Author's Note: Greetings, everyone! It has been way too long, since I have updated this story. However, finding the time to write was sometimes a problem. In this particular chapter, I wish that I had used a more 'Romanian name' for a village, than the one I chose to use in a previous chapter. I also wish that, when I first started writing these stories, I would have known that the actual surname for Dracula is Basarab, as 'Dracula' and 'Tepes' are titles not names. But, in any case, I guess those are minor details. Also, in the scene with Christian and Lysander, I borrowed some ideas from 'Moral Quarrel,' which was found from the King's Quest game on Playstation; and I took some of the question ideas from the Focus on the Family website. Odd that I would go there, but they did provide some good ethical questions for me to use. Finally, in this chapter, I am going to use a term that some, in the modern world, may find offensive, but this term does reflect the socio-context of early nineteenth century Romania. As always, please feel free to give me some 'critical reviews.'

Fragments of Memories

Chapter XII

By carriage, the Village of Brookline was about an hour away from the Village of Warakiya. On horseback, one could reach Brookline in about half the time. In terms of its residents, Brookline was a farming community, which had changed little over the centuries.

About an hour before Sunset, a carriage entered the Village of Brookline. Inside the carriage was Annette Belmont and her two children. While Sidra rested her head on her mother's lap, and Annette stroked her daughter's auburn hair, Annette took a moment to observe the surroundings of the village that she had called home as a young girl. The meadows around the village were bare, due to the Winter weather. But Annette knew how the meadows would bloom, when Spring returned.

"Mom?"

Annette turned to her firstborn and smiled. She used her freehand to run her fingers through Christian's brown curls and replied, "Yes, Riff?"

"You first met dad in Brookline, right?"

Annette smiled. "I certainly did."

"How did that happen?"

Annette smirked. "Well, it happened a number of years ago, before you were born, obviously. I was 16, and your father visited the village with a friend."

Christian curled up next to his mother—something that he never would have done, if his friends or Lysander were present, but long carriage rides were tiring. "Who was the friend?"

"Michael was his name. He was originally from Brookline. He and I went to school together." Annette paused to smirk. "You wouldn't remember this, but he was briefly married to your Aunt Maria."

Christian gasped, as he looked at his mother wide-eyed. "Aunt Maria was married before Uncle Adrian?!"

Annette smiled. "That she was."

"What happened?"

"Well, the marriage didn't work out, and Aunt Maria received an ecclesiastical divorce from the bishop."

"What's an eccle-see…how do you say it?"

"'Ecclesiastical.' It's Greek, and it refers to 'church.' In this case, the bishop decided that Aunt Maria needed a divorce from the 'sake of her soul.'"

Christian, not quite understanding the theology that he had just heard, resumed the position next to his mother. "Did they have any children?"

Annette resumed running her fingers through Christian's hair. "No, if they did, you would have met them by now. But, in any case, Michael ended up becoming involved in trade, and that is what led him to Warakiya, where he met your father.

"One evening, after your father had completed his training…"

"His training?"

"The same training that he has you do in the mornings, when you don't have to go to school."

"Oh, you mean with the whip and the sword?"

"Correct! Anyway, Michael was talking about the village where he grew up, and your father expressed a desire to see it. And so they came."

"And then what happened?"

Annette chuckled. "Well, eventually we married, had you and your sister…"

"No, I mean, how did you actually meet?"

"Oh, that! Well, I happened to be outside of Mom and Dad's, your grandma and grandpa's, when Michael came with your father. But our first real encounter was at The Gypsy's Gaze, our local tavern.

"It was the Feast Day of St. Anne, my name day. Your father and Michael came to the tavern. As there was some musicians playing, and as it was my name day, your father asked me for a dance." Annette paused to smile. "I guess that you could say the rest was history."

"Did Grandma and Grandpa like Dad?"

Annette maintained her smile, as the carriage reached her childhood home. "Eventually, they grew to love him." But in her thoughts, Annette added, "The fact that he rescued me and my little sister from the monster of Wallachia certainly helped his relationship with my parents."

