Hélène awakened to a soft light peeping through the closed blankets of the curtains. Yawning she got out of the massive bed and walked to the window, squinting at the light. "I won't marry him." She muttered, "I won't!" She turned away from the window and lent against the bedpost leaning her cheek against the cool wood. The door clicked and the silent maid entered the room clutching a piece of parchment. Shuffling towards her the maid held out the message, after Hélène accepted it she moved towards the fireplace to start the morning fire. Hélène clutched the paper for a second then turned it over and broke the seal. It read "You will join us in breaking fast, this is not a request." It was insolent and Hélène crumpled it up in her hand angrily. She knew she had to go but to answer to such a message was degrading. In the midst of reading the note the maid had discretely left the room. On her own again Hélène paced her room pondering on the contents of the message and what would happen at breakfast. Eventually deciding to make an appearance, with a new determination she headed towards the other side of the room, struck with a new problem, of what to wear. After delving through the depths of her wardrobe through silk brocades, heavy velvets, shimmering gauze she finally found something suitable. Hélène did not like these fancy clothes and materials that were too heavy and restricting to walk in. She pulled out a cotton dress, relatively plain compared to the rest of the contents of her wardrobe. It was clinched in at the waist and dropped to the floor, the neckline wasn't too low or revealing and she liked the soft red.
While Hélène was getting ready for what she presumed to be an ordeal, Dracula and Verdan were already down there waiting for her. "So, do you think she will show?" queried Verdan, he did not look very awake, his hair was tousled and his eyes were hidden behind dark glasses. Dracula however looked the same as ever; no tired rings embellished his eyes. In front of them a magnificent breakfast was laid. However they had not touched any off it. Steaming teas had not been poured into mugs and dishes of French toast were cooling down. After some time Dracula replied "She will come, she does not have a choice and she knows it." As if on cue Hélène entered a few seconds after he said it. "Good morning" she said curtly in their general direction rather than actually to them. Dracula motioned to her to a seat next to him and opposite Verdan. Graciously Hélène sat down; the only sound was her dress crinkling and the steam rising from the hot platters. "Please, eat" Hélène nervously chose a piece of toast and left it at that, she chewed on it with relish, it had been her first piece of food for what seemed like months, the breakfast she had had with Dracula on the ship did not compare. "So," she said after she had finished her meal, "why are we here?" Throughout this Verdan had not said anything, content to look at the wall behind Hélène and he did not stir now. "I know you two did not have a good start" began Dracula "you are both being ridiculous and stubborn." He said this with more emotion in his voice than usual. "Stubborn" cried out Verdan indignantly, "she doesn't even want to be here, let alone marry, I don't see why I should be stuck with her."
"Stuck with me, I'm the one being imprisoned here! I want freedom!" Hélène retorted angrily.
"Do you realise the honour being bestowed on you?" Verdan was fuming and Dracula knew that if his temper broke there would be a lot of damage done.
"All you see of me is a piece of meat! You haven't even tried to understand me!"
"And you have?" Verdan replied accusingly "anyway your only a human". Hélène stood up angrily "I will never marry you!" Verdan rose, his face contorted with anger "Have it your way" he said exercising remarkable self-control.
"Sit down, both of you" said Dracula sharply; this was not what he had planned. "We will have to come to some arrangement. Hélène you do not have to marry Verdan." Hélène breathed a sigh of relief "so, I'm free, at last."
"No, your not, we cannot let you go now you know what we are, you still belong to Verdan and have done since birth, so…"
"You are my prisoner" Verdan's eyes were gleaming as he said this. "And will be until you marry him, no harm will come to you, but you are not free and nor will your time with us be as comfortable as it could be if you were married. Now this solstice is over you will go back with Verdan to his Castle in France and stay there." Finished Dracula with a flourish, "as you can see there is not escape." Hélène's world was crashing down around her and with a sob she ran out and up the stairs to the solitude of her room.
