Chapter 3: Uneven Bargain
The next morning found Van Helsing, Benito, Isabel and a young man from the stables by the name of Luis saddled and on the road towards San Millan. Isabel had insisted on coming along and while Van Helsing was apprehensive about allowing an old man and a child to put themselves in potential danger, Benito was the only one who knew the way and Isabel was adamant about not being left behind. She had turned down Benito and Luis' offers to ride with them, instead climbing up into Van Helsing's lap, much to his surprise and embarrassment. Still, he had to admit that riding with an openly enthusiastic and giggling child was soothing to his troubled mind. His dream the night before had left him deeply disturbed and Isabel was a welcome distraction.
Sam, whoever he had been, had said that he would see Van Helsing at San Millan that afternoon with the answers that he was looking for. Exactly what questions he planned on answering he didn't say and that worried Van Helsing more than anything else. Some part of him doubted that "Sam" would even show up at all; that he was simply a figment of his exhausted mind. He would like to see Jinette's face if he told the old Cardinal that he was seeing things now. The idea worked a chuckle out of him.
Shaking off the memories, he wrapped one arm securely around Isabel and kicked his horse into a gallop, the sounds of Isabel's delighted squeals trailing after them. He relished the wind on his face and let the crisp morning air and the simple thrill of racing across the Spanish plains ease his spirits. When he finally pulled his horse up to a stop on top of a low rise, Benito and Luis were mere dots in the distance. Isabel was gasping with laughter and attempting to make sense of her hair. Van Helsing smiled slightly and helped her work out some of the more persistent tangles.
"That was fun!" she exclaimed breathlessly. "Papa never lets me ride that fast. He says, 'when you are older Isabel!' I'll be seven next year, so that means I'll be older and I can ride as fast as I want." She seemed very pleased with this logic.
Van Helsing hummed in the back of his throat, amused. "Your parents must have their work cut out for them trying to find the little lady that's in there somewhere." He let Isabel finish fixing her hair in silence before speaking again. "Do you visit your grandfather often?"
"I've lived with him since I was little. He says God said I should stay with him so that I could grow up good," she said, tilting her head back to look up at Van Helsing. "Did God tell you where to live?"
"God doesn't tell me much," Van Helsing answered, glancing down the hill to find Benito and Luis riding up.
"You'll become a bad influence on Isabel, señor Helsing." Benito admonished, his voice betraying his good nature despite his words. "We are nearly there. Just over the next hill is the place you seek."
Van Helsing nodded, pulling his horse up alongside Luis' and handing Isabel over to him despite her complaints. "I shouldn't be long," he called, kicking his horse back into a gallop.
Van Helsing tied his horse to a tree at the top of the hill overlooking the site of what used to be San Millan. There was no mistaking that there had indeed been something here, for the faint lines of the building's foundations could be seen in the dirt and the area was eroded with generations of use. Except any sign of human habitation here had vanished, just like the reports had said. Frowning, Van Helsing made his way into the village limits, scanning the area for anything out of the ordinary.
"Oh, you came alone. Splendid!"
Once again caught off guard by that voice, Van Helsing turned to find Sam, as expected. The young man was standing some ways away and Van Helsing didn't see any place that he could've been hiding before. The mystery deepened. Sam appeared exactly the same as he had in the dream: tall and almost unnaturally thin, dressed in a simple white tunic and pants. A long braid of blonde hair hung down his back and his dark blue eyes were piercing.
"I was wondering if I would have to talk to you in front of an audience," he continued, pacing his way closer to Van Helsing. "I generally try to keep away from ... public speaking. What is it that the old wives say? Don't wash your dirty laundry in public?" He grinned and the expression was completely disarming. Van Helsing shook his head to clear it.
"You said you had answers for me," he said sternly, forcing his mind to stay on track. The strange 'off-ness' about Sam was once again making his insides do flips.
Sam waved a hand absently before clasping both behind his back. "I did say that, didn't I? Well, I suppose what answers I have depend on what questions you decide to ask. After all, you can't have an answer without a question and I didn't say I had those." When Van Helsing didn't respond, Sam frowned. "Oh, come on. I know you have hundreds of questions you could be asking me. I'll answer anything you want to know to the best of my ability and believe me when I say that I am quite able."
