The next day was much the same. I joined the count and my father for breakfast, and then my father left the two of us to talk. This time we carried on our conversations in the castle's enormous library, seated next to the large fireplace. A warm, roaring fire had been lit and shadows danced around the edges of the room.
"You seemed to know a great deal about weaponry when we were in the armory yesterday," the count said. "Have you been taught to use a sword?"
I was a bit surprised by the question, but I answered him truthfully. "Yes…my father began teaching me when I was younger. Since he has no son, I am the only one he has to pass his knowledge on to," I said smiling. The count nodded.
"Your father is excellent with a sword. Indeed it would be a shame for him to not to pass on his knowledge to you."
I had not expected this to be the count's response, most men thought that it was improper for a woman to be taught to defend herself with a sword. I was very grateful that he was not one of these men.
A silence fell, and I noticed that the count was once again watching me. This time I did not look away, but returned his gaze. For several moments that seemed like an eternity, we sat staring into each other's eyes.
"You are very beautiful, Katrina," he said at last.
I felt like I was unable to speak, so I simply continued to look back at him. Slowly he moved closer to me, and before I knew it his lips were softly touching mine. He kissed me gently, and I felt myself returning the kiss, caught up in the feeling of his lips on mine.
Suddenly the count pulled away and sat back looking at me with a slightly worried expression on his face. "Forgive me, I did not mean to…" His words trailed off, and I shook my head. "No, my lord, there is no need to ask for forgiveness."
"Please, call me Vladislaus," he said.
"Vladislaus then," I said smiling.
He returned the smile, though I could tell that his mind was on something else. "Well," he said, "I would imagine that it is nearly time for the evening meal." Standing, the count then offered me his hand. "Shall we?"
As I tried to sleep later that night, I found that I could not. The storm had finally stopped outside, but it was my thoughts on the day's events that kept me awake. I could not stop thinking about the count, wondering if maybe this arrangement wouldn't be as bad as I had thought. He was certainly an exceptional man, as I had learned from our conversations.
He seemed to know a great deal about everything, not just the art of warfare as I had expected. He spoke to me with respect and meaning, even though I was still just a girl. Somewhere in all these thoughts I drifted to sleep.
The next morning I was surprised to learn that the count would be leaving a day earlier than expected. The storm clouds had cleared, and blankets of snow covered the Transylvanian landscape. The drafty castle was especially cold that morning as many of the knights moved about, preparing to leave. Making my way through the castle, I found my father and the count, who was dressed in elaborate armor. There was also another man, one that I had seen with the count several times before.
He stood as tall as the count, with dark hair and warm eyes. He too was dressed in armor, a large sword at his side. As I approached the three of them, the man turned to look at me, an expression of curiosity on his face.
"There you are Katrina," my father said as I reached them.
"Katrina," the count said, taking my hand, "allow me to introduce to you my good friend, Lord Gabriel Van Helsing." The man bowed and then smiled. "It is a pleasure to meet you, my lady." I returned his smile, and the count turned to me.
"I am afraid that this will be our last day together for a long time," he said looking into my eyes. "And since we will not be leaving until this afternoon, I thought that perhaps we could spend a bit more time together this morning."
I smiled and nodded. "I would love to." I then glanced over at Van Helsing, who was politely pretending not to overhear our conversation.
"Vladislaus," I said for the first time. "Yes, my love?" the count answered softly. "Perhaps Lord Van Helsing would like to join us. I do regret that I have not met your friend until the day of your departure." The count smiled. "Of course my dear, that is an excellent idea."
At the mention of his name Van Helsing had turned back to us, and then smiled. "Forgive me, my lady, but I'm afraid I could not intrude upon your time with the count."
"Nonsense," I said smiling. "You will not be intruding, we would like for you to join us."
Looking from the count to me, Van Helsing smiled and nodded. "If you insist, my lady."
The rest of that morning was spent by a warm fire in happy conversation, and I found myself completely entertained by the count and Van Helsing. I came to realize just how good of friends they were. They told me stories of their adventures together when they were younger, and I laughed picturing the two disciplined men before me as reckless boys. It also came to me even then how much alike they were in many ways.
