The year was 19XX. Before Queenie ascended to the throne. She had come out to the previous monarch, Queen Alessia, that when she died or retired the vampire would take over, making her existence public. From there she had begun quietly living in her castle. Down in the dungeon and the secret second dungeon. That one was fun to explain.
However from time to time she was called to aid with various castle duties. After all she was not the Queen now, and what her majesty says, goes (on citizens born before 1785, as per a law passed in 1900). One night as she was on the grounds moon watching Alessia and her husband came out. Her husband pushed his wife forwards gently as the vampire looked at the woman in her 30’s.
“You don’t need to push she won’t kill her monarch. I commanded it.” Alessia huffed as her husband stopped. They were both in night gowns. And clearly they were tired.
“Pardon my French.” Queenie said facing said.
“Mon Dieu.” Alessia replied.
“But why the fuck are you two out here half past midnight in your pajamas.”
“I have a similar question about the leather.” Alessia’s husband said looking the vampire over.
“I like how it looks.” Queenie replied bluntly.
“Let’s not get distracted. I’d like some sleep tonight.” Alessia said. “Queenie. It’s my daughter. She’s terrified there are demons present in the castle. Or…. Well she changes the monster a lot.”
“Changelings? Some of the fuckers snuck in. Royal guard is fucking slacking. I’ll-“. As she spoke a knife flicked out from her arm into her palm, the silver glint of the blade visible under the floodlights from the castle, the moon hidden behind thick, thick clouds.
“Queenie my daughter is six in a creepy old castle with a goddamn vampire in the basement. I’d say she has an overactive imagination but I’m speaking to the founder of a five hundred year old nation who will not be bringing a knife into my daughters room!” Alessia’s voice rose in a bit of anger. “All we want is for you to introduce yourself to her and explain that you will scare away all the monsters. She’s been listening in on our meetings and signings. Hell, she helped write up February’s draft.”
“That’s why February’s draft said I’ve been around a really really really long time. Damn, I liked that.” Queenie said as her knife went away. “Fine I’ll speak to her. I guess there’s not much harm in going ‘a vampire lives in the castle’ I’ve been spreading that story since Mussolini personally.”
Up she went to the castle. Before it's interior was open to the public, and before a restoration Queenie began once Alessia moved out 30 years from tonight. the old floors creaking, the wires exposed. The lighting poor and oppressive. Alessia went in first.
"I should mention, part of your duties tonight is to get Eva to sleep.". Alessia's husband added on.
Queenie rolled her eyes. "And you call me a monster.". She said before Alessia signalled for Queenie to enter.
The young girl, Eva, had a plainer bedroom. old plaster which needed work was intricately painted. Showing remnants of old masters. Bookshelves with girls toys, old books, gift bibles, and other trinkets were built into nooks in the walls. her bed was an old canopy, though the canopy was long gone. As the redhead approached the light to the room flickered and Eva pulled back holding her teddy bear close to her chest.
"Don't make the light flicker." Alessia said annoyed.
"I'm not.". Queenie said before getting closer and, after a moments thought, kneeling before the girl Eva and bowing her head. "Greetings Miss Eva. I am Queenie, founder of Idra and the greatest warrior and soldier to serve this nation. Your mother Queen Alessia commands me, her most loyal undead to make sure you are both safe and will go to sleep.". She said sounding very serious. in actuality she aimed to tell the child a bedtime story, and check for monsters, but some ceremony might help make a special memory.
As she lifted her head Queenie was struck with a pillow with impeccable timing right square in the face. Alessia had to aggressively fight down a snort, and even her husband watching from the door had to do the same. As the pillow held on her face for a few instants before falling Queenie slowly blinked. “Not the first time I was attacked on ID.” She said flat.
“You’re the monster under my bed!” Eva asserted.
“I, young lady, am most definitely not.”
“Queen Alessia, you are the divinely appointed monarch of this nation and mother to young Eva are you not?”
“Your daughters bed, am I under it?”
There was a moment. “I’d rather say you’re right next to it if anything.”
“That’s what I thought too. Wanted to see if someone a cardinal blessed would see the same or if my eyes were clouded by demonic trickery.”
“No. Your eyes are as sharp as ever Miss Queenie.” Alessia said getting into the role now.
“Why are you Queenie. Mommy is the Queen. Though I won’t be. But that’s ok. Queen sucks.”
Both women, alive and undead, visibly deflated at that.
“I love you dear.” Alessia’s husband said.
“What about me?” Queenie asked with a look back at him, the man now leaning in the door frame a bit more relaxed.
With a bemused grin she faced Eva. “Well that’s mean. First you say I’m a monster under your bed, and next you say your mom has a sucky job. You are a rude young Miss.”. Queenie extended one finger and gently poked Eva on the forehead. Naturally the child gripped her teddy bear tighter.
