Title: Chosen of Markov

Plane: Innistrad (Pre-Eldritch Moon)

Prompt: A character must accept a ride in a vehicle of a type appropriate for your fandom from someone they don't know well. Describe the reason for the character accepting the ride, the ride itself, and the vehicle, particularly its interior.

Genre: Horror

Characters (In Order of Appearance): OC & Edgar Markov

Word Count: 500

Sophia waited patiently as a misty haze drifted over the cobbled streets of Thraben. For several minutes, she only listened to the sound of her irregular breathing. She had earned this, she kept telling herself, she had been found worthy.

Just as she was told, the black carriage arrived just as the moon reached its peak in the sky. The dark horses pulling the vehicle came to a stop inches in front of her, a menacing glare in their eyes. She looked up at the driver, whose face was obscured by his heavy cloak. He did not greet her, but merely waited for her to enter. She pulled open the door, stepped in, and felt a shudder of the carriage pulling away at a great speed before she even had a chance to sit down.

Once the initial excitement of her journey had passed and she had time to settle down, Sophia took in her surroundings. She had heard that the Markovs spared no expense, and one look at the interior of the carriage told her this was so. From the velvet cushions on the seats, to the blood-red curtains over the windows, to the gold trim on the walls, she had very clearly entered another world. She was used to the simple architecture and style of Thraben, but this was something else. She could hardly imagine what the mansions hidden in the mountains of Stensia would look like.

It was a smooth ride as well, now that she thought about it. Surely, riding through the hills and mountains was not an easy journey, and yet, the horses seemed to navigate it with ease while still maintaining her own comfort in the carriage. Either that, or there was an otherworldly explanation. She tried not to think about that.

Sophia must have fallen asleep, which was very easy to do when the soft, plush cushions of the seat practically beckoned her, for when she awoke she realized that the carriage had stopped. The door swung open, but she saw no sign of the driver, and as she stepped out, the horses were gone as well, as if they had vanished. She took a deep breath. She had been found worthy. There was no need to fear them anymore.

Markov Manor stood tall and imposing just ahead, its spires reaching into the clouds. This was to become her new home. Stepping into its halls, Sophia was greeted with more extravagance. The halls were decked in black and red coats of arms made from the finest cloth. The sconces holding the torches that lined the halls were plated in gold. And just ahead, she could see the dining hall.

Sophia took her first tentative steps into the hall, the members of the Markov family finishing their feast. At the head of the table sat Edgar Markov, the vampire progenitor of the clan. He smirked at the sight of her. "Are you ready?" he asked.

She removed the silk scarf from around her neck.