Transylvania's Own:First Mistake
-Ilona Arcos-
1893
December 19,1476
To whomever reads this,
Beware. I am not as it seems.
I am no warrior of God like the Transylvanian people called me from the day I was born in 1431. I am Darkness reincarnated. I am pain. I am the Devil. All because of them and what they've done to me.
I will never be the same.
~D
That is what the page read end to end in a book marked,The Blood,in my personal library. Each line seemed to be written in blood by a skilled hand and dried in the fear of another dawning day. But who was this man? And why did I have his book? Then I remembered. It was a gift from one of my father's high priests. He said it would dismiss my nightmares, explain my aches and pains, and push me to succeed as a ruler of our beautiful Transylvania. But each night I found myself sitting in my window,gazing out at the castle on the top of the mountain. The castle the Order of the Dragon forbade me to visit. Direct orders or not,my need to see the inside of those beautiful stone walls for myself never stopped. If anything,the prohibition of stepping foot on its hauntingly astonishing grounds made me want to go all that much more.
At a very young age,the gothic beauty of its appearance seemed to call to me. As if beckoning me to disobey the orders of not only my parents but of the Order itself. I swear to this day,I could hear my name as if someone was whispering it next to me as I watched the summer breeze bend the trees in the forest around the grounds. Chills run through my body as I recall this,captivated by its wonder yet again,when a maid touches my arm.
"I don't mean to startle you,Princess,but your mother has summoned you to her quarters."She says sweetly,her thick Hungarian accent dripping into every word she said,offering me a tight smile. Her eyes were a dull grey,odd for her normally sparkling faded blue. She was hiding something. I nod faintly and stand,lying the book on the bed. She hurries to pull off my off white nightgown,slip a crisp white slip over my long wavy black hair,and work on tying and tightening my corset. I held onto my bed post,trying not to giggle as she tightens the strings,and pull on my favorite black and red gown. I roll up my stockings and quickly pin half of my hair up as my maid buttons the sides of my heeled boots up. I smile faintly and hug her. She was young,almost my age of 21 and didn't deserve to be working so hard for my parents.
"Thank you Magdalene."I whisper,squeezing her hand as we walk out of my quarters and down the hall toward my mother's. She stops me a few feet from the door and looks at me apologetically. Her long blonde hair pulled tight into a bun,her skin seemed all too pale and her eyes were begging me to be nice.
"Princess,you mean a lot to me and I'd do anything for you,but your mother...she...she has a suitor for you. She wants you to marry him. I've been around you long enough to know you won't,but please. Just be nice for your mother. I'm afraid she'll force you to wed one of these men and I believe you should make a King out of a man you love as much as you love Transylvania. Please..."She's says softly when my mother cuts her off.
"Ah,there you are my dear. It's about time Magdalene brought you to me."She scorns in an all to peachy tone. She glares at Magdalene and shoos her off. I nod toward her slightly,letting her know I'd do my best,and walk into my mother's quarters with her.
"Ilona,this is Lord Cambridge. He's come all the way from London to meet you."She gushes,sitting on her day bed beside him. He stands in his navy blue tux,smoothing his golden vest,buttoning one button on his coat,and moves to kiss my hand. I sigh under my breath and give him my hand. His deep brown eyes wondered over my body as if hungry for my attention. I curtsy to him and notice his wavy brown hair was thinning. The wrinkles in the corner of both his eyes seemed to be carved by swords. He was aged,and not very well. He was a tall man with as much of a belly as a pot belly pig. When he breathed,I was weary his button would pop off and hit a mirror.
"You're quite astonishing,Princess."He whispers over my hand,kissing it much too long. His breath seemed to carry his heavy English accent across my skin,making me shiver in an uncomfortably alarming way. He smiles as he lets my hand go and I wanted to puke. His teeth were rotting slightly with a yellowing tint. I begged him internally to stop smiling.
"Ilona,my dear, will be announcing his engagement to you tomorrow night at the annual Transylvanian celebration's ball. Aren't you excited?"My mother says,walking toward us. She takes our hands and folds them together,smiling at us. I couldn't do this. I rip my hand away from his and hurry back toward my quarters. I grab my cloak,shoving my book into its pocket,and run out.
"Ilona!"My mother calls,trying to grab my arm before I could reach the grand staircase.
"No! I'm not marrying him!"I growl,rushing down the stairs as I tie the black hooded blanket around my neck and out the front door of our Castle. Magdalene was right. I couldn't believe it. Why was it so hard for her to understand I wasn't ready to be Queen let alone married? And why did I have to be married to a man I didn't know or love? I pull the hood up and shade my face. I didn't want to be found tonight. I hurry into town,reading my book as I walked the seemingly empty streets,when I realize the sun was quickly being covered by large dark clouds.
