Chapter Nineteen: The "Fearless" Friar
You wait a few minutes in the coatroom before coming out. The crowd is slowly beginning to disperse, so you walk across the floor towards the corridor that leads to the stairs. You have to get out of this blasted dress!
"Mira!" Calls a very familiar voice. You whirl around to see Carl, clad in a full velvet jester costume, running towards you (jingling with every step).
"Carl!" You say, running toward him. You meet in the middle. "Oh, thank God you're here!"
"We got your note," says Carl in a low voice, shifting his eyes around the room, "Your soldiers barely made it to us before nightfall. After Van Helsing read your note, he went trekking back across the valley and up the path, claiming he would return within the hour. When he got back, he insisted upon departing at once, not even bothering to explain a rather gaping wound on his shoulder—"
"—You there!" Calls a harsh voice. You both look up to see a rugged-looking guard approaching. Carl exchanges a glance with you and you keep a hand on your sword hilt, certain that the guard does not realize you are armed. "I have orders that you are to be locked up till dusk," states the guard. You look at him with fiery eyes and then draw the sword, placing its tip firmly at his chin.
"Locked up?" You repeat, your eyes burning into him. He gulps. "Nay sir, I think not," you say. He remains silent with his hands up. "You can return to your post and let me be! And tell your master that I refused his order, and threatened your life!" He backs away and scurries off, completely caught off his guard. "Now, come Carl," you say, leading him toward the stairwell, "I have to get out of this damned gown." (Carl looks immeasurably impressed with you).
Once you reach the room, you grab your things, going behind the changing screen. "It's amazing that you've held up so long," he says. Since Dracula loosened the lacing already, you run into no more trouble.
"Well, thank God you came so soon! Without that distraction, I would have had to go through with killing myself," you respond, throwing the ball gown across the floor. You shudder at the thought of having to wear it, and put on your chemise and riding pants. "So what is the current plan of action?" You ask, pulling on the leather corset and flipping through the laces.
"Very vague. Apparently, Van Helsing needs for us to release him from his prison cell just before dawn—" he begins to reply.
"—What!?" You nearly gasp and fall over, poking your head out from behind the screen, "Oh no…he didn't…"
"Didn't what?" Asks Carl. He clearly has no idea what was in your note.
"Oh, God, Carl…the only thing that can kill Dracula is a werewolf…" You mutter, tightening your corset buckles. You put your boots back on, tightening them over your riding pants. "I should have known…"
"Known what?!" Asks Carl, somewhat exasperated. You ignore this.
"I must speak to Van Helsing," you say, securing your sword.
"After you!" States Carl. He has taken off his jester hat and now stands with his arms crossed, looking at you.
"You are coming with me!" You state, grabbing him by the arm and pulling him to the door. You grab the handle and the door doesn't open. You rattle and pull, but it still does not move. You curse and then look at Carl frantically. "We're locked in!" You kick the door in a merciless rage, but only cause a slight dent.
"I don't think it's opening," says Carl.
"Well, I'm glad you noticed, Carl," you say sweetly, looking at him threateningly, your tone slipping to a growl, "Because your head is going through it!" He squeaks, much like a bird, and leaps away, hands risen in defense. You calm yourself down and think. Then, you remember the door in the closet. You grab Carl's wrist. "Come on!"
"Where are we going?" He asks in a panicked tone, as you enter the closet.
"Well, we will soon see," you say, unbolting the heavy, dust-laden door. It swings open with a long creaking sound and then all is silent. Before you is a portal of looming darkness. With a grumble, you run into the room to grab a torch, and return to shine it through the darkness. There is a long, narrow slide-like passage that appears to wind about the tower just above the stairwell (or so you would imagine). It looks to be made of a tarnished metal. Carl clears his throat inconspicuously. "All right," you breath. You hand Carl the torch. "Let's see where this goes," you say, gripping Carl's arm.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" Asks Carl nervously. You step forward, your heel making a hollow clunk on contact.
"I think it's safe," you say, moving in. Carl follows with caution.
"This is rather odd," he comments.
"I never knew this existed," you reply. Your voices echo, causing vibrations on the slope.
"Where do you think it leads?" Asks Carl.
"As long as it's out, I don't care," you reply, gripping the surrounding stone walls. "I don't understand how it could lead anywhere…but then again, this castle is full of all sorts of odd passageways," you say, looking around the dim flicker of the torchlight. Carl is silent. "I know where Dracula's little hide-away is, by the way. It's up in the library," you finally say to Carl.
"In the library? But…where?" He asks, surprised.
"There is a hidden vault beneath that moving painting. The remainder of the Latin inscription is on a gold plate in the back of the vault…but it is guarded by Dracula's coffin, or coffin portal…whatever it may truly be," you say.
"Did you hear that?" Asks Carl. You stop.
"Hear what?" You reply, listening.
