Author's note: Hello everybody and thank you for your lovely reviews! It's the greatest motive for me to update the story soon and constantly improve it and make it more interesting!

Now I would like to tell you a few important things about the shape of the story, so that you don't get confused. Remember in the prologue when Van Helsing finally gets his memories back? Actually, what you'll be reading from now on is his memories. Gabriel is going to be a spectator as those scenes from his past unfold before his eyes like a movie, but at the same time he is in the story and tells us what he feels, thinks etc as if the scene is happening in the present. Okay, now I hope this is not very confusing! Give it a chance; it's not as confusing as it sounds…

About this chapter, King Valerious that I mention is Valerious the Elder as we know him from the movie. Also, the Count does appear, as I promised you, but he's nothing like you are used to him being! ;p

And now scroll down and read! Please tell me whatever you think of the story so far! Your reviews will make me very happy!

The Dark Saga

The Very Beginning

Rome, the 12th of October 1424

It is evening. I can see myself lying inside a plain wooden basket, on the doorstep of a wealthy manor. I am a little baby and I'm covered by a thin blanket. It's the 12th of October, the weather is chilly and I feel cold. I start crying loudly, since that's the only way I have to express my discomfort. A few minutes later I see the door opening and a woman appearing. She is elegantly dressed and has aristocratic features. She looks down on me, shocked at first, but then I see her expression changing completely.

"Massimo, look! There is a baby before our door!", she calls to someone inside. "I feel God has answered our prayers!", the woman cries and takes me in her arms. Soon a man appears behind her.

"What are you saying, Domenica? Oh, what do we have here… A little baby! Maybe you are right. Maybe God has finally answered our prayers", he says.

"Look! It's… a boy!", she says joyfully as she pushes my cover aside. "Oh, Massimo, I'm so happy! This will be the son we never had!"

"Yes, my love. At last we can have a child of our own… Miracles do happen!"

"But what is that on his little wrist? It glitters!", says the woman and takes my hand gently in hers. The man looks closer at my wrist.

"It's a silver bracelet. And look, there's something inscribed: Gabriel Van Helsing…", the man reads. "Is that his name? Such a strange name…", I hear him comment thoughtfully.

"Maybe we should take him back to his parents, then", the woman says in sorrow.

"Yes, that would be the right thing to do, but the problem is that I don't know any family in Rome with the name Van Helsing, and trust me, I would have known if it was elsehow", he tells her.

"Then we will keep the baby, won't we, Massimo?", she asks the man with hope. Her eyes glow in anticipation.

"We will, at least until we discover his family."

"And his bracelet… Could it be a sign from God, this little bracelet?"

"A sign from God?"

"Yes! Perhaps it is God's will the child to receive this name…"

"Maybe, Domenica, maybe… Come now, take him inside before he catches a cold."

A Forced Departure

Rome, the 5th of March 1436

"Father, do we really have to go?", I ask my father. I don't want to leave Rome.

"Yes, Gabriel. We will leave in ten days", he tells me seriously.

"But I don't want to go! I will have no friends there!", I continue my protest.

"My son, I am a Knight in the army and I have no choice. It is my mission and I have to go. The Turks are threatening to enter Europe and the King of Walachia needs our help. Besides, I'm sure that you will like it in Targoviste. And you will make many new friends, don't worry", my father reassures me.

"But where is this Targoviste, anyway? Is it a lot far from here?"

"It is the capital city of Walachia, quite far from here, but it is very beautiful, with big snowy mountains and green forests surrounding it… You will see, you will love it there."

"Hmm, I hope so… How long must we stay there?", I ask, hoping that it will be for a few days. At the age of twelve, I cannot realize the truth, I cannot estimate the extent of such things.

"I am not sure, Gabriel. Some months, a year… maybe less, maybe a lot more… For as long as necessary, I suppose", he answers me and my silly hopes vanish. I try not to look let down. I don't want to disappoint my father. But I have one last hope.

"Mother will come, too, right?", I ask in anticipation.

"Indeed. Now, you had better start packing your things. Don't let everything wait for the last day!", he instructs me.

"Yes, father", I obey.

The Arrival

Targoviste, the 20th of March 1436

"Is this the house that has been offered to us, Massimo? Dear Lord, it's huge! It's even bigger than our manor in Rome!", my mother exclaims.

"Yes, this is it, Domenica. And the palace is not far from here. Do you like it, Gabriel?", my father turns to me.

"Yes… it is so… big!", I say in amazement and look at the impressive building. "But I'm tired. The journey took us very long!", I complain.

"We will go upstairs and rest in a while. I'm sure those fine gentlemen will see that everything goes to their proper place", says my father and nods to the servants to start bringing everything we have brought with us inside the house. Then a messenger appears, hands an envelope to my father and leaves. My father reads the paper carefully and then he looks to my mother and me. "Tomorrow we are invited to the palace for dinner", he announces to us. "King Valerious has invited all his Knights and they will welcome us."

"Oh, this is wonderful! We will meet the royal family!", my mother says enthusiastically.

"Keep your enthusiasm for tomorrow, my darling. Keep it for tomorrow", says my father and then I go upstairs. I am eager to see my room.

The Royal Dinner

Targoviste, the 21st of March 1436

The room where the dinner is hosted is truly large. Actually, I have never seen such a big room in my life before. The floor is made of fine white marble that is perfectly polished and there are four pillars supporting the ceiling. The architecture of the room is excellent; four impressive conches connect the tops of the pillars and there is an enormous stained-glass window on the wall that separates the outside from the inside. The window is framed by heavy, red-velvet curtains while beautiful paintings decorate the rest of the walls.

