Castle Dracula, Transylvania, December 20th, the year of our Lord 1534. – Eventide.
Vladimir and Maria were silent on the ride back home, each lost in their own thoughts. Maria loved don Rosario’s adopted brother, Antonio, who was Count Felix’s librarian…she had no time for Zoltan and his brash, boorish behavior…she also knew that her father considered her too young for marriage, so she mentioned nothing of her feelings for either man. Vladimir, for his part, was very deeply in love with Don Rosario’s sister, Lucy, and had the intention of asking Don Anselmo for her hand on the day of his coming of age… he pictured her face and smiled.
They reached the castle, handed over the Mace to Abigail, who gave them each a fresh cinnamon bun for their trouble, and went upstairs toi the huge hallway. They espied their parents in the process of welcoming their fguests, and tried to about turn and go back downstairs.
“Ah! There you both are!” Count Vladimir had seen them and wasn’t about to let them slip away. ” I was looking for you.”
” We went into town, mFather…we wanted to see Don Anselmo and confirm Christmas Day,” Maria said, not entirely truthfully. Her father smiled. he knew what was going on before anyone told him.
“Come and welcome your uncle and his family. They have come a long way to see us for Christmas.”
Knowing there was no way to squirm out of it, Vladimir and Maria stepped dutifully forward.
Vladimir stepped forward first, bowing and extending his hand.
“Welcome, Uncle Igor, Aunt Amira, to our home” He was always polite, even when he had to bite his tongue rather severely to be so.
” Ah, young Vladimir…the next Count Dracula… you have certainly grown since we last met. And Maria, you are a very beautiful young lady ” Maria blushed.
Standing just behind his parents, Zoltan rakovsky eyed Maria with a greedy look that neither Vladimir nor Maria cared for. Despite his dark gypsy good looks, he had the manners of a country bumpkin and was as much a snob as his status granted him. Vladimir went to welcome him also. Zoltan refused his hand and looked at him with a dark look.
“Cat got his tongue?” Vladimir whispered to Maria, whose response was to give him a huge kick on the shins that took his breath away.
“Shush. we don’t want father angry with us.”
” I don’t like the way he was looking at you. You can’t blame me.”
“Nevertheless…” she stopped when she saw their father looking at them. They both knew that look only too well.
Shrugging his shoulders, Vladimir walked over to Zoltan and extended his hand.
Zoltan ignored his hand a second time.
“Welcome, cousin to our home>”
“well, cousin. I see that you haven’t changed much since we last met.”
“Neither have you.” Vladimir stepped a step closer to Zoltan and whispered in his ear:
If you give me any cause to get angry with you, rest assured that I will, but seeing as this is the season of Goodwill…” he never got to finishing that statement, as his father noticed and gave him the look that simply said that enough had been said. Vladimir stepped back to join his sister. Zoltan stood glowering at them.
“Vladimir, show your cousin to his rooms- he must be tired after the long journey.”
” Yes, indeed, Uncle Vladimir…It was a long and tiring journey, and I need my rest. I will feel a lot more like socializing later after sleep.” The way Zoltan spoke always put Vladimir’s back up…lisping and lickspittle…Vladimir hated that.
” Yes, father…” Vladimir sighed. “Zoltan, come along with us. We will show you to your room.”
They took Zoltan to the sleeping quarters of the castle, and to a big, warm room near their own bedrooms. Vladimir opened the door and motioned him in.
” We will call you in plenty of time for supper. Rest well, cousin .”
“I will await your call…rest assured. Maria, I would like to speak with you after supper-alone.”
Maria did not answer. She just looked at the floor, very uneasily.
“We shall see if father allows that.” was all she said.
“Until later then.” Zoltan bowed mockingly and retreated back into the room, closing the door behind him.
When they turned the corner away from Zoltan’s room and out of his hearing, maria accosted Vladimir.
“I am afraid…” She whispered, still not sure if anyone was listening.
” I am not too happy either. I can only hope that father will not agree to the ‘secret’ meeting.”
“I get a very bad feeling that this will not end well…”
“me too…I can’t help but wonder what will happen this Christmas.”
They had reached the hallway by then, so no more was said, but Vladimir had the uneasy feeling that something was about to happen that would change the lives of all at Castle Dracula, and not for the better, either…..