#but she's someone who is always going to be welcome in amalia's life. her casa is her casa she adores her always

[stormlit]

the first person that amalia turns into a vampire isn't until the 1880s, a full 80+ years after she was turned herself; for the longest time she couldn't imagine ever doing it because her own turning was so traumatic, and she refused to do that to anyone else. she couldn't imagine a situation where somebody would want the dark gift, because she certainly didn't.

larisa markova is a principal ballet dancer at the then-imperial russian ballet that amalia meets in 1878, having spent some years travelling across europe with the full intention of getting to st petersburg to get involved with dance there; over a period of years, amalia takes classes, views as many performances as she can, and gets involved in choreography and direction. larisa suffers from being considered too old to play the ingenue anymore but too young to retire, isn't getting the parts she wants, and the current company director hates her, constantly casting his favourites while trying to convince her to teach at the company's attached academy. she's miserable.

amalia and larisa begin a love affair, initially connecting over a love of dance and finding a deep connection and a place that feels safe. amalia choreographs a piece specifically for the two of them that they do amass enough of a company to perform in public for, larisa finds a place she can be herself for probably the first time in her life, have lively, passionate discussions, and feel safe to complain, while amalia finds someone who shares her passions, takes no shit (especially from her), and eases the loneliness that she's had for decades. larisa finds out what amalia is relatively early on and doesn't show fear or even bewilderment for a moment, lets amalia drink from her carnally, but they've been together years before she asks amalia to turn her. amalia refuses, but larisa keeps asking.

and finally, after a very thorough explanation of what larisa's asking for, what turning will be like, what it's like afterwards, what it's like to kill, amalia finally gives in. larisa's in her late 30s, has been all but forced out of the ballet company, and she wants to finally see the world, having grown up in the imperial ballet academy and knowing nothing else. and they do.