brief time to recognize the late night display through the stained-glass windows of the old building before he stopped in the middle of the hall, immediately noticing his father's presence a few steps away, leaning against the eaves of a window and watching him with attentive eyes.

"More nightmares?" Soma inquired in a non-surprised tone, and the dhampir didn't hide the bewilderment of his countenance.

"How do you know about them?"

"I've heard it a few times... It's not difficult, considering that when you decide to stay awhile in the castle you usually prefer your old room, which is next to mine."

Adrian frowned, silent, in a mixed expression of resignation and displeasure.

"Usually people have nightmares about things they regret." The Lord of the Eternal Night said then, approaching his son who narrowed his gaze towards him.

"How much did you hear?"

"Enough," Soma replied.

Stopping close the vampire placed his hands on the other's shoulders, and looking at him with a grave countenance, he asked softly.

"When are you going to forgive yourself for not being able to save her life, Adrian?"

The golden-haired man flinched immediately, staring at the vampire with a shocked gaze. Holding him so he would not back away, Soma continued.

"Son... centuries have passed and as much as I know the pain remains the same, you must let it go."

"How could I...?" The dhampir inquired, whispering in a low, choked voice. "I was there that day... No matter how hard I tried or used my powers, I was not able to reach her in time to prevent it..."

"You could not have done anything, unfortunately." The silver-haired man told him. "You've lived all this time thinking about that day and you've been stronger than I have been, just trying to conceal it within yourself as a distant memory that should not be so often remembered, rather than letting yourself be entirely consumed by it, but this it is not a solution."

"What would be the solution then, father?" Adrian asked with bitterness.

The vampire watched him with a piercing yet gentle gaze, touched the other man's face and answered slowly.

"Once when I found myself suffocated by the pain of my own memories, you were by my side and gave me a precious advice... don't you remember?" Soma said softly. "Look at life, at the good things around you, at the good friends that you have at your side…. Leave old shadows behind, do not delve into them, for they only serve to corrupt and destroy a good heart..."

Adrian looked at him with great emotion on his face. He remembered well those words and the night he had told them to the other man, believing he was still unawaken.

"Let it go, son... Let it go, so you can live the good things the future has to offer you." The vampire told him again. "I cannot say that it's not being difficult to me, with so many things I've done and being aware of everything, but... well, I'm trying to do the best I can for now."

The golden-haired man nodded silently, placing one of his hands over his father's still on his shoulder, agreeing that even though it was extremely difficult, he could at least finally begin to try.

...

"What do you think of this one?" She asked the vampire, showing him a piece she had taken from the shelf in the current section they were, and the man cringed internally.

"It's... lovely..." he said, after thinking for a while about the best word to describe the object without causing offence. "But being honest... It doesn't fit him."

"I know." The woman started to giggle slightly. "Something told me you'd react like that, but I wanted to see it anyway."

The man stared at her in disbelief and she laughed even more, distractedly putting the object back in its place, but as she moved away, the woman bumped against another piece of the shelf, a dagger resting without a sheath on an iron structure. The weapon fell and Soma with a quick reflex raised his hand and took the object in middle air; the sharp blade immediately penetrated his skin and the blood gushed out in an abundant fillet.

"Oh no!" The maid exclaimed worried, touching the man's hand.

She lifted her face and their eyes met; the sweet, metallic fragrance stunned the vampire and for a moment his control over the illusion that dressed his body like a second garment weakened. His eyes flashed with a superhuman golden glow and the woman flinched, frightened and shocked, and a flash of recognition showed on her face coming from the shadows of her dreams. She immediately backed away from him with horror on her countenance.

Soma sighed, and regaining control of himself, removed a handkerchief from his jacket's pocket and wiped the blade, cleaning it and depositing the intact dagger back into its original place. A bluish light wrapped around his fist, and before the woman's eyes the wound healed within seconds, revealing clear, intact skin with no sign of marks or scars.

