A/N: thanks fer all tha lovely reviews! before you read this chappy, PLEASE read the story all over again, cuz i've made changes 'n'stuff so please! R&R!!
Chapter IV
Sitting at the table the next morning was so tense, and the thought of sitting this close to this Valerious the Elder, was scaring me half to dead. His eyes were so cold and evil to look at, as they burnt holes in Vladislaus' face. Amadae did not speak, and she seemed as a very chatty person, but this morning was so tense, and the air in the room was so smothering that she did not dare speak. I got very uncomfortable by watching their silent battle, as though all was said over telepathy. I began fighting down my nausea again, as his stare switched from Vladislaus to me in a second and returned. I began to involuntarily shudder, as his look reminded me of my father's. He could wear that look so easily. Amadae noticed me, and put her teacup down and asked if I were well. Valerious mumbled something as he continued to stare at Vladislaus' face, though the glare was not returned. Vladislaus settled for sending apologetic and shameful looks back.
"I'm..." I fought it down again as I saw Valerious send me another cold quick glance, "I'm fine... thanks," I said. "May I leave, mistress Amadae?"
"Well, yes," she sent a glance down the table at her husband, "I will lead you back to your room, Cassandra," she said as she got up and walked to me. She pulled me out of the chair, eyeing Vladislaus and Valerious. Just as we got out and closed the door, shouting from within the hall started and sounds of chair's getting knocked over or scraping the floor loudly, flooded out. The sounds reminded me of my father, and as we walked a few steps away from the dinning hall door, I got as white as a sheet, and vomited on the floor, almost choking on it. I fell to my knees, staring at the pool of acid-porridge.
"Oh, good heavens child! I, oh!" she said in a high tone, as she scurried off to call for some servants to help me get to a bed. It was, once again blackening before my eyes, but before I dozed off to unconsciousness, I heard pieces of "conversation" from the dinning hall:
"...Have I not taught you well enough?! How dare you defy me!?" Valerious shouted. Foot steps were heard and a slapping noise filed out through the door to me. Then a body fell on the floor. More footsteps.
"Listen to me Vladislaus. This is your warning. You are MY son, and I will not have YOU RUIN my reputation. You know the rules. Koloretta told me, Vladislaus. You can receive proper punishment later this afternoon. Be at my study at 9 o'clock, am I making myself clear enough for you to understand?!" Valerious asked angrily. Seconds later he slammed the door open and found me, unconscious.
Later I woke up, having immense pain in my right-side ribs. Looking at it, my skin had still not want to go back to normal colours, and the wound was in bandage, which sported blood drops. I felt horrible. I was freezing, I felt like my stomach had be turned inside out and the dizziness that roamed me, was insufferable. I felt so weak, and being weak used to be my role at my father place. But he was dead now. I felt like throwing up again, and decided that I would stop thinking about the dead man. He was not linked to me, and never would that be his role in my life again. I felt annoyed, being so easily affected by him, and he was gone. His corpse was probably rotting on the street now, as ravens circle for a quick bite to eat; another disgusting thought. I just reached the wood bucket beside me in time, before my stomach's last holds flooded down from my mouth and lips in cascades. I took a towel next to me and wiped my face, and upon placing it back on the bed table, I saw a glass of water, which I sipped of until the taste of vomit perished. Then I lay back, and worried for Vladislaus. Maybe he already had got his punishment. Maybe I had slept for 2 days; maybe a week. Little did I care, as I once more dozed off.
When I woke up again, I found Vladislaus looking at me intensely, but smiled then, seeing that I was awake.
"Welcome back. I wish you'd stop doing that, Cass," he said.
"Doing what?" I asked a bit confused.
"Dozing off like that," he said. "I've come to tell you something," he continued, getting up from the bed, walking to the window and looking out. "I am leaving for Rome. My father insists that I should learn the basics in Rome, instead of here, as the original plan was. And you are to simply stay here." He turned around, expressionless.
I got slightly confused. "What do you mean? Why are you getting sent to... oh," I said, as it dawned on me.
"In fact, I am leaving today, so I just came to say goodbye," he said with a smile.
He walked over to me again, took my hand and kissed it. He then looked up at me, while nuzzling my hand. He stared into my eyes, almost consuming me. He let go of my hand and whispered 'Goodbye', as he left. A long time I stared after him. How long was a perfectly good question, though I wouldn't be able to answer it. Koloretta then came in with a bowl of soup in it. She sad on the bed and fed me with it. After that she left.
After that, a lot of years went by, though not without contact with Vladislaus. He wrote almost every fortnight, telling me that he had met a guy a little older than himself, whom he shared room with. His name was Gabriel Van Helsing. He was very tall of his age and good-hearted person. He had been in Rome for 3 years, and was in his eighteenth year of life. He had also decided to grow his hair, much to the annoyance of the monks there, but Gabriel had just thought it perfect for him to get a new look.
