Dear Yuletide Author 2020

[calliopes_pen]

The first half of this letter is copied from previous years, since my likes and dislikes are about the same. Several prompts were copied over as well, though amended in light of who was or was not available in regard to the characters.

Dear Yuletide Writer,

First of all, thank you so much for signing up Yuletide writer. The fact that you are thereby offering to write even for one of the fandoms that I inhabit is delightful. If it was more than one fandom that we matched on, I’m pleasantly surprised in retrospect. This may have been a rough year for a lot of people, and I have been looking forward to this more than you can even understand.

Before I get started, let me say one thing. Just let the prompts take you where they may, and I’m certain that I’ll be happy. For my likes and dislikes, I’ll be copy/pasting what I wrote last year, since it had enough content for anyone. In at least one instance, the copy/pasting will extend to several prompts in a particular fandom. Try not to be horrified by the length of last year’s story and letter if you look that way to see what I’m prone to writing. It doesn’t usually get that long.

Try not to feel pressured or like you are being forced to write by these specifications, and have fun. This isn’t a point-by-point thing that I demand you stick with. You can pick whichever you want to do. You can mix and match if you like. As Jonathan Harker is my favorite character, I like to see him tormented far more than most. He was nominated along with a bunch of Dracula-centered fandoms this year, so he’s getting a lot of stuff coming his way if possible.

I’ve made a jump list to make things a little easier, just like last year’s letter, and the one before that for however many years back. You can skip around to whichever fandom you matched on faster that way. Also, for each fandom I will provide a list of pairings that I am fine with seeing, whether or not they are already canon.

If you do wish to see what I have written for prior Yuletides, please step right this way. I’ve been doing Yuletide since 2006, and have only had to sit out two of them. The longer I keep with this, the longer the stories become. You can also look back at previous Dear Yuletide letters I have written via the Dear Yuletide Letter tag, which accompanies this post.

I am fine with gen, het, or slash. If you want to do anything pairing free, that is completely fine with me, as well. For me, the characterization is the most important aspect of the story. Just do your best. Use your own judgment for what works from the huge selection of prompts, and I’m sure I’ll love the end result.

The fandoms I requested this year are the following: Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992), Count Dracula (TV 1977), Dracula—Bram Stoker, Dracula (TV 1968), Dracula (Movies - Hammer), and The Kiss of the Vampire (1963).

So now we get to my likes, as well as my dislikes. My likes: Plot. Victorian horror, gothic romance, gothic horror, horror—psychological or otherwise, slow building suspense, ghost stories, ghosts, haunted houses, demons, werewolves, folklore, mythology, dark and twisted fairy tales, darkfic, Dracula and vampires, Hammer Horror Movies, possession (ghostly or demonic) and exorcisms, mind control, hypnosis, loyalty, character studies, adventure, action, unreliable narrators, missing scenes, séances, devoted friendship and relationships, character development, introspection, AUs, worldbuilding, snark, hurt/comfort, graphic violence, PTSD, eldritch abominations, Stockholm Syndrome, sensory deprivation, brainwashing, drama, nightmares, sleepwalking, mystery, crossovers, fantasy elements, Faustian bargains/pacts, captivity, slow moving zombies, black magic/rituals/summoning of something, necromancy, graveyards, mounting dread.

Dislikes/Do Not Want To Read List: Cancer. Body horror, when it is outside of the genre of vampirism, ghosts, or the supernatural. PWP or anything explicit; rape, incest, underage, BDSM, humiliation, mpreg, character bashing, bestiality, necrophilia, kidfic, animal abuse, child abuse, cannibalism, fast moving zombies, tentacle porn, sex pollen, RPF. Another major one that I am including given the course of events this year is covid-19, or non-supernaturally occurring pandemics and politics.

Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992)
Characters: Any.
(Characters included this year: Dracula, Jonathan Harker, Lucy Westenra, Mina Harker)

Lucy is not staked, and continues to wander the night. What happens when she eventually appears at the door of the newly married Jonathan and Mina? How does she behave towards them? Do they decide to hide her in their basement, when they realize she’s not safe there?

