A/N : Hum...hello... I don't really know how to use this app since it's my first time uploading here. I made the prompt of this fanfiction a while ago on Tumblr and I've decided I really needed for it to be real so I've decided to write it once and for all.
It's my first time writing fanfiction in english since it's not my native language so hope it's not too bad
Chapter 1
1912, Yorkshire, England.
"Over 1500 lives lost on the sinking of the RMS Titanic" Anna read on the front page of today's paper. Her eyes widened with shock and then a great sadness submerged her when she came to think about those poor people freezing to death in the cold waters. She thought of the several families probably ruined by this tragedy as tears formed in the corner of her eyes, she couldn't help but to think of her own "family" she had to give up on ten years ago when her watcher came to tell her she had been chosen to be the Slayer.
1902, Downton, Yorkshire, England
"Hello, I'd like to talk with one of your housemaids, Anna Smith", she heard a man say to Mrs Hughes, the housekeeper at Downton Abbey, the house where she worked.
"Could I know why ?", the housekeeper asked with distrust in her tone.
The man felt that she was suspicious and pretended it was a family matter. Mrs Hughes still wasn't completely sure she could trust him but she didn't know Anna's family so she didn't insist and told Gwen to fetch Anna.
A few minutes later, Anna came and stared at the man before asking "Hello, you wanted to see me ?"
"Yes", he gave a look to Mrs Hughes suggesting he wanted to talk to Anna privately. She left, not without giving him a bad look as an answer. "I'm Archie Thompson, you have been chosen to be the new Slayer and I'm your watcher".
"I beg your pardon ?", Anna said, obviously confused.
"Vampires slayer. The last one died so a new one needs to be called and… that's you", he explained as if it was nothing.
" Vampires ? Is this a joke ? Listen, Sir, I don't mean to be rude, but I've got work to do. I bid you a good da–, he held the backdoor before she closed it.
"This is not a joke, Miss Smith, vampires do exist and you have been chosen by greater forces to fight and defeat them. It's your duty", he said with a sincere look in his eyes.
Anna was still confused. She wasn't the kind of girl to believe in ghost stories, she was rather pragmatic but something about what he said felt real. Perhaps he was telling the truth but Anna needed proof.
"If what you say is true, then show me", she replied with a challenging tone. The man was relieved.
"Meet me after your service at the church's cemetery".
That night, at the cemetery.
Anna was lying on the ground with a stake in her hand and a vampire over her trying to bite her. "Okay I believe you ! How do I kill him now ?", she screamed at her watcher. She tried to stab the vampire in the heart as her watcher told her, resulting in the scary creature turning into dust, which dirtied her black maid dress in the process.
Archie told Anna everything about the Slayer and Vampires' history. He told her he'll come back at the end of the month, so that she has time to settle everything and fetch her if she has made up her mind. Anna couldn't sleep that night thinking of what she saw in the cemetery. Vampires exist. It wasn't simply a creature out of a spooky story parents used to tell to their children. It was real… and she had killed one. That monster seemed unbeatable and she nearly thought she would die, but she did not, she killed it with no much difficulty in the end. The next couple of weeks, she spent her nights considering Mr Thompson's offer. It wasn't like her life was really that interesting. After all, she was only a girl coming from a very modest family which she had to leave years ago to work as a tweeny and now a housemaid. She never believed she would do any better, she never had any dreams or prospect of life. All she wanted was to leave her awful step-father and she did. But this seemed like an opportunity to be someone. Someone who matters. Anna was a kind soul, she was always good to people and she saw a great way to be in this duty.
After two weeks, when Daisy, the scullery maid, woke her up, she thought she had made up her mind and decided to confide in Gwen, her roommate and friend. She didn't tell her that vampires were real or she would have been locked up in an asylum but she told her about leaving for a better prospect. Her friend was really encouraging. Anna was less afraid of giving up such a good job for something that seemed like a total foolery, thanks to her friend. She hugged her and told her how grateful she was for her support. The young woman would be sad to leave this house. She was a highly valued employee and co-worker and many of the downstairs staff had welcomed her as a member of this big surrogate family. Even Lady Mary, the eldest daughter of the Earl of Grantham, had a soft spot for the blonde girl and saw her as a friend. She'll miss her. Anna wanted to cry when she was writing her resignation letter, later that morning in the Servant's Hall, but Thomas, the footman, was staring at her with his usual mischievous look. "I will not miss his annoying habit of meddling in others' business", she thought.
"What are you doing, Anna ?", he asked.