To whomever reads this,
I know now what these self proclaimed men of God have turned me into. A bloodthirsty animal. Seems fitting for a warrior. Apparently protecting my country wasn't viewed as 'acceptable' by The Order or their God. I took them to the top,lead them to victory with every battle. What did they expect? For the battles to be won with unicorn fluff and angel dust? No. I was raised a Prince. A man of honor who would gladly die by the blade,but not without a fight. Oh no. What fun would that be? So if you're reading this,and you're apart of that degradingly disgusting excuse for a church coven called The Order of the Dragon,I will kill you for what you've done to me. You should've thought long and hard before giving the Devil a true vessel. Now the streets of Transylvania will be painted with your blood.
Heed my warning. I'm coming.
~D
The page I read said when a shadow covered the dark print. I look up and notice a tree. Rows apron rows of trees in a seemingly never ending forest. I mark the page I was on,slipping the book back into my pocket,and look around for a sign of life. Other than the worn down path I was standing on through a forest of tall trees,there was none. Until I heard a wolf howl near by. My heart jumps into my throat as blood rushes into my ears. I start to run,hearing twigs and branches breaking behind me.
"Ilona...come home..."I hear that familiar whisper. Panic sets in as I realize it was the same voice I hear whenever I hear the gothic castle on the mountain calling my name. I keep running,picking up the end of my dress and pushing myself faster. I can hear the huffs of the hot breaths heaving from the wolf as it nears me when I suddenly stumble and trip over a plank of wood. The wood was made into a bridge of some kind,but I was too afraid to look up or move too quickly once the scratching of the wolf's nails against the wood could be heard behind me. I curl into a slight ball,covering my head,and close my eyes tight.
As if I were a child again,thinking the darkness of my eyelids hid me from the beast,my oxygen is cut off when sharp searing pain rips through my calf. I scream out,trying to claw at the wood bridge for leverage,and look around for a weapon. Afraid to see the wolf gnawing at my leg,I refuse to look behind me,when I notice what it was that stood in front of me. The gothic castle on top of the mountain. Bran Castle. The pain dulls slightly as a low growl irrupts behind me. I can hear the wolf whimper and back away from me. Out of fear of something bigger,I stretch and grab a fallen branch near me,swinging it behind me.
"Come now,my dear. Do you really want to be swinging such heavy objects with such a ghastly injury?"The man standing behind me asks,catching the limb before it could hit him. He tosses it to the side and picks me up,one arm under my knees and the other around my waist.
"Let's get you inside,shall we?"He hums,moving swiftly up the bridge and into the courtyard of the castle. He was a God all his own with deep chocolate brown hair that matched his soul patch well and made his uniquely grey-blue eyes pop under his semi-tan skin. The man's mere bone structure made me quiver knowing it was paired perfectly with his greatly compacted mounds of muscle. He couldn't have been more than 30 years old. I lie my head on his shoulder as my vision starts to blur.
"Don't fight it,my dear. Go to sleep. I'll wake you up when I've fixed your leg."He whispers,stepping into his beautiful castle. Even with the allure of the castle and the need I had to see it,I couldn't bring myself to keep my eyes open.
I couldn't sleep that night. I was finally inside the castle I had longed to see since I was a child and my body refused to rest. Electricity flows through every inch of my body, making every sensation just that much more powerful. After the man had fixed my injured leg, I was made to get ready for bed. He said it had been a long day for both of us and that my beloved Transylvania would be waiting for us in the morning when I was rested and healed enough to go home. The problem was, even with the silk white nightgown I woke up in, I still wasn't ready to go to bed. Even if the energy inside me died down, I felt at home and much too eager to explore within the ancient walls.
I sigh, sitting up in bed, and run toward the door. I had to see for myself what it was that kept my attention all these years. The cold stone under my bare feet gave me goosebumps and chills. I pull on my cloak and tie it around my neck. I try to move quietly, but even then I knew if the man was awake he'd surely hear the faint slapping of my footsteps. I grab a lantern and hurry down the long stone hall toward the grand staircase at the end. I stand here for a moment, watching the deep red carpet flood down the stairs in such an elegant manor. I slowly walk down the stairs, taking in every golden stitch in the carpet, and straight out toward the ballroom. There, I notice a giant and oddly beautiful painting of a family handing over a large fireplace. Only three people stood in the portrait.
A woman with light brown hair curled and pulled back, leaving her neck and chest exposed over the neckline of her deep red and silver ball gown. Next to her stood a man with long black hair and deep brown eyes wearing a warrior's uniform. He held the hand of the woman with his hand on her left shoulder and his other on the right shoulder of a young child. The child appeared frightened with slightly enlarged hazel eyes and long dark hair. His suit seemed forced and uncomfortable, but the metal pinned to his left breast pocket screamed his cooperation with it and the power behind it. The uniform of a warrior in training. Under the painting were the words, 'Noi bun venit Ordinul' or 'We Welcome The Order' engraved into a golden plaque. The mention of The Order made me realize the metal on the boy's pocket. It had the dragon with the double cross on it, which matched the ring on the man's hand that rested on the woman's shoulder. They were a family under The Order Of The Dragon. But how? This painting was old. Was it a painting of an ancestor or of a previous family?