The parents of Annette and Maria were of 'peasant stock.' Sebastian, the father, was a tall man and a native of Brookline. As a boy, Sebastian had worked on the farmland—that he would eventually own—as a laborer to the original owners. Eventually, the original owners gave Sebastian a portion of the land to farm and live on, and, after the original owners passed away, Sebastian purchased the remaining farmland from their descendants. Despite being in his late-50s, Sebastian still possessed a 'youthful look'—with his bright green eyes and only a few 'specks of gray' in his chestnut hair.

Dymphna, the mother, was also a native of Brookline. Her father, Anthony, was the village bookbinder. As a young man, Sebastian's employers often sent him to Anthony's shop in order for their records to be bound. It was at Anthony's shop that Sebastian met Dymphna. And it was through Dymphna, that Sebastian learned how to read—an important trait, which she passed on to her two daughters. Despite being in her middle-50s, Dymphna's blonde hair only had a few 'streaks of gray,' and her brown eyes still glowed like 'chestnuts.'

The arrival of Annette and Maria with their spouses and children was unexpected, but welcomed—as the Belmont and Tepes families had not been to the Renards since the Christmas holiday. Dymphna had prepared some potato soup for herself and Sebastian, but she was able to make sandwiches for her 'unexpected family members.' Richter, however, did not arrive at the Renard residence until around seven in the evening, which was after the others had their evening meal and were relaxing in the parlor with the youngest members of the family. Dymphna informed her son-in-law that she would leave the parlor to fix him a sandwich, but Richter refused. Considering that he—and the members of his family—were 'impromptu guests,' Richter stated that he would enter the pantry and fix his own evening meal.

As Richter sat at the small table in the Renard kitchen with his sandwich, he was joined by his brother-in-law. Richter smirked. "What's this? You don't want to relax with our in-laws?"

Adrian returned the smirk. "They are playing a game with the youngest children. They are trying to see, if Cander and Sidra can guess which portrait is their mother."

"Ah, yes," Richter said, while he had a bite of his sandwich. "They played the same game on Riff and Sander, when they were little."

"Speaking of my young nephew, he apparently learned some of his family history on the way here."

"Oh?"

Adrian nodded. "Yes, he learned about how his mother and father got together…and he also learned that his aunt was married to another man."

Richter laughed. "Oh, Michael got brought up in the story! Well, he would. It was through him that I met Annette."

Adrian turned to the kitchen window. "I hope that he is not brought up very often."

Richter took another bite of his sandwich. "Are you jealous, Tepes?"

Adrian turned to him with a look.

Richter smirked. "She would have been yours earlier, if you have 'come along with her,' as she originally wanted you to."

Adrian grinned, and twirled a curl of his long hair.

Richter had another bite of his sandwich and added, "Of course, I'm not sure, if she really loved him."

Adrian gave Richter a look of curiosity.

Richter smiled. "I think that her heart was always set on you. Michael was, if anything, a void that she was trying to fill."

While Richter and Adrian chatted in the kitchen, and the elder Renards relaxed with their two daughters and youngest grandchildren in the parlor, Lysander Tepes sat at the top of the stairs to listen to the commotion in the parlor. Once he had heard enough, Lysander left the staircase, and entered the bedroom that he would be sharing with his older cousin.

"Can you guess what Grandma and Grandpa are making Cander and Sidra play?" asked Lysander.

Christian, who adjusted the oil lamp, smirked. "Let me guess. They are trying to make them guess which portrait is their mother?"

Lysander returned the smirked. "You guessed it! Not a difficult game to play. It's pretty easy to tell which one Mom is, and which one Aunt Annette is. Cander can't miss that one up."

"His older brother did," Christian said with a grin.

"What?! No!"

Christian chuckled. "It's true. When you were real little, you actually picked my mom, instead of Aunt Maria."

Lysander gasped. "How old was I?"

"I don't know exactly. Younger than Alcander, I think."

"Ah!" Lysander said, as he sat on the bed. "That must have been the reason. I must have been easily confused. Plus, I'm sure that someone tried to confuse me."

"Who would have confused you?"

"Perhaps Aunt Annette, perhaps Grandma."

Christian smirked.

"In any case," continued Lysander, "this game that you showed me at your house earlier today. You showed it to me, but you didn't really talk to me about it."

"My dad gave it to me for my last birthday. The monks at the monastery made it. It's a card game, but it's not a card game that we're used to playing."