Left alone in the breakfast room, Dracula berated him son "If you had been a little bit gentler and held you tongue she would have agreed to it. You fool, do your realise the trouble she could cause us"
"I just don't see why I have to marry her" Verdan fumed.
"She is part of an old family, even she does not know of it, this much I have kept form you all. She has more power than you know; none of us would ever be able to feed off her for one thing. Her mother was a powerful enchantress. But that is not important" Dracula paused. "Carry on," urged his son.
"It is her bloodline, she is a direct descendant of Hecate, the Hecate and if our two house combine the wars them will end." Having revealed the dream of a century Dracula sat back in his chair.
"Take her back with you and don't let her escape, we can afford to give her some time to adjust but if worst comes to worst she won't have a choice." Dracula waved his son away and contemplated the fate of this young girl who held the fate of them all in her hands.
The coach rattled and jolted Hélène about as if she was sack of potatoes, she had asked to ride but that appeared to be out of the question. She had not seen Dracula since that fateful breakfast but Verdan was riding out in front of the carriage. Hélène watched him out of the gold filigree window of her ornate carriage his auburn hair was blowing out of its tie into the breeze she hated him, and everything he stood for. Sleepily she lay back in the carriage and tried to get some rest, which was no easy feat with all the pot holes in the road.
They arrived at an inn much later in the day, Hélène was exhausted as travelling in carriages is unpleasant and a most tiresome experience. She was too tired even to eat and fell onto her bed in a hazy sleep, dreaming of the sound of the sea. The next day Hélène was determined to ride, another day in that carriage was too much to bear. At breakfast she broke the stony silence to request a horse from Verdan. Surprisingly he agreed, if a little gruffly and appeared to have already anticipated her request as a he brought out a beautiful creamy stallion that seemed destined for her. Delighted Hélène softly stroked its golden hide and the horse nuzzled into her shoulder, she smiled, for the first time in weeks. Verdan saw her with her head tilted back in the sun displaying creamy teeth in a genuine laugh. It was perhaps the first real display of happiness that he had ever seen from her.
It was wonderful to feel the fresh air on her face and the horse beneath her, which she had christened Baringa, for light, moved with her as one. They ate up the ground, travelling from the sparse countryside of Turkey into the lush green of Italy in that day. However she was never out of sight, Verdan never tired and followed her devoutly all day. He had heard of her escapades and was determined to succeed where his father had failed, she would not escape from him. The days and miles all merged together, gradual changes in the countryside began to shows as they travelled through Italy and into France through the Alps. The crossing wasn't bad, they used a low pass and it was the beginning of summer and the ice had thawed. Through this journey Verdan barely spoke to her, he was not sociable and barely uttered a word. The only company Hélène had was that of Baringa, as affectionate as a horse may be there was a distinct lack of conversation. After the tenth day they finally reached their destination. They had entered a sweeping valley that followed the line of a river; it was shady and ominous despite the scenery. In the distance a châteaux loomed ahead, a first a gothic silhouette be as they drew closer Hélène saw it for what it really was, a lair. Dark stone rose out of the ground like a poisonous vine creeping up and up. The windows were empty blanks none of them emanating warmth or light. Hélène shivered as they trotted inside the gate as full scale of the building dawned upon her. As they had entered the gate their entourage had diminished, drifted away into the woods and back from whence they came. They were left alone.
Verdan was the first to alight from his horse, an enormous black beast with fearfully glinting red eyes. He took the reigns of her horse and led her into the stables. Hélène dismounted and peered around her, the carefully packed trunks had disappeared into the house and its hallways now displayed a glimmer of light. Verdan finished stabling the horses and led Hélène up and into the house. She walked behind him, seeing nothing but his broad back. They passed through the lower block and then passed the dungeons. Hélène paused beside them, still under the impression that her stay would not be as a guest. Verdan turned "Follow me."
"But I thought that" said Hélène gesturing to the iron studded door that led to the dungeons.
