You break from the vampire's trance at noon and wake abruptly. It is dark and snowy outside. You feel very groggy, but comforted that Count Dracula is probably sleeping. You get up slowly and walk to the door. Surprisingly, it opens when you turn the handle. Your heart leaps for joy as you traipse out into the hall and descend the stairs. You hope that none of the Count's servants are around.
Your current plan of action is to get to the tower on the other side of the castle. In that tower, there is information regarding Dracula; stored in a secret room. You think that he cannot have found it yet, and hope that he has not destroyed any artifacts that might potentially aid you in his destruction. You travel through all the back halls, seeing no one. The place appears to be deserted, which you find odd. Then again, why should it not be odd? The Count cannot go about in daylight, so his servants are probably not used to working at such hours.
Then, however, when you are about to cross the dining hall, you see guards and retract into the shadows. There are only two ways to get to the tower: either through the dining hall or through the dungeon. You will just have to try the dungeon. You do not really want to know what foul things could be down there, but it is your only choice. There is no way that the guards would let you pass without an intense fight. Furtively, you backtrack to the dungeon door, and slip in soundlessly.
The spiral staircase is lit by torches all the way down. This is the first time you have ever seen it looking used. Your footsteps echo like hollow clicks on the winding path, making it appear as if your steps were all around you. When you get to the foot of the stairs, you stop short, seeing a guard. But when he lets out a peaceful snore, you sigh, relieved, and slip past. The end of the row deeps into solid darkness, so you take a torch from the wall.
"Mira?" Asks a voice from a nearby cell. You whirl around, startled, and see Father Delavego in the shadows.
"Father Delavego!" You exclaim, rushing to the cell.
"What are you doing here?" He asks, "You're supposed to be on a mission!"
"I am a prisoner," you say, "And Dracula's bride-in-waiting, if all plans fall through." You smile grimly.
"Did you get Van Helsing?" He asks. You nod.
"He and Carl are in the Courts of Andume. They sent me to Dracula as bait. All I know is that I am to kill myself if they do not rescue me," you answer.
"Merciful God!" Exclaims the priest, "I assure you they will learn nothing in the Courts of Andume. Your destiny is in your own hands, I'm afraid."
"What should I do, father?" You ask.
"The information is in the tower. But it's all in Latin," replies the priest. You glance daringly down at the sleeping guard.
"How long will it take to translate?" You ask, looking at him. He smiles.
"I can be down here again before sleeping beauty awakes, if that's what you mean," he answers. You grin and run down the hall, snatching the keys with ease and releasing the priest.
"Come on," you urge, leading him deep into the dark of the passage. "So did Dracula imprison you himself?" You ask.
"Yes. Dracula may be friends with Satan, but he at least knows enough to fear God. Killing me would have done him no good, and neither would allowing me to be free. So, he locked me away," explains the priest. You start up another winding staircase that is pitch black.
"Father, if I become Dracula's bride and I cannot kill myself, please stake me," you say, "Promise me."
"With the grace of God…" he answers softly.
"With the grace of God," you repeat, finally reaching the door. You open it and light all the candles, setting the torch in a light holder. The room looks as if it is unused, so you hope that this is the case.
"The painting," says the priest, hitting a pillar on the wall. A painting appears, showing two knights about to battle each other. "Now, watch closely," says the priest. He reads the Latin inscriptions on the sides. The figures move to fight each other and then burst out of their armor, revealing a werewolf and a winged creature. You jump in surprise but watch the painting closely. The werewolf defeats the winged creature, and both turn back into men. However, the man that was the werewolf puts his sword through the heart of the dead man. Then, the sun rises and the dead man turns to ashes. This last sequence takes only four seconds to occur, so you guess that this was missed by Van Helsing and Carl.
"His body does not perish until the light of day shall vanquish," you say aloud.
"That is not in the inscription," says the priest, "The only thing the inscription identifies is that solely a werewolf can kill Dracula."
"Then a piece of the inscription is missing," you say. You run your hands along the edges and discover a crack at the bottom. You exchange glances with the priest. "There is a panel beneath it," you say. The priest says nothing. You get down on the floor and run your hands along the panel. There is a hissing sound and it opens about an inch, forming a door. Gripping the edge of the door, you swing it open and wait a second so that your eyes can adjust to the dark.
As you focus in on the darkness, you notice that it is some sort of low room; maybe ten feet by ten feet at most. In the back is a tarnished gold plate with what seems to be the remainder of the inscription. There is a box-like structure in the middle. But as your eyes focus in on the "box," you realize it isn't a box at all. It is a stone coffin, with low stone steps leading to it. You fall back on your hands, horrified, and slam the panel shut.
