Vladimir had grave misgivings about that Christmas Eve. he knew his duties as heir to the title, and was very ready to ride out to escort the old Baron and his wife to the castle. They had been very staunch supporters of his father and were always on hand to help out whenever needed, especially when they were very young… Baroness Matilda was always on hand to help their mother, and a strong bond had grown between them, almost as if the old baron and his wife were family. The baron’s house was at least a day’s ride away though, and leaving the castle with their damn relatives alone did not sit well with him.

They descended the stairway and found their father sitting by the fire reading a book.
“Father? You wanted us.” Vladimir spoke softly .
“Yes… As you know, Baron Zeleky is poorly and he and his wife need an escort to bring them to the castle for your cornation… i would like you to go with jacob to bring them back safley to us. ”

“And Maria?”
“Her duty is here with our guests.”
” With all due respect, father, I would be much happier if she came with me.”
“Oh? Any particular reason why you should expose your sister to a long ride in the freezing weather?”

“Father, it was my idea to go with my brother. He will need someone to keep him out of trouble!”
Vladimir scowled.
“Please, father?” Maria asked, plaintively.

Count Dracula looked at his children with a certain knowing gleam in his eye.

“All right… but there is more to this than meets the eye, and I will, in due course, find out what it is. ”

Vladimir and Maria looked at each other . How on earth did their father guess…

“There is no time now to ponder why… I will instruct Jacob to make ready for you both to go, Be ready for the early morning- you ride at 6 am tomorrow.”
“Yes, father.”
Vladimir and his sister bowed briefly to their gather and took their leave. As they walked back to the library, they noticed, Zoltan following them. Clearly, he did not know that trhey had seen him. When they reached the library, Vladimir asked maria to find the map that showed the quickest route through the old forest…Baron Zeleky’s castle was the other side of a dense pine forest with a very dubious reputation. He took his leave of Maria, saying that he would be back in an hour as he had to talk to Jacob about supplies for the journey. Maria smiled and went about her search.

A few minutes after Vladimir left, Maria heard the library door open. She turned and saw Zolan standing just inside the doorway, a nasty smirk on his face.

” So, you are alone, cousin. Just as well, as I have something to tell you.”
Maria stropped in her tracks and looked at Zoltan.

” What is it that you wish to tell me?”
” Just something that will happen very soon, whether you wish it or not.”
“Oh?”
” Let’s put it this way. You are coming of an age now where you will be required to choose a husband. Only- you will not choose, as one has been chosen for you.”
” Really? and who might that be? I have not given my consent to any betrothal, nor was I asked.”
“My dear cousin, I don’t think you understand.”
“Perhaps I don’t. Enlighten me.”
Zoltan took one step forward. maria stepped back and went to the other side of the table so it was between her and Zoltan.
” The one chosen for you is me. With the marriage between the two of us our families will be joined together and my parents will finally get what is owed to them by your father… Long has my mother suffred becaus eshe is not of noble birth. My marriage will bring glory to her, glory that she is due. But why wait? Let me see what you are made of right now, so I know I am not being cheated.”
He lunged for Maria, who screamed for help and made for the door- just as the door opened and Vladimir returned.
“What is happening here?” Vladimir demanded.
Before Maria could speak, Zoltan addressed his cousin.
” well, she is to be my wife- but is she worthy of that honor? I will have to find out.”
“You attacked my sister!”
“Just claiming what is mine, cousin. In a few days we will be married, and then we shall see.”
“Over my dead body!”
Zoltan threw a punch at Vladimir, who deftly dodgrd it, and tried not to react against the bully.
” Does my father know of this?”
” Yes, and he has agreed… because if he doesn’t…”
” Yes?”
” When the young gypsy was killed last year, his parents had my mother curse you… your father and yourself… Your father knows this and he also knows that my mother can lift the curse…but only on her terms. If I get to marry your sister, I will intercede.. or else..”
“Or else what?”
” Putting it simply, you will die… on your coming of age and coronation…but death willo be denied you… you will suffer for all eternity… and will plead for death in the end…”
” Gypsy rubbish.” Count Vladimir stood in the doorway of the library. ” I will have no talk of gypsy curses on this Holy night…Come, let us go downstairs and meet our other friends- Vladimir, Don Rosario is here and is very anxious to see you.”
” Yes, father. That makes me very happy.”
” Then let us forget petty quarrels and let us welcome our friends.”
” Yes father.” Vladimir hung his head and followed his father. Zoltan looked relieved… he imagined that he had gotten away with what he did. maria nudged Vladimir and whispered to him that she would reveal to him all that had happened between her and Zoltan… then they would talk to their father…