"Remember when you asked me about reincarnations? ...I believe your dreams will now reveal to you the answers you seek and will begin to make some sense, after this..." The silver-haired man told her softly with the same gentle and friendly look she had grown accustomed to seeing on his face that also had a sad smile on his lips. "And when this happens... I hope one day you can forgive me for the wrongdoings I've committed against you."

The shop lights blinked suddenly and in the next instant when they stabilized again, before the woman's incredulous features, the silver-haired man disappeared completely.

...

"So..." The dhampir began to say, flipping through the book he held in his hands as he sat in one of the armchairs of the Long Library, glancing at his father above the pages. "Are you finally going to tell me where you've been going all this time?"

"What do you mean?" The vampire inquired, feigning ignorance as he filled a silver goblet with blood.

"I am talking about the last few nights when you left the castle thinking I hadn't noticed," Adrian clarified, going straight to the point.

"Don't tell me that now I have to give you satisfactions to where I go or I stop going. As I recall, I am the father here." Soma said wryly, lifting the goblet to his lips to enjoy the drink.

The golden-haired man stared at him, raising an eyebrow.

"Are you seeing someone?"

The vampire choked.

Coughing violently, the Lord of the Eternal Night placed the goblet clumsily above the table and glared at the other man.

"What?!" He exclaimed incredulously and somewhat defensively. "Of course not!"

Adrian just continued to watch him with an infuriating amused smile playing on his lips. The vampire muttered black mumblings to himself and refused to say anything else that night.

…

Watching with a distant gaze the shelves of her shop, the young and beautiful blue-green-eyed maid sighed discreetly. She had already finished the day's activities and closed the store, making sure to check twice if the sign at the entrance's door was displaying the correct information this time.

And in the silence of the room, her voice then echoed timidly.

"I know you are here..."

At first nothing seemed to happen, but as she turned around the woman jumped a little as she saw the vampire leaning back against the front door, watching her intensely with gleaming golden eyes, for the first time not even bothering to hide from her his real appearance. She stared at the disheveled silver hair, the aristocratic face with utter pale complexion, the sharp canines showing at the border of his lips, and when nothing happened for the next several minutes, she finally broke the silence.

"A vampire, then... You weren't joking when you talked about magic and the dark secrets of the world."

He raised an eyebrow.

"How did you know I was here?"

"I didn't." The woman answered truthfully, and pointed at the owl. "She told me. It's not like you can hide your presence from her."

The vampire stared at the animal nonchalantly.

"Betrayed by a talking owl... Wonderful." He glanced back to the lady. "I'm surprised you're not running around screaming right now."

She rolled her eyes.

"I've thought a lot on the past few days and... Well, I myself am an exception to the normality of this world, so..." She shrugged. "Come with me... I believe I found the perfect gift to give to your son."

That caught his attention.

Soma followed her through the shop, and silently they walked through the corridors, past the various sections until they entered the only one they had not toured before: The children's section. The vampire looked at her with disbelieving eyes and the woman ignored him. Advancing further on, she began to say.

"It's a very old piece, actually. It was dated around the year 1400, and probably traveled extensively through this continent before arriving at this store in the hands of some merchants, who sold it to my parents to get rid of it. It is a unique piece, beautiful in its uniqueness and made entirely of stone."

"And how much does it cost?" The man asked, showing that he was not so worried about the price that would be informed to him.

"Nothing," she replied. "I'll give it to you."

Soma stared curiously at her face and the woman stopped in front of a shelf and took one of the pieces on display, and turning to him, she handed it over. The vampire's eyes widened involuntarily with genuine surprise. His fingers caressed gently the face of a beautiful grey wolf made in stone in rich details, so carefully carved and completely familiar to him.

It was impossible...

Instinctively he turned the object and looked at its bottom, and as he knew he would find in it, he saw in his unmistakingly handwriting his son's real name.

"You didn't want to come to the children's section early…" she told him.

Soma looked seriously at the woman and saw in her blue-green eyes the gleaming of complete understanding, recognition and knowledge.

...

"What is this?" Adrian questioned strangely, watching the black wrapped package that the vampire had placed on the table before him.

