1 A New Life

Aboard a ship heading for the New World sat a man looking towards the horizon as the Sun began to rise. There stood a man roughly 6' in height covered from head to toe in a Tri-corn with a brown trench coat followed by a white shirt held together by a string in the pattern of a corset; with black pants and shin-high boots. There he stood looking towards the new world with the hope of leaving his old Life behind and finally being able to blend in with human society.

The man standing there was none other than one Nathaniel Fleming, an offspring of the progenitor; Vlad the Impaler, and a human woman named Maria. His human mother was a kind and caring woman who always managed to keep him smiling, but with all things mortal she was already long gone along with his father who he rarely saw due to his "work". His father died at the hands of a Huntsmen in 1476 causing him to flee the country and head to London. Due to being half-human he was subsequentially weaker than the average Vampire but could walk in the sun, if only during the morning and evening, and could subsist on animal blood and regular food alone. Now it didn't taste good but it was better than blowing his cover. With that thought in mind, he had taken a contract in the New World as a sharecropper. The Land he had been given was deemed infertile and that it would be impossible to grow anything on without a large fortune and a large amount of time. That land, of course, was Mount Wachusett, the highest peak near Boston, he didn't take it for its fertility, however, but rather the fact that he would outlive the owner and become the sole proprietor of the property. It was surrounded by dense woods and would make a great place to set traps as well as hunt small and large game to satisfy his hunger. That was the plan and that's how it continued for the next 20+ years. This was his first time heading into town as a young man and not a grizzled bushman.

*Time for a reset* Nathaniel thought to himself while strolling into town with wide eyes to portray the feeling of a young man setting foot into the outside world for the first time while carrying this season's pelts.

While strolling through town he began to feel the gazes of several townsmen and women eyeing him up and down with cautious eye, after all, this was their first time seeing a man other than the grizzled bushman come into town this early in the morning from the direction of Mount Wachusett. As he walked through the town he looked for any man standing on the side of the road that could give the new him directions to Jacob's general store. After walking for what seemed like ages he found a young man stumbling outside of the bar, only for him to fall over into a pile of mud in a drunken daze. After staring at the man for what seemed like minutes he decided to walk over and ask for directions. Only after helping the man to his feet of course.

""Excuse me sir!" said Nathaniel aloud as he helped the man off the ground and brushed the filth off his coat.

"Would you by chance be able to point me in the direction of Jacob's general store? My father would usually do this sort of thing while I set the traps but last week he fell into one of the streams while being chased by a moose and has been bedridden with a fever since last week. As of now he's most likely already resigned to his fate and has left the house to go to my Mother's grave." Nathaniel said loud enough as to where everyone in the surrounding area could hear.

With that, the looks of the Townsmen and women softened as the stranger seemed to be related to the bushman.

"Eh, the old man had a son?" said the drunken man as he stumbled to remain on his feet.

"Yes, my father never talked much after my mother died; so you've probably never heard of me," said Nathaniel to back up his claim.

"The old man never really did say anything, well Jacob's is around the corner two blocks down, you shouldn't miss it, or rather you can't." said the drunken man.

"Thank you, sir?" Nathaniel said before shaking the man's hand and walking in the direction of Jacob's general store.

Once there Nathaniel pushed open a door to see a familiar face. A man with a well kept white beard and round face standing roughly 5' 7" tall with a raccoon skin cap eyeing up the young man standing in the doorway through his glasses with a cigar hanging out of his mouth.

"What can I help you with young man?" said Jacob cautiously

"You seemed to be a friend of my father, he came to sell his pelts here at the end of Winter while I would set new traps for spring, but has been bedridden with a fever since last week after falling into a river while being chased by a moose."

"The old man never said he had a son?" Jacob said while prying for information

"My Father never said much, as a matter of fact, he only ever talked after getting drunk and when he wasn't the only thing's he said were about planning and what supplies we needed to survive.' Nathaniel said

"I do believe I've confirmed my identity so id like if you didn't pry for more, you of all people should know what I said better than most?" Nathaniel said while cracking a smile towards Jacob.

*Jacob wasn't the kind of man to pursue such a strenuous conversation and would most likely believe after hearing this much.* Nathaniel thought to himself before awaking from his thought by a laugh.*

"You must have gotten your wit from your Mother, or your father was a smart man and knew how to keep his mouth shut; either way, what can I help you with?"

"I'm just looking to sell my pelts, and I'm expecting at least 2 shillings in exchange for my small game pelts and starting at 9 shillings in exchange for any big game. As well as something I'm looking for a rifled Musket and if you could point me in the direction of the nearest blacksmith I would be much obliged."

