LYDIA NEWBURY.

DOSSIER.

BIOGRAPHY.

trigger warnings: Death, Murder, To be added if requested .

☆  Lydia was born Lydia Frances Newbury in the 19th century. She was the oldest of two children. Her parents’ other child was her younger brother, Andrew Charles Newbury. The two siblings were close growing up but Lydia always wanted a sister. Someone who could have fun getting ready for balls and shopping for the latest fashions. And also someone who shared her desire for adventure. As sweet as Andrew was, he was not a particularly adventurous soul.

Lydia, on the other hand, was extremely adventurous. Her father had ties to many businesses, some of which gave him the opportunity to travel. He would come home telling stories of his adventures, stories that Lydia really wanted to experience herself. Though she knew the likelihood of that was not great. What could a woman in the 19th century do?

So she waited, hoping adventure would somehow come to her. And it did in the form of a man named Viktor Darkov. She met him at a ball and the two of them danced the night away. He was handsome, charming, passionate, and spoke about his travels as her father did. Lydia was obsessed from the start. The two of them met several more times in society and eventually started meeting in secret, beginning their romantic relationship.

After they were together for about 6 months, Viktor told Lydia his secret, that he was a vampire. Lydia was not frightened but instead was excited by the news. She had always wanted adventure and now she was dating a vampire. A mythical creature! How extraordinary! As Lydia thought more, though, she realized that being a vampire herself might give her just enough power to get adventures for herself. She’d never want to hurt anyone, that wasn’t in her nature. But she knew from what Viktor told her that vampires had powers. Powers that she could perhaps use a bit of to convince others to allow her to live the adventurous life she wanted. So she began asking Viktor to turn her into a vampire.

To his credit, Viktor did not say yes right away. He knew Lydia well enough to know that her reasons for wanting to be a vampire were not due to hopeless romanticism and a desire to be with him forever. (Though at the time she did see a future for them, her desire for adventure was just greater). Lydia could wait, though. She had been waiting all her life. Waiting a bit more wouldn’t hurt.

It is in this mindset that she meets Camille at a ball. The two women hit it off right away and become good friends. She is excited to finally meet someone who shares her desire for adventure. She is also excited when Camille meets James, glad that her friend had someone she truly loves romantically in her life. The two of them enjoy spending time together and do so as often as they possibly can.

As time goes on, Lydia’s constant pleading makes Viktor cave in. He turns her into a vampire and although he has little control himself, he teaches her how to control her thirst. Lydia learns quickly, using her vampirism in a much more ethical way than Viktor does. Everything is great for Lydia.

Then the accident happens. Lydia can’t bear the thought of losing her best friend. So she does the only thing she can do. She turns her into a vampire. When Camille wakes up, Lydia feels guilty as she had not been able to ask Camille’s permission to turn her. Camille forgives her and accepts Lydia’s offer to teach her how to control her thirst and how to use her new vampire powers. Everything is good again.

Remember Viktor? The one who turned Lydia into a vampire? He isn’t that controlled and doesn’t always do what’s right. Unlike Lydia and Camille who live solely on the blood of animals and willing “donors”, Viktor kills to feed. This causes fights between him and Lydia. After one particularly bad fight, Viktor kills one of Lydia’s human friends. This mistake comes back to bite him, though. Not only is Lydia furious, but the young woman he killed happens to be the daughter of a vampire hunter.

Lydia and Camille become targets through their association with Viktor and so fleeing England is their only option.

Camille doesn’t want to leave without the man who she thinks is her true love, though. She goes to meet James, tells him everything, asks him to run away with her and Lydia. He is disgusted. He calls her a monster.

Camille is upset and leaves to meet Lydia. The two leave England together, without Viktor or James and so begins a lifetime of adventures together.

STORIES.