New Generation
Chapter VIII
Wishful crystal,
water covers everything in blue.
Wishful sinful,
our love is beautiful too.
See I know where I would like to be.
Right back where I came.
Wishful, sinful, wicked blue.
Water covers you.
Wishful, sinful, wicked blue.
Can't escape the blue-
"Wishful Sinful"-The Doors
The morning following the party's experience with opium the four of them woke up feeling refreshed. Brian for the first time since the adventure started also felt a sense of peace. Last night was the first time he felt accepted by Lysander and Alcander. The two brothers even smiled at him when they saw him walk by. Brian too felt that he had something to say to both of them, or at least one of them. "Alcander," he said approaching him, while Alcander was putting his body armor on.
"What is it Brian?"
"Alcander, I just want to say that I'm sorry for what happened that day at the school. It was my fault for being such a bastard. You're right, I am born with a silver spoon stuck up my ass, and I believed that for a long time that anything I wanted I could grab anytime I wanted to. This journey has showed me that the world doesn't always work that way, so I just want to say to both you and your brother that I'm sorry."
"Well Brian, I can accept your apology for that incident, but the Dracula raising thing is a whole other issue."
"Look," Brian began, gesturing his hand, "I'm sorry about that. I didn't know what I was thinking."
"But you should've!" Alcander firmly replied. "Brian, everybody in this country knows about Vlad the Impaler, especially in our village!"
"I know, but that man made some points that made me wonder…"
Alcander's face turned bright red and his eyes started to grow wide as he listened to Brian's statement. "Made you wonder what? That Vlad Tepes might've been a good guy after all?! Tell me, Brian. If Vlad Tepes was 'such a great man' then why did my father and my uncle risk their lives to destroy a 'great man?!' I should know better than anyone that Vlad Tepes was a monster who'd cut out your heart if given the opportunity! For God's sake, didn't your parents teach you anything about what life was in our village when Dracula was roaming free?! Didn't they teach you anything about the fear that they experienced?! My mother certainly did!"
"Yes, she did and I'm old enough to remember it first hand," Lysander added, coming in from the hallway. "And I know that you and I have talked about this before Cander. You can actually remember that day as well. Despite how little you were."
Alcander gave his brother a firm nod. "That's right. I can remember Mom holding you and I close to her. I may have only been two-years-old, but I can remember it, even though she told me years later that, that was the particular incident." And shifting his eyes back to Brian he added, "And Brian, what you did was bring all those fears back to my mother and everyone else in the village that wants to live in a world where Dracula does not exist!" Alcander glared at Brian one final time before grabbing his cloak and stomping out of the room. His older brother hastily followed him.
Brian sighed and slowly made his way back to his room. His lip was quivering, and by the time Christian entered his room to invite him to breakfast tears were flowing from his brown eyes, although he did his best to hide them by covering his hand over his face.
"Brian, what is it?" Christian asked him with a voice full of concern, as he knelt beside him.
"It's all my fault," he sobbed. "I'm responsible for bringing Dracula back!"
"That's nonsense!" Christian replied, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"Tell that to your cousins."
"What?!" Christian exclaimed, curling his hand into a fist as his teeth gritted together. "What did they say?!"
"Well, it was mostly Alcander more than Lysander, but Alcander said that I'm responsible for causing the return of fear to every member of our village!"
"Brian, listen to me," Christian said, again full of compassion. "You're not responsible for Dracula's return! For the last twelve years I believe that underground cults have been trying to resurrect Dracula. You're blood was simply the final piece of the puzzle."
"Too bad nobody else will understand that."
"Perhaps not, but I want you to know that. Look, I'll be honest with you, you made a stupid mistake trusting that man, but then again The Devil is very tempting and his temptations can succeed. Furthermore, we've all done things we'd rather regret, and Alcander has too."
"Maybe, but I don't want him or Lysander to know anything that we've talked about."
"Don't worry, they won't." Christian patted Brian on the shoulder and added, "Come then! Let's have breakfast. You must be starving!"
"Yes, I am actually."
"Good so am I."
*
Christian and Brian spoke to Lysander and Alcander during breakfast as though nothing ever happened. Lysander had warned Alcander that Brian probably told Christian everything that he had said to him, but neither of them said anything about the incident.
After breakfast, Christian took Brian outside the inn to train him some more for the upcoming battle with Dracula. While Christian knew it would be impossible for Brian to ever have the ability that he and his cousins shared he believed that Brian would know just enough to at least save his life.
After Christian finished with the drills Brian asked him a question that had been on his mind for the last few days. "Christian, I understand that in a few days we'll arrive at Castle Dracula. Although I think I'm getting better at using a sword I know that I'll never have the ability to take on Vlad Tepes. How is it possible that I can help you?"