"Really?"

Christian nodded. "It's a card game of made up of 'moral questions' that you have to put some 'critical thought' in."

"'Critical thought'?"

"That means that you have to think 'really, really hard.'"

"Oh! I can do that!"

"Well, I certainly hope so." Christian held up one of the game's cards and continued, "Here's how it goes. You read off the 'moral scenario' on the card; then, you write down on a piece of paper how you would answer the question Once both players are done writing, one player will read off his answer, while the other player has his answer turned over. After the other player finishes reading his answer, he has to guess, if the other player agrees with him or not. After that player guesses, he'll take the other player's answer, and see if he's right. If he is, that player wins, and he gets to keep the other player's answer. If he loses, then his answer goes to the other player, who wins. The first to get three wins, wins the game."

Lysander smiled. "Sounds simple enough."

"I'll start with the first question, and then you can have the second one."

"All right."

Christian handed his cousin a piece of paper and a pencil and stated, "Here's the first question: Your mother or father tells you to pick up your toys. But you're having fun playing, and you don't really want to stop playing. Besides the room is messy enough as it is. What will you do?"

Lysander wrote his answer to the question, while Christian wrote his answer. When Lysander finished writing, he placed his piece of paper face down on the floor.

"All right," Christian began, as he finished writing his answer. "Here is how I answered the question. I would pick up my toys. I learned very quickly what happens, if you don't. Sidra found that out as well not too long ago. Mom told her to pick up her toys, and she said 'no.' Then Dad came, and told her to pick up her toys; and, if she didn't, he would spank her. Well, she didn't, and he spanked her. And somehow, I think that you agree with me."

Christian grabbed Lysander's answer, and read it. "Well, it appears as though you do, and you mentioned how something similar happened to Cander."

"Yeah, Cander was playing in the master room, and Dad told him to move his toys into his room. Cander didn't do it, and, after a while, Dad spanked him…And Cander almost never gets spanked."

Christian took Lysander's answer, since he got it correct, and then gave Lysander another one of the cards with the moral questions. "All right, Lysander, read that question."

"You got in trouble," began Lysander, "but what actually happened was your brother's or sister's fault. You could respond by hitting—or doing something else—to your brother or sister and actually get away with it, but would you?"

Lysander and Christian wrote their answers. When Christian finished, he placed his piece of paper face down on the floor.

"Here's how I answered it," began Lysander. "If Cander got me in trouble, why doesn't he deserve to be punished? Which has happened before, by the way. So, yes, I would do something to him; and I think that you would as well, if Sidra did something to you."

Lysander took his cousin's answer and was stunned. "You wouldn't do anything?!"

Christian shook his head. "No, Sidra's never actually done anything, where she got me in trouble for something that she did. But, even if she did, it would eventually come back to haunt her. Kind of similar to a story that my dad told me about a shepherd boy who cried 'Wolf!' even when there was no wolf. Eventually, the lie came back to haunt him, and it would come back to haunt her. I don't have to do anything."

Lysander said nothing, as Christian took his cousin's answer. Yet, the silence bothered the elder cousin. "Sander, just curious, have you ever hit Alcander before?"

"Well, yeah."

Christian was stunned. "When?"

"Over the head with Bear, when he deserved it."

"Weren't you worried that would hurt him?"

"It's a stuffed animal, so, no. Sure, he whined, but he whines about a lot of things. Plus, I'm sure that Cander would rather get hit with Bear, then get spanked by Mom and Dad."

As Christian took the next question, he added, "You don't care much for your little brother, do you?"

"I care for him about as much as you care for your sister."

"I like my sister, actually. Sure, she annoys me at times, but I do care for her."

Lysander smiled.

"You do feel the same way about your brother, right?"

Lysander maintained his smile, while he turned to the icon of St. Michael casting Satan from Heaven and replied, "Yeah, I suppose so." Lysander returned to his cousin and added, "Well, are you going to read the next question?"

As Christian read the next question, an event took place outside that would have pleased them both. Snow descended from the heavens.

