Lady Ursula - The Listener

She'd learned to listen patiently a long, long time ago as people told her of the horrors of suddenly finding themselves a Vampire
with the terrible Thirst, that went against everything they thought they were.

She was the one who devised a way to overcome that thirsty Beast and 'civilized' her clan of Vampires long before she met Beren.
In fact, she helped him as well to conquer his 'double beast'. She and Beren went on to help with Djinn's father's clan and Julian's
brood - and several others.

Now, sitting in her Room of Silence, she told Alba she could speak candidly and it wouldn't go past that room unless Alba chose to say whatever she did to someone else.

"You know, you and I are worlds and time apart, and yet very much like one another. I've been through it all, my dear Lady Alba.
Your fears were my reality. I overcame them and helped others do the same.

"No one here is going to rip your throat out or turn you into something you don't want to be," she said in her soft, strange Franco-Scot
accent. "That's why you don't need to fear those born this way. THEY NEVER WERE NOT WHAT THEY ARE. They've lived with it
all their lives. It's not a shock to their systems in any way as long as they're properly nurtured. And they ARE. Luna,
my grand-daughter is a great example. My grandson. It's not the same as when you're turned against your will. Or even if you willed it.
Tell me what happened to you."


*****

Lady Ursula is Seth's mother, the Queen of the Vampires in case you don't remember.