You leap to your feet and exchange a desperate glance with the priest. "We must get out of here. Now," you say. The priest looks confused, but you do not pause to explain. You blow out the candles, grabbing the torch.
"Mira, what is it? What of the inscription?" He tries to ask. You grab his wrist and pull him out, slamming the door and flying down the stairs. "What on earth…" The priest tries to speak again, but his words are lost. You do not let him speak, and rush through the darkness unheeded, nearly throwing the priest back into his cell. You lock it swiftly and pause to gasp for breath. "Mira," scorns the priest, "Get a hold on yourself, child!" You stare at him through a blur of horrified and helpless tears. "What did you see?" He asks.
"There was," you start, "A coffin…guarding the remainder of the inscription." You gasp. The priest is frowning.
"Go, Mira. Send word for Van Helsing. You cannot do this alone. Run if you have to. Kill servants. Anything. It will save more lives in the end," says the priest gravely. You nod.
"Thank you, father," you bow, crossing yourself.
"Bless you, child," he says. You take up the key ring and place it furtively at the guard's waist, before turning and running back up the stairs. You run all the way to your staying room and gasp once inside the door. You look outside at the dark sky and the falling snow. You can barely see the Valley of the Courts of Andume now; the only sacred refuge left for you. There is no way you could ever leave now, and get there before nightfall. Besides, you have been completely disarmed and have almost no defenses. You wonder how you are supposed to send for Van Helsing.
Time is running out.
You write a note finally, stating that Van Helsing needs to find a way for a werewolf to kill the Count just before dawn, and then stab the lifeless soul in the presence of the rising sun, so he will turn to ashes. But you do not know how you will send this. Suddenly, an idea occurs to you, but you must be quick if you are to act on it.
You must somehow locate a few of your soldiers. You know they will not be roaming about freely; they will be in hiding somewhere. There is a high possibility that their quarters may be in the back alley. It will be a dangerous mission to send them on, but it is the only option left. Leaving the castle will be easy; Dracula's servants are very sparse it seems. You slip the note into your blouse and slink out the door once more.
You meet no resistance, but you leave through one of the least-used doors anyway. As you are about to round the corner, you hear foreign voices and press yourself flat against the wall. They walk by and you are able to pick up pieces of their conversation. There is some vague reference to the winter ball and another mention of merchants that will be entering within the hour, bearing 'gifts.' This news is somewhat good; it means the gate will be open for the soldiers to get out.
You round the corner and walk cautiously down side streets until you reach the back alley. You try to remember who lives where, and who would be most likely to host soldiers in hiding. You recall a nice, retired servant, who used to work for the Valerious family. This particular woman, Spendra Folsburg, had once taken a liking to helping out with the military. You knock on her door, and hear a scramble inside. You knock again, as if you are impatient. "Just a minute!" A voice says. The door finally opens and the servant stands there, looking quite frazzled. Her hasty look fades into one of relief and joy. "My lady!" She exclaims, falling to her knees. "We thought you were lost!"
"I do not own the city yet," you say quickly, with a frown, "That must be done. Are you housing any soldiers at the moment?"
"Some of your best, madam," she states. Then she turns. "Conrad, Edward, Shay, Sebastien, Vincent!" She calls. They come out of barrels and curtains, swords at their waists. Each walks in his own valor, but with a certain unity that can only be achieved by the greatest warriors through mutual accomplishment. They each drop to their left knee.
"Lady DeLune!" They address respectfully, rising again.
"I have a task for you," you state, "It is a dangerous mission, but with you on the fastest Transylvanian horses, I know you can be trusted." You take out the letter. "I must get this letter to the Courts of Andume; to Gabriel Van Helsing."
"How shall we leave?" Asks Conrad, "The gates are shut always."
"They shall open within the hour," you state, "A caravan of merchants is bringing supplies for the ball this evening. You must be quick to leave, and even quicker to vanish…because if you are seen, you will be pursued and killed." The soldiers do not seem the least bit daunted by this last part. "Will you take the mission?"
"Anything for our lady!" States Edward. The others nod. You nod at them and give the letter to Conrad.
"Faithful soldiers such as yourselves will reap great rewards on the day of victory," you promise, "Leave right away. The gates will be open once you are ready. And take care in entering the valley. Foul things happen in the deeps of the night. I may yet sacrifice myself. In such an instance, I beg you to take charge of the city." You bow. "Good luck, and bless you all." They salute you and you leave, somehow slipping back into the castle unnoticed. You stand at the window, watching the gate. When it opens, a troop of merchants enters with large wagons and big Clydesdales. When a gap appears, your five faithful soldiers, cloaked in black, slip out expertly and disappear almost instantly in the thick falling snow.
You sigh, relieved, and lay down to rest. You will need your strength to resist the Count this evening.