Outside, the snow began to softly fall…by morning the earth would be covered with snow… and Vladimir and Maria would set out on their journey…

The Season of Goodwill
Castle Dracula, Transylvania, December 22th, the year of our Lord 1534.

It was finally Christmas Eve…Vladimir loved the days immediately before Christmas….so many wonderful things went on in Castle Dracula. His father was known far and wide for his magnanimity and many poor and destitute would come to get their share of the huge Christmas Bounty that was the gift of Count Vladimir Dracula I to his people. Vladimir cast a thought to his own future…it would be his coming of age tomorow…and his coronation as co-regent to his father…the traditions would be his to keep now, and he hoped he would have the same will as his father to carry on where his father would leave off.

Christmas Eve was also the ordination of Don Rosario. Vladimir was looking forward to Christmas Mass, because his dear friend would be celebrating along with Don Anselmo. And, of course, Valdimir would see Lucy…and announce his intentions of making her his Countess.

Yet, with all this good to look forward to, Vladimir had an aching feeling that something was not going to be as it should…Amira’s words kept popping into his head, and the threat of the curse made him feel uneasy. Perhaps it was just an empty threat…Vladimir was not suerstitious…but he couldn’t help feeling that something irrevocably bad was about to happen.

“Penny for them?” He looked up to see his sister standing before him.
“Maria. I didn’t see you…thoughts elsewhere. ”
“Father is weaiting for us…there are a last few small arrangements to be made- Uncle Felix is coming today too- I am so glad. He has not been the same since Aunt Mara died…”
“Yes…poor Mara…so young…Damned consumption!”
“I am glad he will be here…He will be able to counter Uncle Igor and his dreadful wife….”
“And Zoltan,I hope…nothing good ever happens when cousin Zoltan is involved. Speaking of which, where is he?”
“Making a fool of himself with father. Father needs someone to ride out to Baron Zeleky to escort him and his wfie and children to the Castle. The Baron is poorly but insists on coming for your Coronation.”
“Yes.. he is a wonderful old man… he is much older than his wife, but they are both very dear to me. I assume..”
“Yes. Zoltan wants to be the escort, but father says we should go.”
“Hmmm..ok. I don’t like going and leaving the castle with the Rakovsky’s on the loose…Barn Zeleky’s castle is a day’s ride in either direction, and that is as the crow flies, for as far as it can.”
“We have no choice. father thinks that it is your duty to go, and I will go with you. ”
“I would welcome your company on this cold winter’s day…but you are a lady…”
“I am also the daughter of Count Vladimir Dracula I…That makes me a warrior too…”
Vlad smiled. His sister was never one to shirk danger…or indeed, anything else.
“OK, Here goes…I guess we had better go see father…” Vladimir reluctantly dragged himself out of his chair and took his sister’s hand. Together they descended the long ,sweeping stairway down to the main hall where their father was waiting.

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…..

Castle Dracula, Transylvania, December 20th, the year of our Lord 1534. – Eventide.

Vladimir and Maria – Elina sped down to the kitchen where Abigail was getting ready the ingredients for the traditional cake. There were always lovely smells coming from her kitchen, and she ruled it with an iron hand that would not allow even the children to take liberties. As they entered the kitchen, they could hear her shouting.

