Choices
Moving onwards! I don't own Young Dracula, despite the similarities in this chapter to episode 12 of season 2!
And thanks for all the reviews, I really appreciate it, they make my day!
Chapter 2: Detection
Vlad was shaking his head at his father. "Why do all our games have to end like this!?" He asked rhetorically, irritated.
Robin didn't say a word, because deep down, he was impressed by the Count's evilness, even for such a simple matter such as this.
"Because you are LOSERS!" Ingrid told them after flitting in, smug; she had just seen the Grand High Vampire approaching and knew that he had some reason for coming.
Will picked up the box for game. "Slewdo, the game a detective fun, for vampires aged eight to eight hundred." He didn't hide his disgust at this, and Vlad scowled at his sister's boyfriend, while he was happy that Ingrid had found someone that made her happy, he wasn't happy about how he had turned out since transforming.
"It's pitiful," Ingrid said as if she were lecturing children. "What would the Grand High Vampire have to say about this?"
"Well, it is lucky the Grand high vampire isn't here, right now," the Count said darkly slamming down a chess-like piece.
Renfield rushed in looking panicked, his yellow skin tinged with red blots from panicking.
"Master, the Grand High Vampire is here, right now!" He gasped.
Ingrid gave them a smug grin, and the Count stood putting a finger in the air. "Ah..."
Vlad looked at his best friend trying not to show that he was panicked by all this and put a hand on Robin's arm. "Robin you have to get out of here, you are in serious danger."
Robin rushed off heading for the door, and Vlad followed and spotted the door opening.
"HIDE!" He cried and Robin sprinted, hiding by bookcase.
Vlad turned around crossing his arms, pretending to be relaxed.
"This isn't a social call, Dracula. We are here, on official business." The Grand High Vampire told the Count darkly after the Count expressed his 'honour' of having the Grand High Vampire as his guest.
"We?" The Count repeated surprised, and partly concerned.
"Justice Mori," the Grand High Vampire called slamming is staff into the ground, and his servant entered scowling under his helmet at his whole family.
He marched calmly and went up to the Count. "Count Dracula, you are hereby charged with gross misconduct under rule three, paragraph five, sub course nine of ancient vampire law."
"Rule three, paragraph five, sub course nine!" The Count repeated surprised.
"What does that mean?" Vlad asked confused as he leaned on one of the chairs, and Robin peered from his hiding place to see what was going on.
The Count turned to his son. "No idea."
Mori approached the Count poking him keeping him away from him. "It means death, or more accurately, YOUR death."
Ingrid grinned widely and behind the GHV Renfield fainted.
Will snorted. "Stupid maggot,"
Vlad shook his head at Will; he was far too much like Ingrid.
"Count Dracula," the Grand High Vampire said seriously to the Count stepping towards him, inside feeling delightful at taking down one of the few vampires who refused to accept his authority. "You are charged with shaming vampires everywhere by associating with breathers and slayers."
"How very dare you!?" The Count almost yelled, pretended to be disgusted, but was in fact hiding his fear of the more powerful vampire. "I shall not rest until I find the one who has accused me."
"Shall I read you the list?" The GHV asked, half sarcastically and half smug.
"Yes, that would be useful thanks," the Count turned his back to the leader letting his fears show on his face, knowing full well that he was guilty.
The Grand High Vampire pulled out a scroll, Vlad tried to peer curiously but the Grand High Vampire raised it slight, smirking at the boy's curiosity.
"Your parents-in-law Atilla and Krone," the Grand High Vampire started, and Vlad almost snorted, they weren't even in-laws to Count Dracula because the Count and Magda never married, not that the Grand High Vampire knew that, and nor did it matter.
"Don't listen to those old coffin lodgers!" The Count said defensively.
"Also several vampire friends who attended your hunt ball last year," he added.
"Well, not friends exactly, I hardly knew them," the Count admitted.
"And then there is your nephew, Boris," the Grand High Vampire smirked, knowing he had won there.
The Count turned round shocked by the betrayal. "Boris!"
