Chapter 18
Chapter 18
We had made a plan, and with determination, my family and I were carrying it out. A masquerade ball had indeed been announced, scheduled for November seventeenth, in the summer palace of an alleged acquaintance that the Count had in Budapest. One among his many. Dracula would be sure to attend.
We had found out through William's father, who had spent days after the Count's visit to our home inquiring after balls. I had pointed out particularly masquerade balls. A man named Hans had filled in the crucial piece of information with the time and place. That was only days away. If everything was to work according to the master plan, Dracula would be dead before the night was out. I smiled, knowing the relief I would feel.
A million different colors lay everywhere. Jewels sparkled and shined as they hung carelessly from jewelry boxes and mirrors. A flurry of activity surrounded me as servant woman passed in front of me, showing me different gowns that I could possibly wear. I merely sat in the center of it all, a feeling of dread at the pit of my stomach. My eyes closed to oust the brightness of the room.
The boom of a door slamming shut. I looked up to see my Uncle smiling at my Cousin and I. "We can use this to our advantage indeed!" he said almost madly. He walked carefully around the table, coming to our side. I looked at him in confusion.
"What do you mean?" I asked. He smiled at me and reached out with his thumb to touch my nose playfully. I smiled. "What are you planning?" I asked.
"You are our winning hand." Uncle said happily. "It seems from what William has told me, the Count has become taken with you." Uncle Ferdinand said. I nearly blanched at the thought. The Count didn't admire me. He only wanted to torture me. Torture me because I reminded him of an old enemy. "A splendid plan…" Uncle Ferdinand muttered to himself. William perked up immediately.
"What is your idea father, what are we going to do?" he asked. I did not want to know, because I knew it involved me somehow. But, reluctantly, I listened. Because, at the same time, I wanted to finish the Count as much, if not more, than the two men I now were with.
"Come here William, Christine," Uncle Ferdinand called. He had turned away while I had been lost in my thoughts. He had walked to a small writing desk, taking out a piece of paper to write on. "We have much to talk about." He said.
"And this one?" someone asked me, snapping me from my thoughts. I looked up at the young woman and smiled. "What do you think of this one?" she said, holding up a yellow gown the color of sunshine. I smiled in amusement. It looked almost as if it were gold. Vladislaus Dracula would love the richness.
"That one is perfect." I said simply. I saw the girl's eyes light up in excitement. She looked to the other women, calling to them that they had found a dress. They all looked up from their work, satisfied. "It's perfect." I said again.
"Now for the jewelry." The girl said, handing me the dress as carefully as she could. "I know the perfect pair of earrings and necklace that you could wear!"
It was strange how happy one could make another by simply praising their strength. The girl arrived in moments, holding the jewelry in her hand. A golden choker she had, with a black cameo decorating the center. The earrings and pins she held in her hands were all gold as well. I would shine that night, apparently. I nodded in approval.
I rose from my seat and went to a huge trunk, opening the box. It was empty, perfect to pack. I called to the girl. "Have my things packed quickly, I must be on my way before the night is out." I said simply. She nodded in reply, calling the other women to work as well.
I left the room quickly to find William.
"Keep him distracted, Christine." Uncle Ferdinand said. "You dance with him, play with him. Pretend as if you have had a change of heart." I looked at him as if he had gone completely mad.
"Do you know what you are asking me to do?" I answered simply. Uncle Ferdinand chuckled in reply. "What if the Count doesn't believe me?" I asked. "How can I convince him that I've had such a quick change of heart?"
"You will find a way, I'm sure." He replied. He turned his concentration to William, whose eyes danced with happiness. He was finally getting his chance to fight.
"William," his father said, laughing. "You will be not far away. Be at least within walking distance of them. Watch them for the night. We do not know where this ball will take place, but I'm positive it will be in large, lavish surroundings. You will be taking with you three of my men to act as watchmen and guards. The will listen, and they will see everything, reporting back to you every few minutes, alternating consecutively, as you see here." He said, as a crude drawing began to form by his hand. I looked down in amusement. I felt like Alexander the Great, or Joan of Arc.
"Each one of these men will be located at an entrance or an exit. If there is some sort of balcony overlooking the ball or something of the sort, I will want you to position at least one man there." Uncle Ferdinand said, drawing a balcony.
"To act as a sharpshooter." I said quietly to myself. My Uncle looked to me and smiled tenderly.
"Exactly, sweetheart." He said. He touched my shoulder tenderly before returning his attention to the paper. "Now…"
I hurried down the hallway, trying in vain to find my cousin. Like me, he was preparing for the trip, a trip I was hoping he would return from. I found him in a darkened room, surrounded by weapons. I stopped, my excited mood screeching to a halt.
"William." I said, walking carefully into the room. He turned and smiled.
"I understand the concept of the plan, yes." William said after a moment, looking up at his father. He pointed to the circle that indicated Dracula. "But how do we go about killing him? A silver stake, bullet, decapitation…What?" he asked. Uncle looked at him for a moment before responding.