Alessia handed Queenie the recently-thrown pillow. “I’m not re-arming her. This girl is dangerous.” Queenie said. “She has monster vision. And is an anti-monarchist.” There was a moment as she watched Eva cuddle her bear. Something in Queenie sparked.
“Though. That makes sense. I think being so anti monarchist has awoken her totem.”
“T-totem?” Alessia was willing to play a little supernatural with her vampiric predecessor and successor. But she sounded serious about this. “What did you sneak into her room?”
“Well, she has a few books and the sword.” She pointed to a sword mounted up high. “But the totem is…”. She put up a finger. “Miss Eva, who gave you your Teddy Bear?”
“The royal guardsmen, Antonio.”
“Anthony.” Alessia corrected.
Queenie smirked. Anthony was American, his father coming back some time after World War Two. Anthony was one of the supernaturally capable guards and probably had been a worse influence on Eva than Queenie. A rare feat. Still he had given her an out.
“Miss Eva. Have you studied American history yet?” Queenie asked the child.
“We’ve done a bit. We’re doing their civil war right now.”
“Oh. Who is your teacher?”
“Ah.” She wouldn’t ask him to bring up the time she stopped the volcano plot in st Helen’s in the 80’s then. “Well he’s getting close to teaching you about the man who made a powerful totem, in the age no gods.” Queenie pointed at the teddy bear. “Theodore Roosevelt.”
“Teddy isn’t some…. Monsters tool!” Eva said sounding shocked. “He helps me sleep. He protects me! Though you stick around.” She said that last part sounding a bit annoyed.
“Of course. I knew mister Roosevelt. We were friends.” Friendly acquaintances, and Roosevelt didn’t know she was a vampire, but still. Alice on the other hand. Ho ho~. “He knows my bark is much worse than my bite. However Teddy Roosevelt he loved children. And you see, they named a toy after him.”
Eva let out a gasp as her eyes widened. “Mister Teddy is a president? I think thats bigger than a Queen. Mom, mister Teddy says I can stay up-“
“President is bigger than a Queen. Mom is bigger than a president and the pope combined young lady.” Alessia said sternly.
Queenie fought down a smirk. Her plan was starting to work. “Yes. But your safe. See. Mister Roosevelt, Teddy, he saw how the kids loved his bears and with some advice from a few friends made sure they could keep kids safe from monsters. First, he made sure everyone called him Teddy. So they’d associate him with the bear. See names hold magic. And a billion people calling Teddy a bear? That’s a lot of magic. Of course. Teddy was a fierce warrior. I know he beat the crap out of me once.” Young Eva’s mouth went wide as Queenie swore, her mother made it clear to let the vampire continue her story with one look. “So when people think of Teddy Roosevelt and the Teddy bear his spirit remains strong in each teddy bear. And most monsters they fear them. I knew Roosevelt so him and I can get along, and I’m safe in front of any Teddy. But if I was a danger the bear would gut me on the spot!” She said poking herself with her fingers dramatically. “This is, of course, an American myth, so not many Italians know it too well. Teddy bears keep kids safe until they’re able to do it themselves.”
Eva was quiet. “How do I know you’re not lying?” She asked the pale skinned woman with blood red eyes and fangs who came to meet her in the middle of the night. A reasonable question really.
“M’lady.” Queenie said to Alessia.
“As your citizen. Do I speak the truth?” Queenie asked.
“If you do not may the might Roosevelt strike you down.” Alessia said nodding solemnly and making the sign of the cross.
There was a moment. However from the corner of her eye Queenie saw Eva’s teddy twitch. Calmly she turned around.
“I’ve never seen Teddy do anything like that.”
“Oh. That’s cause they strike while kids sleep. Fighting monsters is gruesome business. Mind if I show you something?” Queenie asked.
After a nod from Eva Queenie scooted over on her knees and touched the bear, she rested one hand under Teddy’s back and pointed to his eyes. Small black buttons. “See his eyes?” She asked. “They’re never closed. Unlike monsters, Teddy’s are guardians and they never sleep. Always watching the monsters who approach kids. And if they get to close you learn about mister Roosevelt.”
“How tough was he? I mean you’re a scary monster. How can some president scare you away.”
“Well you see one time a guy got as close to him as you and I are and shot him”. Queenie used two fingers and made a ‘bang’ sound. “And he got hit. He asked the man, ‘why did you do that’ and then began a speech saying ‘it takes more than a bullet to kill a bull moose’.” With that Queenie began to regale Eva with various tales of Roosevelt perhaps slightly exaggerated.
Alessia stepped out and sat on a bench outside.
Half an hour later Queenie closed the door quietly and nodded to the Queen and her husband to move along. They went to their bedroom and spoke quietly. “Did you do it?” Alessia asked.