"What a very curious girl you are, Princess."A faint voice whispers. A man's voice. It floats through the halls like a breeze with a sinister meaning. I shiver faintly and move toward a door across the room. Inside the room was possibly the most remarkable library I had ever seen. Giant shelves covered in books lines every inch of the three walls. Where the fireplace stood in the ballroom, another stood in the library with a small couch, a coffee table and two end tables six feet in front of it. I put the lantern down on the table and rush toward the closest shelf of books. I let my eyes scan the entire shelf when I notice one empty space. Books topple into it to cover the unused portion. I take a deep breath and climb the shelf. Dust was pulled away from the empty space. It was the only book removed recently. The books on either side were that of darkness. Talking about the undead, Hell, resurrection and even war. I shift slightly to retrieve the book in my pocket when my balance falters and I slip. I can't help but scream as I try to grab onto the shelf itself but it doesn't support me. I fall toward the hard stone floor when I'm suddenly cradled close to a warm being. I open my eyes and blink the tears away, heart pounding in my ears. It was my savior. He looks at me worriedly before shifting me in his arms to pick up the book and walk toward the couch. He lies me down and looks at me.
"Are you alright? That was quite a scare you had there, miss."He says sweetly, kneeling next to me. I watch his eyes as they wonder over me. His eyes seem worried and compassionate. Not watching me in that lustful glint I've come to hate.
"My name is Illona and I'm fine, kind sir. I must apologize and thank you for everything you've done for me tonight. You've saved me twice now and I don't know how to repay you."I say softly, sitting up. He smiles politely and shifts nervously. A smile teases the corners of my lips even before he can lean into me and touch my cheek, tucking hair behind my ear.
"Would I be too bold to ask for an afternoon of your time,Princess?"He asks sweetly, eyes brightening with a sense of hope. I smile, heart beating in my chest as images flash of the possibilities of the things I missed from all around the castle, and yet falls at the abrupt sound of my mother's disappointment. His eyes catch this and dim again.
"I'm afraid I can't. My mother would be angry with me. She's probably angry I left when I did. I'm sorry,sir."I answer softly, regret undoubtably in my tone. I groan inwardly, trying to hide my sudden sorrow, when he smiles wider.
"Please, call me Vlad."He says softly, leaning up to kiss my forehead and hand me my book before standing. He walks toward his fireplace and leans against its frame.
"I've been wanting to explore this castle for years and now that I'm here, I'm terrified."I say faintly, clutching the book to my chest as if it were a security blanket to a small child. He turns to me, eyes wondering over me in pure concern. A look I hadn't seen without being tainted with pity and jealousy in a long time. He was the first person to actually care about me, and all I wanted to do was lie in his arms.
"Do I frighten you?"He utters softly, apology deep in his eyes. I shake my head and stand, stepping toward him.
"No, it's not you. It's my mother and our superiors. I'm afraid the Order will damn me for stepping foot on this property."I explain. He seemed to flinch very faintly at the mention of my superiors. Was he scared of them?
"They forbade me to come here from a young age, but it's just so beautiful."I add, turning to smile at the books. He chuckles softly, stepping up to my side and touching my arm. Even the faintest of touches threw my heart into a whirl. I calmly breathe and try to collect myself.
"If I may be so bold as to say I'd ask to stay another night if I didn't have the annual Transylvanian celebrations ball to prepare for." I finish, trying to avoid his eyes as my blood flushes my cheeks. He chuckles and looks at me, stepping into my view.
"Princess,"He starts sweetly, cupping my chin and gently urging me to look up at him. "I understand your predicament and I'd do anything to give you your dream. I'd let you stay as long as it took for you to see every crevice of this place."He smiles, waving toward the books behind him but I knew he meant the castle itself. I smile and nod slightly as he takes my hand.
"I'd give you a tour, but you need your rest."He says softly, leading me back to the room I had woken up in. I sigh and climb back into bed like a disappointed child told they couldn't stay up late to see Santa on Christmas morning. He smiles and tucks me in, sitting next to me.
"I do hope you have fun at the ball. You're the Princess of Transylvania after all. Don't let anything that happens ruin your experience."He whispers softly, like a lullaby to a scared child. I smile at the sweet gesture and nod, turning into the blanket. I listen to the door click shut before forcing myself to go to sleep. A hard thing to do just for nightmares of that dreaded lecture I was bound for when I returned home. I'll leave the animal attack out of the conversation.