Does Jonathan only agree to it because she is Mina's friend, while he sanctifies a safe place in the house with crosses, holy water, and garlic? Or does he genuinely just want to help her? How badly does that go for them? Do Jonathan and Mina get bitten? I doubt Mina would call in Dracula for assistance with Lucy at that moment in time, given she sent that letter to tell him she was marrying Jonathan.

I'm not as big of a fan of Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992), as I am of certain other Dracula canons found in this letter. However, I found myself desiring a few things that could, perhaps, be fun to see.

I am really not a fan of Mina being Dracula’s lost love in this one, or what they did to Lucy’s character. However, there are a few things I found that I do like about the film, including Jonathan’s time spent in the castle, and what Lucy was like as a vampire...aside from her hideous wedding gown. The performance of Keanu Reeves as Jonathan is not the best, I will grant you that, and his accent leaves something to be desired. He was miscast, yes, but he tried. His dull surprise at the Count's powers can be funny.

Other prompts:

-Lucy lives, and sees the changes in Mina as Dracula endeavors to seduce her. Would she and Jonathan be able to team up to save Mina? Is Jonathan scandalized by Lucy’s previous antics, or strangely amused by them, and glad for the offer? He’s probably been told everything about her interests by Mina.

-What if Mina weren’t the reincarnation of Dracula’s lost wife Elisabeta? What if those feelings were all due to the bite, and hypnosis twisting the Count’s hope into something more, with him implanting false thoughts in her? How can she hope to pick up the pieces with Jonathan? Would he understand, having had a taste of such hypnosis in the castle, with the brides?

-It turns out that Mina isn’t the reincarnation...Jonathan Harker is. And what if the Count realized this, either after the brides were fed the baby, or shortly after meeting Mina? What is Jonathan’s reaction to the news when he learns of it, possibly once he’s back in England? Is he doubtful, or terrified that the Count’s interests are focusing on him now?

Pairings I enjoy in this fandom: Jonathan/Dracula. Mina/Jonathan. Jonathan/Lucy could be interesting, even if neither interacted in canon.

Count Dracula (TV 1977)
Characters: Any
(Those nominated this year were: Mina, Jonathan, Renfield, and Van Helsing)

What if Renfield did as Dracula wanted? What if he hadn’t tried to warn Seward and instead did as Dracula expected and drank from an “initiated human”—meaning Mina, somehow, while Jonathan and Seward were in shouting distance? Mina might do likewise, being in Dracula’s power at that moment from all that was implied. Or maybe it’s her choice. How would this work without drawing attention, and how would the men not notice?

Does Jonathan notice anything odd about her at all later? Was Mina encouraged to “initiate” Jonathan, turning him and also providing Dracula’s own blood to do so faster? And if he was turned, what would the four of them (since Renfield’s bound to get out of that cell even if they don’t come for him; seriously, the guy’s fantastic at that, so he’s right behind them eventually) manage to do before they were found out?

I loved this particular version of Renfield, (and Jonathan, and Mina, and pretty much all of them aside from Quincey’s accent) so have fun with it.

Other prompts:

-Van Helsing makes his famous hot chocolate for Jonathan and Mina. Just to be sure all is well, with their knowledge of it in advance, it’s laced with holy water.

-Renfield asks to speak with Jonathan, to the man’s confusion. He confuses Jonathan further by inquiring if the Count ever initiated him while he was away from home. Perhaps it is Renfield’s way of warning him of what there is to come, since begging Seward with that tantrum earlier didn’t work. Does Jonathan figure out the danger and act?

-Somehow becoming the Count's disciples, and/or becoming initiated, Jonathan and Mina are completely in the Count's power. They are instructed, with Renfield's presumably reluctant assistance, to stop Van Helsing from meddling in his affairs. However, is Van Helsing already guessing what is afoot?

If there was no biting involved, then neither of them have fangs. Perhaps it is not so obvious in their appearances, but in their mannerisms. How are they different in Van Helsing's presence? Can Van Helsing reach them beyond their control? And is there a strange team up with a fretful Renfield, in order to bring them back towards the light? Renfield did like Mina when she was herself, after all. It stands to reason he wouldn't care for what she (or, by extension, Jonathan) was becoming.