“Yeah. I had to spend some time getting it all ready, but she’s convinced that her bear will kill a vampire.” Queenie said with a content sigh.
“I mean if it works.” Alessia’s husband said offering a hand. “Still. Thank you.”
Queenie took it and shook his hand. “No problem. Now I’m below a mortal Queen and a Teddy bear.” She chuckled. “Say, Alessia, is Anthony on duty tomorrow do ya know?”
“No. I think he’s gonna be training the guard, but no formal duties for his squad till Friday.”
“Are you going to thank him for the out?”
“Yeah. That’s the plan.” She said. “Oh, and whenever her class gets to Teddy Roosevelt just, uh, just tell the teacher you are the Queen of a vampire kingdom and some people love to tell stories.
Alessia tossed another pillow and Queenie. “I have to do that once a month already. You’re a terrible influence. Now my husband and I are going to sleep.”
Tossing back the pillow Queenie blew them both a kiss before walking out.
The next morning as the guards assembled for their training Queenie was there before them all. Holding a teddy bear and some red thread. When a young man walked by she tapped his shoulder and motioned for him to come with her.
In an old office overfilled wirh various dusty uniforms and spears Queenie had cleared two seats. “Mistah Anthony.” Queenie said with man exaggerated New York accent. “Have a seat.” She said as she put down the stuffed bear before him.
“Yes m’lady?” He asked sitting down looking at her, then the bear confused as to what kinda interrogation technique involved a child’s toy.
“Did you get young Eva a teddy bear from New York about two years ago for her birthday?”
“That’s the guy.” He said nodding at the toy.
“So. Did you put this in it?” Queenie presented a carved silver disk which she put down on his lap. The carvings had a faint red glow to them.
“What. Why is it glowing red? Did Eva get cut on it?”
“That’s my blood.” Queenie said. “Last night the young Miss had me tell her some bedtime stories and I made up some bullshit about a guardian teddy bear. When I said ‘if it lie let the bear strike me down’ this bear moved on its own.” She said. “So I took a hold of it to investigate and being a vampire I used a drop of blood. Well, it took in the blood and a fair bit of magic too.”
“Fuckin hell. It’s not meant to have a soul in it.”
“Why did you put an absorption talisman in the bear An-to-ny.” Queenie said annihilating the syllables in his name.
“Eva, look, my grandfather was in your guard. And though he died last year he was a damn fine mage. But he said since the war magics been coming back.”
“Yeah. I know. I did that.” Queenie replied.
“Answer the question, magic may be back, but I’ve been around when it was much more plentiful. As it is a poor answer will cost a testicle!”
“Fine! Fine! Grandpa watched over the Queen, and When Eva was born he realized she had tons of magic flowing from her. The castle grounds were modified to keep excess magic from flowing out already, but this kid has a lot and no control. When her mother said no to magic lessons before she’s 16 we wanted to do something. He wanted to keep a talisman to bleed off the excess at night. She’d bleed a little magic during the day, but it wouldn’t hurt her. And when she graduated magic lessons she could use the magic in the talisman to help her. I had just been to America and got the bear. I said it could be a gift for her birthday and we could stick it inside. She’d just have to keep it in her room and it’d be good enough most of the time. As she got older she’d handle her magic a bit better. I just didn’t think a vampire would stick some blood in it. Cause-“
“Cause it’d become alive and gain its own will.” Queenie smirked. “Isn’t that right mister Teddy.” She said before putting the round talisman back in and starting to see it up with the red thread.
“What are ya doing? You’re gonna make-“
“Anthony. I’m 1300 years old. I predate the oath. When I was ‘young’ parents would do something like this if they knew their kids were capable. And either they’d put it in a toy, or tell the kid the amulet would protect them. And while it’s not everything, if the parent died they’d make sure some of their blood went in. While the parent would pass on some of the desire to protect would remain. And if the kid really believed it.” She finished her sewing and then a length of thread integrated with the bear turning it red before fading slowly. “It would protect that child in ways I can’t.” She chuckled. “Alessia will have a new bedtime story to tell Eva. And I’ll do what I can to reinforce it. But at least the lil kid will be safe. For the future my ego took from her. Queens are stupid and second to Presidents and Moms after all.” She said as she checked the bear over.
“Teddy will need to learn. He’ll be returned at the end of the day.” Queenie said putting him before Anthony, though she was sloppy and the bear faced sideways to Anthony. Letting Teddy go Queenie stood up hands clasped behind her back. “But he will be overseeing your drills with me. Eva asked that I train him.”
“Y-yes?” Anthony said confused before looking at the bear, who was facing him now. “Ahh!”
“Relax. Teddy only hurts monsters who threatens kids. And I guess animals.” Queenie chuckled.