"Brian, do you have faith?"
"You mean in God?"
Christian nodded.
"Well…yes."
"Then that is the most powerful weapon you need. You see Brian, the monsters inside Dracula's Castle, including Dracula himself, don't fear the sword at your side. Nor do they really fear my whip for that matter. Now God on the other hand…that's something they are afraid of. It's like I told you yesterday. Prince Dracula has been running from God for almost 350 years. If faith is your strength, Dracula can be defeated."
Brian smiled at Christian. His words seemed to calm his anxiety about entering the Castle.
*
Christian, Lysander, Alcander, and Brian departed from the village at eleven. They hoped to reach the next village before sunset. Fortunately for them, yesterday's snow had not been a heavy snow, and therefore, was not affecting their journey to the next village. "This next village we visit will be the next to last one before Castle Dracula," Christian told his party.
"I honestly wonder what the inside of the Castle is like?" Alcander asked the rest of the party.
"Mom and Dad didn't talk much about it," responded Lysander.
"My parents didn't either," added Christian.
"I remember reading in history books that Vlad Tepes used to impale people within the walls of his castle," interjected Brian.
"That's correct," Christian replied. "That's where Vlad Tepes received his nickname 'impaler.' Interestingly enough, Dracula was at one time a well-loved figure in our country's history, who protected our land from the Muslim Turks."
"So…what that man told me wasn't completely a lie then?"
"No, Brian, it wasn't. He mixed lies in with the truth, but it's true that Dracula was at one time a loved figure in our country, and in other countries I'm sure he's still looked upon that way, because they believe that Vlad Tepes has been dead since 1476. Furthermore, Brian, I don't believe you are one hundred percent responsible for Dracula's return. Your blood may have been the final piece of the puzzle, but I believe that ever since Dracula was defeated twelve years ago various underground cults have been trying to bring him back. Your blood was just the last necessary item."
"Do you think people from our village would have seen it that way?"
"Probably not."
"Hell no they wouldn't!" thought Lysander and Alcander.
"Oh…" Brian seemed upset by Christian's response.
"As well you should be you pompous little bastard!" the brothers added.
"Cheer up, though! I seriously doubt anyone from the village knows anything about what happened, unless your parents decided to brag about it to every citizen."
"I don't think they would do that."
"Lets hope not."
At five in the evening the party reached the next to last village before Castle Dracula. The party could see the Castle better than at anytime before, and the closer a village is to the Castle, the more nervous its citizens become. "Sander," Christian began, "why don't you purchase our rooms for the evening, and relax yourself in the tavern? And if they bartender has opium tell him to save it for us!"
Lysander laughed. "Will do, Christian!" Lysander entered the inn and purchased the rooms for the evening, before making his way into the bar. He noticed that this bartender had neither pipe nor cigar. "Damn," Lysander said to himself, "I hope that the next and last town has a bartender who smokes opium, because I could certainly use it knowing what I have to face!"
"What can I get you, sir?" the bartender asked Lysander.
"I'll have a stout beer," he told him. "I want to try something different."
"Just a moment."
While the bartender was busy pouring Lysander's stout beer a young, petite, woman entered the bar and sat on the barstool next to him. The young woman had blue eyes and long brown curls, and was wearing a dark blue dress. She appeared to be Alcander's age, and reminded him for a moment about Jessica. The young woman noticed Lysander's sword and replied, "Aren't you a little too young to be journeying?"
"Aren't you a little too young to be drinking?" he shot back with a smile.
The woman giggled, she had a very beautiful face just like Jessica and his mother. "Whatever. I'm fourteen."
"That's the same age as my brother, and I have to baby-sit him."
"Oh, yeah right!" she replied giving him a flirtatious smile and a playful punch in the arm. "You made that up!"
"So you say," he added.
"Damn, he's handsome!" thought the young woman. "How old are you?"
"I'm 16, and I already know that you're 14."
"Yes, that's right," she said with a laugh. "What's your name?"
"Lysander, and yours?"
"I'm Dana."
"Here's your beer, sir," the bartender replied, placing the beer in front of Lysander. "What can I get for you, Dana?"
"I'd just like a glass of white wine."
"Very well." The bartender poured the glass of white wine and placed it in front of Dana.
"So are you traveling alone, or with a party?"
"With a party," Lysander told her. "I'm with my younger brother, Alcander, who I mentioned earlier; my cousin, Christian; and another companion called Brian."
"And what are you on a journey to do?"
"Well…"
"Damn, I'm thirsty!" Alcander declared upon entering the bar.
"Damn it, Cander!" Lysander said to himself. "I was starting to enjoy myself being alone with this girl."