"Looks like your father taught you well, ill buy all your small game pelt's buy ill need to see any big game pelt's you may have a go from there?" Said Jacob while eyeing up the massive amount of pelt's the young man was carrying with ease. *Like father like son* Jacob thought to himself

Quickly counting he had 15 beaver pelts, 10 white rabbit pelt's, as well as 5 fox pelts. He had several damaged pelts that would be sold for half a shilling each totaling 63 shillings. Enough for a man to live comfortably for 5 months. Next was the big game pelts and this was where the real money was made. (In comparison to amount)

"I'll give you 6 shilling's each for the 3 deer pelts, 8 for the 2 black bear pelt's and 10 for the moose pelts, and that's my offer," Jacob said while testing Nathaniel eyes for haggling

"Now Mr. Jacob, we both know that deer pelts usually go for at least 8 shilling's each and that black bear pelts usually go for 9, the lowest I can go in 7 on the deer, and ill make the black bear pelt's 8 if you can give me a discount on that Musket you got there?" Nathaniel said while the point at the wall behind Jacob.

"That I can do, In exchange for the pelt's you'll be receiving is 47 shilling's, now if we take off the price of a musket on a discount that would be roughly 25 shillings. Is that all right with you?" Jacob asked.

"That's a deal, and can you point me in the direction of the nearest blacksmith, I have something I would like to test out?" Nathaniel asked while packing up his coins into his purse.

"Sure, but why would a young man like yourself need a musket in these peaceful times?" Said Jacob

"Well, my Father knew he would die soon of his fever and sent me down here to sell off all our stock to prepare my self for war, I may live on the mountain, but I know the smell of blood better than most, and with blood comes battles, and battles come from war. As we are speaking my Father is most likely climbing the mountain with bated breath to lay down next to my mother's grave and give back to the earth what he took. Know if you'll excuse me it was nice meeting you, I must be heading towards the smith." With that, Nathaniel turned his back on Jacob and walked out the door without another word.

By the time he had arrived at the smith the sound of metal being hit could be heard throughout the street and the low roar of bellows could be heard at the entrance. There stood a stout man mad of muscled standing roughly 5' 4" hunched over a forge covered in nothing but a shirt, a leather apron, and pants followed by leather shoes. He stayed there hunched over hammering out a piece of steel before going for the quench, while there he noticed a young man who he had never seen before.

"Hello there, I'm Nathaniel, you probably knew my father. He currently joining my mother and I've come to you looking to buy something?" Nathaniel said leaving to room for questions.

"Well, I'm sorry to hear that, your Father never spoke much so him having a kid isn't out of the question. What can I do for you?" Said the Man.

"As you can see I have a musket on my back and I was wondering you could make me a ball maker, but a custom one with a special design?" Nathaniel asked hesitantly.

"Of course, but the ball makers I have are already good so I'd have to see what you want me to make first before I decide if it's worth my time?" Said the Man begrudgingly.

"Sure, may I see a piece of leather and coal?" Asked Nathaniel.

The man handed Nathaniel the supplies and with that Nathaniel began to draw a cylinder with a slanted cone on top coming to a fine point. (Much like an early design of the bullet before gunpowder added to the inside of the design) Before drawing a specially designed plunger to fit the bullet so that he could pack it without damaging the tip.

"My thinking here is that we use the pointed system from the arrow to increase penetration while creating a cylinder to help stop the projectile from tumbling, the plunger would be made this way to stop the tip from being damaged causing one side to be lop-sided."

The man stood there looking over the plans for a couple of seconds while mumbling to himself some jargon Nathaniel couldn't make out.

"I like it, the name's Thomas; Thomas Smith." Said Thomas before reaching out his hand

"Good to hear Mr. Smith, do you think you could have a prototype mold made me by the end of the week?" Asked Nathaniel

"End of the week? Hell, I plan to drop everything and start working on this now, I could probably one made by tonight along with a plunger if I rush." Said Thomas before hurrying to the station leaving the blade in the water to rust.

"Would you mind if I stayed and watched, and regrading the price?" Asked Nathaniel hesitantly.

"Please, have a seat, and regarding the price, 10 shillings should do." Said Thomas with greed filled eyes.

"All right then, let me know if I get in the way of your work," Nathaniel said while moving to the side of him.

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A/N: With That A New Friendship Was Born

If you have any comments, suggestions, or criticism please let me know down below as this will be the first Light Novel I take seriously, and would love to improve it, I plan to a chapter daily to every other day containing anywhere from 1500-2k words.