"Do you want to stay there?" Hélène shook her head diminutively. "Then follow me." Verdan turned majestically again and carried on along the dusty hallway. The passages off became to confusing to count and Hélène was completely disorientated. Finally at the end of a long corridor Verdan stopped, "This is your room, my servants will attend you. You will join me for dinner, that's not a request."
"We, I am afraid that that is a pleasure you will have to forgo," Furiously Hélène turned and slammed the door shut behind her. Verdan had not yet completely lost him temper with her but he was gradually reaching boiling point.
Hélène turned away from the door and viewed the room she had been buried in. On the bed lay three beautiful new dresses. Replacing the light sheer material and linen of Constantinople with heavy silks and brocades. Knowing that her fate rested on the goodwill of Verdan she made ready for dinner, determined to play the part until she found some way to escape this prison that had been made for her, using all of her assets. That included her beauty, in Constantinople she had not cared how she looked but this time she would use it to her advantage. She pulled up hair up in a delicate twisted bun and allowed curly tendrils to frame her face exquisitely. The dress she chose was the plainest of the three and she knew that the white simple cut would make her look ethereal. The bodice was tight, made of lace that would not give way, she could only just breath but the effect was worth it. The dainty satin slippers completed the outfit and the effect was breathtaking.
Verdan was suitably impressed, there was no colour on her other that that provided by the golden of her hair, blue of her eyes and redness of her lips. He stood smartly to attention, wishing he had dressed better so to match this goddess that stood before him. He met her at the top of the stairs just leading out from her room. Politely, the image of a gentleman he offered her his arm. Timidly she took it, playing the part he wanted her for, until the time was right. She tried not to flinch as he took her hand up to his lips and kissed it softly. The anger that he had felt for her was quickly fading away. They walked through the house in an eerie silence, neither of them inclined to talk. In time they reached the grand engraved doors, which led to the dining room and hall. The room was magnificent in contrast to the decay of the rest of the house. The furniture was luxurious and alabaster columns spiralled up to the decorated ceiling where angels danced. The long ivory table was laid for two at the far end. The soft candle light flickered as the food was brought in steaming hot. "I hope you like it here" Verdan started the conversation effectively killing a deadly silence. "Yes, it's beautiful" she replied. "You can go anywhere you like, except the west wing."
"What's in the west wing?" queried Hélène.
"Its forbidden" Verdan word was final. They began to talk about other things, it was difficult but they managed to make small talk. They talked of horses, finding a topic on which they could both talk at length "I wanted to thank you for Baringa, he is wonderful, I have never ridden a horse like him before." Said Hélène.
"I thought you would like him, a horse like that is rare, have you ridden much before?"
"Not much, a the Academy I was the only one taught to ride, but then the lessons were stopped."
"Why?" asked Verdan sipping his wine,
"Well after the second attempt on horseback it was deemed that I should not have access to a horse." Hélène looked ashamedly at the ground, but with her eyes upturned to see his reaction. Verdan chuckled slightly "How many were there, escape attempts I mean?"
"12, not including the ones after I left the academy." Hélène replied cautiously, not wanting to incite his anger.
"Well I'm glad you did not escape, you were worth the extra effort, you're beautiful, could the world buy such a jewel?"
He lifted his hand and caressed her face gently but Hélène slapped his hand away, his last comment insulting her to the last degree.
"I'm not a prize to be won and lost." She snapped angrily pushing his hand away from her face. They carried on with the meal in a steely silence both waiting for the other to cave in. They did not speak again and the room was filled with an uncomfortable silence, finally when all the plates had been cleared Verdan rose and led Hélène back to her room. Without speaking he shut her in and she heard a key turn in the door, locking her in. She banged on the door frustratedly crying "let me out, let me out" but there was no one there to hear her. She struck the door one final time and when there was no answer she fell onto the bed, too exhausted to plan an escape.