"A birthday gift," Soma said, looking at him with an arched eyebrow. "Don't tell me you forgot the date of your own birthday?"

The dhampir blinked, looking at him and at the gift several times, perplexed and unmoving as understanding slowly started falling on him.

The lord of Castlevania rolled his eyes.

"You are supposed to open it."

More mechanically than by will, the dhampir opened the package and removed the object that was hidden inside. His golden eyes stared at the familiar grey wolf glistening with restrained strong emotion, and it was only several minutes after that he finally spoke, his voice at the height of a choked whisper.

"I thought I'd lost it..."

"Not everything that is lost cannot be found again." The vampire told him, and there was a second meaning hidden behind his words.

A small smile spread on his son's face, who speechless looked at his father the same way he had done the night he won that little gift for the first time years ago, and Soma felt a strong warmth in his chest and a great contentment that he hadn't felt in a long time.

...

Walking through the city streets on a summer night, the routine movement of the crowd slowing down at the late hour, the vampire and his son proceeded on the sidewalk in a quiet rhythm, enjoying each other's company as they continued on to a destination that was still unknown to the golden-haired man.

Adrian glanced at his father with curiosity gleaming in his golden eyes, softened by the spell that allowed both of them to walk among the humans without attracting too much attention. The Lord of the Eternal Night appeared to be in a good mood with a light countenance and a slight smile on his lips, seeming to appreciate the warm breeze that touched his face in a pleasant way and made the short silver threads of his hair flutter.

"You did not tell me where we are going," the dhampir commented naturally.

"To visit a friend." The vampire replied merely.

"I do not remember Julius, Yoko, Hammer or Mina being in town." The golden-haired man frowned, and Soma just smiled in response.

"Remember when we once talked about second chances, Adrian?"

The dhampir stared at his father in puzzlement.

"Yes. Why?"

The Lord of Castlevania stopped suddenly in the middle of the sidewalk, and despite his confusion the other did the same. Soma looked at him; there was a soft gleam in his eyes.

"Some things in life we can say they are unique... When we lose it, unfortunately there is no way to recover it. Others, however... There is something that seems to conspire against the natural flow of the universe, where at a certain unknown moment life surprises us in the most unexpected way... Perhaps this is what men call miracles? I do not know, for I've moved away from this kind of belief a long time ago..." The vampire mused. "But I can say that I am blessed by this 'something', because now in the present I was able to find you again and regain everything we had before."

Adrian remained silent, watching his father with his countenance mixed in surprise and curiosity, and he saw the silver-haired man turn his gaze to the antique shop next to them as they had stopped right outside the front door of the establishment.

"Your mother..." The other continued. "She was my second chance... A second chance to find the woman I loved again and live with her the life we couldn't in another time of the past. Even if it was for only a few years, I would like to think we lived them the best we could, together."

Soma approached the store's door, and although it showed the shop was closed, he opened it easily and stepped inside. Puzzled the dhampir followed, and when his gaze immediately went to the third person within, a young lady who distractedly was arranging one of the shelves near the desk without noticing immediately their presence, his golden eyes widened with great shock.

"It's your second chance, son..." The vampire whispered to him, and placing one hand on the other's shoulder, gently pushed him towards the woman. "This time, let yourself live it."

The owl suddenly jumped off the perch and flew through the store. In its wake it knocked down an empty glass that had been forgotten over a small table and it broke into several pieces as it touched the ground.

"Nara!" The woman exclaimed indignantly, her familiar voice echoed like music through the room.

She bent down to pick up the shards as the dhampir instinctively knelt down next to her to offer his help. Their hands touched and her blue-green eyes met his golden ones. Recognition filled her countenance that was immediately seized by strong emotion.

"Maria..." Adrian whispered softly.

Soma, still standing near the door, shook his head and decided to leave them alone; he exited the store, walking slowly through the semi-deserted streets, his gaze rose to watch the night spread over the city in a clear, starry sky with the full moon revealing its entire splendor.

"I guess I'll have to start thinking about names for my grandchildren..." He mused aloud to himself with an amused smile.

~ END ~