"No attempt like this has ever been made on his life." William's father replied simply. "To put it gently, my son, I don't know."
William's eyes widened slightly at this revelation. He had been excited up until this point, expecting a quick end to the Count, and the beginning of a good, normal life. It was barely out of reach.
"So how do you suggest we kill him?" William answered. I felt my hand reach out to touch his gently. He didn't even feel it. He had become intent on the plan. His father laughed and continued.
"Another good reason as to why we have more than one man…"
"Have you picked your weapon?" I asked gently, afraid to see his reaction. William smiled at me and looked away, towards a silver dagger that hung on the wall.
"Actually," he said. "I think I have decided on two. Better safe than sorry. The first is a revolver. I have silver bullets to go with that." William continued, as if he were advertising some sort of product.
I smirked and approached him. I lifted my hand and tickled him playfully on the back of the neck. He laughed.
"What was that for?" he asked, looking at me. I smirked.
"Because I haven't seen you smile in so long." I answered in reply. "Now, show me these weapons you've chosen!" I said, my voice growing excited. His eyes brightened in enthusiasm. He was already romanticizing the battle, envisioning the victory. He pointed up towards the dagger.
"You see that there?" he said. He walked away, towards the weapon. He took it down, gently from the wall. "It is a silver dagger. According to what my father has researched, it seems that the nosferatu tend to have allergies to this metal. If it doesn't kill him, perhaps it will stop him enough to make our escape." He said.
He looked at it as if it were a treasure to behold. He then looked up and smiled at me. William held it out for me to take. I approached cautiously, my hands reaching out as I came within reach of it. He relinquished it gently into my waiting hands and smiled at me.
"It is light. It hardly weighs an ounce." I said, watching the light dance off the weapon. It was thin, but long, just long enough to pierce through a heart. The handle was wrapped carefully in what appeared to be leather, allowing a firm hold on the weapon when attacking. I looked up at him.
"It's strong and large enough to pierce a heart, yet light enough to hide in a boot or vest." William said. I slowly returned the dagger to him. I watched as he hid it in his vest, demonstrating.
" Silver is the only sure thing that will keep you safe should something go wrong." Uncle Ferdinand said, at the close of his speech. He looked at me and smiled. "Should something go wrong, I want you to take your cousin and flee the place. Run as far away as you can and find a church. It is in there only that you will be safe." He said. William stood and smiled at his father, before coming to stand behind where I sat. I felt his arms wrap around me in comfort as he answered.
"If something does go wrong." William said confidently. "I've had military experience, and I've been taught by the masters of sword fighting and shooting. I am sure I will be able to finish this with out a single hitch." He continued. I looked down, not feeling so confident. Uncle Ferdinand smiled.
"As I am sure you will, but still the same, I want you to have planned some sort of route of escape should anything happen." Uncle Ferdinand said. William smiled in response.
"I will be sure to do that." William answered. "We must have all aspects of this plan covered, no matter how small the detail." So confident he was. Why couldn't I bring myself to feel the same way?
"Now go. I have some inquires to make." Uncle Ferdinand said.
"So very amusing!" I said in happiness. He pulled the dagger from his vests and looked proudly at me. "I am glad you will have such a thing to protect you. Make sure you know how to use that thing." I continued. William remained silent. He bent downwards, hiding the dagger in his boot.
"You have the most dangerous part of the plan to carry out. It is surprising my father didn't allow you to carry some sort of protection as well." William said after a moment, rising to meet my gaze. "You will be so close to him, you play a dangerous game. Are you sure you want to do this, Christine?" he asked. I smiled.
"I will do this." I answered confidently. "I will provide the window of attack. Do not worry about me, William. I will be fine." He smiled and approached me. I felt his arms wrap around myself in a hug. His heart was beating quickly. He was scared. I could feel it.
"William." I said, pulling away from him after a moment. "Go and pack. We do not want to miss the train to Budapest now, do we?" he smirked. He did not show a hint of the fear he was feeling.
"We don't want to miss the window." He replied, mimicking me. I glared at him angrily, but smiled playfully after a while. He was trying to lighten the mood.
"You go!" I said, pretending to be infuriated. He lifted his hands up in surrender, walking around me. As he passed, I felt him tug my hair playfully. I shot after him, down the hall, and to his room. He had allowed me to forget the anxieties I felt, if only for a moment.
A/N:
I loved writing this chapter!!! What did you think of the switching off of what was happening in the chapter. If you didn't notice, I was trying to combine elements of what transpired directly after the events of last chapter with what is supposedly happening 'now', if you know what I mean. I tried to make a seamless transition between the two as I wrote the chapter, and I think I did a pretty good job.
This chapter is quickly leading us up to the chapter I can't wait to write!!! Is it creating enough anticipation!! As I was writing the chapter, I tried my hardest to create that type of atmosphere, let me know how it came across!