#monstrousintro

✦ 𝐁𝐀𝐒𝐈𝐂𝐒.

FULL NAME. aleera dracula. ⸺ BIRTH NAME. alara mariamawit kusiya. ⸺ NICKNAMES. she’s not the biggest fan, but al slips out often. AGE. probably five hundred two, but that’s debatable. physically twenty-six. GENDER. identifies as demi woman, though she hasn’t fully figured it out yet. PRONOUNS. she / her / hers, but is okay with they / them / theirs as well. SEXUALITY. bisexual, but considering the former relation to dracula, that’s new.  POSITIVES. fierce, clever, determined. NEGATIVES. erratic, intimidating, vicious.

✦ 𝐁𝐀𝐂𝐊𝐆𝐑𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐃.

trigger warning for: violence, death, blood, implied abuse, body horror, grief

BEFORE  /  born as alara in sudan, somewhere in the late fourteenth century – aleera has rarely known peace. as a grandchild to king joel of dottawo, her life should have been full of prosper & wealth, but his death had caused the kingdom to collapse, leaving aleera an inheritance of ruins. her younger life is a blur – a collection of fighting for her life and running towards safety, the constant threat of those hunting to end their line for good. 

at some point, aleera’s life became more about surviving rather than actually living it, and it was rare for her to make actual connections or become attached to anyone other than her parents – or rather, her father, since her mother was one of the first to die. at first, their remaining gold bought them passage, shelter, and protection. friends of the former king were happy to give them a place to stay – but the gold started running out, and the kindness of strangers was a fickle beast to trust in.

as someone of her status, aleera had never been expected to carry a weapon, much less defend herself with it, but as the world turned against her, a sword became her most trusted friend – her hand always resting on it, the constant fear of an attack looming. the only place she ever felt safe during her time on the run was the four years they spend in constantinople. courted by one of the sultan’s many sons, her father & aleera held a position of importance – one that only increased on her marriage. 

unfortunately, her husband was murdered only a few months into their marriage, and once again, she and her father had to run to escape the evils of their past. by this point, aleera was a distrusting, hardened creature – bittered by the trials life had pushed onto her. when a letter from a lord in transylvania reached them, promising a safe harbour for nothing in return, due to years of friendship with her family, she knew it was too good to be true – but the two had no other options, and could not decline.

the first year in transylvania was a blessing. the lord treated them as family, and aleera once again donned gold jewels & expensive fabrics. her bitterness turned to joy, and she opened up again – even smiled again. she did not care to notice the way the lord looked at her, the way her father worried, for the first time, she could exhale – safely tucked away in a private estate. it wasn’t until she found her father’s dead body in a pool of blood that she even noticed just how remote & quiet the castle she lived in was. it wasn’t her family’s enemies – it was something even more insidious. 

it took her almost two years with her murderous, obsessed lord until she found the ability to run away – but aleera was hunted through the woods as she ran, bleeding like injured prey. as he cornered her, aleera suddenly found herself stumbling into the presence of another man, darkhaired and with eyes that seemed to widen at the sight of her blood – and so contrary to the years of fending for herself, begged him to save her. instead, his teeth slipped into her neck, and he gave her the ability to save herself.

AFTER  /  the start of her immortal life was filled with blood and violence, but then again, so many of her human life had been too. though count dracula had turned her, aleera needed her revenge – and spent multiple decades tearing through all those who had wronged her & their descendants. when her bloodlust finally dimmed, she found her way to the counts castle, offering her undying loyalty. surprisingly, she found herself falling in quite well with the count & his consort instead, and eventually became his second bride & a sister to verona, renaming herself aleera – after the way the count pronounced her name.

eventually, marishka joined them – and though aleera initially held her distance towards a new arrival, marishka quickly became a part of her life & a sister like verona. through the centuries, her love & loyalty to her husband and the other brides only grew, and aleera would’ve done absolutely anything for them – even give her life. unfortunately, it seemed their husband would give his first. aleera, like her sisters, ripped into van helsing with a mixture of grief and rage, making sure only small specks of him remained, spread over the stone floor.

Hi everyone :) My name’s Sophie, I live in England, and I’m 26 years old. Aside from being the admin of monstroushq, I will also be writing one of the brides of Dracula, Verona

Here are a few of my favourite things: Better Call Saul, Doctor Who, Harry Potter, Elementary, finely-bound books, reading, cats, and vintage style clothing

And here are a few things to note about my daughter, Verona:

She was born in the late 14th century, to a voivode of Transylvania. These were essentially lords of Transylvania for centuries, respected and feared high class noblemen who did the bidding of the King, fought in wars, collected taxes, and dispensed local justice. Veronica, as she was known then, was a cold and aloof woman who travelled with her single father (her mother died in childbirth) around Transylvania as he carried out his duties

She always felt as if she was destined for “more”, and that destiny came in the form of the gentleman she met one night in the castle she was visiting with her father. This man was a Count, with black hair and bright eyes and a charming smile. He seemed to only be interested in Veronica, and that night, he came to her window, standing on nothing but air, and held out his sharp-nailed hand to her. Veronica does not know now if she was hypnotised, but she remembers holding out her hand for him, and letting him fly her over the Carpathian Mountains to his castle. Her father, lay torn to shreds, in the nearby dark forest