The parlor in the Renard family home was one that an individual might expect from 'country people': two recliners, a sofa, two small tables with oil lamps, and a hearth. Near the hearth were a pair of portraits—one of Annette, at the age of seven; and the other of Maria, at the age of two. In her recliner, Dymphna sat with her two youngest grandchildren on her lap, and gave each of them a piece of candy. "They were successful, weren't they?" said Dymphna.

Maria smirked, and pointed to her head. "Well, yes, but all one had to do was point out the differences in our hair color."

"Ah, but I remember Sander guessing incorrectly, when he was little…and I think that Riff did too." Dymphna smirked and added, "Of course, we might have confused them." Dymphna turned to Alcander's hair and twirled a lock of it. "On the subject of hair, it looks as though Cander's is starting to turn red."

Before Maria could respond, Richter and Adrian entered the parlor. Their presence caught the attention of Sebastian.

"Care for a game of cards, gentlemen?" asked the elder Renard. "A game of Blackjack sounds fun, don't you agree?"

Richter turned to Adrian and said, "Been a while, since I've played cards."

Adrian nodded. "Yes, it's been a while, since I have too."

Maria watched, as Richter and Adrian followed her father into the dining room, where the three would play cards. Once they left the parlor, Maria returned to her mother. "I never did get to respond back to your comment about Cander's hair, Mom, but yes! Adrian and I talked about it the other day."

Maria ran some fingers through Alcander's hair, while her youngest smiled around his candy. "Cander, I think, is either going to be an auburn blonde or a strawberry blonde boy."

"Not sure where he gets it from. While Sidra does have hair that's auburn, it's pretty brown."

"Adrian and I wondered, if it wasn't from someone on his side of the family."

Dymphna nodded. "In any case, Maria, I understand that you were the one who wanted to bring everyone here this evening?"

"Yes, there was a story that Grandma Balan told me about something that happened with one of our ancestors at Castle Dracula. Do you know it?"

Again, Dymphna nodded. "I know it."

"Would you tell it?"

"Not while the little ones are still up."

"Then after they go to bed?"

"That will be fine."

Around ten in the evening, the light from the dining room diminished, and Sebastian, Richter, and Adrian re-entered the master room. "I saw you carry Cander and Sidra upstairs," said Sebastian. "I take it that they are sleeping?"

"Yes," replied Dymphna. "When we carried the babies upstairs, they were barely able to keep their eyes open. And once we placed them on the pillows in the crib, they quickly went to sleep."

"What about Riff and Sander?"

"They were still awake, when we took Sidra and Cander to bed," answered Annette. "But, when I went to check on them about half-an-hour ago, they had gone to sleep with the lamp still on, so I helped tuck them in bed."

"You should warn them about that. About leaving the lamp on. It's not safe."

Annette nodded. "I will say something to Riff in the morning. He has been told the importance of turning off the lamp, and should have told Sander."

"Lysander knows about turning off the lamp as well," added Maria.

"In fairness to the boys," interjected Adrian, "maybe they just fell asleep before they could. I'm sure that they were having fun."

Annette chuckled. "Well, they weren't in their bed clothes."

Sebastian smiled. "Well, I don't think that there is any need for a punishment this time, just a warning, perhaps." Sebastian turned to the stairs and added, "In any case, I think that I should join my grandchildren with the 'Sandman.'"

Maria smiled. "You don't want to stay up, and listen to Mom tell us a story, Daddy?"

Sebastian chuckled. "No, I think that I've heard a number of stories, from when you girls were little."

"Maybe not this one," thought Maria.

"In any case, I want to get up a little bit early, before I normally do—to check on the livestock before mass. Goodnight, everyone!"

The Belmonts and Tepeses found themselves on the sofa, near one of the parlor's oil lamps. Dymphna Renard rested in her recliner next to an oil lamp and near the fireplace. As the embers cracked in the fireplace, Dymphna turned to those present. "I think that when I finish this story, I too will go to bed. Maria, just to make certain that I heard you correctly, this was a story that Mother told you about Castle Dracula, correct?"

Maria nodded. "Yes."

Dymphna turned briefly to the fire, before she returned to those present. "My maiden name is Balan, but this relates to my mother's side of the family. My mother's maiden name was Funar, and this is how I remember the story.

"Before the Funars settled in Brookline, they lived in the Village of Saradon, which is about two miles from Castle Dracula."