“Oh, and now you tell me we have no mace? How am I going to mull the wine for the cake when I only have an hour to finish? ”
Maria jumped into the kitchen from outside and grinned.
“Abigail! Dear Abigail! Is there anything we can do?”
“Ah! Lady maria! It is good to see you! Yes, as a matter of fact, there is…could you please go into town and get me some mace for the cake? You know what your father is like…if the cake isn’t perfect..”
“..Then heads will roll!” Vladimir jumped in from behind Maria.
“That is not funny, Lord Vladimir when you consider that it is my head on the block!” retorted Abigail.
“we will go. We want a ride as it is before stuffy Uncle Igor and his rotten family arrive.”
“They are coming today? I thought it was tomorrow.”
“Today, tomorrow…anytime would be too soon…” Vladimir grimaced.
“Yes…” mused Abigail. “the last time they were here, that gypsy of his demanded special food…not going to happen this time.”
“I would hope not…”
Vladimir wanted to be a lot more pointed about it, but a swift kick on the shins from Maria silenced him in no short order.

Five minutes later, the two were riding through the forest towards the town to get Marga’s mace. The forest was strangely quiet for a Saturday afternoon…that in itself was odd…too quiet, Vladimir mused, as they rode through the snow-covered woods…Suddenly, there was a loud rattle of carriage wheels, and an ostentatious coach and four swept around the corner, making straight for them. The two wheeled their horses to the side of the road to avoid the speeding carriage.
“It’s Uncle Igor and family.” mouthed Maria.
Vladimir looked horrified.
“Oh no…father will be furious…We are supposed to be there to meet them.”
“never mind…we won’t be long. I am sure that father won’t even realise we are gone.”

They resumed their journey, reaching Bukovina town without further incident. They found the spice shop, bought the mace and started to head back. The snow was starting to fall, and soon the road through the forest would become harder to see. As they were going towards their horses, they heard a familiar and much-loved voice calling them. They turned to se Don Anselmo Almeida Di Cappodochia, their local and much-loved priest, walking towards them.

“Children! It is good to see you again. Soon we will be celebrating Christmas at the castle chapel as always. Count Vladimir is always most generous, with inviting the flock to his castle and sharing gifts and food.”

” Yes, we always look forward to that, father,” answered Vladimir.
The castle chapel was very big, and it was a gesture from count Vladimir to his people to have them celebrate Christmas with him and his family.

“I see your visitors have arrived. They passed from here not long ago.”
“We saw them. Their coach nearly ran us down in the forest…I can’t say that I am happy about their arrival.”

Don Anselmo smiled.
“Come now, Vladimir…This is after all, the season of love, goodwill and forgiveness. Wjere is that Dracula hospitality that your family is so famous for?”

“It sort of got up and went away, father…I cannot readily forgive their son’s attitude towards my sister. It is a nightmare for her whenever they are at our house.”

“God will find a way, my son. He knows what must and will happen. he will not forsake maria in her time of need. By the way, Rosario will be home for Christmas, and Antonio.The bishop will come and ordain Rosario Christmas Eve and we will celebrate mass together Christmas day.”

Vladimir’s spirits rose. He smiled bradly at the old Priest. Rosario was two years his junior, and had been his best friend at school. He was a quiet boy, frequently the victim of school bullies, most of whom wound up with a concussion after connecting with Vladimir’s fists….they only tried bullying Rosario once, the pain for doing so was much more than they could handle. After five long years study at the Monastery of St. Stephen’s, he accomplished his dream of following in his father’s footsteps….Don Rosario Almeida Di Cappodochia….Vladimir would be very happy to see him again.

” I will send word when he arrives. He will be very happy to see you.”
“Thank you, Don Anselmo. I will be waiting.” Vladimir smiled, mounted his horse and turned to follow Maria home, waving goodbye to Don Anselmo as he left. Ever since his wife died, Don Anselmo was a regular visitor to the castle…He and Count Vladimir had a lot of history between them. Don Rosario had not found a suitable wife yet, and Vladimir did not think that he would ever get married….He was too committed to God, and would probably take vows of Chastity and stay a monk…he was a good soul…and Vladimir had many occasions that he was thankful for having Don Rosario by his side.