Vladislaus also sometimes sent gifts. The first I got was a silver ring with a blue opal shaped like a dragon eye. It was the least pompous one, but it was more special. I had noticed Vladislaus had worn it when he was here. I had sent it back and said that I was hardly worth of this ring, but he insisted and asked me to be the safe-keeper of it, till we met again. I accepted on that cause, and that it was beautiful. I sat studying it one day, and saw an inscription in it that I hadn't noticed when I got it the first time. It said: "For ever" which left me to smile.
He told a lot of about his missions, though I thought it sounded a lot like exaggeration, at first. The way he described his fights were supernatural, but the older he got, the more real his "stories" sounded. I still couldn't believe the monsters he described, when he started to lay out how it fully came to path on his missions. People started admiring him for his tactics and skills with a sword and diverse weapons. His leading was trustful, and going into battle with him was a great honour to soldiers. That's what people told him many times, he said.
Vladislaus had succeeded so well over the past seven years that his father had come to visit him bringing someone to see him: me. I was 21 years then. I had a hard time suppressing the happiness I felt towards Valerious and for going to visit him. He had become a kind man, after all. As we sat in the carriage, Amadae and I, I looked at the Vatican premises that all too slowly got nearer and nearer.
I sat smiling to my self: I was happy with myself for learning about fighting with a sword, and that I was able to keep that note out of the letters I wrote for him. I looked out of the window and I could se two men walking down the stairs in a conversation. The carriage door was opened, then, and we were led out. As I got out after Amadae, Vladislaus and the other man had come over to us.
Vladislaus' face was expressionless at first, but his eyes betray him, and his face slit into a broad grin, which he then directed to the man beside him.
Vladislaus had grown more handsome than he had been when we met last. His clothes were all black, his hair was longer and he seemed so... I couldn't describe it! The man next to him was handsome as well. He wore garments very unlike Vladislaus': a turtleneck, tight breeches, a trench-coat and a leather hat. He had a kind of haggard expression, deep brown eyes and light face features. His hair was brown, wavy and at shoulder length. He also wore a charming smile.
Vladislaus got his grin returned and stepped forward to take my hand in his and kissed it lightly. He pulled me close in a short embrace where he kissed my cheek without anyone noticing. He then gave his mother a kiss and a hug and shook hands with his father, whom pulled him in, clapping him on the back. He turned around and looked at the other man.
"This, mother and father," Vladislaus pointed to the stranger, "is my good friend Gabriel Van Helsing," he said smiling, gesturing for Gabriel to come forth. He took of his hat and went to Amadae and kissed her hand, shook Valerious' hand and then came to me taking my hand as I stretched it forward, but stared deeply into my eyes, as though trying to search my sole, and bent down to blow on the back of my hand, instead of touching it. He looked up at me again, though only a second, as Vladislaus came over offering his arm to me, which I took. He led me up the marble steps and inside the Vatican.
"You don't live in the Vatican Cathedral, do you?" I asked, confused as to why we went into the Cathedral.
"No, no. Of course not, Cassandra. We live in the secret base under the Vatican. There's a kind of barrack there, if you will. It's not something exquisite, but it is liberation. It is freedom. And it's good enough," he said, turning around to face me again, because he had walked away gesturing upwards. I just stood there looking as innocent as I could, and smiled.
"So, how about looking at the armoury?" I asked, wanting to show off.
He turned around, a pleased smirk on his face.
"Ah, yes. The Armoury. Come, Cassandra," he said, waltzing to me and dragging me with him.
Walking around in silence for a while, he left me and opened the doors with both hands, gesturing me inside with a bow of his head. There were plenty of weapons, and many which I had never seen in my life. I left his arm and went around looking. I went behind some weapon cabinets and was met by a light. There was a crystal sword in a glass bell. I stood staring for a while before Vladislaus pulled me away from it and closed a cabinet in front of it.
"Sorry, Cassandra. That is a sacred sword of the archangels. It would best to leave it be," Vladislaus said. I nodded and went back and was captured by some detailed swords.
I took up a sword and after examining it carefully, I tapped Vladislaus' shoulder with it. The sound of a sword getting unsheathed sounded, seconds before the egg of his blade hit mine, which still were resting on his shoulder. He pointed his sword at my face with a grin on his handsome face.
"Oh, Cassandra! Why do you attack me, my love?" he said, his sword still at my face, and a smirk on his lips.
"Because!" I said, drawing back my sword and hitting his away, while grabbing it in the air and pointing both swords at him. "- I thought we should have a lethal dance, my dearest Count!" I said, realising how thick my accent really sounded. He continued to smirk at me.
"Of course," he said, and then I flipped the sword around and extended it towards him. He took it carefully out of my hand, so he wouldn't cut it.
"My! I must say, I had not expected you to be this strong. My father told me that you had been practising in the armoury. He said it was a pleasure to watch and teach you. Now, I will be his substitute," he said charging at me with one hand his back.
"Yes," I drawled, "and so he was," I said defending my left flank.
We fought hard, trying to defeat the other. He tried his best not to cut me, and with the experience he had, he was successful on that point. He smirked at me too much, and I felt enraged and made stupid strokes at him, which in reality would have gotten me killed.