-What if Renfield begged Van Helsing to let him go free of the asylum, hoping he might sway Seward for him? Could he even be calmer about it, and less hysterical than in canon? If he were let go for some reason, would he be spared from being murdered by Dracula? And would he then request to assist everyone with Mina if the blood exchange still happened, given his fondness for her? Would he be allowed to go with the men as they travelled, to aid in keeping Mina safe, or is that a step too far for everyone? Could Van Helsing handle keeping an eye on both a gradually turning Mina and Renfield as they rode?

Pairings I enjoy: Mina/Jonathan. Jonathan/Dracula. And, oddly enough in this version, a dash of Renfield/Dracula and Mina/Renfield.

There are many uploads of Count Dracula (1977) across Youtube. The best of these can be found here, here, here, and here.

Dracula—Bram Stoker
Characters: Any

-The others never saw the harm in Mina and Jonathan continuing to share a bed following the blood exchange between Mina and Dracula. What if she did fully turn, and put Jonathan into her power? How would things change? Does anyone recognize the danger? Where are they during their journey when it happens? Or if she doesn’t fully turn, perhaps she has just enough of the power in her to ensnare his mind. Given what he stated in his journal, he likely wouldn’t have fought her at all.

There weren’t many characters nominated this year, in comparison with previous years. It’s just my nominations, which included the Brides of Dracula, Dracula, Mina, and Jonathan, and therefore the prompts will swing towards them as the focal point.

Other prompts:

-What if Jonathan had consumed some of Dracula’s blood without his knowledge? What if he was drawn to Carfax because of it, heeding the call of the Count, while the others were busy? Does he ever try to use his presence there to basically make a deal with the devil? Or is he simply entranced and doing as Dracula bids? Does Mina notice what’s going on when he leaves, possibly from the same meeting that Quincey ducked out on?

-What if Dracula planned to survive any attacks on his life? What if he was able to send his spirit into the nearest suitable host, perhaps the one that killed him? Quincey died, but Jonathan didn’t. Would Mina suspect this, being as close as they are? Would Dracula subtly take over Jonathan a bit at a time to prolong his terror, or would it be very obviously not him? Would he attack Van Helsing outright? Would Mina be the key to getting her husband back?

-What if, when the group returned to check out Castle Dracula seven years later, Jonathan accidentally disturbed the Count’s spirit, either while checking on the crypt or his old room? What if he was put into the Count’s power? Does he try to resurrect Dracula, or does he just seek revenge, while struggling to warn the others? Who notices first? How do they handle it?

-What if Jonathan was killed instead of Quincey, and Dracula escaped in the carnage? Nobody guesses he was bitten or given blood somewhere along the way at the castle. Even he can’t remember. Nobody guesses. None of them ever know, until it’s too late. To everyone's horror, while pondering their next move, Jonathan wakes up.

They were waiting on an attack from Dracula, while he was waiting on Jonathan to rise from the dead. How scary and different is the solicitor in the aftermath? When he wakes, who notices first? Is it Mina that’s able to drive him away before anyone comes to harm? And does he try to convince Mina to step into the darkness with him, as Lucy attempted with Arthur? Where is Dracula during all of this?

-What if everyone walked in on Dracula feeding blood to both Mina and an entranced Jonathan? Would it be harder to keep an eye on both, and would Dracula use two much more actively than he ever used Mina under his control?

Who stays with Jonathan as he slowly succumbs, falling into silences? Who stays with Mina to watch her? How pronounced are Jonathan’s symptoms in comparison to Mina if you go this route, and does hypnosis work very well or at all to either follow the Count or calm Jonathan if he’s too worked up over everything? Is he forced to do anything by the Count? Does he have another breakdown, while struggling to resist?

And if they all chased Dracula to Transylvania, would Jonathan stay with Van Helsing, as Mina did when everyone split up? How do Jonathan and Mina try to comfort one another? Is the progression of their affliction different for each?

-What if it was known that Jonathan was bitten? What if he had a psychic link with the women? What if, through them, Jonathan also had a link with Dracula? What if, unconsciously, he knew all that Dracula did and could track those movements like Mina does later in the novel? How does everyone learn of this prior to the implementation of hypnosis? Does he talk in his sleep? Is he their spy without knowing, behaving oddly? Does he just speak of things he shouldn’t know, and they grow suspicious of him?