In the middle of the room there is a really long table with all sorts of foods. The King's guests now enter the room and take their seats around the table. The King sits on its head and on his right sit two persons, a beautiful woman and a boy around my age. They have to be his family. Next to them sits a man who looks very much like the King, and the man's wife. I suppose he's the King's brother. Our seat's are on the King's left. My father explained to me earlier that King Valerious wants to honor us and that's why he gave us these seats. I take mine and now I am seated diagonally opposite the other boy. Knights and their wives occupy the rest of the seats along the two sides of the table. Everybody is very formally dressed, and they look impressive, but the King surpasses them all.

Soon he toasts and starts a speech that means little to me. I don't keep record of his words in my memory. My attention is attracted by the boy opposite me, but he doesn't seem to notice me. Or at least I think so.

In a while the meal starts being served and various conversations rise among the guests. My mother talks with the Queen while my father speaks with the King about his mission. I cannot understand much of what they are saying, and there is much noise now so I cannot hear every word. But little I care about what they say. I stare now at the King's son. He has straight black hair that is gathered back in a low ponytail, and his skin is pale. His eyes are dark, too. I think they are a very dark shade of blue… His features are sharp and elegant, evidence of his aristocratic origin. I, on the other side, look quite different, with my brown hair that surround my neck in loose curls and my hazel eyes. What's more, I don't know my origin. My parents have never kept the truth hidden from me. I know that I'm not their natural child but this changes nothing about the love among us.

Suddenly the Prince, as I decide in my mind to call the boy, turns his face to me and smiles slightly. At last he has noticed me! I smile back to him and now I'm curious to know his name. A silly hope rises in my head: maybe we could make friends! But I push this thought aside. He's the Prince, the King's son. How could I ever be his friend? I'm sure he has better things to do than make friends with a boy that has just arrived in town.

I think about talking to him, but I'm not sure if I should. I decide to turn my face elsewhere, but right then I hear his voice.

"What's your name?", he asks me out of the blue.

"Gabriel…", I answer him a bit hesitantly. "And yours?", I ask him back.

"I am Vladislaus. You are Knight di Fredi's son, right?", he continues his questions and I recognize my father's surname.

"Yes… It's an honor to know you, Prince Vladislaus", I tell him in my best formal tone.

"Do you want to come here again tomorrow?", he asks me casually and completely out of the blue, ignoring my formality. "I will be practicing horseriding in the front yard. What do you say?", he asks me and to me he sounds rather impatient. Truly, he intends in no way to be formal towards me. But how much formal can we really be? We are only children at the time.

"Thank you for inviting me, Prince Vladislaus. But I will need to task my father first", I say to him timidly.

"Do you want us to become friends?", he asks me out of the blue again.

"I do. I truly do", I answer him more bravely this time and I mean it.

"Then you will come", he tells me.

A Friendship Starts

Targoviste, the 22nd of March 1436

I'm on my way to the palace. My father showed no opposition when I asked him if I can go to the palace, honoring the Prince's invitation. On the contrary, he encouraged me to make friends with him.

Now I stand before the huge iron gates. There are many guards but I strangely don't feel afraid. One of them asks me my name and then he lets me in. I think to myself that the Prince must have told them that he would be expecting me.

As he told me yesterday, he's in the front yard and on a beautiful white horse right now. I admire him as he gallops around. His style is elegant and there is an air of pride about him. He sees me as I approach and brings his horse to a stand.

"Good morning, Prince Vladislaus", I greet him and smile.

"Hello, Gabriel. You came, I see", he tells me, still on the horse.

"Yes, of course…", I reply and a sudden hint of fear rises inside me that I might have sounded arrogant. "This is a very beautiful horse", I choose to comment and touch the horse's neck.

"Do you ride?", he asks me.

"I do, my Prince", I answer him. Of course I do. I have been training since I was eight. Then he calls over to a servant to bring a horse for me.

"Good. Now we'll ride together. And please, stop calling me Prince, I don't like it. It makes me sound old! I'm just Vladislaus. Or Vlad", he says to my surprise.

"As you wish then… Vlad", I tell him and smile again. He looks pleased. Then the servant comes with a black horse and I mount it.

"Do you like it here?", he asks me as we start riding in a slow pace.

"I only came two days ago… But I like it so far. Do you have a lot of friends?", I ask him.

"No, not really. Most of my father's acquaintances don't have children my age. Really, how old are you?", he asks me with interest.

"Twelve and a half", I answer him, having added a month or so to my age.

"I am fourteen", he says to me. I had suspected he was a bit older than me. "It's good I will have a friend so close to my age", Vlad continues.

"It's good for me as well. Back in Rome I had friends, but here… You are the only friend I have now, Vlad", I tell him sincerely.

"Same here", he confesses and then looks at me. I smile. Even if we don't have any other friends, we have each other. "What kind of education did you have in Rome?", he changes the subject before we get too gloomy.

"Mostly military, since my father is a Knight… But I also had private tutors teaching me various things", I reply.

"Quite similar to me, then", he comments and then suddenly the expression on his face changes. "Hey, what about racing to that big tree", he says and points to a tree far away from where we are now, "and see who reaches it first?", he challenges me.

"Let's go!", I say enthusiastically, accepting the challenge, and then we start galloping as fast as we can. On reaching the marked tree, I beat him by a breath.

"Wow! You beat me!", he exclaims and I feel he's starting to think good of me.

"Next time it will be your turn to beat me, Vlad", I tell him kindly and he smiles to me. Then we both look at each other, our faces still flushed after the race, and we laugh. I feel the ice between us has been broken for good.

Author's note: Okay now you have Van Helsing and Dracula as kids! Oh but isn't that a breakthrough? Beat that! lol

If you want to see the two friends grow up soon, please review! If I get 6 reviews I will post the next chapter in two days! If I get more than 6 reviews I will post it tomorrow! But if I get less, oh well…