"Okay," Van Helsing started slowly, "let's start with why San Millan is missing."
Sam heaved a sigh, coming to stop a few meters from Van Helsing. "Always about business. Very well. It was taken to get your attention. I cannot tell a lie!" he finished, holding up his hands at Van Helsing's incredulous stare.
"That's it?!" Van Helsing snapped, feeling his anger rising. A village full of innocent people was wiped out of existence to get his attention? They couldn't have just sent him a note? A brick through his window would've been preferable over this.
"Oh, that's the simple and sweet version of it, actually," Sam stated, blinking in surprise as he suddenly found Van Helsing's pistols trained on him. "Oh my."
"How do I undo this?"
Sam chuckled. "Oh, Gabriel. There's a question I can't answer. I'm so sorry," he backed up a step as Van Helsing ratcheted back the hammers on both guns. "However, I do believe we could come to an agreement in regards to this unpleasant situation."
Van Helsing didn't falter. "State your terms."
"Come with me for a little while and listen to what I have to tell you and I'll see about getting in touch with the proper authorities about returning this little village."
"Is that it?"
"That it," Sam said, spreading his arms in a friendly gesture. "I just want your ear for a spell and we'll get about to returning these people to their silly lives."
Slowly, Van Helsing lowered his weapons and returned them to the holsters at his hip. He regarded Sam for several long moments; trying to figure out what game the young man was playing. Yet every time he seemed to come up with something, he would completely lose his train of thought and the idea would vanish. He growled and nodded irritably to Sam, finally deciding to play along for the time being. If all he truly wanted to do was talk, his time was a small price to pay for returning the village.
"Excellent!" Sam practically crowed in glee, running over and grabbing Van Helsing's arm before the other man could protest. In a flash, they were gone.
a/n: hands out cookies to those who've guessed who Sam is already Short chapter, I know, but I came to a good stopping point for the night. Thanks to everyone for their reviews!
For anyone who's curious as to what Isabel looks like, I drew a picture up of her this evening. It can be found here: www.deviantart.com/view/7704353/
The next morning found Van Helsing, Benito, Isabel and a young man from the stables by the name of Luis saddled and on the road towards San Millan. Isabel had insisted on coming along and while Van Helsing was apprehensive about allowing an old man and a child to put themselves in potential danger, Benito was the only one who knew the way and Isabel was adamant about not being left behind. She had turned down Benito and Luis' offers to ride with them, instead climbing up into Van Helsing's lap, much to his surprise and embarrassment. Still, he had to admit that riding with an openly enthusiastic and giggling child was soothing to his troubled mind. His dream the night before had left him deeply disturbed and Isabel was a welcome distraction.
Sam, whoever he had been, had said that he would see Van Helsing at San Millan that afternoon with the answers that he was looking for. Exactly what questions he planned on answering he didn't say and that worried Van Helsing more than anything else. Some part of him doubted that "Sam" would even show up at all; that he was simply a figment of his exhausted mind. He would like to see Jinette's face if he told the old Cardinal that he was seeing things now. The idea worked a chuckle out of him.
Shaking off the memories, he wrapped one arm securely around Isabel and kicked his horse into a gallop, the sounds of Isabel's delighted squeals trailing after them. He relished the wind on his face and let the crisp morning air and the simple thrill of racing across the Spanish plains ease his spirits. When he finally pulled his horse up to a stop on top of a low rise, Benito and Luis were mere dots in the distance. Isabel was gasping with laughter and attempting to make sense of her hair. Van Helsing smiled slightly and helped her work out some of the more persistent tangles.
"That was fun!" she exclaimed breathlessly. "Papa never lets me ride that fast. He says, 'when you are older Isabel!' I'll be seven next year, so that means I'll be older and I can ride as fast as I want." She seemed very pleased with this logic.
Van Helsing hummed in the back of his throat, amused. "Your parents must have their work cut out for them trying to find the little lady that's in there somewhere." He let Isabel finish fixing her hair in silence before speaking again. "Do you visit your grandfather often?"
"I've lived with him since I was little. He says God said I should stay with him so that I could grow up good," she said, tilting her head back to look up at Van Helsing. "Did God tell you where to live?"