"Nothing that has to do with you Thomas", she replied, granting him a cold smile. She finished her letter and brought it to Mrs Hughes' office. She knocked on her door and when she opened the door after the housekeeper allowed her to enter, she saw the older woman with the butler, Mr Carson. She was a little discomfited seeing him here but she talked nevertheless "I came to hand in my notice".
"What ?", they uttered in unison.
"I-I have found…another job offer…and I want to leave service", she said, uneasy.
"Well… I won't say we're glad to see you leaving, but you're a wise young woman and you're entitled to live your life as you want. When will you be leaving ?", Mrs Hughes said, avoiding Mr Carson's disapproving look.
"At the end of this month." She played with her fingers knowing well how of an inconvenience it was.
"We'll have to find a replacement before you leave. Just know that we wish you well on your new job. We hope you'll pay us a visit one day" Mrs Hughes smiled warmly while Mr Carson was raising his thick eyebrows in his usual manner when something was upsetting him.
"I'm ever so sorry to leave, but I think it's for the better," Anna replied, turning her heels to leave the room. She bit her lips thinking of the last thing Mrs Hughes said : Archie told her that the Slayer life was a lonely one so there were not many chances for her to see anyone at the Abbey ever again. Her heart was heavy but she reminded herself that her new "job" would help many people, her surrogate family included. She suddenly felt less sad.
Telling Lady Mary wasn't an easy task, she almost begged Anna to stay, saying that she was a better sister to her than her own sisters Edith and Sybil, but now it was done.
Weeks later, on the 30th of April, she was waiting for Mr Thompson in the courtyard with her case in hand, ready to live a new life.
1912, Yorkshire, England
At that time Anna was younger, she was longing for an adventure. Sometimes she couldn't help but to wonder if this lonely life was the best choice she could have made. It has been 10 years since she last saw her friends at the Abbey, but as she fought the fearful creatures of the night every night in the cemetery, she knew that she helped to protect them in a way. Her watcher taught her to be a very good slayer and she indeed was. Anna had a certain reputation among local vampires : they feared her.
She found kind of a friend in Archie, he was a bit older than Mr Carson and wasn't much more of a funny one than the Downton Abbey's butler was, but they got along well as partners. They both lived in a rather big house outside of Downton village. It was less big than the Abbey was but it still was a middle class house. Archie Thompson, as any other watcher, was a middle class man. He had a butler, Grimes, a cook and a housemaid. Obviously, the servants weren't aware of what he really did for a living, they thought he was just some bureaucrat and that Anna was his secretary. During the day they would search through books about the creatures they were fighting, Anna also trained. The Watcher's Council was quite demanding and showed less interest in Anna as a person rather than as a weapon. They were really horrid characters so Anna was glad to be dealing only with Archie, most of the time. Lately, she has been alone in the house since Archie went to America to meet a warlock who helped them research a demon who recently came to England. She didn't understand why he had to take the boat and go there, he could have telephoned him since they recently installed one at their house but she wouldn't call into question her watcher's whereabouts. She enjoyed it a little because she could rest from all the training and boring research.
Anna was sitting at the breakfast table when Grimes came in with a plate on which was a letter and a paper knife.
"A letter for you Miss" he said with his usual stoic face.
"Thank you Grimes !" She smiled at him but only received a polite nod in return.
She looked at it. It was from the Watcher's Council. The young woman was surprised as she never received mail from them. It was probably for Mr Thompson. She opened the letter and proceeded to read it. Suddenly she dropped the letter, her eyes widened as she let a gasp of shock escape her mouth. She called Grimes back.
"Mr. Thompson...he d-died. He was on the Titanic. They found his…body this morning" she was shaking. She really couldn't believe it. Her watcher died. She was really, completely alone now. Anna couldn't help the tears rolling on her cheeks. The butler saw her sadness and patted her shoulder. It was a shock for him as well but his professionalism took over his feelings.
She resumed her reading of this shocking letter.
"Since a Slayer can't be without a watcher, the Council ought to send you someone else to take in this place. He'll be there at the end of the week. His name is John Bates.
Again, all our condolences.
Best regards,
The Watcher's Council"
A new watcher ? Anna's sadness left for a moment and confusion took place instead. She knew that when a Slayer died another one was called but she didn't know it was the same for the watchers. She couldn't imagine teaming up with someone else, Archie was the one who introduced her to this strange world and she was comfortable around him. She then started to wonder who this John Bates was. Will he become a friend ?
Hope you enjoyed that first chapter ! please review if you liked it so that I know 3
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