"I thought I heard—" Carl begins but then you both freeze, hearing it. It is most definitely NOT human. There is a deep-throated growl from up the passage and then the clanking of four limbs, moving cautiously along after you. You look at Carl in a moment of brief panic and then suddenly, the two of you just drop down onto your rears and slide down, screaming. The growling behind you grows louder (not with distance, but with ferocity) and you hear claws beginning to slide along the metal. Frantically, you push yourselves faster along the slide, feeling as if it will never end.
Then suddenly, you are flying through the air and you land in a pile of snow in the courtyard. Not wasting a minute, or pausing to think of where you now are, you grab Carl and drag him through the snow to the door leading to the front foyer, and throw him inside, slamming the door behind you. You both pause for a relieved breath inside the foyer.
"What was that?" You ask.
"I don't know!" Carl fumes, "But you said it was safe!"
"Nothing is completely safe anymore…" You answer, hanging your head and sighing deeply. Then something thuds against the door from the courtyard side. You shriek, bolting the door and grabbing Carl again. "I don't know where we're going but we can't stay here!" You yell, dragging him down the hall.
"Our Father, who art in heaven…hallowed be Thy name…Thy Kingdom come…" Carl mutters, his eyes squeezed shut.
"Carl, stop praying and start running so I don't have to drag you the whole way!" You fume angrily, jerking at his arm.
"Oh, right," he says, scrambling to his feet and finally running beside you. When you round the corner, you hear the door smash open and the creature comes bounding after you. You fling Carl around the corner and find yourselves plummeting down the stairwell into the dungeon. There are two guards at the bottom, lounging, but they leap to their feet when you approach.
"Get back up there!" One of them says, but he gets shoved away when you fly past him.
"Run…for…your…lives…if you…value them!" You scream at the top of your lungs, running down the intricate series of tunnels like a labyrinth. There is a growl and then the growl quiets. The guards laugh to themselves after you and Carl find refuge in a dark corner.
"She's scared of a puppy dog!" One of the guards taunts. Carl is shuddering violently beside you. You rise angrily and stalk back down the corridor.
"Mira, where are you going?" Squeaks Carl. He leaps to his feet and follows you. You round the corner (ignoring Carl) and draw your sword, pointing it at the guards. There is a rather large wolf seated at their feet. It growls at, staring at you through yellow eyes.
"Where is Van Helsing?" You demand. The guards are eating at the moment, tossing scraps to the wolf.
"Not here," one of the guards replies lazily, "Dracula moved all important things to a better location."
"What location?" You ask, your sword still forth. The wolf growls menacingly at you.
"His castle of course," says the other guard, yawning. The guards grin at each other. "Good luck getting there," says the guard mockingly.
"You will tell me how or I swear—" you begin, reaching your sword forth. Carl grabs your arm and you realize that suddenly, he seems very composed and cheery.
"Now now, Mira. No need to get so testy with the guards. We will just return to our quarters and wait for Dracula to come back tonight," says Carl. You blink at him in disbelief and he smiles reassuringly, leading you away, and up the stairs. The guards seem to sense the fishiness involved as well.
"And no wandering!" They state. The wolf stays with them for the time being, but you still don't trust it. You keep your sword close-by.
"What was that about, Carl?" You ask, glaring at him. He just smiles secretively at you. "What are you not telling me?" You ask, narrowing your eyes. Carl just smiles bigger, leading you into the front foyer again. He moves the chairs away from a massive painting on the wall. You see more Latin inscriptions. "What is this?" You ask finally, staring uncomprehendingly.
"This, Mira…is a door," says Carl triumphantly, inspecting it, "And still very much intact from the last time I was here." He runs a finger along the words and reads them aloud. "In the name of God, open this door," he states. The painting fades into an ancient-looking mirror. You stare at it.
"What is this?" You ask, reaching a finger forward and touching it. Your finger goes through and you pull it back quickly, surprised. Carl smiles at you.
"It's the door that leads to Dracula's castle," he says.
"It's cold on the other side…" You whisper, reaching your hand through again. You pull your hand back again and pull a torch off the wall. You pause. "What happened to Vladimir?" You ask.
"He's around," says Carl, "Probably with the soldiers on the other side of town. He knows where to go if he can't find us here."
"You're certain?" You ask, "I think we should take him with us."
"Nonsense! Time is running out. We can always come back if we need to. First we must speak to Van Helsing!" Argues Carl, "We have to find out exactly what our plan is. We cannot blindly wander the streets. There may be enemies watching!"
"Isn't it more likely that enemies will be watching at Fortress Dracula, since he apparently moved everything there?" You ask, leaning on the wall, raising a brow at him. Carl has no response.
"What are we waiting for?" Asks a new voice, walking into the room. Vladimir stands in the doorway, looking at you. You grin. He smiles at you. Carl is again speechless.
"We were waiting for Carl to explain why we should not go and get you," you answer. Carl looks rather frightened as Vladimir glares at him (jokingly however). You laugh and step through the wall, feeling the cold rush past you. Things look a bit brighter, and yet, so much darker.