-Jonathan claimed not to remember the contents of his journal, when Mina asked at the convent, only saying that he knew the cause of his brain fever was in there. What if Dracula really did give him total amnesia, before dumping him in the wilderness to find his own way back, and he lost his journal, too? By what method are he and Mina able to piece together what happened to him?

-What if Jonathan’s mental state were not quite right Mina arrived at the convent, from the repercussions of his “brain fever", and further terrified recollections? How would Mina handle him? Does he think the brides are hunting him, or are his warnings far more grandiose and nonsensical? What if he was never completely stable again? How would things be different? How does he behave towards everyone, in addition to the canon nightmares? Does it delay Mina in joining the rest to stop Dracula? Is Jonathan somehow used by Dracula against them, due to his vulnerability?

-What if the Brides followed Jonathan to the convent, and lurked outside his window at night? Each night, they attempt to lure him outside. What if Jonathan had spells where he tried to go to them, even on the precipice of recovery? What occurs, and when Mina arrives what is she able to do to combat it? Does she believe he is still ill? Is she somewhat prepared, thanks to her experiences with Lucy’s sleepwalking? Does she read Jonathan’s journal even sooner?

-Jonathan finds himself growing closer to the Count despite himself while in the castle. He looks forward to their nightly conversations, and despite the horror regrets that they are to part. Upon spotting him after the funeral of Mr. Hawkins, what if he did try to approach Dracula, instead of going into that odd state of falling asleep on Mina and forgetting he saw him? Is he able to speak to him? Or is he just a jumble of stammering nerves and confusion?

What if he wanted to slip his newly printed business card into the Count's palm or pocket? Or, perhaps, hurriedly mumble an invitation to his Essex address, at his earliest convenience? What is the Count's reaction (since he was interrupted while his eyes were locked on a lady's neck, is he amused by Jonathan, surprised he's alive, or distracted)? How would things change? Does a concerned Mina see an oncoming display of nerves, apologize, or lead Jonathan away before he can embarrass himself in public? I suspect Mina would still read Jonathan's journal in the aftermath.

Pairings I enjoy, whether or not someone was nominated this year: Mina/Jonathan. Dracula/Jonathan. Mina/Jonathan/Dracula. Lucy/Mina (pairing or friendship). Mina/Jonathan/Lucy. Jonathan/Lucy. Jonathan/The Weird Sisters, aka The Brides of Dracula.

If you don’t have access to the novel, you can read it online here or here on Project Gutenberg.

Dracula (TV 1968)
Characters: Any

Jonathan and Mina begin to deal with other supernatural matters, not too soon after the events of the film conclude. Perhaps those touched by the Count can see supernatural manifestations. How do Jonathan and Mina react to seeing spirits? Does Jonathan believe he’s going insane, and how do they convince Seward of the reality of their affliction? Would they decide they want to aid restless spirits in seeking peace as a result, or is it too upsetting for them?

Other prompts:

-Following his recovery, what if Jonathan ended up falling into more supernatural hijinks? Does Mina believe him, whether it be ghosts or witchcraft? Does Seward think the strain of Jonathan trying to reclaim his life after being the servant to a vampire was all just a bit too much and too soon? How does Jonathan react to more weirdness possibly invading his life? Is he taking it all in stride, and calmly noting it’s not as bad as being enthralled by a vampire and forced to devour insects for sustenance, or is the poor fellow hysterical?

-If, for whatever reason, you feel like giving Jonathan total amnesia about what he’s done while under the Count’s influence: How does the ever proper Seward manage to explain the situation? Make it as comedic or dark as you feel like.

-What if Mina tried to get through to Jonathan again, after the time he recognized and hugged her, but before she was bitten by Lucy (which led to him attacking Mina)? How well would this go? How long might they be able to reach him? What would he have to say to her, after that heartfelt and desperate embrace of her the first time, and the shouting for her?

-Jonathan and Mina are changing, despite the deaths of Dracula and Lucy. What does Seward do if he sees fangs in either of their mouths (besides fainting, of course).

-The spirit of Lucy haunts Jonathan and Mina. With Seward’s aid, they must determine the reason for her visitations.