"God doesn't tell me much," Van Helsing answered, glancing down the hill to find Benito and Luis riding up.
"You'll become a bad influence on Isabel, señor Helsing." Benito admonished, his voice betraying his good nature despite his words. "We are nearly there. Just over the next hill is the place you seek."
Van Helsing nodded, pulling his horse up alongside Luis' and handing Isabel over to him despite her complaints. "I shouldn't be long," he called, kicking his horse back into a gallop.
Van Helsing tied his horse to a tree at the top of the hill overlooking the site of what used to be San Millan. There was no mistaking that there had indeed been something here, for the faint lines of the building's foundations could be seen in the dirt and the area was eroded with generations of use. Except any sign of human habitation here had vanished, just like the reports had said. Frowning, Van Helsing made his way into the village limits, scanning the area for anything out of the ordinary.
"Oh, you came alone. Splendid!"
Once again caught off guard by that voice, Van Helsing turned to find Sam, as expected. The young man was standing some ways away and Van Helsing didn't see any place that he could've been hiding before. The mystery deepened. Sam appeared exactly the same as he had in the dream: tall and almost unnaturally thin, dressed in a simple white tunic and pants. A long braid of blonde hair hung down his back and his dark blue eyes were piercing.
"I was wondering if I would have to talk to you in front of an audience," he continued, pacing his way closer to Van Helsing. "I generally try to keep away from ... public speaking. What is it that the old wives say? Don't wash your dirty laundry in public?" He grinned and the expression was completely disarming. Van Helsing shook his head to clear it.
"You said you had answers for me," he said sternly, forcing his mind to stay on track. The strange 'off-ness' about Sam was once again making his insides do flips.
Sam waved a hand absently before clasping both behind his back. "I did say that, didn't I? Well, I suppose what answers I have depend on what questions you decide to ask. After all, you can't have an answer without a question and I didn't say I had those." When Van Helsing didn't respond, Sam frowned. "Oh, come on. I know you have hundreds of questions you could be asking me. I'll answer anything you want to know to the best of my ability and believe me when I say that I am quite able."
"Okay," Van Helsing started slowly, "let's start with why San Millan is missing."
Sam heaved a sigh, coming to stop a few meters from Van Helsing. "Always about business. Very well. It was taken to get your attention. I cannot tell a lie!" he finished, holding up his hands at Van Helsing's incredulous stare.
"That's it?!" Van Helsing snapped, feeling his anger rising. A village full of innocent people was wiped out of existence to get his attention? They couldn't have just sent him a note? A brick through his window would've been preferable over this.
"Oh, that's the simple and sweet version of it, actually," Sam stated, blinking in surprise as he suddenly found Van Helsing's pistols trained on him. "Oh my."
"How do I undo this?"
Sam chuckled. "Oh, Gabriel. There's a question I can't answer. I'm so sorry," he backed up a step as Van Helsing ratcheted back the hammers on both guns. "However, I do believe we could come to an agreement in regards to this unpleasant situation."
Van Helsing didn't falter. "State your terms."
"Come with me for a little while and listen to what I have to tell you and I'll see about getting in touch with the proper authorities about returning this little village."
"Is that it?"
"That it," Sam said, spreading his arms in a friendly gesture. "I just want your ear for a spell and we'll get about to returning these people to their silly lives."
Slowly, Van Helsing lowered his weapons and returned them to the holsters at his hip. He regarded Sam for several long moments; trying to figure out what game the young man was playing. Yet every time he seemed to come up with something, he would completely lose his train of thought and the idea would vanish. He growled and nodded irritably to Sam, finally deciding to play along for the time being. If all he truly wanted to do was talk, his time was a small price to pay for returning the village.
"Excellent!" Sam practically crowed in glee, running over and grabbing Van Helsing's arm before the other man could protest. In a flash, they were gone.
a/n: hands out cookies to those who've guessed who Sam is already Short chapter, I know, but I came to a good stopping point for the night. Thanks to everyone for their reviews!
For anyone who's curious as to what Isabel looks like, I drew a picture up of her this evening. It can be found here: www.deviantart.com/view/7704353/