"Actually, he was quite worried, when he asked me if had put this task of learning swordfight on your shoulders, but I was quite astonished myself to hear you tried yourself. And for that," he drew back and away from me and bowed deeply, which gave me a chance to charge at him, "I must say Bravo," he got up and put his sword hilt to his shoulder, the blade pointing down, which entwined with mine and he broke it away from my hand, and then grasped me around my neck and flung away his and my borrowed sword.
I felt angry at him for some reason, but it was just the heat of the fight that had brought that upon me. The second I got what I had secretively yearned for in almost 7 years the anger died away and I returned his passionate and fiery kiss, melting in his touch. His hands ran down my back and hugged me around the waist. My one hand sought his irresistible hair in that silver clip, and the other slid from one of his shoulders to the small of his back and then back again, feeling his clothing and the muscles underneath. He kissed gently down my face and nuzzled my neck. He took a deep breath, inhaling my scent, and giving a muffled consent to it. All I could do was stand is his arms, with closed eyes, and accept everything he gave to me. He went back to my mouth and kissed it again, though it was only on the lips and so soft and enthralling, it made me whimper when he drew back, with a smile on his face.
"You have no idea how long I wanted that to happen," he said pulling me to him and kissed my forehead.
I just smiled my reply, letting myself be led out again, after Vladislaus readjusted his ponytail. At first it was odd that he had, but then I realised that young knights of the Order could not have "girlfriends", and we couldn't be seen doing what others, who lived here, were denied: love, and its "touch". I was cautious of my actions, so I wouldn't do something inexcusable. All day Vladislaus led me around and we had only hidden away a few times to kiss. When the evening came, we were to eat dinner with Valerious, Amadae, Gabriel and the Cardinal, Charram, at his house.
"Good evening, guests, and welcome. Firstly I would like to say..." Charram said, but I stopped listening as I was distracted by something touching my feet: Vladislaus' feet. I looked at him, and clearly he wasn't much for the speech the old Cardinal was going to give. He just began staring into my eyes. I looked back, a forbidden expression upon my face, as I tried to stop smiling at Vladislaus' teasing with his feet, and he constantly wanted to make eye contact, and I had a very hard time not returning it.
Eventually I gave up trying to focus on what words came from Charram's lips, and began trying to read which signals Vladislaus sent me. His eyes bore into mine, once again consuming me. I took my feet out of the shoes I wore and started to slide them up and down what I thought was Vladislaus' legs, but I found out, by the confused look on his face, that it was Gabriel's and I immediately withdrew them, acting as though it was a thing I usually did at a normal dinner table.
"Sorry," I whispered across the table to him, which made Charram send me a piercing look: he was no used to be disturbed.
"...and that we should thank the All Mighty One that..."
"Sorry, Gabriel," I whispered.
"May I continue, miss?" he said with sustained calm.
"Uh, yes, excuse me. Sorry," I said, noticing Vladislaus looking away to hide the grin on this face.
Charram continued his praising of God with a very monotone voice.
Vladislaus looked at me again and continued his stare. I once again tried to get comfortable in his gaze and returned it. I then gave it a last chance to cares Vladislaus' leg, and I knew I had gotten right, because Vladislaus started to smirk. We might have continued the gaze if Charram hadn't called us to hold hand with each other and say grace.
After dinner I went to get some fresh air, alone. There was a balcony just outside where we ate and the night sky was enlightened by a shinning silver moon and stars. Somebody came out behind me and put his hands on the balcony.
"You know, you are not allowed to do it," Gabriel said. I turned around to face him, his expression sincere and caring.
"To do what?" I asked.
"I know what you are doing. I saw you today at the monks' church. You are playing around" he said, looking up at me. Knowing my defeat there was no point in denying it.
"Yes. It has been," again realising how thick my accent was, "7 years, since I last saw him. Being with him today has been wonderful. And both he and I know the consequences. And obviously, so do you. But will betray your friend?" I asked looking him in the eye.
"I?!" he said with a hearty laugh. "He is my best friend. I would never betray him," he said.
"Then why have you come to me out here?" I asked.
"I am merely confessing, Miss Cassandra. And I am warning you as well. The Order will not look at this with mild eyes, and I will not be the one to betray him," he said, confusing me.
"Neither will I!" I said heatedly.
"Cassandra, I am not insinuating anything, I am telling you to be careful. Not all parts of the Vatican are full of happy faces. I know," he said looking at me strangely.
"Cassandra! Are you coming?" I heard Vladislaus call. I shot Gabriel a spiteful glance and walked inside. I almost felt like running straight into Vladislaus' arms and give him a wild kiss, but he would probably pull away and deny the sight before his parents' eyes. We walked out as we were shown to some sleeping quarters. I shared a room with Amadae, Vladislaus and Gabriel shared a room and Valerious slept alone. But in the middle of the night two people went for a night walk.
A/N: hope you like it there'll be more;oD...