"I remember that place!" thought Maria with a grin. "When I first convinced Adrian to come with me to the Belmont Estate, we passed through that village. I thought that the place was a 'dump.' Hard to believe that I had family who lived there."

"Mother told me that this story was about an ancestor of hers named Cosmina. I remember seeing a portrait of Cosmina at my grandmother's, but I'm not sure what became of it. I think that my uncle may have received it. From what I do remember of the portrait, I would have to say that Maria looks very similar to Cosmina."

"Out of curiosity," interjected Adrian, "when did this story take place?"

"Late 15th century, I believe."

Adrian nodded. "All right then." But in his thoughts, Adrian added, "Somehow, I think that I am going to know a portion of this story."

"As the story goes," continued Dymphna, "Cosmina was picking blackberries in a meadow near the village. She was apparently done, when she encountered a pair of Romanis, gypsies. A father and son, or so it seemed."

"There were plenty of Romanis loyal to my father. Although why, I'll never know," thought Adrian. "Of course, Romanis seem to be loyal to the master that serves them best, even if that master is a 'monster.'"

"The time was late in the afternoon, as I remember correctly, and the two were asking her about the closest inn. Naturally, there was an inn in the village, and Cosmina saw no danger in leading the two men to it."

Dymphna paused. "That was a big mistake. Cosmina was struck from behind by some type of object. I don't know what it was, but it obviously knocked her out.

"When she came to, she found herself in a dungeon of some sort, and a specter was standing over her."

"A specter?" asked Adrian.

Dymphna nodded. "That's how I heard the story."

"How old was Cosmina?" asked Maria.

"I believe that she was about 15. In any case, the apparition said something about how 'the young master wants to see you.'

"From there, Cosmina was taken to what she described as a 'grand hall,' and before her was a young man of about her own age. Despite her fear, Cosmina found the young man to be very attractive. But the young man revealed himself to be a monster. He bit into Cosmina's neck.

"So the man was a vampire?" asked Richter.

Dymphna nodded. "That is how I would interpret it."

"Did Cosmina ever state what the man looked like?" asked Maria.

Dymphna rapped her fingers. "From what I recall, he had blonde hair. Not much of a description."

Richter, Annette, and Maria briefly turned to Adrian. Adrian, however, did his best to maintain his composure. With a smile, Adrian stated, "Please continue, Dymphna."

"Somehow Cosmina survived, and she found herself outside the castle. All of the villagers from Saradon could identify Castle Dracula at that time. Standing over her was a large hound, possibly a wolf. Yet, ironically, this animal did her no harm."

Richter turned briefly to Adrian, before he said, "How odd, considering many a wolf's nature."

Dymphna nodded. "If anything, the animal seemed to be protecting her. But as she regained her senses, the animal left her, and fled in the direction of the castle.

"By the grace of God, a hermit—who, if I remember correct, was named Brother Damasus—found her, and let her spend the evening at his home. The next day, the hermit accompanied Cosmina back to Saradon, and gave her a crucifix, which we still have in our family. It was when she got home that she told her tale."

"Do you remember the reaction?" asked Richter.

"I believe some of the villagers may have attacked a gypsy camp—trying to find the perpetrators. Chances are those Romani may have been sold into slavery. I really don't know."

Dymphna turned to the fire, before she returned to those present. "How ironic is it that an ancestor of mine spent some time in Castle Dracula, and so did my two daughters."

"Not exactly an event one wants to remember, Mother," said Annette.

Dymphna smiled, and gestured to Adrian. "And even more ironic that my youngest ended up marrying a descendant of Vlad Tepes."

Adrian smiled weakly, but in his thoughts added, "Well, I guess one could say that."

But Dymphna looked past her son-in-law to the parlor window. Something caught her attention. "Adrian, could you raise the lamp to the window? I almost think that there is something going on outside."

Adrian held the lamp near the window and smiled. "Why, it's snow! That'll make Sander and Riff happy."

"Snow?!" Dymphna said, as she left her recliner.

Adrian, once again, held the oil lamp up to the window for her to see. Indeed, 'fat flakes of snow' descended to the earth.