"You seemed to know a great deal about weaponry when we were in the armory yesterday," the count said. "Have you been taught to use a sword?"
I was a bit surprised by the question, but I answered him truthfully. "Yes…my father began teaching me when I was younger. Since he has no son, I am the only one he has to pass his knowledge on to," I said smiling. The count nodded.
"Your father is excellent with a sword. Indeed it would be a shame for him to not to pass on his knowledge to you."
I had not expected this to be the count's response, most men thought that it was improper for a woman to be taught to defend herself with a sword. I was very grateful that he was not one of these men.
A silence fell, and I noticed that the count was once again watching me. This time I did not look away, but returned his gaze. For several moments that seemed like an eternity, we sat staring into each other's eyes.
"You are very beautiful, Katrina," he said at last.
I felt like I was unable to speak, so I simply continued to look back at him. Slowly he moved closer to me, and before I knew it his lips were softly touching mine. He kissed me gently, and I felt myself returning the kiss, caught up in the feeling of his lips on mine.
Suddenly the count pulled away and sat back looking at me with a slightly worried expression on his face. "Forgive me, I did not mean to…" His words trailed off, and I shook my head. "No, my lord, there is no need to ask for forgiveness."
"Please, call me Vladislaus," he said.
"Vladislaus then," I said smiling.
He returned the smile, though I could tell that his mind was on something else. "Well," he said, "I would imagine that it is nearly time for the evening meal." Standing, the count then offered me his hand. "Shall we?"
As I tried to sleep later that night, I found that I could not. The storm had finally stopped outside, but it was my thoughts on the day's events that kept me awake. I could not stop thinking about the count, wondering if maybe this arrangement wouldn't be as bad as I had thought. He was certainly an exceptional man, as I had learned from our conversations.
He seemed to know a great deal about everything, not just the art of warfare as I had expected. He spoke to me with respect and meaning, even though I was still just a girl. Somewhere in all these thoughts I drifted to sleep.
The next morning I was surprised to learn that the count would be leaving a day earlier than expected. The storm clouds had cleared, and blankets of snow covered the Transylvanian landscape. The drafty castle was especially cold that morning as many of the knights moved about, preparing to leave. Making my way through the castle, I found my father and the count, who was dressed in elaborate armor. There was also another man, one that I had seen with the count several times before.
He stood as tall as the count, with dark hair and warm eyes. He too was dressed in armor, a large sword at his side. As I approached the three of them, the man turned to look at me, an expression of curiosity on his face.
"There you are Katrina," my father said as I reached them.
"Katrina," the count said, taking my hand, "allow me to introduce to you my good friend, Lord Gabriel Van Helsing." The man bowed and then smiled. "It is a pleasure to meet you, my lady." I returned his smile, and the count turned to me.
"I am afraid that this will be our last day together for a long time," he said looking into my eyes. "And since we will not be leaving until this afternoon, I thought that perhaps we could spend a bit more time together this morning."
I smiled and nodded. "I would love to." I then glanced over at Van Helsing, who was politely pretending not to overhear our conversation.
"Vladislaus," I said for the first time. "Yes, my love?" the count answered softly. "Perhaps Lord Van Helsing would like to join us. I do regret that I have not met your friend until the day of your departure." The count smiled. "Of course my dear, that is an excellent idea."
At the mention of his name Van Helsing had turned back to us, and then smiled. "Forgive me, my lady, but I'm afraid I could not intrude upon your time with the count."
"Nonsense," I said smiling. "You will not be intruding, we would like for you to join us."
Looking from the count to me, Van Helsing smiled and nodded. "If you insist, my lady."
The rest of that morning was spent by a warm fire in happy conversation, and I found myself completely entertained by the count and Van Helsing. I came to realize just how good of friends they were. They told me stories of their adventures together when they were younger, and I laughed picturing the two disciplined men before me as reckless boys. It also came to me even then how much alike they were in many ways.