-During a therapy session, Jonathan frets that the brides of Dracula will draw him to them at some unknown point in the future. Would Seward confide in Mina? What actions would they take? Do they worry about every odd moment, or take firm action, perhaps sending word to the Professor?

-What if Jonathan was instructed to prevent Lucy from being staked, following another escape from his cell? I would imagine the best opportunity for such an attempt would be after he channelled Dracula in the cell, while Van Helsing and Seward were preparing to ride to Lucy's side. I can so see Jonathan out and roaming the graveyard conspicuously as he tries to find Lucy. Would Lucy bite him, too, despite his desire to help her?

-You would think that Seward or Lucy would have attended Jonathan and Mina's wedding. What if Seward had, and thereby recognized his patient? Could he have notified Mina sooner? Would Seward confide his fears to Lucy about the cause of his collapse?

Does it end badly for them, or better, if Van Helsing were never called in? Could Seward and Mina reach a shred of the real Jonathan prior to the time that Dracula preyed on Lucy? How would Lucy assist them?

-What if Jonathan found out that he had somehow managed to legally inherit Glebe House from the Count? Would he be baffled at the Count thinking ahead like that now that he is free, or terrified? Would a part of him feel honored his comfort had been seen to, or would he be suspicious? How does Seward react to the news?

If Jonathan feared being alone there, would Mina and Seward join him for a night there, in order to determine what he needed to keep or remove? Could it potentially turn into a night of horror? I would imagine Jonathan or Seward could be unnerved by sounds echoing along the corridors, or the creak of a floorboard. Does Jonathan recall there were rumors of a haunting, and that was the reason the Count desired the residence? Does Mina happen to mention she has the deceased vampire's ring, or does she keep that information from them?

If you’re interested in giving this one a look, or want to know more, you can find a quick fandom promo for it by thisbluespirit. There are multiple uploads across Youtube for it, in one part, or many. Corin Redgrave absolutely loves skipping over headstones and eating flies in this incarnation of Jonathan.

Pairings I enjoy: Lucy/Mina. Jonathan/Mina. Seward/Mina. Jonathan/Dracula. Seward/Mina/Jonathan. Also enjoy the friendship among Jonathan, Mina and Seward in the aftermath of everything.

Dracula (Movies – Hammer)
Characters: Any

What if Jonathan wasn’t staked? What if, instead, he and Dracula planned to lay a trap for Van Helsing?

On TV Tropes’ page for the film, under They Wasted A Perfectly Good Character, there was a plot that I would dearly love to see. In case it’s been edited since then, this is what it said: “Having a vampiric Harker could've been actually pretty cool. At the very least, at the start, where he could've taken over Dracula's job of terrorizing the nearby village. Think about it, Van Helsing arriving into the area, the townsfolk in uproar over an attack. Van Helsing goes to the manor to confront whom he thinks is Dracula only to find his now vamped friend, corrupted and eager to feed on him. Would've made for a nice act 1 confrontation, extra points if he turned the barmaid he met earlier.”

What would Van Helsing’s reaction be to all of the carnage? What if Jonathan appeared to him at night, when the vampire was actually awake? What would Van Helsing do? Would Jonathan taunt him, or pretend to be his old self at first? Would he run, or would he attack? Would he briefly try to fool him into thinking he was still alive? Would Van Helsing be able to fight him off when it’s the face of his former friend and colleague that is one of the undead? Or would Dracula arrive on the scene, proud of the devastation, and take Jonathan away with him?

Other prompts:

-What if Dracula had a way to keep Jonathan from turning into a vampire after that woman bit him? What if he just kept him in thrall, so he could trick Van Helsing and convince him all was well? Mina ended up grinning like the most smug and satisfied woman on the planet after she was bitten and was not immediately turned. How would Jonathan fare in such a scenario? What would Van Helsing see upon his arrival? Or what if the human Jonathan was used as the bait to lure someone else in? Seeing as Arthur was nominated, perhaps him, as a roundabout way to eventually get to Lucy.

-Happily, we have First Klove in the sea of characters this year. Dear Writer, if you are unfamiliar with him, it’s the version of Klove from Dracula: Prince of Darkness (1966) that I am talking about, and not the servant with the same name (and another death) in Scars of Dracula.