Dymphna smirked. "Well, I hope that the storm will pass us by morning, but I'll have to tell Sebastian about it. We might need to take the buggy to church in the morning, instead of walking. In any case, I need to get to bed. Goodnight to all of you."

As Dymphna ascended the stairs, Adrian, Richter, Maria, and Annette remained in the parlor. Adrian observed the portrait of his wife as a young girl and said, "I think that I should turn in too."

Maria smirked. "Since when have you gone to bed so early?"

"I mentioned about going to church in the morning. We can go with your parents."

"Are you afraid that we are going to ask questions?" interjected Annette.

"Ask questions?"

Annette nodded. "About the castle and all—the story with our ancestor."

Adrian said nothing and turned away. But in his thoughts, Adrian said, "She would say something like that to me. In my nearly six years of marriage to Maria, I don't think that Annette has every truly accepted me."

"Adrian," began Maria, when she heard enough silence to assume that no one upstairs would be listening in, "were you that man in the castle?"

Adrian sighed, but he could deal with that question coming from Maria. "I was."

"Were you also that large hound?"

"I was."

With the exception of the cracking embers, silence entered the parlor. And with the silence came tension. Adrian could feel it. He turned away from those present and said, "At that time, I was angry at humanity. I was angry over what happened to my mother." Adrian returned to those present and continued, "It wasn't too long after that, that I retreated from the world. Only to be awakened sometime later by your ancestor," Adrian added with a gesture to Richter.

Richter smiled, and that smile helped relieve some of the 'tension' that was in the air. "And then I battled my father," continued Adrian, "and defeated him." Adrian paused to look outside the parlor window and added, "Only to battle him again centuries later."

Silence returned to the parlor, but Adrian turned to the stairs. "In any case, I am tired. As I stated, I intend to attend church in the morning. Goodnight."

In the guest bedroom that Adrian and Maria shared whenever they visited the Renards, Adrian stood near a table, which held an oil lamp, and observed the snowfall. When Maria entered the bedroom, Adrian turned to her.

"How are the boys?" asked Adrian.

Maria smirked. "I have never known you to retire this early or to sleep standing up."

"I take it that you didn't check on our boys?"

"Our boys are fine. I'm not concerned about them." Maria sat on the bed and added, "I am, however, concerned about you."

Adrian turned briefly to the window, before he returned to his wife. "I am curious as to what your sister said, after I left. I know that your sister has never been completely fond of me. I'm certain that what I said only added to her lack of fondness."

"Actually, Ann said nothing. We know that you would never hurt us, Adrian."

Adrian smiled, and took a seat next to Maria. "That's nice of you to say."

Maria returned the smile, and held her husband's hand. "Did you know the story, before Mom told it?"

"Not exactly, but as she told the story, I did remember it…I take it that Magnus told you that I did such things?"

"He stated that you 'feasted on the blood' of young maidens. And he mentioned one story about how you 'drained a young woman,' but you did not kill her…It was enough to trigger a memory of something that I had heard as a young girl."

Adrian turned to the floor. "Hard to believe that I did something to an ancestor of yours." He returned to Maria and added, "I'm truly sorry."

Maria smiled. "But you also helped that ancestor too."

"Huh?"

"You made certain that she did not die of exposure, did you not?"

Adrian forced a smile. "Yeah, I guess that I did…Something must have triggered my mother's words to me."

Maria maintained a smile, while she twirled a lock of Adrian's hair. "Adrian?"

"Yes?"

"Why didn't you tell me any of this?"

"I don't know how I could have. I didn't want to frighten you with something from my long past. I don't want anyone to know, especially the boys."

Maria edged closer to him. "You and Richter are going to fight Lyudmil and Magnus, right?"

Adrian nodded. "Yes, we leave Monday—along with a member of the Marquis clan and his friend, Alexis."

"…I'm coming with you."

Adrian's eyes grew wide. "What?!"

Maria nodded. "I'm coming with you. I've been in the face of danger before. You know that."

"Well, yes, but…"

"But what?"

"What about the boys?"

"They can stay here. Mom can help Sander with his lessons, and she can help get Cander potty trained."

Adrian smirked. "I take it that the word 'no' isn't going to work?"

Maria kissed her husband and replied, "You know me all too well."