"Ah, there you are, Sander," Alcander added, approaching the bar with Christian and Brian. "Who's this with you?"
"This is Dana, Cander. I believe she is a resident of this village, correct?"
"Yes."
"Dana, let me introduce everyone. This is my brother, Alcander," Lysander said, gesturing to Alcander, as he did with everyone that he named. "This is my cousin, Christian. And this is Brian."
"Nice to meet you Dana," the three of the said at the same time.
"Nice to meet all of you as well. Would you young men like to sit at table instead of the bar?"
"That's fine with me," replied Lysander.
"That's fine with us," added the rest of the party.
Once the five of them ordered drinks, and became comfortable at the table Dana asked them the same question she asked Lysander a few minutes ago. "Lysander told me that you're on a journey. Just what exactly is your journey?"
"Well, Dana," Lysander began, "you know that castle that you can see in the distance?"
Dana gasped and crossed herself. "Yes?"
"We're here to make it crumble back to the ground!"
"Are you crazy!" she exclaimed, while the other members in the party motioned her to keep her voice down. "That's the home of Vlad the Impaler!" she exclaimed again, only quieter.
"We know that, Dana," replied Christian, "but we also know that it's our destiny to destroy Dracula."
"How do you know it's your destiny?"
"Because our ancestors did it once before."
"Ancestors?"
"Yes. I'm Christian Belmont, son of Richter Belmont. My two cousins are Lysander and Alcander Tepes, the sons of Adrian Tepes."
"And I'm pretty much along for the ride," Brian said, interjecting himself into the conversation.
Lysander and Alcander responded to Brian's statement by squinting their eyes. "God, I wish he would just go away!" they added.
Christian laughed. "Yes, Brian's pretty much along for the ride. He's not related to us, but he has faith."
"Yeah, and his faith should've told him that Dracula was bad," thought the Tepes brothers.
"This is amazing!" Dana exclaimed. "I remember my parents talking about Richter Belmont and Adrian Tepes, but I never believed that I'd be in the same bar with their family members!"
"Would you have also ever believed that Adrian Tepes's son is going to buy you a drink?" Lysander asked her.
"Huh?" she replied, confused.
"Barkeep, give Miss Dana a drink will ya?"
"Yes, sir," the bartender replied.
Dana continued to fix her blue eyes and smile.
"Well, Dana," Christian began, forcing her to cease staring at Lysander; "I know that it's getting late, and I'm sure that the sun has set. Shouldn't you be going home? I'm sure your parents are worried."
"My parents passed away three years ago due to a bad fever that the doctors couldn't seem to cure. I went to live with my grandmother, but she too passed away. So now I'm on my own."
"Oh…I'm very sorry to hear that."
"It's all right, Christian. I've accepted it, and moved on with my life. I was actually planning on leaving this village and visiting different parts of our country, but with the return of Dracula's Castle my plans have been stopped."
"Well, they won't be after we defeat him!" Lysander declared.
"You sure are confident Lysander," she responded, returning her smile to him.
"You have to be confident to do what we're doing."
The members of the party continued to talk with Dana until one by one they departed for their room leaving Lysander alone with Dana. "Well, Dana, I think I should turn in as well, but would you like me to walk you home?"
"No, Lysander…"
"But Dana! It's dark, and he's out there!"
"I understand that Lysander." She paused for a moment to gaze her blue eyes into his brown eyes. "Lysnader, is there a spare bed in your room?"
"I don't know. I haven't even visited my room yet. Why don't we go and find out?" Lysander tipped the bartender before he and Dana left the bar to visit his room.
When the two entered the room Lysander noticed that there was only one bed. "I'm sorry Dana, but there's only one bed in my room."
"That's all right," she said, smiling at him, and putting her arms around his neck. "Do you mind if we share it?"
Lysander smiled back at her, and presented her with a kiss. "Of course not!" Lysander wrapped his arms around Dana's waist, and Dana began to softly kiss his neck.
Lysander purred with each kiss, and Dana started to giggle. "You sound just like a kitten. That's so sweet!"
"Not as sweet as it can be," Lysander told her, while he moved his hands up her dress.
Lysander purred louder, but Dana became nervous. "Lysander, I've never known a man before, and…"
"You know one now," Lysander said, cutting her off.
"But…I don't want to become pregnant."
"You won't," Lysander replied, whispering into her ear, before he started kissing her neck and motioning his hands to remove the stings from her corset. With each string Lysander removed, Dana removed a button from Lysander's pants. After Dana's corset was un-tied and Lysander's pants un-buttoned, their next move was for shirts and dresses until they were eventually completely nude and making love on Lysander's rented bed, without any cares in the world save two: no babies to follow and no disturbances from a younger brother, older cousin, or unwanted party member.