What if Klove also resurrected Jonathan during Dracula: Prince of Darkness? Or what if Klove was around during Horror of Dracula? Could he somehow stash Jonathan in a place where he wouldn’t be easy to locate and stake? Could he keep Lucy from being staked? What would a confrontation then be like between Van Helsing and Jonathan in the castle, if the latter were awake, with Klove there to aid him? Would Jonathan try to reach Dracula’s side, or would he just go ahead and attack villagers as a feral little thing until he was caught?

-What if Jonathan wasn’t bitten or turned? What if Dracula found out his purpose for being there, and put him into his power via mesmerism or mysticism? Perhaps he originally did something of the sort with Klove, and did it again on Jonathan. What would he make Jonathan do, to prevent Lucy’s staking? Would he have Jonathan trick someone (perhaps Mina Holmwood since Arthur wasn’t nominated this year) into thinking Van Helsing was mad to attempt to warn them of something? And could Jonathan be saved, or is that devotion somehow even unbreakable with the Count’s death? I presume it would be, with the way Klove is.

Thanks to Dracula: Prince of Darkness (1966), I can almost picture Klove teaching Jonathan the proper methods of disposing of wayward travelers if they were forced to split up while guarding Dracula. Or if not that, could the two manage to prevent Dracula from dying (after falling into a frozen moat in front of his own castle) at the end?

-There were various points where Van Helsing was almost bitten by Dracula. What if Dracula was successful? Would he return to the Holmwoods, and attack them? Or would he go away with Dracula to cause mayhem? What is left of him?

-What if Lucy Holmwood escaped the sharp end of a stake, and met Marianne Danielle post-Brides of Dracula (1960)? Is Van Helsing close by to assist?

-What if the Count’s method of vengeance was to go after Mina Holmwood, while instructing the now vampiric Jonathan to prey on Lucy? He would know that would be the last thing the mortal man would do, and relish the thought of his new fledgling doing such a thing.

Pairings I enjoy in this fandom: Dracula/Jonathan, Dracula/Van Helsing, Dracula/Lucy, Jonathan/Lucy, Arthur/Mina.

The Kiss of the Vampire (1963)
Characters: Any

Professor Zimmer summoned bats from hell to defeat the cult of vampires. There’s bound to be repercussions. With an arcane ritual of such magnitude, I would imagine there is a price to be paid for performing it. What could the fallout be, and does it cause more of a threat?

I absolutely loved how the movie concluded, with bats summoned through sorcery sent forth to destroy a cult of vampires. It was unique. If you didn't match me on this one, and are curious about it? The ending would have originally been placed a the end of The Brides of Dracula (1960), but Peter Cushing objected. He rightfully believed that Van Helsing wouldn't resort to the dark arts to defeat one of the undead. And so the studio transplanted it quite nicely over to here, 3 years later.

Another prompt:

-What if Gerald were bitten and snatched away by one of the cult that had somehow survived? Would Marianne Harcourt and Professor Zimmer be able to find him in time? Would the Professor even care to try?

-This next bit isn't a true prompt unless we matched on two things and you really want it to be. I halfway want Jonathan from Horror of Dracula (likely post if you make him survive, or even keep him undead) to meet Gerald. They might have things in common. It could become an interesting study in what Jonathan might have been, or Gerald could become if taken unawares.

Another way, it would also be sort of interesting if the turned Jonathan had ducked out in the confusion of everything, scuttled off to safety, and met and aligned himself with Ravna. Briefly, mind you, in light of the way Kiss of the Vampire ended.

Pairings I enjoy in this fandom: Gerald/Marianne.

That's all for this year! Again, have fun writing whatever fandom you selected from this letter, and I'm sure I'll love the end result.

Comments

[sovay]

Or maybe it’s her choice. How would this work without drawing attention, and how would the men not notice?

I would be fascinated if you got this version of events. They did manage to kiss, albeit not without notice.

(Am also in favor of exploring vamped Hammer Jonathan.)

[thisbluespirit]

Eeeeee. \o/

And you did request Kiss of the Vampire, after all!

[calliopes_pen]

Yes!

It felt like a far better choice than having some poor soul wade through Jonathan's bad luck and eventual fate in Dracula 2020, in all honesty. Heh.