The Count turned her into a vampire, and so began her immortal life. She had around a century in his company, as his consort and companion, before Aleera joined them. It was only in her undead life that Veronica (who eventually renamed herself Verona, after the city in Italy) felt truly alive, for the first time. Eventually, she and Aleera (please bring us Aleera!) were joined by Marishka, and thus, the infamous three brides of Dracula were finally united

To cut a long story short, in May 1899, the four vampires decided to travel to England, to the current seat of power in the world. Dracula had plans he did not share with the three women. Whether he wanted to share these grand designs or not, he never got the chance, for, barely a day after they had arrived in England and settled into Highgate Cemetery, Van Helsing apparently killed Dracula, and waited for the women to return from a nightly hunt to kill them too. But, before he could, they tore him apart, in mourning for their lost maker, the famous Count Dracula

Now, the three vampires lurk the streets of London. Verona is the undisputed leader of the trio, respected by them both, and she is keeping a low profile, curious about the very public murders currently taking place. She has a mild interest in the Amateur Detective Society for Females, but has not joined up

-Wendy Moira Angela Darling was born February 13 in London, England to George Darling, a banker, and Mary Darling, a homemaker.

-Growing up in an upper-middle class home afforded Wendy many privileges and luxuries that not everyone might have received growing up. She lived in a comfortable home, filled (for the most part) with love and laughter. Her needs were met, her stomach full, and her bed comfortable and warm. 

-Wendy was born the eldest of three Darling children, followed in age by her brothers John and Michael. Wendy was John’s elder by 5 years, and Michael’s elder by 8 years. 

-While Wendy loved and cherished her family, her relationship with her father was always marked with a bit of strife. Her father, a stern and very nearly severe man, held high standards and even higher expectations. During her younger years, Wendy rarely managed to succeed in meeting them, cultivating feelings of inadequacy within herself. Having always been a dreamer, George Darling held firm to the idea that her head and feet should have been more firmly planted on the ground. 

-Wendy’s adventures in Neverland, with the Lost Boys and their leader Peter Pan left her with many lessons, the biggest of which being that, while she would always be a dreamer, rooting herself more firmly in the life and world she lived in was more suited for her than the life the boys offered in Neverland. While Wendy once yearned to remain young for eternity, the realization that growing up was a necessary part of life, one that should not have been avoided, came to her swiftly. 

-Following her return from Neverland, Wendy’s relationship with her father began to improve as she found herself stepping further into the world he’d been working to help her understand. She began to focus more on cultivating a ‘real life’, becoming more serious about her studies and activities in London. 

-Wendy completed her basic studies and chose to pursue a career in teaching, attending a Teacher’s College. While she’d matured more than many ever thought possible, she held firm to her imagination, her love of literature ensuring she was able to do so. Her focus during college was English and Literature, and upon completing her studies, she took a job at a secondary school, teaching just that. 

-Genevieve Maricella Bennett was born May 22 to single mother Adelaide Bennett. Her mother, a hard working woman who had come from next to nothing, was a housekeeper in the home of a well-known and wealthy noble. She had become entangled with her boss’ son, a man who had made her believe he would be with her forever, that he would give her the fairy tale she’d longed for all her life. 

-When his parents were made aware of the situation, her father determined the family and his status simply couldn’t take the embarrassment of their only son falling for and having children with a servant. Therefore, he made an agreement with Adelaide. He would purchase a small home for her and her child, one in the countryside, away from their home (and name) so that she might live in peace. He would send monthly stipends, enough to ensure the two would be taken care of and could have food upon their table, in exchange for her silence and quiet removal from their home and life. 

-Understanding the stereotypes that came with being a young and unwed mother at the time, Adelaide was aware that she had next to no choice. Making the decision that she believed would be the best for her child, she agreed. 

-Genevieve grew up in a home with only her mother, one that suited her just fine, allowing the two of them to cultivate a strong and close relationship, one she cherishes to this day. 

-She does not know who her biological father is, as her mother has always refused to speak of him. However, to save them both the embarrassment and judgement she knew would come to pass, Adelaide has always instructed GiGi to tell others that her father passed away, leaving her mother far too brokenhearted to take another husband. 

-To supplement the stipend sent by her former employer, Gen’s mother began tending a small vegetable garden, a hobby which took off and soon became a second source of income as she would take the vegetables to sell at the local markets, often employing Genevieve to help sell and harvest her wares. 

-Due to their meager living and earnings, Genevieve’s mother took to hand-sewing dresses for her daughter, to help her fit in with the other children. Through this, Genevieve developed a love of designing and sewing, and soon began making her own garments, which blossomed into her making garments for her friends. 

-From there, GiGi’s passion became more of a business, and she began making pieces on commission for women around town. Her gowns and garments are known for being gorgeous and original, and she has been able to elevate her family’s status through the work she has done, becoming fairly known and popular within the city.