Transylvania,May 24th, the Year of Our Lord 1538….
The years have flown by…The time is fast appraching of my Coming of Age….and with it, a fearful curse will be upon me…there is no escape…no place to run…The inevitable will happen…my father’s curse will become my own…on the stroke of midnight tonight, I will die…but will I die, or will I slip into the terrible nightmare world foretold for me by Andrushka, my father’s gypsy servant, who laid the curse on me ?Time will tell…I am alone, I am afraid….I cannot hide… wherever I go, the curse will follow me… I cannot escape…I can only hope that the kind soul who finds and destroys my mortal shell will strike with love and prayer in his heart…only then will my soul be truly free of this evil…
Should you be the one to find this letter, please pray for me, and seek the knowledge that will enable you to free my soul…if not, I will be condemned to live forever in darkness, and I shall not know the God that made me….a vile creature of the night for all eternity….
Writing this in hope of redemption,
Count Vladimir Dracula II.

The Past- Chapter One.

Castle Dracula, Transylvania, December 20th, the year of our Lord 1534.

It was a day like any other…it was midwinter, and the mountains around the castle were covered with a white, snowy blanket, like a fairytale scene from the children’s books that he had been given as a child.
it was one week to Christmas, always a favorite time of year…The castle would be filled with guests as it was always on Christmas Day.
Vladmir sighed….there was much to do, even for him, the Count Vladimir di Dracula’s only son…the castle was buzzing even though it was still very early in the morning, and soon the huge gong would sound for breakfast and morning prayer…Vladimir pulled a face and proceeded to get dressed…He slipped out of his room and walked slowly down to the main hall…everything was as it should be…he saw his sister, Maria-Elina, two years his junior…she ran to greet him, with a worried look on her face…Vladimir knew that look only too well…something wasn’t quite as it should be…

“What’s the matter, dear sister?” he asked, concerned.
“We are having visitors to stay for Christmas…”
“Don’t we always?”
“Yes, but these are unwelcome visitors…”
“Oh?”
“You remember father’s second cousin, the Baron Igor Rachovsky?”
“The one who disgraced the bloodline by marrying a common Gypsy?”
“The same…He is coming with the ‘Baroness” Amira, her mother and their dreadful son, Zoltan…”
“That is a fight waiting to happen…I hate that little fool…he will never amount to anything.”
Zoltan was always considered a lightweight in the family…no-one really liked him, but he was tolerated for the family name…in fact, his mother had never been truly accepted…she was, after all, not of Royal blood…she was not accepted so much not as a matter of snobbery, but because she was, at the best of times, a rather nasty piece of work, a common manipulator, who could twist that idiot Igor around her little finger…

“And as if that is not enough, she married Uncle Igor on a false premise…”
Maria looked up from the book she was leafing.
“oh?”
“Yes… she tricked him into believing she was pregnant…when he married her, she finally told him the truth, but the damage was already done…”
“Who told you?”
“I heard father talking about it long ago…He knows I know, but made me swear to secrecy for the sake of the bloodline…but if Zoltan causes a fuss, I don’t know how long I will be able to remain quiet…”
“Vladimir…a promise is a promise…it IS only a few days, after all…and we will have sooo much to do anyway!”
“Huh! We’ll see!”
“Oh, stop it, silly! Let’s go to the kitchen. I am sure Marga will need something from the village! We can go for Aa ride and get that too! Come on, I’ll race you!”
Her laugh was like the tinkling of water over the pebbles in the moat- clean and fresh. Vladimir always loved that laugh…Maria-Elina was a wonderful girl…He knew that he would be lost if anything ever happened to her. He also knew that Zoltan had his greedy eyes on her…He would not allow that, not ever…He wanted his sister alive..
He sighed and set off after Maria.