"Boris?" Vlad repeated shocked as well, and Ingrid shrugged understandingly, had she known about this she would have done the very same and noted to herself that she needed to learn about the vampire laws.
The Grand High Vampire nodded not telling them that Boris was in fact dead, a pile of ash which had been sent to Ivan Dracula, warning him not to suffer the fate of his son and his brother.
"Yes, he wrote to me several times, accused you of all sorts of crimes, fraternising with slayers, befriending breathers..."
"Ridiculous!" He cried.
"I have several pages here on a breather called Elizabeth Brannagh, so I sent Justice Mori to investigate to see if there were any truth in these claims... he said you play board games, as well as many other things..."
"Oh preposterous allegations!" The Count chimed to the Grand High Vampire stood behind him, signalling to Vlad he needed backing up.
"Don't know what he's talking about," Vlad agreed, the Grand High Vampire mentally winced, realising that Vlad wasn't going to be as easily separated from his father as he thought, they were too close...
"SILENCE!" He told the boy and immediately regretted it upon seeing the scathing dark glance he got for a second off the young Dracula heir.
The GHV pulled away stepping away from the Dracula family. "The trial will be an hour before daybreak; if you are found guilty it will be death by dawn for you Count Dracula."
"Don't you mean death AT dawn," the Count corrected.
Mori then stepped in so the GHV didn't have to strain himself. "No, he said death by dawn; we stick you outside and let the sunlight do its thing."
"Yes, that would do it," the Count admitted nervously.
"WHAT?!" Vlad intervened standing bravely in front of Mori, and in the background the Grand High Vampire smirked, impressed at the Chosen One, at least he knew he had the bravery to stand up to anyone, he would need that in the future. "Who made you judge, jury and executioner?" he questioned appalled.
"My card," he pulled it out to give the boy a simple answer.
"Justice Mori," Vlad read. "Judge, jury and executioner..."
"Anything else?" Mori asked him calmly, not wanting to offend the Chosen One.
"Yes," Ingrid interrupted. "Do I get front row seat?!"
"INGRID!" Vlad snapped, reminding her that this shouldn't be what she wanted, but she ignored him.
"For your own father's execution?" The Grand High Vampire asked Ingrid pretending to be surprised, she smiled at him evilly but innocently and he grinned. "Of course you do..."
"Unbelievable," the Grand High Vampire muttered. "Dracula's guilty, this is perfect."
Mori nodded. "It looks as though they were telling us the truth, your honour."
"This whole place reeks of breather..." he added feeling a scent pull him only to find a pair of trainers. "What is this, a filthy pair of breather shoes, dispose of them Mori!"
"Of course your grandness," he said picking them up and setting them alight causing them to turn to ash.
Under the table Robin Brannagh watched, terrified but also fascinated. The Grand High Vampire had an ulterior motive; he knew that now, the conversation between the GHV and Mori made that plain.
Robin tried carefully to calm himself, right now, he needed to listen, and take care, if he found out their ulterior motive, he might be able to help the Dracula's and stop the execution!
Vlad was careful when he came into the throne room looking for his father, he could see the Grand High Vampire pacing around the room in time with the piano which was playing itself.
He couldn't see Robin though, his eyes darted around the room and found him under a table, he was trying to mouth something at him, but he couldn't make it out. Vlad sidestepped carefully to the table and gestured to Robin telling him to run to the stairs up to his room, Robin stood up carefully, fear in his heart, not breathing and sprinted to the stairway up to Vlad's room, more noisily than Vlad would do it, but he wasn't caught, that was the main thing.
The Grand High Vampire turned around hearing the sprinting on the stairs only seeing Vlad.
"Ah," he sighed. "It's you."
Vlad didn't speak, not out of fear, like other vampire but because he had no response.
"Come child, I wish to talk to you..." the Grand High Vampire gestured to him and Vlad walked up to him curious...
There is differences here from episode 12, this is because Boris isn't pretending to be Mori and because of the storyline. From here on in, the story will be different to episode 12; I should also point out that I haven't forgotten about the Van Helsings, it is just they have no part in this yet.
Thank you for reading and please review!
C
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